Tuesday, 9 October 2012
Issue of Dr. Zakir Naik : Home Minister throws dust in the eyes of Hindus
A representation was submitted to the Home Minister in case of Dr. Zakir insulting Sri Ganesha when he gave the above promise to the delegation of HJS.
Mr. Puran Malame, an activist of HJS said, “No action has been taken against Dr. Zakir although complaints have been lodged against him at many places; therefore, the Home Minister should look into the matter.” Devout Hindus, Mr. Jeevan Patil, Jagannath Patil, Sachin Kulkarni, Vilas Pol, Kiran Jamdade etc. were present on the occasion.
Twist of fate?: Woman accuses ruling party member of selling her into marriage
For the distraught woman, what had seemed like the perfect
opportunity to start over after a painful divorce quickly morphed into a
nightmare. PHOTO: FURSID/FILE
SUKKUR: Early Saturday morning, S* burst into the Ahmedpur police station in Khairpur begging for shelter.
For the distraught woman, what had seemed like the perfect opportunity to start over after a painful divorce quickly morphed into a nightmare.
A couple of weeks ago, S, who hails from Vehari in Punjab, had met the vice president of the Pakistan People Party’s Kingri women wing. The ruling party member was in town to meet her relatives and bumped into S, who had been struggling to support her two children after a gruelling divorce, she claimed.
The political activist offered her a job in Khairpur, and she jumped at the opportunity. Packing her belongings, she headed south with her two children, thinking about starting a new life, S claimed. Unfortunately this is where her luck ran dry.
Soon after S arrived in Khairpur, the lady took her to a man named A, assuring her that he would give her a job. However, the man forced her to marry him and she then found out that he had paid Rs110,000 to “purchase” her from the political leader, the woman told the police.
After weeks in captivity, S managed to flee from A’s house and headed straight to the police station. After she narrated the incident to the head constable, Ghulam Nabi Narejo, the law enforcers took her to the Khairpur district and sessions court.
The court directed the police to shift her to the Darul Aman and register a case against the ruling party’s leader and the man accused of forcefully marrying her. But the head constable says they have yet to receive a written order from the court and will act when they get one.
When contacted by The Express Tribune, the political activist admitted she had gone to Vehari but refuted all other allegations.
“Recently, I visited Vehari where the woman’s maternal uncle and brother told me that S had been divorced and they wanted to find a suitable partner for her,” she said. “In my own town, [A] had been repeatedly asking me to find him a suitable wife.”
So she asked the woman’s uncle and brother to bring her to Khairpur so that S and A can be married, she added.
Refuting the allegations that she had sold off S, the politician claimed that she had spent money on her marriage instead. “These allegations are intended to ruin my reputation,” she believed.
Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto, the minister for women development and the head of the ruling party’s Larkana women wing, said that the party will take action against its member if she was found guilty. “We will provide S justice,” she said. “We want to empower women not exploit them.”
*Names changed to protect privacy
Published in The Express Tribune, October 8th, 2012.
Madonna backs down from wearing Muslim bridal dress
Madonna has decided against wearing a Muslim bridal dress, a combination of a traditional Iraqi bridal veil and a US soldier's uniform, in her new music video after being convinced by her advisers to give the outfit a miss for her own safety.
Madonna has decided against wearing a Muslim bridal dress in her new music video over fears for her safety.
The 54-year-old singer was planning to don a 'Terror Bride' outfit - a combination of a traditional Iraqi bridal veil and a US soldier's uniform - in the video for upcoming single 'Superstar' as a statement against oppression against women and war, but her advisers convinced her to ditch the political stunt because of the outrage it would be likely to cause.
A source said: ''Madonna had the outfit ready to go. She was really proud of it and said it was her 'Terror Bride' costume.
''She had paraded around in it and said she was going to wear it in her next music video.
''At first when people started telling her it was madness she just brushed it off.
''But when they mentioned that her actions could put her life at risk she decided to ditch it from her video and certainly won't be wearing it on stage.''
The 'Celebration' hitmaker - who is a devotee of Jewish offshoot religion Kabbalah - had already tried the costume on, and while she is said to be ''really disappointed'' about not wearing the outfit, she hasn't ruled out donning the attire in a music video at some point in the future.
The insider added to The Sun newspaper: ''She was really disappointed as she was so adamant about it.
''And even when she said she wasn't going to go ahead she winked that it was being put aside 'for now'.''
Last month, Madonna caused controversy when she referred to US President Barack Obama - who is openly Christian - as a ''black Muslim'' at a concert in Washington, but she later clarified her comments insisting she was ''being ironic''.
She added: ''Yes, I know Obama is not a Muslim, though I know that plenty of people in this country (America) think he is.''
Dr M defends PKFZ deal, says forced sale would have made him unpopular
Dr Mahathir smiles after testifying at Dr Ling’s trial in Kuala Lumpur, October 8, 2012. — Picture by Choo Choy May
The practice of compulsory acquisitions would have made him an unpopular politician, the former prime minister said when appearing as a defence witness for former transport minister Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, who is on trial for deceiving the Cabinet in the government’s purchase of land for the PKFZ project.
“No. Normally when government wants to acquire land, the valuation is very low to save government money; the government officers wants to help government to save money,” said Dr Mahathir to questions from defence lawyer Wong Kian Kheong.
“As a politician who depends on my popularity to stay in office, I would not like to undervalue land acquired by government. That would make me unpopular and my status depends on my popularity,” he said.
Wong had asked Dr Mahathir if he had favoured compulsory acquisition when he was the then prime minister, minister of finance and minister of special functions.
Dr Mahathir told Wong that he had been informed the government had wanted to compulsorily acquire the land in August 2002.
The government had finally decided to purchase the land on a willing-seller-willing-buyer basis in November 2002.
Earlier, the former PM told the court that neither he nor any minister had lodged any criminal complaint about the Cabinet being deceived into approving the purchase of land for the PKFZ project.
He also testified that a policeman told him that if investigators had taken his police statement first, Dr Ling would not even have been charged with any crime.
Dr Ling was charged in 2010 but Dr Mahathir said his police statement was only recorded within these two years.
Dr Ling, who served as transport minister for 17 years from January 1986 to May 2003, is charged with deceiving the Cabinet into approving the purchase of 999.5 acres of land for the PKFZ project, which had resulted in wrongful losses for the government.
The project, initially estimated at RM1.1 billion after it was mooted by Dr Ling in 1997, more than quadrupled in cost to RM4.6 billion by 2007.
A position review by top accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) revealed in 2009 that the total cost including interests from debt repayments could reach RM12.5 billion.
Since December 2009, six individuals have been charged in court including ex-MCA president Dr Ling, and his successor as transport minister, former MCA deputy chief Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy.
Both are accused of lying to the Cabinet.
Dr Ling also faces two alternative charges of deceiving the Cabinet into believing that the terms of the purchase — at RM25 psf plus 7.5 per cent interest — were acknowledged and agreed to by the JPPH despite knowing that there was no such agreement.
He faces a possible jail term of up to seven years, or a fine, or both, if convicted on the first charge under Section 418 of the Penal Code.
Teluk Intan crematorium in limbo since 2006
Management infighting has caused the half-done project to be abandoned.
TELUK INTAN: A half-built Hindu crematorium here has been in limbo for about seven years, forcing locals to use funeral services in Bidor, 40 km away.
Drawing attention to the matter was the Teluk Intan MP, DAP’s M Manogaran, who told FMT that political rivalry and management infighting had prevented any progress in the construction since it was halted in 2006.
The project stopped because the Registrar of Societies (ROS) deregistered the committee overseeing it—the Hindu Sabha Hilir Perak—for allegedly mismanaging its funds. A pro-tem committee took over, but it too failed to get construction up and running, leading to its eventual disbanding.
Manogaran said he tried to get the project going again after he won the Teluk Intan seat in 2008, but found it “very difficult to get the factions together”.
It was not until March 2009, he said, that he finally got the groups to sit at a meeting, but only to see more feuding, bringing things to a standstill.
Progress apparently became more difficult after the Perak state government fell to Barisan Nasional later that year, causing the factions to ignore Manogaran because he represented Pakatan Rakyat.
A state of neglect
Hindu Sabha Hilir Perak had intended to build the crematorium as early as 1997. Work started two years later, after the land was gazetted.
But the site is now in a state of neglect. The grounds are strewn with building materials and the adjacent cemetery is choked with weeds, annoying the local Hindus to no end.
“I am under pressure,” Manogaran said. “People are asking me when this is going to be resolved. They are angry and disappointed that this has been going on for the past seven years.”
ROS recently recognised a new Hindu Sabha committee, apparently headed by local MIC chief P Periyasamy.
Manogaran said that the federal government gave this committee a grant of RM300,000 late last year so that the project could resume, but he said Periyasamy was reluctant to get things going because the funding fell short of the RM1.2 million needed to complete the job.
However, according to the MP, the Teluk Intan locals were more than willing to contribute to the project’s completion.
“But I’ve been told that some people don’t want this to take off while I am still the MP. There is this long-standing issue that this shouldn’t be resolved during an opposition MP’s term.”
EGM next month
Periyasamy confirmed to FMT that his committee had received the federal government’s money and said he would call for an extraordinary general meeting next month.
“It will involve all the committees,” he said.
He denied that Manogaran was being sidelined, saying he was aware that the MP had promised his full support and would raise donations for the project.
He agreed with Manogaran that infighting in the previous committees made things difficult. He was trying to change that, he said, and was hoping that work on the crematorium would resume six months after the EGM.
TELUK INTAN: A half-built Hindu crematorium here has been in limbo for about seven years, forcing locals to use funeral services in Bidor, 40 km away.Drawing attention to the matter was the Teluk Intan MP, DAP’s M Manogaran, who told FMT that political rivalry and management infighting had prevented any progress in the construction since it was halted in 2006.
The project stopped because the Registrar of Societies (ROS) deregistered the committee overseeing it—the Hindu Sabha Hilir Perak—for allegedly mismanaging its funds. A pro-tem committee took over, but it too failed to get construction up and running, leading to its eventual disbanding.
Manogaran said he tried to get the project going again after he won the Teluk Intan seat in 2008, but found it “very difficult to get the factions together”.
It was not until March 2009, he said, that he finally got the groups to sit at a meeting, but only to see more feuding, bringing things to a standstill.
Progress apparently became more difficult after the Perak state government fell to Barisan Nasional later that year, causing the factions to ignore Manogaran because he represented Pakatan Rakyat.
A state of neglectHindu Sabha Hilir Perak had intended to build the crematorium as early as 1997. Work started two years later, after the land was gazetted.
But the site is now in a state of neglect. The grounds are strewn with building materials and the adjacent cemetery is choked with weeds, annoying the local Hindus to no end.
“I am under pressure,” Manogaran said. “People are asking me when this is going to be resolved. They are angry and disappointed that this has been going on for the past seven years.”
ROS recently recognised a new Hindu Sabha committee, apparently headed by local MIC chief P Periyasamy.
Manogaran said that the federal government gave this committee a grant of RM300,000 late last year so that the project could resume, but he said Periyasamy was reluctant to get things going because the funding fell short of the RM1.2 million needed to complete the job.
However, according to the MP, the Teluk Intan locals were more than willing to contribute to the project’s completion.
“But I’ve been told that some people don’t want this to take off while I am still the MP. There is this long-standing issue that this shouldn’t be resolved during an opposition MP’s term.”
EGM next month
Periyasamy confirmed to FMT that his committee had received the federal government’s money and said he would call for an extraordinary general meeting next month.
“It will involve all the committees,” he said.
He denied that Manogaran was being sidelined, saying he was aware that the MP had promised his full support and would raise donations for the project.
He agreed with Manogaran that infighting in the previous committees made things difficult. He was trying to change that, he said, and was hoping that work on the crematorium would resume six months after the EGM.
Indians know the truth, says Kula
An advertisement published in Tamil dailies yesterday made comparison between allocations for the Indian community under the federal budget and Pakatan Rakyat-led states.
UPDATED
KUALA LUMPUR: A DAP MP today criticised the government for attempting to hoodwink the Indian community by comparing allocation for the Indian community in Budget 2013 with Pakatan Rakyat-led state budgets.
“The people are not stupid. They know the truth,” said Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran at the Parliament during the debate on Budget 2013.
Yesterday, Tamil dailies published an advertisement comparing the allocation made for Indians in Budget 2013 as opposed to Pakatan led states’ programmes for the community.
Calling it a desperate attempt, Kulasegaran said it was ridiculous for those behind the advertisement to compare a federal budget to a state budget as the latter had lesser resources.
“Budget 2013 involves RM250 billion. Do you think state governments has that kind of money to offer? BN leaders are bankrupt of ideas,” said Kulasegaran.
Touching on allocations to Tamil schools, the DAP leader said that the federal government should not boast about it in advertisements.
“That is your responsibility. You are supposed to provide adequate allocation to all schools in Malaysia because they are all our children,” he said.
He also poured cold water on the government’s offer to give 1,000 matriculation places to bright Indians students, saying many did not receive the offer despite being qualified.
“Prove to me 1,000 places were given Indian students in recent years,” said Kulasegaran.
In June, a former MIC branch chairman VT Rajen pointed out that many bright Indian students were left out in the selection for the matriculation programmes.
“Despite the community asking for a list of students offered matriculation seats, MIC president G Palanivel had failed to disclose the information,” Rajen reportedly said.
Cheap propaganda
Meanwhile, PKR vice-president N Surendran also criticised the advertisements, calling it blatant dishonesty on Najib’s part.
“The point is most of the problems faced by the Indian community over the past several decades has been happening under BN’s rule.
“So for him to come out and pretend that he is doing better than Pakatan shows his complete dishonesty,” he told FMT.
Surendran was also confident that the Indian community would not fall for such “cheap propaganda and plain lies”.
“We can expect more such proapanda to appear in the media as the genereal election draws closer but the mainstream media will not carry advertisements from the opposition,” he added.
UPDATED
KUALA LUMPUR: A DAP MP today criticised the government for attempting to hoodwink the Indian community by comparing allocation for the Indian community in Budget 2013 with Pakatan Rakyat-led state budgets.“The people are not stupid. They know the truth,” said Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran at the Parliament during the debate on Budget 2013.
Yesterday, Tamil dailies published an advertisement comparing the allocation made for Indians in Budget 2013 as opposed to Pakatan led states’ programmes for the community.
Calling it a desperate attempt, Kulasegaran said it was ridiculous for those behind the advertisement to compare a federal budget to a state budget as the latter had lesser resources.
“Budget 2013 involves RM250 billion. Do you think state governments has that kind of money to offer? BN leaders are bankrupt of ideas,” said Kulasegaran.
Touching on allocations to Tamil schools, the DAP leader said that the federal government should not boast about it in advertisements.
“That is your responsibility. You are supposed to provide adequate allocation to all schools in Malaysia because they are all our children,” he said.
He also poured cold water on the government’s offer to give 1,000 matriculation places to bright Indians students, saying many did not receive the offer despite being qualified.
“Prove to me 1,000 places were given Indian students in recent years,” said Kulasegaran.
In June, a former MIC branch chairman VT Rajen pointed out that many bright Indian students were left out in the selection for the matriculation programmes.
“Despite the community asking for a list of students offered matriculation seats, MIC president G Palanivel had failed to disclose the information,” Rajen reportedly said.
Cheap propaganda
Meanwhile, PKR vice-president N Surendran also criticised the advertisements, calling it blatant dishonesty on Najib’s part.
“The point is most of the problems faced by the Indian community over the past several decades has been happening under BN’s rule.
“So for him to come out and pretend that he is doing better than Pakatan shows his complete dishonesty,” he told FMT.
Surendran was also confident that the Indian community would not fall for such “cheap propaganda and plain lies”.
“We can expect more such proapanda to appear in the media as the genereal election draws closer but the mainstream media will not carry advertisements from the opposition,” he added.
‘Don’t break the temple, sack the priest’
The remark by MIC vice-president M Saravan, say certain observers, may have been aimed at party president G Palanivel.
PETALING JAYA: In a cryptic statement, MIC vice-president M Saravanan said that the temple should not be torn down if devotees are unhappy with the manner in which mantras are being recited.
Instead, he added, the priest should be changed.
To some observers, Saravanan’s statement could be targetted at MIC president G Palanivel, who is known to be a religious man, but the latter’s leadership style had come under criticism.
However, Saravanan, a deputy minister, who was speaking at a book launch over the weekend, did not elaborate.
It was an open secret that many in MIC were not satisfied with Palanivel, who among others had been accused of lacking the grassroots touch and being evasive of the media.
Palanivel had succeded S Samy Vellu after the latter stepped down in December 2010.
Pampering for votes
During his speech, Saravanan also said that both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat were pampering the Indian community, not out of concern, but rather to lure their votes.
According to Tamil daily, Malaysia Nanban, he said that Indians must be united especially with the rising number of Indonesians in this country.
The Tapah parliamentarian revealed that the total number of Indonesians already outnumbered the Indians.
“What would happen after 20 years if the government considers giving citizenship to them? We would lose our position, perhaps the government would overlook us then,” he added.
Citing the recent visits to the Batu Caves temple by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Selangor Mentri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, Saravanan said the pair went there not to pay homage to Lord Muruga but to gain the support of the Indian community.
PETALING JAYA: In a cryptic statement, MIC vice-president M Saravanan said that the temple should not be torn down if devotees are unhappy with the manner in which mantras are being recited.Instead, he added, the priest should be changed.
To some observers, Saravanan’s statement could be targetted at MIC president G Palanivel, who is known to be a religious man, but the latter’s leadership style had come under criticism.
However, Saravanan, a deputy minister, who was speaking at a book launch over the weekend, did not elaborate.
It was an open secret that many in MIC were not satisfied with Palanivel, who among others had been accused of lacking the grassroots touch and being evasive of the media.
Palanivel had succeded S Samy Vellu after the latter stepped down in December 2010.
Pampering for votes
During his speech, Saravanan also said that both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat were pampering the Indian community, not out of concern, but rather to lure their votes.
According to Tamil daily, Malaysia Nanban, he said that Indians must be united especially with the rising number of Indonesians in this country.
The Tapah parliamentarian revealed that the total number of Indonesians already outnumbered the Indians.
“What would happen after 20 years if the government considers giving citizenship to them? We would lose our position, perhaps the government would overlook us then,” he added.
Citing the recent visits to the Batu Caves temple by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Selangor Mentri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, Saravanan said the pair went there not to pay homage to Lord Muruga but to gain the support of the Indian community.
Anger over Perkasa’s use of state facilities
MP asks: Would another NGO—say Bersih—be given the same honour?
SEREMBAN: The Negeri Sembilan government is under fire for allowing Perkasa to hold its annual meeting yesterday at the state secretariat building and to use the state emblem on a banner publicising the event.
Seremban MP John Fernandez (DAP), state PAS commissioner Mohd Taufek Abdul Ghani and political analyst Hishamuddin Rais today blasted State Secretary Mat Ali Hassan and Menteri Besar Mohamad Hassan for what they said was an insult to citizens of the state who regard the Malay rights group as extremist.
Mohamed was the guest of honour at the gathering, which was Negeri Sembilan Perkasa’s second annual general meeting.
“It’s highly unprofessional and unethical for the Menteri Besar to officiate at the AGM of an NGO,” Fernandez said. “It’s as if Perkasa is a Barisan Nasional component party.
“Does this mean that any NGO—let’s say the Negeri Sembilan chapter of Bersih—can now use the state emblem and the building for its AGM?”
Hishamuddin said Mohamad Hasan must take full responsibility for supporting what he called a “fringe racist group”.
“I’m a Negeri Sembilan boy and I don’t believe Perkasa’s sentiments reflect the sentiments of Negeri Sembilan people,” he said.
“The majority of Negeri people reject all forms of racism—Malay racism, Chinese racism or Indian racism.
“Mohamad’s act of officiating the meeting ran counter to the aim of 1Malaysia.”
Fernandez said that although most people were aware that BN and Perkasa were “two halves of a twin carburetor in the same engine room”, it was still atrocious for the state secretary to allow the NGO to have its meeting in the same complex of buildings in which the state legislature has its sessions.
He asked the government to clarify whether an NGO could rent a government building and use the state emblem in its publicity materials.
Mohd Taufek said he smelled something fishy. “I hope there was no political agenda in all this, especially with the general election around the corner.”
SEREMBAN: The Negeri Sembilan government is under fire for allowing Perkasa to hold its annual meeting yesterday at the state secretariat building and to use the state emblem on a banner publicising the event.Seremban MP John Fernandez (DAP), state PAS commissioner Mohd Taufek Abdul Ghani and political analyst Hishamuddin Rais today blasted State Secretary Mat Ali Hassan and Menteri Besar Mohamad Hassan for what they said was an insult to citizens of the state who regard the Malay rights group as extremist.
Mohamed was the guest of honour at the gathering, which was Negeri Sembilan Perkasa’s second annual general meeting.
“It’s highly unprofessional and unethical for the Menteri Besar to officiate at the AGM of an NGO,” Fernandez said. “It’s as if Perkasa is a Barisan Nasional component party.
“Does this mean that any NGO—let’s say the Negeri Sembilan chapter of Bersih—can now use the state emblem and the building for its AGM?”
Hishamuddin said Mohamad Hasan must take full responsibility for supporting what he called a “fringe racist group”.
“I’m a Negeri Sembilan boy and I don’t believe Perkasa’s sentiments reflect the sentiments of Negeri Sembilan people,” he said.
“The majority of Negeri people reject all forms of racism—Malay racism, Chinese racism or Indian racism.
“Mohamad’s act of officiating the meeting ran counter to the aim of 1Malaysia.”
Fernandez said that although most people were aware that BN and Perkasa were “two halves of a twin carburetor in the same engine room”, it was still atrocious for the state secretary to allow the NGO to have its meeting in the same complex of buildings in which the state legislature has its sessions.
He asked the government to clarify whether an NGO could rent a government building and use the state emblem in its publicity materials.
Mohd Taufek said he smelled something fishy. “I hope there was no political agenda in all this, especially with the general election around the corner.”
‘BN govt does not care for Sabah’
Former deputy minister Lajim Ukin told Parliament of the failures of the BN government to Sabah voters.
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Umno deputy minister Lajim Ukin told parliament that the Barisan Nasional government has no time for Sabah. He said this was despite the state’s loyalty to the federal government all these years.
Lajim, who is Beaufort MP, also indicated his support for the opposition after he had remained quiet over his political leanings since he quit the government, applauding Pakatan Rakyat’s promise to raise oil royalty payments to 20%.
Sabah is rich in oil and contributes some RM22 billion of oil revenue annually but enjoys a mere 5% return in royalty while government allocations to the state, one of the poorest in the country, is said to be comparatively low.
Lajim’s insinuation of support for Pakatan could see BN taking on a united opposition in the Sabah.
In his speech during the 2013 Budget debate in parliament, Lajim said the ruling coalition had failed to bring development in the state.
Compared to the 85% rate of completed paved roads in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah has only 35%. Connectivity is a key issue in the state which is why Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had announced increased allocations for road projects there.
But the former deputy minister, who was among the few other Sabah leaders who recently defected following disillusionment with the Najib administration’s failure to address the problems in Sabah, said none of the promises have been fulfilled so far.
“For 55 years BN have ruled and Sabah had contributed so much to the Malaysian economy since then but still it is one of the poorest state in the country.
“This shows that Sabah and Sarawak are never the government’s priority despite us being the fixed deposit for the ruling coalition. The Sabahan people have been sidelined,” he said.
Other Sabah BN leaders had also admitted recently that more must be done to improve the socio-economic situation in the state but so far none of them have been upfront about who is to be blamed for Sabah’s underdevelopment.
A Merdeka Center survey released on Friday showed that 57% were dissatisfied with the state’s economic performance and only 56% of Sabah voters were satisfied with the state government, a 6% drop from 62% in November 2009.
The report also showed a significant drop in the state’s chief minister Musa Aman’s rating.
From 60% in November 2009, it dropped to to 45% in September. The decline was most marked among Muslim-Bumiputera voters who are the backbone of the state’s Umno support, with a drop from 72% in November 2009 to 51% last month.
Analysts believe the recent defections in the state will alter the state’s and the national political landscape there, suggesting BN will face some hurdles in its stronghold in the upcoming polls.
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Umno deputy minister Lajim Ukin told parliament that the Barisan Nasional government has no time for Sabah. He said this was despite the state’s loyalty to the federal government all these years.Lajim, who is Beaufort MP, also indicated his support for the opposition after he had remained quiet over his political leanings since he quit the government, applauding Pakatan Rakyat’s promise to raise oil royalty payments to 20%.
Sabah is rich in oil and contributes some RM22 billion of oil revenue annually but enjoys a mere 5% return in royalty while government allocations to the state, one of the poorest in the country, is said to be comparatively low.
Lajim’s insinuation of support for Pakatan could see BN taking on a united opposition in the Sabah.
In his speech during the 2013 Budget debate in parliament, Lajim said the ruling coalition had failed to bring development in the state.
Compared to the 85% rate of completed paved roads in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah has only 35%. Connectivity is a key issue in the state which is why Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had announced increased allocations for road projects there.
But the former deputy minister, who was among the few other Sabah leaders who recently defected following disillusionment with the Najib administration’s failure to address the problems in Sabah, said none of the promises have been fulfilled so far.
“For 55 years BN have ruled and Sabah had contributed so much to the Malaysian economy since then but still it is one of the poorest state in the country.
“This shows that Sabah and Sarawak are never the government’s priority despite us being the fixed deposit for the ruling coalition. The Sabahan people have been sidelined,” he said.
Other Sabah BN leaders had also admitted recently that more must be done to improve the socio-economic situation in the state but so far none of them have been upfront about who is to be blamed for Sabah’s underdevelopment.
A Merdeka Center survey released on Friday showed that 57% were dissatisfied with the state’s economic performance and only 56% of Sabah voters were satisfied with the state government, a 6% drop from 62% in November 2009.
The report also showed a significant drop in the state’s chief minister Musa Aman’s rating.
From 60% in November 2009, it dropped to to 45% in September. The decline was most marked among Muslim-Bumiputera voters who are the backbone of the state’s Umno support, with a drop from 72% in November 2009 to 51% last month.
Analysts believe the recent defections in the state will alter the state’s and the national political landscape there, suggesting BN will face some hurdles in its stronghold in the upcoming polls.
French lawyer: No Scorpene trial in France
The lawyer said two 'independent judges' started investigating after a complaint filed by Suaram. (Bernama) - A prominent French government prosecutor has denied reports circulating among some Malaysian online news portals of an ongoing trial in France, on allegations of corruption by a French company over the purchase of two French-made Scorpene submarines by Malaysia in 2002.
Yves Charpenel said the media in Malaysia should be able to distinguish between rumours and facts, and between investigations and a trial.
“I am aware about all the fuss kicked up by certain media (organisations) in Malaysia over this matter but what I can say is that this is nothing more than a trial by the media,” he told Bernama here today.
Charpenel, who was a former head of prosecution in France and now a state prosecutor and an executive member of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA), was here to attend the four-day IAACA conference and general meeting which ended yesterday.
Following a complaint filed in 2009 by Suaram, a Malaysian human rights non-governmental organisation (NGO), that a French company had allegedly paid bribes to a Malaysian firm for the submarine deal, he revealed that two independent “investigating judges” started their investigations earlier this year.
Charpenel said that in France, as in other countries practising the rule of law, all investigations were done in absolute secret.
He said, it was anybody’s right to file a complaint and due to the secret nature of the investigations, some resorted to complaining to the media.
He explained that for specific cases in France, the Justice Ministry would ask an independent judge, called an “investigating judge”, to investigate.
“He is just an investigator. This is an old system that started from the Napolean era. If the investigating judge wants someone to come to Malaysia, he has to ask from your government because we have what is called the Treaty of Mutual Legal Assistance. And the Malaysian government can say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. It has to be decided by the Malaysian authorities.
“A French investigating judge cannot take his luggage, take a plane and go to Malaysia and ask someone to answer his questions. It is impossible, it is against the French law and it is also against international law,” stressed Charpenel.
In April this year, local opposition politicians here had even called for Malaysian officials to testify in Paris or risk being ostracised in the European Union.
“A trial is a trial with all the rules. Investigation is another thing,” said Charpenel of the misinformation generated by certain news portals over allegations that a trial was already underway.
Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also said over the weekend that the Auditor-General had declared the Scorpene deal was done in accordance with legal procedures.
China, Pakistan, Destabilizing India's Northeast?
An upward spiral in terrorist incidents in India’s northeast has become a growing cause of worry for Indian intelligence agencies, who blame India and Pakistan for fomenting the violence. Five blasts have ripped through different northeastern states in the last two months. In Assam, more than 80 people lost their lives in August due to violent clashes between Muslims and tribal Bodo people.
The unrest triggered a panicked exodus of over 400,000 people, mostly of Mongol stock, from their homes all across the country. Hordes boarded trains in alarm, catapulting the region to global headlines.
Rumors were rife that it was the doing of Islamic extremists in Pakistan. However, India’s premier intelligence agency, the Research & Analysis Wing, has charged that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence is at least partly responsible, conspiring with China to foment trouble. Chinese agencies, according to a new report that received widespread notice recently at a conference of the Director Generals of Police in New Delhi, are using the ISI as a surrogate to bankroll Indian terrorist groups.
“In the mid-1970s, the Chinese were directly involved in creating trouble in the northeast,” Ved Marwah, a former police officer who also served as governor of Manipur and Mizoram, told Mail Today, the newspaper which broke the story. “Later the ISI started building a network. Now what we have is a deadly mix of Chinese motivation and ISI hostility that is supporting insurgent groups. The situation is getting from bad to worse and senior politicians in these states are also linked,” he told the newspaper.
Too often, Indian authorities charge both the Chinese and Pakistanis with meddling in violence-prone areas when the real causes are government neglect, corruption and usurpation of tribal lands by vested interests. The report provides no direct evidence of involvement, such as through captured insurgents or document intercepts. However, in this case the allegation gained credibility by the fact that last year Pakistan’s former ISI Chief Assad Durani made an astonishing admission before the Pakistan Supreme Court by stating that the ISI had indeed been “meddling” with India’s North East.
The proximity of the ISI – particularly well-entrenched in Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Manipur – to Chinese agencies is hardly surprising, intelligence analysts say, as it serves the agenda of both countries quite well.
“The ISI doesn't have to dip into its own meager resources to destabilize India,” a home ministry source who declined to be named told Asia Sentinel. “Beijing is the moneybags here. And it can simultaneously maintain its non-involvement as there is no direct evidence against it,” said the official.
For decades, India’s northeast, comprising the `seven sisters’ (or the seven states) of Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Assam, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland – has been a hotbed of communal strife, ethnic insurgencies and illegal immigration. Since 1980, the region has also been a fertile ground for a Naxalite-Maoist insurgency, an ongoing conflict between Maoist groups (known as Naxalites or Naxals) and the Indian government described by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as "the single biggest internal security challenge ever faced by our country."
According to the BBC, more than 6,000 people have died during the rebels' 20-year fight between 1990 and 2010 in the northeast. Overall, 11,500 people have been victims of insurgency violence since its start in 1980, of which more than half died in the last ten years. The year 2012 has seen 22 civilian deaths so far.
Last year, the Indian police accused the Chinese government of providing sanctuary to leaders of the Naxal movement, and Pakistani ISI of providing financial support. Home Ministry sources acknowledge anonymously that both countries have been leveraging the Naxalites’ disenchantment with the Indian government for not developing the region adequately and failing to provide for its people.
“The insurgents follow a strategy of folk rebellion targeting tribal, police and government workers in what they say is a fight for territorial rights, more employment for neglected agricultural laborers and the poor. Their crusade naturally makes them vulnerable to the nefarious designs of foreign powers,” said a former Maoist rebel.
Security analysts say Pakistan and China are bound by a commonality of interest. They are keen that the North East continue to remain chaotic to thwart Delhi’s ambitions to become a regional heavyweight. “Towards that end, Pakistan’s protracted battle over Kashmir with India, by fomenting terrorist activities through cross-border infiltration, is being bolstered by China,” adds the Maoist.
“As most of the terror strikes in the northeast are carried out by homegrown elements, this serves as a perfect alibi for the ISI,” argued Pradeep Khanna, a Mumbai-based security analyst who is working on a book on the 26/11 attacks. “Infighting is far more deadly and causes more instability than an external attack. Besides, an external attack carries global and diplomatic ramifications.”
Khanna suggests that the Indian government tackle the root of the problem by equipping Indian intelligence agencies, anti-insurgent forces and the troops stationed on the borders with sufficient resources to take on the threat of foreign-backed rebels. “The government must expedite the development of the region which will bring lasting peace and dissuade people from joining or supporting insurgencies in future,” he said.
While China may not be interested in reigniting any large-scale insurgency in India’s northeast, it certainly doesn’t hold back from inciting trouble in an area where it has substantial territorial claims. China continues to occupy 14,600 sq miles of Indian territory annexed during the Sino-Indian War and shows no intention of returning it.
However, China scholars like Dr Rakesh Datta are of the opinion that in the India-Pak-China dynamic, the feasibility of Pakistan being used as a “stooge” by China is far higher. The logic is simple: the possibility of a politically and economically unstable country carrying out operations of such magnitude on a sustained basis with its own meager resources is limited.
“Keeping in view Pakistan’s socio-economic perspective,” Datta wrote in his thesis Beijing, Mind Behind Pak Terrorism, “the country is hard-pressed in terms of economic growth, high inflation, rising debt, increasing poverty, growing unemployment and low literacy. It is, therefore, hard to accept that Pakistan is managing the confrontationist posture against India exclusively, without getting help from outside.”
China and India fought an armed war in 1962. But Beijing has since refrained from launching a frontal attack on its Asian neighbor. However, given India’s geo-strategic primacy and its position as a formidable neighbor and a security threat, Beijing has never failed to maintain a posture as a strategic adversary to its arch rival. Teaming up with Pakistan has further helped it create the synergy to keep India on edge.
STOP THE THEATRICS: M'sia has become CORRUPT TO THE CORE under BN
It was so kind of Prime Minister Najib Razak to contribute RM1 million to the Vienna-based International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA). But to some critics, this move was just to “pull wool over the people’s eyes”.To the critics, corruption must first be mopped up at home. They feel that some local NGOs deserve the money more when they are making serious efforts to rein in corruption in the country.
There is certainly something wrong when a leader blames everyone else and yet does not observe the corrupt behaviour of his own team.
The people’s perception is that there is a mass-scale corruption at all levels in the country. The people cannot anymore be oblivious to the effects of corruption, as its impacts have become obvious on their everyday life.
Corrupt to the core
People are leaving the Barisan coalition and their reason, among others, is that they just cannot tolerate the level of corruption in the government anymore. Their view seems to be that the government of today is corrupt to the core.
This opinion has hurt Barisan most in the past 30 years – right from the day Mahathir Muhamad took over as prime minister.
Corruption is today seen as corroding the country. The people see the abuse of power by leaders more for their personal advantage. This is disconcerting the minds of voters who depend on the integrity of people in a position of authority.
Looking at the Corruption Perceptions Index of 2011, Malaysia ranked number 60 out of 183 countries with a score of 4.3/10 (hovering at 4 to 5 in the past 10 years).
The country’s one time partner – Singapore that left Malaysia in 1965 – was ranked number 5 with a score of 9.2/10 (hovering at 9 to 9.5 in the past 10 years).
Singapore’s success
Singapore does not make “theology “an overt precept in governance, though. But the administration is based more on the moral foundation of humanity – sturdy principles, integrity, transparency and accountability. This is their recipe for success in bringing down corruption.
The top 10 – the world's least corrupt countries – has remained virtually unchanged for the past 10 years with Finland, Iceland and New Zealand tied for the lead, followed closely by Denmark, Singapore and Sweden.
Malaysia on the other hand seems to be evasive when it comes to taking efforts to appraise the degree of control they have on corruption such as the Transparency Index, the Open Budget Index, Financial Secrecy Index and their Bribe Payers’ Index.
The people are totally blurry on the country’s indexes on Global Competitiveness, Judicial Independence, Human Development, the Rule of Law, Press Freedom, Accountability and the Election Processes.
The government-controlled media and Barisan politicians have failed to sincerely appraise these crucial realms for people’s consumption. What the people merely hear are political rhetoric, dubious statistics given by politicians and all these being spun by the media to sound that “all is well” with the country.
They are leaving Barisan
George Washington said in 1789, “It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favours”.
Those “fearing God” feel that corruption is a plague to the people. Uninhibited corruption which has not abated but increased – in their opinion – is fermenting their hatred for the government. This is one of the many reasons why many former government servants, artistes, academicians, students are today giving their support to PAS and the Opposition.
Even the non-Muslims have no qualms whatsoever about supporting PAS. The simple reason is that they are against corruption. They too have the view that a God-fearing government can help rein in corruption better in the country.
The fervour for religion is becoming more important in the psyche of many Malaysians today. DAP and PKR are not religion-based parties but they are allies to PAS and share the common views that there must be social justice for the people and that corruption is immoral and can destabilise the nation.
When leaders are corrupt the people tend to resort to more religious awareness. The voters are not oblivious to the fact that corruption affects the poorest the most.
“Untouchables”
In fact all elements of society are affected in some way as corruption undermines political development, democracy, economic development, the environment, people’s health, education and so forth.
As in the old sayings, "Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it". Being too long in power breeds complacency and corruption. The powerful, wealthy leaders who have been serving long in government could inevitably become corrupt.
Many can be seen living a debauched lifestyle when the poor are getting poorer.
Some have their wealth and interests conveniently stashed overseas and become the “untouchables” in their own country because of their strong political connection.
Corruption is going to cause a decline in morals, affecting both the rich upper classes and the poor, and this is becoming a continuous threat to the country. Corruption is going to cost of defending the country spiral out of control, the economy falling, taxation heavy and inflation high. These will be the symptoms for early bankruptcy for the country.
The majority of the rich are not sharing their “inconceivable” wealth and prosperity with the have-nots in the country and this is widening the gap between the poor and the rich, especially in states like Sarawak and Sabah.
Not perceived as “clean”
Corruption started to rear its ugly head right during Mahathir’s days as prime minister. His infamous description that corruption is “a lubricant that can get things done faster” must have been the wrong dose he prescribed that has made corruption opportunely “acceptable”.
Abdullah Badawi who took over as prime minister from Mahathir in 2003 could not do much in battling corruption just because this immoral habit had already become ingrained in the Malaysian culture. And today Najib is too weak to steer the country out of this baggage.
The present government and its leaders are not perceived as “clean” either when it comes to corruption. It has become an unceasing baggage that has affected almost all those in power.
Thus corruption apparently has become a way of life in the Malaysian society. People are dealing with societies where corruption filters into their everyday life. This culture no doubt is corroding the nation.
A change of government
A change of government may not be the ultimate solution to some voters but many feel that this is the only viable way to stop the menace of corruption from continuing unabated. It’s never too late though to have a new government in the two-party system the country now has.
Corruption is both a major cause and a result of poverty in most countries with unscrupulous leadership. It occurs at all levels of society, from local and national governments, civil society, judiciary functions, businesses, military and other services and so forth.
It is not only in the government that corruption is found. It’s now pervading the society in most countries with poor and ineffective leadership.
Negotiated tenders, for instance, can create conditions whereby corruption can flourish and aggravate the conditions of people. It habitually involves diversion of a percentage of funds from critical projects into the pockets of political parties, politicians, senior government officials or their families.
But the media and haughty politicians would irresponsibly stop effective participation and representation of people in society such as the NGOs from voicing out their displeasures and this has further helped encourage corruption and the collapse of nations.
Corrupt government
Those who are leaving Barisan among them are those who do not believe in the credibility, integrity, professionalism and independence of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
It was mentioned in a recently released report by Swiss-based NGO Bruno Manser Fund, that the Taib (Sarawak Chief Minister) family's total assets to be worth US$21 billion (RM64 billion), with a personal wealth of US$15 billion (RM46 billion), making him Malaysia’s richest man.
The people only want to know the truth but as reported, Najib was trying to be evasive about the whole thing.
The people also want to know the truth about other prominent leaders and those in high positions in the administration who are perceived to be highly corrupted. But unfortunately, the present incumbent government lacks the political will to face the bull by its horns.
Corruption will destroy the nation
It looks like corruption is not getting much better and, indeed, is intensifying – affecting virtually every aspect of life among peoples in the country.
They perceive that corruption is taking on a host of different forms. It involves the police and judicial systems, including disputed enforcement of business contracts and other commercial litigation.
A leader must show his abhorrence of corruption by example not just by telling others to stay away from this evil when the government he leads is amassed with alleged corruption.
A corrupt nation usually has an extremely weak institutional setting and this is due to political parties and their leaders holding on to power for too long causing smugness to set in.
The droves of people leaving Barisan to be with PAS and the Opposition today is clear sign that they want to see a change in government to curb corruption – the thorn in the flesh – that is corroding the nation.
Mahatma Gandhi said: "Be the change you want to see in the world."
Malaysia Chronicle
'Utusan lied about church ticking off Penang CM'
Lutheran Evangelical Church bishop Solomon Rajah and former Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM) president Thomas Philips (right) said their words had been taken out of context in the report headlined ‘Church is not a place for politics’.They have demanded a retraction of the report published in the Sunday edition, Mingguan Malaysia, and a public apology from the Umno-owned Utusan in its next edition.
At a press conference today, at which CCM secretary general Hermen Shastri was present, the two explained that the reporter concerned had only contacted them for their general views on “the church and politics”.
“It was never a reaction or response to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s dialogue with pastors in Penang,” said Solomon.
“Never was I aware that I would be misquoted (or that what I said would be) misconstrued. I never knew that my views would be used to serve Utusan’s own purpose and agenda. This is sad.”
Solomon, who sees himself as an ardent supporter of Lim, stressed that he would not have consented to the interview had he known that Utusan would misquote him.
Among others, the Mingguan report had quoted Solomon as saying "I'm sure (Lim) knows that the church need not be urged to stand up for justice for political purposes.”
‘Reporter should apologise, too’
Philips said the report “is a complete lie” that has jeopardised his reputation, insisting that his actual views had not been reported.
“It is an act of defamation. I am shocked and outraged by the journalist’s lack of competency,” he said.
“What I said was not what was reported, and stands against everything I personally believe in. I would like the reporter herself to apologise for this inaccurate and misleading report.”
However, both said they are not interested in pursuing legal action.
Philips said they just wanted to point out that Utusan “is lying”, explaining that he does not think the church “has time to go into legal action”.
Echoing him, Solomon said it would be enough for the daily to apologise.
“I’m not taking any legal action. I don’t have time for this because I have other things to do,” he added.
Corruption: The more things change… — Qiu Yaofeng
OCT 8 — The deputy prime minister said at the weekend that Malaysia’s gains in the Corruption Barometer (CB) over the previous two years showed Putrajaya’s fight against graft was paying off.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin noted that 49 per cent of Malaysians polled in 2011 by Transparency International (TI) thought that the government’s efforts to stamp out corruption were “effective”, up from 28 per cent in 2009.
But the Umno No. 2 conveniently forgot to mention that the proportion of those who responded positively rose by only one percentage point from 2010 to 2011.
So even if the poll were accepted at face value, this suggests Barisan Nasional’s (BN) anti-graft campaign has hit a brick wall, at least as far as the voting public is concerned.
But what is even more underwhelming is the fact that getting 49 per cent of the respondents to say the government has made the right moves is actually not an improvement at all.
That’s because in 2006 that proportion was almost the same at 45 per cent. The year after that, it was markedly higher — 53 per cent.
Only 2009’s outlier result of 28 per cent makes it seem as though Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration has made great strides in tackling graft. But really, we’ve just been spinning our wheels.
Hardly something for BN to crow about, especially this close to elections.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin noted that 49 per cent of Malaysians polled in 2011 by Transparency International (TI) thought that the government’s efforts to stamp out corruption were “effective”, up from 28 per cent in 2009.
But the Umno No. 2 conveniently forgot to mention that the proportion of those who responded positively rose by only one percentage point from 2010 to 2011.
So even if the poll were accepted at face value, this suggests Barisan Nasional’s (BN) anti-graft campaign has hit a brick wall, at least as far as the voting public is concerned.
But what is even more underwhelming is the fact that getting 49 per cent of the respondents to say the government has made the right moves is actually not an improvement at all.
That’s because in 2006 that proportion was almost the same at 45 per cent. The year after that, it was markedly higher — 53 per cent.
Only 2009’s outlier result of 28 per cent makes it seem as though Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration has made great strides in tackling graft. But really, we’ve just been spinning our wheels.
Hardly something for BN to crow about, especially this close to elections.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.
Court of Appeal dismisses application by transsexual for MyKad change
The Sun Daily
by Tan Yi Liang
by Tan Yi Liang
As published in The Sun Daily on 5 Oct 2012
PUTRAJAYA
(Oct 5, 2012): The Court of Appeal today dismissed without costs an
application by Miss C, a 35-year old transsexual to review a High Court
decision rejecting her application to have her gender changed from male
to female on her MyKad.
In
delivering the unanimous decision of the three member bench, quorum
chairman Justice Datuk Abdul Wahab Patail said Malaysian medical reports
were needed to support the Malaysian application.
"Although
the applicant brought medical reports from Hong Kong and Thailand, the
application for a sex change is for Malaysia. Therefore, medical reports
from a local expert is needed," said Abdul Wahab, who also said the
court has the jurisdiction to hear and decide on this matter.
The reports referred to are medical and psychiatric reports.
Abdul
Wahab added that certain factors have to be considered, such as the
medical and psychiatric evidence, and society's recognition of the
person's gender.
The other two members of the bench are Justices Datuk Syed Ahmad Helmy Syed Ahmad and Datuk Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahim.
Miss
C, who underwent gender reassignment surgery in Thailand in Dec 2006
had filed an application with the Taiping High Court in 2010 to have the
particulars in her MyKad changed from male to female.
However
in January 2011, Judicial Commissioner Ridwan Ibrahim ruled that the
court had no jurisdiction over such matters, adding that the court was
of the view that there were no laws empowering it to make decisions on
this matter.
At
a press conference outside the courtroom today, counsel for Miss C,
Canning assemblyman Wong Kah Woh said the decision by the three-man
bench that the court has the jurisdiction to hear and decide on Miss C's
application made it a landmark case.
"Any lower court will be bound by the decision of this court and will have the jurisdiction to hear such matters," said Wong.
Wong,
who is acting pro-bono for Miss C, said his client had filed the
application in the Taiping High Court on the recommendation of the
National Registration Department (NRD).
"There
was a letter from the NRD saying that they do not have the power to
change the gender on the MyKad. The NRD said my client had to go to
court, and furnish them with a court order," said Wong.
The NRD was represented by Senior Federal Counsel Noor Hisham Ismail.
Banks Urged To Go Easy On CTOS, CCRIS Flagging To Help The Young Buy Houses
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 (Bernama) -- Banking institutions were today urged to be flexible to the young whose names are listed on Credit Tip-Off Sdn Bhd (CTOS) and Central Credit Reference Information System (CCRIS) to enable them to get housing loans.
Datuk Idris Haron (BN-Tangga Batu) suggested that the CTOS and CCRIS conditions should not be imposed on them.
"They might have made a wrong move in managing their finances at the outset, as a result their names are listed in CTOS and CCRIS and they are facing problems to secure housing loans. So, I propose the Finance Ministry and banks be flexible with them," he said.
Idris, who is also Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB) chairman, said in this manner it would not affect the opportunity of the young to invest in a home.
"A house is an immobile property, not mobile property like a car or a motorcycle. It can also be used as collateral. So, if the applicant runs away, the bank can auction the house to recover the amount it lost," he said when debating the 2013 Supply Bill in the Dewan Rakyat.
Furthermore, Idris also suggested that the government introduce a ceiling price to high end housing projects specifically in urban areas to control house prices and prevent speculation on property.
Idris also suggested that the real property gains tax period imposed be raised to 10 years from five to avoid resale of property in a short period of time.
The Dewan sits again Tuesday.
Datuk Idris Haron (BN-Tangga Batu) suggested that the CTOS and CCRIS conditions should not be imposed on them.
"They might have made a wrong move in managing their finances at the outset, as a result their names are listed in CTOS and CCRIS and they are facing problems to secure housing loans. So, I propose the Finance Ministry and banks be flexible with them," he said.
Idris, who is also Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB) chairman, said in this manner it would not affect the opportunity of the young to invest in a home.
"A house is an immobile property, not mobile property like a car or a motorcycle. It can also be used as collateral. So, if the applicant runs away, the bank can auction the house to recover the amount it lost," he said when debating the 2013 Supply Bill in the Dewan Rakyat.
Furthermore, Idris also suggested that the government introduce a ceiling price to high end housing projects specifically in urban areas to control house prices and prevent speculation on property.
Idris also suggested that the real property gains tax period imposed be raised to 10 years from five to avoid resale of property in a short period of time.
The Dewan sits again Tuesday.
Monday, 8 October 2012
Hindu and Buddhist consolidation have registered their grievance and anxiety in UN Protest Rally in NY.
US Buddhist and Hindu Organisations have successfully organized Protest Rally over Ethnic cleansing in Bangladesh.
Base-reports and Pics received from Sitangshu Guha, NY, dated 06-10-2012 :: Nearly 20 different Hindu-Buddhist-Rights Groups in USA have registered their strong protest over Islamic atrocities upon the Bangladeshi Minorities in front of United Nations Head Quarter in New York on 5th Oct. 2012. The BHBCUC (Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council -USA), NABC (North American Buddhist Community), Bangladesh Hindu Mandir New York, Sarbojanin Puja Udjapon Parishad – INC., Bangladesh Puja Samity – NY, American Jumma Council -NY and other rights group vehemently condemned the recent Islamic plunder in Ramu, Patia and Ukhiya Buddhist monasteries, Hindu temples and over peace loving minority Hindu-Buddhist people in Cox’s Bazar and Chattagram areas in Bangladesh. In their long demonstration, the protesters all over USA gathered in the UN HQ to demand the safety and security of the minorities of Bangladesh now under a severe persecution of various Islamist factions as if getting a permission of the reluctant Bangladesh authorities.
Condemning a covered militarization, ethnic cleansing, treating minorities as a second class citizen, state support for Islamization of Bangladesh and humiliation on minority citizens of Bangladesh with all other related issues, the congregation demanded a strong law enforcement for the protection of minority Hindu-Buddhist-Christian-Others in Bangladesh.
The demonstration also demanded a hard punishments to the perpetrators of Ramu-Patia-Ukhiya devastations.
Condemning a covered militarization, ethnic cleansing, treating minorities as a second class citizen, state support for Islamization of Bangladesh and humiliation on minority citizens of Bangladesh with all other related issues, the congregation demanded a strong law enforcement for the protection of minority Hindu-Buddhist-Christian-Others in Bangladesh.The demonstration also demanded a hard punishments to the perpetrators of Ramu-Patia-Ukhiya devastations.
A liar Pakistan wants to wash its dirty linen with an Islamic soap.
Police, Hindu community give contradicting statements over minority persecution.KARACHI: The police and representatives of the Hindu community gave contradicting statements over the issue of minority persecution in Pakistan during a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Human Rights held on Friday.
During the meeting presided over by Committee Chairman Riaz Fatyana, the police maintained that minorities in Pakistan get equal rights and there was no Hindu migration from Sindh, while representatives from the Hindu community thought otherwise.
Additional Inspector-General (AIG) Falak Khursheed said, “Pakistan is a country where every citizen reserves the right to live his life the way he wants. Minorities especially Hindus girls are never pressurised to accept Islam or to convert their religion.”
He said that only three families had migrated to India while 200-300 other people had gone for a pilgrimage to their holy places this year.
On the other hand, minority MNA Dr Araish Kumar from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa said that the AIG was misguiding the committee by presenting wrong figures. He said that around 12 cases of forced conversions were reported in Tando Allahyar in past one month, while 7,000 Hindus had migrated to India in the past three years.
Mangla Sharma from Pakistan Hindu Council said that over 0.1 million Hindus from Sindh have migrated to India. She reiterated that the government has avoided providing 5% quota of jobs at government departments to minorities.
After a long discussion, the committee recommended that district-level special cells, with representatives from police, home department, civil society and Hindu community, be established to protect minority rights.
The committee further advised the Sindh government to lodge cases under the “Anti Terrorism Act” against
The officials of the law department were also directed to prepare a draft on Hindu Personal Law with the input on Hindu community leaders.
Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid (PML-Q) MNA Dr Attiya Inayatullah, Chairman Pakistan Sikh Council Sardar Ramesh Singh and officials of law and home departments also expressed their views on the issue during the meeting. [eCourtesy: The Express Tribune, Pakistan].
Afghan cleric offer $300k bounty on Anti-Islam filmmaker
An Afghan religious cleric announced $300,000 bounty to kill the producer of the American film which insulted prophet Muhammad.
This is the first time Afghan religious clerics jointly announce bounty in a bid to defend insulting the Islamic values.
Anti-Islam film sparked deadly protest across the Muslim countries and the producer of the film was widely criticized for desecrating the Islamic values.
A number of Afghan religious students, clerics and members of the civil society following a demonstration urged to arrest and try the producer of the Anti-Islam film.
Mir Farooq Hussainy a religious cleric in western Herat province of Afghanistan vowed to offer bounty for killing the producer of the Anti-Islam film.
He said the bounty will be collected from the local traders and investors of western Herat province.
Mr. Hussainy also said they are going to pay $100,000 for anyone who is going to kill the cartoonist that insulted prophet Muhammad.
In the meantime several members of the provincial clerics council and tribal elders condemned the making of Anti-Islam film and urged local residents to maintain unity.
Anti-Islam film “Innocence of Muslims” was produced by an American-Jewish film maker which insults Prophet Muhammad.
The protesters blamed US and Israel governments for the making of the film and urged the two nations to take strict actions in order to arrest the maker of the movie.
Meanwhile recent reports suggest the maker of the movie was arrested by the US government however there is no news regarding his fate.
Brothers jailed for 32 years for pimping out young girls to curry house workers
- Mubarek and Ahdel Ali sentenced for grooming teenage girls for sex
- Pimped them out to staff at Shropshire restaurant for £150
- Ahdel Ali handed 18 year prison sentence and brother Mubarek got 14 years jail
- Both denied a total of 24 charges, including controlling child prostitution and trafficking
Two brothers have been jailed for a raft of sexual offences including pimping out young girls to workers at a curry house for £150 sex sessions.
Ahdel Ali, 24, was sentenced to 18 years in prison, while his 29-year-old brother Mubarek was handed a 14-year-term by Judge Patrick Thomas QC at Worcester Crown Court.
Sentenced: Mubarek Ali, 29, left, and Ahdel Ali,
24, right, have been jailed for 32 years for pimping out young girls to
curry house workers
The Ali brothers, both of Regent Street, Wellington, denied a total of 24 offences, including controlling child prostitution, people trafficking and sexual exploitation.
Ahdel Ali, known as Eddie, was also accused of rape and sexual activity with a child.
The abuse was committed against four girls between March 2008 and December 2009.
Mubarek Ali denied four counts of controlling child prostitution, two of trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation, and one of causing child prostitution between March 2008 and December 2009.
His brother denied three charges of controlling child prostitution, 11 of sexual activity with a child, two of inciting child prostitution, one of meeting a child following sexual grooming, one of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and a count of rape alleged to have been committed between June and September 2008.
'We are satisfied with the sentences handed down at court today and are pleased these two men will now serve significant custodial sentences,' West Mercia Police detective chief inspector Neil Jamieson said.
Ahdel Ali and Mubarek Ali targeted these girls because of their vulnerability and then systematically groomed them in such a way that eventually they could exploit them sexually for their own gain and gratification.'
Sentencing: The pair were sentenced to a
combined 32 years in jail at by Judge Patrick Thomas QC at Worcester
Crown Court, pictured
I would like to pay tribute to the strength and character shown by all of the victims who came and gave evidence,' he said. 'It has been very challenging for these young women to come forward and give their evidence and I hope that these convictions will go some way to help them move on with their future lives.
I would also like to thank my team of dedicated officers and staff who worked very hard to bring these men to justice.'
During the trial, Stafford Crown Court heard the pair groomed two teenage girls for sex before persuading them to work as prostitutes for them four years ago.
One of the victims, now aged 19, told the court she and her friend were driven to the Dhaka Tandoori restaurant in Wellington, Telford, Shropshire, after hours.
The woman, giving evidence behind a screen, told the court: 'Two of the men took my friend into a bedroom. It was after the restaurant was closed and there were three men in rooms upstairs.'
She said she went into one room where she found her friend having sex with one of the men. Another man asked her to have sex, she said, but she refused and instead performed a sex act on him.
She told the court: 'I felt I had to do it. I didn’t want to do it.'
When the girls left the restaurant they found the Ali brothers taking drugs and drinking in their car, the jury heard.
The girl told the court: 'They were just laughing. They thought it was funny because we had to do it and they got money for it.'
Earlier the court heard the girl met the brothers when she was 15. She said that they befriended her but when she turned 16 she was forced to have sex with men up to four times a week.
Scorpene purchase followed legal procedures
All must accept the Auditor-General's official report, says the defence minister.
BAGAN DATOH: Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Auditor-General has already explained that the purchase of Scorpene submarines was made according to legal procedures and his official report must be accepted by all quarters.
In response to the opposition’s plan to bring in a French lawyer, William Bourdon, to brief the Malaysian lawmakers on court proceedings in France on the purchase of the submarines, Ahmad Zahid hoped no quarters would twist the existing facts on the matter.
He was also of the opinion that the lawyer was invited to Malaysia by the opposition merely with political motive and not so much for legal business.
Ahmad Zahid said this to reporters after opening the Sekolah Agama Rakyat Al-Ulum Al Tarbiah’s Sports Day in Kampung Tanah Lalang here today.
The purchase of the submarines should be seen from the aspects of an offset programme, training, and performance assurance for certain period of time, he said, adding that it was really an old issue brought up to create public anger and confusion.
On the request for the government to pay a monthly allowance of RM500 to army veteran who served during the emergency era, Ahmad Zahid said it was up to the prime minister to decide according to the government’s financial ability.
“It is quite difficult for the government to meet the request, but we have to be grateful that during the tabling of Budget 2013 the government had announced the one-off payment of RM1,000 for the army veterans as a token of appreciation for their contribution during the emergency era,” he added.
- Bernama
BAGAN DATOH: Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Auditor-General has already explained that the purchase of Scorpene submarines was made according to legal procedures and his official report must be accepted by all quarters.In response to the opposition’s plan to bring in a French lawyer, William Bourdon, to brief the Malaysian lawmakers on court proceedings in France on the purchase of the submarines, Ahmad Zahid hoped no quarters would twist the existing facts on the matter.
He was also of the opinion that the lawyer was invited to Malaysia by the opposition merely with political motive and not so much for legal business.
Ahmad Zahid said this to reporters after opening the Sekolah Agama Rakyat Al-Ulum Al Tarbiah’s Sports Day in Kampung Tanah Lalang here today.
The purchase of the submarines should be seen from the aspects of an offset programme, training, and performance assurance for certain period of time, he said, adding that it was really an old issue brought up to create public anger and confusion.
On the request for the government to pay a monthly allowance of RM500 to army veteran who served during the emergency era, Ahmad Zahid said it was up to the prime minister to decide according to the government’s financial ability.
“It is quite difficult for the government to meet the request, but we have to be grateful that during the tabling of Budget 2013 the government had announced the one-off payment of RM1,000 for the army veterans as a token of appreciation for their contribution during the emergency era,” he added.
- Bernama
Polis, jangan masuk campur urusan politik
PSM buat laporan polis terhadap anggota polis yang menyebarkan dakyah.
PETALING JAYA: Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) membuat laporan polis terhadap seorang pegawai polis Bukit Aman pagi tadi.
Menurut Setiausaha Agung PSM, S Arutchelvan, pegawai berkenaan Karunanithi dan seorang lagi pegawai polis telah menyampaikan satu taklimat kepada ibu bapa dan pelajar di Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan (Tamil) Semenyih.
Tambah beliau, para pegawai berkenaan memfitnah PSM dengan dakwaan bahawa parti itu mempunyai hubungan dengan Parti Komunis Malaysia dan sedang berusaha menyebarkan fahaman komunisme.
Aktiviti PSM didakwa berada dalam kawalan polis.
Gambar enam aktivis PSM yang ditahan di bawah Ordinan Darurat pada tahun lepas didakwa turut digunakan semasa taklimat tersebut.
Dalam laporan polis tersebut Arutchelvan menjelaskan bahawa tuduhan memerangi Yang Di Pertuan Agong terhadap enam aktivis PSM telah digugurkan.
`Perhimpunan Bersih’
Malah keenam-enam aktivis tersebut telah menyaman Ketua Polis Negara dan 80 anggota polis lain kerana penahanan tidak sah.
“Mereka juga menasihatkan para ibu bapa dan pelajar agar tidak menyertai perhimpunan Gabungan Piilihanraya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih) kerana aktiviti yang dijalankan tidak berguna dan menyusahkan rakyat,” kata Arutchelvan dalam laporan tersebut.
Berikutan itu, PSM menggesa pihak polis agar menumpukan perhatian terhadap usaha pengurangan jenayah.
“Polis tidak boleh melibatkan diri dalam politik. Mereka sepatutnya menumpukan perhatian terhadap usaha pengurangan jenayah
“Sepatutnya mereka bertindak secara profesional dan tidak membenarkan diri mereka dipergunakan untuk propaganda negatif,” kata Arutchelvan setelah membuat laporan polis terhadap anggota polis yang menyebarkan dakyah terhadap partinya.
PETALING JAYA: Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) membuat laporan polis terhadap seorang pegawai polis Bukit Aman pagi tadi.
Menurut Setiausaha Agung PSM, S Arutchelvan, pegawai berkenaan Karunanithi dan seorang lagi pegawai polis telah menyampaikan satu taklimat kepada ibu bapa dan pelajar di Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan (Tamil) Semenyih.
Tambah beliau, para pegawai berkenaan memfitnah PSM dengan dakwaan bahawa parti itu mempunyai hubungan dengan Parti Komunis Malaysia dan sedang berusaha menyebarkan fahaman komunisme.
Aktiviti PSM didakwa berada dalam kawalan polis.
Gambar enam aktivis PSM yang ditahan di bawah Ordinan Darurat pada tahun lepas didakwa turut digunakan semasa taklimat tersebut.
Dalam laporan polis tersebut Arutchelvan menjelaskan bahawa tuduhan memerangi Yang Di Pertuan Agong terhadap enam aktivis PSM telah digugurkan.
`Perhimpunan Bersih’
Malah keenam-enam aktivis tersebut telah menyaman Ketua Polis Negara dan 80 anggota polis lain kerana penahanan tidak sah.
“Mereka juga menasihatkan para ibu bapa dan pelajar agar tidak menyertai perhimpunan Gabungan Piilihanraya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih) kerana aktiviti yang dijalankan tidak berguna dan menyusahkan rakyat,” kata Arutchelvan dalam laporan tersebut.
Berikutan itu, PSM menggesa pihak polis agar menumpukan perhatian terhadap usaha pengurangan jenayah.
“Polis tidak boleh melibatkan diri dalam politik. Mereka sepatutnya menumpukan perhatian terhadap usaha pengurangan jenayah
“Sepatutnya mereka bertindak secara profesional dan tidak membenarkan diri mereka dipergunakan untuk propaganda negatif,” kata Arutchelvan setelah membuat laporan polis terhadap anggota polis yang menyebarkan dakyah terhadap partinya.
Assaulted DAP man receives ‘threat’ calls
Taman Murni DAP branch chairman, A Thirumalvalavan received two calls that threaten to injure him.
PETALING JAYA: A DAP member who alleged that he was assaulted by gangsters in a party meet last week has received calls from unknown people who want to assault him.
“I received the first phone call at 10.23pm from an unknown Indian man. The caller wanted to kick, beat and chop me up.
“I also received another threatening call, this time from a private number about 26 minutes later,” said Taman Murni DAP branch chairman, A Thirumalvalavan in his police report.
The police report was lodged a short while later at Sepang district police headquarters in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi.
He claimed that the threatening calls were made as a result of his allegations that DAP has gangsters within the party fold.
“The man threatened me because I spoke to the media on Friday,” said Thirumalvalavan.
On Friday, he and another party member R Selvan alleged that they were assaulted by gangsters when they attempted to give a memorandum that also included allegations of gangsterism within the party.
Both Thirumalvalavan and Selvan along with Pantai Putra Sepang branch secretary Rashid Md Gani also questioned the DAP secretary-general, Lim Guan Eng and Selangor DAP chief, Teresa Kok for ignoring the issue even though both Lim and Kok had witnessed the incident on Monday.
PETALING JAYA: A DAP member who alleged that he was assaulted by gangsters in a party meet last week has received calls from unknown people who want to assault him.“I received the first phone call at 10.23pm from an unknown Indian man. The caller wanted to kick, beat and chop me up.
“I also received another threatening call, this time from a private number about 26 minutes later,” said Taman Murni DAP branch chairman, A Thirumalvalavan in his police report.
The police report was lodged a short while later at Sepang district police headquarters in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi.
He claimed that the threatening calls were made as a result of his allegations that DAP has gangsters within the party fold.
“The man threatened me because I spoke to the media on Friday,” said Thirumalvalavan.
On Friday, he and another party member R Selvan alleged that they were assaulted by gangsters when they attempted to give a memorandum that also included allegations of gangsterism within the party.
Both Thirumalvalavan and Selvan along with Pantai Putra Sepang branch secretary Rashid Md Gani also questioned the DAP secretary-general, Lim Guan Eng and Selangor DAP chief, Teresa Kok for ignoring the issue even though both Lim and Kok had witnessed the incident on Monday.
Helping the poor can get you into trouble
PSM’s Jeyakumar was a thorn in BN’s side even before he became an MP.
INTERVIEW
KUALA LUMPUR: Even before he got into mainstream politics, Dr Michael Jeyakumar was such an irritant to the government that it once tried to put him out of circulation by offering him a scholarship to pursue any course of his choice overseas.
That was in 1998, a year before DAP fielded him as an election candidate in Sungai Siput.
He told FMT the scholarship offer was just one of several attempts to get him out of Perak, where he had been relentlessly fighting for social justice for the poor since his undergraduate days in the late 1970s.
He was also offered the job of heading the medical department of a government hospital in Pahang. He turned down that offer too.
But he has paid a heavy price for his activism. The government once stopped paying his salary as a doctor and referred him to a disciplinary committee. That was when he decided to play an active role in politics, eventually joining Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).
The soft-spoken MP said he opened his eyes to the plight of the poor in 1977 when, while pursuing his medical degree at Universiti Malaya, he participated in a community service project in a rubber estate in Sungai Siput.
He soon joined an NGO called Alaigal, which worked with estate and urban pioneer communities, and has since continued with his social activism and community service.
“Actually I’m not the kind of person who is very keen on politics,” he said, “but involvement with squatters and estate workers motivated me to do good for people as an elected representative.”
In 1999, he offered himself to DAP as its candidate for the Buntong state seat, but the party preferred to place another candidate there and told him to contest in Sungai Siput instead. He lost to the then formidable S Samy Vellu.
He lost again in 2004, but became the giant killer in March 2008. In both elections, he contested under the PKR ticket. (PSM was registered only in August 2008.)
He has maintained his service centre in Sungai Siput since the 1999 election while continuing to run his private clinic in Ipoh.
The 57-year-old politician acknowledged that he could not allocate enough money for activities in his constituency, but he believes he still has support among voters because they want an honest and dedicated politician to represent them.
Anti-capitalism
He described PSM as “a lightweight party within Pakatan Rakyat” but said it had an important role to play in the alliance by virtue of its anti-capitalist stand.
“Other parties within Pakatan are in favour of capitalism, but PSM has always been firm in our stand that socio-economic problems in the country are mainly due to our market oriented economy.”
Dr Jeyakumar said the main issues in Sungai Siput were unemployment, landlessness and the displacement of estate workers, with youths being forced to seek work as far away as Singapore.
“SMIs operating within the industrial zone in Sungai Siput prefer to employ foreigners,” he said. “They claim that it is cheaper to employ Nepalis and Bangladeshis, besides their being much easier to control than locals.”
He said unemployment forced people to remain as squatters and resulted in various social problems.
Dr Jeyakumar reckons that there are about 700 squatter families in Sungai Siput, 300 of them living on government land and the rest on private land.
“We have managed to stop the forced eviction of these families, but our effort to secure land titles for them is not getting much support from the land office and local council,” he lamented.
He said so far only two squatter settlements had received a positive response to their application for alternative land. “But it will cost each family at least RM50,000 to relocate and build a new house.”
He said even the Orang Asli Department was not supporting land applications for members of the aboriginal community, who make up 7% of Sungai Siput voters.
Dr Jeyakumar’s service centre deals with about 30 cases a week. Most of these, he said without elaborating, were welfare cases.
Speaking about the 13th general election, he said PSM was likely to field candidates in Sungai Siput, the Perak state seat of Jelapang and the Selangor state seats of Semenyih and Kota Damansara, just like in 2008.
Punishing Samy
He attributed his 2008 victory to the determination of Indian voters to see the defeat of BN. He said Sungai Siput voters decided to punish Samy Vellu for what they saw as his arrogant response to Hindraf’s 2007 rally.
For the coming election, he believes that voters will also consider local issues.
“I can’t give much money to support their programmes, but I believe they value my service not only in Sungai Siput but also in Parliament,” he said.
According to his analysis, Indian support for BN prior to 2007 was between 70% and 80%, but in 2008 less than 40% voted for Samy Vellu.
He believes that the various government announcements about projects for the Indian community have helped BN to regain some support. Perhaps up to 50% of Indians would vote for BN this time around, he said.
He added that some Indians were not happy that Pakatan and their representatives had not done enough for the betterment of the community.
He said the Chinese and Malays in his constituency had not complained much about his performance, but he acknowledge that he needed more time to tackle several issues affecting them and other communities, particularly the questions of landlessness and a lack of employment opportunities.
Referring to the Orang Asli voters, he said only 1% supported him when he contested as a DAP candidate.
“It improved to 4% in 2004 and then 10% in 2008, when I contested under PKR.”
INTERVIEW
KUALA LUMPUR: Even before he got into mainstream politics, Dr Michael Jeyakumar was such an irritant to the government that it once tried to put him out of circulation by offering him a scholarship to pursue any course of his choice overseas.That was in 1998, a year before DAP fielded him as an election candidate in Sungai Siput.
He told FMT the scholarship offer was just one of several attempts to get him out of Perak, where he had been relentlessly fighting for social justice for the poor since his undergraduate days in the late 1970s.
He was also offered the job of heading the medical department of a government hospital in Pahang. He turned down that offer too.
But he has paid a heavy price for his activism. The government once stopped paying his salary as a doctor and referred him to a disciplinary committee. That was when he decided to play an active role in politics, eventually joining Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).
The soft-spoken MP said he opened his eyes to the plight of the poor in 1977 when, while pursuing his medical degree at Universiti Malaya, he participated in a community service project in a rubber estate in Sungai Siput.
He soon joined an NGO called Alaigal, which worked with estate and urban pioneer communities, and has since continued with his social activism and community service.
“Actually I’m not the kind of person who is very keen on politics,” he said, “but involvement with squatters and estate workers motivated me to do good for people as an elected representative.”
In 1999, he offered himself to DAP as its candidate for the Buntong state seat, but the party preferred to place another candidate there and told him to contest in Sungai Siput instead. He lost to the then formidable S Samy Vellu.
He lost again in 2004, but became the giant killer in March 2008. In both elections, he contested under the PKR ticket. (PSM was registered only in August 2008.)
He has maintained his service centre in Sungai Siput since the 1999 election while continuing to run his private clinic in Ipoh.
The 57-year-old politician acknowledged that he could not allocate enough money for activities in his constituency, but he believes he still has support among voters because they want an honest and dedicated politician to represent them.
Anti-capitalism
He described PSM as “a lightweight party within Pakatan Rakyat” but said it had an important role to play in the alliance by virtue of its anti-capitalist stand.
“Other parties within Pakatan are in favour of capitalism, but PSM has always been firm in our stand that socio-economic problems in the country are mainly due to our market oriented economy.”
Dr Jeyakumar said the main issues in Sungai Siput were unemployment, landlessness and the displacement of estate workers, with youths being forced to seek work as far away as Singapore.
“SMIs operating within the industrial zone in Sungai Siput prefer to employ foreigners,” he said. “They claim that it is cheaper to employ Nepalis and Bangladeshis, besides their being much easier to control than locals.”
He said unemployment forced people to remain as squatters and resulted in various social problems.
Dr Jeyakumar reckons that there are about 700 squatter families in Sungai Siput, 300 of them living on government land and the rest on private land.
“We have managed to stop the forced eviction of these families, but our effort to secure land titles for them is not getting much support from the land office and local council,” he lamented.
He said so far only two squatter settlements had received a positive response to their application for alternative land. “But it will cost each family at least RM50,000 to relocate and build a new house.”
He said even the Orang Asli Department was not supporting land applications for members of the aboriginal community, who make up 7% of Sungai Siput voters.
Dr Jeyakumar’s service centre deals with about 30 cases a week. Most of these, he said without elaborating, were welfare cases.
Speaking about the 13th general election, he said PSM was likely to field candidates in Sungai Siput, the Perak state seat of Jelapang and the Selangor state seats of Semenyih and Kota Damansara, just like in 2008.
Punishing Samy
He attributed his 2008 victory to the determination of Indian voters to see the defeat of BN. He said Sungai Siput voters decided to punish Samy Vellu for what they saw as his arrogant response to Hindraf’s 2007 rally.
For the coming election, he believes that voters will also consider local issues.
“I can’t give much money to support their programmes, but I believe they value my service not only in Sungai Siput but also in Parliament,” he said.
According to his analysis, Indian support for BN prior to 2007 was between 70% and 80%, but in 2008 less than 40% voted for Samy Vellu.
He believes that the various government announcements about projects for the Indian community have helped BN to regain some support. Perhaps up to 50% of Indians would vote for BN this time around, he said.
He added that some Indians were not happy that Pakatan and their representatives had not done enough for the betterment of the community.
He said the Chinese and Malays in his constituency had not complained much about his performance, but he acknowledge that he needed more time to tackle several issues affecting them and other communities, particularly the questions of landlessness and a lack of employment opportunities.
Referring to the Orang Asli voters, he said only 1% supported him when he contested as a DAP candidate.
“It improved to 4% in 2004 and then 10% in 2008, when I contested under PKR.”
Stubborn Umno ‘killing’ race relations
Umno's refusal to adapt to the changing socio-political setting in the country is its own doom.
COMMENT
The Malaysian people have already shown that they no longer accept the Umno solution.
The coming together of various races during Bersih 3.0 earlier this year sent shivers along the spine of the Umno leadership unless of course they misread or simply refused to read the signals sent by the tens and thousands of participants who voluntarily rallied.
Umno’s approach to ‘unity’ is something like the Nazi final solution. It thinks it can achieve national unity by pitting one race against one another.
Today the Chinese, tomorrow the Indians and later all other non-Malay Malaysians.
Eventually, it will apply the same gas-chambering treatment to the Malays who dared challenge and reject Umno.
The Malays who are opposed and reject Umno are classed as either not having sufficient Malayness or apostates. The majority of us reject this fascism.
The socio-political setting in the country has changed but Umno refuses to adapt.
And those who don’t adapt will perish.
As a DAP member, I am also ready to concede that in the long run, DAP will lose its wider relevance if it also refuses to adapt to the new social setting.
The new social setting demands recognition that despite being of different races, heterogeneity does not prevent the sharing of universal and common values.
Different races value the same freedom and economic justice.
Being of different races does not preclude sharing similar ideas about equality or sharing the same idea about a common future.
You think the right thinking Malay is unmoved to see Umno abuse the Malay definition?
The ordinary Malay finds it reprehensible when Umno exploits the Malay name to enrich the elite and selected few among the Malays.
Vilifying the Chinese
Umno commits the fatal mistake of thinking it can justify almost everything by using the Malay name.
Look at the general vilification on Malaysian Chinese who are now more readily associated with DAP.
Let me ask you, who is the closest Malaysian Chinese to the Prime Minister these days?
It’s a Malaysian Chinese who just secured a RM1 billion contract to do the Ampang LRT extension works.
In that sense, the Umno president is selling out the Malays.
It is certain now that Najib had interceded on behalf of George Kent to award the Ampang LRT extension project to a Malaysian Chinese.
The company failed the technical and financial pre-qualification requirements but for Najib’s intercession, got the project anyway.
Mind you, this is the same Malaysian Chinese who was rumoured to have brokered the contract for the double tracking project for China Harbors.
Additionally, this same Malaysian Chinese was rumoured to have asked US$500 million from the Chinese government allegedly for the benefit of Najib.
‘Tanda Putera’
Umno’s direct or indirect support and endorsement to the film Tanda Putera must also be condemned as an attempt by a desperate government to drive a wedge in between the races of Malaysia.
Umno’s ‘black hand’ must be condemned as a highly irresponsible act of a government that claims it’s committed to democracy and a united Malaysia when in reality its interest is to maintain divisons within this country by playing of one anti-Umno/BN group against the other.
Is that how one proves one’s Malayness? That is the way of an imbecile.
Now, isn’t it the Malay leadership that is responsible for havoc visited upon the ordinary Malay?
The writer is a former Umno state assemblyman but joined DAP earlier this year. He is a FMT columnist.
COMMENT
The Malaysian people have already shown that they no longer accept the Umno solution.The coming together of various races during Bersih 3.0 earlier this year sent shivers along the spine of the Umno leadership unless of course they misread or simply refused to read the signals sent by the tens and thousands of participants who voluntarily rallied.
Umno’s approach to ‘unity’ is something like the Nazi final solution. It thinks it can achieve national unity by pitting one race against one another.
Today the Chinese, tomorrow the Indians and later all other non-Malay Malaysians.
Eventually, it will apply the same gas-chambering treatment to the Malays who dared challenge and reject Umno.
The Malays who are opposed and reject Umno are classed as either not having sufficient Malayness or apostates. The majority of us reject this fascism.
The socio-political setting in the country has changed but Umno refuses to adapt.
And those who don’t adapt will perish.
As a DAP member, I am also ready to concede that in the long run, DAP will lose its wider relevance if it also refuses to adapt to the new social setting.
The new social setting demands recognition that despite being of different races, heterogeneity does not prevent the sharing of universal and common values.
Different races value the same freedom and economic justice.
Being of different races does not preclude sharing similar ideas about equality or sharing the same idea about a common future.
You think the right thinking Malay is unmoved to see Umno abuse the Malay definition?
The ordinary Malay finds it reprehensible when Umno exploits the Malay name to enrich the elite and selected few among the Malays.
Vilifying the Chinese
Umno commits the fatal mistake of thinking it can justify almost everything by using the Malay name.
Look at the general vilification on Malaysian Chinese who are now more readily associated with DAP.
Let me ask you, who is the closest Malaysian Chinese to the Prime Minister these days?
It’s a Malaysian Chinese who just secured a RM1 billion contract to do the Ampang LRT extension works.
In that sense, the Umno president is selling out the Malays.
It is certain now that Najib had interceded on behalf of George Kent to award the Ampang LRT extension project to a Malaysian Chinese.
The company failed the technical and financial pre-qualification requirements but for Najib’s intercession, got the project anyway.
Mind you, this is the same Malaysian Chinese who was rumoured to have brokered the contract for the double tracking project for China Harbors.
Additionally, this same Malaysian Chinese was rumoured to have asked US$500 million from the Chinese government allegedly for the benefit of Najib.
‘Tanda Putera’
Umno’s direct or indirect support and endorsement to the film Tanda Putera must also be condemned as an attempt by a desperate government to drive a wedge in between the races of Malaysia.
Umno’s ‘black hand’ must be condemned as a highly irresponsible act of a government that claims it’s committed to democracy and a united Malaysia when in reality its interest is to maintain divisons within this country by playing of one anti-Umno/BN group against the other.
Is that how one proves one’s Malayness? That is the way of an imbecile.
Now, isn’t it the Malay leadership that is responsible for havoc visited upon the ordinary Malay?
The writer is a former Umno state assemblyman but joined DAP earlier this year. He is a FMT columnist.
A tough battle in Lembah Pantai
SHOWDOWN:
Barisan Nasional is going all out to wrest the hottest urban seat in
Kuala Lumpur back from the opposition, which it won by a narrow margin
in the 2008 general election, writes Carisma KapoorLEMBAH Pantai, a constituency in Kuala Lumpur held by Parti Keadilan Rakyat's vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, is considered one of the hot seats in the next general election. Barisan Nasional will be fighting hard to win it back. In the 2008 general election, Nurul defeated BN's Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, who had held the seat since 1995, by a relatively narrow margin of 2,895 votes.
Nurul, a first-time elected representative, is expected to defend the constituency with some 56,000 voters, and will likely face Lembah Pantai Umno chief and Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin.
In a recent report, Raja Nong Chik conveyed his intention to contest the Lembah Pantai seat if he was among the candidates selected by BN.
Asked whether it would be a challenge to face Nurul, he said it would be but only because she was an incumbent member of parliament.
As someone who had grown up in the area, Raja Nong Chik, however, welcomed the challenge.
"I am confident of winning the seat based on my service record and relationships established over the past 25 years in the area, starting from my early days as an Umno Youth member," he said.
His years of involvement in the local politics and issues of Lembah Pantai had helped him to understand better the needs of residents.
"I'm contesting so that I can serve the people, not for other interests. I walk the talk, unlike the opposition which criticises and walks away without offering any solutions," he said, adding that even though he was not selected as a candidate in the 2004 general election, he had continued serving the Lembah Pantai residents.
Raja Nong Chik stressed that he had stated several times that the only seat he would like to contest was Lembah Pantai. This, despite being cautioned by some that the seat was "not safe for a minister".
Raja Nong Chik's game plan would include working hard, turun padang (going to the ground), listening to the people's problems, resolving outstanding problems as well as facilitating better living and working conditions for people within and outside Lembah Pantai.
"More importantly, I will try to assist those in the area who have been left behind in developments," he said, referring to the disabled, single mothers, pensioners, traders, low- and medium-cost flat dwellers, the sick and students.
On Nurul's supporters who had spoken out about their preference that she contest in Permatang Pauh, Raja Nong Chik said the suggestion had come about because Nurul had not served her constituency for some time.
"Nurul has only become active recently because the election is coming."
As for BN Lembah Pantai, he said members would fight any opposition candidate and thereafter join their colleagues to help Federal Territories and the rest of the country.
Raja Nong Chik, however, said it was up to the BN leadership to decide on whether to field him.
Nurul claimed that she was not only confident of retaining the Lembah Pantai seat but was also certain that the opposition would take control of Putrajaya.
She said the Election Commission had yet to implement the suggestions by the opposition and their allies for a free and fair election.
Nonetheless, Nurul said, the opposition would continue to participate in the election, highlight abuses and work towards getting at least 75 per cent voter turnout.
Nurul said "phantom busters" had been trained by the opposition to use cameraphones to take note of suspicious voters for legal action.
"We are advocating for international observers to view our electoral process."
On her efforts to "win over" voters in the area, Nurul said apart from relating to the people, she represented their voices in a "new culture of politics", where issues and not individuals drove legislation.
Responding to supporters who had preferred her to contest in Permatang Pauh, a seat held by her father, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the 32-year-old said she would obey her party even though she had indicated that she would like to remain with her supporters in Lembah Pantai. -- (NST)
Muhyiddin Supporters can't wait for the PM's exit.
Muhyiddin Yassin's
supporters have finally come out to stake the claim for their chief as
the next PM of Malaysia, and it is not really surprising as so many
things have gone weirdly wrong with Najib's running of the country, the
party, and most of all the elections campaign, that most of the people
in the BN seem to be sure that with Najib at the helm the BN will suffer
an agonising and humiliating defeat when he calls for elections this
time around.To Muhyiddin, and in fact the majority at UMNO, Najib has and is taking the party in the wrong direction, he has not asserted his authority sufficiently to maim the opposition, to them he does not have enough, "fire in the belly" to win the elections they way his predecessors did.
Najib's deputy has scarce respect for him, he has displayed that time and again by deliberately contradicting so many directives of Najib's, as one observer noticed, "the other so called "heavyweights" in UMNO - Nazri, Rais Yatim, Khairy, and even the likes of Sharizat seem to be leaning towards Muhyiddin almost to say that there is this general feel in UMNO that Najib has to go."
Many in UMNO see Najib today as excess baggage and they want him out, he is causing too much discontent amongst the Malays they in Johor claim, they are worried that the Pakatan Rakyat is fast gaining a foothold in some major parts of Johor and many within the inner circles have conceded that this time around they may lose Negeri Sembilan and Trengganu too.
Instead of building on UMNO's strengths, he has opted to go all out to win back Penang, Selangor and Perak which they managed to snatch back and this is being done to the detriment of Negeri and Johor says the UMNO leadership in both these states. The battle in these states are as good as lost, the UMNO grassroots will tell you this there is no way they are going to take it back especially Selangor, Penang, Perak Kelantan and kedah and to make matters worse Trengganu has been confirmed as going the other direction this time around.
One UMNO division leader in Johor is openly asking for Najib's ouster as he thinks if they wait till after the elections it may be too late and if the BN loses this elections it will never recover from it in the near future.
He says, "there is so much to reveal about the inner workings of UMNO that the next generations of Malays will not want to trust them anymore, and when Pakatan wins they will reveal all, that is how serious the situation is," notice his choice of words, "when Pakatan wins" is that an accepted fact in Johor?
Go to Parit Sulong in Johor and see what the UMNO people are saying, there is scant regard for both Najib and Mahathir, there they say - " Mahahtir must shut up and get out, and Najib must learn how to keep his house in order, if he can't how can he be the leader," now that sentiment is seems to be spreading in Muar too, if you have the opportunity talk to the Malays there.
As one Malay observer in Muar put it, "in those days the Malays never openly took sides, the listened quietly and gave their support, there was hardly a whisper, today they are not quiet anymore they are not even whispering, they are shouting on top of their voices, 'we're fed up!!!' we have been betrayed for so long and this party has not only betrayed us they have stolen from us and other Malaysians, we'd rather vote the DAP."
The Malays led by UMNO have long not trusted the DAP. UMNO successfully branded the DAP a Chinese chauvinistic Party, but the DAP went on building it's image, from the Rahim Tamby Chik case, to it's MP Ahmad Noor, and its exposure of all the UMNO corruption more and more Malays feel they have a better alternatives in the DAP than UMNO and the BN.
The general feeling down south is, those who still do not trust the DAP there are other alternatives - PKR and the PAS and the Malays are taking it and whilst this BN government is now really worried about this Malay vote many feel that they will lose more with Najib at the helm, whether this a Muhysiddin strategy or a fact is better known within UMNO as each faction will tell you.
With Sabah in shambles, with Sarawak who delivered during the last elections and on whose strength the government was formed - only to land up with a few meager inconspicuous ministerial positions the dynamics have changed, the East Malaysians want a leader from their midst, all parties this time around have to make that offering they must see one of their people capturing Putrajaya - becoming the PM of Malaysia and the demand is, " he is not to be from UMNO."
The Dayaks and the Kadazans will tell you that and this time around they mean business, but UMNO can't afford to give them that, because that will be political suicide for the UMNO leadership. To Pakatan Rakyat that is easy, it is no problem, and PAS and DAP will point to the fact that Anwar readily became their choice for a leader without any infighting.
Right in January this year this blog spoke of the rift and Muhyiddin's behind the scene strategies to wrest power from Najib. "Live by the gun die by the gun," so the saying goes, Mahahthir removed Hussein Onn that way, Najib removed Abdullah and now his deputy is doing the same, it seems to be becoming the UMNO culture, however, has Muhyiddin got the clout to do it.
Muhyiddin has made no secret about his intentions, for every major strategy that Najib has put in place he - Muhyiddin has had a spanner in the works, he is Malay first and Malaysian next. Remember?
All his acts of public sabotage was to show the whole world that he is not a deputy to Najib, he is deputy to the chair and the chair only, that is the seat of the PM, "Najib is not after all, an elected PM, he is a PM by default and that counts for nothing," that is what he confided with one of his close aides. Each time he came out defiantly not to toe the line like he did in the 1 Malaysia campaign Najib just stepped aside and did not confront him.
The youth in the Muhyiddin camp boasts of one staunch supporter who they say, thinks she is Najib's closest and dearest supporter. According to those in the Muhyiddin camp there is little they have to do, she does all the work and does it magnificently, one supporter even told this blog, "she goes for her Botox every Thursday, is she has a change her face ever so often." That is good enough to ruin Najib without ruining UMNO, but Najib they say "lacks strategy, he lacks foresight he is a poor leader and he must give up, cukup lah!!! cukup!!!! thy say and laugh wryly.
Najib has enough enemies within UMNO he does not really know his friends, what we are told is that Hishamuddin Hussein Onn the Minister of home affairs and his cousin is the only one he can trust but that too is of little use as this less intelligent minister only puts him into more trouble each time he opens his mouth.
Talking about less intelligent ministers he has Rais too in his camp, Rais the man who was supposed to have "Burnt" his bridges when he joined Semangat 46, so he has to prove now that he is faithful to the cause - but now, which cause? Najib's or Muhyiddin's?
Many in BN including Mahahtir Mohammed feel that the longer Najib waits the worse their chances of winning better, they are confident of winning after all if the elections commission seems to be in your pocket who wouldn't be?
Najb and Rosmah have the least confidence in themselves, UMNO and the BN as a whole, so the attitude seems to be whilst we've got it we best make the good use of it, and there is no doubting that.
One close Najib aide says he is doing everything in his power to win, if he does not then it is all God's will and that is what is irking the Muhyiddin camp they feel Najib is giving it up too easily and that with him at the helm that is exactly what will happen.
They the Muhyiddin camp is willing to go on an all out assault on Najib to do this, they are demanding he does it, expose Najib and the Mahathir cronies within, look like the man who will save the country and throw Najib out before he calls for the next elections. They feel that is his only way out for UMNO and them.
Muhyiddin however feels time is not ripe, "he does not have the courage to" says an UMNO man, "they are all involved neck deep, one can't take on the other, they'll all die. the only way is for some of them to take responsibility and become the fall guys, not one of them but some of them, and that some is not too little, I'll tell you."
The Najib camp has decided to leave it to fate, now the irony of the whole thing is, PAS says, "God's will is that BN loses."
When however they have not said as it is all "God's will."
Consider this Muhyiddin has the support of Johor UMNO, the Negeri Sembilan divisions are almost completely pro Muhyiddin, then you have the Trengganu, and Kelantan divisions, so why is he not taking on Najib?
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