5,936 Corrupt cases reported this year alone

Yes, 5,936 Corrupt cases reported this year alone. And the best news is no one, well at least no one significant has been prosecuted. This is the spirit of 1Malaysia!

MACC: 5,936 Corrupt cases reported
Jul 17, 10 10:19 am

Members of the public to come forward and help the fight against corruption with the Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), said head Pesuruhjayanya, Datuk Abu Kassim Mohamed.

He said all efforts to fight corruption can only be achieved if there is a continuous awareness coupled with community support.

As expressed confidence that "we can do together", he said that "change must start from now and it should start from among us.

"It should start with the fight against corruption and not by" opposing "MACC, which is entrusted with the noble responsibility to fight corruption," he said in an annual report of the MACC in 2009.

Abu Kassim said the EC opened a total of 939 papers from 5.936 last year investigation reporting the information received.

On paper the investigation, 633 or 67.4 percent were settled, mostly in the six-month investigation.

Abu Kassim said last year, 500 people arrested for alleged corruption and 176 in court.

He revealed that the low conviction rate in court is 64.4 percent. Conviction rate for cases of appeal in the High Court is 65.8
percent, while the Court of Appeal was 86.2 per cent of cases.

Abu Kassim also said that 88.9 percent of cases involving the seizure of property is in favor of the MACC.

MACC also received permission to take 2.620 1.839 employees, including 781 officers and staff again as usual.

Of this amount, 1.382, or 75.1 percent of the officers were able to fill last year.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Advisory Board said MACC has shown excellent performance despite the challenging environment.

By the end of 2009, it gradually shows the changes of good and convincing and can be distinguished from the significant increase in the arrest of politicians (23) and the prosecution of politicians (15) years.

The Board is headed by former Chief Justice Tun Abdul Hamid Mohamad, also recorded an increase in the arrest of the public who give bribes to public officials (108) and high-profile individuals - 31 senior officials from the public sector and 65 government executives in the private sector - also arrested.

Meanwhile, the Special Committee on the Corruption, a body headed by Datuk Seri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, said he hoped that the MACC will provide attention to cases of public interest and high profile.

MACC also must act "without fear and favor" in its fight against corruption, he said.

The Committee also advised the EC to publicize anti-corruption efforts so that it can improve the perception among the public.

- Bernama

PM's Department: 2010 allocation was RM12 bil, not RM4 bil !

Liew Chin Tong

The Prime Ministers Departments allocation for 2010 is a whopping RM12 billion, not RM4 billion as some people may have perceived it to be. Thats a lot of money for one single department.

In a parliamentary reply by Minister in the Prime Ministers Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz to Taiping MP, Nga Kor Ming, it was revealed that RM3.9 billion was allocated to the PMD for its operations in 2010. The minister was telling the truth; PMDs operating budget was indeed the said amount.

But he seemed to be withholding another piece of information already in the public domain. Under a separate category of development, the PMD received RM 8.238 billion. Thus, the total budgetary outlay for the PMD in 2010 is RM12.1 billion, as revealed by the Federal Budget Estimates.

The PMDs budget wasnt so huge not too long ago. In the entire Eighth Malaysia Plan period (2001-2005), the development budget of the PMD was RM7.2 billion, or 4.3 per cent of the Plans total allocations. This means the development allocation for 2010 alone (RM 8.2 billion) surpassed the sum allocated for the first five years of the 21st century.

The PMD, which was already relatively strong and powerful compared to other Commonwealth countries, has grown beyond recognition, especially over the course of the last decade.

Its development budget underwent a four-fold increase in the Ninth Malaysia Plan, driving its allocation up to RM 29.6 billion, or 13.5 per cent of the Plans total.

The huge increases in the PMDs budget in 2009 and 2010 have never been seen before. The combined operating and development expenditure for 2009 was RM14 billion; nearly double the RM7.1 billion allocated for 2008. The total for 2005 was a mere RM4.1 billion in comparison.

A different way of looking at it is that the development budget for 2009 (RM10 billion) was five times that of 2005 (RM2 bill! ion) whi le in 2010 (RM8.2 billion), is four times that of the base year.

What does this mean?

The development allocation for PMD is discretional expenditure that allows the prime minister to approve it literally at the stroke of a pen, whereas other ministerial expenditures or treasury payments must pass through more rigorous checks.

The big push in the increase of the development budget occurred in the Ninth Malaysia Plan and in 2009. In both instances, the increase occurred during the time when former prime minister Tun Abdullah Badawis position was threatened by internal revolts in Umno and other political challenges.

The big push of Budget 2009 was presented to Parliament in August 2008, amidst talk of defection of Barisan Nasional MPs, especially those from Sabah and Sarawak. Immediately, RM1 billion of the RM6.9 billion increase was allocated to Sabah and Sarawak. The other RM5 billion was for the development of the five corridors, which included Sabah Development Corridor and Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (Score).

Perhaps it can be said that such a big push managed to fend off the Sept 16 challenge, allegedly when those BN MPs were supposed to join the Pakatan Rakyat.

Besides the surge of monetary allocations, the staff size of the PMD and the speed of its growth (or over-growth) are completely mind-boggling. In 1981, when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad assumed power, there were 4,414 staff in the PMD. In 2001, there were 9,673; 21,045 in 2003. In 2009, the PMD hired 25,332.

In the same reply, Nazri told Parliament that the PMD has employed 43,544 people in 2010.

According to Nazri, the increase in operating allocations and staff were due to the creation of new agencies within the department as well as the addition of posts in a few existing agencies.

The powers concentrated in the Prime Ministers Department in Malaysia certainly have other Commonwealth prime ministers envy. Besides the personal offices of the prime minister and his deputy,! there a re five full ministers, five deputy ministers, a number of ministerial-ranked advisors (which I am still unable to confirm), and 45 agencies under the watch of the Prime Ministers Department.

Some of these agencies, such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency, Auditor-Generals Office, Election Commission, Human Rights Commission, Public Complaints Bureau, and Public Service Commission should have been placed under parliamentary oversight.

The Parliament should govern its own affairs, independent from the PMD; likewise for the judiciary and national palace.

It is disturbing that the Prime Ministers Department is like a messy bazaar with all sorts of agencies under its watch that do not make any practical or coherent sense.

For instance, the dissolution of entrepreneur development ministry did not return the governance of public transport to the transport ministry but instead a new land public transport commission was formed within the PMD. One can only suspect that the licensing power of public transport is too great to let go.

The other agency that is gathering huge staff strength is the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, which is our version of the coast guard. Why should it be housed under the PMD? The right thing to do is to place it under either defence or home ministry, and at the same time merge Marine Police with MMEA. At it is, Malaysia has the navy, MMEA, Marine Police, Fisheries Department and a whole hosts of agencies guarding our waters, yet our borders dont seem to be less porous.

Something is very wrong with Malaysias public finance and governance, especially in these last few years. And the people have to bear the brunt of the current subsidy cuts, allegedly to help the government saves RM750 million this year.

Click here to read more at Malaysian Insider
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PERKASA gains popularity at the expense of UMNO Youth

July 17, 2010

PERKASA fills UMNO Youths Vacuum

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has charged that PERKASAs rising popularity among Malays was due to the failure of the UMNO Youth leadership to champion the cause of the race.

Tengku Razaleigh also said that current UMNO Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddins ostensibly staunch support for party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak was just a ploy to get a Cabinet position.

There is a vacuum in UMNO Youth, when it should be the spokesman for the Malays. But the present UMNO Youth leadership does not articulate the Malay plight.

Khairys support for Najib was superficial, Ku Li said.

This is splitting the strength of UMNO, Tengku Razaleigh told The Malaysian Insider in an exclusive interview here yesterday.

The Kelantan prince popularly known as Ku Li claimed that UMNO Youth had lost its tenacity and vigour in championing the community, with the leaders engrossed in eyeing positions for themselves.

This sounds very pathetic, they say he (Khairy) wants to become minister, so thats why he has to support the prime minister, at least thats what people say.The fact remains that UMNO Youth used to question a lot of issues concerning the plight of Malays. That has always been the role of UMNO Youth, said Tengku Razaleigh.

The Gua Musang MP noted that the current mood in the party made it ripe for Perkasa to recruit more disgruntled UMNO members.

According to (Datuk) Ibrahim Ali, there are 200,000 members. Out of these numbers, 80 per cent are UMNO members, claimed the former UMNO vice-president.

Outspoken Pasir Mas MP I! brahim A li started PERKASA as a one-man pressure group for Malay rights. It now has branches and divisions in every state in Malaysia. It is a question of leadership. (Tun) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad), a determined leader is giving support to PERKASA while the leadership of UMNO is in utter neglect, the Kelantan prince said of his former rival.

Tengku Razaleigh also claimed that UMNO branch meetings were not attended by their Youth and Puteri wings, to the point where meetings could not make quorum.

Im told that branch meetings did not meet the desired quorum. There are enough people attending, especially from UMNO Youth and Puteri. If there is no quorum, you are back to square one in 1987, where Umno can be declared an illegal party as the party is not adhering to the constitution, he said, referring to the split after he lost to Dr Mahathir in a bid for the party presidency.

The former finance minister said he believed the reason for the lack of attendance was because there were no party elections this year.

They are so used to being pampered. They will only attend when there is elections within the party.There is so much patronage, that when there are no elections, there is no interest, added Tengku Razaleigh.www.themalaysianinsider

Letter & Opinion From Joe Public

Fight Corruption with MACC, says Dato Abu Kassim

July 17, 2010

Malaysians must come forward and fight corruption with MACC, says Dato Abu Kassim

The public must come forward and fight corruption, together with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), said its Chief Commissioner, Abu Kassim Mohamed.

All efforts in combating corruption would only be fruitful if there was continuous awareness and support from society, he stressed.

Saying that he believed that together we can do it, he added that the changes must begin now and it should start within us.

It should start with the fight against corruption and not by fighting the MACC, which is entrusted with this noble responsibility of fighting corruption, he said in the 2009 MACC annual report.

Abu Kassim said the MACC opened a total of 939 investigation papers last year, out of 5,936 information reports received. Of the investigation papers, 633 or 67.4 per cent were completed, most of them within six months of investigations. Abu Kassim said that last year, 500 people were arrested for corrupt practices and 176 charged in court.

He disclosed that the conviction rate at the subordinate courts was 64.4 percent. The conviction rate of the appeal cases at the high courts was 65.8 percent while at the appellate court it was 86.2 per cent of the cases.

Abu Kassim also said that 88.9 per cent of the cases which involved forfeiture of property was in favour of the MACC.nMACC has been given approval to recruit 2,620 personnel, comprising 1,839 officers and 781 common staff. Out of this, 1,382 or 75.1 percent of the officer posts were filled last year.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Advisory Board said the MACC performed creditably, despite the challenging environment.

By the end of las! t year, it was gradually showing good and convincing improvements and this could be discerned from the significant increase in the arrests of politicians (23) and prosecution of politicians (15) last year.

The board, which is headed by former Chief Justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad, also noted the increase in the arrests of people giving bribes to public officials (108) and high-profile individuals 31 senior officers from the public sector and 65 executive officers in the private sector.

Meanwhile, the Special Committee on Corruption, a body headed by Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, hopes the MACC would put more focus on high-profile and public interest cases.The MACC must also act without fear or favour in its fight against corruption, it said. The committee also advised the MACC to publicise its anti-corruption efforts to improve its perception among the public.Bernama

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Khairy-Ku Li in twitter and e-media row: Umno coup mentioned

Malaysia Chronicle

Umno Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin shot back at veteran leader Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah for suggesting that his support for Prime Minister Najib Razak was rooted in a desire to secure a Cabinet post, and not because he truly believed in the latters policies.

The 34-year old Khairy's twitter retaliation began gently enough, with him counter-accusing Ku Li (as Razaleigh is also known) of trying to topple Najib from the Umno presidency.

Because I choose not to be part of a coup Tengku Razaleigh is trying to orchestrate, my support for the PM is dismissed as superficial, Khairy, an active user of the micro-blogging site, tweeted to his followers.

Not a void I want to fill

But as they responded, Khairy became upset and personal in his remarks, even taking a swipe at the Kelantan prince through his former personal aide John Pang.

I guess without John Pang tweeting liberal thoughts on his behalf, Tengku Razaleigh is still stuck in a bigoted, analogue worldview, Khairy got off his chest.

Ku Li had told Malaysian Insider in an interview that Umno Youth under Khairy's leadership had failed to champion the Malay cause as it traditionally does.

With due respect, Tengku Razaleigh is way off here. If that is the void that needs filling, I don't want to fill it, Khairy tweeted.

New mould

Indeed, the son-in-law of former prime minister Abdullah Badawi has chosen a vastly different path from his predecessors, opting to co-operate with his peers in the BN coalition.

In recent days, he and a few other senior Umno leaders including Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz have rallied behind Najib, whose unifying 1Malaysia slogan has come under increasing fire from Perkasa.

Perkasa founder-chief Ibrahim Ali had flayed the MCA and MIC for daring to ask for more educationa! l opport unities for their communities.

Said Ku Li: There is a vacuum in Umno Youth, when it should be the spokesman for the Malays. But the present Umno Youth leadership does not articulate the Malay plight.

This is splitting the strength of Umno. This sounds very pathetic, they say he wants to become minister, so thats why he has to support the prime minister, at least thats what people say.

Coup d'etat

Indeed, Khairy sticks out for not having any official position despite winning the Youth Chief post.

Pundits say Najib had to bow to former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, who had insisted his son Mukhriz be given a deputy ministers post despite losing to Khairy in the contest for the top Youth post.

I don't want to have to say why Ku Li refers to me superficially supporting PM. Refers to me not wanting any part of his coup d'etat, responded Khairy.

He did not mention what he meant by the coup detat but there have been rumblings that deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin with the backing of Mahathir were stepping efforts to oust the scandal-plagued Najib.
Letter & Opinion From Joe Public

Oil-producing Sabah leaders slam govt price hikes, review royalty

Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

Even as Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni tries to defend a slew of subsidy cuts, more brickbats are pouring in for his boss Prime Minister Najib Razak for trimming RM750 million off the governments expenditure list by raising the prices of essentials sugar, cooking gas, petrol, diesel and LPG.

Among those leading the charge were Sabah PKR leader Ronnie Klassen, who warned the move would unfairly burden East Malaysians, many of whom are already struggling to stay above the poverty line.

The will be a multitude of negative impacts to our daily lives not just in terms of food, drinks and transport. The price rises are for strategic items and will have spillover effect into other essential goods and services. Inflation, which is already bad, can only get worse, Ronnie told Malaysia Chronicle.

But what hurts us most in Sabah and Sarawak are the hikes in fuel because we are oil producing states. How can the Prime Minister ignore this and the fact that Sabah and Sarawak are still the least developed and the poorest states despite our oil revenues? It really looks like we must begin to demand for higher than the 5 percent royalty that they now pay to us for our oil.

Hitting on the weakest line of defense

On Thursday Najib, who is also finance minister, had announced a five-sen price increase for RON95, the mostly commonly used grade of petrol, and for diesel as well. He also put the higher-grade RON97 on a managed float that will subject it to price fluctuations in the market.

LPG was raised 10 sen to RM1.85 per kg, while sugar was also hiked by 25sen to RM1.75 per kg. Cooking gas was increased by RM1 to RM18.50 for the 10kg cylinder, by RM1.20 to RM22.20 for the 12kg cylinder and by RM1.40 to RM25.90 for the 14kg cylinder.

According to Ahmad Husni, the government had to act because it needed to restructure! the eco nomy and transform Malaysia into a high-income nation. He assured the savings from the subsidy cuts would be spent on the National Key Results Areas and the 12 National Key Economic Areas.

"Although in the beginning the proposed subsidy reduction was much bigger, the Cabinet decided that it must minimal, taking into account the people's well-being. They understand the situation and the fact that peoples in other countries are paying more for the same items," Bernama reported Husni as saying.

But he failed to satisfy his critics. They lambasted him and Najib for picking on the low-income groups and protecting firms with links to the Umno elite such as the toll road concessionaires, the independent power producers and the big-time construction players.

"What sort of BN government is this? The hike is like an ambush! It should have been discussed in Parliament and not just announced unilaterally by the BN alone," Shah Alam Mp told Malaysia Chronicle.

"The biggest losers are lower-income people and we demand to know why is Najib picking on them? Why cant he take from the rich companies, do some real restructuring of the economy instead of going after the weakest line of defense.
Letter & Opinion From Joe Public

Shahrizat reached out to Penans to personally look into their plights ?

Shahrizat Visited Tourist Center at Batu Bungan

Where is Batu Bungan ?

Penan knowledge can be touristic asset Local | BorneoPost Online

11 Jul 2010 Besides, their resettlement at Batu Bungan near Mulu National Park is an importanttourist attraction, he said.
www.theborneopost.com/?p=46951 -Cached

Miri City in Sarawak

at resort and transfer by longboat proceed to Batu Bungan Penan Settlement, Places of attraction andTourist attraction in Miri City, Sarawak. When you finally reach the citycentre, urban life is more than apparent.
www.etawau.com/MiriCity.htm -Cached -Similar

Explore more SarawakTourism Board (STB)

It is one of the newly completed world standardvisitor facilities at the National Park.Batu Bungan. Take a ride in a longboat to reach a Penan Settlement
www.sarawaktourism.com//DB689ADB-5B64-4C3B-98D945BC08D67DF3 -Cached -Similar

Filed under: corruption, Human rights, Native Customary Rights, penan Tagged: Anak Sarawak Bangsa Malaysia, indigenous land, indigenous people, penan, penan women, Sarawak, Sarawak politics, Save Sarawak
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Cronies begin baying for the RM750mil raised from price hikes

Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

As Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has warned, the Umno cronies and wolves have begun baying for the RM750 million being wrenched from Malaysian consumers, following a decision by Prime Minister Najib Razak to cut subsidies and raise prices of sugar, cooking gas, petrol, diesel and LPG.

Anwar has suggested the money is channeled back to the citizenry through educational projects and direct aid to low-income groups. "My advice is the money be used to increase funding for tertiary education institutions, new investments in education and direct welfare aid to low-income groups," he said.

Meanwhile, others have suggested lowering personal income, tax rebates for targeted groups, and even new development projects to pump prime the economy. However, in the scheme of things, RM750 million is not a large sum and cannot do much.

High risk of the low-income sliding back into poverty

So perhaps, the Opposition Leader's suggestion might be the most practical and the safest for the citizenry. In particular, some form of direct aid must be extended to the low-income groups because a lot more subsidy cuts are on the way and that is for sure. Toll rates for the highways will be increased, electricity tariffs will be raised. Food and transport will go up. Even water prices may not be safe.

Without commensurate rises in wages, low-income Malaysians who are already struggling to survive may not survive the next round of hikes. It may knock them back into poverty and further social degradation.

Tax cuts and rebates while worthy of further thought should not be considered at this point because most of the lower-income groups do not pay tax in any case. So this wont benefit them, but only the layers above them. But it won't be long before the middle income feel the full-blown pinch and this is when ideas fo! r tax cu ts targeting individuals may come in handy.

Nevertheless, for this round, it is the bottom rung that will feel most of the hit because of the sharp price rises in sugar and cooking gas. Not only directly, but also indirectly, especially when the increases work their way into prices of cooked food and public transportation.

Why isn't there a coordinated and structured plan
According to HwangDBS Vickers Research analyst Chong Tjen-San, there are 19 highways scheduled for toll rate increases over the next 4 years. If the government were to maintain toll rates at current levels, it would have to fork out RM3.19bil in subsidies over the next 4 years, he said.

So more increases on the way. Thats fine in the sense that it is logical for the federal government to want to reduce subsidies and cut the national debt. But why at such abrupt and sharp expense to the citizenry, who will have to pay for whatever the government saves.

Why also were alternative solutions proposed by various experts, including opposition politicians, not allowed to be publicly debated? For example, why are the toll operators left unscathed? Can the federal government not re-negotiate the concessions granted and why were the contracts so one-sided in the first place?

Indeed, the public feedback that Idris Jala - the minister tasked to steer the subsidy cuts - has said he would seek seems to have been publicized only to himself and his bosses, but not the rest of the country.

Cronies again?

Another research house OSK reckons that Tenaga Nasional, MMC and Gamuda may be the three most likely candidates to gain from this round of government savings. Or more more accurately, from the citizenrys hard-earned money because the RM750 million really comes from their pockets as they now have to pay more for their sugar, cooking gas, petrol, diesel and LPG.

Currently, national oil firm Petronas subsidizes the price of natural gas supplied to Independent Power Producers - to th! e tune o f RM13.8 billion according to OSK. If Petronas stopped, the IPPs can retaliate by halting operations and removing 4,105 MW worth of electricity from the system and dropping reserve margins to as low as 13 per cent (considered a low level versus the more normal 20 to 30 percent buffer).

If this happened, Tenaga would have to raise electricity tariffs unless it expanded capacity. There is now speculation that the RM750 million could be used to boost the power plants of TNB and MMC at Janamanjung and Tanjung Bin. MMC is linked to tycoon Syed Mokhtar al-Bukhary, who himself has links to the Umno elite.

But what can RM750 million do it is only enough to give Najib the opportunity to approve and kick-start the projects. After that, what? Will Malaysians be left in the lurch and stuck in yet another long drawn-out and disadvantageous agreement - just like the toll road concessions?

Same goes for Gamuda (yes, the home-grown construction giant linked to the Perak royal family). Again, the research firms are betting that Najib will most likely channel the RM750 million into the new RM43 billion KL MRT project proposed by Gamuda and MMC. With just RM750 million, and already the Najib administration is sounding out a RM43 billion project!

Waking up too late

Sadly, all trails lead to corruption past and present. Malaysians have now got to face the fact they have been wearing rose-tinted glasses for the past five decades, especially during Mahathir era, when blinded by large-scale development, they did not question him or allowed him to be questioned.

But basically, whatever corrupt money was reaped by the past governments has left the country long ago. Those stuck with the baby are the Malaysian citizenry, the current administration and the companies that signed those contracts such as the toll road firms.

The Najib administration can re-negotiate with these toll road operators, but why would they wish to give up their profits without a fight? As they may have en! ticed of ficials in the Mahathir administration into one-sided contracts, perhaps they may now be enticing officials in Najib administration to not rock the boat. Why change when change is not to their advantage?

So left in the lurch is really the Malaysian people, who have to travel these roads whether in their own vehicles or in public transport each day, who have to buy those Proton cars even if the doors can't open smoothly after just a week of getting them, who have to put up with expensive petrol when their own country is still an oil producer. The list just goes on.

It is not a new story but so shocking and sad is the plight of the average Malaysian, most of them still cant quite believe the mess their country is in. But no need for any wake up calls anymore. It is too late. The only medicine for the economy is political - drastic political change and reform.

Also read:

• A Pictorial Guide to Najibnomics: Subsidy Cuts and Price Hikes ...
• Price hikes:Najib unfazed by public anger, selects Merdeka attire...
• Najibnomics: Price adjustments not hikes, rationalization not cuts...
• Spell out how savings from subsidy cuts will be spent : Anwar ...
• Cut in sugar subsidies not even enough to pay APCO : Anwar...

Letter & Opinion From Joe Public

Teoh Beng Hock in memoriam

Otw 2TeohBengHock anniversary memorial ceramah @KL/Sel Ch AssemblyHall Traffic congestion infernal Almost an hour Section 20 PJ 2KL venue
07/16/2010 07:53 PMDespite bad jam hall already full 4TBH memorial crmh Ppl flowing in Show depth/intensity public feelings over tragic death despite 1year
07/16/2010 08:16 PMDAPSY chief/RasahMP AnthonyLoke 1st speaker @DAPSY-org TBH mmrl crmh Most encouraging spontaneous outpouring of public support 4justice 4TBH
07/16/2010 08:29 PMSelDAP Chmn EYHW speaking Png CM LGE just arr Also MPs Gobind TSG TKW FKL WHL LLE ExcoRonnie Speaker TengCK SAs ThomasSu Jenice Phillip
07/16/2010 08:46 PM

Gobind speaking Injustice of unnecessary death of TBH a year ago is still fresh/raw in heart of decent Msians n want justice b done 2TBH
07/16/2010 08:55 PM@n_izzah speak 2crowd after TKW.There r ppl who hope TBH case forgotten but they r wrong 4TBH injustice remains raw wound in national psyche
07/16/2010 09:52 PMTBH n similar wounds in d national psyche (eg Aminurasyid Kugan) must heal or present system of governance is too rotten n must go in 13GE
07/16/2010 10:24 PMTBH memorial ceramah ends w speeches by LGE TengCK myself Stern reminder 2all BN parties Justice 4TBH or face massive public repudiation
07/17/2010 12:21 AMJustice 4TBH is not 4for 1(who died) but 4living 27 mil Msians 2ensure history does not repeat @skaizer23 I dont give a damn fight for one
07/17/2010 01:17 AMMulti-party multi-racial turnout @Nirvana Memorial Park Semenyih 4death anniversary prayer ceremony 4TBH. His 5monthold son Er Jia also here
07/17/2010 10:00 AMRoyalCommission Inquiry anncd by Najib July22 lastyr related 2TBH death has still 2take off making it lameduck RCI.Cabinet shd review nxt wk
07/17/2010 10:16 AMTBH death/injustice example of institutional degradation explained by NEM y Msia losing out in int competiveness stakes tkz 2BN/umno/mca
07/17/2010 10:25 AM
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PAS is confirmed a thief because ...

PAS will stick with Pakatan Rakyat

July 17, 2010

Because they say ...

"PAS will stick with Pakatan Rakyat for the moment, says Mustafa Ali"

Meaning they may consider to join UMNO the 'Thief' who have stolen at least $52B NEP funds alone in the near future ...

ONLT THIEF WOULD CONSIDER TO JOIN ANOTHER THIEF, RIGHT?

by Joseph Sipalan (July 16, 2010)

PAS today repeated its pledge of loyalty to the Pakatan Rakyat, saying they will stand by their promise to stay with the coalition till at least the 13th general election.

Party secretary-general Mustafa Ali (left) said spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mats recent statement to welcome a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin does not mean they will work with UMNO politically.

Tok Guru (Nik Aziz) is also the Kelantan Menteri Besar, and there is nothing wrong for a Menteri Besar to meet a federal leader to discuss many issues, he said at a press conference at the PAS headquarters.

There are many outstanding issues, but I dont think they will touch on political cooperation because PAS, be it the central leadership or its muktamar, is with Pakatan, Mustafa declared.

Mustafa was commenting on a statement by Nik Aziz last Wednesday that he was ready to meet with Muhyiddin on any topic, preferably without the involvement of a third party.

Mustafa said PAS policy on engagement covers three levels political, state-to-federal governments and issues-based. He said they have no issues about engaging the federal government if it relates to cooperation between the state and federal governments or issues of public concern such as reduced subsidies and Islamic affairs.

But Mustafa side-stepped questions on PAS allegiance to Pakatan after the 13th general election, saying that it is not something they can predict. We dont know what will happen after the general election. We will say we stay but some other parties may go At this point of time, we are with the Pakatan, he said.

When pressed for further comments on PAS status post-general elections, h! e said o nly Allah knows. Mustafa pointed out that PAS has never broken its promises, citing their experiences in previous coalitions over the years.

In the past, we were with Semangat 46 and even the BN. We never left those coalitions, we were taken out. Then in the Barisan Alternatif in 1999, it was DAP that left in 2001, though they came back in 2008, he said.

Mustafa admitted that membership in a political coalition is not legally binding, but gave an assurance that PAS will not betray our comrades.

(A coalition) is based on trust. Our pledge was to stay with PR until the 13th GE, so we will stand by that, he said.www.malaysiakini.com

Letter & Opinion From Joe Public

A Pictorial Guide to Najibnomics: Subsidy Cuts and Price Hikes

Malaysia Chronicle

Yup, yup. Much has been written about price hikes and subsidy cuts and vice-versa, and no doubt, much more will be written soon.

But you know what they say about a picture paints a thousand words. So, with great pleasure, here are four fantastic 'photos' from a friend Umnodokpakka Gawa !





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Why is Umno seen as drifting further and further from the Malays

Jebat Must Die

Why is Umno seen as drifting further and further from the Malays? How can the present crop of Umno leaders stop this gap from widening further?

It is annoying to hear Datos Sri Najib Tun Razak time and time again had to remind the Umno members to always be close to the people.

Yes, we know that.

Umno leaders on the ground heard these calls from top leadership almost on weekly basis. But do they understand the meaning of getting close to the people?

How to do this?
Umno, since the early 90s was seen as a vehicle to gain shortcuts to riches. Not only the Malays, even the chinese and indians rode this vehicle in order to achieve wealth in a very non transparent manner without much effort and struggle.

The young joined Umno because of the contracts they might be given. Using cables and whatever means they could find, their only objective in joining Umno is the commission they could get when they subcontract the project to their non malay friends.

Sometimes, they compare their success with their comrades with the amount of pink forms they could get from their patrons.

More often than not, any party activities no matter how mundane and simple will be laced with money making schemes.

If such ilk and ill-deserved methods were cultivated during the Pemuda stage, these same bunch of people will have the same culture when they become the top leaders of Umno.

When I was really young, I was a member of a Pemuda Umno. It was a very modest outfit. There were only 14 of us and all were between 18 to 23. The Ketua Pemuda cawangan had just graduated from the local university and awaiting calls to pursue his studies at overseas.

Our objective of existence? Just to have fun and perhaps contribute to the community.

One of the activities involved was inter party bowling competition, i.e., we orga! nised a bowling competition between Umno Youth, MCA Youth, DAP Youth and PAS Youth.

The mothers, in other words, the Wanita Umno, Wanita MCA and Dewan Muslimah PAS prepared the food for the event.

We opened the competition to the kids in the neighbourhood as well. Thus, the ultimate aim is to bring the people closer together.

Although this aim was not realised by us at the time (we were of course, just wanted to have fun), the feelgood factor can be felt long after the event.

My point?
The Umno grassroots and its ordinary members must run the party like a persatuan.

Not like a money making vehicle which it has become today.

Do you remember how it was like in school when joining the scouts or the Interact Club? Did you even think about making money for yourself when you were in these clubs?

The only financial matter that you could have thought was how to make money FOR the club. Not for yourself.

But these days, even after I am no longer an active member of Umno, the young ones had nothing much to say about contributing to the society other than talking about this contract, or that contract. They talked in the range of millions. Their idle chat while sipping coffee was only about scheming more money from their network of political bosses.

There is no more urgency or passion to talk about uplifting the Malays socio-economic situation in their conversation.

The reason I no longer play an active part in Umno is precisely because of that. Everyone is thinking about himself. Id rather be in NGOs that directly tackle the socio-economic problems of the people.

Theres no longer genuine and selfless objective amongst the young Umno members. They dont even believe in the core objectives of Umno. Their only interest is how to make money through their Umno membership.

Therefore, in order to appeal to the Malays, Umno must turn itself and operate like a persatuan.

Go back to your roots.
In addition to Datuk Sakmongkols Umno and i! ts low c ulture, this approach is what Umno members must cultivate and endure.

Appealing oneself to the Malay heartland will only be successful if the members are fully involved in day to day party activities without the proclivity of wanting monetary returns.

60 years ago, the concept of contributing energy, time and sweat without any intention of gaining any monetary rewards was a norm.

Now?
Most Umno boys will spit on their leaders face (figuratively speaking) if they ask the boys to do something without given them some money in return. Naturally, a persatuan does not run this way.

But the Persatuan Umno back in the old days were driven by this very concept of selfless deeds.

Semangat tolong menolong, gotong royong and bantu membantu were the core message of Umno in the Malay heartland.

This is the basic value that Umno must re-propagate among themselves. Show the people that you are sincere.

It would be a bad example to see a Ketua Cawangan so busy counting surplus money obtained from the Umno HQ which was meant for a gotong royong activity when in fact, any surplus money should be recycled for the next activity.

It is a tall order indeed in changing a mindset. But treat Umno like a persatuan and we shall see some changes from there. Anybody who are selfish will be turned-off by this approach. Only the worthy and the selfless will soldier on and take up the cause.

There is nothing more simple than that.

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