Hamas won't stop rocket attacks on Israel

GAZA CITY (CNN) -- Hamas militants fired dozens of rockets into southern Israel on Monday despite a 10-day Israeli military campaign that reportedly has left more than 500 Palestinians dead.

Senior Hamas official Mahmoud al-Zahar says rocket attacks on Israel will continue.

Neither Israel nor the Hamas leaders in Gaza showed any sign of considering a cease-fire in the face of continuing international pressure to do so.

"I can understand the eagerness of the international community to see the return to calm," Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told European foreign ministers in Jerusalem. "This is our dream as well. This is what we are looking for. Unfortunately, there are those who cannot accept the idea of living in peace in this region."

Abu Obeida, a spokesman for Hamas' military wing, warned Israel that Izzedine al Qassam Brigades will continue rocket strikes "for many months" and vowed to strike deeper into Israeli territory. He spoke on Hamas' Al-Aqsa TV.

Senior Hamas official Mahmoud al-Zahar also gave a televised address Monday, saying that the leadership in Gaza salutes "the resistance men" and that their actions were justified because of what Israel has done.

"They [Israeli forces] shelled everyone in Gaza. ... They shelled children and hospitals and mosques," he said. "And in doing so, they gave us legitimacy to strike them in the same way."

Israel on Monday continued its military assault on Gaza from the air and the ground. Heavy fighting erupted Monday night around Gaza City, the Israel Defense Forces said. Earlier in the day, Israeli forces took "tens of Hamas militants" into custody, the military said. IDF also said that fighting between Hamas militants and Israeli troops left several of the militants injured, but it did not say how many.

Eight Israeli soldiers were lightly wounded during battles with Hamas militants Monday afternoon, IDF said. On Sunday, an Israeli soldier was killed, marking the first military death since the ground operation was launched Saturday night.

The military campaign has not stopped militants in Gaza from firing on southern Israel: 47 rockets and mortars struck Israel on Sunday and at least another 40 on Monday, the Israeli military said.

One of the rockets hit a kindergarten in Ashdod, the military said. The school, like all Israeli educational facilities near the Gaza border, was closed.

The Israeli military said the ground assault -- which was launched Saturday night -- is the second phase of the operation to stop militants from firing rockets and mortars into southern Israel.

Israel began its air assault on Gaza on December 27 to stop the rocket attacks that have killed four Israelis since the military campaign began.

"Before the military operation, the equation was that Hamas targets Israelis whenever it likes, and Israel shows restraint," Livni told foreign ministers from the European Union on Monday.

"This is not going to be [any] longer the equation in this region. When Israel is targeted, Israel is going to retaliate."

Thousands of Israeli troops, backed by tanks, artillery and helicopters, have pushed deep into Gaza, essentially splitting it into the south and north.

"Every couple of minutes we hear an explosion," Gaza City resident Safa Joudeh said Monday. "We can see tanks coming closer and closer into Gaza."

She said most residents are confined to their homes and are without electricity and running out of food and water.

The ground war has resulted in mounting casualties in Gaza. More than 530 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its operation, including at least 100 women and children, according to Palestinian medical sources. That number includes 82 Palestinians killed since the ground invasion -- 30 of them children and 20 women, the sources said. In addition, 2,750 Palestinians have been injured, most of them civilians, the sources said.

Israel also stepped up its psychological campaign Monday, trying to turn Gazans against Hamas.

"Urgent message, warning to the citizens of Gaza," said a recorded phone call to Gaza resident Moussa El-Hadad. "Hamas is using you as human shields. Do not listen to them. Hamas has abandoned you and are hiding in their shelters."

The Israeli military also dropped leaflets into the streets of Gaza warning residents that the IDF will continue using "full force against Hamas." It also warned that the military "also has other means to deal with Hamas."

"If the army uses them, the toll will be very painful," said the leaflet, signed by IDF command.

A delegation of EU foreign ministers is in Jerusalem to push for a truce, while Egypt is putting pressure on Hamas leaders in Gaza.

Israel on Monday allowed 80 trucks filled with humanitarian supplies to pass into Gaza.

Heavy police presence in KT because of past election violence, says IG

By Adib Zalkapli, The Malaysian Insider

The Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said the heavy police presence for the by-election here is necessary as Kuala Terengganu has a history of election violence.

"We don't want rioting, stopping of buses, smashing of police cars to happen here," said Musa referring to the incident that happened in the last general when busses were stopped from entering the district, as they were suspected to be ferrying phantom voters.

"When there is no police, people complain, but when we deploy, they say it's too many," said Musa after attending a briefing by Terengganu police chief Datuk Shukri Dahlan.

Today DAP Parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang questioned the move by the police to deploy a high number of personnel for the by-election, saying that it is an abuse of power.

"This is why the police arrest of five members of Parti Keadilan Rakyat youth wing, including the Terengganu Youth chief Faris Musa, is a matter of grave concern," said Lim in a statement.

"Is this already proof of police double standards in the Kuala Terengganu by-election?" he asked.

Some 3,800 police personnel are being deployed in the constituency of 80,000 voters.

"Is 3,800 too many? There are 143 polling centres, we cannot just place one or two men in each centre," said Musa.

He also gave an assurance that there will be no shortage of police personnel in other districts due to the large deployment in Kuala Terengganu.

"We have our way of planning," he said.

The police has also setup four tactical centres in every state constituency in Kuala Terengganu to coordinate its work.

The centres said Musa allow the people to have direct access to the police and police reports can be lodged at the centres.

Musa also reminded all political parties to apply for police permits 24 hours before organising any ceramah, adding that the move is to ensure order and stability during the by-election.

"Do not apply too late, as we need time to study the suitability of the ceramah venue," he said.

Panel To Probe MIED Award Of AIMST Contracts

pic: makkal osai 030109

RM 18,000 income per month is apparently not enough for MIED CEO Chitra Kala. KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4 (Bernama) -- A three-member panel has been formed to investigate alleged misappropriation in the award of contracts by MIC's education arm Maju Institute for Education Development (MIED) for the party's Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST), according to sources. They said the MIED board of directors, which met on Friday, had appointed former MIC treasurer-general Tan Sri K.S. Nijhar to head the panel. It is learnt that the others on the panel are MIC deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel and party disciplinary committee chairman Tan Sri G. Vadiveloo. makkal osai 030109 RM 18,000 income per month is apparently not enough for MIED CEO Chitra Kala. ********** makkal osai 030109 ********** The sources said the panel was formed on the instruction of MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu at the meeting. Contacted by Bernama, Nijhar confirmed the formation of the panel and said formal investigation had yet to begin. "I am just looking through all the documents and have not gone into the details of the contracts. The panel will meet once I have sorted out the documents. The panel was not formed to get anyone in particular but to ensure that everything is in order," he said. It is learnt that the panel had obtained all files on the alleged misappropriation from the MIED office. Two weeks ago, Samy Vellu removed Tan Sri M. Mahalingam, 73, from the post of MIC treasurer-general, saying that there was a need for a younger person to take over the position as part of the party's rebranding exercise. Mahalingam was replaced by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk S.K. Devamany, 51. The sources said Samy Vellu was concerned over the awarding of three contracts claimed to have been given out at an inflated value. They said the panel would also investigate two contracts given to companies linked to a senior MIC leader. The cost of construction of AIMST, which opened its doors a year ago, had ballooned from an initial estimate of RM230 million to RM500 million, the sources said. Mahalingam, when contacted, said he was in the clear and was willing to answer queries from the panel. "For me, there is nothing to hide. I did as instructed by the (MIC) president. There was no misappropriation of funds or on the contracts on the part of MIED," he said. The MIED CEO is Chitrakala Vasu. -- BERNAMA

Malaysian Indian 'Showdown' In Chennai

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Indian political leaders from both sides of the country's political divide are heading to Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu in India this week to attend a conference which is likely to be an explosive affair. Malaysian Indian political leaders from the MIC, DAP and PKR are heading for the southern Indian city to attend the three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, better known as the Indian Diaspora Conference, starting Wednesday at the Chennai Trade Centre.

The event will also be attended by representatives of the outlawed Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf). MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu will lead a 150-member delegation comprising top brass and divisional leaders of the largest Indian-based political party in the country. "We would first attend the World Tamil Conference on Jan 6, also in Chennai. The next day would be the Pravasi. We would attend that too before flying back on Jan 10," he told Bernama. The DAP would send a 20-member delegation, led by Penang Deputy Chief Minister P. Ramasamy. This is the first time in the conference's history that Malaysian opposition parties are attending the Pravasi held in a state where the majority of Malaysian Indians originated from. Ramasamy's delegation, it was reported, would consist of Perak state executive councillor A. Sivanesan and Selangor state executive councillor Xavier Jayakumar. PKR, meanwhile, would be sending a 40-member delegation. Kapar Member of Parliament S. Manikavasagam, who recently created a controversy by threatening to quit the opposition party, said the delegation would comprise politicians and businessmen. A check on the Pravasi website revealed that Malaysia would have four speakers, and they are Samy Vellu, Ramasamy, Malaysian Human Rights (Suhakam) Commissioner Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria and Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, who is also the MIC secretary general. After each speaker has delivered his address, the floor would be given at least 15 minutes to seek explanations from the speaker, and this is where trouble is expected. An opposition leader who declined to be named said the opposition delegation was expected to question MIC leaders on the state of affairs of Indians in the country since the party was from the Barisan Nasional, the ruling coalition. "Well, we have an opportunity to question them directly. We do not have the opportunity here, so I feel they would take whatever chance they have to question the MIC leaders," he said.

To top it all, Hindraf chief P. Wathyamoorthy, who is now living in a self-imposed exile in London, is expected to attend the event with several supporters from Malaysia.

-- BERNAMA

DR M says that Wan Farid is a bad choice for KT

By Lee Wei Lian(Themalaysianinsider)

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 5 – Dr. Mahathir may have jeopardised Barisan Nasional's (BN) chances in the crucial Kuala Terengganu by-election when he said that the ruling coalition's candidate, Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, is a bad choice and merely a proxy.

“The choice of the candidate is really very bad because people see him as a proxy to be used if Najib becomes prime minister,” the former prime minister said.

This condemnation of the BN candidate is seen as another swipe at Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

“The candidate was the prime minister's choice because he was working with the prime minister,” he added.

Wan Ahmad, the former deputy home minister and member of the senate, who resigned both posts last Friday, will contest against Wakaf Mempelam state assemblyman Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut of PAS.

Even without Dr Mahathir's remarks, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) was expected to use his close links with Abdullah to attack him in the campaign.

This latest bombshell by Dr Mahathir could lead to a repeat of the March 8 general elections where his attacks on the government and calls for a stronger opposition were credited with helping the opposition to their biggest electoral gains ever.

Dr Mahathir's attacks were widely perceived to be personal in nature, and a calculated strategy to force his successor from power.

The prime minister became a focus of Dr Mahathir's attacks when he was blamed for the reversal of several of Dr Mahathir's pet projects including the crooked bridge to Singapore and the decision by Proton to offload Italian motorcycle maker MV Agusta for one euro.

Dr Mahathir, who is Proton's advisor, had supported Proton's purchase of MV Agusta and was bitterly opposed to its sale.

In the Permatang Pauh by-election last August, Dr Mahathir had predicted that the BN candidate Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah would lose but with a reduced margin.

Three USM students detained for distributing leaflets

2330: Freed! The students have now been released.

2300: Three USM students were detained at 9.15pm while they were distributing leaflets in the campus. The three were bundled into a van apparently without any explanation and taken to the campus’ security department.

The leaflets provided an introduction to the “Pro-Mahasiswa” group and a bit of publicity about the group’s appointment to meet the USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor tomorrow. The students are believed to be preparing for campus elections expected to be held soon and are seeking free and fair campus elections.

Bundling students into a van? Is this the way an “apex university” handles students’ affairs? Do they think they can rise up the THES global rankings this way?

The three students held are:

• Yap Heng Lung
• Ch’ng Hui Yang
• Chew Kai Sheng

Some 50-70 students are now keeping vigil outside the security deparment now (Phone: 04-657 3970 and 653 4333)

KT by-election - Najib not campaigning as DPM and police should not apply double-standards

(Lim Kit Siang)The police in Kuala Terengganu by-election campaign should not apply double standards and should treat Datuk Seri Najib Razak as one of the party leaders in town for the by-election and not as a Deputy Prime Minister or Prime Minister-elect.

At a time when the retiring Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is trying to give new life to his National Integrity Plan and anti-corruption efforts in his last three months in office, the way the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary by-election is conducted will be a test as to whether his national integrity efforts and the newly-minted Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) have any real meaning.

For instance, would the police in Kuala Terengganu treat Najib at par with other party leaders, whether Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat, for the duration of the by-election, as there is no business for a Deputy Prime Minister to be campaigning in Kuala Terengganu in his official capacity.

Najib is in Kuala Terengganu as UMNO Deputy President and Barisan Nasional Deputy Chairman and not as Deputy Prime Minister, and this distinction must be scrupulously observed not only by the police and all relevant government departments but also by Najib himself!

Najib should dispense with the horde of police outriders during his visit to Kuala Terengganu to show that he is not abusing his powers and be an example to all other Ministers and VIPs – that they should not misuse scarce police personnel and resources in having to provide outriders and escorts.

Najib should issue a clear directive that during the duration of the by-election, no police outriders or escorts would be provided to Cabinet Ministers or what-not VIPs for they will be campaigning in their party capacities.

Or is this one reason for sending 6,000 police reinforcements to Kuala Trengganu for the by-election, more to provide escort-riders and VIPs to the horde of Ministers, Deputy Ministers and other BN VIPs expected to descend on Kuala Terengganu during the 11-day by-election campaign?

This is why the police arrest of five members of Parti Keadilan Rakyat youth wing, including the Terengganu Youth chief Faris Musa, is a matter of grave concern.

Is this already proof of police double standards in the Kuala Terengganu by-election?

Why should the five be arrested for putting up posters of murdered Mongolian national Altantunya Shaariibuu as part of the Kuala Terengganu by-election campaign starting tomorrow, just because Najib will be in town for the by-election nomination tomorrow?

Furthermore, will the MACC be in Kuala Terengganu to take action against all those guilty of electoral offences corrupting the voting the process – as for instance the public pledge by the Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said that the state government would spend RM5.8 million to repair drains and roads and carry out several small projects in Kuala Terengganu provided the Barisan Nasional candidate wins?

This is money politics and political corruption at their most blatant. If the MACC is as indifferent and impotent as the previous Anti-Corruption Agency to such blatant electoral corruption, there cannot be a worse start for the new MACC which is supposed to be another ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption of Hong Kong) in its first week of establishment!

1. Saya ucap terima kasih kerana ramai yang membuat komen berkenaan beberapa tulisan saya. Justeru saya tidak dapat jawab semua, hanya beberapa sahaja. Namun saya ambil perhatian akan seberapa banyak yang mungkin.

Automatic Government

2. Saya pohon maaf jika pegawai Kerajaan tersinggung dalam rencana "Automatic Government".

3. Setahu saya apabila Kerajaan isytihar "public holiday" pekerja di sektor swasta berhak dibayar kerja lebih masa empat kali ganda. Saya tak tahu samada ini benar atau tidak atau kakitangan Kerajaan juga berhak.

4. Kita belum lagi jadi negara maju. Oleh itu kita perlu kerja lebih kuat.

"Cuti" ke Yemen

5. Ini pendapat saya sahaja. Saya bukan bercuti di Yemen. Saya dijemput untuk memberi syarahan-syarahan dan berdialog dengan pegawai Kerajaan dan swasta.

6. Mereka ingin tahu bagaimana Malaysia, sebuah negara pertanian dapat menjadi negara industri.

7. Saya melawat projek-projek mereka, termasuk pelabuhan Aden, yang dahulu terkenal dan mungkin akan terkenal semula jika perancangan mereka berjaya.

8. Rakyat Yemen miskin. Tetapi apabila mereka berhijrah keluar negara mereka amat berjaya. Demikian Bin Ladin adalah kontraktor terbesar di Arab Saudi. Di Malaysia semua yang bergelar Syed atau Sheikh adalah dari Hadramaut. Ramai mereka berjaya dalam bidang perniagaan dan profesional.

Institut Jantung Negara

9. I don't know who came up with the idea of privatising Institut Jantung Negara. It is DUMB! My suspicious mind tells me someone wants to make money.

Religion

10. Let us not make comments about other people's religions.

11. All I can say is about my own religion which says clearly in the Qur'an; "To you your religion, to me mine".

12. The Quran also makes it clear that there is no compulsion in religion.

13. All religions teach us to be good. But we often interprete them wrongly to justify the bad things that we do.

Beban Doktor

14. Saya dahulu bekerja sebagai doktor dalam hospital Kerajaan, kemudian sebagai doktor swasta.

15. Semasa saya masih kecil ibu saya berpesan jangan jadi inspektor polis atau doktor kerana tak dapat tidur malam.

16. Saya jadi doktor juga. Betul kata Mak!

17. Tetapi pengalaman sebagai doktor mengajar saya bekerja tanpa mengira masa.

18. Saya mungkin akan dapat bintang KSM - Kerja Sampai Mati!

Ma'al Hijrah

19. Ma'al Hijrah is the time to change, as this was what the Prophet did 1430 years ago. For Muslims it is the time to resolve to work harder, acquire more knowledge and more skills and help in bringing back the respect for Islam and the Muslims in the years to come.

UMNO President's speech

20. I don't know why my speeces as President of UMNO should cause Sapatchai to be alienated from me. As I remember it, most of my speeches as UMNO President was about scolding the Malays for not working hard and changing their ways. Being chairman of Barisan Nasional I was careful not to antagonise the non-Malays. Some believe I should never talk about Malays but only about Malaysians. If I did not and the current situation of disparities remain then we would always have this feelings of jealousy and envy.

21. Imagine a Malaysia where Malays no longer need help in trying to catch up with the non-Malays in business and the professions; imagine a Malaysia where Malays and non-Malays go to school, live, work and play together and go back to the same housing estates, imagine a Malaysia where everyone is sensitive to the sensitivities of everyone else, then you can be sure the UMNO President will cease to urge Malays to seize the opportunities in the New Economic Policy. In fact the Malays themselves would not want the NEP because they can compete successfully and look after themselves without the Government having to look after them.

Sains dan Matematik

22. Saya ucap terimakasih kepada Cikgu Dari Uluyang belajar sains dalam bahasa Melayu sepenuhnya dan sekarang menjadi guru sains dalam bahasa Melayu juga.

23. Namun saudara sokong penggunaan bahasa Inggeris untuk sains dan matematik.

24. Ya. Program ini bukan untuk memusnahkan identiti bangsa Melayu.

25. Saya sebenarnya mendapat pelajaran dari sekolah rendah hingga ke Universiti (perubatan) dalam Bahasa Inggeris.

26. Saya fikir saya masih boleh bertutur dan menulis dalam bahasa Melayu, walaupun tidak sebaik seperti pakar bahasa.

27. Adat resam dan budaya saya adalah adat resam dan budaya Melayu.

28. Saya percaya saya diterima sebagai Melayu.

29. Jelas menguasai ilmu dalam bahasa Inggeris tidak menjadikan saya kurang Melayu.

30. Takkanlah hanya kerana belajar sains dan matematik dalam bahasa Inggeris akan menyebabkan kita lupa bahasa kita, dan kita kurang Melayu.

31. Mempelajari sains dan matematik dalam bahasa Inggeris bukan untuk mempelajari dan menguasai bahasa Inggeris. Untuk ini sudah ada matapelajaran bahasa Inggeris.

32. Penggunaan bahasa Inggeris untuk Sains dan Matematik adalah kerana ilmu ini mengguna perkataan-perkataan yang berlainan daripada bahasa Inggeris biasa. Juga ilmu-ilmu baru dalam bidang sains terutamanya diterokai dan diperkenalkan melalui kertas-kertas akademik hampir tiap hari. Dan hampir semuanya didapati di dalam bahasa Inggeris.

33. Kita boleh terjemahkan kertas-kertas ini. Untuk ini kita perlu penterjemah yang fasih dalam bahasa Inggeris dan bahasa kita dan juga berkelulusan dalam bidang sains berkenaan. Kita tidak ada ramai orang seperti ini sekarang pun. Jika ada pun mereka tidak berminat untuk kerja ini sepanjang hayat. Apabila semua belajar sains dan matematik dalam bahasa Melayu, di manakah akan kita cari orang yang fasih dalam bahasa Inggeris untuk membuat penterjemahan.

34. Dalam satu pertemuan saya telah beri contoh dalam bidang telekomunikasi, khususnya telefon sel. Kecanggihannya bertambah sepanjang masa. Ini semua adalah hasil pemahaman dalam ilmu dan teknologi "micro circuit", dalam cip, dan bagaimana menulis "software" untuknya.

35. Kita tidak perlu bahasa Inggeris untuk mengguna segala kemudahan dalam cell-phone. Tetapi untuk mencipta dan meningkatkan keupayaan cell-phone kita perlu ilmu yang berkenaan yang mana ilmu ini terdapat dalam bahasa Inggeris. Mungkin sudah ada buku-buku dalam bahasa Melayu berkenaan sains ini tetapi saya belum jumpa buku yang boleh menolong kita mencipta alatan yang mengguna sains ini. Sehingga kita ada buku ini kita perlu buku dalam bahasa Inggeris, syarahan dalam bahasa Inggeris, tunjuk ajar dalam bahasa Inggeris. Jika tidak maka kita akan terus jadi bangsa pengguna.

36. Untuk menjadi bangsa maju kita perlu ilmu pengetahuan yang luas. Hanya boleh bertuturkata dalam bahasa sendiri tidak mencukupi untuk menjadikan kita bangsa yang maju setaraf dengan bangsa-bangsa maju yang lain.

37. Saya sayangkan bahasa saya. Sejak 1947 lagi saya telah perjuangkan bahasa saya. Bukanlah niat saya untuk mengenepikan bahasa dan bangsa saya apabila saya buat keputusan untuk mengguna bahasa Inggeris dalam sains dan matematik. Niat saya ialah sebaliknya. Niat saya ialah supaya bangsa saya tidak ketinggalan dalam penguasaan ilmu sains dan matematik yang begitu penting dalam menentukan maju/mundurnya sesuatu bangsa. Niat saya ialah supaya bangsa saya akan dapat berdiri sama tinggi dan duduk sama rendah dengan bangsa-bangsa yang termaju di dunia.

38. Insya'allah apabila kita di masa akan datang sudah dapat mendiri tamadun Melayu yang termaju sama seperti tamadun moden yang terkenal di dunia, apabila pendita-pendita dan saintis Melayu dapat meneroka dan menyumbang kepada keilmuan sains dunia, maka pada masa itu para saintis asing akan mempelajari bahasa Melayu untuk mendapat ilmu sains sepertimana orang Arab mempelajari bahasa Yunani, Hindi, Cina, untuk menguasai ilmu-ilmu yang diterokai oleh bangsa-bangsa ini; sepertimana orang Eropah mempelajari bahasa Arab untuk menguasai ilmu-ilmu sains dan matematik yang diterokai dan dikuasai oleh orang Arab pada abad ke-15 Masehi.

39. Inilah sejarah keilmuan tamadun manusia sejak zaman Hammurabi lagi.

Pilot

40. There is today a worldwide shortage of pilots and aeronautical engineers. The demand for them will continue whatever the economic situation. More Malaysian youths should train as pilots. It costs money. But if the Government is interested in jobs for graduates it should provide the fund

Sayap pendidikan MIC dilanda skandal

MIC dilanda skandal yang membabitkan sayap pendidikannya, Institut Pembangunan Pendidikan Maju (MIED) berhubung dakwaan berlaku penyelewengan dalam pemberian kontrak penyelenggaran Institut Perubatan, Sains dan Teknologi Asia (AIMST) milik parti itu.

Sumber-sumber berkata, ia berlaku apabila MIED diarahkan supaya membatalkan dua kontrak yang diberikan berdasarkan sistem 'tender terbuka'.

Sebaliknya, pihak pengurusannya dikatakan diarahkan supaya memberinya kepada mereka yang rapat dengan presiden parti, Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu.

Dua kontrak tersebut adalah untuk kerja memotong rumput dan pengendalian kantin di universiti tersebut.

Sumber-sumber itu berlaku, jumlah tawaran tender oleh pihak-pihak baru itu - seorang daripadanya berpejabat di Ipoh - dianggap lebih tinggi daripada tawaran tender yang telah diterima.

Ia adalah antara lima kontrak yang diberikan oleh MIED untuk pelbagai perkhidmatan tahun lalu.

Dijangka akan berlaku pemecatan - malah, pemecatan bendahari agung MIC, Tan Sri M Mahalingam dua minggu lalu, dikatakan ada kaitan dengannya, walaupun Samy Vellu, berkata pertukaran itu adalah perkara 'rutin'.

Pada 23 Disember, Mahalingalm juga melepaskan jawatannya sebagai pengerusi MIED Capital Sdn Bhd - syarikat yang menguruskan Universiti AIMST yang terletak di Semeling, kedah.

Dr M: Wan Farid a proxy for Pak Lah

Panel siasat dakwaan penyelewengan kontrak AIMST

Sebuah panel tiga anggota telah ditubuhkan untuk menyiasat dakwaan penyelewengan pemberian kontrak oleh sayap pendidikan MIC, Institut Pembangunan Pendidikan Maju (MIED) bagi Institut Perubatan, Sains dan Teknologi Asia (AIMST) milik parti itu, demikian menurut sumber-sumber.

Mereka menyatakan Lembaga Pengarah MIED, yang bermesyuarat pada hari Jumaat, melantik bekas bendahari agung MIC Tan Sri K.S. Nijhar, untuk mengetuai panel penyiasatan itu, lapor Bernama.

Difahamkan dua lagi anggota panel ialah Timbalan Presiden MIC, Datuk G. Palanivel dan Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Disiplin MIC Tan Sri G. Vadiveloo.

Sumber parti mendedahkan panel itu diwujudkan atas arahan Presiden MIC, Datuk Seri S. Samy Velu semasa mesyuarat itu.

Ketika dihubungi Bernama, Nijhar mengesahkan pembentukan panel berkenaan dan siasatan rasmi masih belum bermula.

"Saya baru melihat kesemua dokumen berkenaan dan belum lagi meneliti butiran kontrak. Panel ini akan mengadakan pertemuan sebaik sahaja saya mengkelaskan dokumen. Panel ini dibentuk bukan untuk mengenakan sesiapa tetapi untuk memastikan semua perkara dalam keadaan teratur," katanya.

Difahamkan panel itu telah memperoleh kesemua fail berhubung dakwaan penyelewengan itu daripada pejabat MIED.

Dua minggu lalu, Samy Velu memecat Setiausaha Agung MIC, Tan Sri M Mahalingam, 73, dengan menyatakan parti itu memerlukan tokoh muda bagi memegang jawatan itu sebagai satu daripada usaha penjenamaan semula MIC.

Timbalan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Datuk S.K. Devamany, 51, dilantik menggantikan Mahalingam.

Sumber mendedahkan presiden parti berasa bimbang dengan pemberian kontrak yang didakwa ditawarkan pada nilai yang begitu besar.

Mereka berkata panel itu akan turut menyiasat dua kontrak kepada syarikat yang mempunyai kaitan dengan pemimpin kanan MIC.

Kos pembinaan AIMST, yang mula beroperasi setahun lepas, melonjak daripada anggaran asal RM230 juta kepada RM500 juta dalam tempoh 12 bulan, kata sumber.

Sementara itu, Mahalingam ketika dihubungi berkata beliau bersedia untuk disoalsiasat oleh panel berkenaan.

"Bagi saya, tiada apa yang hendak disembunyikan. Saya melakukan seperti apa yang diarahkan Presiden (MIC). Tiada penyelewengan dana atau kontrak pada pihak MIED," katanya.-Malaysiakini

Does MCA support Hudud?

You MCA Chinese are the worst kind. At least PAS and DAP are honest about what their stands are. You just throw the cat amongst the pigeons and stir racial and religious issues to divide Malaysians and to make them hate each other. You are dangerous Chinese.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

I am going to suggest that Malaysians boycott the mainstream media for the next two weeks beginning from Monday, 5 January 2009. This is to teach them a lesson that they can’t keep spinning and lying to us and continue to get away with it.

Look at how they are spinning the Indian issue to give an impression that the Indians have abandoned the opposition. Are they trying to suggest that all the Indian Wakil Rakyat in Pakatan Rakyat are that stupid to not realise that they came into office not on Indian votes alone?

There is not a single seat in any of the Parliament and State constituencies where there are more than 30% Indian voters in the constituency. Maybe ten seats or so will have roughly 20% Indian voters. But that is about it. This means there is not a single seat in the whole of Malaysia where the Indians form a majority.

You could probably find a few seats where the Chinese form a majority. But it is only a handful of seats and not enough to form even a state government. For Malay-majority seats, however, there are many. Some seats are 97% or 98% Malay. But most hover around 70% to 90%. Putrajaya is 98% Malay, Kuala Terengganu is 89%, Permatang Pauh is 79%; just to name a few.

So, as Ali Rustam said in 2007 during the PPP convention in Melaka, Umno can form the government just on Malay votes alone. This is, of course, on condition that the Malays are solidly behind Umno and are not split -- like they are now and like they have always been since Merdeka.

So there are two things to note here, which the mainstream media is hiding from us.

Firstly, no Indian Wakil Rakyat can make it just on Indian support -- even if he or she gets 100% of the Indian votes. And they can never get 100% Indian support. So they need the Malay and Chinese votes as well. Therefore, how can the Indian Members of Parliament and State Assemblymen/women harp on ‘Indian issues’? Even Samy Velu admitted, more than once, that he needs Malay votes to win the election. And this is in a “Chinese Communist” constituency like Sungai Siput mind you.

Next, the Malays have always been, and always will be, split almost 50:50. That is because we have PAS around. If the Chinese ‘kill’ PAS, then the Malays will only have Umno to vote for. An Umno with 100% Malay support would mean that Umno no longer needs the Chinese and Indians, or those from Sabah and Sarawak -- as Ali Rustam said in 2007, may I add.

Do the Chinese really want to put PAS out of business? If PAS ‘dies’ then Umno, and not DAP, will get the Malay votes. And this will make Umno very powerful -- powerful enough to not need Chinese and Indian support. Are the Chinese that stupid? Do the Chinese not understand the game of divide and rule? Would it not be better that the Malays are split 50:50 between Umno and PAS? Or is it better that PAS dies and 100% of the Malays unite under Umno?

Come on! Use your brains lah! Don’t fall for the mainstream media spin. The Star is MCA owned. The New Straits TimesBodoh lah!

Today, The Star said: MCA dares DAP on hudud. Okay, MCA has challenged DAP to state its stand on Hudud. Did DAP not say so many, many, many times that it DOES NOT support Hudud? Did DAP not leave the opposition coalition, Barisan Alternatif, soon after PAS proposed Hudud in Terengganu in 2002? What more do you want DAP to say?

Hey, read my lips, MCA. DAP does not, I repeat, DOES NOT support Hudud. And they have very honestly said so many, many, many times. What we DO want to know is: what is MCA’s stand on Hudud? MCA has not made its stand clear. Can MCA, once and for all, state its stand on Hudud?

MCA, do you or don’t you support Hudud? Speak up now or forever hold your tongue. Are you pro-Islam or anti-Islam? Please tell us now and make it very clear. Tomorrow we are going to Terengganu to campaign for PAS and we want to know what to tell the Kuala Terengganu voters. And it will either be “MCA is anti-Islam” or “MCA is pro-Hudud”. And you can bet your sweet ninny I am going to milk this cow till the tits become sore.

And while we are at it, MCA, please also give us your comments on the news items below. We want to know your stand -- and make it very clear because we are going to talk to the Kuala Terengganu voters about these matters as well.

Over to you, MCA!

You MCA Chinese are the worst kind. At least PAS and DAP are honest about what their stands are. You just throw the cat amongst the pigeons and stir racial and religious issues to divide Malaysians and to make them hate each other. You are dangerous Chinese. It is Chinese like you who trigger race and religious conflicts. Are you trying to turn Malaysia into another Beirut or what? You are the cause of tragedies like ‘May 13’. The Chinese should skin you alive and leave your carcass out in the sun to rot.

Puaka punya Cina MCA! is owned by Umno. You still believe what they say?

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Portuguese Settlement to get own church – finally after 80 years

Christmas Day may be over but Santa is just about to arrive at the Portuguese Settlement in Ujong Pasir.

A RM10mil church project is being proposed for settlement — and it comes as welcome news for the community.

State MCA English Speaking Bureau chairman Chock Choon Sin said that the application for the 6,000-strong Catholic community in the area to have their own church had been submitted to the state recently.

“As a traditional Portuguese village set up some 80 years ago, many residents feel that it is time they had their own church.

“Besides easing the burden for senior citizens having to travel into the city to attend services, a nearby church will help the community preserve its centuries-old religious traditions,” he said during a visit to the settlement here recently.

The proposed project will involve the construction of a 600-seat church on a 3ha piece of reclaimed seafront land next to the village, which will also be earmarked as a recreational and green lung area.

The request for a church has been brought up on numerous occasions, including at a forum with former Kota Melaka MP Wong Nai Chee last year.

Village Regedor (headman) Peter Thomas Gomes welcomed the proposal. “Many residents feel that a church should be built here to serve the needs of the community.” - The Star

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Catholic paper may take govt to court on permit condition

Kuala Lumpur: A Catholic newspaper Friday threatened legal action against the Government after being told to stop publishing its Malay language edition in a row over its use of the word "Allah."

The Herald, circulated among the country's 850,000 Catholics, nearly lost its publishing licence last year for using the word "Allah" as a translation for "God," with authorities saying "Allah" should be used only by Muslims.

Now the newspaper has been told it must stop publishing its Malay edition while the issue is resolved in the courts, as part of conditions for it to be allowed to continue printing its editions in English, Chinese and Tamil.

Murphy Pakiam, the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur and publisher of the weekly newspaper, said in a letter to the Home Ministry that it had seven days to revoke its decision or face legal action.

He said he was "totally perplexed" over the suspension which "reeks of ill will and bad faith" and was effectively a punishment for the legal battle that is due to be settled next month.

"We are therefore advised and verily believe that this condition constitutes a serious violation of our constitutional freedom of expression and speech," he said in the letter, a copy of which has been obtained by AFP.

Religion and language are sensitive issues in multiracial Malaysia, which experienced race riots in 1969. About 60 per cent of the nation's 27 million people are ethnic Malay Muslims, who dominate the government.

The rest of the population includes indigenous tribes as well as ethnic Chinese and Indians - practising Buddhism, Christianity and Hinduism, among others.

The Herald's editor, Father Lawrence Andrew, has said that more than half Malaysia's Catholics are from indigenous groups, most of whom live on the Borneo island states and who mainly speak Malay. – AFP

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Malaysia Bans Catholic Paper for Use of 'Allah'

The Malaysian government has put a stop to a Catholic newspaper over the use of the word “Allah” in its Malay-language edition, the paper’s editor reported Thursday.

The Malaysian government has put a stop to a Catholic newspaper over the use of the word “Allah” in its Malay-language edition, the paper’s editor reported Thursday.

Father Lawrence Andrew, editor of The Herald weekly newspaper, said the government ordered the Malay edition to stop running until courts resolve a ban on the paper’s use of “Allah” to refer to God, according to the news site Malaysiakini.com.

Malaysia’s Home Ministry reportedly sent a letter saying the newspaper is only allowed to operate its English, Mandarin and Tamil editions. The Herald usually has four editions, including Malay.

“The prohibition amounts to persecution,” Andrew told The Associated Press. “It curtails our freedom of expression and diminishes our rights as citizens…. We are perplexed and we do not think that the prohibition is on solid legal ground.”

Andrew believes the ban is part of a larger government effort to restrict the newspaper, which is the main Roman Catholic weekly in Muslim-majority Malaysia. The newspaper had just renewed its license on Tuesday.

Last year, the newspaper had nearly lost its publishing license for using the word “Allah” as the translation for “God.” Authorities had contended the word “Allah” should only be used by Muslims.

“The constitution says Malay is the national language so why can’t we use the national language in Malaysia,” the paper’s editor told Agence France-Presse.

He noted that many Catholics in Malaysia are “bumiputera” or “son of the soil,” which refers to ethnic Muslim Malays and the indigenous inhabitants in peninsular Malaysia and on Borneo Island who are mostly Christians.

To ban the use of the Malay word for “God” does not make sense because a large portion of Catholics in the country are bumiputera who mainly speak Malay, Andrew argued.

“More than 50 percent of our congregation are bumiputera and two of our bishops are bumiputera,” the editor said.

Andrew said the newspaper sent a letter to the ministry on Friday to appeal the order. If there is no response within seven days or the decision is not retracted, the newspaper will consider taking the Malaysian government to court for violation of the rights of religious minorities.

The court decision on the “Allah” ban, meanwhile, will be decided in the courts next month, according to AP.

Malaysia, which is over 60 percent Muslim, has a long history of religious freedom problems. Several Christian converts from Islam have been denied the right to change their religion on their government identity card.

The government also restricted the Christian blockbuster hit “The Passion of Christ” to only Christian audiences, and Muslims in Malaysia had called for a ban on “Evan Almighty.”

In general, Islam enjoys special privileges in Malaysia as the dominant religion.

Do your job, Guan Eng tells HR minister

DAP boycott Kuala Terengganu by-election over hudud?

Most intriguing.

MCA has not given up.

The stance of the MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat is being echoed by his underlings with the MCA leadership continuing to plug the line that the DAP should boycott the Kuala Terengganu by-election over PAS agenda on hudud.

Of course, no indication that MCA would boycott the by-election although there is no renunciation by the UMNO leadership of a series of hegemonistic agendas, whether the “929 Declaration” that Malaysia is an Islamic state or “ketuanan Melayu”.

Forty hours to nomination in Kuala Terengganu by-election on Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, let the blogosphere respond to the MCA stance - for or against, the pros and cons, merits and demerits as to whether DAP should boycott Kuala Terengganu by-election over PAS agenda on hudud..

Murder victim’s body found in Semenyih dam

KAJANG, Jan 4 – The body of a man believed to have been murdered was found floating in the Semenyih dam about 3pm today.

Kajang district police chief ACP Shakaruddin Che Mood said the body of the unidentified man, clad only in a pair of jeans, was found by members of the public.

He said there were three stab wounds on the man’s forehead and another on his right shoulder, and his hands and legs were tied with a piece of cloth.

“Our initial investigation shows that the man could have been killed a few days ago at another location, based on the condition of the body, and then thrown into the dam,” he added.

The body was sent to Serdang Hospital and no arrest has been made so far in connection with the case.

Shakaruddin said anyone with a missing relative should contact the nearest police station to enquire. – Bernama

Umno wary of the enemy within

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4 – The biggest obstacle to Umno retaining the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary constituency seat is not Abdul Wahid Endut, the charismatic candidate of Parti Islam SeMalaysia (Pas).

Not even the fickleness of the Chinese voters, who make up 10.94 per cent of the 80,325-strong electorate, presents a real challenge.

It is the collection of individuals – Umno members – who are contesting for positions in the party elections in March, and their agents and runners. If these men and women keep their eyes as focused on the party polls as they did during the Permatang Pauh by-election, then Umno’s Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh will come out second best on Jan 17.

During the Permatang Pauh campaign in August, the who’s who of the party led the charge but anecdotal evidence suggests that they were more interested in obtaining nominations and support for party elections.

Some of these bigwigs were content to sit in their hotel rooms and meet a steady stream of party members who had descended on the constituency from all over Malaysia.

At that point, party elections were scheduled for December. Since then, Umno has delayed the polls till late March in line with the transition of power plan which will see Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi step down in favour of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of PKR won the Permatang Pauh by-election by a yawning margin.

Following the sound defeat, Umno conducted a series of post-mortems. In every study, it was noted that while Umno heavyweights and members flooded Permatang Pauh, many of them were more interested in campaigning for party positions.

Others preferred to stay in cliques with party members from their own states, and were ineffective in making any inroads with the local population.

Najib, who will lead the party machinery in the Kuala Terengganu by-election, knows the pitfalls. In an interview with Mingguan Malaysia, he noted that clear directives had been given to candidates against using the by-election to fish for votes for the party elections.

Those contesting party positions have been given specific areas to look after. This move is intended to prevent them from going around the whole constituency canvassing for support from Umno members.

“Their main focus has to be the voters in Kuala Terengganu,” he said.

Najib also said that, unlike Permatang Pauh, the local party machinery will have to be the prime movers, with outside help only providing back-up services.

Traditionally, every state Umno will rent a house in the constituency and send a strong delegation. But this approach has been counter-productive.

Instead of moving about and meeting voters, the party members tend to hang around their own houses and spend most of the campaign period in the company of their comrades from the same state.

In Kuala Terengganu, Najib said, there would be a change to this “rumah negeri’’ approach.

During the interview, he was confident that Barisan Nasional would retain the constituency, which fell vacant with the death of BN’s Datuk Razali Ismail.

This confidence is anchored in the belief that Umno is regaining its poise after months of uncertainty.

In contrast, not a day seems to pass without a minor flare up in the nascent Pakatan Rakyat coalition.

Pas insiders concede the party’s preparation for the by-election has been less than perfect, with the choice of candidate being made 10 days after BN unveiled Wan Ahmad Farid as its candidate, a delay caused by internal strife.

Still, Pas officials expect everyone to close ranks and fight to wrest control of the constituency from Umno.

Their most potent weapon: Umno members campaigning for party positions.

“We expect Umno members to be more interested in campaigning for the party

elections,” said a party insider, who acknowledged that the stakes were also high for Pas and Pakatan Rakyat.

“If we lose, Pakatan Rakyat will lose a lot of momentum,” he said.

Karpal against PKR seizing power though MP crossovers

By Teh Eng Hock, The Star

Pakatan Rakyat should only embark on capturing the Federal and state governments during the next general election, and not seize power via the crossovers of Barisan Nasional MPs.

DAP chairman Karpal Singh said the people’s choice during the election should be honoured, and the people would feel cheated if MPs or assemblymen hop over to another party.

“I must make it very clear that I have not at any one time been in support of Anwar’s (Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) stand on crossovers.

“In fact, as far back as March 23, 2008, I had gone to the extent of saying DAP would support the Barisan-led Federal Government to amend the Constitution to make party-hopping illegal by providing more than the eight MPs required by the Barisan to make up for the two-thirds majority needed to amend the Constitution,” he said in a statement.

Karpal Singh said he had also castigated Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam for wanting to leave PKR, saying that the latter was not elected in his personal capacity and had no right to join another party or remain as independent.

“He should resign so that his constituents can decide whom they wish to have as their representative in Parliament.

“DAP is against elected representatives betraying the sacred trust of their constituents through party-hopping,” he said.

Karpal Singh was responding to a letter written by a reader of The Star, who questioned his principles for supporting Anwar.

He said the reader had labeled him as an unprincipled politician, and should check his facts before criticising.

Karpal Singh said the reader owed him an apology as any criticism must be based on truth.

BARISAN NASIONAL WILL LOSE KUALA TERENGGANU PARLIAMENTARY BY-ELECTIONS IF IT DOES NOT MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT IJN WILL REMAIN A GOVERNMENT ENTITY

With the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary by-election just around the corner, there is intense heat that the National Heart Institute (IJN) take-over bid that has been postponed last month would be sold to Sime Darby after the election results while depriving the poor and needy Malaysians and government servants their rights to free or affordable heart health care treatment which the BN government had always claimed to have offered.

Articles of interest are posted in blogsites, http://anotherbrickinwall.blogspot.com/2009/01/ijn-probe-part-1.html and http://anotherbrickinwall.blogspot.com/2009/01/ijn-probe-part-2.html which gives an insight account of the manoeuvres this 'uncaring, ineffective, inefficient and corrupted' BN government is undertaking just for its UMNOputra benefits and interest while neglecting Malaysians on the whole.

The BN candidate will LOSE if the BN government does not assure the rakyat that IJN will continue to be government-owned and the plans to sell to Sime Darby or any other party/parties has been officially scrapped.

Will BN be prepared to face another disastrous defeat?

news courtesy of Another Brick in the Wall

Kapar MP Manikavasagam's PA ushered out of PKR Indians show of support

Kapar MP says he will ‘live or die’ with PKR

By Neville Spykerman

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 — Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam has snubbed the invitation by two Umno leaders for him to join Barisan Nasional.

Manikavasagam told The Malaysian Insider he would “live or die” with PKR despite his differences with Selangor's Pakatan Rakyat leadership and he had no intention of jumping ship.

"No thanks," was his response to the invitation from Selangor Umno liaison committee chairman Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib and state opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Mond Khir Toyo.

Manikavasagam said crossing over would betray the Hindraf 5, who have been detained under the Internal Security Act, and voters in Kapar who voted overwhelmingly for PKR on March 8.

The embattled first-term MP, who has come under fire from within his own party for his persistent criticisms against the state PR leadership, admitted problems existed.

Burdened with an overwhelming obligation to the people who voted for change, especially the Indian community, Manikavasagam said he is frustrated this change has been slow in coming.

"I have been vilified in the press, by my own party members, for trying to be a hero to the Indians but are they (critics) going to help the community if I shut up."

Manikavasagam, who has been at the forefront in handling social issues affecting the Indian community for over almost a decade, said he has no intention of changing his confrontational style just because he is now a PKR MP.

In September, he took to task the Selangor Menteri Besar for not going to the ground to visit victims of a freak storm in Klang and more recently he was embroiled in a public argument with Selangor Speaker Teng Chang Khim over the relocation of the bus terminal in Klang.

However, Manikavasagam is aware the open battles in the press are only benefiting BN and is adopting a unilateral ceasefire — for now.

Amid fissures, a small band of Indians back PKR

Supporters came as far as from Kedah and Johor. — Pics by Choo Choy May

By Debra Chong(Themalaysianinsider)

PETALING JAYA, Jan 3 — Despite the rain, close to 100 members of the Indian community from around Malaysia turned up today in front of the PKR central headquarters in Merchant Square here to reinforce their support towards the party leadership.

The gathering was organised in an attempt to show PKR maintained the support of the Indians.

Holding up photos of Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and huddling together behind banners proclaiming “Don’t twist our words”, “Our Leader: Anwar Ibrahim” and “Long live Pakatan Rakyat”, they sent out a strong message that the Indian community as a whole remained committed to the opposition front’s cause.

The supporters, young and old, men and women, were not only members of PKR but included those from the DAP, its sister party in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance as well as the Makkal Sakti movement, an offshoot of the now banned Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

They came from as far away as Johor and Kedah in answer to mobile text messages sent out by several PKR members asking them to gather in a show of solidarity.

For nearly two hours, they stood in the open-air parking lot rallying around several grassroot leaders who told them not to believe rumours of a widening split in PKR.

The opposition party’s shine had taken a bruising after an internal spat between its popular first-time MP for Kapar, S. Manikavasagam and the PKR-led Selangor government’s leaders had gone public and sown confusion and fear among the grassroots Indian community.

Manikavasagam has accused the PKR leadership of sidelining the Indian community, which had helped it win big in the 12th General Elections last year.

The gathering had also attracted the attention of a few non-Indians.

A Chinese software developer told The Malaysian Insider she was there because she supported PKR’s philosophy to protect the rights of all races.

The petite 25-year-old from Taiping disagreed with Manikavasagam’s view championing only the rights of the Indian minority.

Wishing to be known only as “EC”, she hoped Manikavasangam would be more patient and give the PKR state government time to help the marginalised communities.

NSDK Yamtuan Funeral

On behalf of HINDRAF the Negeri Sembilan Makkal Sakthi members paid their last respect to the Ruler of Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Jaafar Tuanku Abdul Rahman who passed away peacefully on the 27^th December 2007

Led by P.Waytha Nayagi the sister of ISA detainee P.Uthayakumar members of Makkal Sakthi paid their last respects including Siva, Komalam, and Mathavan who are key members of Makkal Sakthi Negeri Sembilan team.

Last week Manickavasagam the Kapar MP and Jayathas led a delegation to the Negeri Sembilan Royal Palace to deliver a Loyalty Petition to His Highneess the Ruler Of Negeri Sembilan to pledge its allegiance to the Ruler.

HINDRAF expresses its deepest condolences to the Consort of the Ruler and his family members.

Umno chief foresees PR split-up

SHAH ALAM, Jan 1 — Umno Information Chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib said today the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance comprising Pas, DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) was beginning to split up.

This was evident following quarrels between PKR and Pas, Pas and DAP and within PKR itself involving the Indians and Malays, he told a media conference after a meeting with the committee members of all wings of the Petaling Jaya Selatan Umno Division.

Muhammad, who is chairman of the Selangor Umno Liaison Committee, said a group of Indian Malaysians angry with the Barisan Nasional (BN) had voted for the PKR in the last general election in March last year and were today disappointed with the way they had been treated by the PKR leadership.

“In fact, today they are disappointed with the PKR leadership which is not interested in visiting them. They do not have the time to look at zinc sheets having been blown off or floods.

“This is not the work of their leaders. They want to be members of councils... they feel they do not have to visit the people,” he said.

On the contrary, Muhammad said, the BN understood the problems of the people because its leaders went down to the people to learn of their grievances and worked to develop the state.

“The landscape of the country’s development was shaped by the BN. They (PR) don’t understand. We go down to the people. We know what they want. They don’t. They received a ready state. So, they do not know what to do because there is no event,” said the Rural and Regional Development Minister.

He said the BN struggle was based on its track record but the PR manipulated certain issues to garner the people’s support and votes.

On the Petaling Jaya Selatan Umno Division, Muhammad said it remained unaffected by the resignation of its head Captain (Rtd) Datuk Zahar Hashim who joined Pas last month.

He said the 28 heads of branches in the Petaling Jaya Division who reportedly wanted to follow Zahar in joining Pas could be from branches set up by Zahar himself.

Muhammad said he hoped that the division’s deputy head Datuk Raja Hanipuddin Datuk Raja Nong Chik, who is acting head, would be able to increase the membership of the division in time for the next general election.

Raja Hanipuddin said he and the divisional committee members wanted to strengthen the party machinery to recapture the Taman Medan state seat. — Bernama

Home Ministry bans Herald’s Malay supplement

The good news is that the Home Ministry has approved the Herald’s permit just a couple of days before it expired - just in the nick of time.

The other bit of good news, according to the NST, is that the paper apparently has been allowed to expand its scope beyond coverage of “religion” in the narrowest sense. The new permit allows it to also cover “current affairs” and “international affairs”. Previously, the Home Ministry had issued warning letters for articles that allegedly went beyond the scope of “religion” (according to the government’s narrow definition).

The bad news on New Year’s Day is that the approval comes with strings attached:

• the Herald has to stop its Malay-language supplement. A typical edition of the weekly paper has 32 pages, including an eight-page Malay-language pull-out, three pages in Chinese and two pages in Tamil, with the rest in English.
• the paper can only be sold in churches (I don’t think it’s being sold anywhere else at present);
• The Herald must print clearly on the cover that the paper is only meant for Christians.

It is worth bearing in mind that 65 per cent of all Christians in Malaysia (as at the year 2000) are ‘bumiputeras’ from Sabah and Sarawak and this figure is rising. (It was 63 per cent in 1991.) Most of these are Kadazans, Dayaks and Dusuns, many of whom mainly use the Malay language.

In that sense, the Malaysian church has a bumiputera majority. So by denying the majority of its church members the right to read in Malay, the national language, isn’t the government violating a fundamental right?

This reminds me of the time when Aliran was denied the right to publish a magazine in Malay in addition to its English edition. We took the case to court and won at the High Court. But the law was then amended to make the Minister’s decision final and we lost in the Supreme Court and Aliran ended up having to pay costs!

Meanwhile, the Church has taken the government to court over its ban on the use of the term “Allah”. It may resort to similar action over the ban on publishing in Malay.

Newscaster, actress, among 26 arrested at sex party

KUALA LUMPUR, THURS: Bernama, Jan 01 2009

Police arrested a female newscaster of a private television station, an actress and 24 others who took part in a sex party at a hotel room in Jalan P. Ramlee here today.

The two woman and seven others — six men and a woman — tested positive for drugs, said ASP Mahani Ahmad of the police’s vice, gambling and secret society branch.

All those arrested during the 3.30am operation aged between 18 and 31 years, she said when contacted.

She said the police also found liquor and various drugs like ketamine, cocaine and syabu in the room on the 11th floor of the hotel and a 20-year-old student of a Kelana Jaya private college believed the drugs supplier was among those held.

During the raid, three couples were on the bed while the rest were entertaining themselves believed intoxicated, she said.
She said preliminary investigations showed the sex party was hosted by two men and those who attended it knew each other through Friendster — a social network in the internet.

Those arrested were taken to the Kuala Lumpur contingent police headquarters.

Meanwhile, about 40 people were arrested for various offences during the new year’s eve party in Bukit Bintang where several fights took place between drunken youths.

A number of people including foreign tourists also lost cash, passports and electronic gadgets to pickpockets and 10 police reports were lodged at the mobile police station deployed there.

24-in-a-room sex bust

(By Rocky's Bru)
09 started with a (gang) bang for some, or so says The Star in its sms alert:

1/1 Police arrested a female newscaster, an actress, and 24 others who took part in a sex party at a hotel room in KL.

But was it really a SEX party? The female newscaster, according to sources, is one Ms FR of Astro Awani. I was told it was an actor (not actress) of Gerak Khas, a popular crime series produced by Skop Productions, a Yusof Haslam concern, was also among the two dozens.

I don't usually like such stories but the similarity with how last year - 2008- started for Malaysia [First Scandal for 08], when politician Chua Soi Lek admitted that he was the man in a sex video. Dr Chua, as we know it, made a spectacular comeback to MCA!

p.s. I hope the papers find out if it's really a sex party. A lot of people I know pooled funds and book into hotel rooms or suites to usher the New Year. Usually, the rooms offer excellent view of the KL skyline and the fireworks.

Jika anda dirompak dan dipaksa keluar wang ATM

Kad ATM

Sekiranya anda dirompak dan dipaksa untuk mengeluarkan wang akaun anda daripada mesin ATM, anda boleh meminta bantuan cara senyap dengan memasukkan no. Pin anda di mesin ATM secara terbalik. Sebagai contoh jika no Pin anda adalah 123456, jadi anda harus memasukkan nombor 654321. Mesin ATM akan mengenalpasti nombor tersebut adalah nombor yg diterbalikkan drpd nombor yg sebenarnya melalui kad anda yg masukkan ke dalam mesin tersebut.

Mesin ATM akan tetap mengeluarkan wang tunai seperti biasa, tapi apa yg kita tidak ketahui, pihak Bank dgn segera akan menghantar pihak berkuasa (Polis) kepada anda. Perkara ini pernah disiarkan di TV baru-baru ini dan ianya menyatakan kaedah ini jarang digunakan disebabkan ramai orang tidak mengetahui akan kewujudan sistem yg seumpama ini.

Sebarkan…

-sumber dari blog zul mamak..

SHAH ALAM: In an unprecedented move, the father of murder victim Altantuya Shaariibuu has filed a judicial review leave application to challenge the decision of the attorney-general who failed to appeal against the acquittal of political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda.

Shaariibuu Setev wants the A-G to apply for a warrant of arrest for Abdul Razak Baginda

Shaariibuu Setev also wants the A-G to apply for extension of time to appeal against the ruling of trial judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin in setting Razak free on Oct 31 without calling his defence.

Razak, 48, is said to have abetted two policemen in the murder of the Mongolian woman.

The A-G, who is also the public prosecutor, did not file a notice of appeal when the deadline expired on Nov 14.

Setev, who filed the application at the Shah Alam High Court yesterday through his counsel Karpal Singh, also wants the A-G to apply for a warrant of arrest to detain Razak or offer him bail pending the outcome of the appeal in the Court of Appeal.

Karpal said Setev, who named the A-G and Razak as respondents, needed to only show that his application was not an abuse of court process to obtain the leave.

He said this was the first time an aggrieved party was taking on the A-G head-on as in the past, the court had ruled that the powers of the A-G could not be questioned.

"But we are doing it now because of new judicial pronouncements in other countries."

Karpal said Razak's lawyer, Wong Khian Kheong, would be served the papers as the counsel wanted to participate in the proceedings to object that the court had no jurisdiction to hear the application.

"I don't mind. He can come in," Karpal said, adding that usually the court only heard the submission of an applicant seeking leave for judicial review.

Karpal, who held a watching brief for the victim's family and the Mongolian government during the trial, said the A-G would be served the papers three days before the hearing, even if he was not party to a matter.

"The A-G has direct interest in this case and I believe he will participate in the proceedings."

Karpal also said he would also file a certificate of urgency for the High Court to hear the matter as soon as possible.

Karpal, in his affidavit to support Setev's application, said the A-G, as the public prosecutor, had the discretion under the Article 145 (3) of the Federal Constitution and section 376 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code to institute, conduct and discontinue any proceedings for an offence, other than matters in the syariah court, native court or a military court.

He said his firm on Oct 31 wrote to the A-G to file the notice of appeal against Razak's acquittal.

Karpal said five days later, the A-G replied to state reasons why he (A-G) should file an appeal against Razak's acquittal.

Karpal said he responded to the letter on Nov 12, but two days later, deputy public prosecutor Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah publicly stated that the A-G would not appeal Zaki's decision.

Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 32, and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 37, are charged with murdering Altantuya, 28, in Mukim Bukit Raja between 10pm on Oct 19, 2006, and 1am the following day.

The two Special Action Squad members are scheduled to enter their defence on Jan 15.

Kapar MP’s resignation start of PKR break-up, says Khir

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 — Former Selangor menteri besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamed Khir Toyo said today the resignation of Kapar Member of Parliament S. Manikavasagam as the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Selangor liaison deputy chairman yesterday was the beginning of the break-up of the party.

“I am saying that this is the beginning for bigger things are yet to come because their (Pakatan Rakyat government in Selangor) promises to the Indian Malaysians (in the state) have yet to be fulfilled,” he told reporters.

The Umno supreme council member had earlier presented gifts to outstanding Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) pupils and Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) students of 2008 at an event organised by the Cheras Umno Youth and Puteri, here.

Dr Mohamed Khir said the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state government had failed to resolve the problem of Hindu temples in the state.

“I see the problem in the party growing and the Indians will not only resign from their posts but also leave the party,” he said.

Asked to comment on the request by the Indian community for the post of village heads in Indian-majority areas, Dr Mohamed Khir said when the Barisan Nasional (BN) was in power in Selangor, an Indian was appointed to the village development committee in an area where there were only 10 Indian families.

“But that does not happen today,” he said, adding that he was drawing up a strategy for the BN to recapture Selangor in the next general election.

Dr Mohamed Khir also said that since the PR came to power in Selangor, it had yet to implement its election promises such as reducing the assessment rate by 20 per cent for house-owners and 10 per cent for commercial premises, especially given the current economic situation.

“We have given them (PR) nine months. We thought of giving them enough time for their honeymoon. It has been one year now. So, we will launch our move to press the PR government to implement its promises,” he said.

“They have made about 70 pledges. Not one has been implemented. Everything is only on paper, for example the insurance scheme for the elderly and aid for university admittance,” he said.

PR has only made the pledges to garner support and votes and not to implement them, he said. — Bernama

As Hindraf spat worsens, a new Anwar ally emerges

By Baradan Kuppusamy

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 — When the bushfire of Indian dissatisfaction in the PKR threatened to turn into an inferno, party supremo Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, holidaying in the Middle East, called from Dubai and urged a man he trusted to investigate what was really going on, how big it was and why it was happening.

Shadowy businessman Datuk Ravi Dharan, chairman of the Daya group of companies, has always been in the shadows of the PKR, serving only Anwar before and after the March 8 polls and during the run-up to the abortive Sept 16 plan to topple the Barisan Nasional government via defections.

He was close to Anwar when the latter was the finance minister and like other tycoons in Anwar's circle, he suffered after Anwar was sacked and jailed in 1998.

Ravi, 59, went abroad and soon settled down in Indonesia where he has interests in several areas, including coal mining in Kalimantan.

However, unlike Anwar's other former friend Datuk K.S. Nallakaruppan, Ravi remained loyal to the former and was a big supporter — personally and financially — of the opposition leader during the March 8 general election campaign.

Anwar has now become worried that Indian dissatisfaction with his party, centred on the resignation of Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam as the party's Selangor deputy chief, will flare up, and he has sought out Ravi to quell the rebellion.

This will be the political coming out for Ravi who had always remained in the shadows.

It is significant that Anwar did not task any of the more senior party leaders such as deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali, vice-president S. Sivarasa, seen as the nominal Indian head of the party, Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, Selangor exco member Dr Xavier Jeyakumar or even PKR Padang Serai MP M. Gobalakrishnan.

"It was to Ravi that Anwar turned too," said a PKR insider, adding that Anwar was worried that a "hidden hand" was manipulating the "rebellion" and splitting the party especially in light of speculation reported in online news website Malaysiakini that PKR rebels together with Hindraf leader P. Uthayakumar and chairman P. Waythamoorthy were in alliance with MIC rebels to oust embattled MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.

Manikavasagam's relationship with Sivarasa and Dr Xavier and possibly Khalid, whom he has accused of betraying the people's trust by not fulfilling election promises, is now beyond repair, PKR insiders said.

Under these circumstances Anwar relied on Ravi as a trusted ally, in the same role once played by Nallakaruppan before their dramatic falling out, to help contain or extinguish the Manikavasagam fire.

Ravi attended a meeting of over 100 Indian supporters of Hindraf/Makkal Sakthi yesterday that discussed the problems raised by Manikavasagam and former PKR deputy secretary-general P. Jenapala.

Both Manikavasagam and Jenapala also attended the closed-door meeting.

"Ravi listened carefully, watched their body language and never uttered a single word," said a PKR supporter who attended the meeting.

Later at the press conference Ravi moved in to take charge, admitting there were differences over issues among the PKR leaders. "This is a democratic process, we meet, we discuss, tell our differences and we seek consensus," Ravi told The Malaysian Insider after the meeting.

"We all have one aim — to make Anwar prime minister — and until then we should remain committed and united," said Ravi.

He was worried PKR's political enemies would exploit the differences.

"We should not give them that opportunity," he told the people gathered. "I don't think there is a hidden hand behind the open airing of differences in PKR."

The meeting resolved that Manikavasagam and others would meet Anwar on his return and lay their unhappiness at his feet for a resolution of the differences.

Nevertheless the discontent is too fundamental to be resolved without upsetting the PKR's delicate racial balance.

The animosity between Manikavasagam and the rest of the PKR Indian leadership cannot be ignored.

The others — Sivarasa, Dr Xavier, Khalid and others — control Selangor PKR and are big names in the PKR setup although at the Makkal Sakthi grassroots level they are lightweights compared with Manikavasagam.

While Manikavasagam sees himself as a Makkal Sakthi founder, he accepts Uthayakumar and Waythamoorthy as his real mentors, and he also has the highest regards for Anwar.

It is left to Anwar to see how best to balance the demands of the big names in the PKR who are all for sacking Manikavasagam and satisfying the Makkal Sakthi grassroots who have adopted PKR as their new political home but want a bigger slice of the largesse.

What Ravi recommends to Anwar will play a crucial role in the balancing act.

POLICE BRUTALITY EXPOSED - POLICE CHIEF & THOSE RESPONSIBLE MUST BE SACKED & PUNISHED

It was widely reported today that the police at the Brickfields Police Station had poured boiling water on police detainee B Prabakar while under their care.

Since this is a very serious allegation, an immediate investigation need to be conducted and the police chief and the Brickfields police chief and those responsible need to be arrested immediately pending outcome of the investigation so that no underhand tactics would be used to cover-up this allegation.

The time has come for responsible people to be made accountable.

The Home Minister should also be suspended and if the investigation reveal such malpractice had taken place, he should be sacked without any benefits whatsoever, since he had failed to perform his duties effectively.

Will the ruling BN government undertake this stern measures or just cover-up this incident as usual.

Lettr from Dr.Mahathir

Dear Mr. President,

I did not vote for you in the Presidential Election because I am Malaysian.

But I consider myself one of your constituents because what you do or say will affect me and my country as well.

I welcome your promise to change. Certainly your country, the United States of America need a lot of changes.

That is because America and Americans have become the best hated people in the world. Even Europeans dislike your arrogance. Yet you were once admired and liked because you freed a lot of countries from conquest and subjugation.

It is the custom on New Year's day for people to make resolutions. You must have listed your good resolutions already. But may I politely suggest that you also resolve to do the following in pursuit of Change.

1) Stop killing people. The United States is too fond of killing people in order to achieve its objectives. You call it war, but today's wars are not about professional soldiers fighting and killing each other. It is about killing people, ordinary innocent people by the hundreds of thousands. Whole countries will be devastated.

War is primitive, the cavemen's way of dealing with a problem. Stop your arms build up and your planning for future wars.

2) Stop indiscriminate support of Israeli killers with your money and your weapons. The planes and the bombs killing the people of Gaza are from you.

3) Stop applying sanctions against countries which cannot do the same against you.

In Iraq your sanctions killed 500,000 children through depriving them of medicine and food. Others were born deformed.

What have you achieved with this cruelty? Nothing except the hatred of the victims and right-thinking people.

4) Stop your scientists and researchers from inventing new and more diabolical weapons to kill more people more efficiently.

5) Stop your arms manufacturers from producing them. Stop your sales of arms to the world. It is blood money that you earn. It is un-Christian.

6) Stop trying to democratize all the countries of the world. Democracy may work for the United States but it does not always work for other countries.

Don't kill people because they are not democratic. Your crusade to democratize countries has killed more people than the authoritarian Governments which you overthrew. And you have not succeeded anyway.

7) Stop the casinos which you call financial institutions. Stop hedge funds, derivatives and currency trading. Stop banks from lending non-existent money by the billions.

Regulate and supervise your banks. Jail the miscreants who made profits from abusing the system.

8) Sign the Kyoto Protocol and other international agreements.

9) Show respect for the United Nations.

I have many other resolutions for change which I think you should consider and undertake.

But I think you have enough on your plate for this 2009th year of the Christian Era.

If you can do only a few of what I suggest you will be remembered by the world as a great leader. Then the United States will again be the most admired nation. Your embassies will be able to take down the high fences and razor-wire coils that surround them.

May I wish you a Happy New Year and a great Presidency.

Yours Sincerely,

Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad

(Former Prime Minister of Malaysia)