N Gobalakrishnan goes on "mobile ceramah", gets critical reception

Rock Terror Attack on Children's Bus in Samaria

The rock, in Ahikam's hand

By Gil Ronen

No one was hurt. Attack took place near the place where Adelle Biton was gravely hurt.

Arabs carried out a rock terror ambush against a bus carrying children to school in Samaria Tuesday morning. No one was hurt.

The attack took place on the Nahal Kana road, between Revava and Yakir. The bus was driving down a major road, not far from where a toddler, Adelle Biton, suffered grave wounds in a rock ambush five weeks ago.

Adelle is still in grave condition at the Intensive Care Unit of Schneider Children's Hospital.

The head of the Samaria Regional Authority, Gershon Mesika, reacted with rage to the attack and demanded that the Prime Minister and Defense Minister act to stop the what he termed as the "rock terror."

"Despite the determined speeches by the Prime Minister and the bellicose declarations by the heads of the defense establishment, the policy on the ground has not changed, and the chaos on the roads continues," he said.

The terrorism on the roads is a direct result of the "limp policy and lack of determination in the face of "a fully fledged terror campaign organized by the Palestinian Authority," he accused.

"When rocks are thrown at children who being driven to school – the IDF is supposed to take immediate counter-action," he said.

A vote for BN is a vote for blueprint, says Hindraf

Hindraf leaders at its third national convention on Sunday called on its members to support the ruling coalition, resolving that “a vote for the BN is really a vote for the blueprint”.

During the event, Hindraf national adviser N Ganesan blamed critics of the new pact with BN as trying to divert from the “true significance” of the event, and urged his members to “stop Pakatan from getting anywhere near Putrajaya”.

According to Hindraf’s statement, its chairperson P Waythamoorthy reminded that Hindraf’s activities were not meant to support any party’s election chances.

“We did not do it to make any individual a prime minister or a deputy  prime minister or to make any particular political party go to Putrajaya or to the state assemblies.

“We are an organisation committed to promoting and protecting the interests and rights of our members only,” Waythamoorthy was quoted saying.

However Hindraf vice-chair W Sambulingam contradicted his chief in urging Hindraf members to work hard to keep BN in power.

“You and all the people in your districts are voting for the future of your children. That future is here at hand.

“We have just to get BN re-elected to realise the new deal promised in the blueprint,” he was reported as saying.
On April 18 BN chief Najib Razak agreed on Hindraf’s MOU to address four out of its six areas of concern that was original contained in their blueprint.

Hindraf had attempted to get Pakatan Rakyat to endorse its blueprint in full, complaining that the opposition was not doing enough to help the community.
Its members were upset when DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang DAP unveiled a 14-point ‘Gelang Patah Declaration' aimed at alleviating the socio-economic status of the Indians, accusing Lim of “plagiarising” their blueprint.

Exclusive rights to Hindraf name
Yet apart from the new deal with Najib not being the blueprint per se but a MOU that has left out two key Hindraf issues, racism and death in custody, the full details of the deal have also not been made public.

Among those shocked at the sudden about turn from calling BN “long gone” and denying that a pact with BN was in the cards, was Waythamoorthy’s brother and Hindraf founder P Uthayakumar, now head of the splinter group Human Rights Party.
Uthayakumar (right) scorned his brother's move saying the latter was aiming to be the "next Samy Vellu", former MIC chief.
Waythamoorthy slammed his critics, saying, “Selfish politicians are instigating Hindraf members to continue in a warlike mode.”

Claiming exclusivity for the Hindraf brand name, he warned other Hindraf splinter leaders, “They do not belong to Hindraf any more. They do not represent Hindraf.

“They will be committing a criminal act if they pose as representatives of Hindraf.

“Hindraf is a legally instituted organisation now, and not an informal grouping any more.
"If they say they represent Hindraf, and they really do not, they are committing a criminal act and Hindraf will take action on them,” said Waythamoorthy.

Dr M: Pakatan rule will herald 'failed Islamic state'

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today warned navy personnel not to vote emotionally as having the wrong people rule the country would result in a failed Islamic state.

Speaking to about 2,000 navy personnel at the Lumut naval base, Mahathir said Malaysia is internationally recognised as a successful Islamic state because 60 percent of the population are Muslims.

He said voters have the right to choose, but should not be swayed by emotions or hatred, or they risk electing those who can't run the country.

“If we fail to rule our country properly, it’s for certain that the public as well as the international community will think that Malaysia is another failed Islamic state,” he said.
Disappointment expressed
The former premier expressed his disappointment that of the 50 countries recognised as Islamic states, not one is seen as a developed nation despite being some being rich in oil.

Fortunately, he said, Malaysia is seen as a model of a developing nation in the Islamic world.

Thus, he said the BN government must be given credit for being able to provide peace, justice and development to the country.

However, if the country is not governed properly, the Muslims who run the country will be blamed and this will tarnish the image of Islam, he added.

Mahathir also warned that Muslim Malays will become the minority in this country, just like in Singapore and Thailand, if the community is split due to political differences.

He said that once Muslim Malays are aligned to different political parties, they will be unable to defend their wellbeing from the majority in the country.

"If we unite, our strength is 60 percent in the country as a whole, but if we split, our percentage definitely will split as well, it won't be 60 percent.

"The Malays will become a small party, but under the democratic system it's impossible for a small party to rule the country alone. So they will be forced to ask for help from others," he said, adding that the welfare of Muslims in this country will be jeopardised by the majority.
Identity lost
Citing Singapore and Thailand as examples, Mahathir said that the Malay minority in both countries had lost their identity and culture as they don't know how to speak the Malay language.

"If we don't govern our own race in our own country, trust me, our language, customs and identity will be gone," he stressed.

Hence, he defended the system practiced by BN, saying that the 14 component parties, representing each of the races in the country is to take care of their own community.

"Although the people in our country are different in terms of race, language, culture and political understanding, our country is peaceful and happy.

"This is because the rulers are not greedy. We don't want to grab all the power.

"As our country has different races, we decided to share the power and wealth in the county, that's why we established a political party named Barisan Nasional, formerly known as the Alliance," he said.

When asked what would happen should the opposition win the general election with a two-third majority, Mahathir said maybe they will amend the constitution to the disadvantage of the people.

He claimed that they will implement meritocracy and those who are not good enough will be sidelined.

"They will not get any chance at all. (You) don't hope to be the navy or air force chief or a vice chancellor in a university in Malaysia.

"We are not against meritocracy, but we also consider giving chances to those who are good, but not the best, this is our way," he added.

In GE13, Indian votes remain up for grabs, say analysts

Analysts feel more Indians are likely to vote for BN in this general election compared to 2008. — File picKUALA LUMPUR, April 23 — Malaysia’s significant Indian community remains a key demographic in Election 2013, with analysts saying Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) are in a tight race to get the better part of their nearly one million votes.

More Indians are likely to vote for BN this time compared to 2008, analysts said, with 52 per cent of Indians surveyed in favour of the ruling BN in a private poll taken by the Merdeka Center for Opinion Research before Parliament was dissolved last month.

“BN shouldn’t take the Indian vote for granted though,” Merdeka Center executive director Ibrahim Suffian told The Malaysian Insider, adding the survey was done before BN named controversial Malay rights campaigner Datuk Zulkifli Noordin as its election candidate.

The Malay rights group Perkasa vice-president had courted protest over remarks made in a video clip Ibrahim says BN should not take the Indian vote for granted.that were seen as insulting to the Hindu religion. He has apologised for the remarks, blaming it on his former colleagues in Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak defended Zulkifli’s candidacy for the Shah Alam federal seat, saying yesterday the lawyer had championed Indian issues such as the construction of a Tamil school and a Hindu temple in the mainly middle-class Selangor state capital.

Zulkifli’s candidacy has outraged a number of groups, including Najib’s Umno ally MIC, the Indian party in BN but he remains on the ruling party’s slate for the May 5 general election.

“The opposition Indian parties are weak, and exploitation of Zulkifli’s candidacy has been poor unlike that done by the civil service organisations,” said Ibrahim.

The pollster also noted that BN has worked on various initiatives to get the Indian vote that deserted the coalition in the 2008 general election after a rare protest about their social and economic plight was violently put down.

Several leaders of the protest organisers Hindraf were detained without trial in the aftermath of the 2007 protest. But all have been released and a few are now with BN in Election 2013, including Hindraf leader P. Waythamoorthy who signed a pact with Najib several days ago to improve the community’s conditions.

“BN has been working harder for the Indian vote, unlike Pakatan which has been battling the past few years to get the Malay ground,” said Ibrahim, explaining BN’s slight edge in the survey.

Ambiga says the Indian vote is not guaranteed for either BN or PR in Election 2013.Bersih co-chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, who has toured the country and met a fair number of the community, also said the Indian vote is not guaranteed for either side in Election 2013.

“I don’t think any side should take the Indian vote for granted,” she told The Malaysian Insider when commenting on the Merdeka Center poll results.

“I don’t think the Indians are a fixed deposit. I know Bersih gets a lot of support from the Indians because they are more empowered,” she added, referring to the movement for clean and fair elections by its acronym.

The former Bar Council president also noted the survey was done before Zulkifli was named as a BN candidate and the pact between Hindraf and the ruling coalition.

“Zulkifli is a non-starter with the Indians. By fielding Zulkifli, many Indians feel it shows utter contempt for them as the Indians are the people that get belittled,” Ambiga said.

She also said the conversations she has had with a number of Indians revealed their anger over the pact made by Hindraf’s Waythamoorthy with BN, especially its timing before the polls.

“They are angry with the memorandum of understanding. It went down like a lead balloon,” she said, adding the Indian community felt betrayed by the pact which deviated from what Hindraf set out to do in 2007.

Both coalitions are fielding a number of Indian candidates in Election 2013 in the nearly 60 of the 222 federal seats where the community is a significant minority. Buntong in Perak is the largest Indian-majority state seat, where they make up 48 per cent of the 22,907-strong electorate, followed by the Chinese at 44 per cent and Malays at six per cent.

Indians make up just about 950,000 of the 13.3 million voters eligible to cast their ballots in the May 5 general election.

Hong Kong, France join forces on Scorpene case

Terasasi, the Hong-Kong based firm owned by Abdul Razak, is now in the international spotlight as two countries probe it for kickbacks and money-laundering, says Suaram.
VIDEO INSIDE

PETALING JAYA: French and Hong Kong authorities are working together to expose corruption by Malaysian-owned firm Terasasi, which is involved in the multi-billion purchase of Scorpene submarines.

Human rights NGO Suaram said that a list of those who received kickbacks from Terasasi would be disclosed soon by the French courts.

Terasasi is based in Hong Kong and owned by Abdul Razak Baginda, who was acquitted in 2008 of the murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu.

“No one ever really knew the role Terasasi played, nor that it was owned by Abdul Razak Baginda and his father. Now Hong Kong is working with the court in France to come up with a list of recipients of kickbacks,” Cynthia Gabriel, who is Suaram director, told a packed press conference here today.

“It’s not just kickbacks and bribery, but it also involves money laundering. That is what is being investigated, although we can’t disclose who exactly the investigating authorities are,” she added.

Lawyer Fadiah Nadwa Fikri, meanwhile, said that she believed they would learn of the recipients

within one week.

Fresh from her trip to France with Gabriel, Fadiah revealed that the judges probing the alleged corruption in the Scorpene deal were also keen to investigate the circumstances involving Altantuya’s death.

“Apart from the corruption and scandal [in the Scorpene deal], they are also looking into the [caretaker] Prime Minister [Najib Tun Razak’s] involvement in the murder of Altantuya. So this is going to answer a lot of questions,” she told FMT.

Altantuya, who was Abdul Razak’s lover, was said to have helped the political analyst secure the Scorpene deal with French naval company DCNS.

She was allegedly murdered after demanding millions in payback for her services, according to Abdul Razak’s private investigator, the late P Balasubramaniam.

Balasubramaniam had implicated Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor in the murder in his statutory declaration in 2008, only to reverse his claims a day later before fleeing the country.

But he then told the media that he had made the second statutory declaration under duress, before he died from a heart attack last month.

Balsubramaniam’s lawyer, Americk Singh Sidhu, had then alleged that Cecil Abraham was the senior lawyer behind the drafting of Balasubramaniam’s second statutory declaration.

“So we proffered these two names [Americk and Abraham] to the judges and it has been accepted and we expect them to be called soon to testify,” said Fadiah.

‘Taib is resorting to blackmail, bribery’

Announcement of generous salary increments to local Sarawak community leaders days before the general election has upset the state opposition.
UPDATED

KUCHING: Sarawak opposition fears that the generous salary increases announced by Chief Minister Taib Mahmud could affect the results of the May 5 general election in the state.

Accusing Taib of bribery, Sarawak PKR vice- president See Chee How said: “This is really a corrupt practice committed by Barisan Nasional.

“Such an increase of salaries of community leaders just before the general election can also affect the results of the general election. ”

See said they had lodged a formal complaint regarding the announcement with the Bersih committee in Kuala Lumpur.

Taib had announced yesterday that community leaders will receive a salary increase of between RM400 and RM650 each.

A Temenggong, which is the highest-ranked community leader, will see his salary increased from RM850 to RM1,500 per month, a Pemanca from RM700 to RM1,200 and a Penghulu from RM600 to RM1,000.

Tuai Rumah (longhouse chiefs) and Ketua Kampung (village chief), meanwhile, will have their salary increased from RM450 to RM800.

Taib said that all salary increases would take effect from Jan 1, 2013.

Responding to the announcement, See reminded that Taib had made similar promises prior to the 2006 state polls but failed to keep his word.

Intimidating voters

On a related matter, See, who is the Batu Lintang assemblyman, accused BN campaigners of threatening to terminate the services of community leaders if they were seen supporting the opposition candidates.

“We will stand behind them if they are victimised by the BN government. This was what happened in the last state election.

“We brought the case to court and won a judicial review,” he said.

See said that terminating the services of community leaders on the grounds that they supported the opposition was not a good reason.

“You cannot ask them to support BN. It is their choice.

“It is not only a corrupt practice, but blackmail if you say that you will raise the community leaders’ salaries if they support BN, and terminate their services if they are seen supporting opposition candidates,” he said.

PKR, which is part of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, is contesting in 14 parliamentary seats and is expecting to do well, although BN intelligence has dismissed its enthusiasm as sheer bravado.

The party, together with its coalition partner DAP, is expected to give BN tough fights in 11 constituencies considered to be “hot seats”.

In the 2008 general election, Taib-led BN swept all but one seat – Bandar Kuching – which went to the DAP.

Don’t vote for racism



In another matter, See also said that a vote for BN is a vote for racism as it means supporting the likes of Perkasa’s Ibrahim Ali and Zulkifli Noordin.

“By voting for PBB, SUPP, SPDP, PRS and even BN-friendly parties, you are voting for Umno and Perkasa which are racists,” said See.

He said Umno had nominated Ibrahim in Pasir Mas and Zulkifli in Shah Alam knowing that their were racists and despited by the public.

Ibrahim became an ‘unofficial’ Umno candidate after the actual candidate Che Johan Che Pa failed to file his papers.

See said that Zulkifli had angered the Indian community after he called them ‘keling’ while Ibrahim was noted for his ‘burn the Bible’ call.

See was responding to a statement by caretaker Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak that the Indian community had accepted Zulkifli as a BN candidate.

Najib said that Zulkifli had apologized to the Hindus and had admitted to making a mockery of their religion, but said it was a mistake he made 10 years ago.

“By voting for candidates in Barisan Nasional, we are actually voting for these racists,” See stressed.

Ku Li and the ‘third force’ intrigue

Sabah's Tuaran division PKR chief Ansari Abdullah's rantings on his Facebook have re-opened an old theory of an Umno conspiracy.

KOTA KINABALU: In the war of words between rebel Sabah PKR supreme council member Ansari Abdullah and former Barisan Nasional-Upko MP-turned-defector Wilfred Bumburing, the most intriguing reminder is that the latter is the deputy president of Angkatan Amanah Merdeka (Amanah).

Way back in 2011, Amanah was linked to the rise of a “third force” within Malaysian politics, vis-a-vis Umno.

Amanah was set up by Umno stalwart Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (Ku Li) in 2011.

Amidst a racially divided Malaysia, Razaleigh had called for Umno to return to the party’s original struggles as envisioned by Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Amanah was his platform to “unite” Malaysia by “reaffirming and reigniting a sense of togetherness and true family spirit that prevailed among Malaysians during our struggle for national indepedence”.

Razaleigh’s move to form Amanah further fuelled talks of him having identified independents who would then be fielded in the 13th general election. These would be candidates who were Umno at heart but who “disagreed” with the way the party had morphed under Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Razaleigh, 75, an Umno stalwart and Gua Musang incumbent MP, had once led Semangat 46 after Umno was declared illegal in 1988 following a failed bid to wrest the party presidency from Mahathir. He returned to Umno and laid low until rumours started surfacing in late 2010.

There were all kinds of rumours floating about, including speculation that he had held secret talks with opposition leaders and was eyed as the replacement leader for Anwar Ibrahim in the event Pakatan Rakyat wrested Putrajaya.

There was no hard denials from PAS spiritual head Niz Aziz Nik Mat and PKR de facto leader Anwar. Anwar, when asked, had merely said that “he was not in the know” of such meetings.

If past reports and alliances are any measure, then Razaleigh is well accepted by Pakatan as an alternative leader.

In Sabah, he is a “hero” of sorts, having thrown light on the haunting “Double Six” air tragedy that killed Sabah chief minister Fuad Stephens and his ministers hours after they allegedly disagreed with the terms of the oil agreement on June 6, 1976.

61 ‘independents’

Ansari’s rantings on his Facebook on nomination day have brought the speculations back in focus. In his posting, Ansari demanded to know why Bumburing and men were allocated seats under the PKR banner when they were aligned to Umno’s Razaleigh, via Amanah.

Additionally interesting is the fact that a staggering 61 Umno members had filed their nomination papers on April 20 to contest in the general election as independents.

They are contesting in parliamentary and state seats across the country, raising the possibility that a “pseudo-third force” is available to partner any which side that wins.

In Sabah alone, just under 30 Umno members were sacked for allegedly sabotaging or undermining Umno-BN’s bid to retain Sabah. Sabah and Sarawak are crucial to Umno and BN in its battle to keep Putrajaya.

In the last election, the Musa Aman-led government swept all seats in Sabah, except for one state and one parliamentary seat. A similar feat in Sarawak saved Umno-BN which had lost five states in the 2008 election.

But that comfort is no longer available to Musa and BN chairman Najib Tun Razak.

Sabah, like the rest of the country, is a ticking time bomb that could blow in Umno’s face.

Political blogger MarGeeMar wrote in December last year that Mahathir and Najib were no fools.

He said there is every likelihood that Razaleigh is “in cahoots with Mahathir”.

“How else can you explain Ku Li’s recent statement that he would remain loyal to Umno and help ensure BN remains in power after the next 13th general election? They know the groundswell is tilted against the super corrupt, evil and racist Umno-led BN government.”

He claimed that to turn the tide against Anwar-led Pakatan, Mahathir and Najib had to conspire a plan strong enough to drive a wedge in Pakatan’s foundation.

And who better to use than Razaleigh, who is publicly acceptable.

“As long as the split is good enough for BN to win a simple majority to govern or remain in power, their [Mahathir's] first phase of their agenda is realised.”

It remains to be seen if these so-called independents, and candidates representing NGOs, especially in Sabah, are who they claim to be and represent.

Despite Zul factor, MIC division backs BN

The Shah Alam MIC division will work on the ground for BN, not because of Zulkifli Noordin but for Najib Tun Razak.

PETALING JAYA: Shah Alam MIC division chairman K Suppaiah today pledged to support Barisan Nasional despite Indians being upset over the choice of candidate for the parliament seat, Zukifli Noordin.

“We are working on the ground not for Zulkifli but for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s leadership,” he told FMT.

Suppaiah said that although MIC and other BN-friendly Indian-based parties supported Najib’s administration, the decision to support Zulkifli is still in the hands of the Indian community.

“From the beginning, we (Shah Alam MIC division) tried to avoid Zulkifli from contesting in our constituency. We even sent a letter to the PM’s Office as well as to the MIC national body.

“However, the PM already made his decision and MIC’s top leadership instructed us to support the PM’s choice of candidate,” he added.

He also pointed out that PM personally promised him to build a hall for the Indian community in Shah Alam and to allocate RM1 million for a local temple.

“Thus, we are not concerned about Zulkifli as we have direct access to the Prime Minister’s Office,” he added.

The division chairman also said that he was not surprised that his division vice-chairman had quit from MIC as a sign of protest against Zulkifli’s candidacy.

“It is his own decision which does not reflect the division’s stand,” he added.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Indian Progressive Association (MIPAS) was disappointed with Najib ‘s decision to defend Zulkifli’s candidacy.

Najib had asked the Indian community to forgive the Perkasa leader for insulting the Hindu religion.

MIPAS leader S Barathidasan said a mere apology from Zulkifli would not suffice.

“We want police to investigate Perkasa for causing disharmony, feelings of hostility and hatred among religions,” he added.

Zulkifli, who won the Kulim Bandar Baharu parliamentary seat as a PKR candidate in 2008, became a BN-friendly independent in 2010 after he was sacked from the party for criticising Pakatan Rakyat leaders.

This time around, Zulkifli would stand as a BN direct candidate against incumbent Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad of PAS, with whom he had a much publicised feud over the use of the word “Allah” by non-Muslims.

Shah Alam is an urban parliament constituency comprise with 100,076 voters where 69.9% are Malays following Chinese and Indians are 14.9% and 14.2% respectively.

Hindraf MOU with BN a quantum leap for Malaysian Indians

Wong Mun Chee

It is fascinating the amount of articles that has surfaced, condemning the move in a typical Goebbels mindset.

Practically all these articles talks about Waytha and the typical personal accusation, just another hate mongering method exercised by or for those interested parties.

I am pretty sure that HINDRAF would have expected this as they appear to be very cool and collected about it to show their maturity that speaks volume for the grassroots movement that they represent.

HINDRAF is aware of the summer soldiers and sunshine patriots who occasionally arise but rather take a nonchalant attitude about it because they will never bring real change for the people that they represent, like what HINDRAF had done.

None of those articles talks about the issues at stake and how they were able to coerce BN to agree, at least in principle, but merely an unsubstantiated assumption to feed into their frustration for their own needs.

Whether BN is going to honor it or not is a secondary question, but PR wouldn’t even bother to look at it.

Nobody has fought so hard for the Malaysian Indians like HINDRAF had and that is a fact. We can write as much as we want under the ministry of falsehood, feel disappointed with the direction taken by HINDRAF but nevertheless the hard truth is that they have brought forward national issues involving the Malaysian Indians unlike anyone else, without any precedent.

For those detractors who continue to write on personal character assassination, dumbfounded logic without any tangible evidence, please carry one because most fools can criticize and condemn because there is no fool so great a fool as a purported knowing fool for the aforesaid reasons. Did you know that false knowledge is more dangerous than ignorance?

I think HINDRAF has mastered that with knowledge as wisdom plays a bigger role for the community; opting for the issues that concerns the alienated community. Who else would come forward to acknowledge and address such paramount issues?

Another five (5) years in the doldrums for the Malaysian Indians if BN does not honor it is not going to change anything but at least they took the liberty to come forward and engage them and that is something that needs to be recognized, unlike PR, who had all the opportunity yet squandered it for their own selfish reasons.

I am sure I am going to get our typical heroes and heroines whacking me on this. Sure enough those are your prerogatives, but let me ask you an honest question, are you honest to yourself or do you need to be honest for the community and their issues?

When I say honesty, don’t run me the Goebbels theory for the political divide, what it should be and how it should, but rather something tangible to make a difference for the community in honesty for their well being rather our keyboard based artificial altruism.

It is like what Confucious says, “When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps” I think HINDRAF is on the right path

Think about it.

Thank you

PSM-Hadi imbroglio: Damage has been done

Mat Taib, Tamrin gesa 61 ahli Umno yang dipecat sokong Pakatan

Bekas Menteri Besar Selangor Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib menyeru ahli Umno yang dipecat supaya menyokong pembangkang pada pilihan raya ini. – Foto oleh Choo Choy MayKUALA LUMPUR, 23 April — Dua bekas pemimpin Umno Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib dan Tamrin Ghafar menggesa 61 ahli Umno yang bertanding sebagai calon bebas untuk menyokong pembangkang dalam pilihan raya 5 Mei.

Kedua-duanya, sekarang merupakan ahli PAS, mendakwa penyingkiran 61 orang itu daripada senarai Pilihan Raya 2013 Umno mencerminkan budaya naungan parti Melayu itu masih kuat walaupun cuba untuk memprojekkan imej reformis.

“Kami diyakinkan tiada masa depan dalam Umno. Dengan corak dan pendekatan politik sedia ada. Umno ketinggalan dari ombak perubahan negara dan global.

“Langkah 61 orang ahli Umno untuk bertanding sebagai calon bebas membuktikan ini. Kami yakin kamu adalah sebahagian dari mereka yang berani mengatakan tidak kepada kepimpinan tertinggi Umno,” kata kedua-dua pemimpin itu dalam satu kenyataan bersama.

Muhammad, bekas menteri besar Selangor dari 1987 hingga 1997, hadir ke sidang akhbar itu sebentar dan kemudian meninggalkannya tanpa bercakap kepada pemberita disebabkan terdapat urusan yang tidak dapat dielakkan.

Tamrin yang membacakan kenyataan di ibu pejabat PAS di sini mendakwa angka besar tidak dijangka melawan parti dengan bertanding sebagai calon bebas menunjukkan kemarahan meluas dalam parti itu.

Anak kepada bekas timbalan perdana menteri itu mendakwa pergolakkan dalam parti Melayu tunjang Barisan Nasional (BN) itu akan melemahkan kempen gabungan itu dalam pilihan raya umum ke-13.

"Di atas nama ‘calon boleh menang" semuanya boleh dilakukan. Mereka yang tidak layak, bermasalah dan mempunyai kepentingan semuanya dipilih kerana kepentingan sesetengah kem atau fraksi," katanya.

Semalam lembaga disiplin Umno mengumumkan pemecatan 61 orang ahli kerana mensabotaj parti menjelang pilihan raya 5 Mei.

Di antara yang berada dalam senarai adalah Naib Ketua Wanita Umno Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim dan bekas ahli majlis tertinggi Datuk Seri Shariff Omar yang mencalonkan diri mereka sebagai calon bebas di kerusi Parlimen Kuala Kangsar dan Tasek Gelugor.

Tamrin mengatakan pemecatan Kamilia dari Umno adalah mengejutkan akan tetapi tidak memeranjatkan oleh kerana beliau mengkritik kepimpinan parti semasa skandal "lembu" yang melibatkan Ketua Wanita Umno Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil heboh.

"Beliau adalah naib ketua Wanita tetapi tidak dicalonkan. Mengapa? Kerana beliau kritikal kepada kepimpinan parti di mana ianya memang patut dilakukan," katanya.

Bekas ahli Parlimen dari Melaka itu mendakwa, seorang bekas ahli majlis tertinggi Umno telah memberitahunya, mereka yang dipecat semalam mungkin akan menyertai PAS dan akan menyokong pembangkang pada 5 Mei.

"Bekas ahli majlis tertinggi Umno memberitahu saya mood tidak baik sama sekali."

Semalam, PAS mengumumkan keahlian Muhammad dalam langkah yang dilihat meningkatkan peluang PR untuk mempertahankan Selangor pada pilihan raya akan datang.

India's anti-rape law judge JS Verma dies

 

Justice Verma criticised the way India is governed and said the public had been failed

 

One of India's top judges and former chief justice JS Verma has died near the capital, Delhi, aged 80.

Mr Verma died of liver failure and abdominal problems at a hospital in the suburb of Gurgaon late on Monday.

He recently headed a government-appointed panel to recommend legal reform and other ways to reduce sexual violence after the fatal gang rape of a student in Delhi in December.

Mr Verma was India's 27th chief justice and served from 1997 to 1998.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described Mr Verma as a "man of vast understanding and knowledge of law" and said he would miss his "generous advice and guidance on matters of public importance".

Justice Verma's three-member panel to beef up anti-rape laws received 80,000 recommendations, held wide consultations and referred to laws and research from around the world.
'Face of judicial activism'

Its report, submitted to the government in January, paved the way for India's tough new anti-rape laws containing harsher punishment for rapists.

As a top judge he was known for his landmark rulings, including one relating to sexual harassment.

Mr Verma also headed India's National Human Rights Commission, during which he travelled to the western state of Gujarat, where Hindu-Muslim riots left over 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, dead.

Riots erupted after 60 Hindu pilgrims died in a train fire in 2002 and Muslims were blamed for starting the blaze.

The Indian Express newspaper called Mr Verma the "face of judicial activism" in India, saying that he was associated with "many verdicts, campaigns and events".

"He was a colossus among judges. He set very high standards of integrity, which he never digressed from and never permitted anyone else to digress from," former judge Mukul Mudgal wrote in the newspaper.

Mr Verma is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Zul’s shallow apology — Kunjuraman Karuppan

APRIL 22 — Does Datuk Zulkifli Noordin think his shallow apology to the Indians helps his cause in Shah Alam?

Does the Perkasa vice-president standing on a Barisan Nasional (BN) ticket think he can blame the Pakatan Rakyat for his congenital racism?

How does he imagine all this will help him go against Khalid Samad in Shah Alam and win “101 per cent” in the May 5 general election?

Khalid was the one MP who stood side by side with the Indian community after the cow-head protest in Shah Alam even when it was not the politically smart thing to do.

What did Umno do? They got the cow-head protesters to pose for pictures with their vice-president after explaining the protest against a Hindu temple in Shah Alam.

So, who’s the one hell-bent on demolishing or preventing Hindu temples from coming up in Shah Alam?

Zulkifli Noordin’s candidacy is an insult to 1 Malaysia, particularly the Indian community.

This man has the audacity to blame his former colleagues for insulting Indians but won’t take responsibility for it himself. What a character, what a “transformative candidate”.

Put him where he belongs, in the garbage bin of history.

* Kunjuraman Karuppan reads The Malaysian Insider.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

GE13 Crucial To Determine Sabah, Malaysia's Destiny - Najib

BONGAWAN, April 23 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has described the coming general election as "not like any election" because it would determine the destiny of Sabah, as well as Malaysia.

Therefore, he said, it was vital for the people to ensure a big win for Barisan Nasional (BN) in the May 5 general election to enable the coalition to form a strong and stable government.

"Whether we want a peaceful, prosperous and independent Sabah, or the opposition, which has brought many situations of uncertainties which make us doubt their stand, we have to make a wise choice.

"Let us together, determine that the decision which we will make on May 5 will ascertain a government which is strong and stable.

"Datuk Seri Anifah Aman as foreign minister, knows that Malaysia is respected because we have a strong and stable government," he said in his speech at the meet-the-people session at Padang Bongawan near here Tuesday.

Najib, who is also BN chairman, said foreign heads of government, including US President Barack Obama, respected Malaysia because the country was seen as peaceful, stable and strong.

He said foreign investors also came to Malaysia "because they believe we have a stable and strong government".

"Our shares rise drastically because of the confidence in the existing government. When we are able to have more investments and increase the country's wealth, our shares rise, revenue increases and we give back to the people.

"We give the 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) to the people. Not only BR1M 1, BR1M 2, but next year, BR1M 3 and 4, increase to RM500 for the people's well-being. This is the government for the people and the opposition wants to abolish BR1M.

"BR1M is better than reducing oil price. Reduction in oil price only benefits those who own big cars. It's the people who sell oil at the border who make profit, but by giving BR1M, all the people will benefit. This is BN government, we do what is best for the people," he added.

Najib said the federal government enjoyed good ties with the Sabah Government and praised Datuk Seri Musa Aman's leadership.

"I am impressed with his report card. The people should read it because it is the state government's success," he added.

He said sports facilities for the young people would be constructed in Kiwanis.

"Anifa said there is no bank, so we will have a Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) here," he added.

Najib said the people of Sabah, especially BN members, should unite and work hard to ensure victory for the coalition.

Meanwhile, Najib's visit to Kota Belud, where he was scheduled to arrive in a helicopter, had to be cancelled due to heavy rain.

The prime minister, who was scheduled to arrive in Kota Belud at 4pm, was only able to talk to scores of people who had gathered to welcome him, via telephone.

He expressed confidence in BN winning in Kota Belud and called on the BN machinery to work harder.

Michelle Yeoh supports Najib as PM (Video)

It may be a public relations coup of sorts for Najib but what would it do for Michelle Yeoh’s own popularity among Malaysians?

Michelle Yeoh portrayed pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi in the movie ‘The Lady’.

What would Aung San Suu Kyi think if she heard the above?

Pasir Gudang's Normala on stateless Indians & BN's sure victory in Johor

ATTACK UPON HINDUS BY TMMK, PFI AND SDPI IN TAMIL NADU. SUCCESSFUL SAFFRON BANDH AGAINST JIHAD IN WESTERN TN.

Successful Saffron Bandh against Jihad upon Hindus in Western Tamil Nadu. Join hands to extinct Jihad in southern states in Bharat.

Upananda Brahmachari, Kumar Chellappan & Aron Patriot | Chennai | April 20, 2013:: Normal life in four western districts of Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Tirupur and Erode in Tamil Nadu came to a standstill on Friday following a dawn-to-dusk hartal (Bandh) called by various Hindu outfits. The strike was in protest against continued attacks on temples and leaders of Hindu organisations by various outfits masquerading as political parties.

What stood out this time was the decision of various Hindu Mutt heads to join the agitation. This is the first time Hindu monks came out openly supporting a hartal. Shops remained closed and public transport came to a grinding halt in all the districts. Pollachi, the agricultural town in Coimbatore saw pelting of stones at buses.

“Since November 2012, we have been seeing attacks on leaders of various Hindu outfits by workers and hired gangs of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), both representing hardline Islamic views,” said RSS spokesman J Sri Ram. He said the last fortnight saw many Hindu households coming under attack by the members and activists of these parties.

Last week saw the house of Arjun Sampath, leader of Hindu Makkal Katchi coming under attack. A petrol bomb was thrown at the residence of Sampath who had a providential escape. “I questioned the action of a SDPI councillor who damaged the portion of a 1000-year-old temple in Coimbatore. The SDPI ward member asked that the temple festival should not be held without the concurrence of the Coimbatore corporation authorities,” said Sampath.

Former Coimbatore MP and BJP leader CP Radhakrishnan said Hindus are selectively assaulted by the Islamic outfits. “A marriage hall where a wedding reception was in progress was attacked by SDPI workers. The police looked the other way when a complaint was filed,” said Radhakrishnan. He disclosed that Coimbatore district alone saw 23 love jehads during the last two years.

“Incidents of teenaged Hindu girls eloping with their boyfriends and get converted to Islam are on the rise in these districts. Though we are trying to counsel the young girls, they are yet to understand the nuances involved in these inter-faith marriages,” said Swamy Kumara Guruparar of Koumara Mutt. Swamy, an apolitical person, blamed a section of the minorities for the attacks on Hindu leaders and households. “They have unleashed a reign of terror in Tamil Nadu,” he added.

The house of H Raja too came under the attack by some militant organisations. “Muslim Manithaneya Katchi, a political outfit floated by Islamic militants, is an ally of the AIADMK Government. Its leader Jawaharullah is a member of Tamil Nadu Assembly and wield enormous power in southern districts,” said Sampath.

He said the Islamic outfits have been encouraged by the Government’s move to ask the director of the movie Tuppakki to delete certain scenes. “Even the Viswaroopam row ended up with these organisations having the last laugh. The Government itself is helpless in handling these organisations,” he said.

Swamy Marudachala Adikalar of Perur Elayapattam, said the Islamic militancy in the region dates back to the early 70s. “We maintained silence all these years. The time has come to speak out openly since more and more activists and leaders of Hindu organisations are coming under attack,” said the Swamy.

Both Radhakrishnan and Sampath pointed out those colonies with Islamic names are mushrooming all over the textile city. “Billal Nagar and Ahmed Nagar sprang up overnight. The earlier name of these entities was Kruparajan Koil Street. One need not elaborate how they sprang up,” said Sampath.

According to Radhakrishnan, there is lack of coordination between police and intelligence department. “There is no understanding and cohesion between them. Isn’t it surprising to note that nobody has been arrested till date for these attacks?” asked Radhakrishnan.

Haindava Keralam reports: In a press meet at Coimbatore, Hindu Munnani State Secretary Muruganandam and District Secretary Subramaniam called for a Bandh on 19th April, 2013 demanding strong action against the continuous attacks made by the Muslims. It is reported that:

On the Tamil new year’s day (14.4.2013), some Muslim miscreants disrupted the public meeting held by the Hindu Munnani at ATC grounds, Nilgiris, Tamilnadu. The police intervened and expelled the groups. Outraged Muslims brutally attacked the District Secretary Manjunath who was returning home after the meeting. Manjunath, who had several head injuries and miraculously escaped from them, is currently in intensive care at a private hospital in Coimbatore. Hindu Munnani called for a Bandh on 15th April, 2013 and five Muslims of Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazagham - TMMK (A dangerous Muslim outfit in political camouflage- Ed. HE.) namely Riaz (28), Faizal (27), Abdul Rahman (38), Imtiaz (24), pairoz (20) were arrested.

Ground Reports from Aron Patriot: SHUTDOWN AT COIMBATORE. NILGIRIS AND TIRUPUR AREAS FOR JIHADI MURDER ATTACKS ON HINDU ACTIVISTS ‘TMMK’ IS IN ALLIANCE WITH RULING ‘ADMK’ AND HAS INSTIGATED ATTACKS WHICH REFLECTS POORLY ON TAMILNADU LAW AND ORDER SITUATION.

Attacks on Hindus and Hindu outfits are increasing at Koonoor and Ooty. Kuniyanur Amman temple was ransacked. Manjunath Ooty leader of Hindu Munnani was waylaid and attacked by a gang of bike riding Jihadi youth. Hindu marriages are raided by gangs that disrupt ceremony. 3 Hindu activists who were pasting posters were attacked and one of them is critical. The Hindu Munnani called for a shut down at ooty and shops remained closed and autos and vehicles didn’t run. Situation is tense. Further speaking to reporters State Hindu Munnani leader Muruganandam said Hindus are feeling insecure by increasing Jihadi activity and violence in Ooty-Coimbatore region. Such attacks have increased as seen in Petorl bomb attack on Hindu Makkal Katchi leader Arjun Samptah’s house. 12 Islamists have been arrested but most culprits have been left free. To make the government take action against Jihadi outfits and such attackers of Hindus Hindu Munnani had successfully observed a warning Bandh in Coimbatore, Ooty and Tirupur, Erode and some other places against both the Political Islamists and Anti Hindu Political Parties in Tamil Nadu and Deccan.

POLITICAL JIHAD AGAINST BHARAT HAS BEEN STARTED IN BHARAT AGAIN AS BEFORE PARTITION OF INDIA. ALL THE POLITICAL PARTIES LIKE TMMK, PFI, SDPI, PEACE PARTY, QUMI EKTA, AIUDF (BADRUDDIN AZMAL), MIM (OWAIS BROTHERS) AS CREATED BY THE CRUDE ISLAMIST TO ISLAMIZE BHARAT. THESE MUSLIM PARTIES ARE THE NEW MODULES OF VENOMOUS MUSLIM LEAGUE AND THE RAZAKARS WHO STABBED OUR MOTHER LAND TIME AND AGAIN. BEWARE OF POLITICAL JIHAD IN INDIA. BAN AND ISOLATE THESE SUBVERSIVE POWERS TO STRENGTHEN INDIAN SOVEREIGNTY AND INTEGRITY OF OUR MOTHER LAND. VANDE MATARAM- JAI HIND. ~ UPANAND BRAHMACHARI.

Police bust kidnapping ring that strapped bomb vests to victims

AFP - Police have smashed a gang which used fake bomb vests in the kidnapping of 21 businessmen in France and Luxembourg to raise over three million euros in ransom, Spanish police, which took part in the operation, said Sunday.

Eight suspects, including the ring’s suspected leader who had escaped from a French jail last year, were detained in Spain and another eight were arrested in France, Spanish police said in a statement.

The group used a high-class prostitute to lure six businessman to a Paris hotel from Morocco in November 2012 with the promise of a profitable deal involving information technology products.

The businessmen were then held captive in the hotel until they handed over around one million euros ($1.3 million) in cash to the ring.

Shortly after the suspected leader of the group, who is of Algerian origin, posed as the head of security of an Arab prince and organised a meeting with 15 jewellers and watchmakers at a Luxembourg store by claiming his boss wanted to make a huge purchase.

Members of the gang then held the businessmen at ransom at gunpoint and made off with 1.3 million euros in jewels and watches and another one million euros in cash.

“To prevent the businessmen from escaping, the kidnappers used fake bomb vests which they said were loaded with explosives which would go off if they left the premises,” the Spanish police statement said.

After the two kidnappings, the suspected leader of the group, who escaped from a prison in Avignon in southeastern France in October 2012, moved to Malaga on Spain’s southern Costa del Sol.

He was arrested after police stopped him during a routine road check and saw that he was wearing one of the high-end watches that was stolen in Luxembourg.

Police seized 127,000 euros in cash as well as five luxury watches, six guns, three swords, three motorcycles, two cars and two bullet-proof vests in various home searches carried out as part of the investigation carried out by police in Spain, France and Luxembourg.

Afghan girls’ school feared hit by poison gas

n this photograph taken on May 11, 2009, Afghan schoolgirls lie in bed after admission to hospital with symptoms of poisoning in Charikar, some 50 kms north of Kabul. (AFP)

 

Reuters, Taluqan-Afghanistan - As many as 74 schoolgirls in Afghanistan’s far north fell sick after smelling gas and were being examined for possible poisoning, local officials said on Sunday.

While instances of poisoning are sometimes later found to be false alarms, there have been numerous substantiated cases of mass poisonings of schoolgirls by elements of Afghanistan’s ultra-conservative society that are opposed to female education.

Local officials said the girls became ill after smelling gas at their school, Bibi Maryam, in Takhar province’s capital, Taluqan. The city is about 250 kilometers north of the country’s capital, Kabul.

The Takhar governor’s spokesman, Sulaiman Moradi, blamed” enemies of the government and the country” for the mass illness and said the aim was to stop girls from going to school.

The girls were taken to the provincial hospital and most were released after being treated, though several remained in a critical condition on Sunday evening, the head of the hospital, Dr. Jamil Frotan, said.

“We have already sent samples of their blood to the Ministry of Public Health and it will soon become clear what the reason for their illness was,” Frotan said.

The apparent poisoning came three days after more than a dozen students fell ill in another girls’ high school in Taluqan. No-one has claimed responsibility for either incident.

Between May and June last year there were four poisoning attacks on a girls’ school in Takhar, prompting local officials to order principals to stay in school until late and staff to search the grounds for suspicious objects and to test the water for contaminants.

Takhar has been a hotbed of militancy and criminal activity since 2009, with groups such as the Taliban and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan active.

Since the 2001 ousting of the Taliban, which banned education for women and girls, females have returned to schools, especially in Kabul.

But periodic attacks against female students, their teachers and their school buildings, continue.

Afghan women have won back basic rights in education, voting and employment since 2001, but fears are growing that such gains could be traded away as Western forces prepare to leave and the Afghan government seeks peace talks with the Taliban.

Waytha wants to be the new Samy, says Uthaya

In P Uthayakumar's campaign trail in Kota Raja, a big poster hangs outside his office in the traditional Hindraf crimson theme with his face etched on it, reading ‘P Uthayakumar - One-man show since 1990'.

Uthayakumar, one of Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) founding members, has over the months remained largely quiet about his brother Waythamoorthy's attempts to negotiate with both Pakatan Rakyat and BN over the Hindraf blueprint.

But his younger brother's act of signing a pact with and declaring support for BN last week and even urging Indians to return BN's two-thirds parliamentary majority has obviously riled Uthayakumar.

"Waytha is simply trying to become the next Samy Vellu (the ex-MIC president). He's the new emerging ‘mandore' (powerless messenger), who is (aiming) for the minister's post in Najib Abdul Razak's cabinet," he said.

He told Malaysiakini that he had never expected his younger brother to sign a pact with BN.

"I thought he was using BN as leverage to get a deal with Pakatan," he said.

It's clear that Uthayakumar does not agree with the direction in which Waythamoorthy is taking Hindraf, largely the former's brainchild since the turn of the millennium.

"Of course, many people have asked me whether there is any problem between us. I said there's nothing.

"I didn't want to confront him, (because) that would create gossip. People would say the brothers are fighting for position.

"But this (the BN pact) is a betrayal. This cannot be forgiven," he said firmly.
'Waytha jumped on bandwagon'

Uthayakumar remains confident that Waythamoorthy will not be able to deliver any votes to BN, saying he has been receiving numerous calls from people who are angry over the Hindraf deal with BN.

"So far, when I walk on the road, nobody has ever scolded or cursed me. I've heard a trader scold (incumbent Sri Andalas assemblyperson) Xavier Jeyakumar, when I asked about his performance, and soon Waythamoorthy will receive similar brickbats for what he has done," he said.

Uthayakumar was also keen to stress that Hindraf never had five key leaders as suggested by some, although five from the movement were arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in 2007 shortly after the Nov 25 Hindraf rally that year.

"I was leading Hindraf, there was never a second layer to its leadership. It was me, (with) a clerk, and then the (rest of the) people.

"It was then I decided to make it a team of lawyers (including Waythamoorthy, left), so that there would be credibility to the issues that we raised.

"All these people joined only months leading up to the rally, which was the climax of the movement.

"I was fighting this cause for a good 16 years prior to that. Just because five people went to jail, everyone assumes there were five leaders. I was running Hindraf on my own even before that.
"Waythamoorthy just rode on the Hindraf wave and assumed leadership when I was in jail. And that got to his head. He used Hindraf to carve something out for himself."

'BN succeeded in splintering Hindraf'

Uthayakumar said he sees the current division of Hindraf factions as a sign of victory for the BN.

"The (BN) won, I lost. They have separated the movement," he said.

"I spent 514 days under ISA for what? Was it so that the movement could be hijacked like this and be surrendered to BN?"
He admitted that the various Hindraf factions have created "genuine confusion" for some grassroots, but he sees Waythamoorthy as being no different from RS Thanendran.

Thanendran was the former Hindraf activist who stands accused of double-crossing the movement. He went on to establish the BN-friendly Malaysian Makkal Sakthi Party.

"It will wane, like how (it was when) people found out about Thanendran. But the question is, will the clarity be achieved within the next 15 days? If it is, then it's good for me," Uthayakumar said.
He was referring to the 15-day election campaign period before some 105,000 voters in Kota Raja head to polling centres on May 5, with an option to vote in Uthayakumar as the first ‘Hindraf' MP.

Uthayakumar (Independent) is challenging incumbent Mariah Mahmud (PAS) in the parliamentary seat, along with S Murugesan (BN) and Azman Idrus (Independent).

The Kota Raja seat in Selangor has the highest number of Indian voters at 29 percent.
Uthayakumar is also a candidate in the five-way fight for Sri Andalas, one of two state seats in the Kota Raja constituency.

Najib defends Zul Noordin as champion of Indian issues

Datuk Seri Najib Razak introducing the Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Zulkifli Noordin in Shah Alam April 22, 2013. – Picture by Choo Choy MaySHAH ALAM, April 22 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak described Datuk Zulkifli Noordin today as a champion of Indian issues in Shah Alam where the Perkasa vice-president is contesting in Election 2013.

The Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman’s defence of the controversial candidate comes even as MIC leader S. Vell Paari warned the ruling coalition recently that the Malay rights leader would cost BN Selangor in the May 5 polls.

“I’ve spoken to quite a number of Indians and they’re supporting him,” said the caretaker prime minister in a press conference at the Concorde Hotel here today.

“He’s already championed some issues pertaining to the Indian community in Shah Alam, like a Tamil school and another temple in Shah Alam,” added the Selangor BN chairman.

Vell Paari said last Wednesday that BN was risking the Indian vote by fielding Zulkifli, which he said would likely become the deciding vote in states like Selangor that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) had won in Election 2008.

Zulkifli will be contesting in the Malay-majority state capital against incumbent Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, who is seen as a progressive voice in PAS.

Vell Paari, the son of former MIC chief Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, also noted that there are some 15,000 Indian voters in Shah Alam; 31,000 in Kota Raja; 21,000 in Kapar; and 17,000 in Subang, many of whom he said were angered by Najib’s selection of Zulkifli, who had allegedly insulted the Hindu community.

Najib, however, dismissed Zulkifli’s actions as “history”, noting that the former PAS man had apologised over his remarks.

Najib also hit out at the Selangor government for demolishing seven Hindu temples in the country’s wealthiest state.

“Isn’t that more serious? More of a slap to the Hindus than what Zulkifli Noordin said 10 years ago when he was in PAS?” he said.

“They even destroyed a private temple in Sepang. That is worse, a thousand times worse than what Zulkifli Noordin has done,” added Najib.

A video of Zulkifli uttering the word “Keling”, which Malaysians of Indian descent consider derogatory, went viral recently, just days after another video was released in which he questioned an Indian trader on why Hindu gods did not prevent the man’s shop from being flooded, drawing the wrath of Hindus.

Once a lawyer for opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Zulkifli had also questioned the purity of the Ganges River in India that is considered sacred by Hindus.

Zulkifli became a BN-friendly Independent MP and critical of the opposition when he was dismissed from PKR on March 6, 2010 over a police report he lodged against Khalid.

Umno’s Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Shamsuddin lost to Khalid in Election 2008 with a 9,314-vote majority. In 2004, he had won against Khalid with a 13,410-vote majority.

‘If you have pride and dignity, reject BN’

This is the message that the Malaysian Hindu Movement is planning to drive into the hearts and minds of Indian voters during its nationwide campaign, spurred by the decision to field Zulkifli Noordin.

PETALING JAYA: After taking over the leadership reins, Najib Tun Razak embarked on an endeavour to court the Indian voters, who spurned Barisan Nasional in the 2008 general election.

Armed with the catchphrase “Nambikei” or trust, he released the five Hindraf leaders from detention, attended the Thaipusam celebrations at Batu Caves and forked out financial aid for Tamils schools, NGOs and religious organisations.

While the battered MIC struggled to remain relevant, Najib’s efforts however bore results as seen in the swing of Indian votes in favour of BN in several by-elections.

But the decision to name controversial Perkasa vice-president Zulkifili Noordin as the BN candidate in Shah Alam now threatens to shift the political tectonic plates once again.

And the Malaysian Hindu Movement is convinced that another Indian political tsunami would sweep through the ballot boxes, come May 5.

‘Choosing Zulkifli over Indians’

Speaking to FMT, the movement’s leader S Sanjay could not contain his anger and vowed to take the message throughout the nation.

Previously, the 46-year-old father of two had staged a hunger strike demanding that the authorities take action against Zulkifli over his remarks which belittled the Hindu faith.

However, he called off the strike on the eighth day when Pakatan Rakyat leader Anwar Ibrahim spoke to him on the telephone, asking him to end the protest and vowing to charge Zulikifli if the opposition formed the federal government.

“I was touched when [PKR vice-president and Anwar's daughter] Nurul Izzah and PAS’ Siti Mariah Mahmud visited me. Nurul then called her father on the phone and Anwar spoke to me.

“He apologised for not being able to visit me in person due to his hectic schedule in relation to nomination day. I was moved by this gesture,” he added.

On the same note, Sanjay said that he appreciated MIC Youth chief T Mohan for visiting him as well.

“Up to that point, it was a non-partisan struggle. All I wanted was for Zulkifli to be charged. But when BN named him as the candidate… now my struggle is against the entire coalition.

“Najib’s so-called ‘nambikei’ has manifested itself in the form of Zulkifli. Is this how insignificant the Indian community’s feelings are? Najib chose Zulkifli over the entire community. It is a slap on our face and this must not go unpunished,” he stressed.

The former Hindraf Penang deputy chairman, who had been arrested thrice before, said the Malaysian Hindu Movement would embark on a nationwide tour to distribute CDs and leaflets to Indian voters, urging them to reject BN.

The campaign would kickstart in Port Klang on April 25 at a Murugan temple there, where a booth would be set up.

Sanjay said he would be speaking at ceramahs and attending temple functions around the country to drive home the point to Indian voters.

“We want them to view the recordings. We want to tell them that if they are Hindus with an iota of pride and dignity, they will vote against BN,” he added.

Sanjay also called on the Christians to reject BN since the coalition had backed out from contesting against Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali in Pasir Mas.

“This is another religious bigot who wanted to burn bibles. These are the kind of people who Najib endorses under his 1Malaysia. Even a true Muslim would reject BN because their religion does not teach them to insult the faiths of others,” he added.

MIC members must reject BN

Responding to a question, a vexed Sanjay also dismissed Zulkifli’s apology which appeared in the Tamil dailies as nothing more than a political gimmick.

“This man is a liar. He lied about making those remarks when he was in PAS. He was speaking about the Lord Muruga statue in Batu Caves, which was built much later… after he was sacked from PAS.

“He also described the ‘Bhagavad Gita’ as a ‘Kitab Keling’ when the late private investigator P Balasubramniam swore on the holy book upon his return to Malaysia.

“He called the Chinese and Indians ‘pendatang’ [immigrants]. This is BN’s so-called candidate with calibre? And now when he wants our votes, he apologises. Rubbish!” he thundered.

Sanjay also questioned how the Indian leaders in BN would be able to canvass for votes from the community when their “Umno masters” deemed it fit to field people like Zulkifli.

“And there is that photo of an Indian BN member kissing Zulikfli on the cheek during nomination day… So tell me, how are these Indian leaders going to face the community?

“MIC leaders should have threatened to boycott the election unless Zulkifli is dropped. But of course, they will not do that because of fear of losing their positions. I hope MIC members have more pride and self-respect than their leaders and will vote against BN as well,” he said.

‘Umno mandore’ remains silent


Sanjay also chastised Hindraf de facto leader P Waythamoorthy and the Hindu Sangam on their lack of gumption with regard to the Zulkifli issue.

“Waythamoorthy wants the Indians to give BN a two-third parliamentary majority. But there is not even a squeak from this newly recruited ‘Umno mandore’ when Zulkifli was named as the candidate. Waythamoorthy has smeared the name of Hindraf and all our sacrifices have been in vain,” he said.

Sanjay, who had been receiving threats via telephone calls, acknowledged that his actions were not without risks. But he remains unperturbed.

“I am prepared to face the consequences. This is a fight for justice. People like Zulkifli must be stopped and hauled to court so that others will think twice before hurling insults. This struggle is for the future of our children. I love this country. This is my home.

“I respect Islam as the official religion but nobody has the right to insult my religion or the beliefs of others. I cannot be bought nor can I be intimidated,” he said.

Comment by Hindraf think tank member

FMT LETTER: From Dr Paraman Subramaniam, via e-mail

Whoever said that Hindraf sold out needs to clarify it with facts! From last Saturday (13/4), Sunday (14/4) and Monday (15/4) PR leaders were teasing us with a so called meeting with Hindraf. Saturday I had to take locum just to be on standby for the alleged meeting that DID NOT take place! (Any volunteers to pay for my locum Dr?).

Sunday Hindu New Year we were on standby, again no calls from PR. Then Sunday evening they said ok Monday confirmed Anwar, Lim Kit Siang and Husam Musa will come. So Mr Ganesan our Hindraf national advisor drove down from Penang and put up in a hotel in PJ for the meeting awaiting for their call.

Waythamorthy was also present and so was I as well as another surgeon drove down from Melaka. Whole Monday morning no call from them. They did not answer my calls/sms either. Then at 3pm I sms’d them ‘since no calls I guess meeting is called off once again?’ Then they call back and say no, meeting is on but Lim Kit Siang not attending!

We decide that it has to include all leaders from PR as from past experiences we have realised this is usually a ploy to delay coming to a decision so we ask them to reschedule the meeting to another time when all three leaders are present.

Waytha then left and Ganesan proceeded to check out from the hotel. Then they call me back and say that Lim Guan Eng personally instructed the meeting to proceed even in the absence of DAP as he has empowered Anwar and Husam Musa to make the decision.

Waytha had already left for another meeting and Ganesan had already checked out! But I managed to get Ganesan back. So we proceeded to PKR HQ and arrived there at around 5.15pm. All these while the contact was pleading with us to come for the meeting as there will be no other time left in view of the impending GE but he told us to ‘take our time’.

On arrival at PKR HQ, Tian Chua was at the entrance. He saw us but looked away. So we waited at the corner coffee shop and contacted the PR rep that we had already arrived. Then he shocks us by informing that Anwar had already left! In fact Anwar sneaked out after we arrived the PKR HQ. That’s how much respect they have for the representation of the marginalised Indians !

If the PR leaders can’t even handle a decent meeting, (bungling and insulting along the way) how on Earth are they going to be entrusted to govern this country?

Keeping the Numbers Game in Perspective

Don't underestimate Waytha. He's after just 20 per cent of the Indian votes, all from the underclass, to help make a difference.

Joe Fernandez

Had the Chinese, Dap in particular, stood with Waytha and Hindraf Makkal Sakthi, he wouldn't have signed the MOU with Najib. The Chinese care two hoots about human rights just as they care two hoots about the environment. The Chinese are only bothered about corrupting the Malays. It's the Chinese who put corrupt ideas in Malay heads to the extent that they sabotaged the New Economic Policy. China is a good example of environmental degradation and corruption. If the Malays don't allow the Indians to empower themselves, they better go back to Sulawesi, Java, Sumatra or wherever they came from and forget about Tanah Tumpah Darah Ku.

Don't underestimate Waytha. He's after just 20 per cent of the Indian votes, all from the underclass, to help make a difference. He assumes that Najib will be able to at least maintain the status quo as the last time. If not, it does not matter to him anyway and not because PR has pissed him off. He has his MOU, again an unprecedented feat in Malaysian political history. He can use it to whack any Government in Putrajaya.

This business of depending on the Gov't must stop. The world does not owe us anything but opportunities. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Subsidies and handouts create a dependency syndrome which politicians prey on.

Legislators are elected to pass laws to run the country, not to spoon feed the people. Get the concept of democracy, politics and Gov't right.

The people must help themselves so that we can cut down the size of the Gov't.

As it is, the Gov't is already venturing into business to help the people and the economy. By right, Gov't has no business to be in business.

If everybody is going to depend on the Gov't, it will be a big burden on the taxpayer.

The Gov't can only make an exception in the case of those living below the poverty line, single mothers, housewives, OKU, senior citizens, widows, orphans, toddlers, schoolchildren, university students, refugees, and those without an identity. Society should play a role as well.

The young in particular should be of special concern to the Gov't and Society.

"Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country." John Kennedy.

Indians in Malaya decide in 67 parliamentary seats and the related state seats.

They should not put all their political eggs in one basket. That's not only risky but a foolish thing to do. Vote against all incumbents, whether PR or BN. If new faces, vote for them. If both sides field new faces in a seat, vote for the party which won the seat in 2008. We have a script to follow based on 2008. If Indians vote as above, they will be the most powerful community in politics in the country. Voting for PR only or voting for BN only will make us politically weak. If we vote for PR only and throw out BN, we will be at the mercy of PR when Umno frogs join PKR as Anwar expects. If Indians vote for BN only, PR will be too weak and PKR may return to Umno. Indians will then be back at square one.

The opposition is set to bag eight seats in Sarawak i.e. Baram, Mas Gading and six of the seats being contested by Supp. Anything more, and possible, would be a bonus. The real battle in Sarawak is between BN and PR. In Sabah, the real battle is between Star and the parti parti Malaya. The Opposition, including the Dap, can expect to bag seven parliamentary seats. PKR may win Beaufort. Total for the Opposition including Star from Sabah and Sarawak: 15 seats. Waytha is trying to help get nine seats for BN in Malaya so it can secure two-thirds majority. The Sabah and Sarawak seats will nullify Waytha's efforts. No Government in Putrajaya will get two-thirds. The status quo will remain in Malaya. BN will get less than the 140 seats -- probably maximum 134 seats -- it had the last time. The 3rd Force will emerge in Parliament.

BN is the wrong horse to back 100 per cent. They have been in power 56 years and are on the way out, sooner rather than later. The momentum for change has begun and will be unstoppable.

The people are counting on the Opposition to do the right thing.

The Opposition has vowed to conduct a due diligence of the BN Government and bring wrongdoers to justice; it will audit all development plans for corruption elements and weed out the corruption therein; it will review all BN development plans; it will keep the BN plans which are good, amend what should be amended and scrap what should be scrapped.

The Opposition has pledged to stamp out the BN's practice of awarding government contracts to themselves and running up the National Debt Burden to put their hands in the Public Treasury under the guise of bringing development to the people.

The Opposition has also worked out development components which it will add to the Plans for Malaysia.

In the event that the Opposition takeover of Putrajaya is further delayed, the party has pledged to be a strong loyal opposition in Parliament.

As the Opposition, it's duty will be to keep a watch on promises made by the winning party to ensure that they are fulfilled.

It will also keep a check on abuse of power and victimisation by the government, conflict of interest and corruption.

It will defend human rights and ensure that the people are not denied their NCR rights and it will ensure that NCR land is not seized by politicians for public purposes and sold to private companies.

So, it cannot be said that "the Opposition can talk only, cannot do anything for the people".

All this has a bearing on the numbers game.

Najib Picks Race-baiting Candidates for Malaysia Poll

Ibrahm Ali in full cry

(Asia Sentinel) Decision further indicates abandonment of multiracial political coalition
The extent to which the United Malays National Organization has abandoned Malaysia's historic multiracial governance is exemplified by last Saturday's naming of flamethrowing Malay nationalists Ibrahim Ali and Zulkifli Noordin as parliamentary candidates in the upcoming May 5 election.

In addition, UMNO has "borrowed" at least five parliamentary seats from the faltering Malaysian Chinese Association, the second-biggest party in the Barisan Nasional, or ruling coalition, and filled them with candidates picked by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

"We have taken back many seats from the MCA," said an UMNO source. "A lot of MCA seats were actually UMNO seats in the first place as Malay majority areas but in the spirit of cooperation we gave them the seats. Now we take them back."

The decision for UMNO to basically go it alone is viewed as ominous for the country by political analysts in Kuala Lumpur, who say that if, as expected, the party pulls out a victory in the 13th general election, they fear that it consigns the ethnic minority Chinese and Indian populations, who make up 22.9 percent and 7.1 percent of the country's population respectively, to powerlessness in government and society. Ethnic Malays make up 60.1 percent according to the 2010 census.

Ibrahim and Zulkifli are the president and vice president respectively of Perkasa, a conservative, extreme-right Malay superiority organization that got its start after the country's 2008 electoral debacle that cost the Barisan Nasional its two-thirds majority in the Dewan Rakyat, or Parliament. It has the backing of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who urged that the two be named candidates.

Mahathir has become increasingly strident over protecting the status of ethnic Malays in Malaysian society despite Najib's continued stressing of Malaysia's composition as a moderate multiracial country. The naming of the two Perkasa leaders as candidates is a clear demonstration of Mahathir's continuing clout despite having left power a decade ago, in 2003. After bequeathing the premiership to his chosen candidate, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Mahathir turned on Badawi after the 2008 election and played a major role in driving him from power so that Najib Tun Razak could take over.

"Maybe Mahathir didn't tell Najib directly, but the message was clear, and having seen what he did to Badawi, Najib didn't want to clash with him," a well-wired political source said. Ibrahim Ali will contest a seat in Kelantan, a largely mountainous state dominated by rural Malays. Zulkifli was picked to run in Shah Alam, a Kuala Lumpur suburb.

It is questionable whether naming the two will cause the Barisan to lose the affection of more ethnic Indian and Chinese voters. Continuously calling for Ketuanan Melayu, or a Malays first policy, Perkasa, which claims 300,000 members but actually appears to have far fewer, has been called Malaysia's Brownshirts, a reference to the Nazi militia created by Adolf Hitler in 1921 that disrupted rallies and beat and intimidated bystanders during Hitler's rise to power.

Perkasa members, about 60 percent of whom are said to be regular UMNO members, have continually been accused of attacking and injuring demonstrators and journalists during opposition rallies. They have threatened protesters with racist remarks, attacking DAP state assemblymen and party supporters physically by throwing eggs and stones at them.

Ibrahim especially has railed against the use in Malay-language Christian bibles of the word Allah as a pronoun for God, despite the fact that it is used widely in the Middle East and Indonesia.

Despite complaints to authorities by the opposition parties that Ibrahim and other Perkasa leaders have continued to make inflammatory racist and religious statements, particularly against the Chinese and Indian communities, no action has been taken to rein them in.

"It's early days to see what effect (naming Ibrahim and Zulkifli) will have," said a Kuala Lumpur journalist. "I think we have to wait a few days to see."

For most of the time from its 1957 inception as an independent nation, the country has been governed by a carefully engineered amalgam of ethnic parties led by UMNO, the Malaysian Chinese Association, the Malaysian Indian Congress and, to a lesser extent, Gerakan, which has faded in recent years. However, in the debacle of the 2008 election, the MCA was left with just 15 seats in parliament. Gerakan, the second mostly Chinese ethnic party, ended up with just two seats. The MIC was left with three. UMNO won 78.

Crippled by infighting and loss of popularity, the MCA has surrendered several seats traditionally held by the Chinese component of the Barisan to candidates picked by UMNO. The discarded candidates include former vice presidents Ong Tee Keat, Gan Ping Sieu and Ng Yen Yen, all of whom are said to be in a bitter factional dispute with MCA President Chua Soi Lek.

Chua said the Chinese party would contest 37 parliamentary and 90 state seats, three fewer parliamentary seats in the upcoming election, the fewest the MCA has contested since 2004. In 2008, MCA won only 15 Parliamentary seats and 32 state seats, its worst showing.

The decision to take the seats back from UMNO is hardly new. UMNO operatives, disillusioned by MCA infighting and by the flight of the ethnic Chinese to the DAP, have been discussing the idea of going it alone for more than a year, counting on the population dominance of ethnic Malays to pull the party through to continue governing the country.

That decision is at least partly responsible for the rise in race-baiting in recent months as UMNO and its attack-dog ancillaries such as Perkasa raise the specter that ethnic Chinese, and particularly Chinese Christians in a Muslim country, will take over the reins of power.

Teacher gang-raped in Pakistan

A 26-year-old school teacher was kidnapped and gang raped while on her way to work in Pakistan’s central Punjab province.

The woman was found lying in a field in Khanewal, near Multan city, on Wednesday.

She was taken to a hospital in Jhang and a medico-legal examination at a nearby rural health centre confirmed she had been raped.

Doctors at the centre said she might need surgery.

Police registered a case against three suspects named by the woman’s family, The Express Tribune reported.

Police officials said the teacher was kidnapped on her way to school on April 8. She was tortured and gang raped before being left in the field near her home.

Some neighbours saw the woman and informed police. She told police that three men had forced her into a car and taken her to Shorkot in Jhang district. She said five men had raped her over two days.

When her condition deteriorated, they threw her in the field and fled, she said.

Residents of the area condemned the incident and demanded that the rapists be publicly hanged.

Police officer Zulfiqar Ahmed said his men were looking for the suspects.

Anwar Ibrahim Rocks Kuala Kurau, Perak 21/04/2013

Dongeng tanpa Perlembagaan

Sinar Harian
by SYAHREDZAN JOHAN

DUA minggu lagi, rakyat Malaysia akan membuang undi untuk menentukan hala tuju negara bagi 5 tahun mendatang. Menurut statistik Suruhanjaya Pilihan raya, seramai 13.3 juta pengundi layak mengundi bagi Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-13 (PRU13).

Penulis bukanlah penganalisis politik, mahupun ahli mana-mana parti politik, tetapi penulis amat gemar memerhati perkembangan politik tanah air. Apatah lagi di tahun-tahun kebelakangan ini di mana kita melihat begitu banyak isu politik dan yang dipolitikkan. Proses pendemokrasian rakyat telah memeriahkan lagi demokrasi tanah air.

PRU kali ini lain daripada yang lain. Media sosial menjadi medan tempur parti politik. Yang bukan politikus juga berpolitik di media sosial. Seorang kenalan Facebook penulis, yang sebelum ini hanya post tentang lembu yang diternaknya, tiba-tiba mengulas pula tentang politik. Penulis gemar melayari susur masa Facebook dan Twitter, melihat warga Malaysia berpesta politik dengan video, foto dan kata-kata.

Semasa melayari media sosial, penulis kerap kali terbaca kenyataan-kenyataan yang menarik perhatian penulis. ‘Dongeng’ pilihan raya yang dikemas kini di Facebook dan Twitter dan sering kali dijadikan modal politik. Antara kenyataan yang sering dibaca oleh penulis adalah kononnya agama Islam, sebagai agama Persekutuan, akan ditukar kepada agama lain, contohnya agama Kristian. Ada juga yang mengatakan bahawa Malaysia akan ditukar menjadi sebuah republik. Ada juga yang mengatakan kedudukan istimewa orang Melayu dan Bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak akan dimansuhkan dan kononnya bahasa Inggeris/Mandarin akan dijadikan bahasa kebangsaan.

Semua ini adalah rekaan semata-mata. Kita harus ingat, Malaysia adalah sebuah negara berperlembagaan. Perlembagaan itu undang-undang tertinggi dan tidak boleh sewenang-wenangnya diubah mengikut selera mana-mana pihak. Pindaan Perlembagaan hanya boleh diluluskan dengan mendapat sokongan dua pertiga ahli Parlimen, iaitu Dewan Rakyat dan Dewan Negara. Maknanya, mana-mana pihak yang mahu membuat pindaan harus mengawal dua pertiga Ahli-ahli Parlimen. Di samping itu, pindaan-pindaan terhadap kedudukan istimewa orang Melayu, bahasa kebangsaan dan Majlis Raja-raja tidak boleh dilakukan tanpa persetujuan Majlis Raja-raja, walaupun terdapat sokongan dua pertiga Parlimen. Maknanya, Perlembagaan itu sendiri mempunyai perlindungan ke atas perkara-perkara ini, supaya tidak boleh disentuh oleh tangan-tangan politik.

Tidak mungkin terdapat dua pertiga Ahli Parlimen yang akan setuju untuk menjadikan Malaysia sebuah republik, menjadikan Islam agama rasmi atau menghapuskan kedudukan istimewa Melayu. Tidak mungkin juga Majlis Raja-raja akan memberi persetujuan.

Oh, lagi satu dongeng; bahawa undi anda boleh dikesan dan pilihan anda terbongkar. Malangnya masih ada lagi orang yang takut untuk mengundi. Jadi jangan panik. Bawa bertenang dan buang undi.

Tokoh penyatuan Jerman, Otto von Bismark pernah berkata politik itu ‘seni kemungkinan’ (art of possible). Tetapi ada perkara yang tidak boleh dimungkinkan oleh politik. Ini negara berperlembagaan, bukan negara mengikut hukum rimba.

Kita semakin matang. Kita semakin sedar akan hak-hak kita. Kita semakin memahami peranan politik dalam hidup kita. Kita semakin mengenali erti demokrasi yang sebenar. Kita sentiasa dahagakan maklumat tentang pilihan raya; manifesto, calon, jadual kempen dan lain-lain lagi. Pertukaran maklumat, lebih-lebih lagi melalui media sosial, berlaku dengan pantas dan luas.

Dalam keghairahan kita menerima dan memberi maklumat yang disalurkan melalui internet, jangan sekali-kali kita percaya membuta-tuli apa yang kita baca. Sentiasa kritikal, sentiasa menyoal dan cuba cari jawapannya dengan sendiri. Kita harus menilai yang mana auta dan fakta.

Jadilah pengundi bijak tidak kiralah parti dan calon mana sekalipun yang anda undi. Asalkan bukan dipengaruhi dongeng tidak berlandaskan Perlembagaan.

*Penulis seorang peguam muda yang mengamal undang-undang sebagai rakan kongsi di sebuah firma guaman di Kuala Lumpur.