Zaid’s wife takes to the stump in Hulu Selangor

Suliana (holding child) works her campaign charm in the sprawling constituency. - Picture by Jack Ooi

By Debra Chong
HULU YAM, April 20 — The daggers have been drawn against Datuk Zaid Ibrahim but the PKR candidate for the Hulu Selangor by-election knows he can count on his wife to shield his back.
Datin Suliana Shamsuddin, Zaid’s wife for the past 31 years, is no shrinking violet.
Unlike most politicians’ wives who appear to prefer to support their husbands from the shade, the mother-of-three grown children has been boldly campaigning for her man all over the parliamentary seat the size of Malacca, without him.
“I don’t have a problem meeting people on my own,” the slender Suliana told to reporters after campaigning for her Kelantan-born husband in the tiny sneeze-and-you’ll-miss-it Chinese village here. “It’s hard work but satisfying,” she said, recounting the long hours she now keeps due to the extensive travel into the semi-rural seat.
The petite Perak-born showed she was indeed made of sterner stuff during her short walkabout through the village. She never once flinched or shrieked at the sight of the many strays that meandered around the street, scratching their furry bodies furiously.
Likewise, she unflinchingly tackled the thorny issue of her husband’s alleged drinking.
“If you want to ask bad things, ask your enemy; if you want good things, ask your friends. It’s just part of the process,” she said, shrugging off the allegations her husband is an alcoholic and a womaniser.
“That’s over already. The main thing is what he can bring to the people,” she added.
The energy and confidence with which she carried herself gave away her experience.
Suliana said she had campaigned for Zaid when he ran for the Kota Bharu parliamentary seat as an Umno man in 2004. He won it but was not fielded in the next general election.
She said she was on the campaign trail this time to help introduce the locals to Zaid and convince them why they needed to vote him in as MP come Sunday.
“He is a sincere person and not a hypocrite. He holds to the truth,” Suliana said in her speech earlier.
She told the 30-odd working-class men and women who turned up with their young children that Zaid has a generous heart. She spoke of the foundation for the less privileged he had set up in Kelantan, Yayasan Orang Kurang Upaya Kelantan (Yokuk) 11 years ago.
Her message, Suliana said, was simple: Zaid Ibrahim is the new hope to save Malaysia.

Save S'wak, Save M'sia, says Anwar

By Roselind Jarrow - Free Malaysia Today

SIBU: The newly formalised Pakatan Sarawak's battle cry is "Save Sarawak, Save Malaysia”. And in the process, said Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, "we will be saving our children”.

Anwar also noted that despite Sarawak being the richest state in Malaysia with it oil and gas, timber and resources, its people were the poorest in the country.
“This is because its resources have been squandered by the BN leaders and they are very rich. They give projects, tenders and contracts to themselves, to their wives and their children.
“They take away people’s land. Now what do the ordinary people have? Nothing!” he said, when he addressed more than 2,000 people at a dinner over the weekend in Sibu.
“In order to save Sarawak, save Malaysia and our children, I ask you to support Pakatan Rakyat. You vote the DAP candidate in this Bandar Sibu by-election.
“You will not go to jail by supporting us. I am the one they want to send to jail; they have beaten me, stripped me naked, and accused me of this and that. They want me to surrender.
“But I will tell you I will not surrender,” Anwar declared.
Urging them to play smart politics, Anwar said: “If the BN gives you money, you must ask for more, if the BN gives you projects, you must ask for bigger projects. But remember, you must vote for the DAP candidate.”
Lim Kit Siang, DAP national adviser, who also spoke at the dinner called on people of Bandar Sibu to vote for change.
“You must elect a DAP candidate in the Bandar Sibu by-election. And that is very important.
“We must win it so that we can shake the foundation of Barisan Nasional to its root,” he said.
DAP candidate to announced later
He admitted that it was difficult to win in the by-election, due to be held on May 16, as they are against the whole machinery of the BN state government.
“But with determination, nothing is impossible. You have done it before when you elected a DAP candidate against SUPP chairman and deputy chief minister Wong Soon Kai in 1982.
“Can you do it again this time?” he asked, pointing out that the victory here will be an indication of the support of the people for the Pakatan.
“From Sibu we begin our journey of change and it will certainly spread to other parts of Sarawak and to whole of Malaysia.
“Our victory will not only shake the foundation of the BN to its root, but it is also paving the way for the Pakatan Rakyat to march to Putrajaya and form the next Federal government,” he added.
PAS deputy President Nasaruddin Mat Isa who also spoke at the function described politics practised by the BN as very “dirty”.
He accused the BN of failing to fulfill many of the promises they made to the people.
The three leaders were in Sibu to select a candidate for the by-election and they had agreed that DAP will put a candidate on behalf of the Pakatan.
Meanwhile, the name of the Pakatan-DAP candidate will be announced at an appropriate time by the Sarawak DAP chairman Wong Ho Leng.
The Sarawak United People’s Party has picked up Robert Lau Hui Chew as its candidate for the by-election. Nominations will be held on May 8.
The by-election is caused by the death of MP for Bandar Sibu and Deputy Minister of Transport Robert Lau on April 9.

Felda settler: We were cheated by Umno leaders

By Muda Mohd Noor - Free Malaysia Today
HULU SELANGOR: A Felda Sungai Buaya settler has urged the Selangor government to probe allegations that a Felda-linked developer had failed to pay premiums on 1,335 hectares of land to the state.
The company, Murnia Jaya Development Berhad which owed Felda settlers RM360 million, was believed to be linked to Selangor Umno and former Menteri Besar Muhammad Muhd Taib.
In calling for the investigation into Murnia Jaya, settler Aminah Alwi likened the issue to that of the Yayasan Pembasmian Kemiskinan (YBK) which the Selangor government had acted on for failing to pay land premiums.
“If the government can be firm with YBK because they did not pay their premiums since 2001, then why can’t they take the same approach against Murnia Jaya?.
“I was told by some settlers that the developer had failed to pay premiums to the state government on 1,335.46 hectares.
“Someone in the state government told us that the land has been mortgaged to the bank because the developer failed to make payments on their loans,” she said.
A disgruntled Aminah is among 363 settlers who are awaiting settlement on a land purchase agreement signed in 1994 between Murnia Jaya Development Sdn Bhd and the settlers.
The Felda Sungai Buaya settlers were promised RM1.2 million each when they sold their land to the developer after being persuaded by the then BN-led Selangor government.
(Former MB Muhammad Muhd Taib had aspired to develop the northern division and the interior of Selangor. He used this plan to persuade the settlers to sell their land to the developer.)
In the 16-year wait for their money, many of the settlers had died. Only 57 of them are left.
Hoodwinked by false promises
Aminah said the company had paid settlers a deposit of RM10,000 on signing of the agreement. The balance was to have been settled by the developer in stages within 48 months from the date of signing the agreement.
“But until now they have only paid 35 percent. We have tried many ways to get our money. We have approached many people but nothing has come out of it,” she said.
She said Murnia Jaya had failed to adhere to the terms of the payment agreement after the initial disbursements to the settlers.
On Sept 4, 2009, the Shah Alam High Court gave Murnia Jaya 18 months to settler the balance payment to 34 frustrated settlers who had initiated a legal action against the company.
But according to her, to date no officials or representatives have come forward to settle payment.
The 363 settlers signed an agreement to sell their collective land stretching 1,335.46 hectares to the developers on Dec 23, 1994. The company assured them that they would be millionaires.
Unfortunately they were only paid 35 percent of the total amount. The company is yet to settle the balance RM360 million it owed the settlers.
A former settler who preferred to be known only as Ismail said: “We’ve been cheated... hoodwinked by false promises given to us by Umno leaders who said we would become millionaires.
“A large percentage of settlers are Umno supporters. But despite that we were cheated by Umno leaders”
“Everytime an election comes around, they promise to settle the payment but until today nothing has happened.”
According to Ismail the 363 affected settlers from the scheme were literally “like dogs waiting on bending knees.”
“No one cares about us..But now they are here to persuade us to vote for them,” he said adding that if BN was desperate for their votes, they should just settle the balance owing to the settlers.
He said after loosing their source of income, many settlers were forced to work as security guards in factories in Rawang and in surrounding areas.
When asked why the settlers signed the documents, Ismail said all the documents were in English.
“It was only much later that that we realised there was something not right with the agreement. They deceived us.. Umno leaders and the MB. They were greedy and only wanted profits.
“If they were genuine and honest Umno leaders they would have settled the terms of the agreement with us much earlier, “ he said.

Kudos to Dato Zaid Ibrahim – Apologies Accepted

I am confident that a man who could walk out of a Ministerial post with the purpose of standing by his principles, a man who could further own up in public to his mistakes and apologise - is a man of high dignity. Don't we need more people of his calibre as our representatives?

By Babulal, A Malaysian

I find it rather amusing that UMNO-BN had to stoop so low by starting the campaign on a character assassination route. I personally do not care if Dato Zaid had consumed beer before – he was gentleman enough to own up to his mistakes and apologise. Well, it is accepted. I take his words by saying it was a mistake done some time back and a mistake done by a human. After all we are all human, I am fine with the fact that he has not squandered our money like the leaders of Kamalanathan. I also do not want to elaborate on the gay tag on Kamalanathan or is it Kamal.

Why Kamal? So you could be mistaken as a Malay? You are so lost now with the race factor until you are so confused to choose which race you should be? In Indian majority areas, you are Kamalanathan, in Malay majority areas you are Kamal, in Chinese majority you are what? Kam Lan? (Kam lan is suck cock in Hokkien or better still, cocksucker.) I have never come across such a low life. Kam Lan started selling his race even before he was elected.

Kam Lan said he agrees to Perkasa because they are fighting for their race, religion and language and he is doing the same fighting for his race, religion and language. Fight my balls. You are selling your race – lock, stock and barrel, that’s what you are doing.

Most of the UMNO guys I know drink – they booze more than some of the MIC guys I know. I find this revelation as just another desperate attempt by UMNO-BN. I once bumped into a present UMNO Minister in the PM’s department at the Ritz-Carlton guzzling away some red wine – he was so stoned that his volume became higher by the hour, until his bodyguards whisked him away.

As a citizen and a non-Muslim, I do not really care about these habits, what more when Dato Zaid has owned up to his mistakes. All I care is his ability for good governance without being partial to any race, religion or creed. Ability to bring in Change is what we are all longing for. This, I am sure, Dato Zaid would be able to execute with ease. Only a great man could own up to a mistake made boldly and my respect for you has doubled.

I am confident that a man who could walk out of a Ministerial post with the purpose of standing by his principles, a man who could further own up in public to his mistakes and apologise - is a man of high dignity. Don't we need more people of his calibre as our representatives?

If we review the Leadership in Customer Service: Delivering on the Promise report, we could see that Singapore is leading the index with 89% satisfaction and Malaysia with a poor 44%. This shows our present government has failed to deliver on its promise, if we base 50% as a passing point. We call this “cakap tak serupa bikin”, where the promises made are not delivered. This is international statistics, not doctored nor fabricated information. We lag way behind and if we keep having “thengga’s” (coconuts) running and managing this country, we would be doomed in due course. The report could be viewed at (http://nstore.accenture.com/acn_com/PDF/2007LCSReport_DeliveringPromiseFinal.pdf).

This is where one should gauge the performance of the delivery system of a particular government, not via biased, doctored and fabricated media. Put PR in Putrajaya, have professionals in the system, then we will note progress in this index. Have a dual party system for check and balance. Performance should be the objective, not gauging from which race I am from. Race based politics are no longer relevant.

The white elephant projects of the South, North, East corridors are money guzzlers and not churning out the revenue nor attracting investments as anticipated or projected. The projects are entirely funded by our reserves and Petronas money – and contracts are awarded to the bigwigs of UMNO-BN cronies. We are currently losing out in FDI to Indonesia and Vietnam – this is rather obvious. The fools can point the finger at the 2008 Financial Crisis, but don’t you think Indonesia and Vietnam had similar problems? What are the national policy changes being implemented to prevail Indonesia’s and Vietnam’s – None – we have only a concocted illusion of 1Malaysia – where the DPM himself is sceptical. It is simple why he is. It is because if he were to choose he is Malaysian First, the relevance of UMNO's existence would be in question – or at least his position in UMNO would be questioned, as this organization only champions for a single race.

I would also like to touch on the two new frogs, Dr Halili of Hulu Selangor and Tan Wei Shu from Kedah who resigned recently – jump now and as DSAI said “baik berambus”, we do not need such representatives. Dr. Halili got cheesed because he was not picked as the representative. From what I gather, he had already held talks with UMNO to jump if he is selected and wins. DSAI is getting pretty good at detecting frogs – well done – the frog detector is working, I guess. Tan got cheesed off because he was dropped from the state exco as they introduced a professional to replace him. We need professionals. If he was sincere, he would have stayed on and learnt from his predecessor – unless he is “bodoh sombong”.

With Kam Lan selling his race even before he is in an “official” position to do so, here comes another disappointing news. I was informed from a very reliable source from the inner-circle of movers and shakers of KL/Putrajaya that the PM’s team is in talks of power brokering with the Moorthy brothers for 15/38. It is not finalised yet as both teams are waiting to see if MIC is still relevant or not – and Hulu Selangor polls would be the deciding factor. More to come on this.

We are here, not because we are law-breakers; we are here in our efforts to become law-makers – Emmeline Pankhurst Things the Indians of Hulu Selangor need to be reminded about MIC and Aiyoh! Aiyoh! Samy - Haris Ibrahim

“The NEP was introduced in 1970 and it came to an end in 1990. During these 20 years, promises were made by the Government assuring the Indian community that they too will benefit under the NEP. However these promises came to naught……. We had struggled to bring development to the Indian community in the last 20 years.
If we cannot develop the Indian community in the next 10 years, then there is no point in us being around. It is better to close shop.”
- Samy Vellu, quoted in the Tamil Nesan, 12th June, 1991.

Samy was appointed a minister in 1979.
He was part of the government from 1979 to 1990, during which time, he later lamented, the government promises to bring benefit to the Indian community came to nought.
Samy’s own admission.
Samy’s and MIC’s own failure to help the Indians.
Why?
They were too busy helping themselves.
MAIKA is a case in point. A story for another time,  and another set of questions for you to ask Kamalanathan.
Samy gave the government another 10 years to help the Indians, failing which, to quote him, it would be better for MIC to close shop.
Samy was still part of the government in those 10 years.
Hulu Selangor, ask Kamalanathan why MIC is still around?
They should have closed shop at the end of 2001.
MIC has done nothing for the Indians.
Samy did nothing for the Indians.
Palanivel represented the people of Hulu Selangor in Parliament for three terms.
Ask Kamalanathan what Palanivel did for the people of Hulu Selangor, Indians and non-Indians?
And after Kamalanathan smiles sheepishly at you after a long period of silence,  tell him to go and join PERKASA.
Tell him that the people of Hulu Selangor have no use for MIC, Samy or him.

Zaid’s promise for Hulu Selangor

thenutgraph.com

Zaid meeting estate workers at Ladang Sungai Air Jernih in Kerling in Hulu Selangor

WHICH would you prefer: a candidate who lies to cover up his past, or one who admits it? That could be the question Hulu Selangor voters, particularly Malay-Muslim Malaysians, are grappling with.
The by-election has started on a personal and predictable note. Given Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidate Datuk Zaid Ibrahim's reformist credentials, there is perhaps little else Umno could use against him. And so, Zaid's "liberal" worldview, which includes drinking alcohol, has understandably become easy target.
The character assassination began on several blogs, which Umno leaders have denied sponsoring. Yet, Umno leaders and ceramah speakers have not hesitated to launch exactly the same attack as these blogs. Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam did it on 17 April 2010, the first night of campaigning. Umno Youth orators followed suit at a ceramah on the second night.
Meanwhile, the Umno-linked Mingguan Malaysia newspaper splashed, on its 18 April front page, a dare by PKR vice-president Azmin Ali for Umno to prove Zaid's drinking, which has now been turned into "alcoholism".
Zaid has pointed out Umno's hypocrisy and says he is willing to be judged by voters. "If I don't admit my wrong, maybe [the by-election outcome] might be better for me, but that would be lying. I prefer to be transparent, and if I lose because of that, that's my fate," he told reporters on the campaign trail on 18 April.
Zaid admits he drank, but in his younger days. That was the past, and he is now a changed man after joining PKR. PKR leaders have come to his defence, calling the BN "bankrupt for ideas".
The Malay Malaysian vote will be a challenge for Zaid. An average of 45% of this community's vote went to PKR in the 2008 election, according to PKR elections director Fuziah Salleh. Malay Malaysians comprise 53% of the electorate here, and PKR is hoping that Zaid's appeal among other ethnic groups will secure them the seat.

Flags lining the road leading to the rubber estate in Kerling

In an interview with The Nut Graph in Kuala Lumpur on 14 April after news of his candidacy was reported, Zaid shares his views on more substantive issues.
TNG: You're being cast as an "urbanite" who is unable to connect with rural people. How will you appeal to voters [in Hulu Selangor]?
Zaid Ibrahim: This is Umno propaganda. Some may believe it, but I think most people know my background. I am like many Malay [Malaysians] from the kampung. I treasure and cherish my roots. But I believe in justice and fairness for all. What's wrong with that?
[Umno] can't stand me because I believe their leaders have betrayed the trust of the Malay [Malaysians] and of other communities. So they use labels to discredit me.
How do you see your role as MP in Hulu Selangor?
Hulu Selangor has many issues that need to be addressed. The issue of Felda settlers not getting their titles. They work their guts out and still owe Felda so much every month. Another is land titles. People apply for land, but after all the years of BN rule, they still get nothing. So I'm trying, with [Selangor Menteri Besar] Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim's agreement, to expedite approval. This will be my first priority, to get something for these people, to improve their economic life.
In the long run, we need more investment and industries in Hulu Selangor, and that will take time. I will try, with the state government, to focus more on these areas. Then there is also the Orang Asli, whose land is being whittled down by development. The state government will have to allocate them reserve land and I think the state has agreed to this.
If I am elected, I can have more influence with the state government because I have more friends in there. So that's important. The Chinese [Malaysian] community also has issues like the general lack of new development. There are abandoned houses in Bukit Beruntung. Again, this takes time to resolve.
Are there other immediate solutions you can offer Hulu Selangor? Major development has escaped northern Selangor and gone south of the Klang Valley where the airport is. So what can be done quickly to revive the Hulu Selangor area?
Development and investment will take time; some may be faster than others. Setting up an institution of higher learning is something we can look at immediately. Land has been set aside by the state, but it's a question of talking to certain institutions to see if they are willing to set up a campus.
We could have many small projects or a big one, although we don't need another airport. You don't have to have a major project. You just have to have balanced development. Eco-tourism is a good way of taking development there.

(Orang Asli pic by Adzla @ Flickr)

What else do you think people in Hulu Selangor need?
There are local issues, but as for the national issues, I think the people of Hulu Selangor are just like other citizens of this country. They want a more responsible government, they want a government that takes care of their interest, they want a government that is not racist. They will decide whether they want a leader who talks about the interest of all communities, or do they want someone who is the Umno-Barisan-MIC type.
What is your assessment of the Malay Malaysian electorate in this constituency?
I'm quite confident the Malay [Malaysians] in this constituency will support me because they have issues with economic opportunity and with getting land. They want a more equitable stake in the country.
You've been labelled as someone who has betrayed the Malay Malaysian cause.
We have to see whether the label sticks or not on 25 April (polling day). They can use all the labels they want, but it doesn't bother me. The people will judge me for what I am. They have to be objective and assess for themselves.
In view of all this, do you have a special message for Malay Malaysian voters?
No, I just want them to look at the facts. Look at my background, look what I have stood for, what I have championed. Then they can judge for themselves, whether this is a man for the rakyat or a man who has vested interests. At the end of the day, the electorate has their own mind. And today is not like before; there are many ways to get information. I am confident [the electorate] will come to a fair conclusion.
If the BN campaign draws on your past, particularly the episode where the Umno disciplinary board found you guilty of money politics and suspended you, how will you answer this?
It's not an issue at all. Because, if I was really guilty of money politics in 2004, why was I later made a minister? Obviously they knew it was a setup, a conspiracy to suspend me.
And you must also remember, they suspended me because I refused to apologise. I refused to apologise because it was a conspiracy. I could have escaped punishment. People must remember that I was suspended because I refused to say sorry, not because I was guilty.

And people don't remember that when I became a minister, one of my first statements was to ask the then Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) to investigate me for money politics. I said to the ACA, "Clear my name, I don't want to be a minister tainted with corruption." You go and ask ACA what happened to the case. So I have no problem. I think people are not stupid. They know better.
To you, what is this by-election about? Is it a sort of referendum on the prime minister and his policies?
It's not just about (Datuk Seri) Najib (Razak). It's about (Tan Sri) Muhyiddin (Yassin), it's about (Tun Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad), it's about Perkasa. It's about injustice to (Datuk Seri) Anwar (Ibrahim). It's about local issues and national issues. There are mixed considerations and many things at stake in this election. I do not want to put things in one basket.
But, definitely, Pakatan has to win because after all the defections, we need a good story. We need a happy ending. This is one way to start.
Pakatan is now also dishing out goodies, just like the BN does during by-elections. Pakatan as the state government is now in the position to do so, but ethically, this makes it no different than the BN, does it?
That's for people to assess. But the point is this: if giving goodies determined the outcome of elections, Barisan would rule forever. It doesn't mean that if you give out goodies, people will select you.
On democratic issues
The Nut Graph has a project that asks all MPs questions on democracy, and since you're running for election, I'd like to ask you your stand on these issues. Firstly, would you support the abolition or review of the Internal Security Act?
I've always been clear on wanting a repeal of the law.
Should Malaysia be a secular or Islamic state?
That is a loaded question. It's a conceptual question. If you ask lawyers, some will say we are secular, some will say we are hybrid.
We are not truly secular because the state has massive influence over religion. We are secular in the constitutional sense, in that the Supreme Court, which is the highest court, has ruled that this is a secular state.
But in the sense that the state involves itself in and funds religious programmes, then it is not secular. That is the best I can answer. It is difficult to describe Malaysia, because as I said, in the constitutional sense it is secular, [but when we look at] the functions of government, it functions as a sort of hybrid situation.
Would you support a Freedom of information Act?
Yes, 100%. That's the only way to fight corruption.
If there was one thing you could do to strengthen parliamentary democracy in Malaysia, what would it be?
Change the ruling government.
Do you believe in the separation of powers?
That's what the constitution says. That's the original intent of our constitution, until Mahathir dismantled it. A Pakatan government will restore the original 1957 framework, which protects the judiciary's independence, and in which Parliament is also independent and the Speaker is not someone who takes instructions from the party. And the executive must not have too much influence on the other institutions. In other words, the prime minister cannot tell the chief justice what to do.

Satu Lawan Satu, Umno Tidak Menentu

Dari Harakah Daily
Oleh Dzulfikar Mashoor

Calon Pakatan Rakyat daripada PKR, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim bakal berentap dengan calon MIC (BN), P Kamalanathan apabila kedua-dua calon Bebas, Johan Mohd Diah VS Chandran menarik diri yang memungkinkan pengaruh Umno kian tidak menentu dan terus dilihat serong.

Dengan pertembungan satu lawan satu antara Zaid dan Kamalanathan pada pilihan raya kecil Parlimen Hulu Selangor Ahad ini, tentunya bakal menjadi aras tanda untuk Pakatan Rakyat dan MIC sendiri.

Sekiranya Zaid menang majoriti, bermakna rakyat seolah-olah kekal setia bersama-sama Pakatan Rakyat dan PKR.

Manakala, sekiranya Kamalanathan menang, sekurang-kurangnya Presiden MIC, Datuk Seri S. Sammy Vellu boleh mendabik dada mengatakan bahawa rakyat kian kembali percaya pada parti perkauman India itu manakala Umno tidaklagi dipandang di situ.

Dalam perkembangan yang lain, Ahli Parlimen Bebas, Datuk Paduka Ibrahim Ali (Pasir Mas) dilaporkan membuat sokongan terbuka kepada Kamalanathan.

Beliau yang sebelum ini cuba membuktikan dirinya sebagai Bebas serta pejuang sebenar Melayu berbuat demikian demi memastikan calon MIC tersebut memenangi pilihan raya kecil kali ini.

Suatu sumber memberitahu bahawa, walaupun Ibrahim dilaporkan berkempen untuk seorang calon yang bukan berbangsa Melayu, beliau konsisten mempertikai tindakan kerajaan Pusat dan Umno sendiri menjalinkan hubungan dengan Firma Perunding Antarabangsa APCO Wordwide (IAC).

Seperti yang dipercayaai umum, Ibrahim juga dilihat seakan menganggap bahawa APCO merupakan firma perunding yang mempunyai hubungan tidak langsung dengan Zionis-Israel, sebagaimana yang dibongkarkan oleh Ketua Pembangkang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim di Dewan Rakyat dua minggu yang lalu.

Bagaimana pun, ramai juga yang menganggap bahawa pendirian Ibrahim itu sekadar menuruti pendirian Penasihat Perkasa sendiri, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed.

Most important issue in Hulu Selangor by-election – send stirring message to all Malaysians that time has come for Putrajaya change of power

The most important issue in the Hulu Selangor by-election on April 25 is to send the stirring message to all Malaysians all over the country that the time has come for national change of power in Putrajaya come the 13th General Elections.

Yesterday at the launch of the DAP SuperSunday 18 Walkabouts by DAP MPs, SAs and party leaders in 18 locations in the Hulu Selangor constituency, I had said that the Hulu Selangor by-election is no sure-winner for the Pakatan Rakyat and our candidate Datuk Zaid Ibrahim and there must be no complacency on the part of any Pakatan Rakyat campaigner, whether DAP, PKR or PAS.

I had used some wrong data for the 2008 general election results for the Hulu Selangor parliamentary and the constituent three state assembly constituency results for Hulu Bernam, Batang Kali and Kuala Kubu Baru, but the underlying thrust of my warning remains unchanged.

To put the record straight, the Barisan Nasional polled a total majority of 6,176 votes in winning the three state assembly seats of Hulu Bernam, Batang Kali and Kuala Kubu Baru but for the Hulu Selangor parliamentary contest, the BN incumbent candidate G. Palanivel lost the seat to the PKR candidate Datuk Zainal Abidin in a wafer-thin majority of 198 votes.

Palanivel secured 22,979 votes for the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat, which is 3,285 votes less than the total of 26,264 votes cast for the three BN state assembly seats.

Clearly over 3,000 voters for the BN at the State Assembly elections in 2008 did not vote for Palanivel but split their votes by voting for PKR at the parliamentary level.

Will these 3,000 voters go back to BN in the by-election?

It is clear that the BN strategists are also zeroing on these 3,000 “split” votes in the last general elections, which explains the talk emanating from Umno camps about BN winning the by-election with 3,000 majority on April 25.

Undoubtedly, the resort to very dirty and unscrupulous election campaigning by Umno, including character assassination of Zaid, is meant to enhance Umno’s chances of ensuring BN victory in the by-election.

All Pakatan Rakyat election workers should be on notice that the Hulu Selangor by-election is of paramount importance not only to the constituency and Selangor state but also the future of Malaysia and go all out to ensure that every vote counts if Zaid is to win in the uphill by-election on Sunday.

[Speech at the Pakatan Rakyat Hulu Selangor by-election ceramah in Kalumpang on Monday, 19th April 2010 at 10 pm]

Hulu Selangor: A critical political litmus test

By Bridget Welsh | Malaysiakini

The Hulu Selangor campaign has begun in earnest as Malaysia heads into a record 10th by-election since March 2008.

Admittedly, many Malaysians are fed-up – they are tired of the empty promises that by-elections bring, the disappointments that come with politicians on both sides of the political divide not delivering on electoral promises, the pettiness of the campaign mud-slinging and the distraction from addressing the problems the country is facing.

This election, however, is one where people should take notice. The fact of the matter is that more than any other by-election since March 2008, this is a critical political litmus test for the country’s future. It is a national contest, with national stakes.

Allow me to briefly elaborate:

1) Referendum on Najib Razak

Foremost, this is a referendum on the prime minister. One year on, this election provides voters an opportunity to provide an assessment of his tenure.

The record of Najib’s one year in office is mixed. For Malaysian voters, the crucial electoral issue has historically been the economy. Here the BN has the advantage. Najib has benefitted from the rebound in the international economy, which have contributed to increased economic growth in the last few quarters.

Malaysia’s economy is now returning to the levels it was pre-crisis in 2008. Inflation levels have stabilised, and fuel and food prices do not appear as high as they did two years ago.

This advantage is shallow, however, and will come down to perceptions. Not much of this growth has trickled down to this large constituency, around the size of the state of Malacca. In this area where population numbers have been growing as part of the sprawl of the suburban growth around Kuala Lumpur, the challenges of affordable housing, rising healthcare and education costs, sky-rocketing crime levels, stagnant wage levels and unemployment remain paramount.

Hulu Selangor is comprised of diverse economic backgrounds, but the overwhelming share of voters in this constituency is struggling to make ends meet and fulfill their dreams. On Sunday, Najib’s popularity will be tested by an election poll, rather than public opinion polling.

2) Referendum on Selangor government

Voters will struggle to assess credit and blame, as Hulu Selangor also falls within the rubric of a Pakatan Rakyat-run state government. While its three elected state representatives are from the BN, the most-contested opposition government (after Perak of course) is also facing a test.

A loss for Pakatan at the parliamentary level will translate as a loss of support and faith in Pakatan at the state level. Hulu Selangor is a constituency that has undergone considerable land development, yet remains largely semi-rural.

It has not seen large inflows of capital, just more people. It is not clear how this constituency fits within Pakatan’s plan for Selangor.

Selangor Pakatan – like Najib – faces a struggle in demonstrating concrete benefits of their efforts in government to the voters. This is particularly acute for the state government, since it has limited machinery in the area – traditionally a safe BN seat.

This contest will force Selangor Pakatan to reflect on what it has achieved and how it will deepen its efforts to bring better governance to Hulu Selangor voters.

3) Signal on rebuilding the BN

For Malaysia’s as a whole, the candidate selection within the BN has highlighted another key test for the BN. Can BN work effectively as a unit?

Since March 2008, Malaysia has been predominantly a Umno government, as the MIC and MCA have been embroiled in crises and have yet to move beyond the massive defeats they faced in the last general election.

By choosing a MIC candidate, Najib has sent a signal that he genuinely wants to rebuild the non-Malay component parties. He did not bow to pressure from Umno warlords, and in particular from Muhammad Muhammad Taib, to give the seat to one of its own and a Malay.

This is an indication that Najib respects the established model of seat allocations and still believes in the multi-ethnic coalition. He has opted to give the seat to arguably the weakest link in the BN party structure. It also shows the recognition that Umno cannot hold national power without its multi-ethnic parties.

Now the problem of working together looms. Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has noted that he will follow a new electoral strategy of BN cooperation. Seeing is believing.

Relations among the component parties within the BN are frayed. Deep factions persist. Many in Umno in Selangor are deeply unhappy with the MIC choice.

The fact that a Shah Alam Umno member is an independent candidate shows that the issue of Umno fielding its own candidate runs deep. Many have a vested interest in seeing the MIC candidate lose, since it would boost the chances of this seat being given to Umno in the next general election.

The mixed ethnic composition of this constituency requires effective ethnic cooperation to win, however. The Hulu Selangor contest will test whether the support for BN at the top translates into substantial rebuilding and cohesiveness on the ground. From the perspective of strengthening BN cooperation electorally, this contest will be a real challenge.

4) Test of new blood in MIC

Part of the reason for this challenge lies with the fact that in order to field a MIC candidate, Najib has chosen to directly interfere in MIC politics. Ditto, the decision to field the ‘local’ candidate P Kamalanathan from the neighbouring constituency of Rawang has put MIC president S Samy Vellu on notice.

Najib has not supported his choice of successor, G Palanivel. Najib has apparently rebuffed the party president’s candidate choice and vision for the future of the party. He has used his prerogative to chose the candidate, rather than allow the MIC to choose the candidate on its own.

The candidate selection raises serious questions about the future leadership of the MIC and whether the party has autonomy over its own affairs. Is this the pattern for the future? Will leaders in the weak BN component parties be chosen by Umno leaders?

One major effect is that this move has given an opportunity for MIC to bring a new face into parliament. Kamalanathan has strong professional credentials, and is seen (so far) are relatively clean.

He is a young leader from the Indian Malaysian community. He does not seem to be completely under the thumb of the MIC party president. His victory has the potential to bring some new life to the MIC.

The issue of when S Samy Vellu will give up power and to whom, however, still looms. On the ground, the contest will test whether the party is able to bring in the new blood it needs or is riddled with infighting. The independent candidacy of disgruntled MIC member VS Chandran points to the latter rather than the former.

5) Referendum on Pakatan as national opposition

The nomination of Kelantanese Zaid Ibrahim for Pakatan continues the tradition of using this seat for national politicians. Zaid has played a major role in institutionalising the opposition, building bridges among the component opposition parties and been a spokesperson on issues of the judiciary and the rule of law, among other issues.

He is a national Malay leader that has strong appeal across the racial communities. His selection shows that the opposition is committed to strengthening its relationships internally and reaching across the ethnic divisions.

His choice also points to the fact that there is a deficit of national leaders in the opposition with governing experience, and by slating Zaid, the opposition is strengthening its national profile. It is sending the signal that it is serious about winning national power.

Zaid faces major challenges. He has crossed the political divide, so there is intensity to those who want to defeat him especially in Umno. His possible defeat will weaken PKR especially, which has suffered a slate of defections.

He is an outsider. It remains to be seen whether he can connect with the Hulu Selangor voters who want strong representation. Hulu Selangor voters will decide whether the opposition will strengthen or weaken nationally.

6) Referendum by non-Malays

This seat is a fitting place for this to happen if it does. Traditionally Hulu Selangor has been a safe seat for BN. BN even won the seat in 1999 at the height of the reformasi movement. Yet there was a change in the last round.

The change took place largely in Indian and Chinese areas. The main swing in 2008 was in Indian majority areas such as Ladang Kerling, Cangkat Asa and Sungai Coh Barat where there was a 53.8%, 42.5% and 40.7% swing respectively toward the opposition.

The opposition gains among the Indian community were significant and the critical factor that swung the seat in their favour. This contest will be a test of whether the Indian community is satisfied with the opposition, or would prefer to return their loyalty to BN, where it has traditionally been. The Indian community is rightly asking what have either side done for them.

The swing in this seat extended to the Chinese community as well. In Chinese majority areas such as Kampung Baharu Cina, Hulu Yan Lama, Hulu Yam Timur there were 38%, 31.7% and 28.8% swings.

The Chinese votes for the opposition were as important as the Indian voters, given the closeness of the race. Hulu Selangor will provide the testing ground for the new MCA leadership and be an important bellwether of non-Malay support nationally.

Underscoring this will be the 1Malaysia concept and its viability. It has already come under attack on the first day of campaigning by the opposition. Zaid will rely heavily on non-Malay support if he is to win.

7) Referendum by Malays

Since March 2008, Umno has used the issue of the lack of Malay unity to instill insecurity in the Malay community. Polls show that the Malay community is deeply divided over the New Economic Model and religious issues.

The divisions have been capitalised on by ultra nationalists in Umno and played out recently over the formation of Perkasa. The ultra perception that has been created is that Malays are under attack. This has been a strategy to bring back Malay support to Umno.

Fittingly, Zaid’s candidacy puts these issues to the test. He has written on how important his ethnic identity and directly spoken to what it means to be Malay.

Voters in Hulu Selangor will have a simple racial test – to choose a Malay or Indian candidate. If indeed race is so important for the Malay community, then one would expect a boost to Zaid.

The fact of the matter is that Hulu Selangor Malay voters did not vote purely racially in 2008. In fact, the BN made gains in many of the Malay areas, such as in its strongholds of Felda Sungai Dusun, Felda Sungai Tengi and Sungai Selisik, to name just a few. In Bukit Rasa, the BN won an increased share of 24.3% of the vote in 2008 by fielding MIC candidate Palanivel.

Given that the BN won on average an estimated 60% of the Malay votes in Hulu Selangor, it will be interesting to see if this trend continues. The nationally heated racial context will undoubtedly bring Malay issues into the campaign, from concerns over the NEP to the form of their representation.

The BN has the most to lose here, given that they depended heavily on Malays for keeping them in the race in the first place. Umno has machinery in place in these areas, which will allow them to dampen any possible Malay race-based voting.

Ironically, by not fielding a Malay candidate, the BN has hurt its chances in this contest, given the racially oriented focus of the party of late.

Umno is likely to respond to this by engaging in personal attacks on Zaid that focus on his loyalty to the Malay community. This contest will be a test of how much the ultra-racially agenda has permeated the ground and the campaign.

8) Referendum by young people

Beyond the ethnic pattern of voting, the other striking feature in past voting is age. The overwhelming majority of younger voters in this constituency voted for the opposition. This trend was across ethnic communities.

There are a 1,000 additional new voters registered. For either side to win, they have to win over these crucial decisive voters, whose proximity to Kuala Lumpur will assure that they will likely go home to vote. Which campaign has the most appeal to the young will win. This will mean that both parties will have to use different campaigning techniques – Internet and canvassing – to gain support.

Every vote will count. The need for a fair fight in this important constituency is crucial. Expect high voter turnout, a tense dynamic contest and ultimately important national markers for the future of Malaysian politics.

Based on trends in polling and the traditional advantage of the BN machinery in this constituency, in contrast to the views of others, I believe that BN has the advantage.

For me, this constituency has the potential to be more easily swayed by financial rewards, which give the BN an advantage and are the norm in a by-election where the money flows in.

The campaign has begun, however, and it is a highly competitive race that can go either way. If the opposition wants to win this seat they will have to fight hard for it.

BRIDGET WELSH is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Singapore Management University and can be reached at bwelsh@smu.edu.sg.

Najib Conferred Honorary Doctorate By Meiji University

From Khairdzir Yunus TOKYO, April 20 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was today conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by the Meiji University.

Meiji University President Hiromi Naya conferred the honorary degree on Najib at a special ceremony at the university here this morning.

Present were Najib's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim who is the acting Foreign Minister and Malaysian Ambassador to Japan Datuk Shaharuddin Md Som.

In his acceptance speech, Najib said he felt honoured to be conferred the honorary doctorate from the Meiji University, a university that was held in a very high esteem in Japan for its many contributions and sterling achievements.

He said he strongly believed that Malaysia and Japan can engage in various initiatives at different levels to achieve mutual benefit and shared goals.

"First, both nations can foster closer understanding and collaboration through smart partnership, academic engagements and corporate joint ventures.

"Secondly, we can share resources to create value in an open innovation ecosystem that will benefit both countries at various levels.

"For example, there can be increased student and staff mobility between universities engaging in innovative projects in various areas of concern that will benefit all parties," he said.

He said in addition, both countries could extend the existing framework such as the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) with the Malaysian Vice Chancellors Council on areas of importance such as sustainability and innovative technology.

Najib said another initiative could be to revisit the idea of the establishment of Malaysia Japan University as a symbol of their renewed commitment in bilateral relations and in the quest for a more vibrant and dynamic ecosystem for intellectual collaboration.

"Nevertheless the success of this endeavour hinges upon our mutual commitment to move forward," he added.

He said the Japanese government has long supported Malaysian academics resulting in high-impact academic collaboration and joint research, while encouraging the mobility of experts between the countries for many years.

In addition, he said, Japanese companies such as Hitachi and Panasonic had also provided scholarships and fellowships for higher degrees and joint research projects.

"In relation to this, I am happy to announce that Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, one of the top tier universities in Malaysia, will be setting up a UTM Tokyo Satellite Office based in Meiji University which will further enhance the academic ties and research collaborations already existing between our two nations in areas of concern," he said.

He said through Research University Collaborations, nations could be linked through effective engagements in pertinent research areas that would contribute to knowledge and expertise in relevant fields such as sustainability and innovation as well as other economic and socio-environmental issues currently impacting the world.

The Prime Minister said at the same time, Malaysia was committed to provide facilities and incentives to welcome Japanese research companies to set up operation in Malaysia.

"We are ready to create a more vibrant and fertile research environment that would support a more creative and innovative investment ecosystem, contributing to the synergistic well being of both nations," Najib said.

He also said that without doubt the Look East Policy which was now entering its 28th year had managed to become a magnet attracting Japanese companies to invest and to set up their businesses and bases in Malaysia.

These investments, he said, had allowed Malaysia to move up the ladder to become an upper middle income nation within the space of a decade.

He said Malaysia and Japan were two old friends and their friendship was an enduring relationship predicated upon a common and mutual worldview.

"Ours is not a relationship of fair weather friends, it is one that has withstood the test of time over the years as both nation work on the possibilities rather than being fixated by the past," he said.

He said Malaysia was indeed appreciative of Japan's participation in Malaysia's progress and development over the years.

Najib also said that Japan could play a pivotal role in helping Malaysia's transformation from an industrial economy to an innovation economy.

He said in the field of education through the Look East Policy more than 15,000 Malaysians have benefited, a big number of them engineers and professionals that graduated from universities in Japan, with many of them currently occupying mid to high level positions in the public and private sectors in Malaysia.

He said Malaysia could indeed benefit from a much broader education, human resources and capacity building cooperation, especially between institutions of higher learning.

He said their collaborations must take their relationship to new heights.

"The synergy can create new avenues of cooperation not only in science and technology but also in the cultural milieu.

"For as much as Malaysia can learn from Japan's strength in terms of science and technological advancement, Japan can also gain from Malaysia's diverse expertise; from oceanography to forestry, from palm oil to tropical medicine, and from Islamic finance to multi-cultural engagement," he said.

Najib who is currently on a four-day official visit to Japan since Sunday had earlier had a breakfast meeting with Japanese parliamentarians at the New Otani Hotel here.

After the conferment ceremony, he was slated to address the Japanese business community at a luncheon held at the same hotel, attend a closed door roundtable meeting with Japanese captains of industry, and a dinner with Malaysians and Malaysian students before leaving for home.

Mediation at all courts

The New Straits Times By V. Anbalagan

PUTRAJAYA: Mediation process will be introduced at all courts in an effort to dispose of cases speedily.

A statement from the judiciary, issued following the conclusion of the three-day Judges' Conference on Sunday, said disputing parties were encouraged to write to the respective courts if they intended to conclude their matters through mediation.

Currently, mediation is confined to the New Commercial Court (NCC) based at the High Courts in various states.

Mediation process is strongly advocated by the present administrators in the judiciary to dispose of backlog of cases.

The statement prepared by the Federal Court public relations officer, Yasmin Abdul Razak, said the achievement at the NCC, which began operations on Sept 1 last year, was very encouraging.

"The objective of setting up the court (NCC) is to ensure that the disposal of commercial cases can be increased and time taken to complete is shortened," the statement said.

Cases filed at the NCC could be completed within nine months from the date of registration.

In September, 289 cases were registered and up to end of March this year, only 39 cases had yet to be disposed of.

The statement said a special panel had been set up in the Court of Appeal to hear appeals relating to commercial matters.

"The panel will dispose of appeals one month from the date the appeal records are filed."

So far eight appeal cases have been dealt with.

"The judiciary's aspiration to clear NCC cases within a year at the Court of Appeal from the time they are registered has been achieved."

Chandran withdraws, three-corner fight ensues

EC told to remove 'provocative' BN billboards

Ibrahim Ali: Zaid bukan orang Melayu...

UMNO TNB: RM 900,000.00 allocation to repair 65 poor Malay houses. Indians poor excluded.

This is yet another classical case of UMNOs’ height of racism and this
“ blood letting ” ably watched over silently by our very own PKR, DAP and PAS by the omission of their 78 MPs’ and top leaders including their 11 Indian mandore MPs’ who do not and would not care to highlight or champion this for the simple reason that the victims are the poor and working class Indians. Never mind if they are otherwise not given the fair and equal opportunities to prosper.
The above is done as part of TNBs’ corporate social responsibility but blatantly excluding the poor and working class Indians ( UM (M) 16/4/2010 at page 12 ).
S. Jayathas.

Hulu Selangor: No Tamil school for 48 years for 500 families in Serendah; UMNO denies RM 6 million, PKR’s peanuts and denies Tamil school land. Lose-lose for Indians.

Hulu Selangor: No Tamil school for 48 years for 5000 Indians  in Serendah; UMNO denies RM 6 million, PKR’s peanuts and denies Tamil school land. Lose-lose for Indians.
Sinar Harian today reported that UMNO Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announcedin Bukit Beruntung Hulu Selangor, a grant of RM 6 million from the Federal Governemnt for land and a school building for a chinese school.
On the very same Sinar Harian 19/4/10 at page S5, the Indians in Serendah also in Hulu Selangor have been fighting for a local Tamil school for over the last ten years but to no avail.
UMNO’s Muhyiddin Yassin would not approve RM 6 million for this proposed Serendah Tamil school despite a proposal having sent to UMNO’s mandore ex MP for Hulu Selangor and National Deputy President of MIC, who asked these Indians to look for a suitable area.
The proposed local Serendah Tamil School having 500 families and 254 potential students in 12 housing estates, and with 5,000 local Indian residents requiring a local Tamil school.
The parents have to end up sending their children to the next town SJKT Sungai Cho Tamil School. And the school bus fare alone per family will work up to RM 700 per month. Children have to leave their homes at 5 am and their safety is not guaranteed as they have to take the local public buses.
It is over two years now that PKR, DAP & PAS has come to power but they too care a damn. You too Brutas! The Indian people in particular and Hindraf wanted change.
The application was submitted (to the UMNO Education Ministry) in 2000 and the approval was agreed to by the MIC National Deputy Chairman’s Division. But it is a lame approval as it is UMNO leadership that decides. Despite having been a supposed Charter member component party of BN since independence, and over the last 53 years this MIC third most senior coalition party No. 2 Chief cannot even get a small Tamil school built for the local community, let alone getting 100 Indian families Felda like ten acre land ownership schemes, JPN scholarships for 100 local students to do medicine and engineering overseas, securing million and billion dollar contracts and projects for 100 local Indian businessmen, getting 100 local Indians besi buruk licences, car wash, government built low rentals highway rest area food and tidbit stalls and other government built low rental stalls and shop lots, business opportunities for 100 local Indians in outlets like Mobil, Petronas, KFC, McDonalds, Ayamas, A&W, Proton Sevice Centre, Proton showroom, Burger King and Starbuck outlets, cleaning andmaintainance contracts, etc.
This MIC mandore party can do almost zero not because they do not want to do it but because they are not empowered by UMNO to do it.
Similarly despite having been in power for over two years now PKR maintains that there is no suitable place for this Tamil school in Hulu Selangor, which is as big as Malacca with thousands of acres of land in Serendah alone!
But then the PKR Selangor State government had gave them the political directions to vote for change, and to vote for PKR, DAP and PAS.
Yet, PKR has got their Indian Exco Mandore to continue with the 50 year old, a la MIC wayang kulit, of making empty (kosong) Tamil newspaper announcements of land for this Tamil school or that Tamil school, Hindu temple, cemetery or Indian settlement.
Then this Selangor Indian Exco mandore announces a tamil newspaper headline grabbing “grand” announcement of RM 522,000 but in reality this is for 97 Tamil schools, which is for a mere RM 5, 381.00 per school.
See the difference, RM 6 Million for the Bukit Beruntung Chinese school , RM 120 million for the almost 99.9% all Malay muslim Maktab Rendah sains Mara (MRSM) in Trolak, Perak, and RM 522,000 for 97 Tamil schools! The discrimination is right there for all to see!
This discrimination later translates into poor performance in Tamil schools, and then the schools are blamed, or the Tamil education is blamed, or the teachers are blamed, or the parents are blamed. In fact everyone is blamed except the government.
And to add insult to injury the PKR led Selangor State government has even refused to grant land to all the 98 Tamil schools in Selangor which can be done by the mere stroke of the pen by the Selangor Menteri Besar as they have 100% powers to do so. But PKR will not do this for the Indians because they fear losing the Malay votes.
So our only forward moving action is the Indian political empowernment strategy and HRP’s Project 15/38 with the creation of 15 Parliament seats and 38 state Indian majority seats.
P. Uthayakumar

Hulu S’gor: Calon MIC bukti BN tetap amal perkongsian kuasa, PKR disyor letak bukan Melayu

Hulu S’gor: Calon MIC bukti BN tetap amal perkongsian kuasa, PKR disyor letak bukan Melayu
(See BH 104/410 at page
PKR’s Anwar Ibrahim has, with his choice of candidates, been proven that he is and wants to prove to the Malays that he is more racist than UMNO. Even before coming to power Anwar Ibrahim refuses to share power with the Indians except with the PKR, DAP, PAS mandores who will, like UMNO’s MIC mandores, sell out the Indian poor’s interests in return for some personal gains. Imagine when he gets to Putrajaya!
Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

Hulu S’gor: RM 20 million for Tamil schools. Why not state land for all 98 Tamil schools?

Hulu S’gor: RM 20 million for Tamil schools. Why not state land for all 98 Tamil schools?
But Catch No 1 – by this PKR Indian Exco mandore is RM 20 million over the next five years! At this rate of mandorism, PKR will no longer rule Selangor in five years.
Catch No 2 – 12 new Kindergardens to be built! But this PKR’s Indian Exco mandore under his tuan Anwar Ibrahim and Tan Sri Ibrahim and Tan Sri Khalid’s scheme of plans has built zero kindergardens within Tamil schools todate, after two years in power.
Catch No 3 – RM 522,000 for 97 Tamil schools is only a peanut sum of RM 5,381 per school, but made into a fanfare a la MIC on a day to day basis and stretched out all year round in the three tamil papers.
Catch No 4 – 15 new kinderdartens in 10 Tamil schools. The names of these 10 Tamil schools have never been made public or is not in the Selangor Menteri Besar’s official website. We are hearing of these 10 Tamil school kindergardens for the first time during this Hulu Selangor by election season.
Catch No 5 – In any event despite we having repeated this 53 year old outstanding land titles for all these 98 Tamil schools problem on a daily basis over the last ten months, the PKR Supremo and his Indian mandores are turning a blind eye (The Star 16/4/10 pg N57).
Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

Nasihat Human Rights Party (Hindraf Makkal Sakthi) kepada pengundi India di Hulu Selangor.

Nasihat Human Rights Party (Hindraf Makkal Sakthi) kepada pengundi India di Hulu Selangor.

Pilihan raya maknanya masa untuk buat janji-janji manis oleh ahli-ahli politik BN dan Pakatan. Jika tidak berhati-hati, pengundi hanya akan berdepan dengan janji kosong dan penipuan selepas pilihan raya.

Pengundi India mesti mengundi calon yang menunaikan janji sahaja ! Jangan tertipu lagi !

Untuk perhatian Zaid Ibrahim
Menteri Besar (Pakatan) Selangor, selepas mesyuarat mingguan EXCO negeri, mengumumkan bahawa kerajaan Selangor akan memberi hak milik tanah kepada 100,000 keluarga setingggan dan TOL untuk mereka yang menghuni tanah berkenaan selama lebih 15 tahun. Menteri Besar juga menambah bahawa kerajaan negeri akan segera mengatasi masalah tanah untuk tempat beribadat, sekolah dan jalan.
Pemberian tanah ialah janji Menteri Besar Pakatan.
Bagi orang India yang miskin, janji itu mesti membawa maksud …
1. Mereka menerima hak milik tanah atas nama mereka sendiri dan dokumen dalam bentuk hitam putih ada di tangan mereka.
2. Proses pengambilan tanah untuk sekolah Tamil mestilah selari/konsisten dengan cara yang digunakan untuk sekolah kebangsaan.
3. Hak milik tanah untuk kuil dalam bentuk hitam putih mesti ada pada pihak pengurusan kuil untuk tanah di mana kuil itu berada sekarang.
Semua perkara ini mesti dibereskan sebelum 25 April, 2010.
Tuntutan HRP sebenarnya lebih daripada itu, tetapi sebagai permulaan kerajaan negeri bolehlah memberi tanah kepada semua 97 sekolah Tamil yang tidak memiliki tanah yang diduduki sekarang.
Untuk perhatian Kamalanathan
MIC/UMNO telah berjanji untuk memulangkan pelaburan orang India dalam MAIKA Holdings. Namun, ini hanyalah janji pilihan raya yang mungkin tidak akan ditunaikan atas pelbagai alasan. Kita pernah dengar banyak alasa sebelum ini.
Jadi, bagi orang India janji ini mesti membawa makna bahawa …
Semua pelabur India dalam MAIKA mesti menerima pemulangan pelaburan mereka dengan cek dikeluarkan atas nama mereka sendiri dan diserahkan kepada mereka dalam bentuk hitam putih.
MIC juga harus memulangkan jumlah saham berdasarkan nilai RM1.00 pada 1984, bukan nilai RM1.00 pada 2010. Kami rasa pelabur berhak menerima sekurang-kurang R4.00 untuk setiap pelaburan RM1.00 pada 1984. Tanyalah, akauntan mana pun tahu hakikat ini.
Semua ini mesti dibereskan sebelum 25 April 2010.
Kini bukan lagi masa untuk janji-janji kosong ahli politik, sebaliknya kini sudah tiba masa untuk menilai ahli politik melalui prestasi mereka yang sebenarnya.
Pakatan dan UMNO sama-sama tidak menunjukkan sebarang khidmat yang memuaskan untuk orang India selama mereka berkuasa.
Zaid Ibrahim atau Kamalanathan – undi hanya calon yang kotakan janji !
Jangan undi sesiapa yang tidak mengotakan janji sebelum 24 April, 2010.
Macam ni mudahkan?
Naragan
Human Rights Party Malaysia

Photos: HRP on the ground Campaigning

18/4/2010, Johor HRP Team lead by Johor Chief  Y.Mohan, campaigning for HRP 15/38 “Vote For Ourself” as per P.Uthayakumar’s book Malaysian Indian Political Empowerment Strategy  at Karai Nagar Sri Mariamman temple Kangar Pulai, Johor. There was very positive responses from all the people there and many took back HRP’s membership forms and sign up as HRP members.
Long live HRP/HINDRAF People Power Makkal Sakthi
Mayil.
HRP Johor

UMNO menafikan bantuan kepada nenek berusia 70 tahun yang menjaga anak kurang upaya berumur 39 tahun.

UMNO menafikan bantuan kepada nenek berusia 70 tahun yang menjaga anak kurang upaya berumur 39 tahun.
Kuantan, April 9- Ellammah yang merupakan seorang warga tua berumur 70 tahun sedang memikul tanggungjawab untuk menjaga anak lelakinya Ganesan yang kurang upaya berumur 39 tahun. Dia sedang mendapat RM300.00 dari badan kebajikan namun wang tersebut tidak mencukupi untuk membeli lampin dewasa serta susu bagi Ganesan. Kos penjagaan Ganesan sendiri melebihi RM350 sebulan.  Ellammah kini meminta bantuan orang ramai untuk mengurangkan beban hidup yang ditanggungnya pada usia tua ini.
Komen HRP: Daripada Bajet 2010 yang merangkumi  jumlah sebanyak RM191.5 bilion, sebanyak RM48 milion telah diperuntukkan khas untuk program termasuk memberi bantuan kebajikan dan juga bayaran sewa rumah untuk golongan miskin. Tetapi warga emas ini yang mendapat wang kebajikan sebanyak RM300 tidak dapat menampung kehidupan beliau serta anaknya yang kurang upaya kerana anaknya memerlukan rawatan perubatan untuk terus hidup. Malah ibu serta anak ini juga tidak diberi sebuah flat ataupun bayaran sewa daripada peruntukan kerajaan RM48 milion. Sekiranya mereka dibantu dengan bayaran sewa, maka wang kebajikan yang diterima serba sedikit dapat membantu mereka meneruskan kehidupan. Jadi amat jelas bahawa bantuan ini tidak sampai kepada mereka yang amat memerlukan. 
Malah Ellammah seharusnya diberi bantuan subsidi kad e-kasih. Ini kerana beliau tidak berupaya untuk bekerja ataupun anaknya Ganesan dibekalkan dengan perubatan percuma. Ini kerana menjadi tanggungjawab kerajaan menjaga kebajikan rakyatnya. Bukan orang ramai yang harus memikul peranan kerajaan dalam membasmi kemiskinan.
Satu Malaysia : Rakyat Didahulukan … ?

Hulu Selangor Photos PKR’s unnecessary racial tensions by appointing a Malay candidate and not an Indian candidate.

Hulu Selangor Photos PKR’s unnecessary racial tensions by appointing a Malay candidate and not an Indian candidate.
As if UMNOs’ 53 years racism is not enough. PKR had the option and liberty to bring down one notch racial politics in Malaysia. But PKR allowed racism to near its ugly head. ( see MN headlines 18/4/2010)

Maika: Maika Share Buyout Proposal For Real, Says Vel Paari

HULU SELANGOR, April 19 (Bernama) -- The deal to sell Maika Holdings Bhd to a local Indian-owned consortium is for real and details are now being worked out, its chief executive officer, S. Vel Paari, said.

He denied that it was an election gimmick to attract Indian voters in Hulu Selangor.


Shareholders of Maika should "hold their horses just a little while longer as details of the deal will be announced as soon as possible after a number of issues have been ironed out," he told Bernama here.

On April 16, Bernama ran a story that the long wait by some 66,000 shareholders of Maika was about to end as a local Indian private sector group had agreed to purchase all of their investments for about RM106 million.

The proposed purchase value of the shares is RM20 million above the total net value of Maika's assets, which are only worth about RM85 million currently.

Maika shareholders are mainly poor Indian estate workers who had invested in Maika shares in 1984 by pawning their jewellery while some had withdrawn their life savings.

Maika was established in 1982 to enable Malaysian Indians to participate in the country's economic growth. However, the company was unable to produce the required results, much to the disillusionment of its shareholders.

The relatively poor return on investment of Maika shares had been a nagging problem for the MIC and the Malaysian Indian community for the past 26 years.

The matter had been brought to the attention of the government on numerous occasions and it was only recently that a decision was made to resolve it.

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, confirming the Bernama report last Saturday, said:"It has been a long and difficult journey but now the issue looks set to be resolved. I think the shareholders will be happy and we are relieved too. I have been briefed about the buyout."

Meanwhile, B. Krishnan, a Maika shareholder, when contacted by Bernama, said that while settling the problem was good, Maika should ensure that the deal was beneficial to shareholders.

"Now we at least see the light at the end of the tunnel after 28 years. It is positive and I hope the shareholders will agree to the deal and put an end to this nagging problem," he said.

He said Maika shareholders should not only be paid "ringgit for ringgit" for their investments but also be given "something extra" for their long wait.

M. Dharmakoundar, another shareholder, also agreed that dividends should be paid as well because Maika had not paid any in the past.

"If there is any buyout, then shareholders must be compensated adequately," he said.

S. Nadarajah, a Maika shareholder who has been campaigning for dividend payment for many years, said the proposal by the unnamed investor group put the share buyout at 80 sen per share against the entire shareholding of 125 million shares.

He claimed that the proposed purchase sum of RM106 million was also lower than the RM149 million offered by Usaha Tegas Sdn Bhd for Oriental Capital Assurance Bhd, a 74.165 per cent subsidiary of Maika, in 2008. Usaha Tegas is an investment company controlled by tycoon T. Ananda Krishnan.

He claimed that the latest share offer was inferior as the would-be investor would get to control the insurance company via the purchase of Maika for a lower price.

Nadarajah, who also asked whether the recent announcement was an election ploy as there were 1,500 Maika shareholders in Hulu Selangor, said Maika should provide details to clear the air on the proposal.

No Dr Pornthip at Teoh inquest tomorrow

KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 — The much-awaited expert opinion by Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand on the second post-mortem on Teoh Beng Hock will be further delayed as the Selangor government did not receive any response from her today.

A state government official said: “Last week we wrote a letter to the Justice Ministry of Thailand for them to facilitate Dr Pornthip (picture) to attend the inquest but until this evening there was no response from the ministry.”

However, Dr Pornthip had unofficially indicated to the state counsel that she could attend, provided there was approval from the ministry where she was currently attached with, he said.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) head of prosecution Datuk Abdul Razak Musa, when contacted, confirmed that so far there was no indication from Dr Pornthip or Thai officials.

“As far we are concerned, the coroner is scheduled to hear Teoh’s brother Meng Kee’s ex-parte application to cite Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz tomorrow for contempt of court,” he said.

Last Friday, Meng Kee filed a notice at the Shah Alam magistrate’s court to cite Nazri for contempt of court for allegedly branding Dr Pornthip as a “liar” after she refused to attend the inquest tomorrow, claiming that she was under pressure from her own government and the Malaysian authorities.

Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas had fixed tomorrow for Dr Pornthip to give her expert opinion on the second post-mortem on Teoh’s remains which was carried out by Dr Shahidan Md Noor at the Sungai Buloh Hospital on Nov 22 last year.

Azmil had also fixed April 26 and 27 for British pathologist Dr Peter Vanesis, who was hired by MACC, to give his expert opinion.

Teoh was found dead at Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam, where the MACC state headquarters was located, on July 17 after being called for questioning by MACC officers over alleged irregular disbursement of state funds. — Bernama

Halili leaving is “not a big loss”, say PKR leaders

By FMT Staff

KUALA LUMPUR: PKR leaders are unfazed by neuro-surgeon Dr Halili Rahmat’s resignation as Hulu Selangor PKR treasurer earlier today, saying it will not affect the party’s campaign in the run-up to the polls on April 25.

Describing Halili as “a smart neuro-surgeon who failed to uphold the party’s principles”, Balik Pulau MP Yusmadi Yusoff said it was “not as big a loss” as perceived by Umno.

“I respect Halili's decision but at the same time I would like to say that as an educated person, he should want to see Malaysia (become) more democratic in nature.

“But his decision does not augment well for democratic practices in the country. It validates those who obviously do not appreciate the democratic ambitions of the Malaysian people,” he said.

Many view the timing of Halili’s move to quit PKR as an Umno-style strategy to undermine public perception of PKR.

Mainstream media and pro-Umno BN blogs are running riot with stories of unhappy PKR members and “mass” defections of members to Umno in the run-up to the Hulu Selangor by-election, which has been described as a “must win” for BN and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

Halili, who is an Ulu Yam local, has twice contested in the general elections in 1999 (Hulu Selangor) and 2004 (Batang Kali state seat), but lost on both occasions.

He was on the list of PKR’s potential candidates for the Hulu Selangor seat which fell vacant following the death of incumbent Zainal Abidin Ahmad on March 25.

Zainal had wrested the seat from four-term BN MP G Palanivel, who is also MIC deputy president, in the March 2008 general election.

PKR, however, opted to field former law minister Zaid Ibrahim for the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat.

No hiccups to campaign

PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, in echoing Yusmadi’s views, said:

“Halili’s resignation won’t weaken us. I also disagree with his allegations.

“I do not see any weaknesses in our machinery or hiccups in our campaign process for this election as a result of his announcement today. It definitely won’t affect our candidate,” he said.

Batu MP Tian Chua, who is also PKR director of strategy, said Halili's resignation was a “non-issue” but more importantly, is the fact that BN had until now not announced what changes he will bring to the people of Hulu Selangor.

“A by-election is a battle of policies and personalities as well as the representative's agenda for serving the people.

“It is disappointing that until now the BN candidate has not told Hulu Selangor voters what he will do,” said Tian Chua.

Appoint an Indian as education minister

From Enthunan Nagandran, via e-mail

The government should appoint an Indian as deputy education minister in order to adequately address the needs of Indian students.
An Indian deputy education minister would be able to look after the interests and educational needs of Tamil schools in the country and also its student population.

[The writer is the chairman Seremban Jaya Hindu Sangam]

Enter 1M'sia candidate: He fears God, no one else

By Stephanie Sta Maria - Free Malaysia Today

INTERVIEW KUALA KUBU BARU: P Kamalanathan's hitherto serene existence has been turned topsy-turvy after being named as the Barisan Nasional candidate for the April 25 Hulu Selangor by-election.
From being a relatively unknown figure, the 44-year-old MIC information chief has been catapulted to stardom, with his face hogging the media limelight.

Kamalanathan has been described as the "eleventh-hour" choice after a protracted tussle over the candidacy between MIC and the BN leadership, which eventually saw MIC deputy president G Palanivel's name being struck off the list.

FMT managed to catch up with the BN candidate recently amidst his hectic schedule to pick his brains on the upcoming three-way contest.

Since the onset, the Hulu Selangor by-election is being touted as a "David versus Goliath" showdown, with Kamalanathan facing the more experienced politician and former law minister Zaid Ibrahim from PKR.

Kamalanathan arrived at the BN command centre in Bukit Sentosa with a lean entourage and a flurry of apologies for being late. He was immediately swarmed by well-wishers who had come from as far as Kelantan.

Why did they pick me?

For someone who has never strutted in the spotlight, Kamalanathan was taking it in his stride. In fact, he looked remarkably composed despite battling a busy schedule and keeping an eye on the clock.

“I'm thoroughly enjoying this,” he said. “I love meeting people so this is all very exciting for me. And politics is my passion so that makes it even better!”

The MIC information chief claimed that he had no knowledge that his name was being considered as the BN candidate.

According to Kamalanathan, he got the phone call at lunchtime on the day (April 17) Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin was scheduled to name the BN candidate.

He said the call came just as he was preparing to hit the campaign trail for either Palanivel or Hulu Selangor MIC Youth chief V Mugilan, the preferred choice of local Umno leaders.

“I was ready to roll up my sleeves for Palanivel or Mugilan. So I was shocked when I heard that I was the candidate. But this opportunity has come and I will fight wholeheartedly,” he pledged.

Asked why he was picked, Kamalanathan laughed and said that he has been asking himself the same question.

“Perhaps it's because I was involved in the re-branding of MIC or because of my background in public relations,” he mused.

“Politics is all about public relations. In public relations, there's the people and the organisation. In politics, there's the people and the government. We are the bridge that links them both,” he added.

Shelter, food and clothing

Should he win the Hulu Selangor seat, Kamalanathan said the building of that bridge will begin with the people's basic necessities.

While PKR waxes lyrical about the development it will bring to Hulu Selangor, the MIC man has a simpler agenda.

“Maslow's Hierarchy indicates that a person's basic needs are shelter, food and clothing. These are my priorities,” he stressed.

“There is no use in developing a town when the people still live in poverty. Yayasan Basmi Kemiskinan (YBK) wanted to run so many projects here but the (PKR-controlled) Selangor government stood in its way.

“If YBK was allowed to do its work, Hulu Selangor will have a university by now and will have led to more income for the locals in terms of housing rents, restaurants and side businesses. Their lives will have improved tremendously,” he added.

Only afraid of God
Kamalanathan also insisted on keeping a low profile, unless the situation warranted otherwise. He also vowed to play fair and keep the duel gentlemanly.

“In the new media you have to blow your own trumpet or else others will drown you with theirs. But I will only blow mine as and when it is required. Otherwise, I will do my work quietly like I've always done,” he said.

“The one thing I will not do is get involved in character assassination. I have always believed that defamation is a sin and I will not be goaded into it. Let people say what they want. Let them pit me against Zaid. I won't take the bait,” he added.

Kamalanathan is alo unfazed about the prospect of entering the ring with a "heavyweight".

“I am only afraid of God. Zaid is just another human being like me. I have the utmost respect for him and I will not say anything about him so please don't ask me that. But I will say this much.

“The people of Hulu Selangor want a local. I have lived in Rawang for 43 years. My parents married in Serendah and I went to school in Hulu Selangor. All my friends are scattered around Serendah, Sungai Buaya and Sungai Gapi. I am as local as it gets,” he said.

Zaid, on the other hand, hails from Kelantan and was the former Umno MP for Kota Baru.

Focused on unity

Meanwhile, Kamalanathan, who speaks fluent Malay, was also confident that his ability to mingle with people from all walks of life will give him an added advantage.

“I constantly update my tweets and pod casts. Just the other day, a Malay gentleman who watched me on You Tube posted a comment to say that I speak better Bahasa Malaysia than Zaid. I was extremely pleased,” he said.

Kamalanathan also elaborated on his 1Malaysia candidate description and his vision for Hulu Selangor.

“I have always been focused on unity, even before the concept of 1Malaysia. When I represented the Institute of Public Relations Malaysia in New Delhi, I presented a paper on this. Malaysia is all about multiracism and I will make sure that it lives long and strong in Hulu Selangor.

“As for this consttituency, there is a Malay saying that goes 'membersihan sungai bermula di hulu' (the purification of a river begins upstream) and the purification of Selangor (as in BN recapturing the state) will begin with Hulu Selangor. That I promise,” he stressed.