Rakyat wants change - not transformation

JD Lovrenciear

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

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

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

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

But what is the reality on the ground?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

People are tired of the race and religious divisiveness.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

They are too tired of the calls for transformation.

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

Hindraf, we are not at war with you

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

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

PSM: No three-cornered fights,please

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Best candidate

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PKR: No rift with PSM

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

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

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

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

Also present was PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution.

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

The seat is currently held by PSM chairman Nasir Hashim.

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

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

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

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

Overlapping demands


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bersih invites Anwar, Najib to present manifestos

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Scare tactics cause for concern

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Postal voters left out of the loop


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

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

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

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

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

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

Independent to take on ex-boss

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Malaysia's Rancid Election

Ibrahim Ali. Photo from Malaysiakini

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PR Selangor Yakin Sokongan Rakyat Tidak Berubah

Selangorku

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LAHAD DATU:Nine linked to Sulu intruders nabbed in Beluran

The New Straits Times
by Kristy Inus

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

Among those arrested were seven foreigners, including a woman.

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Hamza said they were accorded proper Islamic burial rites.

In Ipoh, a lingering loyalty for Pakatan among the Chinese

By Emily Ding

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Sokong BN?” he asked.

“Sokong!” the crowd cheered back.

And again. And again.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Anwar, Kit Siang losing a historic opportunity

I read with interest the article written by Dr Kua Kia Soong inMalaysiakini yesterday. I agree with

Kua that Pakatan leaders are missing a historic prospect.

Take today's The Star Online report. Apparently, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak spoke on the Tamil edition of Bernama TV's Hello Malaysia programme on Astro Channel 502. He is unquestionably taking efforts to reach the Indian grassroots.

Najib has been undertaking this ever since assuming office and many were wondering whether his methods would gain result. Some made fun of his recent Ponggal gathering that drew 100,000 Indians. It was a joke as everyone knew MIC paid those who attended RM50 each. Najib too knew this, but he persisted.

In the Bernama talk show, Najib positively sent the message to the Indian grassroots, who make up 70 percent of the voters in 67 key Parliament seats, that he was reaching out to the movement that brought BN down, the Hindraf movement. He acknowledged that BN lost big time as result of losing the marginal Indian votes.

Najib also acknowledged that the Indians were kingmakers. Well if you folks think he said this just to entertain the Indian electorate, then you are mistaken. He linked the kingmakers to the Hindraf movement. That is the key plug that I suppose most of those in Pakatan Rakyat would miss out.

Najib went on to say that he was engaging with the Hindraf movement actively and has advised it that extreme ways would not pay, and that the Hindraf movement was acceptable to an amicable conclusion to the years of failure of MIC, which again Najib was clever to acknowledge.

So looks like the prime minister has done his part and is continuously doing his part. The psyche of the grassroots Indian community needs to be understood. They are not warmongers.

Hindraf set the tone and the warpath from 2005 and the community slowly accepted that "someone needed to bell the cat" and Hindraf was their hope. They threw their support behind Hindraf and thus the "neo revolution" of 2007. Hindraf became a household name.

The opposition led by Anwar Ibrahim and Lim Kit Siang took advantage of this uprising, but they were not bright enough to acknowledge the true faces behind the Hindraf uprising. Anwar knowingly acknowledged a planted police agent as the true Hindraf leader.

The true faces P Uthayakumar and P Waythamoorthy were conveniently sidelined. Pakatan Rakyat thought acknowledging and taking take the brothers on board would court them trouble. They conveniently developed the denial syndrome that BN adopted in 2006-2007. They refused to acknowledge the true leaders of Hindraf.

Anwar openly criticised Hindraf as an extremist movement overseas, and locally to select groups. Then, he went on to say that he does not know which Hindraf to deal with as Hindraf has been broken into five pieces - according to him.

But every ordinary Indian on the street would know who is leading Hindraf. Ask a child in the estate who the leader of Hindraf is and she would loudly say it is Waythamoorthy. The denial syndrome of Anwar and his Pakatan allies have made them believe their own lies.

Najib is doing his part. He sent his delegation to talk to Hindraf and convince them that he is a reformist and would love to work with Hindraf. Hindraf, on its part, demanded that the ban on it be lifted and it was done. Then the organisation was legalised and talks with Hindraf took place formally on the 17th day of Waythamoorthy's hunger strike.

Najib seems to understand the psyche of Indians. Hunger strike is the highest weapon of the Indian culture against injustices. Mahatma Gandhi used this as his sathya graha to fight the British and every Indian understands this as a true weapon of dharma which is the highest order of justice and truth.

Najib has been advised by someone intelligent to take the "risk" of dealing with Hindraf at the right moment. And he did exactly that. The Indian community was so proud that their leader, who was undertaking a fast for 17 days, took the trouble, though he was weak, to meet Najib.

History was created when Hindraf openly engaged with its one time oppressors. They spoke for an hour and Najib offered more talks and this is progressing. As I said, Najib is a smart politician, taking good advice.

Anwar, on the other hand, seems to believe his own lies and the lies of his weakened Indian leaders that they do not need Hindraf to deliver the Indian votes. Since the hunger strike, there has been a sudden drop of Indians at Pakatan ceramah rpogrammes and yet they continued to believe their own lies.

And then, suddenly, Anwar decided to adopt four minor points from the Hindraf Five-Year Blueprint. Kit Siang stunned the Indians with hisGelang Patah Declaration by plagiarising the Hindraf blueprint as the instant noodle solution to Indian woes. He listened to his Indian leaders and made an unintelligent cut-and-paste from the Hindraf blueprint.

It is unfortunate that seasoned politicians are repeating the mistakes of BN - the denial syndrome and believing their own lies. They have demonised Hindraf as extremist, just as Umno did in 2007. Hindraf is termed irrelevant, a mistake Umno had made.

Hindraf has empowered the Indians. The Indians want a conclusion to their problems. They are not warmongers and do not believe in rhetoric and political stunts.

Hindraf is well aware of the true needs of the Indian grassroots, who will be the kingmakers in 70 crucial Parliament seats. The underclass understand the Hindraf struggle and their commitment to finding a permanent solution to their problems.

With the denial syndrome of Anwar and Kit Siang, and they believing in their own lies, Pakatan is likely to lose Selangor and Kedah, while their hope of Putrajaya will remain their imagination forever. Unfortunately, PAS will be the biggest loser.

The dangerous 13 point Islamic demands of Hefajat-e-Islam and the future of Bangladesh Hindus.

The immense Clash between the Crude and Pseudo Islamist definitely leads into a deadlock of Democracy in Bangladesh upon the dead bodies of Hindus.

~ Upananda Brahmachari.

The Crude Islamists with BNP challenged the Pseudo Islamists led by Awami League (mind it this party is a off-shoot of Awami Muslim League) through a Call for indefinite Hartal on and from Tuesday. Jamat-e-Islami will start its separate Hartal from Thursday the 11 th April 2013 to strengthen the Bangla Taliban Movement in Bangladesh.

As per report of The Daily Star, “‘Sporadic violence in different parts of the country left one person killed and more than 50 injured yesterday (09 April 2013) as the 36-hour shutdown imposed by the BNP-led 18-party alliance began to press for the release of its leaders.

To add to the woes of city dwellers, especially the poor, Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, has called for another hartal tomorrow protesting the “torture of its detained president Delwar Hossain in police remand”.

In the capital, several crude bombs were exploded in different parts during the hartal. Law enforcers remained on guard at the BNP’s Nayapaltan headquarters since early morning yesterday.

A truck driver was killed when pickets threw brick chips in Baropur area on the Dhaka-Rangpur highway in Bogra around 5:00am.

The brick-chips hit the driver, breaking through the windshield and leaving driver Shahidul Islam Khokon critically injured. Doctors declared him dead after he was taken to a hospital.

At least 25 people were injured in a clash between activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra League and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal in Moulvibazar. At least 15 vehicles and 10 shops were vandalised during the violence. Police arrested four people.

In Narayanganj, 10 people were injured, two by bullets, as the opposition men fought with police. Twenty-three BNP men were detained in this connection.

Police and BNP men exchanged bullets at Chakaria upazila of Cox’s Bazaar, leaving two opposition activists wounded.

In Jamalpur, 10 people were injured in a clash between BCL and BNP men.

In Rajshahi, three people were injured when JCD men clashed with police. Law enforcers fired over 100 rubber bullets and teargas shells to disperse the JCD men, who blasted five cocktails.

Pickets vandalised ten battery-run auto rickshaws, a car and set fire to a pick-up van and three battery-run auto rickshaws at different points in Rangpur. Police arrested five pro-hartal activists.

Other districts such as Jessore, Pirojpur, Chapainawabganj, Chandpur, Gazipur, Pabna, Dinajpur, Chittagong and Khulna also witnessed clashes during the hartal hours.

Unidentified people burned two buses in Gazipur sadar upazila around 7:00pm yesterday.

Meanwhile, Khagrachhari, Rangamati and Bandarban have been exempted from the purview of the hartal on the occasion of Boishabi, a traditional festival of indigenous people welcoming the New Year.”’

From the report above it is clear the hard core Islamist Organisations like Hefajat-e-Islam Bangladesh as sponsored by Jamat-e-Islami Bangladesh or the Hizb ut-Tahrir from the back drop do not leave the ground of Dhaka until the revive a Fundamental Autocracy of Islam again in Bangladesh.

These Islamic nexus to destroy the remaining secular thread of Bangladesh through a huge source of money coming from Arabic and Talibani world. Now it is flashed that Tk 85cr was spent for Hefajat long march to Dhaka to boost up the Islamist of Bangladesh in a very Islamic way.

All these hoodlums’ endeavor are meant for the cessation of rights of Non-Muslims in BD through declaring Bangladesh a complete Islamic State. They are not satisfied with a state religion status of Islam in Bangladesh, where 90% population comes under Islamic faith. The most dangerous 13 point demand of Hefajat has its every force to reconvert Bangladesh again as an Islamic State of Zia ul Haque regimen.

In a written statement, the Hefajat Ameer Shah Ahmad Shafi said, “Our current movement is not political. It’ll (govt) have to agree to our 13-point demand in order to continue in office.”

The ruling Awami League is also shifting gradually from its secular standpoints and have started giving relaxation to the Jamat, Chatra Shivir and Hefajt to calm down a huge mass in favour of the Islamic Law in Bangladesh.

The 13 points of the Islamist group Hefajat-e Islam may be the last thirteen nails in the coffin of Bangladesh Democracy as experts think too ominous. Undoubtedly, the following points must be the unlucky thirteen for the Bangladeshi minorities.

1. Restore the phrase ‘Complete faith and trust in the Almighty Allah’ in the constitution and repeal all the laws contrary to the holy Quran and Sunnah.

2. Pass a law in parliament keeping a provision of the maximum punishment of death sentence to prevent defaming Allah, Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) and Islam and smear campaigns against Muslims.

3. Take measures for stringent punishment against self-declared atheists and bloggers, led the so-called Shahbagh movement, and anti-Islamists who made derogatory remarks against the Prophet.

4. Stop infiltration of all alien-culture, including shamelessness in the name of individual’s freedom of expression, ant-social activities, adultery, free mixing of male and female and candle lighting.

5. Make Islamic education mandatory from primary to higher secondary levels canceling the anti-Islamic women policy and anti-religion education policy.

6. Officially declare Qadianis (Ahmadiyyas) as non-Muslim and stop their propaganda and all conspiratorial ill-moves.

7. Stop setting up sculptures at intersections, schools, colleges and universities across the country.

8. Lift restriction on saying payers in all mosques across the country, including Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, without any hassle and remove obstacles to carrying out religious activities.

9. Stop evil efforts to spread hatred in the mind of young generation regarding Islam through the misrepresentation of religious dresses and cultures in the media.

10. Stop anti-Islam activities by NGOs across the country, including in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and evil attempts of Christian missionaries for conversion.

11. Stop attacks, mass killing, oppression and indiscriminate shooting on Alem-Ulama, devout followers of the Prophet and towhidi janata (revolutionary people).

12. Stop threatening teachers and students of Qawmi madrasas, Islamic scholars, imams and khatibs and conspiracies against them.

13. Free immediately all the arrested Islamic scholars, madrasa students and towhidi janata and withdraw all false cases filed against them, compensate the victims and bring the assailants to justice.

In such a way the Insane Islam is pervading Bangladesh aiming a target to make Bangladesh as definite Hinduless in coming 10 years.

Lawyer: Recognize Victims of ‘Terrorist Rape’

Attorney reports clear trend of sexual assault motivated by hatred of Israel, calls on state to recognize victims as wounded by terrorism.

By Maayana Miskin

There is a clear trend of Arab men sexually assaulting Jewish girls and women as a form of anti-Israel terrorism, attorney Roni Sadovnik said Wednesday, speaking to Arutz Sheva.

Israel’s courts prefer to treat such crimes as solely criminal in nature rather than as crimes motivated by nationalist hate, she said. Changing the status of such crimes would give victims a wider array of services and assistance.

Currently, victims of sex crimes perpetrated by Palestinian Authority men are left to handle the trauma without special help from the state, she explained.

Sadovnik noted a particularly extreme case in which four PA resident teenagers grabbed a 13-year-old Jewish girl from the side of a road north of Jerusalem, beat her and raped her. The girl managed to escape after throwing sand in the eyes of one of her attackers.

The four rapists were convicted, but each will serve just two years in prison due to their young age.

Details of the case, including the attackers’ focus on humiliating their victim, show that the attack was motivated by anti-Jewish hate, Sadovnik said. The crime should have been treated as terrorist attacks are, she added.

Another example is the brutal rape last May in the Gan Ha'Ir mall in Tel Aviv, she said. In that attack, a PA resident man who had entered Israel illegally attacked two Jewish youths over the course of four hours, beating the male and beating and raping the female.

Again, the particular focus on humiliation shows that the motive “was clearly hatred between the peoples,” she said.

When such cases come to court, it is the girls and women who were attacked who are called on to prove that the attack was motivated by nationalism, she said. Prosecutors reach plea bargain arrangements with rapists and other sex attackers which do not include a confession of the attackers’ motives – a confession which could lead to the recognition of the victims as victims of terrorism.

Sadovnik noted that there is a conflict of interests at play. The State Prosecution is essentially part of the government, she said, and the government would be required to fund additional help for victims if the prosecution were to recognize them as victims of terrorism.

There is international precedent for recognizing rape as a crime of war, she said. Regarding the theory that the state may be deliberately reducing prosecution of PA residents for diplomatic reasons, Sadovnik said that she, too, believes it is time for peace – but that peace must not come at the expense of girls and young women attacked by rapists.

Rape has been an element of Arab attacks on Jews in the Land of Israel dating back to the 1929 Hevron Massacre and even earlier. Harassment of Jewish women has become a major issue in the Negev and in parts of Jerusalem, among other places.

In recent years several gang rapes committed by Israeli Arab men have been found to have been motivated by anti-Israel hate. Terrorists who murdered an American Christian female tourist in Israel were found to have committed rape in a separate attack.

The issue of Muslim rape of non-Muslim women has caused controversy outside Israel’s borders as well, including in Norway, where a stormy public debate erupted after police revealed that Muslim immigrants were responsible for nearly all rapes in Oslo.

Indians must go beyond communal thinking

R Kengadharan

Unless we Indians are prepared to make the effort to undertake the necessary changes, we may have to pay the political price.

At this point in time we have no common goals or objectives as we are fragmented and divided. That division is now quite alarming and disturbing.

For the last 55 years we have gone through national humiliation and defeat. We are still struggling to resolve to redeem our national pride.

While this would require greater effort, imagination, competence and creativity, there isn't an aggressive personality noticeable within the community who is a pragmatist willing to compromise, change, adapt and revive strategy.

There isn't the courage and vigour to work towards achieving non-racial democracy.

Any qualitative change will only emerge if our ideas go straight to the hearts.

No change would be effective if it fails to appeal to the community.

Maneuvering on prejudice is not rational. We strongly believe that Malaysia was conceived as belonging to Malaysians and any desired change must be for the greater benefit of all Malaysians regardless of race or religion.

In the present circumstances it is imperative that we must appreciate and correctly understand our current situation and position.

Is it correct and true to say that the Indians are being driven out of everything and could democratic socialism correct the many imbalances suffered by the community?

What has caused communalism in Malaysia? It is none other than profit motivation.

We must forget to work on the basis of race as a political party. Why the Indians must become entrenched in communal politics and is it wrong to adopt a non-communal ideology and would it weaken us?

This preponderance of thought that only a particular organisation is fit to defend the cause of the Indians is an extravagant claim.

If we desire to do what is right and fair we must be anxious to adjust and remove the present imbalances.

The community as a whole must distant itself from the policies of divide and rule and must help to demolish the old political structure which is ingrained in many.

The communal tendencies and prejudices today gravely influence political thinking.

As a consequence, Indian based political parties, NGOs and movements are often inclined to express themselves communally and when we invite and inculcate non-communal policies, attacks, libel and slanders are launched.

While the dire needs and plight of Indians must not be ignored nor shelved, it is imperative and necessary for Indians to affiliate to non-communal ideologies so as to secure their future permanently in the upcoming 13th general election.

Rais says ten minutes airtime is what Pakatan manifesto deserves

KUALA LUMPUR, April 10 — Datuk Seri Rais Yatim said today the 10-minute airtime given to Pakatan Rakyat (PR) parties to explain their polls manifesto was “suitable”.

The interim information, communications and culture minister also said the short time offered to PR was more than enough to showcase PR’s pledges.

“It was more than enough because we are only explaining the principles of a party’s struggle. So for BN and the opposition, they deserve to receive the respective airtime after we consider how important it is to explain their manifestos.

“For BN, its more than that, it is a commitment and a vow just as announced by the prime minister,” Rais (picture) told reporters after attending a closed door meeting between BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the coalition’s division leaders at PWTC here.

PR had snubbed the offer, calling it a “joke” and a mockery to the freedom of press.

Leaders from the opposition pact said it had wanted the right of reply, not only during the general elections, but at all times in all of the mainstream media and TV stations, almost all of which are BN-controlled.

Free access to media was among the key eight demands made by the opposition and poll reform group Bersih 2.0. It was also one of the recommendations made by a parliamentary select committee for free and fair elections.

Rais, who told state news agency Bernama it was “ok” to use state assets to campaign ahead of the official campaigning period, said the opportunity was provided in respect of the democratic system of the country and described the snub as “arrogant”.

Meanwhile, the Elections Commission (EC) claimed the offer was to be serial and not one-off and said the opposition had misunderstood government’s intention.

MIC fed up with Pahang BN

Foot-dragging on its request for a state exco position is testing the patience of its members who are now threatening to join Pakatan.

PETALING JAYA: Pahang MIC leaders are miffed that their request for an Indian to be appointed in the Pahang executive council has yet to be resolved by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

A state MIC branch leader said that the Indian community in the state were “fed up” with the Umno-led state leadership for dragging its feet over the long-standing issue.

“It’s no more a state issue but a national concern as it would convince Indians in other states that BN was indeed not concerned about the plight of the community,” he told FMT.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, he added that the possibility of Indians in Pahang crossing over to Pakatan in the upcoming election was high because of this issue.

“Since 1995, Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakop has been giving various excuses to deny us this privilege although Indians constitute five percent of Pahang’s total population.”

According to him, MIC president G Palanivel had raised this matter on various occasions, prompting Najib to agree in principle to appoint an Indian in the Pahang executive council.

Currently, there are 10 executive council posts in the state of which eight is occupied by Umno and two by MCA.

“We hope under the 1Malaysia concept, Najib would direct the incoming menteri besar to announce an Indian executive councillor for the betterment of the community in Pahang soon.”

Last year, Pahang DAP had pledged to appoint an Indian executive councillor in the state government if Pakatan wrests power in Pahang after the 13th general election.

Unhappy with Palanivel

In a related development, another MIC branch chairman from Kuantan urged the national party leadership to revamp the state MIC which he claimed was in a “deplorable” state.

He also forwarded a letter to FMT, penned by disgruntled members of the state MIC, which contained all the wrongdoings of Pahang MIC leaders.

“It is time for Palanivel to ‘clean up’ the state liaison committee whose members are tainted with allegations of being involved in vice activities and corruption,” he said.

“The present batch of leaders in the state have been in their positions for far too long, thus they should retire from politics and pave the way for the younger generation,” he added.

When asked about the Sabai state seat, the only MIC seat in Pahang, the branch leader said there are both pluses and minuses about the seat.

“The good thing is, the incumbent and three-term assemblyman, M Davendran, had decided not to contest this time around as to make way for fresh faces.

“The bad thing is Palanivel is still adamant on fielding an outsider for the seat despite protestations from Sabai voters who are keen on a local [Bentong] candidate.”

Speculation is that Palanivel has identified state deputy chairman R Goonasakaren for Sabai. Goonasakaren is also Adnan Yaakop’s special officer.

It is learnt that the state BN leadership is unhappy with Palanivel’s choice of Goonasakaren.

Ambiga wows Seremban crowd

Thousands brave the rain to hear the Bersih leader speak of voters’ rights and responsibilities.

SEREMBAN: Thousands of rain-drenched spectators cheered last night as Bersih chief S Ambiga delivered a spirited speech that urged voters to come out in full force to minimise the effect of fraud in the 13th general election.

Making her first public appearance in Negeri Sembilan as leader of the election watchdog group, Ambiga spoke about “one of the most important elections” in Malaysian history and appeared to have the crowd eating out of her hands as she threw them leading questions about the responsibility of voters, their rights as citizens in a democracy and whether they deserved a better government.

It drizzled throughout the night at Taman AST in Seremban, but the large crowd—most estimates put the number at around 10,000—stayed to the end, yelling out the appropriate “Yes” or “No” to every question she asked.

Ambiga was careful not to declare her preference for any party contesting in the election, but she spoke about the necessity for change.

“Saudara, saudari,” she said. “Don’t be afraid of change. Nothing wrong with change. There are people who say, ‘Don’t change. If you change, we don’t know what will happen. There will be unrest and this and that.’

“Don’t believe them. Do you believe them?”

“No,” came the thunderous reply.

In an apparent response to the BN rhetoric about experience in governance, she said voters in the 13th general election were fortunate to have the opportunity to compare how BN and Pakatan Rakyat had performed as state governments in the last five years.

“Some of them say Pakatan Rakyat doesn’t have a track record. I’m telling you, for the first time in our life, we can compare Barisan Nasional with Pakatan Rakyat.

“Both now have track records. You can compare [and decide] which is good governance, clean, transparent and accountable.

“You can make the decision. I’m not telling you who to vote for. That I can’t do.”

The thrust of her speech, however, was to urge for a good voter turnout.

“We want free and peaceful elections. So can I have your promise, saudara saudari, that all of you will go out and vote? Go to the polling station early and vote early. Can you do that?”

The multiracial crowd replied with a deafening “Yes.”

Bersih, Pakatan accused of using dirty tactics

Former Transparent International-Malaysia president Tunku Aziz claims election agents and voters have been trained to create chaos on polling day.

PETALING JAYA: Former Transparency International-Malaysia (TI-M) president Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim today urged Bersih and Pakatan Rakyat to state their stand on the purported strategies designed to create “chaos” on polling day.

“We have received related documents that appear to indicate that there are plans by certain parties to disrupt the 13th general election by creating chaos and besmirching the Election Commission [EC] to undermine the public’s confidence in the integrity of the democratic electoral process.

“Training sessions, known as PACABA, have been conducted for polling and counting agents by the NGO Tindak Malaysia. One particular aspect of such training sessions is to teach the voter to guard the secrecy of his or her vote,” he said.

He further claimed that people are being trained to demand for random ballot paper in order to guarantee the secrecy of their votes.

Tunku Aziz said asking for random ballot paper means that a voter will demand for a ballot paper from the middle or bottom of the pile and not the one on the top.

“The people attending such training are encouraged to challenge the election clerks on duty of committing an electoral offence if they refuse to issue a random ballot to the voter, while polling agents have been trained to support such a request by the voter.

“These people are specially trained to cause trouble and when the police have to intervene and remove the people involved, this would make it look like the election is dirty and video recordings of such instances will attract a lot of international attention,” claimed Tunku Aziz.

He said that such training sessions have been conducted at various places, in “certain state-owned venues under the administration of the Pakatan state governments.”

“They are teaching people to make a mockery of the democratic system. These are also strategies to demonise the EC and to make Malaysia look like a country run by a bunch of dictators.

“We have also seen an internal PKR document dated Dec 15, 2012 which lists out various steps to create chaos and dissatisfaction against the EC on polling day by raising repeated protests at the polling station so as to cause the other voters waiting in the queue to be unhappy and dissatisfied with the EC,” he said.

Negative perception

He said this is to delay the entire voting process thereby causing long queues at certain designated polling stations.

“All these are designed to cast a negative perception on the EC and stir public outrage against the EC, bringing it into disrepute.

“The PKR document and what that has been promoted by Tindak Malaysia show how easily chaos can be created at polling stations on polling day,” he said.

Tunku Aziz also urged Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga to state her stand in the issue.

“Ambiga should make a declaration as to her involvement or otherwise in this. She should come out in the open and say whether she is a part of it or not.

“Also, since Tindak Malaysia by its own admission works with Bersih and Bersih is also known to be close to leaders from the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, we want to ask Bersih: does Bersih condone such training sessions insisting on randomisation of ballot papers by Tindak Malaysia?

“If yes, has Bersih ever made this one of its demands for electoral reforms to the EC? If not, is there a hidden agenda?” he asked.

The former DAP vice-chairman and senator also challenged all political parties to state their stand on the randomisation of the ballot paper.

“Randomisation of the ballot paper has never been an issue in all the past 12 general elections. Such an attack against the integrity of an institution like the EC is totally uncalled for and tantamount to undermining the entire democratic and electoral process of this country.

“We challenge all political parties participating in the election to sign a public declaration that they will not under any circumstances be involved in any move to disrupt the electoral process on polling day,” he said.

Muhideen Yassin’s call to Tamil school teachers is shallow and insincere

S.Ramakrishnan

Yesterday (8/4/2013) Tan Sri Muhiddin Yassin met Tamil school teachers and headmasters from all over Malaysia in SRJK (T) Simpang Lima, Klang. Teachers from all over Malaysia had left their teaching responsibilities and their students to do their own work and had to travel to Klang just to be ordered to support BN in the forthcoming general elections.

He further reminded them not to make any anti-government statements in facebook and other social media and not say anything negative about the government. He had also ordered them to vote for BN in the forthcoming general elections.


Voting is a democratic choice of a citizen. The former DPM has no business to order anybody to vote for a particular party. Besides it is secret and nobody will know whom anyone votes for. Tan Sri MuhideenYassin is no more minister of education to issue such undemocratic orders that restricts the citizen’s right to vote for his/her choice of candidates in the coming elections.

As a caretaker minister his business is to conduct only ordinary matters of administration and not to abuse the government machinery by subtly ordering teachers and other government servants. Isn’t it a waste of government money and abuse of power to have called for such a meeting for political purpose?


After losing 2/3 majority in parliament and 4 states to Pakatan Rakyat, BN is superficially courting Indian votes by making promises on more handouts to Tamil Schools. Tan Sri Muhiddin Yassin is duty bound to explain how education quality has improved in Tamil schools during his tenure in the ministry.

What structural reform has he made to include Tamil school’s development into the mainstream of education framework? UMNO will never accept vernacular education into the mainstream of education system. But MIC will bend backward to accommodate and tolerate UMNO’s step motherly attitude.


Indian contractors who submitted quotations for tenders on renovation work in Tamil Schools are disgusted at the education ministry’s flip flop policies and procedures. Can Tan Sri Muhiddin Yassin inform the Malaysian Indians how much of the RM100 million announced by Prime Minister in 2012 and 2013 budget delivered to schools and given to Indian contractors?

There is no information and transparency in this allocation announced by the prime minister. UMNO/BN has deprived Tamil Schools and Indians their equal opportunity for facilities and scholarships.


Can Tan Sri Muhiddin Yassin reveal why nearly 65% of Tamil school students go to remove classes? What has the ministry of education done to reduce this figure? Most remove class students drop off before completing secondary schools.

Did Tan Sri Muhiddin Yassin call for urgent meetings to resolve this issue? By removing remove class without addressing the weakness in syllabus content will only transfer the problem to from one.

Ministry of education officers have no clue or rather will and wish to handle this issue.
For the information of Tan Sri Muhiddin Yassin, Indians are no more BN’s fixed deposits. Indians want equal rights as citizens of this county.

Is it agreeable to you Tan Sri? Will you redress these denied justice and rights of Malaysian Indians? Election gimmicks are observable and people are more aware of the parochial and racist traits of UMNO/BN.

At least one term as opposition party, will transform UMNO/BN into a more inclusive and a party for all.

Regardless of whether the BN candidate is Ghani Othman or other UMNO heavyweight, the Battle of Gelang Patah for a Malaysian Dream and to kick off a political tsunami from the south to complete the 2008 political tsunami is definitely on

Deputy Barisan Nasional (BN) Chairman and Deputy UMNO President, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin predicted that I would be defeated in the BN fortress of Gelang Patah.

Muhyiddin said the BN is looking into the possibility of fielding Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Abdul Ghani Othman in Gelang Patah and that I am “trapped” as I had not anticipated an UMNO big-gun being deployed to contest in the constituency.

I admit that I had not anticipated an UMNO big-gun being deployed to contest in Gelang Patah, as who would have thought that MCA leadership could so openly admit that they don’t have a single MCA “big-gun” left for Gelang Patah or that MCA would have a President for the first time in MCA history who is prepared to give away parliamentary and state assembly seats to be contested by other BN parties, like Gelang Patah, Kuantan, Wangsa Maju and Tronoh as if conducting a “fire sale” of MCA assets.

However, whether the BN candidate in Gelang Patah is Ghani or some other UMNO heavyweight does not change the basic objectives and thrust of the Battle of Gelang Patah, which has the dual objective of firstly, mobilising Malaysians in support of the Malaysian Dream as the one envisioned by the great Johor Malay leader and founding UMNO President, Datuk Onn Jafaar in 1951 and secondly, to kick off a political tsunami from the south in the 13GE to complete the partial 2008 political tsunami towards the establishment of a Pakatan Rakyat federal government.

The Battle of Gelang Patah, which is in fact the Battle of Johor and the Battle of Malaysia, is definitely set and on regardless of whom I have to face as BN candidate.

Come what may, even facing the possibility of defeat, I shall not withdraw from the Gelang Patah constituency.

I had already taken a high-risk decision in leaving the Ipoh Timor parliamentary constituency where I had won with over 21,000-vote majority in the 2008 general elections to contest in a BN “fortress” which was won by the BN candidate with close to 9,000-vote majority in 2008 and the humongous majority of 31,666 votes in 2004.

If Ghani, a four-term Johor Mentri Besar, contests in Gelang Patah, the pressure on me will increase by a thousand tons!

But I shall not withdraw, as the reasons for initiating the Battle of Gelang Patah remains as valid as ever whether Ghani is a candidate or not.

I have the greatest respect for Ghani but if I have to contest against him in Gelang Patah, I invite him to join me to make the Gelang Patah battle the model of a gentlemanly electoral battle throughout the country, where the candidates and their respective parties will conduct the most free, fair, clean and gentlemanly election campaign for the entire 13GE – which is most important pertinent and relevant with worrying signs that the 13GE is shaping up to be the dirtiest in the history of general elections since the first GE in 1959.

BN Leaders Not Chosen Must Accept Decision With Open Heart - Tun Mahathir

KUALA LUMPUR, April 10 (Bernama) -- Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today reminded Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders who are not chosen as candidates for the 13th General Election (GE13), to accept the decision with an open heart.

Mahathir said they (those not chosen) must accept the reality that time will come for them to step aside.

"If they really love the party, they will accept the decision made by the party leadership with an open heart and support the chosen candidate. They must realise that when they were chosen, it was due to the support from the ground that helped them win, so it is now their turn to support them," he said during a question and answer session that was broadcast on TV3, Wednesday night.

The programme was hosted by Media Prima news and editorial operations executive director Datuk Ahmad A.Talib.

Mahathir said ideally candidates must be replaced at every general election to provide an opportunity for new faces to serve the party and people.

He said for example, in Umno, if the same old faces were to contest, it would result in members shying away from the party.

"As a result, Umno's membership will shrink because it comprise people who are stale and not talented," he said.

Mahathir also reminded elected representatives in BN who are not chosen, to continue supporting the party, to repay their gratitude to the party for having given them an opportunity in the past.

If they cannot accept decisions made, it meant they are self-centered and not in line with the party's principle, that of to serve the people, he said.

Najib To Launch Selangor BN Special Manifesto Next Week

SHAH ALAM, April 10 (Bernama) -- The Selangor Barisan Nasional (BN) special manifesto for the 13th general election is expected to be launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak next week.

Najib is also Selangor BN chairman and election director.

Selangor BN election deputy director Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohamed said they were in the midst of finding the suitable date for the launch.

Generally, the Selangor BN manifesto was aimed at making Selangor a premier state, in line with the federal government's development, through the Economic Transformation Programme to add value to the knowledge-based economy and human resources," he told reporters after meeting with Federal Village Security and Development Committee representatives here Wednesday.

Mohd Zin said the manifesto also emphasised on people's welfare and wellbeing, as well as on efforts to turn Selangor as Malaysia's new economic growth booster.

He said through the manifesto, Selangor BN also promised to provide affordable homes, incentives and various aids to the people, development along the road linking Klang and Port Klang, as well as an economic growth area covering Port Klang, KL International Airport and Kuala Lumpur.

Selangor BN also promised to solve the issues of water supply, flash floods and waste disposal in the state, he said.

Mohd Zin said Selangor BN was also prepared to face the general election and the members were in high spirit to ensure victory for the coalition.

"I can see that their spirit, level of preparedness and mood, have increased since the dissolution of Parliament on April 3," he added.