Now lets see how else MAS was plundered

Since 15th August 2010, Malaysia Today published nine reports on how Tajudin Ramli plundered MAS and reduced this airline company from a surplus of more than RM600 million to a deficit in excess of RM8 billion. Malaysia Today also showed documents to not only prove this but also to prove that there was collusion between the AG Chambers, MACC and PRDM to sweep this entire episode under the carpet. But that is not the whole story. Today, we are going to show you how else MAS was plundered.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Parts 1 to 9 of this series of articles (you can read them in the links below) showed how Tajuddin Ramli plundered MAS with such impunity. There were attempts by the PDRM (Royal Malaysian Police) and the AG Chambers -- before Ramli Yusuff became the Director of the Commercial Crimes Investigations Department -- to cover up Tajudins wrongdoings.

Ramli Yusuff, however, reopened the investigation and, together with the MAS Directors, went to meet Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to brief him on the situation. Ramli Yusuff then prepared a detail report identifying how MAS was scammed. He also recommended that Tajudin Ramli be charged for various offences.

This report was submitted to Annuar Zaini, an Abdullah Badawi nominee who sits as Bernama Chairman and a MAS Board member. Annuar Zaini thus had access to all things happening in MAS.

Tajudin Ramli, however, was not the only one who plundered MAS. Abdullah Badawi himself had done the same thing back in 2002 when he was still only the Deputy Prime Minister. And what Abdullah Badawi did was: he forced MAS to give the right of privatising MAS Catering Sdn Bhd to his family company, Fahim Capital Sdn Bhd.

It appears like Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad knew this ! but he n evertheless allowed it to happen, probably so that he had something to hold against Abdullah Badawi in case the latter reneged on his promises to the former. Maybe Mahathir thought that this would be his trump card against Abdullah Badawi when the former relinquishes power to the latter in 2003.

But, regardless of all that, Abdullah Badawi stilled betrayed Mahathir. And he also betrayed Ramli Yusuff when he (Ramli), instead of Tajuddin Ramli, ended up in the dock.

Why did Abdullah Badawi allow them to go for Ramli Yusuff instead of going for Tajudin Ramli? The reason is simple enough as illustrated by the two letters below dated 30th January 2002 and 7th March 2002.

Initially, it was quite perplexing as to why the head of the CCID was arrested and charged instead of the person he was pursuing, Tajudin Ramli. But when you see that the Prime Minister himself also had his hands in the MAS cash-box then it begins to make sense.

If the shit in MAS were to hit the fan then some of this shit would splash onto the Prime Minister. So better this shit remains buried and those who were trying to bring it to the surface get sent to jail on fabricated charges -- that the courts have since ruled unfounded. And Abdullah Badawi demanded that he be made the MAS adviser in 2009 as part of his 'retirement package' so that he can continue to keep the shit hidden.

Did the court not acquit Ramli Yusuff without his defence being called? And did the judge not chide the IGP, Musa Hassan, for this unreliable and untruthful testimony? What more proof do you need that Ramli Yusuff is a victim of persecution and that one of the reasons for this is his relentless pursuit of Tajudin Ramli.

And, to add icing to the cake, they also went for the lawyer for MAS, Rosli Dahlan. They allege that he is an accomplice to Ramli Yusuff. But the court has ruled that Ramli Yusuff did not commit a crime. Can Rosli now still be found guilty of being an accomplice to a crime that the court says never ha! ppened?< /p>

Lets wait and see what happens because Rosli Dahlans trial will be decided very soon, about ten days more to be exact (6th-8th September 2010).

Did not Malaysia Today say a couple of years ago that all roads lead to Putrajaya? And some had the cheek to say that Malaysia Today was being seditious and malicious. Yes, as Mukhriz Mahathir said, only 40% of what Malaysia Today publishes is true. Well, there are two letters below. Which 60% of these two letters are false?

Over to you, Mukhriz. Or are you going to happily allow this one to pass so that you can use it against Khairy Jamaluddin in the next round of your contest for the Umno Youth leadership?

PREVIOUS REPORTS

1. Abu Kassim Mohamed, are you now going to resign?

2. The MAS scandal: what the MACC swept under the carpet and marked NFA

3. The MACC Chief cant plead ignorance

4. The MACC says thanks but no thanks

5. Eight years and still counting

6. Tajuddin Ramli enters into a contract with himself

7. How the RM9 billion hole was left to the taxpayers

8. The web of deceit

9. The police and AG Chambers colluded to cover up the fraud in MAS

See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

Stirring the Hornet’s Nest

Black Ops is failing, with poor implementation. Frustration is setting in. The enemy is running out of time. Cracks are appearing in what was once an impenetrable fortress for 53 years. Internal bickering is going live. For each failed black ops operation, people everywhere are starting to smell something fishy going on.

By Capt Iskandar Dzulkarnain

Based on the recent turn of events, many of us are led to believe that Black Ops is now in operation. Everything seems to be falling into place, and the partisan media is warning us of a bigger war worse than May 13.

Of late, the criticism levelled at the Opposition has risen to new levels, with fault finding from Defence secrets to offending Sultans and the King. It also goes to show how much respect we have of our Royalty. Even the Chosen One and Don Quixote seem to be siding each other, on their relentless quest to defend Malay Rights.

Dr Mahathir, in his twilight years, has stepped up the ante with his daily dose of dogma in the interests of Malay Supremacy. The daily rebuttals from the public towards his speeches do not seem to stop him. Why do we continue to criticize him, or try to change his perception? For whatever reason, he does not want to see a change in government but he knows more than any of us that a change is imminent and inevitable. He will continue to speak his mind as long as there is an audience out there. If his rationale is sensible, even I will agree with him. Energy is better spent in preparation to take over the nation, picking up the pieces and preparing the birth of a new nation.

Soon you will see many more BN leaders climbing over each other to speak out and find faults with the system. Every little fault will be blown out of proportion.

Even the opposite sex will not be spared. Police reports have been made against a CPI analyst, a DAP assemblywoman, a PKR MP, and even a school headmistress. And we always thought that it was a macho thing not to involve the weaker sex in any of our disputes.

Black Ops is failing, with poor implementation. Frustration is setting in. The enemy is running out of time. Cracks are appearing in what was once an impenetrable fortress for 53 years. Internal bickering is going live. For each failed black ops operation, people everywhere are starting to smell something fishy going on.

Non-Malays should know that most true blue blooded Malays and Muslims have written off UMNO and BN. The word is being observantly whispered in a sombre mood everywhere that they are abandoning BN for good. They are not going to stand by and let BN continue plundering the nation, taking them for fools, belittling them and the Religion; but most of all they simply cannot stand their high and mighty hypocritical attitude.

Put it this way, there are really a lot of true blue blooded Malays out there who recognize meritocracy and the importance to work hard to earn a living. But then we also have a lot of half baked Malays out there, trying to fight for Malay Rights without justification. But the way they do it sounds so false that even Malays can see through their façade. In the Armed Forces and the Police, there are over 80 percent true Malays and Muslims who will justly defend this country from imploding should an emergency arise. The only drawback is that they are led by shady hypocritical characters that are pulling all the strings.

And again the issue of Hudud Laws is in the forefront to confuse Non-Muslims. Syariah, like Hudud Laws, has already been implemented in this nation for many years. Have the Non-Muslims ever felt its presence? Has it in any way affected the lives of Non-Muslims in this country? Most Non-Muslims who have no understanding of Hudud tend to conjure horrifying pictures of severed limbs. Me too, until I took the trouble to do some research and found it to be otherwise.

Picture this scenario: the Opposition wins, and BN is gone for good. PAS later tries to impose Hudud Laws in this country. And should Hudud be implemented in this country, all of us will be delighted to see the corrupt, the daylight robbers, the rapists, and the scum of the earth all marching in line to pay for their sins and meet their fate. This scenario is too farfetched by any standards, and I believe it will never come this far.

And if PAS tries to impose their will (Not God’s Will) on Non-Muslims, the people can and will still vote them out in the next two elections. It is the People’s Power that determines the future of this nation. It is also the People that will be the Boss! PR, if it comes into power, must know that and the People will not hesitate to kick them out if there is any hanky panky. Hudud is a non issue so we should let it rest and concentrate on the important things first.

Lastly, there are no racial issues in this country. What the world says of Malaysia is true. We are one of the only nations in this world that is truly cosmopolitan, and everyone is comfortable and courteous to each other. The level of comfort between the races is so high that it borders on amazing. BN, however, wants Malaysians to think otherwise. The psychological war (Black Ops) is not effective, and plots are poorly hatched, fizzling out each time it is implemented that even the plot hatchers are shaking their heads in disbelief!! But the Danger remains. IF they break through this psychological barrier, and the virus starts spreading, you will see a lot of zombies fighting each other for survival. So take heed and be patient.Not everyone can be a racist. It is in the DNA and you cannot fault a racist, if he is one. But only about 0.02 percent of people have faulty genes, so that is why we can smell a racist a mile away. We should not shun them. Like Zaid says, it’s only a psychological disorder. Nothing to worry about!

Gisele Bundchen for Roberto Cavalli

from fuckyeahsupermodel

Najib: BN to decide on direct membership soon

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional will decide whether to allow direct membership into BN at the year end following calls from various quarters for the coalition to carry out the transformation.

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who is also BN chairman, said the proposal was being studied by the party leadership and would be part of the agenda to be decided on at the BN Convention scheduled for the year end.

This was Najib's spontaneous answer to a question posed by a participant of the BN Youth Townhall laboratory session, here, today.

Najib said BN's willingness to consider the idea of direct membership was a positive indication that it was prepared to change.

"So, dont join any party until then," he said in reply to a question on whether BN was prepared to implement direct membership and not participation based on race in a component party.

Several BN leaders had before this urged that the introduction of the open membership be hastened and should not be viewed negatively.

It was suggested that BN open the direct membership to individuals and non-governmental organisations without having to be part of any component party.

Former Sabah chief minister Salleh Said Keruak and Gua Musang member of parliament Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah were among those who had called on BN to carry out this transformation and make BN a multiracial party through open membership.

- Bernama

Letter & Opinion From Joe Public

PKR crisis deepens, Jeffrey advises Anwar to scrap visit

By Luke Rintod

KOTA KINABALU: The cracks in PKR appears to be widening with vice president Jeffrey Kitingan accusing PKR advisor Anwar Ibrahim of destroying the peace plan brokered late last year to restore normalcy in the party in Sabah.

Jeffrey said PKR had two options last year: one was to take action against those involved in forming a breakaway party through suspension or sacking; and the second option was reconciliation.

He added that the party chose to reconcile and agreed to some of his demands. In return, his 12 supporters agreed to restore normalcy including withdrawing the application to register a break-away party, Parti Cinta Sabah.

"The party cannot now abandon the reconciliation plan and go back to the option of castigating and punishing the people involved.

This has reflected badly against decision makers in the party," said Jeffrey.

FMT also learned that Jeffrey has advised Anwar to postpone his scheduled visit to Menggatal, Putatan and Papar tomorrow to another date.

Jeffrey is expected to release a statement on the matter later today.

Did Anwar break his word?

In related development, Jeffrey in an interview with blogger Haris Ibrahim, also spoke about how Anwar had reneged on his word.

Yesterday, the PKR disciplinary board recommended that 12 Sabah PKR leaders, aligned to Jeffrey, be suspendend for wanting to register Parti Cinta Sabah.

The 12 had filed the application with the Registrar of Societies, following a leadership tussle last year. They had wanted Jeffrey to lead Sabah PKR.

Following a peace deal, the application was retracted.

Asked if the application to register a new party was raised at the peace talks, Jeffrey replied, Yes, when it was decided to reconcile, it was also decided that no action would be taken agai! nst thos e who took part in setting up the new party.

In return, Thamrin Jainis appointment (as Sabah PKR chief) would be accepted whilst there was also an agreement on the appointment of some others, like the secretary and ketua penerangan (information chief), but even this was not implemented, he added.

On whether the assurance that no action would be taken was expressly raised and agreed during the peace talks, he said: It was agreed to by the Ketua Umum PKR (Anwar). It (the decision) was conveyed to me by the Ketua Umum through a third party.

According to Jeffrey, the assurance was conveyed verbally as well as in writing.

He also denied the claim that Anwar and other leaders were not aware that the application was submitted to the Registrar of Societies, and at the time of the peace talks, they were under the impression that a new party was merely being contemplated.

The veteran politician was also in the dark about why the party had suddenly decided to make a U-turn on this issue.

I have no idea, although it does look like it might have to do with the party elections. Somebody complained and now it looks like we are going backward, he said.

The 12 have been very honest. They told the truth. They abandoned their plan about a new party after we made a peace plan and we reconciled and then how can this now be done to them? At the time of submission of nomination papers (for the divisional election)? This will disqualify these people. This is not fair.

We are fighting for justice and democracy. This will in effect deprive these people of the opportunity to exercise their right. It effectively undermines the democratic process in the party, he added.

Below are excerpts from the interview:

The party will decide this coming Sunday whether to adopt and give effect to the recommendation to suspend the 12. Where do you go from there if they do adopt the recommendation to suspend?

Well, I will cros! s that b ridge if and when we get there. Right now, what I would like to suggest to the leadership is to withdraw the decision and to resume party activities. After all, a decision had been made 9 or 10 months ago that we make a peace plan and we reconcile.

Are you therefore urging the party leadership to look at the bigger picture and push forward with the peace plan?

Yes. To me, whatever they are doing now is already irrelevant because a decision had been made to reconcile and make a peace plan and we have moved along that line for about a year already. Are we now going backward and say throw the peace plan away? Where is the direction? The party has earlier made a decision and they should stick to that decision.

Would you say that this latest development puts PKR Sabah in a very precarious position?

Indeed, it does.

Also read:

PKR decision will backfire in Sabah, say supporters

Letter & Opinion From Joe Public

Tee: I was made a sacrificial lamb

By Teoh El Sen

PETALING JAYA: Sacked DAP leader and ex-Klang municipal councillor Tee Boon Hock today lashed out at those who betrayed him in the support letter controversy, saying he was being made the sacrificial lamb.

He said he became the political scapegoat in the whole episode and took a swipe at selfish leaders who did not care about the party.

I was destoyed by these selfish leaders, he said.

But he continues to maintain his innocence in the whole affair, which ended in his sacking from the party.

Last night, the DAP central executive committee (CEC) decided to stick to its disciplinary committee's move to sack Tee for issuing a recommendation letter for his son's business.

The CEC also took no further action against Tee's former boss Selangor executive councillor Ronnie Liu, whose letterhead and seal were used in the letter, save for the "severe reprimand" dealt out to him.

"I still feel that the party has treated me very unfairly and I have been used as a scapegoat. But I still stand by my innocence," Tee told FMT today.

Accusing the party leadership of practising "double standards", the former DAP state organising secretary said if the same principles applied to him were applied elsewhere, a lot more people should also be sacked.

"If we say support letters are wrong, then PKR's Hamidah (Mat Sum) is also wrong and guilty of issuing support letters for her husband's business. Shouldn't she be sacked?" he asked.

'An obedient servant'

Previously, Kapar MCA division chief Song Kee Chai had claimed that Hamidah, a Klang municipal councillor, had also issued letters to help her husband secure contracts from the council.

However, Tee, the former special assistant to Liu, maintained that the issuance of support letters is not tantamount to corruption.

"Support let! ters are just a recommendation; there's no conflict (of interest) because the decision to award lies with the council's director, not me. And I was not in the Price Quotation Board until Oct 1 2009.

In other words, I had nothing to do with the project going to the company (where Tee's son is a director). If I really gave the project, then I would not be fighting for my rights at all," said Tee.

Tee reiterated that he had no knowledge of his son's directorship and that he was signing the support letter on behalf of Liu, as an "obedient servant".

He said if he knew about his son's directorship, he probably would not have got into "all this nonsense".

"My son was so young, only 19, when he was put in that company. I didn't even know it. When contractors who have helped us a lot during elections come to us, we normally do not do any assessments and base everything on trust. They support us, we support them. It's not wrong."

Tee added that the party was unfair in not allowing him an opportunity to defend himself.

"I don't agree with the leaders' decision that the CEC has no power to review Liu's so-called punishment. The party must base its decisions on public opinion and it is very important to maintain the integrity of the party. We are supposed to move people and how can we do it without a clean image?" said Tee, a party member for some 26 years.

'Liu should take responsibility'

Tee also criticised the Pakatan Rakyat government for not issuing a clear guideline on the issuance of such letters from the very beginning.

"When we first took over the government, the officers from the previous administration who have been there for so long asked us for support letters for whatever we did; as we were new, we followed suit," said Tee, who has yet to receive a letter of termination as a councillor.

"But only now Menteri Besar (Khalid Ibrahim) has asked for a guideline. I have become the sacrificial lamb, so that the others ! will be given amnesty," he said.

Tee also said he feels Liu should take responsibility.

"If I made any mistake at that time, he should have told me in 2008. Why now? Why me? "

Asked if his sacking had anything to do with Liu being afraid of his growing grassroots support, Tee said, "Yes, there is a political agenda."

He said his relationship with Liu soured when the latter mistakenly thought he was the one who "gave information" about the allegations that Liu was linked to underworld characters.

"He was mad at me," said Tee, who was abruptly removed as a special assistant to Liu in November 2009, ending their once-close ties.

Elite guard

On talks that he had aligned himself to DAP veteran and Selangor speaker Teng Chang Khim, Tee said it was simply the work of the "elite guard"-- spies who are close to the DAP leadership.

"I had one function last year during Chinese New Year, and when my committee invited the speaker (Teng) to grace the occasion, they were already saying I am aligned to Teng. They were saying ',Oh, Tee is a very dangerous man now'. They marked me," said Tee, who clarified that he had been loyal to Liu and had never spoken to Teng for over 10 years.

Tee said he felt he was wholly betrayed by Liu, whom he had strongly supported, especially during the 2008 general election.

"I contested twice in Pandamaran, but in in 2008, I told Liu, 'you don't have luck winning a seat in parliament, so why don't you try Pandamaran? Just bring your suitcase and nomination form, and I will do everything.' And I did everything canvassing grassroots support, putting up posters, holding ceramah, everything. He even used my house as an operation baser" said Tee.

"I feel betrayed by him. He was treated so nice but he had to listen to hearsay that I wanted to contest in Pandamaran and take it back from him.

As a leader you don't listen to all these speculation. I was going to the ground because I like to do ! public s ervice; my blood is with the DAP, and I like to help people."

Asked about his future plans, Tee, who joined DAP when he was 26 in 1984, said he would be concentrating on his transport business for now.

"Future plans... that I will decide later. My family, especially my wife, is exhausted as she could not sleep well, though I slept well knowing that I was right.

My children asked me why I was involved in all this. But I still do put my hope in DAP. It is a good party."

"I was destroyed by a handful of selfish leaders who look after their own interests rather than the party and people."

Also read:

DAP upholds decision to sack Tee

See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

Pussy Chua is banging on Hudud

Hudud: Soi Lek attacking Islam again to score points against DAP

from Malaysia Chronicle by admin@ malaysiachronicle

Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

Muslim leaders condemned MCA president Chua Soi Lek for badmouthing hudud and stomping on Islam when he suggested that the Chinese community reject DAP because it could later U-turn on its secular stance and support PAS in allowing the Muslim law to be implemented.


“Why does Chua Soi Lek want to talk about hudud when he hasn’t taken the trouble to understand what it is about? Don’t politicize hudud because it is part of Islamic law. You don’t have to agree or to accept but don’t turn it into something evil just to scare the Chinese voters away from DAP,” PAS vice president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man told Malaysia Chronicle.

Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man

“That is very bad. It is a form of racism and escapism. Are MCA and Chua so desperate to hide their own troubles that they have to start attacking religion? It is also a shame for Umno to stand by and let them make hudud a bogeyman to the non-Muslims. Where is their love for Islam?”

Political points

On Thursday, Chua accused DAP – which is MCA’s main rival for the Chinese vote – of being willing to sacrifice the community for the sake of power by agreeing with PAS to implement hudud.

But in his haste to score political points, Chua denigrated Islam by suggesting that hudud was something that Chinese should reject at all costs.

“It is an eye opener to all citizens in this country that PAS would never never give up on its Islamic agenda. So it is wrong to say why not we try to vote for them. It is wrong because it concerns the welfare of the rakyat,” Chua was quoted as saying.

Nizar Jamaluddin

Unsurprisingly, Chua’s comments drew sharp rebuke from Islamic leaders, angered by the perceived facetiousness in his remarks and for condemning a branch of their religious law that has been in practice for centuries in many Muslim nations.

Anything wrong with having an Islamic agenda?

Hudud is of three branches of Islamic or Syariah law - of which tazir and qisas are the other two. Hudud specifically state the limits ordained by Allah and refer only to 6 crimes namely theft, highway robbery, illegal sexual intercourse or zina, false accusations of zina, drinking alcohol and apostasy, which includes blasphemy.

Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud

Punishment under hudud is also fixed and cannot be varied. But because these include whipping, amputation of limbs and even stoning to death, it has created tremendous misunderstanding and negative publicity for hudud and for Islamic law as a whole. Islamic or Syariah law is already practised in Malaysia. It refers to the code derived from the Quran and from the teachings and examples of Prophet Mohammed. Both hudud and Syariah are only applicable to Muslims.

“Soi Lek has again demonstrated how shallow minded, immoral and totally ignorant he is on Islamic ideology and law. Pakatan’s path to Putrajaya does not depend on hudud. PAS is an Islamic party. The MCA president has chosen to condemn Islamic law when he doesn’t know anything about it. We are shocked at his low behavior and unreservedly condemn him," Bukit Gantang MP Nizar Jamaluddin told Malaysia Chronicle.

“Of course, PAS will not give up on its Islamic struggle. It is our raison d'etre - our duty to deliver the Islamic message to all and to strive to implement Islam wherever it is accepted. We also understand the current resistance to some aspects of Islamic law is due to a lack of public knowledge. Even many Muslims are still ignorant about it. But we learn together and we strive for a better Malaysia together regardless of religion and race," Kota Raja MP Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud told Malaysia Chronicle.

Pakatan staring at massive loss in next election

By Athi Shankar

GEORGE TOWN: If April's Hulu Selangor parliamentary by-election results were to be applied across the Peninsula, Pakatan Rakyat would lose Selangor and Kedah in the 13th general election.

The coalition, however, could retain Penang, albeit with reduced state seats.

At federal level, Barisan Nasional may regain its parliamentary two-thirds majority, which the Umno-controlled coalition lost in the 2008 general election.

In short, a snap national polls now would reduce Pakatan's political strength considerably, mainly due to loss of ethnic Malay and Indian votes.

The staggering electoral projection was Pakatans final analysis from its Hulu Selangor by-election post-mortem findings, which was compiled in a report dated May 5.

Compared with DAP, PAS and PKR would suffer more electoral heartbreaks in the next general election if the Hulu Selangor momentum stays through the next general election.

The DAP would be able to retain its political footing due to an overwhelming ethnic Chinese backing for Pakatan.

According to the report -- a copy was made available to FMT by a party source -- Pakatan would only be able to win 18 of 56 state seats in Selangor and meekly surrender the state government to the Barisan Nasional.

DAP is projected to win the same number of 14 state seats as in 2008.

But PKR's state seats would drop from the current 18 to a mere four, while PAS could be wiped out in Selangor, losing all its six state seats.

Bad show in Kedah

The findings projected Pakatan to lose badly in Kedah, winning only four from 36 state seats. It now governs the state with 20 seats.

Contrary to popular belief, the post-Hulu Selangor analysis projected Pakatan to lose in Perak, winning only 21 of the state's 59 assembly seats.

In 2008, Pakatan captured 31 s! eats.

The only positive aspect of the findings was that the coalition would be able to retain Penang, winning 28 from 40 state seats. Currently, Pakatan has 29 in the island-state.

At parliamentary level, PKR is projected to win between 30 and 33 seats, while DAP may be able to secure 30 to 31 seats.

PAS, on the other hand, could perform badly by winning only 11 seats, 12 less than 2008.

Overall, the Pakatan coalition would only win 70 to 75 federal seats, compared with 80 won in 2008, thus virtually giving BN the two-thirds majority.

The findings also revealed that the (Hulu Selangor) campaign carried out by Pakatan, especially by PKR, was loose, poorly coordinated, without any theme, except for a smearing campaign and counter-defensive actions, and crippled by a weak machinery.

In the by-election polls on April 25, BN candidate from MIC P Kamalanathan scored an upset win over PKR supreme council member and former de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim by a 1,725-vote majority.

Kamalanathan polled 24,997 votes against Zaids 23,272 votes. PKR won the seat in the 2008 general election.

Zaid's loss was the second successive by-election defeat suffered by Pakatan following the Bagan Pinang state by-election defeat last October.

In Bagan Pinang, BNs Mohd Isa Samad triumphed with a landslide 5,435 majority, garnering 8,013 votes against PAS' Negri Sembilan commissioner Zulkefly Mohamad Omar, who polled only 2,578.

Significantly, both the Malay-majority constituencies have decisive numbers of Indian voters.

Equally significant was that Indian votes have shifted by 8% to 10% from Pakatan to BN.

Indian voters comprised 20.7% or 13,664 of Bagan Pinang eligible voters. They formed 19.3% or 12,453 of Hulu Selangor's 64,500 registered voters.

Mid-term review

Both Bagan Pinang and Hulu Selangor are considered to be majority constituencies in the country, in which the Malays form the majority with signif! icant po pulation of Chinese and Indians.

Pakatan would have suffered severe electoral reverses if the Hulu Selangor by-election was actually a snap general election, said a Pakatan insider.

The report stated that Pakatan saw Hulu Selangor by-election as a mid-term review on the performance of the PKR-led Selangor government in a neglected parliamentary seat.

Much to Pakatan's chagrin, the post-election study disclosed that Khalid Ibrahim's administration just passed the litmus test without any credits.

Hulu Selangor also revealed a swing of 8% to 10% among Malays towards BN, while Pakatan has become over-dependent on Chinese votes for its political survival.

Overall, Pakatan secured 36% Malay votes, 41% Indians and 77% Chinese, which was comparatively better than 2004 but marginally poorer than 2008.

Pakatan held out in semi-urban areas despite BN's fierce onslaught, but lost out in rural estates and villages.

According to several Pakatan campaigners, the current nationwide swing of Indian voters towards BN after voting en bloc in 2008 for Pakatan was triggered by the ruthless demolition of Penang Indian traditional village, Kampung Buah Pala last year.
Pakatan state governments in Penang, Kedah and Selangor must act fast to stop the rot, they concluded.

A BN official said that following Hulu Selangor and Bagan Pinang victories, BN has now conceded that Indians, not ethnic Chinese, are its second largest vote bank after the ethnic Malays.

That can be decisive in the next general election, he told FMT recently.
See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

Change is the ineluctable fact

Several weeks ago, I hosted a lunch for a Malaysian politician and an Indonesian businessman.

The politician and I were struck by the tycoon's steadfast support of his nation's democratic traditions. He stressed that he would not be where he was now had it not been for Reformasi and the turbulence of 1998. Indeed, he made a powerful argument that his country wouldn't be powering ahead were it not for the transformation that took place after Soeharto's ouster.

Interestingly, I think most Malaysian businessmen, including those dependent on government contracts, would agree with my Indonesian friend.

All societies need change. Countries that don't or can't change (like Japan) remain ossified and stagnant. Malaysia is in danger of experiencing a “Lost Decade” like Japan did – being stuck in an unproductive (even destructive) socio-economic and political model.

In the past, I used to praise Malaysia's slow but steady pace of change. The events of the last decade have changed my mind. I now see that our evolutionary (as opposed to revolutionary) political process is a formidable barrier to our future growth.

Politics is holding us back and until we resolve two core political challenges, we will remain in limbo. The first is the role of ethnicity and second, the civil liberties agenda. Economic reform cannot happen when race still governs our public life, and where our citizens are not allowed to think and speak independently.

We remain a top-down, illiberal and limited democracy. We have leaders who do not trust the rakyat. The rakyat, conversely are increasingly frustrated with what is going on. They clearly see that to maintain the status quo there is a cynical fanning of racial and religious sentiment that only pushes us closer to some kind of political Armageddon.

So, as Malaysia readies itself for what appears to be our 13th general election, I have a few points to stress, reflecting some of the developments over the past two years:

Public scepticism and distrust is peaking:

Public distrust has mounted. We are face to face with too many scandals and legal travesties -- ranging from the Teoh Beng Hock inquest to the second Anwar Ibrahim trial. These unresolved, and unresolvable, cases gnaw away at public confidence. They impact the entire system. As a result, there is less and less confidence in public institutions.

We are experiencing a breakdown of the culture of deference in the Malay society:

The Malay society has been highly disciplined and hierarchical for many decades. However, Dr Mahathir Mohamad's Melayu Baru rhetoric has taken root. Like it or not, the vast expansion of the Malay middle class has changed the dynamic between the ruled and the rulers. The Malay community is no longer respectful of entrenched authority. Instead, they are critical and analytical.

Indeed, younger Malaysians of all races are more “transactional” in their approach to politics. They ask, “What's in it for me?” Elected officials have to be more humble and service-orientated. MP's and ministers can no longer expect to command respect. They have to earn it, step-by-step. And the best way to do it is by being honest and humble.

Not all political warhorses will deliver the goods:

Sarawak's Taib Mahmud has been in office for well over 30 years. Is he liked or disliked? Can he deliver his state again into the hands of the Barisan Nasional? Past success is no guarantee of future delivery. The next state election in Sarawak will be eagerly contested and watched.

The role of the media: what is the truth?

The continuing restrictions on the Malaysian media have proven to be a disaster for the Barisan. On the other hand, certain conservative papers appear to have been given a free hand to engage in race-baiting. These double-standards have not boosted public sentiment, but rob the government of a very effective method of understanding what is happening on the ground.

Without freedom of expression, journalists can only write what the leaders want to read, not what they need to. As a result, Malaysia’s elite have become insulated from the rakyat, something the former can ill-afford at this juncture.

The Age of Coalitions is here:

The results of the UK and Australian elections show that the Westminster system of democracy -- which Malaysia also practices -- tends to produce hung legislatures when voter dissatisfaction is great. The question then arises: who – the Barisan or Pakatan Rakyat -- has a sounder alliance? Who can better bring our fragmented socio-political sphere?

These factors will become apparent in the upcoming power plays. Whatever happens, there is no turning back and Malaysia will never be the same again.

( The opinions expressed by the writer do not necessarily reflect those of MySinchew )

Najib pledeges zero tolerance for racism but will he talk cock?

UPDATED Amid doubts that he will walk his talk, Prime Minister Najib Razak reiterated his multiracial credentials at a BN Youth meeting on Friday, where he pledged “zero-tolerance for those who made racist remarks.”

The news was flashed by MCA Youth Chief Wee Ka Siong on his Twitter and quickly seized upon by followers – many of whom were reluctant to believe that Najib would succeed in reforming Umno, long-known for its reliance on racist policies and religious bigotry to stay in power.

“Really? Action speaks louder than words” and “retorik” were some of their immediate reactions.

"This is the sad reality in Malaysia today that everyone has become so disenchanted no one believes Umno and BN can ever change or deliver. Apart from sentiment is the reality of corruption, how does Umno work out its internal deals - who gets punished and who doesn't. Also who get what and who doesn't. All this has to be sorted before the various warlords will let go," human rights lawyer and PKR Youth leader Gooi Hsiao Leung told Malaysia Chronicle.

Significant breakaway

Nevertheless, to Umno pundits, given Najib’s cautious nature, the remark was significant and a sign that he was ready to push away from the sphere in Umno currently dominated by former premier Mahathir Mohamad and other hawks including Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

“The signs are there Najib wants to strike out on his own. He doesn’t want to use the old tired policies of racism and religious bigotry that Mahathir was an expert at. The thing is, can Najib succeed? His approach may be too soft,” an Umno watcher admitted to Malaysia Chronicle.

“The power is actually all in his hand. He is the PM and it is not difficult for him to get the Supreme Council behind him. But he needs to be much more aggressive than he is now, especially against a well-slicked destroyer like Mahathir, who always goes for nothing but the jugular.”

Sources of support

One source of support that Najib can draw on may be the Umno Youth wing headed by Khairy Jamaluddin. Khairy appears to have abandoned his own racist-rhetoric past, and is now pushing for his party to distance itself from ultra-Malay rights groups like Perkasa.

Again, this may be easier said than done because most of Perkasa’s 200,000-strong members are from Umno. Nevertheless, when considering that Umno has a membership of about 3.1 million, Perkasa’s influence may not really be as solid as its chief Ibrahim Ali hopes.

Formed earlier this year, Perkasa’s trump card remains its patron, Mahathir, who still wields considerable clout in the Umno.

“Perkasa is hurting us, our chances in gaining non-Malay votes. For Umno, BN to win, we cannot afford to be associated with these people. They are alienating us from a large segment of voters,” KJ was reported as telling Malaysian Insider.

Nuts and bolts

Apart from the political factors, there is also doubt because Najib did not give any details on how his government would work to weed out racism.

Among suggestions that have been offered in the past and recently revived are the abolition of courses run by the Biro Tata Negara or National Civics Bureau. These have been blamed for brainwashing Malay civil servants and university students into an apartheid and seige mentality against the non-Malays.

"It would be sad if Najib were to be just sounding out grand dreams again because Malaysia is at the brink. It requires very strong leadership to move the country and Najib is not doing this at all. He is just playing to the gallery but there are no concrete steps or solutions announced. It is not satisfactory," PAS chairman for national unity Mujahid Yusof Rawa told Malaysia Chronicle.

Recently, an MCA-Umno row alarmed the public with it increasingly nasty racial overtones. Two school headmistresses were also caught telling their Chinese pupils to go back to China, and one of them even likened Indians to dogs.

Although Muhyiddin has tried to shield them, Najib promised to take action against the two women provided there was sufficient proof.

“If indeed found to be racist, we will take action against them,” he told the BN Youth town-hall meeting.

Govt's biometric system: Security or get rich scheme?

By Teoh El Sen

PETALING JAYA: Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim has questioned the government's decision to implement a biometric system to track foreign workers, wondering if this is just another money- making scheme.

The PKR supreme council member warned the government not to exploit foreign workers just to make money.

He said Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein should explain not only the effectiveness of the system, but the real numbers and figures behind this new initiative.

"The system is supposedly able to provide better monitoring of those who overstay their work visa. And the minister also said those who break immigration laws can be brought to book. But what the minister failed to explain is: who is this contract given to?" he said.

Zaid said he was informed that a German company was awarded a 12-year concession for this biometric system.

"We have about two million foreign workers here and if one of them must pay RM50, it means in a year that lucky company can collect some RM100 million. And if this concession is for 12 years, then this project is worth RM1 billion," he added in his blog.

Is the company linked to Umno?

However, Zaid said his information might not be accurate, and Hishammuddin should explain in detail so that the public is convinced that the system is needed and not just a money-making scheme.

"Here are my questions. Why is this company given the contract? Does the company have ties with Umno? Why not give this project to local companies? Was there an open tender for this lucrative contract?"

"We do not want the foreign workers' money to be spent just like that. They may be foreigners but we also need to take care of their welfare. And not exploit them just to become rich," he said.

"The people of Indonesia are angered by the way we treat t! hem and take advantage of them. We should not reach a point where the people of Myanmar, Bangladesh, the Philippines will also burn our flags because we do not know how to take care of their people here," he added.

Hishammuddin said that the biometric system is expected to be in place by October.

He said the system would track foreign workers via a database and have their thumbprints recorded to prevent them from abusing their visas and ensure that they were in the country legally.

Letter & Opinion From Joe Public

DAP upholds Tee’s sacking

By Neville Spykerman

PETALING JAYA, Aug 26 – The DAP Central Executive Committee (CEC) tonight upheld the decision of the party’s disciplinary committee to sack Tee Boon Hock for issuing a support letter for his son’s business.

“The disciplinary committee’s decision was fair and proper,” DAP national chairman Karpal Singh told reporters here.

Tee (picture), a former Klang Municipal Councillor, was expelled from the party last month for signing a business support letter in favour of his son’s company to obtain contracts from the local government.

“All the mitigating factors were considered by the disciplinary committee and there were none for the CEC to consider,” said the Bukit Gelugor MP.

He added that under the party’s constitution the CEC is the final body of appeal and Tee had exhausted all his avenues.

Karpal also pointed out that contrary to speculation, the CEC did not discuss the fate of Tee’s former boss Ronnie Liu.

He said Liu was already severely reprimanded for his part in the support letter fiasco and did not appeal against the decision.

Karpal said the CEC did not have powers to enhance the sentence and penalty against the Liu.

“Liu accepted his punishment and the constitution is very clear,” said the veteran lawyer.

There was widespread speculation that tonight’s CEC meeting was being held to discusses the fate of the Selangor Executive Councillor and Pandamaran assemblyman.

However, Karpal said the matter did not arise during the CEC meeting.

Instead, he said the CEC discussed and fully endorsed the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Leadership Council meeting earlier today that Umno and Utusan Malaysia are dangerously fanning racial sentiments to pit Muslims against non-Muslims.

Karpal said this was to distract attention from the real issues of corruption and financial wrongdoings.

He added that Umno and Utusan Malaysia has resorted to lies and falsehoods to threaten “a big war” that’s bigger than the May 13, 1969 racial riots as well as using issues of race, religion and even the King against PR.

Wrong of rakyat to think they can give Opposition a try, says MCA president

By TheStar

KUALA LUMPUR: It is wrong for the rakyat to assume that they can give the Opposition “a try” in the next general election because PAS will not give up on its Islamic agenda, said MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.

The present squabble between PAS and DAP over hudud law, he added, should serve as an eye-opener to all Malaysians.

“The rakyat can vote for Pakatan Rakyat, but the Opposition will end up quarrelling after that; and the rakyat will be the ones suffering,” he told a press conference after chairing the MCA presidential council meeting here yesterday.

He was replying to a question whether Pakatan could form the federal government when PAS and DAP kept quarrelling over the hudud law issue.

To another question on the perception of the Chinese community that the MCA did not come to the defence of the four 988 deejays who were suspended recently, Dr Chua replied that the party had always practised a non-interference policy on the radio station and Star Publications (M) Bhd.

“We have never monitored them and we cannot come to their defence when they get into trouble because that will mean that we practise double standards,” he said.

Dr Chua added that questions about the issue should be directed to the company concerned, he added.

“MCA values the freedom of press. As in all freedom, it comes with a sense of responsibility, more so in a multiracial society,” he said

On the slow reaction from the Government to the cases of the two principals who allegedly uttered racist remarks, Dr Chua said: “The Government is not slow; but it must understand the true situation before any action can be taken. This is to be fair to the teachers and the students.”

Systemic clampdown on responsible free speech

Much work to attend to, but just a quick chronicle of yesterday’s events. First stop was a press conference on the confiscations of Kim Quek’s book.

Along with Body 2 Body, 1FunnyMalaysia, Where is Justice, and hot on the heels of dismissals of TV producers and radio DJ’s, I think we are seeing a systemic clampdown on responsible free speech.

Thereafter, went upstairs for the launch of Say Sorry Day, inspired by the case of Yong Vui Kong.
I think it’s a great initiative with universal appeal – hope everyone will stay tuned!

Went to seen an ex-colleague who filled me in on lots of recent political dynamics, after which had a nice visit to Pasar Ramadan!

Stand up and be counted, Malaysia

By Azmi Sharom

On one side is the idea that a person’s ethnicity and religion entitles him to be treated better than anyone else who is different. On the other side is the idea that equality is an aspiration that is both noble and necessary for nation building.

It is strange that in the 21st century, we are still having to face the problem of institutionalised racism.

OVER the past week or so, there have been some developments in our country which are more disturbing than usual.

In particular, the two cases of alleged racist remarks by school heads; the accusations that Penang mosques have replaced the Yang di-Pertuan Agong with the Chief Minister’s name in their prayers; and the continued insistence that Article 153 of the Constitution is equal to an inalienable right that could not be questioned.

These events are interrelated and it seems to me that they indicate that there is a battle of ideology going on in the country now.

On one side is the idea that a person’s ethnicity and religion entitles him to be treated better than anyone else who is different. On the other side is the idea that equality is an aspiration that is both noble and necessary for nation building.

It is strange that in the 21st century we are still having to face the problem of institutionalised racism.

Looking at our history, one can see why this has occurred. The combination of race-based politics and poorly interpreted constitutional provisions have meant that the idea of racial and religious superiority has been allowed to grow and become the norm rather than something undesirable and out of the ordinary.

How else can one explain the possibility that teachers, the very people to whom we entrust the education of our children, can have such warped values and also have the gall to express those views publicly?

How else can we explain the near rabid attack on the Penang Chief Minister for something which he and the state religious department have vehemently denied and in fact would have been insane to attempt?

Let’s analyse this one step at a time. When the dominant political parties in this country do not have any political ideology to speak of and are instead, based on the principle that each race-based component has a duty to safeguard the interest of its community, what one has is a recipe for the kind of policy and rhetoric that divides rather than unites.

Historically, one can see the reasons why the politics of the nation was forged in this way. It was a necessary evil in the face of the divide-and-rule policy by the British to show that even when separate, the three major communities of the nation can still work together politically.

However, it is an unsustainable model and what started life as a fairly rosy example of racial cooperation too easily descended into crude racialist type politics.

Which is why the early aspirations that our founding fathers had for a society treated with equality has now been all but buried by the idea that one race is superior to others and in fact is the only race with any right to be here in Malaysia.

This is because in the battlefields of politics, it is easiest to appeal to base racialist emotions, especially when without those types of ideas, a party based on race will have no collateral to work with.

In this kind of political atmosphere, it is of no surprise that what has been forgotten is that the basis of this nation was one of justice and equality. And the document that is meant to protect that, the Federal Constitution, has been misinterpreted to the extent that there is no longer any trace of this aspiration in the mainstream discourse of the day.

Read more at: http://azmisharom.blogspot.com/2010/08/stand-up-and-be-counted-malaysia.html

Go to jail for posting offensive annoying comments online

By Lord Bobo

On Thursday, 26 August 2010, the Shah Alam High Court dismissed a challenge by Nor Hisham Osman on the constitutionality of the charge against him under section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988.The impact of this decision is very wide: any “offensive” communication online made with intent to annoy another person can now be criminalised.

The Shah Alam High Court on Thursday, 26th August 2010 dismissed a challenge by land surveyor Nor Hisham Osman on the constitutionality of the charge against him under section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988.

Nor Hisham had allegedly posted an offensive comment at the Sultan of Perak’s official website through the Sultan’s Dreambook visitor page.

He was charged with making an “offensive” comment “with intent to annoy” another, pursuant to section 233.

He challenged the constitutionality of the charge, but the learned Judicial Commissioner dismissed the challenge saying the section was constitutional.

Read more at: http://www.loyarburok.com/selected-judgments/go-to-jail-for-posting-offensive-annoying-comments-online/

Natasha Poly for Muse Magazine

Peddling fear and distrust, Harussani-style

By Deborah Loh | The Nut Graph

”Saya dimaklumkan sekarang sudah ada perlembagaan baru yang dibuat oleh pihak tertentu.

”Kebetulan saya ada memberi satu ceramah di Alor Setar. Ada seseorang datang dan memberikan saya tiga buah buku Perlembagaan yang dikehendaki pihak tertentu.”

PERAK mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria, alleging that a new constitution is being drafted which will deny Malay Malaysians and Islam their special positions. He offered no proof, but claimed that someone gave him three copies of the supposed document. Harussani made his revelation while speaking as a panelist at a forum on Malay Malaysian unity and the erosion of their constitutional privileges. After the session, however, he declined to elaborate on his allegations when approached by reporters. (Source: Harussani dedah kewujudan ‘perlembagaan baru’, Utusan Malaysia, 16 Aug 2010)

“Saya tahu siapa, parti politik mana terlibat dalam menubuhkan perlembagaan baru itu. Tetapi saya tidak akan dedahkan, biarlah sekadar memberitahu terdapat kegiatan pihak tertentu untuk mewujudkan perlembagaan baru menggantikan Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

“Sekiranya didedahkan kesannya terlalu besar sehingga boleh mencetuskan peperangan besar di negara ini.”

The day after making his revelation about a new constitution that would erode the position of Malay Malaysians and Islam in the country, Harussani said he knew the political party involved but refused to disclose it. He said this was to avoid a war in the country. He added that he would only name the political party if the government asked him to do so. (Source:‘Elak perang besar’, Utusan Malaysia, 17 Aug 2010)

“In the first place, it is not an offence to desire to change the constitution. What can you charge that person with?”

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, rubbishing Harussani’s claim as “coffee-shop talk”. Nazri said any attempt to change the Federal Constitution would first have to be tabled as a motion in Parliament, and he, as the minister in charge of parliamentary affairs, would have to know about it.

Nazri dismissed the possibility of such a thing happening because the Barisan Nasional currently held the majority of seats in Parliament. He added that police should not waste time investigating Harussani’s claim. However, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassanhas said that police would check the claim. (Source: ‘New Constitution’ claim is coffee-shop talk, says Nazri, The Star, 20 Aug 2010)

“It was never my intention to create chaos. As the mufti (Muslim scholar who interprets syariah laws), I have the responsibility to remind Muslims of the threats facing Islam today … I was only carrying out my duty as a mufti to inform the necessary people of the supposed baptism.”

Harussani, explaining why he raised the allegation that Muslims who had converted to Christianity were to be baptised en masse at a church on Jalan Silibin in Ipoh on 5 Nov 2006. He first spoke about it at a private meeting and said he did not expect what he said to spread. He also said the originator of the claim was a woman who had sent him a text message and later came to his house.

The SMS that circulated resulted in angry Muslims protesting outside the church on the day of the supposed baptism. However, the event turned out to be the first Holy Communion for Catholic children, and the claim that Muslims were being baptised turned out to be false. A woman and her husband were later detained in connection with the text message. (Source:‘Baptism’ message started by woman, claims Perak Mufti, The Star, 13 Nov 2006)

Unite or we die, Indians told

By B Nantha Kumar

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC Youth has conceded that it can no longer walk alone. Its chief T Mohan said the past three years have been nothing but divisive political opinions.

This, he added, was not beneficial to the community.

It is time for the Indians to unite I invite all NGOs to work together to save our future here, he said.

Mohan said the Indian community needed to understand that if they banded together, it would be most beneficial and no power in this country can destroy us".

"Our strength is unity. But it is not very easy to unite our society. Our people are mostly divided in two groups -- the rich and the poor," he said.

On the issue of youths, he confessed that it was hard to engage their interest in social causes.

Youngsters today lack a sense of social responsibility. The graduates are more focused on the economy and establishing a comfortable life for themselves. There is no place for social responsibility, he said.

According to Mohan, one of the main reasons they refused to focus on social responsibility was priority.

These students study hard, make it to university and after that it is prioritising their needs. They feel that they must first meet their own needs before they can help others, he said.

'MIC on the right track'

Mohan said as MIC Youth chief, he is criss-crossing the country meeting young people and is now very much aware of the change filtering through the community.

On the whole, I see now there is political awareness in society. It's something good that we never ever seen before. We (MIC) are on the right track. We are happy to have worked with youths and groups who have stepped up in the political scene or for that matter in other fields such as education and welfare.

The point is we must all stand united, he told FMT.

Asked a! bout une ducated youths, Mohan admitted that this group was MICs first target.

"Growing up in deficiency has pushed them into the wrong path. Inadequate education and poor religious guidance have made them vulnerable to gangsterism and drug addiction," he said, adding that the party had already taken up various steps to assist the rehabilitation of these youths.

"But we have a long journey ahead. To build a healthy society in all aspects, each person must give his commitment," he said.

See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

PKR decision will backfire in Sabah, say supporters

By Luke Rintod

KOTA KINABALU: The recommendation by the PKR hierarchy to suspend 12 of its Sabah leaders has been met with silence here. But the ordinary party members and opposition supporters, however, are waiting to see how party leaders in Sabah and Kuala Lumpur will treat what most here see as PKR shooting itself in the foot.

"They are all waiting for the other shoe to drop," said a veteran political observer following the PKR disciplinary committees recommendation that the 12 be suspended for a year over their role in setting up Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) last year.

The 12 have received the news of their impending one-year suspension calmly and have refused to talk about their next course of action.

It may also be too early to speculate if the move will affect PKR's strength in Sabah.

But what is certain is that the will of the 12, all aligned to Jeffrey Kitingan, to pursue their case, is on the verge of breaking.

Sources here said that at least some of the 12 are considering writing appeal letters.

They are believed to have been advised to do so by Jeffrey, who met PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim during a political bureau meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday night..

Efforts to reach Jeffrey failed while the 12 are refusing to talk before they meet their mentor. Jeffrey was to have returned to Sabah late last night.

Two camps

Meanwhile, reactions from PKR grassroots members here have been mixed.

Supporters of Jeffrey are divided, with one group saying they should appeal right away to Anwar if the supreme council upholds the recommendation on Sunday, and stay with PKR.

But another group is against it even if the Sunday meeting adopted the suspension. They prefer Jeffrey, Christina Liew and the 12 to leave PKR and continue their struggle in a more friendly political party.
"Why a ppeal? Clearly this saga is yet another proof to Sabahans that Anwar has an agenda against them, especially the non-Muslims.

"If the 12 do appeal, where are they going to put their face? This too will only embolden Anwar and future leaders to adopt a condescending attitude just like Umno leaders," said a party member, who only wanted to be known as Francis.

The news of the suspension was, however, met with euphoria in the other corner of Sabah PKR.

Masikung Maluk is happy if the 12 are to be suspended. "They should go ahead with registering their PCS now. Or they can leave PKR and join DAP," he said.

It is an open secret that Sabah PKR is divided into two camps one is the "the autonomy group" or "freedom fighter group" aka "Jeffrey group", while the other is the "the cium tangan group" or "Ansari group" aka "Azmin group".

Members puzzled

Ordinary members are puzzled and have questioned the timing and speed of the disciplinary committee in recommending a one-year suspension against the 12 when the inquiry was only held on Wednesday in Kota Kinabalu.

"If it is true the committee has recommended such a suspension (in such a short time), then it is unbelievable...

"It could well give credence to belief that everything is pre-planned by Kuala Lumpur to deny Jeffrey a chance to lead PKR in Sabah," Francis of Papar said, adding that there are many other disciplinary cases that the party should have paid attention to.

"We can name a few cases that have brought the party to public disrepute. What about Anwar's own sodomy case? Why is PKR not carrying out its own investigation?" he asked.

Under a reformed PKR, the state liaison chief will be elected by divisional heads, and Jeffreys group is said to be increasingly popular among members, bolstered by their solid and consistent stand on state rights and autonomy vis-a-vis state-federal relationship.

At least seven or eight of the 12 are eyeing to retain or see! k top di visional posts in party elections slated for next month.

In fact, they had been busy preparing for party elections when the PCS issue, considered solved last year, was suddenly resurrected last month against them.

The 12, who are all aligned to Jeffrey, are Daniel John Jambun, Awang Ahmad Sah, Moses @ Mozes Michael Iking, Nicholas James Guntobon, Paul Kerangkas, Slyvester @ Balon Mujim, Innocent Makajil, Nasir Samie, Harry Kujukok Manisit, Rubbin Guribah, Gosibin Yosundang and Guandee Kohoi.

The PCS was mooted by some Sabah PKR leaders following a massive fallout between Jeffrey and fellow vice-president Azmin Ali, who was made Sabah PKR chief replacing Anwar, who had held the post of Sabah and Sarawak chief for a few months.

However, under a peace plan initiated by the party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Jeffrey was made responsible for both Sabah and Sarawak and another person was put in charge of the state. Azmin was removed from the state line-up.

Most observers believed that the hastily cobbled peace deal had papered over the rift and there would be no witch-hunt against those who had allegedly plotted against the party at that time by aligning themselves with Jeffrey.

Also read:

12-month suspension for Jeffrey's dirty dozen

Action against Sabah 12: 'Stop the charade'

See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?