Straight fight as Johan quits race

By Clara Chooi - The Malaysian Insider

HULU BERNAM, April 19 — In a dramatic turn of events, Johan Mohd Diah, the second independent candidate in the Hulu Selangor by-election, has withdrawn from the contest
Ironically, just two hours before he withdrew from the race at about 7.30pm, Johan had just completed an hour-long interview to the media in Felda Sungai Tengi here, expounding on his strong will to serve the people.
He had even gone as far as to thank V. S. Chandran who was the other independent candidate in the race for withdrawing his candidacy.
“I thank him very much. At least now, it gives me a bigger opportunity in the contest because the votes will only be divided three ways instead of four,” he had said.

The last independent candidate in the Hulu Selangor by-election, Johan Mohd Diah quits the race, leaving the floor wide open for PKR and BN to duel it out. - Picture by Choo Choy May

He had also claimed he had never been approached with offers to pull out of the race, and would not accept such offers even if they were made. Before that, Johan who is a Shah Alam Umno committee member and is currently facing a sacking from the party, had also launched his operation centre at house number 338, Desa Maju, Sungai Tengi, and his “cangkul” (hoe) campaign symbol, which he said represented the farmers.
He also launched his blog site, http://talianjohanrakyat.blogspot.com/, and said that his main campaign method was through the typical walkabouts, buntings, and through the internet via social networking sites like Facebook and My Space.
“After today, I will embark on a more aggressive campaign style to plead for votes from Hulu Selangor constituents,” he said.
At 9.30pm tonight however, Johan personally turned up at the Election Commission operation centre in Kuala Kubu Bharu about an hour away, and filed his withdrawal paper with the agency.
The deadline for candidates to withdraw is by 12 midnight tonight.
EC deputy director Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar confirmed this with The Malaysian Insider at about 10pm.
“Yes, he submitted his paper at about 9.30pm. He has pulled out of the race and it is now a straight fight,” he said when contacted.
Johan’s withdrawal means that now, the contest will be solely between PKR’s Datuk Zaid Ibrahim and the Barisan Nasional’s P. Kamalanathan.
In his press conference earlier, Johan pleaded with the people of Hulu Selangor to vote for him, claiming that he was not a member of the “executive” or “corporate” group of people but was just a common man on the ground.
“I can better represent the views of the people here, especially the second generation of Felda settlers here. Unlike the other candidates, I am not from the executive group of people... I represent the larger community, which is the common man,” he said.
He pointed out that he used to work as a taxi driver, a factory van driver, and even an airport limousine driver for more than seven years of his life.
“I am now a businessman in the trading business,” he said. Johan added that of all the candidates, he was the one and only truly “local boy”.
“I was born here. My voting district is at Felda Soeharto. I studied in SJK Sungai Tengi and SMK Soeharto. People here know me well and support me... in fact they do not know me as Johan... they call me Apin,” he said.
Johan said that he was keen to focus on developing human capital from the Hulu Selangor constituency especially from the pull of second generation Felda settlers and the youths.
“This is why my main targets for support are the over 20,000 youths here, the 6,700 second generation settlers and of course, those who do not support the other candidates,” he said.
He added that he would also focus on drawing support from PAS and PKR members who were against the candidacy of PKR’s Datuk Zaid Ibrahim in the race.
“I will seek out their support,” he said.
Despite offering himself up as a candidate, Johan insisted that he still believed in the Barisan Nasional’s goals, principles and achievements.
“They have ruled us for over 50 years. I am very grateful to them and I still support them. However, I feel they have failed in the area of developing human capital in the constituency of Hulu Selangor,” he claimed.
Johan, a father of three children, added that he wanted to clear the stigma of Felda settlements being haunts for drug addicts.
“I want to clean that perception, that chop that the Felda people are addicts,” he said.
Throughout the press conference, Johan gave no indication of his intention to quit from the race.
After his withdrawal was made known tonight, Johan could not be reached on his mobile phone.

SPRM jamin Bala tidak ditahan jika beri keterangan

(Bernama) - Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) memberi jaminan tidak akan menahan penyiasat persendirian P. Balasubramaniam tetapi hanya mahu mengambil keterangan daripadanya.

Timbalan Ketua Pesuruhjaya (Operasi) SPRM Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdull berkata Balasubramaniam hanya sebagai saksi dan keterangannya membolehkan siasatan terhadap kes pembunuhan wanita Mongolia, Altantuya Shaariibuu, diselesaikan segera.

Katanya pihaknya bersedia merakam percakapan Balasubramaniam bukan sahaja di pejabat kedutaan Malaysia di luar negara malah di mana-mana tempat yang dirasakan sesuai oleh penyiasat itu.

“Jika dia minta peguamnya menemaninya semasa sesi keterangan diambil, kita tetap akan membenarkannya,” katanya pada sidang akhbar selepas Mesyuarat Tahunan Kerjasama antara SPRM dan Biro Mencegah Rasuah (BMR) Brunei Darussalam di sini, hari ini.

Mohd Shukri berkata semua kenyataan saksi lain telah diambil dan jika tempoh merekodkan keterangan Balasubramaniam terlalu lama maka pihaknya akan menyerahkan kes itu kepada Timbalan Pendakwa Raya untuk membuat keputusan.

Pada 3 Julai 2008, Balasubramaniam mengumumkan akuan bersumpahnya berkaitan pembunuhan Altantuya tetapi keesokannya menarik balik kenyataan akuan sumpah awalnya itu melalui akuan sumpah kedua sebelum bertindak menghilangkan diri dipercayai ke luar negara bersama keluarganya.

Sehingga kini, siasatan SPRM terhadap penyiasat persendirian itu menjadi sukar kerana lokasi di mana beliau berada masih tidak diketahui.

The Malay sense of values

The boys are for serving the Umno ‘Mak Datins’ in Kota Bharu. These young studs hang around the hotels waiting to be picked up by the horny and sex-starved Umno ‘Mak Datins’. The Umno Datuks are too busy screwing around so they no longer have any energy for their wives. So the ‘Mak Datins’ need to hire young studs to service them.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

I am sure many non-Malays don’t quite understand the Malay mind. They think that the Malays have a peculiar sense of values. And the current bashing of Zaid Ibrahim about his ‘drinking problem’ is a case in point.

Actually, back in the 1950s and 1960s, around the time of Merdeka, most Malays in the higher echelons of society drank. Most Malay homes had bars stocked with the best liquor that would put a London pub to shame. It was not unnatural or frowned upon. Malays drank, as the Malays would say, ‘like a fish’, although in reality fish do not drink.

The army had its NAAFI where you could buy beer very cheap, RM0.50 a can, and hardly any Malay army man did not drink. And the military personnel would toast the King with wine.

That is of course now a thing of the past and, today, drinking is not treated with the same tolerance that it was 50 years or so ago. Gambling, which was also a 'social event' of days gone by, is equally frowned upon. No longer do Malays meet for their weekly game of poker or hop down to the local betting shop to buy a lottery ticket.

When PAS took over Terengganu in 1999, the state government summoned the Chinese and Indians for a meeting to discuss the banning of liquor and betting shops in the state. The Chinese and Indians told the Menteri Besar, Hadi Awang, that they had no objections to the state banning gambling (as they considered it a social evil) but they would not agree to the banning of liquor. So the state government banned gambling but not liquor.

So you see, even PAS, the so-called extremist Islamic party, focused on two main sins or evils, drinking and gambling. These were the only two ‘social ills’ that the PAS state government talked about, drinking and gambling. In Kelantan, a state that PAS took over in 1990, the state government did the same thing. They banned gambling and liquor.

If you were to attend the congregational prayers in the mosques on Friday, you will hear the imam preach about the sins that Muslims perpetuate, drinking and gambling. The imams would condemn Muslims who drink and/or gamble. The Muslims would be made to understand that these are the two sins or vices they should avoid. So Muslims fully understand that drinking and gambling are to be shunned.

It is quite understandable, therefore, that they would use this against Zaid. If they can convince the Malay voters in Hulu Selangor that Zaid drinks (or, better still, drinks and gambles as well) then there would be a good chance the Malay voters would reject Zaid.

The non-Malays would not be faulted if they feel that there is something wrong with the Malay sense of values. Why are they only talking about drinking? Surely vices, sins and crimes extend beyond just drinking? Who do you harm if you drink? And we are not talking about someone being an alcoholic here. Even non-Malays look down on alcoholics. We are talking about social drinking. To the non-Malays this is not a sin or crime at all. So why is it such a big deal?

The non-Malays may be looking at things from their own perspective. If they would just look at it from the Malay perspective then they would understand the issue. For 50 years Malays have been indoctrinated with the belief that drinking and gambling are serious sins in Islam. Any Malay who drinks and/or gambles is to be condemned. That is what 50 years of sermons in the mosques have been screaming about. So they would hardly be any Malays in Malaysia who would dare defend drinking or gambling.

Actually, back in the 1970s, PAS in Terengganu too had a wakil rakyat, an ex-army officer, who drank. Everyone knew about it but no one talked about it. Maybe today that would not be possible but back then even PAS ‘closed its eyes’ to the issue.

I remember a story about the PAS President, Asri Muda, meeting the first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman in his home. The Tunku greeted Asri at the door with a whiskey glass in hand and Asri exclaimed his shock. After all, it was still breakfast time and too early to ‘hit the bottle’.

The Tunku replied that he had just done his subuh prayers and still had his ablution (wuduk). So, in that sense, he has performed his religious duty and his drinking does not dilute his prayers. “Liquor and water do not mix,” the Tunku replied.

No, there was no bullshit or hypocrisy in those days. The Umno President cum Malaysian Prime Minister drank and he never hid that fact. He even met the PAS President for breakfast with a whiskey glass in hand. And he still had his ablution while he held his whiskey glass.

Umno people drink. They still do till today. You can see them all over town. Just go to Heritage Row or the Havana Club or the Press Club and see for yourself. Most members of the Royal Family drink as well, many in the privacy of their homes and some in public as well. Show me how many top guns of Umno or members of the Royal Family who do not drink. Okay, some do not, but most do, so those who drink are in the majority, not the minority.

The issue we should focus on is not whether Zaid drinks and therefore whether this makes him an unsuitable leader. The issue we should focus on is whom are those making this allegation? Those making this allegation are those who themselves drink.

I know many ‘Mak Datins’, wives of top Umno people, who don’t drink or gamble. But they do other things that could be considered worse. I personally know a group of Umno ‘Mak Datins’ from Terengganu who go to Thailand or Indonesia from time to time. They normally go in groups of four or five. And the purpose of these jaunts is to look for young studs for a weekend of wild sex.

Yes, these ‘Mak Datins’ do not drink or gamble. But they make excursions to neighbouring countries for a good screw. I, of course, know them personally. One even sent me a message saying that if I wanted to screw her she would drop her panties for me any time.

Unfortunately my wife intercepted that message and she made sure that this ‘Mak Datin’ kept her distance. This particular ‘Mak Datin’ even invited my wife to join their gang on a trip to Kuala Lumpur where they had a few young studs waiting to service them. My wife never joined them of course but since then she made sure that when I made any trip to Kuala Lumpur these ‘Mak Datins’ were also not ‘coincidentally’ in town having a party.

Kelantan has been under an Islamic government over the last 20 years since 1990. Liquor and gambling is no longer allowed in that state. But if you were to cruise round Kota Bharu you can find young girls and boys hanging around the main hotels waiting for clients. Yes, young girls and boys. What the girls are doing there is obvious but why the boys, you might ask.

The boys are for serving the Umno ‘Mak Datins’ in Kota Bharu. These young studs hang around the hotels waiting to be picked up by the horny and sex-starved Umno ‘Mak Datins’. The Umno Datuks are too busy screwing around so they no longer have any energy for their wives. So the ‘Mak Datins’ need to hire young studs to service them.

I once took my wife for a cruise round Kota Bharu to prove this. We stopped at a back lane at one of leading hotels and a young man walked over to our car. My wife was tickled that the most Islamic town in Malaysia in the most Islamic state, Serambi Mekah (the Corridor to Mekah), is more ‘advanced’ than Kuala Lumpur.

Yes, Zaid is ‘immoral’ because, according to Umno, he drinks. If this allegation came from PAS I would not want to say more. But this allegation is coming from Umno. And when the Umno Datuks and Umno ‘Mak Datins’ screw around, which Zaid and his wife do not, I just do not see how the hand that has sinned even worse can cast the first stone.

And I am not yet even talking about corruption, abuse of power, robbing from the rakyat, and whatnot. I doubt I need to talk about those issues that all Malaysians are aware of.

What is perplexing is that Malays get all hot and bothered on the issue of drinking. But when it comes to screwing around, corruption, and much more, the Malays are cool. They will reject someone who is said to be drinking. But they have no problems embracing someone who screws around or is corrupted to the core.

How does one explain the Malay mind? How do we analyse the Malay sense of values?

Don’t ask me. I have stopped trying to understand the Malay mind a long time ago.

By the way, if you need to get in touch with any of these ‘Mak Datins’ don’t give me a call because they will tell you they will agree to meet you only if you bring me along and that is going to get me into a whole load of trouble with my wife.

PETANG ITU - 38 TAHUN DAHULU

Pada petang itu, 38 tahun dahulu, si Zaid telah tidak terpengaruh dengan tohmah anti-komunis, anti-kiri dan anti-sosialis. Sifat demokratiknya telah tertanam dalam sebelum dia meletakan jawatan sebagai menteri kabinet kerana menentang ISA. Susuk yang bernama Zaid Ibrahim dapat melihat salah dan benar.

DARI JELEBU

Hishamuddin Rais

Ini cerita lama. Tapi baik juga untuk dibuka kembali agar kita semua dapat tahu apa yang berlaku puluhan tahun dahulu. Cerita-cerita ini kalau baik kita jadikan tauladan. Kalau tidak molek dapat kita jadikan sempadan. Kalau tidak pun kita baca untuk ketawa.

Ceritanya bagini:

Saya ingat lagi pada tahun 1972 - ketika itu saya anak mahasiswa yang mengulang tahun satu di Universiti Malaya. Saya telah aktif dalam perjuangan gerakan mahasiswa sejak dari awal tahun pertama lagi. Pada tahun itu, ketika Kongres Tahunan Persatuan Kebangsaan Pelajar-Pelajar Malaysia (PKPM ), saya telah dilantik untuk menjadi Setiausaha Agung. Badan yang bernama PKPM ini telah diharamkan pada tahun 1974 - sesudah demo pelajar menyokong warga Baling.

Ketika saya dilantik sebagai SU Agung PKPM – perang Vietnam sedang rancak. Kuasa imperial Amerika sedang melancarkan perang kolonial ke atas Vietnam, Laos dan Kamboja – sama seperti yang sedang berlaku di Iraq dan Afghanistan hari ini.

Justeru dalam Kongres PKPM tahun 1972 itu ada terdapat resolusi yang mengutuk imperialis Amerika Syarikat dan menyokong perjuangan menuntut keadilan oleh rakyat Indo China. Ketetapan yang dibuat dalam kongres akan menjadi dasar persatuan sehingga ke kongres tahun hadapan.

Pada zaman itu gerakan mahasiswa cukup rancak. Saya adalah seorang ahli kelab sosialis yang aktif. Justeru pandangan politik saya adalah kiri. Buku dan akhbar yang saya baca adalah kiri. Negara dan pemimpin negara yang saya hormati adalah dari jalur kiri.

Berdasarkan resolusi PKPM yang anti-Amerika saya telah memasang poster-poster anti-perang Vietnam yang kami terima dari International Union of Students yang berpengkalan di Prague.

Rupa-rupanya ada juga kumpulan mahasiswa, terutama dari PMUKM yang yang tidak bersetuju dengan pemasangan poster ini. Lalu saya dikritik sebagai SU Agung PKPM yang tidak bertanggungjawab. Sebenarnya isu poster anti-perang Vietnam ini hanya alasan. Kritikan ini datang dari pelajar reaksionari bermazhab kanan.

Akhirnya satu persidangan tergempar telah diadakan. Persidangan ini diadakan di Dewan Majlis Persatuan Universiti Malaya. Saya ingat lagi petang itu – delegasi dari PMUKM, dari Serdang College, dari Institut Teknoloji Kebangsaan, KSITM dan tuan rumah PMUM turut hadir.

Saya dapat merasakan seolah-olah telah ada persetujuan untuk menyingkirkan saya dari PKPM. Idris Jusi, dari PMUKM mula bercakap membuka kes tentang saya yang dikatakan tidak mengikut dasar PKPM dan dilihat pro-komunis. Dari KSITM, presidennya Zahari tidak pula bercakap. Yang banyak bercakap ialah Ibrahim Ali.

Pandangan-pandangan kanan dan reaskioner bertaburan pada petang itu.

Sebelum keputusan dibuat untuk menyingkirkan saya dari PPPM tiba-tiba seorang wakil delegasi dari KSITM mengangkat tangan untuk berucap. Saya masih ingat lagi anak muda itu. Dia kurus lansing dan kacak. Berkulit sawo matang. Anak muda ini memakai seluar hitam dan berbaju biru. Mustahil saya akan melupakan susuk ini. Sampai akhir hayat saya ingat apa yang berlaku pada petang itu. Tidak mungkin saya akan lupa kerana pada petang itu saya sedang disalib.

Masih terngiang di telinga saya hingga ke hari ini apa yang dikatakan oleh anak muda itu:

“Sebelum dia dibuang, dia berhak untuk diberi peluang bersuara. Ini adalah cita-cita demokrasi pelajar… dan ini adalah hak dia.”

Saya terperanjat kerana tidak ada sesiapa dari persatuan lain yang menyokong saya kecuali PMUM. Saya terperanjat kerana anak muda ini berani ‘pecah regu’ untuk menyokong saya. Saya kagum atas keberanian nya.

Saya tidak kenal anak muda ini. Tapi saya tahu anak muda ini datang dari KSITM – satu persatuan pelajar yang saya anggap reaksionari. Bila saya selidiki baru saya sedari anak muda ini ialah Zaid Ibrahim – pelajar jurusan undang-undang Institut Teknoloji Mara. Saya juga difahamkan si Zaid ini datang dari Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman (STAR) seteru kuat sekolah saya, MCKK.

Semenjak petang itu saya tidak bertemu dengan Zaid Ibrahim. Kami meneruskan keyakinan diri. Saya difahamkan Zaid telah menjadi seorang peguam yang berjaya. Saya terus menjadi diri saya.

Lima tahun dahulu seorang kawan dari MCKK mengajak saya untuk menjadi ahli Civil Society of Malaysia. Ini badan hak asasi manusia yang cuba diwujudkan oleh Zaid Ibrahim. Cuma ada ‘catch’ - sesiapa yang ingin menjadi ahli wajib membayar RM250. Jumlah ini agak berat untuk saya - lalu saya menolak jemputan ini.

Seminggu sebelum Ngo ini berkumpul dan bersidang saya telah mendapat panggilan telefon mengatakan bahawa RM250 telah dibayar oleh Zaid Ibrahim. Saya hairan kerana seumur hidup saya – saya belum pernah bercakap sepatah pun dengan susuk ini. Dari panggilan talipon - saya telah diberi kebenran untuk datang ke persidangan pertama Civil Society ini di Hotel Renaisance.

Inilah kali kedua saya melihat Zaid Ibrahim. Kali kedua ini agak berbeza. Anak muda kurus yang berbaju biru dan berseluar hitam dahulu telah agak bersisi. Rambutnya telah dicantikan oleh anyaman uban. Baju dan pantalon yang dipakainya kelihatan dari jenis yang baik dan bermutu. Nah! Pastilah dia telah berjaya hinggakan sanggup membayar yuran untuk orang yang tidak dikenalinya.

Dua hari sebelum nama Zaid Ibarahim dimahsyurkan sebagai calon di Hulu Selangor saya telah pergi menemuinya. Rumah kediaman si Zaid ini bukanlah sama seperti bilik sewa tempat saya menginap. Ini kawasan lumayan yang hanya 30 minit dari Serendah Hulu Selangor.

Mata saya memerhati dengan rapi untuk mengetahui lebih dalam lagi manusia yang bernama Zaid Ibrahim ini. Rumahnya tidak mengancam tapi pastilah lebih luas dari bilik sewa saya. Dalaman tidak lucah dan bukan bermotifkan budaya ‘arriviste – horray henry’ yang sering kita temui di wilayah-wilayah mewah.

Tujuan saya datang kerana ingin bertanya apakah dia masih ingat lagi apa yang terjadi di Dewan Majlis PMUM 38 tahun dahulu. Zaid termenong sabentar sebelum mengakui yang dia pernah datang ke PMUM untuk bermesyurat. Tetapi tidak ingat apa tujuan dia hadir. Malah dia juga tidak ingat bahawa pada petang itu yang di salib ialah saya.

Saya tidak merasa kecewa kerana si Zaid tidak mengingati episod itu. Inilah perjalanan hidup kita sebagai manusia . Terpencar pencar - ada yang kita ingati dan ada yang kita lupakan. Untuk kita – pekara yang ini mungkin penting dan untuk orang lain pekara yang sama adalah ‘non event – tidak ada apa apa yang penting’.

Kenapa saya menulis kesah ini? Saya menulis kerana susuk yang bernama Zaid Ibrahim ini sedang berkempen untuk memenangi kerusi di Parlimen. Saya menulis ini kerana saya yakin bahawa manusia yang bernama Zaid Ibrahim ini adalah manusia demokrat. Tiga puluh lapan tahun dahulu – ketika kami masih lagi anak pelajar - si Zaid ini telah memperlihatkan sifat jujur dan demokratnya.

Pada petang itu, 38 tahun dahulu, si Zaid telah tidak terpengaruh dengan tohmah anti-komunis, anti-kiri dan anti-sosialis. Sifat demokratiknya telah tertanam dalam sebelum dia meletakan jawatan sebagai menteri kabinet kerana menentang ISA. Susuk yang bernama Zaid Ibrahim dapat melihat salah dan benar.

Jika saya warga Hulu Selangor saya merasa senang hati untuk menobatkan Zaid Ibrahim sebagai wakil suara saya di Parlimen.

Kamalanathan is MIC president material. He has mastered the art of sucking up to UMNO and PERKASA

“Right-wing group Perkasa is not belligerent against non-Malays as its aim is to promote the empowerment of the Malay community” – Kamalanathan, quoted in Malaysiakini two days ago.
September, last year, the twelve UMNO or UMNO-connected individuals who were involved with the cow-head protest were charged in Shah Alam sessions court. You can read about this HERE.
On 9th September, last year, Staronline reported Ibrahim Ali of PERKASA as saying that Perkasa wants to provide legal counsel to the 12 “cow head protestors”, and that several lawyers within PERKASA were willing to take up the case ‘as a “jihad,” or any war undertaken in the name of Islam against unbelievers or backsliders’.
Ibrahim and PERKASA plainly support the acts of the cow-head demonstrators.
Kamalanathan has stated that “Perkasa is not belligerent against non-Malays”.
Can we assume, then, that in the eyes of Kamalanathan, the cow-head demonstration was not a belligerent act against non-Malays and, in the instant case, against the Hindus of this country?
If so, would this explain why, in the days after that demonstration, not a word condemning that insensitive demonstration, was ever uttered by this MIC chief of communcation?
Or, for that matter, anyone else from MIC?

A teaser for Kerismudin and the rest of the UMNO munafik, lest they forget!

On nomination day at Kuala Kubu Baru, UMNO supporters had only one clarion issue to cry out.
‘Kaki botol! Kaki botol!’.
Posters have begun to appear everywhere with a superimposed picture of Zaid downing a bottle of God knows what.
That tells you how bankrupt they are of issues to take up in this by-election!
And Zaid has not let me down.
He’s taken the rubbish that they’ve thrown at him square on his chin and, like the gentleman that I’ve come to know him to be, has refused to return like for like.
Malaysiakini reported yesterday that Zaid said  “I am not like Umno leaders. They are hypocrites” and then ” confessed to reporters that he did indeed consume alcohol, as alleged by BN in their campaign, but only in his younger days, and that he has now repented”.
Zaid also made the pertinent observation that his “immorality did not stop BN from fielding him as a candidate, and appointing him as law minister”.
The same Malaysiakini report has it that when asked  “if he would play the same game and speak about the vices of his former party-mates, he said that he had a “better pedigree than that”.
Well, I don’t have your pedigree, Zaid.
That’s right, Zaid, you address the real issues that the good people need to know about how UMNO is sending this country straight to the cesspool.
Leave it to the bloggers to deal with those hypocrites in UMNO.
Let’s start with the most dishonest Home Minister this nation has ever had to endure.
Malaysiakini also reported yesterday that Kerismudin said that Umno is not behind the allegation of alcohol-guzzling habit against Zaid and that it was raised by bloggers.
Oi dumbo, when are you going to get it through that thick skull of yours that the public are not as stupid as you think?
Bloggers making up the UMNO crowd on nomination day and chanting “Kaki botol! Kaki botol!”?
Bloggers running around the constituency putting up that superimposed picture I mentioned above?
You think everybody stupid, ah?
Somewhat cheekily, this dumbo is reported to have then said, “What are they afraid of, why panic if it is not true?”.

Recognise this, dumbo?
Anchor beer, huh?
What ere you afraid of, dumbo, if this is not true?
This is not new. Read the original expose HERE.
You want to see more photos, dumbo?
Any of you UMNO munafik want to see your spicy stories on prime time blogosphere?
How your kids misbehave here and overseas?
I swear I will spare no one.
Or should we allow this election to be about real issues affecting the people?
You shithead UMNO munafiks decide if you want cyberspace to be peppered with your bloody scandals.

Kamalanathan, explain to the Hindus of Hulu Selangor why Samy Vellu ordered the temple demolished

Penipuan Mereka Pecah

Betapa jeleknya Umno. Belum sampai dua jam mereka memfitnah Zaid Ibrahim, penipuan mereka pecah!

Gambar yang diubah bagi tujuan memfitnah

Gambar asal

A Star is Reborn

(Asia Sentinel)A Filipino beauty pageant relents, restores its princess

To read more about the disqualified beauty queens and see their pics click here

The selection, dethronement and ultimate reinstatement of Maria Venus Raj as the reigning Filipina Miss Universe finalist is a story that seems perfect for the Philippines, with its overtones of glamour, outrage, pathos, belief in the intervention of God, final redemption and tacky quotes – although none by Venus, who appears to be formidably articulate and intelligent.

By and large, Filipinas are usually characterized as short, cute and brown. Miss Universe candidates are tall, exotic and statuesque. That has led to a contortion of reality in the Philippines, which is mad for beauty contests and for the Miss Universe contest most of all. If one were to judge from the universe of Miss Universe aspirants, the Philippines would lie not in Southeast Asia but in some alternate world of willowy wonders.

The problem of locating this contestant/ideal woman has been solved by a rising tide of mixed-blood beauties who now largely dominate beauty contests, magazine advertisements, fashion shows and catwalks, not only in Manila but Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong and other cities. It can be dicey. Since 1998, four of the winners of Miss Philippines-Universe contests in Manila have been disqualified. Anjanette Palencia Abayari and Janelle Delfin Bautista were dethroned because they were American citizens. In 1998, Olivia Tisha Carlos Silang was dethroned because she is Canadian.

The fourth is Venus Raj, a 5-foot 9-inch, 21-year-old beauty with a life story to match her looks. She grew up in a nipa hut made of wood, bamboo and palm thatch, raised by her single mother, a dressmaker and tenant farmer, after she had been born out of wedlock. The hut, in the middle of a rice field in the Bicol region of Luzon Island 400-odd kilometres south of Manila, had no electricity.

But Venus persevered, learning to walk like a model, she said, by treading narrow rice paddy dikes. Ultimately she graduated cum laude with a degree in journalism from Bicol University. The youngest of five children, she started entering beauty contests when she was 17 years old and used the money from her prizes to buy land on an installment basis for her mother. She now works as an information assistant for the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources when she isn't modelling.

Venus has no intention to become a journalist. She was the overwhelming choice of the judges in the 2010 Binibining Pilipinas (Miss Philippines) contest held on March 6, which chooses the young woman destined to compete for the international title, and was named Miss Friendship by her fellow contestants as well. But she was disqualified on March 29 because it transpired that although her birth certificate said she was born in the town of Bato, that her father was a Filipino Catholic and that her parents were married, she had been born in Qatar to an Indian father and her Filipina mother – a sign that overseas workers can bring back more desirable goods than just money. Her aunt, Josephine Ramos, had filed the document three years after she was born, she said, to protect the family from embarrassment. She has never met her father, she told Asia Sentinel.

The pageant organizers dethroned her because her birth certificate contained false information. She was replaced by Helen Nicolette Henson, also nearly 5 feet nine inches tall and also 21. The dethronement kicked off a huge furor in the Philippines, with the Internet coming alive with demands for Venus's reinstatement.

The beauty queen hired lawyers to demand that the pageant organizer reinstate her unconditionally and to clear her name of wrongdoing, saying the dethronement tarnished her reputation and cast doubts on her right to the title. She had been too poor to go to court to correct the inconsistencies in her records, which she says weren't her idea anyway, and that she had told the organizers she had been born in Qatar.
"It really was quite difficult for me," she said. "Lots of people criticize you and your family, but as long as I am telling the truth, and doing the right thing, it is all right. I come from a poor family, but my mother taught me the value of integrity and credibility."

Along with lawyers, politicians got into the act with Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero, a fellow Bicoleno, and Joey Salceda, the governor of her home area of Albay demanding explanations and saying the pageant should reinstate her. Vice presidential candidate Loren Legarda, left-wing party-list representative and senatorial candidate Liza Maza, Commission on Human Rights Chair Leila de Lima and Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption Chair Dante Jimenez all jumped into the fray.

An army of Internet users installed a Petition for Venus Raj to remain as Bb. Pilipinas Universe 2010 on Facebook. "Spare Venus from that black propaganda. Make peace, [pageant]. Venus may have nothing in life but we are the angels helping her. She has her family and us. Take note of that," said one post.

It was amazing, she says. "Thousands of people protested."

The pageant held out for 11 days. Then, in a public statement sent to Manila newspapers, the organization caved in. "The Executive Committee of Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. (BPCI) announces today that after due deliberation, it has reassessed the situation pertaining to Ms. Maria Venus Raj and has decided, for humanitarian reasons, that if she is able to obtain a valid Philippine passport, they will goive her crown back reinstate her as the reigning Bb. Pilipinas-Universe," said the statement.

"I honestly think it's the grace of God working through all the bloggers, forums, Facebook community, and TV and newspaper coverage," said Joyce Burton-Titular, a former beauty queen, on her blog. "They were all moved because they felt the humility and honesty of Venus. Her story of being raised on a farm, in a hut with no electricity, graduating cum laude and winning pageants is powerful. And she still goes home to that same hut today."

"God sees the truth and hears our prayers. Cheer up Venus, smile and show the world how beautiful you are inside and out," one of Raj's supporters posted. "Petitions were heard, our prayers were answered," another fan wrote.

Venus has until June to get a Philippine passport. She is confident it will be taken care of. "My lawyers are taking care of the technicalities," she said. Then she has to find a place to go. They haven't found a venue for the final event yet. Las Vegas is a possibility, Bali another.

And after that? "I will seek out whatever opportunities there are," she said firmly. Newspapers need not apply to see if she would like to be an intern. She has other plans.

Time To Revisit Look East Policy - Najib

TOKYO, April 20 (Bernama) -- While more than 15,000 Malaysians have benefited from the Look East Policy introduced 28 years ago, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak says it is now perhaps timely to revisit the policy and introduce new and innovative fields.

He said Malaysia and Japan both shared the views that it was now timely to revisit the policy to introduce new and innovative areas such as cutting edge technology, green technology, sustainable technology and biotechnology.

Najib welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's remarks that Malaysia and Japan should realise the establishment of a new institution in the form of Malaysia-Japan University which would symbolise not only their bilateral ties but also a strong leadership role that Japan intended to play in Malaysia and within Asean.

"We believe the creation of such institution will be a lasting legacy that Japan can leave behind for the future development of Asean countries," he said at a banquet hosted by Hatoyama at the Prime Minister's Office, Sori Kantei on the occasion of Najib's first official visit to Japan, here Monday night.

Present were Najib's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Hatoyama's wife, Miyuki, and Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, who is also acting Foreign Minister, and his wife, Datin Seri Masnah Rais.

Espousing on the 1Malaysian concept, Najib, who is on a four-day visit to Japan beginning yesterday, explained to Hatoyama metaphorically, "If you imagine a house, the roof symbolises One Malaysia, which forms our overarching guiding philosophy for the nation and the two pillars constitute the Government Transformation Programme and the Economic Transformation Programme.

"And the floor (is) the 10th and 11th Malaysia plans which provide financial resources and incentives for us to reach our goal by the year 2020.

"In the spirit of 1Malaysia, we can move together as one people and one nation," said Najib.

The Prime Minister said with Japan under the leadership of Hatoyama, bilateral relations between Malaysia and Japan would go from strength to strength.

"I look forward to a new era of closer cooperation and collaboration between Malaysia and Japan," he said.

"Prime Minister Hatoyama is right to say that if you want to reform, there will be some pain before we get to gain and we all know that the pain is immediate but the gain is later.

"But we have to be steadfast if we want to change our nation and transform our nation to become more unified, stronger and more prosperous," said Najib.

He said the people must be strong in their resolve to continue with the reforms so that the ultimate goal could be realised.

"So I wish Prime Minister Hatoyama all the very best in his journey (to reform his country) and I hope to see him in Malaysia in the near future," added Najib.

Razak Baginda surfaces in Singapore - Anil Netto

Abdul Razak Baginda – remember him? – surfaced in Singapore today.
He gave a talk on the Islamic Caliphate(!) at Nanyang Technical University at 10.00am, according to a source. About 80 people were believed to have signed up for the talk, but just over 40 actually attended.

He was later interviewed by Singaporean journalists.
What is Baginda’s next move now? It would be interesting to find out.

Rewarding 'Party Hoppers'- From Opposition: Datukship, US Trips,... BN to Opposition: MPship/ADUNship/Leadership?

What do 'party hoppers' get when they jump ship? In Malaysia, it seems that they are 'rewarded'...Hence, the reason for 'jumping' may not really be for pure principles - but the 'rewards' that they can get. That is why, we should have a 'cooling off' period of maybe 5 years, whereby these 'party hoppers' are not given MP/ADUN seats to contest...or appointed into the leadership positions at National/State levels of parties/coalitions.

For those who hop out of Opposition parties, they get "Datukship", US Trips, etc...

Jelapang state representative Hee Yit Foong, whose defection from DAP triggered BN's takeover of Perak, will today receive the Darjah Datuk Paduka Mahkota Perak (DPMP).

She is among 919 who will be conferred with awards and medals in conjunction with Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah's 82nd birthday. - Malaysiakini, 19/4/2010, She's now 'Datuk' Hee Yit Fong 

Minister in the Prime Minister Department Nazri Abdul Aziz confirmed that the Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will be accompanied by two independent MPs for a visit to the US Congress.

The duo are Bayan Baru MP Zahrain Hashim (left) and Kulim Bandar Baru parliamentarian Zulkifli Noordin, who were both former PKR members.

Nazri explained that as the opposition practises bloc voting, BN had to make sure that it has sufficient members in the parliament.

"Therefore I have decided not to send (any) BN MPs to follow the prime minister (to Washington DC). During a parliamentary sitting, we will not allow any BN MPs to leave the country."

Nazri said that the BN MPs are aware that that the party will be at a disadvantage if its majority is reduced and are not disgruntled with his decision.

"That is why, from BN, only the Minister of Information, Communications and Culture, Rais Yatim, will be going with the prime minister." - Malaysiakini, 8/4/2010, Zul, Zahrain to 'tag along with PM' on US trip

And for those who jump from the BN parties to the Opposition parties (even without any MPship or ADUNship...) - they are rewarded by being made opposition leaders, and the chance to get elected as Opposition MPs/ADUNs...

Given the fact that most seem to be jumping over to PKR, rather than the DAP or PAS, it must be because PKR's 'rewards' are better and maybe the other Opposition parties like PAS and DAP is not at all keen to reward these 'party hoppers'...[Also should be noted that save for 1 State Assembly person from the DAP, all the other MPs and ADUNs that have left the Opposition are from PKR..]

BN confident of 3,000 majority win in Hulu Selangor

BUKIT BERUNTONG, April 19 —  Pasir Mas independent MP Datuk Ibrahim Ali expects Barisan Nasional (BN) to win the Hulu Selangor by-election by a majority of up to 3,000 votes, in an assessment which dovetails with ground reports on voter sentiment.
Initial reports also show that Hulu Selangor voters are likely to back BN because of support for the reform policies of Datuk Seri Najib Razak and as a reaction to problems being faced by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) party PKR.
Ibrahim, who is campaigning for BN in Hulu Selangor, is certain of candidate P.Kamalanathan’s victory.
Hulu Selangor has since the first general election in 1959 been a BN stronghold, except for the blip in 2008 when it ceded the seat to PKR’s Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad.
“What do you think? I say, the Barisan Nasional will win by approximately 3,000 votes,” Ibrahim said.
The Perkasa president, who was speaking in a ceramah in Batang Kali yesterday, said his prognosis stems from the change in sentiment among Hulu Selangor voters with regards to Najib’s leadership.
“Besides the introduction of the New Economic Model, the economy has started to recover, plus PKR is facing internal strife.  I am confident that the BN candidate’s vote count will increase to around a 3,000 majority,” said Ibrahim.
He was also sure about the BN keeping the votes it earned in 2008.
“About 95 per cent of the votes gained by Datuk  G.Palanivel who contested for the fifth time two years ago will stay with the BN.
“The BN will move from that point and gain even more votes,” he said.
He estimated that BN can achieve his projected majority if the candidate gets 65 per cent of the Indian votes, 55 per cent of the Malay votes and 45 per cent of the Chinese votes.
He felt the likely votes for PR’s Datuk Zaid Ibrahim will drop, more so since PAS has been lukewarm in their campaigning.
Zaid has been the characterised as a “social person” by his opponents which is becoming a concern in winning over the Malay vote. The Malaysian Insider understands that there will be a low voter-turnout due to the prevailing perception about the BN and PR candidates.
However Ibrahim believes the turnout will be higher than the 72 per cent in 2008.
“If people don’t come out to vote as much, this will benefit BN,” he said.
About 15,000 voters here live outside the constituency.
Also contesting are MIC Hulu Selangor’s deputy chairman V.S. Chandran, 56, and businessman Johan Mohd. Diah, 31.
The by-election was called after the unfortunate death of Zainal Abidin last month, who beat Palanivel by 198 votes in 2008.
There are 64,500 registered voters.

Hulu Selangor's Dr Halili Rahmat quits PKR

By Adib Zalkapli - The Malaysian Insider
PETALING JAYA, April 19 — Datuk Dr Halili Rahmat, who was previously speculated to be picked as PKR’s candidate for the Hulu Selangor by-election, quit the party today.
The party instead picked Datuk Zaid Ibrahim to contest the April 25 by election.
Dr Halili, who was division treasurer, said he would apply to join Umno as he claimed PKR has deviated from its original struggle.
Also present at the announcement was former PKR secretary-general Datuk Salehuddin Hashim who chaired the press conference.
A neurosurgeon, Dr Halili was one of the founding leaders of the then National Justice Party and contested in the 1999 and 2004 general election in Hulu Selangor and in Batang Kali.
A close friend of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Dr Halili was listed by the party as one of 12 the potential candidates for the federal seat left vacant by the death of PKR MP Datuk Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad.
“Today’s PKR is under the control of a small group of leftists who are not acceptable to the Malays and Malaysians,” said Dr Halili who was reading from a prepared statement.
“At the same time I can see that the government under the leadership of Datuk Seri Najib Razak has been working very hard and sincere in bringing political change,” he said.
Dr Halili told the media that he chose to make the announcement during the Hulu Selangor campaign period as he does not want his name to be used by his former party.
“I am aware that some will accuse me of being disappointed for not selected as candidate, but I have never offered myself to be the Hulu Selangor candidate,” said Dr Halili who is from Hulu Yam, a neighbourhood within the Hulu Selangor constituency.
When asked whether he will help in the Barisan Nasional (BN) campaign, Dr Halili replied he may be unable to do so as he has to attend his son’s convocation in Australia.
He also said he attended the PKR candidate announcement rally out of curiosity.
“Maybe my name would be announced, I just wanted to know,” said Dr Halili when asked about his presence at the rally in Serendah last week.
On his relationship with Anwar, Dr Halili said he only served Anwar in his professional capacity.
“I am a professional, if I’m needed I have to give treatment, it’s a private matter,” he said adding that he has been Anwar’s personal surgeon since 1994.

Chandran to pull out of Hulu Selangor vote

By G. Manimaran - The Malaysian Insider
Bahasa Malaysia Editor
HULU SELANGOR, April 19 — The Hulu Selangor by-election will be reduced to a three-cornered fight today when candidate V.S. Chandran as expected announces his withdrawal from the contest.
The former Hulu Selangor MIC deputy chief is due to inform the Election Commission (EC) of his decision this morning, before the withdrawal deadline ends midnight today. Polling is on April 25.
Chandran is due to meet reporters after going to the EC, according to a text message received by The Malaysian Insider.
But efforts to get Chandran to confirm the news failed as he is not picking up his phone despite his camp confirming his withdrawal.
“Yes, Chandran has decided to withdraw from contesting due to certain reasons,” a source told The Malaysian Insider late last night.
It is understood Chandran took the step to prevent the Indian vote, especially from MIC members, from splitting and affecting the chances of Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate, party information chief P. Kamalanathan.
Others contesting the federal seat are PKR’s Datuk Zaid Ibrahim and another independent, Johan Md Diah who still faces the possibility of the sack from his party, Umno for joining the fray.
Chandran, who faces a similar scenario from MIC, is said to command support from the party’s local division. The Indians form 19.3 per cent of the 64,500 voters in Hulu Selangor.
“He (Chandran) is just angry at MIC, but his heart still loves Barisan Nasional. He has himself said he strongly supports Barisan and it’s because of that love, he will pull out,” the source said.
A straw poll by The Malaysian Insider showed a section of MIC members are still disappointed with BN’s decision to drop party deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel from contesting the seat he had held for four terms until Election 2008.
They have said they will not vote for the BN choice, making it difficult for the ruling coalition to overturn the 198-vote loss by Palanivel to PKR MP Datuk Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad whose death triggered the by-election.
The main fight remains between the 44-year-old Kamalanathan, who is seen as a compromise candidate, and Zaid, who was sacked from Umno after he quit as a minister in the Abdullah administration in 2008.

Neuro-surgeon quits 'power-crazy' PKR, to join Umno

FMT ALERT KUALA LUMPUR: Hulu Selangor PKR treasurer Dr Halili Rahmat has announced that he is quitting the party to join Umno.
Halili, who had contested the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat previously, was initially speculated to be the candidate this time around as well.

However, the party opted for its supreme council member and former law minister Zaid Ibrahim instead.

Speaking at a press conference this morning, the 58-year-old neuro-surgeon said PKR is led by “narrow-minded little Napoleons”.

“PKR is power crazy to the point that it has overlooked the people's mandate whereas Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak wants to meet the needs of the people,” he added.

Halili, who claims to be PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim's private physician, said he was not disappointed that the party did not name him as the candidate for the upcoming by-election.

The doctor said he has yet to inform the PKR leadership regarding his decision, adding that it was not an overnight decision to leave.

Halili claimed that the locals have told him that PKR has failed to deliver despite being in power for two years.

He explained that he made the announcement now because he did not want PKR to use his name to fish for votes.

The Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat fell vacant following the death of PKR incumbent Zainal Abidin Ahmad on March 25.

In the 2008 general election, Zainal had defeated MIC deputy president, G Palanivel, the seat's four-term MP, by 198 votes.

The by-election is on April 25, and Zaid will be facing MIC information chief P Kamalanathan and two other independent candidates.

However, one of the independent candidates, V S Chandran, is expected to withdraw from the race.

More embarrassment as PKR division chief quits

By Athi Shankar - Free Malaysia Today

GEORGE TOWN: A group of Bayan Baru division members, including its permanent chairman and a committee member, have quit PKR.
They are following the footsteps of their political master Bayan Baru parliamentarian Zahrain Mohd Hashim, who quit the party in February to become an independent MP.
The outgoing division permanent chairperson Ismail Mohd Ali announced this during a brief press conference in Bayan Baru MP Zahrain service centre in Penang yesterday.
Ismail was accompanied by a handful of out-going PKR members from Bayan Baru, including division committee member S Dhinabalan.
Ismail claimed that some 200 Bayan Baru members were following him out of the party, including the 100 yesterday.
“Effective today I am resigning as Bayan Baru division permanent chairman and PKR member,” he said, before cutting his PKR membership with a pair of scissors to effect his quit notice.
The defection has dealt another blow to the crisis-plagued party, which faces a crucial by-election in Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat on April 25.
Inevitably Ismail cited lack of confidence on PKR leadership as the main reason for his departure.
“The leaders have moved away from their original goals, principles and struggles,” he said.
Ismail ironically is the special officer to Zahrain while Dhinabalan is the MP’s special assistant.
Ismail said he was particularly disappointed with ‘lack of reaction’ from PKR top leadership against a Pakatan Rakyat parliamentarian for recently calling for an end to Bumiputeras special privileges by repealing Article 153 of Federal Constitution.
Although he did not name the MP, it was apparent that Ismail was referring to Bukit Gelugor MP and DAP national chairman Karpal Singh.
He called on Hulu Selangor voters to reject PKR candidate Zaid Ibrahim and choose any of the three other candidates in the parliamentary by-election.
'Frustrated politician'
He also conveyed a statement from Zahrain, who called on PKR state leaders and youth movement to abort their campaign to force him to step down as Bayan Baru MP.
“I would like to advice them not to waste their time, energy and money to ask me to resign.
“I am not going to quit as a MP.
“I am going to work and help my constituents,” Ismail quoted Zahrain.
Meanwhile, when contacted, PKR’s Pantai Jerejak assemblyman Sim Tze Tzin dismissed Ismail as a merely another frustrated PKR politician who was expected to defect for a long time.
He said the state disciplinary committee was already initiating disciplinary action on Ismail for conducting himself in a manner detrimental to the party interests.
“Firstly, he became Zahrain’s special officer after the MP had quit party.
“Secondly, he was seen rubbing shoulders with local Umno leaders in many functions.
“His behaviour and actions were unbecoming of a PKR division permanent chairman,” Sim told FMT.
Sim, who is a Bayan Baru division committee member, described Ismail as a person “who can’t work or deliver” for the people.

HRP’s advise to the Indian voters in Hulu Selangor – vote only for the candidate that delivers. Do not vote for the candidate that does not deliver

It is that very promising time of the year – election time in Hulu Selangor. Promises and possible lies are what the people of Hulu Selangor are going to get, if they do not play hardball with the politicians from both sides of the divide, now .

Indian voters must vote only for the candidate that delivers.
N. Ganesan, National Advisor, Hindraf/Human Rights Party Malaysia

Zaid Ibrahim please take note.

The PR Selangor Mentri Besar came out in the news after their weekly Exco meeting recently and said that they will be giving out land titles for 100,000 squatter families and TOL license holders who have been living on that land for 15 years. He further added that the PR government was soon going to resolve reserve land issues relating to temples of worship, schools and roads.

The promise of land is the PR Chief Minister’s promise.

Delivery here to the Indian poor will mean:

1) They actually receive land titles in their names in their hands,

2) The gazettement process begun of Tamil schools land ownership in a way consistent with the way National schools own the land and

3) Land titles in the hands of the Temple Administrators for the Temples on the land on which the Temples sit.

This has to happen before the 25th of April.

HRP’s demands are much more – we feel the PR Government should for a start give land to all from the 97 Tamil Schools in Selangor that do not own the land on which they sit, but we know that it will have to wait.

Kamalanathan please take note.

The MIC/UMNO combined for their part have promised a return of the shareholder’s investments into MAIKA Holdings. Here again this is only a pre-election promise and if the deal is not sealed before the elections, they will come up with any number of reasons why they cannot keep that promise. They can say, “Oh, but we did not know MAIKA had so much baggage” or they could say ”we overestimated the value of MAIKA, we can only pay 25 sen for every Ringgit, because the businesses all have been negatively impacted by the bad publicity“ and so on, any number of reasons for them not to keep their promises.

Delivery here will mean:

All the poor Indians who are shareholders in the company should have the reimbursement cheques in their names in their hands.

This has to happen before the 25th of April .



From HRP’s standpoint of necessary justice, MIC/UMNO must reimburse the RM1 of 1984 not the RM1 of 2010.They promised a complete reimbursement. Complete reimbursement going by standard accounting principles and an average discount rate of about 6 % means a reimbursement RM4 of 2010 Ringgit value for every RM1 of 1984 Ringgit invested. Ask any accountant worth his salt.

MIC/BN by offering to give back RM1 of 2010 RM are actually only offerring to give back 25% of the value of the initial investment.

The total sum to be reimbursed of around RM 450 million Ringgit is nothing when compared to the billions of Ringgit in colossal bailouts in the history of the country. To name a few, the Multipurpose Holdings Bailout, the MCA company, the Konsortium Perkapalan Berhad bailout, shipping company controlled by Mahathir’s son, Malaysian Airlines bailout controlled by UMNO cronies, the Renong Berhad bailout- the UMNO company, the National Sewage company, Kuala Lumpur's two public transport systems.

Time magazine quoted Daniel Lian, a Southeast Asia economist at Morgan Stanley in Singapore, saying that the country might have lost “as much as US$100 billion since the early 1980s. RM 450 million is small change when compared to all these huge bailouts. Do not give excuses that this is asking for a yard when an inch has been offered. We do not talk charity, we talk equity - if you can understand it.

This should not be the time for promises by the politicians to the people, rather it is the time for performance appraisal, by the people of the politicians.

Neither PR or MIC/UMNO has performed well for the Indian poor during their period of opportunity.

Zaid Ibrahim or Kamalanathan – just vote for whoever delivers now.

Do not vote for whoever does not deliver by the 24th of April.

Let us keep it simple.

A Reply to Naragan, Penang People, HRP on HINDRAF - THE SUPREMO UNO FOR MALAYSIAN INDIANS

It is not only the Indians who are People, all Malaysians are People.

By Babulal, A Malaysian



I find the entire to and fro emails and the conception of fighting the rights of Indians is the only way to uplift the Indians’ way of life currently which is in a state of despair is illogical and stone-aged. You are just creating another splinter party for Indians and I find it further weakening the Indian votes.

http://malaysia-today.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31251:some-questions-from-our-penang-friends-and-hindrafhrps-responses&catid=18:letterssurat&Itemid=100129

Try fighting for all discriminated and sidelined Malaysians – you’ll garner more support. Or do you find it a rather a difficult thing to do or imagine - an Indian fighting for the rights of poor Malays or Ibans or etc ....

Why so much of race? Why have this feeling of inferiority complex? What about those successful Indians, how did they make it? Dear Uthaya & Naragan, we have to come out of the race based political agenda and fight for a cause – a cause to uplift the lives of People – then you get People Power – which is the true meaning of Makkal Shakthi.

It is not only the Indians who are People, all Malaysians are People. MIC was formed with the same purpose as HRP. And over the years, they too squandered. HRP under you might be like MIC during Tun Sambanthan’s time, fighting for the cause. But what will happen to HRP beyond you – someone like Samy comes along or someone like Kamalanathan comes along who have shown support to Perkasa. Of course, if your 15/38 becomes a reality, you would have more bargaining power – which means you could demand for more. The question is, will it be for you and your cronies or the People of Malaysia? When I say cronies, I mean who you consider "your own people".

Dear Uthaya, you have answered the very question you were asking the Taiping OCPD during the cremation procession of the two killed brothers in Taiping recently. You were asking or were shouting at him why Indians are being killed and of those shot down 80% (or was it 90% - can't remember and not bothered to see that video again) were Indians. And yet you have indirectly answered this question in one of your articles (HRP website), that the Chinese were the majority who were involved in criminal activities in the 60's and 70's and now they have moved up economically. The majority of Indians have chosen this criminal path and I can only see that the choice made lies on that individual - it is not that there is no other way of making a living.

You are fighting for Tamil schools. What about the other non-Tamil speaking Indians? Based on this hypocrisy, it is rather obvious that you are not fighting for the majority of Indians in Malaysia - only the Tamil speaking Indians - isn't this a hypocrisy, that you fight for the majority of your own within the enclave of Indians?

If you open your eyes a little wider you could see that your initial struggle of a noble cause has turned into a shallow race-centered and further swallowed by religion-centered (Indians of Hindu religion) and further by dialect centered (Indians of Tamil origin).

You have have one step to go, through which MIC has embarked for sometime now, which is caste-centered (Tamils of a certain caste). Only God knows where this would stop. What we have here is a failure of communication, a failure to listen, a failure to act as one.

Shall all the non-Tamil speaking People start fighting for a Telugu school, Malayalee school, Gujurati school, Sikh school, etc ....? The current system has failed, and yet you are starting a new one along the same line. This is mockery of any well-educated Indian.

You could go on and twist and turn the no-brainers. An Indian like me, who was born and bred from the estates, an estate with no electricity and no proper water supply, finds it silly to start all over again with a system that has squandered monies from the poor and made the rich richer. Even coming from the estates, I did not choose the criminal way of life and later blame the system - I fought a good fight of the system to prevail.

The change should start from each individual's heart - that all are one in the eyes of GOD, not measured by race, religion or creed. You start changing your mentality and start working with others of similar fate. Start educating those Indian parents who are so into drinking liquor and producing offpsrings and later on cannot afford to educate their children. Look in the mirror and make that change first and others would too.

Babulal, a Malaysian

Hulu Selangor’s significance

thenutgraph.com

BN candidate P Kamalanathan (left) and PKR candidate Datuk Zaid Ibrahim

HULU Selangor, the 10th by-election since national polls in March 2008, is a fight neither the Barisan Nasional (BN) nor Pakatan Rakyat (PR) can afford to lose. The BN needs to prove its sincerity about its rhetorically inclusive 1Malaysia in a seat where Chinese and Indian Malaysian voters are a sizeable 26% and 18%, respectively.
The component party which its candidate comes from, the MIC, is still struggling under the personality cult of its long-time president. On the PR side, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) lost four Members of Parliament (MPs) in recent months and an assemblyperson just last week.
As such, the more substantive campaign factors will be:
 1  The personality of PKR candidate Datuk Zaid Ibrahim;

 2  The appeal of the MIC under president Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu to voters; and

 3  The Selangor PR government's performance in the last two years and the federal government after one year under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
So we can now discard the red herrings in this parliamentary by-election. It doesn't matter if candidates for are local-born or not — many other seats are held by "outsider" MPs from both the BN and PR.
The ceramah rhetoric is also going have little relevance to the outcome of the by-election. Indeed, whether by the BN or PR, they will likely be a predictable mix of caricaturing the opposing candidates, and allegations of hypocrisy and wrongdoings. Politically charged as they are, ceramah are largely where the public go to feel the by-election vibe, see politicians in the flesh, be entertained, and have their biases confirmed.

G Palanivel (Wiki commons) And speculations of sabotage remain speculations, whether within the PR by those supposedly threatened by Zaid's rise in PKR, or within the BN by disgruntled MIC supporters who preferred Datuk G Palanivel's candidacy instead of P Kamalanathan. Political rivalry among comrades certainly exists, but will likely be suppressed for such a crucial election.
Even the candidacies of two independents — one with a grudge against MIC and the other against Umno — appear more like a subplot, and are unlikely to be relevant to how the bulk of voters will choose.
The Zaid factor
Zaid may be a new face to Hulu Selangor, but is arguably well known for quitting the cabinet on principle to protest the government's arbitrary use of the Internal Security Act. Subsequently getting sacked from Umno earned him a martyr's badge of sorts. Then becoming PKR's ideologue and crafter of the PR's common policy sealed his reputation as a democrat and champion of equality. Before politics, there was his sterling law career and active philanthropy.
The PKR political bureau and supreme council member is thus a "believable" candidate because "he's proven himself principled", says political observer Khoo Kay Peng.
"He'll have a strong chance among fence-sitters who may dislike Pakatan but also dislike the BN. His resignation from government and getting sacked from Umno jives with the sentiments of those who dislike the BN. With him, people might be willing to overlook the flaws in Pakatan," Khoo says in a phone interview.
It means that when the PR talks about justice and equity, the message can ring true for voters because they've seen Zaid sacrifice position for those principles. Zaid has a good chance, provided what Hulu Selangor voters want is a stronger opposition in Parliament.
[Updated] If Zaid loses, it might have more to do with the PR campaign than with his own credentials. However, it remains to be seen how he can withstand Umno's attacks on his character for his admission to having consumed alcohol. A potentially interesting sideshow is how anti-alcohol, anti-"deviant" crusader, Selangor PAS commissioner Datuk Dr Hasan Ali, will lead the PAS campaign for a liberal like Zaid.

Zaid arriving at the nomination centre on 17 April, accompanied by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,
Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Nasharuddin Mat Isa (far right)

MIC's compromise
Can Kamalanathan match Zaid's stature? Despite being a rank outsider, the MIC information chief is an articulate communicator and blogger in tune with national issues and concerns of the Indian Malaysian community.
The Australian-educated Kamalanathan is young at 44, and better represents the generational change needed in Hulu Selangor compared with the elder Palanivel. Kamalanathan has also been active in the party since young, while his father was a party branch leader.
But choosing him as a last-minute candidate after a very public rift between the MIC and Umno shows the weakness in the BN.

Ibrahim Suffian (Courtesy of
Merdeka Center)

"The choice of a compromise candidate shows how hard the BN has to balance political priorities," says Merdeka Center for Opinion Research director Ibrahim Suffian. He notes that this is due to the BN's long-standing practice of letting component parties stake claims on seats according to race. Hulu Selangor traditionally "belonged" to the MIC for four terms until PKR took it with a slim 198 majority in 2008.
While Kamalanathan may indeed be the best candidate for the BN, it puts the MIC in a dicey position.
"Pakatan will question the relevancy of the MIC when its original preferred candidate was rejected after Umno objected," says Khoo.
The MIC, in this weakened position, will have to convince Indian Malaysian voters that it is strong enough, under Umno's thumb, to deliver results for the community. Issues like whether the MIC did enough during its four terms, and unmet expectations for Samy Vellu to hand over the party reigns, will likely be raised, adds Khoo.
Power of the state
Though unequal in resources compared with the BN, the PR, as the state government, is now in the position to take the same approach in wooing voters: by dishing out by-election goodies. The federal government announced million-ringgit projects for the constituency even before nomination day. However, PKR's elections director Fuziah Salleh has promised that the PR will not use the same tactic and will observe a strict separation between state and party machinery.
But unless full accounting of campaign funding and spending is disclosed, separating state and party is a matter of perception. Likely, the state's recent promise to give land titles to some 100,000 families and farmers could influence voters. Recall how the BN nearly wrested the PAS stronghold of Manik Urai by promising a new bridge.

The bridge in Manik Urai

The ruling party, however, still has the upper hand in promising and delivering large-scale development. PKR will have to convince voters that it can continue to perform, particularly when there seems to have been little change in the daily economy of Hulu Selangor folk since the PR took over.
The constituency, which houses the "Selangor automotive belt", includes the Perodua and Tan Chong Motor factories and numerous vendors. It recorded investments in the manufacturing sector worth RM571 million from April 2008 to December 2009, according to Teresa Kok, Selangor executive councillor for trade, industry and investment. Of this, 54% were foreign investments, she informs The Nut Graph via e-mail.
But what really needs to happen is a multiplier effect that creates more jobs and diversifies industries in the area. The bought, yet still unoccupied, homes in the Lembah Beringin and Bukit Beruntung townships actually suggest a stagnant economy.
Both need happy ending
The question facing voters will be who can deliver better. Zaid with his close ties to the PR Selangor government? Or the BN, with the entire civil service machinery and corporate ties at its disposal?
"The by-election is a kind of mid-term review for the Selangor government's performance, while for Barisan and the PM, a test as to how far his proposals for reform are accepted," says Ibrahim.
But all this could still escape the voters, who in the end might vote just for the new road they've always wanted, or the streetlights they were promised before.

Hulu Selangor by-election is no sure-winner for Zaid – winnable provided PAS, PKR and DAP fully mobilise to get out every single Malay, Chinese, Indian and Orang Asli vote on April 25

We are launching this SuperSunday18 walkabouts by DAP Members of Parliament, State Assembly members and leaders from all over the country even from Sabah (we have MP for Kota Kinabalu Hiew King Cheu and DAP Kadazan leaders with us) in 18 Chinese new villages, Malay kampongs and Indian settlements in the Hulu Selangor constituency in the only available Sunday in this eight-day by-election.

Hulu Selangor by-election is no sure winner for the Pakatan Rakyat and our candidate Datuk Zaid Ibrahim.

In the March 2008 general election, PKR candidate Datuk Zainal Abidin defeated Barisan Nasional candidate G. Palanivel with a slim majority of 198 votes.

However, in the three constituent state assembly seats, all won by BN, the three majorities secured by BN totalled 6,176 votes, comprising 3,548 majority in Hulu Bernam (contested by PAS), 2,179 majority in Batang Kali (contested by PKR) and 448 majority (contested by DAP).

What is the reason for the reversal of the total BN majorities of 6,167 votes from the three constituent state assembly seats into a 198-vote majority for the PKR?

Was it because 6,167 votes for BN at the state assembly level turned around to vote for PKR at the parliamentary level?

Clearly not, as the parliamentary vote for PKR (23,388) is only 54 votes more than the total votes polled by the PR candidates in the three state assembly seats (23,334).

Could this be explained by the spoilt votes, as there was a big chunk of 1,466 spoilt votes for the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat.

The answer is again no, as the total number of spoilt votes for the three state assembly seats were quite sizable, accounting for 1,271 votes.

Palanivel secured 23,190 votes for the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat, which is 6,320 votes less than the total of 29,510 votes cast for the three BN state assembly seats.
Clearly over 6,200 voters in the last general election who voted for the Barisan Nasional at the State Assembly level did not vote for Palanivel. What is significant is that these more than 6,200 votes also did not vote for Datuk Dr Zainal Abidin.

Where did these more than 6,200 votes disappear to? There should be an inquiry as to where these over 6,200 votes went to, as every voter is issued a parliamentary and a state assembly ballot at the polling station – and the total for parliamentary and state assembly votes issued should tally for the same constituency.

For our purpose however, it should be a salutary reminder that over 6,200 voters in the last general election who refused to repeat their vote for the BN at the parliamentary level as they had voted at the State Assembly elections also did not vote for PKR candidate, and if 2,000 or 3,000 of these voters come out to vote for BN on April 25, BN candidate would win.

All PKR, PAS and DAP leaders and campaigners should realise therefore that Hulu Selangor by-election is not a sure winner.

I still believe that Datuk Zaid can be elected the new MP for Hulu Selangor but very hard work is called for, as every vote counts.

Things have changed in the past two years – the sterling performance of the Pakatan Rakyat Selangor State Government and the hopes for far-reaching changes in the 13th General Elections following the March 8 political tsunami of the 2008 general elections.

However, we cannot be complacent. In fact, we should all be under a sense of great test and crisis.

This is why DAP has launched this SuperSunday18 – and the message is Pakatan Rakyat must get every Malay, Chinese, Indian and Orang Asli voter to vote for Zaid and national change in the country if Zaid is to win and become the new MP for Hulu Selangor.

[Speech (2) at launching the DAP SuperSunday 18 walkabouts by DAP MPs, State Assembly members and leaders in 18 Chinese new villages, Malay kampongs and Indian settlements in Hulu Selangor constituency at the DAP Kuala Kubu Baru by-election centre on Sunday, 18th April 2010 at 9 am]

Radio Interview on the Internal Security Act 1960

Radio Interview on the Internal Security Act 1960

On 20 March 2010 © BFM


“People are starting to come out, people are starting to talk. There’s a lot of discourse going on the internet even though with the ISA looming large. People still think, “You know, there’s always this fear that I might be caught under the ISA but these are my rights which are enshrined under the Federal Constitution”,” -Syahredzan Johan

Hear Syahredzan Johan, Co-Deputy Chairperson of Constitutional Law Committee; Mr. Alfian, a Singapore playwright, and activist against the ISA in Singapore; and Mr. Hardesh Singh, one of the main personalities behind PopIn, in an interview by BFM radio station on the Internal Security Act 1960 and the relevancy of the MyConstitution Campaign pertaining to the issue.

Follow the rest of the interview by clicking here.

Hulu Selangor: Citizens' 'intelligence' reports - Anil netto

Here’s your chance to file in your citizens’ ‘intelligence’ reports from Hulu Selangor.
If you have been to Hulu Selangor to witness the by-election campaign – or if you have heard from others who have been there – share with us in the ‘comments’ section what is happening on the ground and what voter sentiment is like.
Please comment here only if you have heard what is happening on the ground.

Zaid strikes back at BN's character attack

Pakatan Hulu Selangor grand dinner

Selangor dikuasai DAP, bukan Khalid

Selangor dikuasai DAP, bukan Khalid

Karpal: Slap in the face for Samy

66 died in police custody in the last 5 years, we estimate 95% are Indians

This is the written reply by Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussien in Parliament (The Star 14/4/2010 at page N13). But we estimate that 95% of these 66 who had died in police custody at the average rate of one person every month to be Indians, under this 53 year old UMNO regime, and who were marginalised. And the PKR, DAP and PAS leaders would not bother speaking up against these injustices because the victims are merely the Indians.
The aforesaid newsreport that 46 out of the 66 were due to diseases while 19 were due to infighting or suicide has been UMNOs’ traditional lie in Parliament.
How come they neatly die within 14 days of detention in police lock ups? Suddenly when they are put in police lock ups they end up hanging themselves. A few years back the police even had the cheek to explain than an Indian boy had hanged himself with a saree. How did the police send the Indian boy into their lock up with a saree in his hands?
But the UMNO police literally gets away with cold blooded murder right in their police lock ups, which incidentally are supposed to be about the safest places in this country.
But then UMNO’s police also explains that they die because of infighting.
And supposedly all the 66 cases have been reported to the police and a coroners’s Inquest was conducted.
And in all of these UMNO controlled Coroners Courts or the High Courts there has been zero finding of murder, manslaughter, willful criminal neglect, criminal negligence etc.
An Independent Malaysian Judiciary?
P. Uthayakumar
HRP Secretary General