Managing change

May I suggest that the first goal of the vision to transform Malaysia would be to give the opposition every chance to become a credible and effective alternative, in the context of the nation. The problems PR is experiencing now is inevitable. As time goes on the weaknesses in these parties, masked previously by the fact that nothing much was really at stake, will surface.

The Micah Mandate

Someone, in writing about managing change, made the point that when change is first envisioned it is usually in very broad idealistic terms. That vision needs to be broken down into manageable stages with goals that are more realistic and have a shorter time frame. The point is that a broad idealistic vision should set the direction and a series of smaller steps, building on each progressive advancement, must be developed and set in motion. Failure to do this results in ultimate disappointment and the need to start over and over again because broad idealistic goals are just too far in the distance to be a good and realistic measuring stick.

I have just read RPKs piece entitled The crossroads of my life. There RPK shared his disappointment with PR:

Malaysia needs change. Initially we thought that Pakatan Rakyat would be that agent for change. But after more than two years we are not seeing Pakatan Rakyat walk the talk. And because of events like the Selangor PAS internal skirmish between the liberals and the conservatives, the Selangor DAP mud slinging, the Perak DAP public quarrel, and now the PKR party election fiasco, it appears like the three Pakatan Rakyat parties are no different from the parties in the Barisan Nasional coalition.

Can we trust Pakatan Rakyat to be that agent for change? All I can see is the same shit that we see in Barisan Nasional. The only thing is the ! shit in Barisan Nasional is bigger. But shit is still shit, whatever the size.

I am proposing a meeting of the members of the civil society movements to discuss where we go from here. The focus must be about how to seek change as laid out in The Peoples Declaration. Can the current political structure serve our purpose of seeking this change? Can Pakatan Rakyat still be that agent for change?

http://malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/no-holds-barred/35121-the-crossroads-of-my-life

The vision is no less than the radical transformation of Malaysian society. The vehicle, it seems, is PR, probably with Anwar as the standard-bearer. Instead of focusing on what can be achieved, which can become the platform for further reform, RPK and others in the civil society movement have begun to be disillusioned with PR politicians. What they fail to appreciate is that having good politicians who have the nations best interests at heart, is the result of reform, not the basis for reform. Changing people is the hardest task of all.

Malaysia has known only one party rule realistically. Without very deliberate policies to ensure that good talent become political leaders, and strong personalities making sure these policies work (think Singapore), one party rule inevitably will result in a decline in the calibre of politicians (no competition). Then once poor calibre politicians form the bulk of the ruling party, corruption will be inevitable. Then the crooks will move in because it will become the way to make lots of money. By this stage it will be very difficult to change because crooks do not play by the rules. Only where there is competition in the political realm can we hope to begin to roll back the rot. Similarly, the opposition being as weak and ineffective as they have been in the past few decades (not necessarily their fault) will result in a dearth of talent willing to enter opposition politics.

Why are the civil society stalwarts so surprised that now when some form of real power and perhaps payoff! is now within the reach of those in PR that you see problems surfacing?

May I suggest that the first goal of the vision to transform Malaysia would be to give the opposition every chance to become a credible and effective alternative, in the context of the nation. The problems PR is experiencing now is inevitable. As time goes on the weaknesses in these parties, masked previously by the fact that nothing much was really at stake, will surface. The parties will have to deal with these weaknesses. Even in this process we should expect and allow for mistakes by party leaders.

Secondly may I suggest that members of the civil society raise up politicians of their own to boost the calibre of those in PR. I think that in doing so they will also learn the constraints and problems faced by politicians.

What is the time frame necessary for the above two goals to be achieved? Certainly not in two years!

RPK writes,

I do not hide my disappointment and disgust with Malaysian politicians and Malaysian politics. I feel we can no longer trust politicians from both sides of the political divide. It may be time to take back power from the politicians and give it to the people. But how do we do that? I dont know. And I hope by December it would be clearer.

Power returns to the people when the civil service becomes truly professional and independent, when the police force, the law department, the judiciary become truly professional and independent, when the society is educated and empowered by a press that is truly professional and independent. This involves so many people that I think it will take a generation before this can become a reality. But it has no chance to take place as long as we dont deal with the cancer that is our political system today.

Letter & Opinion From Joe Public

RPK on Turning 60: Whats Next

October 11, 2010

source: The Corridors of Power at www.malaysia-today.net

On Turning 60: Random Thoughts of My Friend, Raja Petra Kamaruddin in the United Kingdom

by Raja Petra Kamaruddin

Malaysia needs change. Initially we thought that Pakatan Rakyat would be that agent for change. But after more than two years we are not seeing Pakatan Rakyat walk the talk. And because of events like the Selangor PAS internal skirmish between the liberals and the conservatives, the Selangor DAP mud slinging, the Perak DAP public quarrel, and now the PKR party election fiasco, it appears like the three Pakatan Rakyat parties are no different from the parties in the Barisan Nasional coalition.RPK

Raja Petra and Marina Petra--Two Special People

Later today I am going home. I spent the last ten days in London to attend the October 2 talk with Anwar Ibrahim, Tian Chua and Tunku Abdul Aziz and to confer with friends and associates to discuss what the future holds for all of us. That is why you have not heard from me for about week now, other than the MACC revelations in The Corridors of Power.

Turning 6o and whats next ?

As you may be aware, I also celebrated my 60th birthday on September 27, and my friends chipped in to buy me a birthday present, a Roland electronic drum set. I suppose I am going to spend more time polishing up on my drumming rather than writing articles. Anyway, I shall try to balance my time so that my drumming does not cause my writing to suffer. My friends have threatened to repossess the drum set if I start slacking in my writing.

I am now eligible for a freedom pass so I can ac! tually r ide the public transport either free of charge or on a discounted fare. I am also eligible for many other free services and discounts, even when I go to the cinema. So life of a 60 year old is pretty nifty here in the UK with my senior citizen status.

I consider myself at the crossroads of my life, not just because I am now 60 but because of the current developments in Malaysia. And that is why I decided to take a ten-day break and just chill out and jam. As I write this I am awaiting the rest of the gang who are coming over to jam. We may even put on a show at the end of next month for a farewell gig for one of our friends who will be leaving for home after spending more than a decade working outside Malaysia.

Divided on Whats Next

My friends, associates and family are quite divided on what I should do from here on. I am not in a hurry to go back to Malaysia. I have a house here and am quite comfortable in my new surroundings, the country of my birth. I do still have family in Malaysia. But I also have many family members here in the UK brother, sisters, cousins, children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, and their children who would be my cucu saudara. So I am not quite alone or detached from the family.

The question would be where I would want to be buried. My mother and my maternal grandparents are buried here. My father and my paternal grandparents are buried in Malaysia. So does it really matter where my final resting place is going to be? One place is as good as another and once you are no longer a member of this world it really does not matter too much when you would not be aware of it anyway.

I am going to reflect on the situation these next two months till the end of November. In December, subject to what happens over these two months, I shall h! ave to m ake my decision. And in January, whatever that decision may be, I shall embark on the next phase of my life. What that decision is going to be will all depend on what I see over these two months.

Committed to The Peoples Declaration

I am still committed to The Peoples Declaration. That is going to be the foundation of what I embark upon. I believe that Malaysia needs reforms and The Peoples Declaration clearly spells out what these reforms should be. And I am prepared to work with any group, movement or political party that can commit itself to these reforms.

I earlier spoke about the Third Force. This idea has met with mixed reactions. The Third Force can be anything. It can be a political party. It can be a movement. Or it can simply be a group of like-minded Malaysians who share the aspirations defined by The Peoples Declaration. Ultimately, it would be a grouping of Malaysians who seek change or reforms.

Malaysians can longer trust Politicians in UMNO-BN and Pakatan Rakyat

The Show must go on, Pet

Malaysia needs change. Initially we thought that Pakatan Rakyat would be that agent for change. But after more than two years we are not seeing Pakatan Rakyat walk the talk. And because of events like the Selangor PAS internal skirmish between the liberals and the conservatives, the Selangor DAP mud slinging, the Perak DAP public quarrel, and now the PKR party election fiasco, it appears like the three Pakatan Rakyat parties are no different from the parties in the Barisan Nasional coalition.

Can we trust Pakatan Rakyat to be that agent for change? All I can see is the same garbage that we see in Barisan Nasional. The only thing is that in Barisan Nasional it is bigger. But garbage is still garbage, whatever the size.

The Peoples Declarati! on

I am proposing a meeting of the members of the civil society movements to discuss where we go from here. The focus must be about how to seek change as laid out in The Peoples Declaration. Can the current political structure serve our purpose of seeking this change? Can Pakatan Rakyat still be that agent for change?

I dont know the answer to this, at least not yet. I hope that by December the scenario would be clearer and that by then we will know exactly what we must do. Is this aspiration an exercise in futility? Should I instead plan the rest of my life around just lazing in the sun on a Mediterranean beach with a drink in my hand and a cigar in my mouth?

I do not hide my disappointment and disgust with Malaysian politicians and Malaysian politics. I feel we can no longer trust politicians from both sides of the political divide. It may be time to take back power from the politicians and give it to the people. But how do we do that? I dont know. And I hope by December it would be clearer.
Life is never simple and straightforward

I have choices as to what to do with the rest of my life, many choices, in fact. I can, if I want, be selfish and make a choice that serves me best. But that choice may not quite be what is best for Malaysia or for the people of Malaysia. So my final choice may have to be laced with some sacrifice and will have to take into consideration what is also good for Malaysia and Malaysians. And what that is I am yet to decide.

I suppose life is such. It is never so simple and straightforward. Anyway, let me stop here for the meantime and get back to my drums and hopefully by Christmas you and I will be clear in our minds as to what we need to do come the new year.

See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

The miracle that PAS will perform with God’s help

Raja Petra Kamarudin


England's anti-Islam extremist group clashes with police

A right-wing extremist group, the English Defence League (EDL), which often launches protests against the spread of Islam in Britain, fought with police in the city, north of Leicester in the nation yesterday. Four people were arrested and a police officer was hospitalised. Almost 1,400 police officers including some equipped with riot equipment and some on horseback were deployed to control about 1,000 activists from EDL who gathered at Leicester for a demonstration. Police said various objects were thrown to them and an officer rushed to the hospital.

EDL supporters, formed a year ago, started a tour around the country to launch a demonstration against the spread of Islam and Syariah law in England during last summer. The group claimed that it is done peacefully, but critics say it was racist and potentially disruptive. Last Saturday, about 700 members of a leftist group called United Against Fascist launched counter protests in the nearby area. Both of these groups which have different faiths were fought during a similar gathering last year in several cities such as Leeds and Manchester [Mlaaysian Digest].

* * *

Not only does England have an anti-Islam extremist movement, Malaysia does as well. But while in England it is called EDL, in Malaysia it is called MCA. And MCA has declared that it shall continue to support Barisan Nasional and speak with one voice.

MCA said it supports Barisan Nasional. So that means Barisan Nasional will also support MCA or else MCA will not support Barisan Nasional. Does this also mean that Barisan Nasional supports MCA’s anti-Islam stand? And is not UMNO the head honcho of Barisan Nasional? And would this also mean that Umno supports MCA’s anti-Islam stand?

Both UMNO and MCA have warned the Chinese not to support Pakatan Rakyat. If Pakatan Rakyat wins the general election then PAS would form the government. And this would mean that Malaysia would introduce the Shariah, the Hudud laws being one of the Shariah laws.

PAS is certainly a party that can move mountains. PAS contests only one-third of the seats in Parliament but yet it is able to win more than two-thirds of the seats. Maybe this is because PAS has God on its side and anyone who has God on its side can perform miracles. So PAS, which contests only one-third of the seats in Parliament, is able to win more than two-thirds of the seats with God’s help.

This has to be so is it not? PAS can’t amend the Constitution to turn Malaysia from a secular state into a theological state unless it has at least two-thirds of the seats in Parliament. And since it contests only one-third of the seats and is still able to amend the Constitution this must mean that it has two-thirds of the seats in Parliament. And if it contests only one-third of the seats and yet it wins two-thirds of the seats in Parliament then this can only be a miracle and this can only mean that God’s hand is at work here.

Today, in Parliament, they gave a one-minute silence for the Member of Parliament for Batu Sapi, Edmund Chong Ket Wah, who died in a motorcycle accident. Though he is not a Muslim, all the PAS Members of Parliament stood up to honour him with a one-minute silence. The PERKASA Member of Parliament, Ibrahim Ali (right), however, did not stand up. He sat down and continued speaking loudly on his mobile phone.

PAS is dangerous, says Umno and MCA. They are a threat to this nation. They are unreasonable. They have no respect for non-Muslims. But today, while PAS showed respect to a deceased non-Muslim Member of Parliament, the Malay Supremacist leader, Ibrahim Ali, showed contempt.

Did MCA protest? Did UMNO protest? The PAS Members of Parliament did. The PAS Members of Parliament were outraged at the lack of respect towards a non-Muslim Member of Parliament demonstrated by the champion of Malay rights.

Why should Ibrahim Ali, the champion of Malay rights, stand up and show respect with a one-minute silence for a deceased Member of Parliament who is neither Malay nor Muslim?

And they tell us to beware of PAS because if it contests one-third of the seats in Parliament it will definitely win more than two-thirds of the seats and Malaysia will cut off the hands of all the Chinese and Indians. I suppose they are trying to say that all Chinese and Indians are thieves and robbers and that is why their hands are going to be cut off.

Actually, in the unlikely possibility that Malaysia does implement Hudud, which will result in the hands of thieves and robbers being cut off, it will be the UMNO people who will suffer this punishment together with their cronies in MCA and MIC who plundered this country.

Hey, maybe Hudud is not such a bad thing after all.

Bakun Dam is an economic rip-off

By Joseph Tawie

The construction of the Bakun and seven other dams plus the coal-fired power plants are economic rip-offs they are Sarawaks own get-rich-quick schemes.

The massive sums involved in building these large dams would certainly guarantee handsome profits for the privileged project proponents, said See Chee How, Sarawak PKR information chief.

This is not development for Sarawak, but an economic rip-off. Sarawak-owned get-rich-quick schemes have exhausted our timber resources.

Almost all our agricultural land have been leased out, he said when commenting on the astronomical costs of constructing the Bakun Dam.

PKR, he said, wants the government to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry or a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry to find out the final costs of the Bakun hydro-electric project and where the money has gone to.

The commission should also re-examine the cost-benefit analysis and the economic viability of the Bakun project, said See.

See added that the original cost was estimated at RM3.95 billion in 1983 and RM4.09 billion in 1985. With cost overruns and compensation for delays and interests, the final tag is believed to have escalated to RM15 billion today.

But Malaysians have been kept in the dark as to the final costs and where the substantial additional sums have gone to, he said.

Indias experience

Even with the cost now estimated by the federal government at RM7.3 billion, double the original estimate, there is a need to re-examine the cost benefit analysis and the economic viability of the Bakun project said See.

It must be borne in mind that o! nly one out of the originally planned eight hydro turbines will be commissioned next year, reducing its power generating capacity from 2,400MW to 300MW.

Take Indias experience: it has more than 3,000 dams but 60% of them are economically non-viable financial disasters because they are not able to recoup their investments.

The Sarawak BN government owes all Sarawakians an explanation. We want Second Planning and Resource Management Minister Awang Tengah Ali Hassan to give us his reason for saying that the Bakun Dam is not a white elephant.

Sarawakians have paid their share of the cost of the RM15-billion project and we now have to fork out another RM7 billion to buy the federal project, he said.

What is the actual cost to all Sarawakians? We have not included the socio-economic and environmental costs which all Sarawakians have to bear.

Bakun was originally projected to generate 2,400MW power. If the state government is convinced that Bakun is economically viable, Sarawakians should be convinced that it can generate the 2,400MW power.

Otherwise, what is the justification for the seven new dams and more coal-fired power plants? he asked.

courtesy of Hornbill Unleashed

See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

The miracle that PAS will perform with Gods help

PAS is dangerous, says Umno and MCA. They are a threat to this nation. They are unreasonable. They have no respect for non-Muslims. But today, while PAS showed respect to a deceased non-Muslim Member of Parliament, the Malay Supremacist leader, Ibrahim Ali, showed contempt.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

England's anti-Islam extremist group clashes with police

A right-wing extremist group, the English Defence League (EDL), which often launches protests against the spread of Islam in Britain, fought with police in the city, north of Leicester in the nation yesterday.

Four people were arrested and a police officer was hospitalised.

Almost 1,400 police officers including some equipped with riot equipment and some on horseback were deployed to control about 1,000 activists from EDL who gathered at Leicester for a demonstration.

Police said various objects were thrown to them and an officer rushed to the hospital.

EDL supporters, formed a year ago, started a tour around the country to launch a demonstration against the spread of Islam and Syariah law in England during last summer.

The group claimed that it is done peacefully, but critics say it was racist and potentially disruptive.

Last Saturday, about 700 members of a leftist group called United Against Fascist launched counter protests in the nearby area.

Both of these groups which have different faiths were fought during a similar gathering last year in several cities such as Leeds and Manchester. -- Malaysian Digest

****************************************

Not only does England have an anti-Islam extremist movement, Malaysia does as well. But while in England it is called EDL, in Malaysia it is called MCA. And MCA has declared that it shall continue to support Barisan Nasion! al and s peak with one voice.

MCA said it supports Barsian Nasional. So that means Barisan Nasional will also support MCA or else MCA will not support Barisan Nasional. Does this also mean that Barisan Nasional supports MCAs anti-Islam stand? And is not Umno the head honcho of Barisan Nasional? And would this also mean that Umno supports MCAs anti-Islam stand?

Both Umno and MCA have warned the Chinese not to support Pakatan Rakyat. If Pakatan Rakyat wins the general election then PAS would form the government. And this would mean that Malaysia would introduce the Shariah, the Hudud laws being one of the Shariah laws.

PAS is certainly a party that can move mountains. PAS contests only one-third of the seats in Parliament but yet it is able to win more than two-thirds of the seats. Maybe this is because PAS has God on its side and anyone who has God on its side can perform miracles. So PAS, which contests only one-third of the seats in Parliament, is able to win more than two-thirds of the seats with Gods help.

This has to be so is it not? PAS cant amend the Constitution to turn Malaysia from a secular state into a theological state unless it has at least two-thirds of the seats in Parliament. And since it contests only one-third of the seats and is still able to amend the Constitution this must mean that it has two-thirds of the seats in Parliament. And if it contests only one-third of the seats and yet it wins two-thirds of the seats in Parliament then this can only be a miracle and this can only mean that Gods hand is at work here.

Today, in Parliament, they gave a one-minute silence for the Member of Parliament for Batu Sapi, Edmund Chong Ket Wah, who died in a motorcycle accident. Though he is not a Muslim, all the PAS Members of Parliament stood up to honour him with a one-minute silence. The PERKASA Member of Parliament, Ibrahim Ali, however, did not stand up. He sat down and continued speaking loudly on his mobile phone.

PAS is dangerous, says Umno and MCA. They are a thr! eat to t his nation. They are unreasonable. They have no respect for non-Muslims. But today, while PAS showed respect to a deceased non-Muslim Member of Parliament, the Malay Supremacist leader, Ibrahim Ali, showed contempt.

Did MCA protest? Did Umno protest? The PAS Members of Parliament did. The PAS Members of Parliament were outraged at the lack of respect towards a non-Muslim Member of Parliament demonstrated by the champion of Malay rights.

Why should Ibrahim Ali, the champion of Malay rights, stand up and show respect with a one-minute silence for a deceased Member of Parliament who is neither Malay nor Muslim?

And they tell us to beware of PAS because if it contests one-third of the seats in Parliament it will definitely win more than two-thirds of the seats and Malaysia will cut off the hands of all the Chinese and Indians. I suppose they are trying to say that all Chinese and Indians are thieves and robbers and that is why their hands are going to be cut off.

Actually, in the unlikely possibility that Malaysia does implement Hudud, which will result in the hands of thieves and robbers being cut off, it will be the Umno people who will suffer this punishment together with their cronies in MCA and MIC who plundered this country.

Hey, maybe Hudud is not such a bad thing after all.

See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

Ibrahim Ali accused of disrespect for late Chong

As the Parliament House stood in one-minute silence for for the Batu Sapi MP, Edmund Chong Ket Wah the Perkasa president and "Malay Rights Champion" Ibrahim Ali was allegedly talking on his cellphone, showing disrespect to the demise.
Some Members of Parliament today said they felt "utter disgust" with Ibrahim Ali (Ind-Pasir Mas), who allegedly did not stand up and continued talking on the phone as the House stood in one-minute silence as a sign of respect for Batu Sapi MP Edmund Chong Ket Wah. Malaysiakini
See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

Is PM Najib Serious Enough to Launch a New Social Contract?

PM Najib Razak said the Chinese should not be seen as kaum pendatang (migrant folk) and have been loyal citizens of Malaysia for the past three to five generations.

I would like to applaud the PM for saying the obvious. However, it is a shame for a head of government to recognize the status of Chinese Malaysian after more than five decades of independence.

If the Chinese were seen as 'kaum pendatang' it is because the only ruling government in Malaysia has denied them of rightful place in the Malaysian constitution as citizens of this country with equal rights.

If PM Najib is serious about his statement, he should be ready to announce a new social contract acknowledging that all citizens are born equal and should be treated equally by the government and political groups.

It is ridiculous for him to suggest that he has no control over certain individuals in Umno, Perkasa and BTN who had incited racial hatred and displayed bigotry in their speeches. The government has shown that it is in control when comes to detaining cartoonist and banning books which are critical of the government.

Is the PM willing to walk his talk to correct the politically motivated 'social contract' his party was adamant that the Chinese should observe with respect? A social contract should be inclusive and not divisive.

At the same MCA event, Najib said there was a need to develop the economy equitably to have a fair distribution of wealth depending on the size of the community.

"It is a conventional wisdom and rational thinking that if the majority of a country has a very small percentage of the wealth, that is not equitable. I think MCA would also agree.

"So, we need to have a nice balance that the Malay feels they have a bigger share in economic wealth but the Chinese also feel they are growing economically in ou! r system , he said. His statement does not show that he understands the current malaise. He might as well declare Malaysia a socialist country.

Yes, the nation wealth should be distributed more equitably to all citizens. The fact that the bottom 40% of the nation owns less than 13% of the nation's wealth is unacceptable. The disparity in the country is growing.

Equitable wealth distribution cannot be seen from only the Malay versus the others perspective. There is a gross income and wealth disparity among the rich and poor Malays.

Hence, why is the government continue to enrich a few well connected Malay billionaires and neglected the rest? Umno has an uninterrupted 40 years to implement the NEP and yet it has created nothing but a few rich kingpins and cronies. Why is the party blaming others? Why should the country continue to suffer the mismanagement and poor implementation of the policy?

No one is against the government helping the poor. If the government wants to help the poor they should help all regardless of race.

We should be able to agree that the likes of Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, Mirzan & Mokhzani Mahathir, Nazir Razak, Halim Saad, Francis Yeoh, Vincent Tan, Ananda Krishnan and other rich and power do not need any more help and assistance from the government.

Is Najib serious enough to launch a new social contract? And to correct the excesses and weaknesses of the NEP?
courtesy of Straight Talk
Letter & Opinion From Joe Public

PI Bala: Police deleted references to Najib

from malaysian media & other matters » Say no to holier-than-thou politics by uppercaise

Private detective tells of questioning by four police units

Private detective P Balasubramaniam told anti-corruption officers of his fears of a official cover-up of Najib Tun Razak’s involvement in the Altantuya Shaariibuu case and how federal police officers deleted references to Najib in a statement he made.

In an affidavit submitted to the MACC three months ago, published in full by Raja Petra Kamarudin at Malaysia Today, PI Bala recounted how he became involved in the case before Altantuya Shaariibuu was murdered, and how he learned of Najib’s connection to Abdul Razak Baginda, the defence analyst who had hired him.

He also gave details of the several occasions he was called to make statements to the police. He said he was questioned by four different police units — D9 (Serious Crimes), D7 (Vice), D6 (Intelligence) and by the Child Protection Unit.

The day after Razak Baginda was arrested for the murder of Altantuya, Bals said, he was interrogated continuously for seven days by the intelligence division of Bukit Aman.

“

This is the statement in which all references to Najib Tun Razak were removed before I signed it.

Bala said that when he testified at the trial of three men accused of the Altantuya murder, he was never asked about Najib’s involvement in the case. (Razak Baginda and two policemen were charged. Razak was subsequently acquitted without his defence being called. The two policemen were found guilty and sentenced to death. They have filed an appeal.)

Bala said in his affidavit

“

I was therefore concerned that the police and the prosecution were trying to protect and cover up the involvement of persons very closely connected to Najib Tun Razak. I believe the police recorded a statement from Musa Safri but this gentleman was never called as a witness in court and neither was Najib Tun Razak.

I felt it was necessary for the public to know exactly who the personalities involved in this murder were and that further investigations should have been pursued to discover the motive behind the killing of an innocent foreign national.

AFFIDAVIT IN FULL:
» The MACC sends PI Bala a list of questions and then goes very quiet

New mega project: Mega question mark over procurement

Written by Koon Yew Yin, CPI

I refer to the article 'Transparency in MRT Planning' by Risen Jayaseelan which appeared in a major newspaper recently on Oct 5. The purpose of my writing this piece is to forewarn the public and the government that the way this proposed project is being considered by the government is basically wrong and may well end up with taxpayers having to pay a much higher toll rate than justifiable.

This warning is not only for the MRT project but for all 131 projects that are being envisaged under the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) which is supposed to transform Malaysia into a high-income nation.

Basically I see no change at all in the current procurement procedure which has been used before in large concessions. The results of the evaluation and bidding procedure for mega projects such as the current MRT, the power provided by IPPs, toll roads, and the Selangor water supply have seen the consumers being forced to pay unreasonable rates because the bidding and tender process has been riddled with opportunities for rent-seeking, corruption and wastage.

Besides, cheaper and more efficient alternatives have not been fully considered by the Government.

I was shocked to read that the chairman of Land Public Transport Commission, Syed Hamid Albar, has said that the technical study of the proposal submitted by Gamuda and MMC would be completed by the end of the month and that following it, LPTC would submit their report to the government for approval.

I would like to ask how in the first place can the LPTC know that this proposal is the best in terms of technology and costing? It is impossible for LPTC to do an honest job if they have only one proposal to study and they do not have at least several other proposals to compare with.

As we know, the cost of this MRT project will be several billion ringgit. Negotiating with only one consortium, Gamuda and MMC, is likely to encourage corruption and waste, and is against all elementary principles of good economic governance. The price can be 10, 11 or 12 billion ringgit. Who is there to decide whether a costing of 10 billion ringgit is in the best public interest and will provide full value for Malaysians and not the project developers?

The sum provided by the only bidder is like taking a figure out of a hat. We are talking about billions of ringgit involved. Are there saints in the evaluation committee or project developers who do not like big money? The amount of money involved is so enormous that even saints will surely be tempted.

The public must demand that the government stops this method of award. It is the height of economic foolishness to award a concession or monopoly on a first-come first-served basis. Mega project awards should not be given out on the basis of service that is dished out in restaurants. If we do that, we will end up with a lethal case of economic poisoning of the Malaysian consumer.

READ MORE HERE

YB Dato’ Khaled Nordin, sila undur

Sandiwara politik mengacah kapasiti intelek mahasiswa yang cuba dimainkan oleh Menteri Pengajian Tinggi Malysia, Dato Khaled Nordin, jelas memperlihatkan bahawa beliau bukanlah seorang yang selayaknya duduk pada kerusi menteri yang memegang portfolio hal ehwal mahasiswa. Oleh itu, Kumpulan Aktivis Mahasiswa Independen (KAMI) mendesak beliau untuk bertanggungjawab dan berundur daripada jawatan sebagai menteri.

Merujuk kenyataan-kenyataan yang dikeluarkan oleh beliau sejak semarak pilihanraya kecil DUN Galas, kita dapat lihat bahawa beliau adalah seorang menteri yang sering membuat keputusan bukan atas dasar idealisme atau kehormatan kepada hukum dan undang-undang, malah sebenarnya lebih mudah bertindak atas tekanan dan emosi serta kepentingan politik tanpa mempedulikan tanggungjawabnya sebagai contoh tauladan untuk barisan pemimpin masa depan.

YB Dato’ Khaled Nordin sepatutnya berasa malu dengan timbalan beliau sendiri, YB Dato Saifuddin Abdullah yang mempunyai pendirian yang jelas tentang keterlibatan mahasiswa dengan politik Negara. Ini dilihat jelas melalui galakkannya kepada mahasiswa untuk bersuara dari pentas-pentas Speakers’ Corner yang beliau cetuskan kembali. Saya kira, YB Dato Saifuddin lebih mendapat tempat di hati mahasiswa berbanding YB Dato’ Khaled yang sering mempunyai pandangan yang bertentangan dengan mahasiswa sendiri.

YB Dato’ Khaled juga wajar untuk berasa malu dengan MCA yang turut memiliki pendirian jelas terhadap keterlibatan politik di kalangan mahasiswa dengan menggesa supaya Akta Universti dan Kolej Universiti itu dipinda secara besar-besaran. Ini digambarkan dengan jelas dalam Mesyuarat Agung Tahunan MCA yang selesi berlangsung minggu lepas.

Menurut pandangan KAMI, Menteri Pengajian TInggi seharusnya menjadi suara kepada anak mahasiswa dan idealisme intelek yang dibawa dari lapangan varsity untuk kebaikan masyarakat agar lebih matang. Malangnya, kita sendiri melihat pendirian dan tindakan YB Menteri adalah satu mekanisme untuk membunuh peranan mahasiswa dalam kampus dan masharakat.

Adalah amat menyedihkan untuk melihat seorang Menteri yang sering menukar-nukar pendirian dan pandangannya untuk sebab-sebab politik dan kepentingan semata-mata. Seorang Menteri seharusnya sudah memutuskan pendirian dan idealismenya serta bijak membaca tuntutan umum.

Justeru, Kumpulan Aktivis Mahasiswa Independen (KAMI) dengan tegas mendesak agar YB Dato’ Khaled bertanggungjawab atas pandangan dan pendiriannya. Maka KAMI mendesak agar YB Dato’ segera berundur daripada jawatan menteri untuk disesuaikan dengan seorang pemimpin yang lebih bertanggungjawab, berprinsip, berpendirian dan lebih memahami hasrat mahasiswa.

Sekian, terima kaseh.

Hilman Idham,

Presiden,

Kumpulan Aktivis Mahasiswa Independen (KAMI)

Racing against time to heal MCA's wounds

By FMT Staff

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA, the second largest BN component party, had just conducted its 57th annual general meeting (AGM) on Oct 9 and 10 over the weekend.

‘Racist principals’ debate not urgent, says Speaker

By Rahmah Ghazali

KUALA LUMPUR: An emergency motion to debate the government’s ‘inaction’ against two ‘racist’ principals in Parliament today was thrown-out on the grounds that it was not urgent.

Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia, in rejecting the motion submitted by Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur), said that the matter should not be debated as authorities were already handling it.

An emergency motion is usually considered if it is specific in nature, involves public interest, and was urgent.

Pandikar said the motion was rejected because did not fulfill the third criteria, although it was specific in nature and was of public interest.

“Although the motion is specific and of public interest and fits the emergency criteria, I have to reject it because it is not urgent,” the speaker told the house after it was tabled by Lim.

“Besides, I was informed that the Education Ministry and Public Services Department (PSD) are in the midst of taking disciplinary action against the two principals,” he said.

Lim had argued that the motion, submitted to Parliament last Thursday, was vital as the government's inaction made a mockery of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s call for zero tolerance towards racism and the 1Malaysia policy.

Two months ago, the principal of SMK Bukit Selambau in Kedah allegedly told a group of Chinese students “to go back to China" when he spotted them having breakfast in the school canteen during the fasting period.

Despite being 'temporarily suspended' as reported, he was however reassigned to the district education office in Sungai Petani for a week.

In another case, the principal of SMK Tengku Abdul Rahman Putra in Johor drew flak, also for allegedly, making racial remarks when launching the school’s Merdeka celebrations.

The principal, identified as Siti Inshah Mansor, was alleged to have said that Chinese students were not needed in Malaysia and should return to China, while prayer strings tied around the necks and wrists of Indian students made them look like dogs.

BN rejects Pakatan motion to debate racist school principals

Malaysia Chronicle

The BN has rejected DAP adviser Lim Kit Siangs motion for a parliamentary debate on two school principals accused of casting racial slurs against their Chinese and Indian pupils.

I have been informed that the Education ministry and the Public Service Department have already taken action against these two individuals, so there is no necessity for a motion. I hereby reject this motion, Speaker Pandikar Amin told Parliament which reconvened on Monday.

It has been two months since news first broke that a headmistress in Kulai, Johor and a headmaster in Bukit Selambau, Kedah had told their Chinese pupils to go back to China. The Kulai principal even likened the Indian ones to dogs because of the prayer strings they wore.

All talk, no action

However, despite Prime Minister Najib Razaks recent and showy proclamations of a zero-tolerance towards racism, no action has been taken against either teachers. In fact, the Kedah principal has gone back to work in the same school after a brief sabbatical.

To protest the governmental attempts to sweep the cases under the rug, Kit Siang had tried to table a motion under the Parliament standing orders 18(2).

The 57-day government inaction on racial slurs by two headmasters against students in school makes a mockery of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razaks international calls for moderates against extremists and his zero tolerance for racism and 1Malaysia policy, the DAP adviser said in a statement.

So far, Education minister and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has set up a task force to investigate both teachers, but although a report has been completed and sent to Public Services Department last month, no action has been taken by the government contrary to what Pandikar claimed.

These are obvious double standards practiced by Umno and Najib. On one hand, th! e PM tal ks about zero-tolerance for racism but his lack of actions shows that the policy may be meant only against the non-Malays. Even in racism, different rules for different folk, Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming told Malaysia Chronicle.

Malaysia Chronicle appends below the full text of Kit Siang's motion:
Bahawa Dewan mengizinkan YB Lim Kit Siang, Ahli Parlimen Ipoh Timor untuk menangguhkan Dewan mengikut Peraturan Mesyuarat 18(1) untuk merundingkan perkara tertentu berkenaan kepentingan orang ramai yang berkehendaki disegerakan, iaitu dua orang guru besar dari Kulai, Johor dan Bukit Selambau, Kedah yang melafazkan kata-kata racis dan menghina terhadap pelajar-pelajar mereka di sekolah dalam bulan Ogos tahun ini, sehingga kini tidak dikutuk atau diambil tindakan displin sekeras-kerasnya oleh pihak yang berkenaan selaras dengan semangat 1Malaysia.

Dua bulan selepas guru-guru besar dari Kulai dan Bukit Selambau berkenaan yang antara lain, melabelkan pelajar-pelajar bukan Melayu di sekolah mereka sebagai pendatang, menggesa pejalar-pelajar kaum Cina supaya balik Cina, serta membandingkan benang sembahyang yang dipakai oleh pelajar beragama Hindu sebagai pengikat anjing menunjukkan sikap racis tidak sejajar dengan jawatan mereka sebagai pendidik yang berkredibel, Timbalan Perdana Menteri serta Menteri Pelajaran masih berkeras bahawa beliau tidak berdaya mengambil tindakan untuk memperbetulkan keadaan, sebaliknya mengizinkan kedua-dua guru besar yang berkenaan meneruskan tugas mereka seperti sediakala. Di samping itu, Ketua Pengarah Kementerian Pendidikan yang mengeluarkan pekeliling kepada semua guru-guru besar dan guru-guru dalam bulan Ogos untuk memberikan amaran bahawa tindakan akan dikenakan ke atas mereka yang mengeluarkan kata-kata racis di sekolah, tidak pula mengenakan tindakan displin ke atas kedua-dua guru besar yang berkenaan sehingga kini, menunjukkan tidak ujud iltizam politik atau falsafah pentadbiran yang betul dalam negara ini untuk membanteras ketaasuban perkauman.

Semua ini mer! upakan s indiran langsung terhadap tema hari kebangsaan tahun ini iaitu 1 Malaysia Menjana Transformasi serta membelakangkan perisytiharan toleransi sifar terhadap rasisma Perdana Menteri sendiri.

Pada masa apabila Perdana Menteri cuba mengamalkan dasar 1Malaysia, Rakyat Didahulukan, Pencapaian Didahulukan, seluruh pasukan pentadbiran beliau nampaknya tidak serius langsung terhadap dasar berkenaan, malah lebih cenderung untuk mendahulukan budaya rasis Biro Tata Negara atau lebih tepat sekali, Biro Tentang Negara yang meracuni generasi muda dan para pendidik kita selama ini dengan mesej rasis yang songsang dan lebih merupakan Trojan Horse dalam usaha kita mencapai perpaduan negara.

Perdana Menteri yang baru pulang dari Mesyuarat Asia-Eropak Ke-lapan di Brussels telah membangkitkan sekali lagi gesaan beliau di Perhimpunan Agong Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu baru-baru ini supaya diujudkan pergerakan sederhana global semua agama yang memainkan peranan penting di dunia yang kini menghadapi ancaman melampau. Gesaan ini sesuai sekali diulangi di negara kita sendiri yang kini semakin terancam oleh anasir-anasir ketaasuban rasis dan pelampau agama yang mengancam ketenteraman negara serta menggoncang semangat majmuk yang merupakan batu asas Malaysia.
See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

Women harassed at PKR election lodge police report

By Queville To

PENAMPANG: Yet another police report has been made against a supporter of Darell Liking, the winner of the recent PKR's Penampang divisional elections.

This time, it was made by a female party member for racist and sexist remarks allegedly hurled against her and her female friend by Darell’s supporters on the polling day on Oct 3.

In the report lodged on Oct 7, the complainant identified a supporter of Darell as one of those who insulted her and her friend.

The same supporter was said to have manhandled and punched a contender, Dr Roland Chia, during the elections and he subsequently lodged a police report.

The complainant, who spoke on the condition of anonymity claimed that Darell’s supporters had among others called her and her friend “China Dolls, Pelacur Cina (Chinese whores)”.

They claimed that the individual also shouted: “Orang Penampang tidak mahu kamu, bagus kamu balik China.” (You’re not welcome by the Penampang people, you better go back to China).

“The shouts were so loud and disturbing to a point where it became unbearable and we wanted to call it quits and go home. It was really a horrible experience as never in my life have I been called a whore.

"It was totally unbearable for me. I do not need to subject myself to all these racial insults and sexual harassments,” she said.

Racist culture in PKR

A new member of the party, she stressed that she just wanted to exercise her right as a party member to elect those who she thought could provide good leadership.

Her friend, who is in her 30s also said she was disappointed over what transpired that day.

“I may look Chinese, but I'm actually a Sino-Kadazan. What has happened to our Penampang community? We used to be a tight-knit, harmonious and tolerant society,” she said.

She said the incident showed that a racist culture has crept in into PKR.

“How come some of these candidates could employ such disgusting and intimidating tactics? What difference does PKR make compared to Umno or, were they actually Umno boys in disguise?” she asked.

She regretted that Darell had allowed his supporters to harass the other contenders and their supporters.

She wants the PKR leadership to warn its divisional leaders that they will be punished for the loutish behaviour of their supporters.

The two complainants said they joined PKR early last year as they were inspired by young Pakatan leaders like Hannah Yeo and Elizabeth Wong.

They showed courage and enthusiasm towards making a difference to the people of this country, besides the party’s struggle for justice for all, regardless of colour and creed.

Fail

Fail

In demonising PAS, MCA shows it is out of ideas — The Malaysian Insider

MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek warned the Chinese community today that PAS is likely to go back to its autocratic Islamic stand if Pakatan Rakyat (PR) comes to power. Heard that before? Yes it is the spinning of an old MCA record. The message is that while Umno and MCA are not perfect PAS is worse.

But MCA is now completely missing the plot if they believe the Chinese are spooked by PAS. In 1999, there was genuine concern of a green tide, the result of a campaign to demonise PAS and paint them as conservative mullahs. But 11 years ago, Malaysia was a very different country. Most people in the Chinese community view the arrogance, racism and complete disregard of the rule of law by Umno as much worse sins than anything that PAS can do. Umno is seen by the Chinese community as the embodiment of everything that is wrong with the country. The genuine need for reform is being ignored while foreign investors take a pass on Malaysia.

Even Malaysian companies are hedging their bets by moving the focus of their attention overseas. And it is not just opportunism which sees Malaysians buying up property in London, Sydney and other cities. With Umno embracing Perkasa, is there a chance that MCA's scare mongering is going to work? MCA is now being ignored by Umno. And Dr Chua has little to offer the Chinese community except to appeal to its fears. But anyone living in Kelantan will tell you that the PAS administration are more tolerant and respectful of the rights of others than in Umno-controlled states. The fact is that a straw poll of the urban Chinese will confirm one crucial fact: they are more worried about Umno than PAS.

Deceit Never Sleeps.

from Mob's Crib by mob1900

Portrait for the FRAME-mily.

Najib, the more you talk, the more you 'Make Chinese Angry' ...

Richard Loh

A very pathetic, insincere speech by the PM at the MCA general assembly "Chinese are Malaysians, not migrants, says PM" but sadly to the wrong crowd and community.

I thought after my posting Mr Prime Minister, Are You In The Somniloquy Mode?, the PM would have woken up, but no, he is still in the Somniloquy Mode.

Why the need to talk at a Chinese gathering or the MCA general assembly about things that need to be told to your own party Umno, Perkasa and Tun Mahathir?

The Chinese need not be told that they are Malaysians and not migrants. The Chinese know that, but those who resist this truth are from your Umno party, Perkasa and Tun Mahathir.

“There can be a big polemic on what is a fair society. A Malay leader’s definition of fair can be different than your definition of fair but eventually we must converge,” Najib said.

You said that, Mr. PM, not us, but when the non-Malays presented their definition of 'fair', your Umno party members, Perkasa and Tun Mahathir came out with their strong racist protests, made police reports, cited their own distorted version of the constitution and you did not say or do anything about it.

“It is a conventional wisdom and rational thinking that if the majority of a country has a very small percentage of the wealth, that is not equitable. I think MCA would also agree.

The MCA can agree with you but not the majority of Chinese Malaysians. This is the worst statement coming from a leader. How can the PM rationalize equity in such a manner? Wealth comes from hard work, sweat and blood. You cannot blame anyone if you want to be lazy or are waiting for handouts. You can be the majority but if you are not willing to put sincere effort into working hard and sweating for it, choosing instead to talk repeatedly about your rights and protection, wealth will always elude you. Mr. PM, trying to play with words and twist them is not going to help you at all.

“One officer made a racist remark, we take action. We don’t condone racism, I assure you. But proper investigation must be done with due process. But the issue has been amplified because of information communication technology,” he said.

To think you have the gall to say what you did above! May I ask what actions were taken. A mere slap on the wrist for bn supporters but jail term for the opposition? How long do you need to investigate clear cut cases involving racist remarks? Infinity for bn supporters and within days for the opposition?

Please do not blame the information communication technology or others for your failure to take action against your party members, Perkasa, Tun Mahathir. This shows how fearful you are and what a retard of leader you are.

We are not taken in by all your sweet talk and no-action attitude. Unfortunately mca, gerakan, mic and bn other component parties are. After helming this country for nearly two years with your stupid slogan and rhetoric, do you think you have my vote? Think again.

http://ousel.blogspot.com/2010/10/najib-more-you-talk-more-you-make.html

1Malaysia milk: May not be so wholesome as milk prices shoot

KUALA LUMPUR (Harakahdaily) - A month after Prime Minister Najib Razak announced his free 1Malaysia milk programme for Year 1 to Year 6 pupils in schools nationwide, the government yesterday said it could not prevent a hike in the price of milk in view of its rising price worldwide.

PKR senator Dr Syed Husin Ali however questioned the coincidence in the timing of the price increase.

“The minister said the price of the milk would rise and he cannot control. The government had just announced free milk for students. Who reaps the big profit?” asked the PKR deputy president.

He was responding to Najib’s earlier announcement in which he stated Sabah chief minister Musa Aman's assurance that there was sufficient milk for the nationwide programme, which has an initial cost of RM4 million.

“Children in Gua Musang will know that the milk is from Sabah,” Najib had said, adding that the state would one day become a major milk producer in the country.

The state-linked Sabah International Dairy Sdn Bhd has been named as the distributor for the free 1Malaysia milk programme.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob was quoted as saying that the hike in the price of dairy products was unavoidable as local producers had to bear the high cost of import due to higher price of raw products.

"It is normal for dearer goods to be sold at higher prices. However, the price stays for the time being. We can't suppress the price as it is beyond our control,” he said.

Barisan candidate for Galas to be known after Umno assembly

Barisan Nasionals candidate for the Galas by-election will be announced only after the Umno general assembly.

Its operations director for the Galas by-election Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said this at Parliament house after meeting with Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and other party leaders.

The Umno general assembly is set for next week.

Earlier, Prime Minister and Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the coalition and Umno would commit its entire might to securing the Galas state seat.

He had also announced that Razaleigh had been given his letter of appointment as election campaign director for the by-election on Nov 4 on Monday morning.

He (Tengku Razaleigh) has said he is very ready to lead the Barisan by-election machinery to victory in Galas, Najib told a press conference at the Parliament lobby on Monday.

The Galas state seat is one of three seats under the Gua Musang Parliamentary seat.

Najib said he also gave his assurance that Barisan and Umno will lend all support to wrest the state seat, which was held by PAS assemblyman Che Hashim Sulaima who succumbed to colon cancer recently.

Najib said he would be discussing other by-election details with Tengku Razaleigh from time to time.

On the to-be-announced Batu Sapi by-election, Najib said he would need to discuss the matter with Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan first.

Later when met at the Parliament lobby, PBS deputy president Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili said Najib had held a preliminary talk on Batu Sapi with Pairin.

Chong passed away last Saturday from severe injuries sustained in a road accident in Kota Kinabalu.! < /p>

Meanwhile, PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub said a high-level party meeting would be held on Wednesday, at its party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur to reach a decision on its candidate for the Galas by-election.

Without naming any favourites chosen to lead the defence of the state seat, Salahuddin said the meeting would involve party advisor Datuk Seri Nik Aziz Nik Mat, president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa, vice-presidents Ibrahim Tuan Man, Datuk Mahfuz Omar and himself, and information chief Idris Ahmad.

courtesy of Star

Letter & Opinion From Joe Public

Dr M tells of his Melbourne hospital experience

I JUST HOPE THAT TUN DR MAHATHIR KNOWS WHERE HE HAD MADE A 'SERIOUS' MISTAKE? RATHER THAN FOSTERING UNITY WHICH WILL CREATE A CARING SOCIETY, MAHATHIR'S 22 YEARS RULE HAD CREATED A CORRUPT AND UNCARING & DIVIDED SOCIETY.
IF WE NEED TO CHANGE, WE NEED TO CHANGE THE GOVERNMENT.
IS MAHATHIR FOR IT !!!

Mahathir Mohamad

After three days in the Epworth Hospital, it was suggested that I be discharged but should continue treatment under the Hospital in the Home service.

The Home Hospital has a full staff of doctors, specialists and nurses. They will carry out the full hospital treatment, periodical medical examination and treatment, intravenous drips, physiotherapy etc. They do not stay with patients but would visit at the designated time and stay as long as necessary.

It is far better than house-call by doctors as they can only give limited service. You feel you are being well looked after as in the hospital, but you have the ambience of home and family.

I don't know if we have this service or not but I believe it can contribute to being a developed country.

Another service I experienced is the ambulance service. The two ambulance personnel are very highly trained to give first aid including CPR, proper handling of fractures, take blood pressure and heart rate, ECG and other signs and symptoms.

They handle their patients very competently, are in continuous communication with the hospital to ensure preparation for receiving the patients.

I believe an effort was made by local doctors to provide this kind of service in Kuala Lumpur. Unfortunately after the ambulances had been acquired the financiers backed out. The Return on Investment was not good enough.

The Government does not operate a full ambulance service. Nor do all hospitals provide such service.

There are now many hospitals in KL - both public and p! rivate. A good ambulance service can save many lives.

Maybe the Government could afford to support the superior ambulance service in one way or another - at least until they become viable. What we need is just one. If several such service is licensed, all would be likely to fail.
Letter & Opinion From Joe Public

Tengku Razaleigh: UMNO First, Not Democratic Ideals

October 11, 2010

BREAKING NEWS

UMNOs Man for Galas: Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah

by Terence Netto

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah will accept to become Umnos candidate for the Galas by-election to be held on November 4. Nominations are for October 24.

Last Saturday, upon his return from abroad, the Kelantan prince and Umnos most famous dissident announced that he had accepted his partys offer to head the BN campaign for the seat but declined to be drawn on the issue of candidacy.

Razaleigh said he would first meet with UMNO President and Prime Minister Najib Razak later today before any further decision.

By yesterday, however, Razaleigh, after having closeted with advisers and aides, decided to move the process of his rehabilitation in UMNO a stage further by becoming the candidate.

Deputy Prime Minister and BN lead campaigner Muhyiddin Yassin had earlier proposed that Razaleigh not only head the BN campaign but also its candidate.

The seat fell vacant after the death through illness of the PAS incumbent Hashim Sulaima who prised the seat from its BN stranglehold in the 2008 election.

Galas is one of three state wards in the parliamentary constituency of Gua Musang which Razaleigh has

No Deal with Pakatan Rakyat

been winning for UMNO since 1969. Muhyiddins proposal smacked of a shrewd strategy of muzzling Razaleigh on the issue of payment of oil royalty to Kelantan, a sore point between the BN-led federal government and the PAS-dominated state.

Razaleigh had aligned himself with the state on the issue, which is now the subject of a suit filed by the Kelantan government.

Out of the political wilderness

By accepting to become not only chair of the BN campaign but also its candidate, Razaleigh puts himself in an anomalous position of being dissident-turned-defender on not only the oil royalty issue but a host of other matters on which he has tread a fine line of dissent from governments practices and policies.

In the last two years, observers noted that Razaleighs treading this line of dissent was premised on the assumption that UMNO would implode from the raft of scandals and crises that have besieged the government of Najib Razak and that of his predecessor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

But the momentum of a 53-year incumbency is not easily dissipated and Umno has held on, leaving its most famous dissident who, for the better part of three decades has believed it is his manifest destiny to become PM, wan and tired.

Now at 73, Ku Li, as he is popularly known, has decided to opt for a different strategy of deference to necessity and turn dissidence into conformity.

Observers will watch how his opting to come from out of the political wilderness into the mainstream of UMNO politics would help him realise his aspiration, which is to restore the party to his pre-Dr Mahathir Mohamad eminence. Ku Li blames UMNOs present decline on its departure from the best practices of the pre-Mahathir era.

See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

Part 11: The MACC sends PI Bala a list of questions and then goes very quiet

The MACC was supposed to meet private investigator Balasubramaniam Perumal in the Holiday Villa in London to record his statement. At the eleventh hour, the MACC decided to call the whole thing off and instead sent Bala a list of questions for him to reply to, which they stamped RAHSIA, meaning classified. That was three months ago and since then neither Bala nor his lawyers have heard from the MACC, which raises the suspicion that this is going to be another closed file marked NFA. While the questions have been marked RAHSIA, the answers have not, so Malaysia Today would like to share with our readers what Bala replied to the MACC in his Affidavit.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

AFFIDAVIT

I, Balasubramaniam a/l Perumal, (NRIC NO: 600928-08-6235) a Malaysian citizen of full age and of No. 32, Jalan Pelangi 1, Taman Pelangi, Rawang, 48000, Selangor, Malaysia, do solemnly and sincerely affirm and state as follows:

1. I am a private investigator by profession. I was born in Malaysia on the 28.09.1960 and am married to A.Santamil Selvi Alau Malay. I have 3 children, Kishen, born on the 07.02.1997, Menaga, born on the 22.08.1998 and Reeshi, born on the 04.02.2002. I can be contacted through my lawyer Mr. Americk Sidhu.

2. On the 05.07.2010, my lawyer received couriered documents from the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC), which were sent to his hotel in London, setting out a series of questions they wished me to answer in relation to their investigations into an offence connected to report No: IPA 0350/2009.

3. These questions are now answered in the order they have been set out in the request from the MACC dated the 1st July 2010 which is annexed hereto marked as Exhibit PIB-1.

Que! stion 2 : 1st Statutory Declaration (SD) dated 1st July 2008

2.1 Answer

The 1st SD is about the relationships between Abdul Razak Baginda, Najib Tun Razak and Altantuya Sharibuu and the circumstances in which I found myself involved in a series of events prior to the murder of Altantuya.

The circumstances which led me to make this 1st SD can be summarized by saying that I felt it was my moral duty as a law abiding citizen, to bring to the attention of the authorities the cover ups I felt were being orchestrated by the police investigation team in cohorts with the Attorney Generals Chambers in this case which appeared to me to have been designed to protect the real perpetrators and organizers behind this murder.

I was present at the front gates of Razak Bagindas residence in Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur in the evening of the 19.10.2006 when Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, Corporal Sirul Azahar and Lance Corporal Rohaniza drove up in a red Proton Aeroback and took Altantuya away. I believe these 2 gentlemen were the bodyguards of Najib Razak.

I also noticed around the same time that another blue proton car, driven by a Malay man, passed by very slowly. This driver appeared to be studying the scene outside Razak Bagindas house very carefully.

I have since identified this Malay man as one Nasir Safar, another close confidant of Najib Razak and his personal assistant.

I was again on duty outside Razak Bagindas house in the evening of the 22.10.2006 when 3 of Altantuyas girlfriends and their private investigator, Mr. Ang, turned up looking for her. They were causing a commotion so I called the police. An Inspector from the Dang Wangi police station turned up in a patrol car.

It was at this stage I received a call on my handphone from one Musa Safri, whom I believe was the ADC to Najib Razak. Musa Safri asked me to pass my handphone to the Inspector from the Dang Wangi police station who persuaded these girls to disperse.

It was Razak B! aginda w ho had given Musa Safri my handphone number.

I had informed the police of these circumstances when they were recording s.112 statements from me during their investigations into this murder.

In total, I have given the police 5 statements in relation to their investigations, the details of which are as follows:

I. Statement recorded by DSP Gan Tack Guan of the D9 Serious Crimes department from the 01.11.2006 extending for about 3 months with questioning taking place on average twice a week. No deletion of references to Najib Tun Razak.

II. Statement recorded by a Malay lady ASP at the D7 Vice department on one occasion in November 2006. No deletion of references to Najib Tun Razak.

III. Statement recorded by the D6 intelligence division at police headquarters, Bukit Aman beginning the day after Razak Baginda was charged in court, continuously for 7 days while I was under remand. This is the statement in which all references to Najib Tun Razak were removed before I signed it.

IV. Statement recorded by the Child Protection Unit at Jalan Duta the day after I was released from remand at Bukit Aman. There was no deletion of Najib Tun Razaks name from this statement because it was audio recorded.

V. Statement recorded at D9 division by DSP Gan Tack Guan in January or February 2007. This statement is the one in which DPP Salehuddin was doing the questioning over the phone and DSP Gan recorded my answers. This was just before the trial began.

I was never asked any question relating to the involvement of Najib Tun Razak in this matter when I was summoned to give evidence for the prosecution in court.

I was therefore concerned that the police and the prosecution were trying to protect and cover up the involvement of persons very closely connected to Najib Tun Razak. I believe the police recorded a statement from Musa Safri but this gentleman was never called as a witness in court and neither was Najib Tun Razak.

I fel! t it was necessary for the public to know exactly who the personalities involved in this murder were and that further investigations should have been pursued to discover the motive behind the killing of an innocent foreign national.

This is why I made that 1st SD.

2.2 Answer

I first made this SD at my lawyers office in Kuala Lumpur. I began narrating my experience to my lawyer sometime in early May 2008 over a period of about 2 months before it was completed.

2.3 Answer

The reason why I made this SD has been summarized in the answer given to question 2.1 above. My lawyer drafted this 1st SD based on my statements, information and knowledge of the events set out therein and narrated to him.

2.4 Answer

No one instructed me to make this SD. I made it of my own free will without influence from any other party. The only other person involved in preparing the 1st SD was my lawyer Mr. Americk Sidhu. He was able to decipher my narration of the relevant events and to produce a legally coherent document on my behalf. My lawyer had no interests in assisting me. I had previously tried to find a lawyer to assist me but none seem prepared to do so.

2.5 Answer

My lawyer drafted this 1st SD.

Yes, all the matters stated in my 1st SD were within my personal knowledge.

I have been advised by my lawyers and verily believe that legally and technically speaking everything I have sworn to in my 1st SD that had been told to me by Abdul Razak Baginda and Altantuya as coming from some other person could be classified as hearsay as to the truth of such 3rd party statement but not as to the fact that either Abdul Razak Baginda or Altantuya repeated it to me.

The rest of the contents of my 1st SD is not hearsay.

2.6 Answer

As far as I am concerned there is nothing in my 1st SD which could be categorized as an untruth.

2.7 Answer

I was emplo! yed by A bdul Razak Baginda in my capacity as a Private Investigator. Our relationship would therefore be one of an employer/employee.

Yes, I had met Abdul Razak Baginda before I signed my 1st SD. I had met him on a number of occasions during the course of my employment but I cannot remember the exact number of times we came face to face.

When I first met Razak Baginda at his office at Wisma Getah Asli, he explained to me what had been happening as far as the harassment he was receiving from Altantuya was concerned and the purpose of my employment.

I had enquired from him as to why he had not reported the matter to the police. He told me he could not have the police involved as this may have jeopardize the position of a VIP who was also involved in his problem with Altantuya. Razak Baginda never mentioned who this VIP was at that stage.

I only discovered that the VIP he had been referring to throughout my employment with him was Najib Tun Razak. This was at the office of Razak Bagindas lawyer on the morning of his arrest.

This occurred when Razak Baginda received an sms on his handphone while seated with me in front of his lawyer. He showed us both this message which read I am seeing the IGP at 11.00 am today.matter will be solved.be cool.

Razak Baginda then admitted the VIP he had been referring to all along was Najib and the sms he had just received was from him.

2.8 Answer

I met Abdul Razak Baginda because he wanted a Private Investigator to keep Altantuya from harassing him and his family. Razak Bagindas lawyer by the name of Dhirren Norendra advised Razak Baginda to contact me. I think Dhirren had seen my advert in the Bar Council magazine.

2.9 Answer

I met Razak Baginda at his office at the Bangunan Getah Asli, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

2.10 and 2.11 Answers

Please refer to paragraphs 3 to 24 of my 1st SD. The required explanations are succinctly set out in these paragraphs. A copy! of my 1 st SD is annexed hereto marked as Exhibit PIB-2.

2.12 Answer

I was not forced to sign the 1st SD. I was also not under any form of duress when I did so. I signed this SD completely voluntarily. My lawyer had prepared it on my instructions.

2.13 Answer

I was not offered any money by any party to affirm my 1st SD.

The subsequent questions nos. 2.14 to 2.16 are therefore irrelevant.

Question 3 : 2nd Statutory Declaration (SD) dated 4th July 2008

The answers to questions 3.1 to 3.19 are set out in the Q&As Parts 1, 2 & 3, prepared by my lawyers in October 2009 and which are annexed hereto as Exhibits PIB-3, PIB-4 and PIB-5. Detailed explanations are provided in respect of all the questions posed under this head.

Question 4 : Other relevant matters

4.1 Answer

I have received more than 4 cheques from Deepak Jaikishan amounting to more than RM200,000.00. In fact Deepak has paid me a total of approximately RM750,000.00 over the space of about 1 year, from July 2008 to July 2009.

4.2 Answer

The reason why Deepak gave me these cheques is explained in detail in exhibits PIB-3, PIB-4 and PIB-5.

4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7 Answers

Deepak handed over the cheques to ASP Suresh who in turn handed them to a friend of mine. These cheques were then paid into my friends bank account in KL and the funds forwarded by telegraphic transfer to India. This was possible because Deepak left the payee blank. Alternatively, if the cheques were for cash, the funds were also forwarded to me in India by my friends after they were cashed.

Deepak also made payments into my wifes bank account with the EON Bank in Kuala Lumpur from time to time.

Copies of my wifes bank statements with the EON Bank showing substantial deposits and a dishonoured cheque from a company called Mekar Dayabumi Sdn Bhd are annexed hereto collecti! vely mar ked as Exhibit PIB-6.

I did not need to seek clarification from anyone regarding these cheques as I understood what they were for.

Annexed to this affidavit are copies of cheques I received from Deepak Jaikishan and Carpet Raya Sdn Bhd respectively:

Cheque No. 014554 dated 18.12.2008 in the sum of RM50,000.00 ( Exhibit PIB-7)

Cheque No. 014555 dated 22.12.2008 in the sum of RM50,000.00 (Exhibit PIB-8)

Cheque No. 014556 dated 26.12.2008 in the sum of RM50,000.00 (Exhibit PIB-9)

Cheque No. 014557 dated 31.12.2008 in the sum of RM50,000.00 (Exhibit PIB-10)

Cheque No. 014558 dated 18.01.2009 in the sum of RM50,000.00 (Exhibit PIB-11)

Cheque No. 564331 dated 31.03.2009 in the sum of RM50,000.00 (Exhibit PIB-12)

4.8 Answer

The reason why I decided to disclose the events and circumstances of this case is again clearly set out in detail in exhibits PIB-3, PIB-4 and PIB-5.

4. All of the answers to the questions posed above and as set out in PIB-1 are true to the best of my knowledge and belief and are provided based on my own knowledge and belief and I further hereby confirm that no party whatsoever has influenced any of my answers.

See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

The crossroads of my life

I do not hide my disappointment and disgust with Malaysian politicians and Malaysian politics. I feel we can no longer trust politicians from both sides of the political divide. It may be time to take back power from the politicians and give it to the people. But how do we do that? I dont know.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Later today I am going home. I spent the last ten days in London to attend the 2nd October talk with Anwar Ibrahim, Tian Chua and Tunku Abdul Aziz and to conference with friends and associates to discuss what the future holds for all of us. That is why you have not heard from me for about week now, other than the MACC revelations in The Corridors of Power.

As you may be aware, I also celebrated my 60th birthday on 27th September and my friends chipped in to buy me a birthday present, a Roland electronic drum set. I suppose I am going to spend more time polishing up on my drumming rather than writing articles. Anyway, I shall try to balance my time so that my drumming does not cause my writing to suffer. My friends have threatened to repossess the drum set if I start slacking in my writing.

I am now eligible for a freedom pass so I can actually ride the public transport either free of charge or on a discounted fare. I am also eligible for many other free services and discounts, even when I go to the cinema. So life of a 60 year old is pretty nifty here in the UK with my senior citizen status.

I consider myself at the crossroads of my life, not just because I am now 60 but because of the current developments in Malaysia. And that is why I decided to take a ten-day break and just chill out and jam. As I write this I am awaiting the rest of the gang who are coming over to jam. We may even put on a show at the end of next month for a farewell gig for one of our friends who will be leav! ing for home after spending more than a decade working outside Malaysia.

My friends, associates and family are quite divided on what I should do from hereon. I am not in a hurry to go back to Malaysia. I have a house here and am quite comfortable in my new surroundings, the country of my birth. I do still have family in Malaysia. But I also have many family members here in the UK -- brother, sisters, cousins, children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, and their children who would be my cucu saudara. So I am not quite alone or detached from the family.

The question would be where I would want to be buried. My mother and my maternal grandparents are buried here. My father and my paternal grandparents are buried in Malaysia. So does it really matter where my final resting place is going to be? One place is as good as another and once you are no longer a member of this world it really does not matter too much when you would not be aware of it anyway.

I am going to reflect on the situation these next two months till the end of November. In December, subject to what happens over these two months, I shall have to make my decision. And in January, whatever that decision may be, I shall embark on the next phase of my life. What that decision is going to be will all depend on what I see over these two months.

I am still committed to The Peoples Declaration. That is going to be the foundation of what I embark upon. I believe that Malaysia needs reforms and The Peoples Declaration clearly spells out what these reforms should be. And I am prepared to work with any group, movement or political party that can commit itself to these reforms.

I earlier spoke about the Third Force. This idea has met with mixed reactions. The Third Force can be anything. It can be a political party. It can be a movement. Or it can simply be a group of like-minded Malaysians who share the aspirations defined by The Peoples Declaration. Ultimately, it would be a grouping of Malaysians who seek change or reforms.

Ma! laysia n eeds change. Initially we thought that Pakatan Rakyat would be that agent for change. But after more than two years we are not seeing Pakatan Rakyat walk the talk. And because of events like the Selangor PAS internal skirmish between the liberals and the conservatives, the Selangor DAP mud slinging, the Perak DAP public quarrel, and now the PKR party election fiasco, it appears like the three Pakatan Rakyat parties are no different from the parties in the Barisan Nasional coalition.

Can we trust Pakatan Rakyat to be that agent for change? All I can see is the same shit that we see in Barisan Nasional. The only thing is the shit in Barisan Nasional is bigger. But shit is still shit, whatever the size.

I am proposing a meeting of the members of the civil society movements to discuss where we go from here. The focus must be about how to seek change as laid out in The Peoples Declaration. Can the current political structure serve our purpose of seeking this change? Can Pakatan Rakyat still be that agent for change?

I dont know the answer to this, at least not yet. I hope that by December the scenario would be clearer and that by then we will know exactly what we must do. Is this aspiration an exercise in futility? Should I instead plan the rest of my life around just lazing in the sun on a Mediterranean beach with a drink in my hand and a cigar in my mouth?

I do not hide my disappointment and disgust with Malaysian politicians and Malaysian politics. I feel we can no longer trust politicians from both sides of the political divide. It may be time to take back power from the politicians and give it to the people. But how do we do that? I dont know. And I hope by December it would be clearer.

I have choices as to what to do with the rest of my life, many choices, in fact. I can, if I want, be selfish and make a choice that serves me best. But that choice may not quite be what is best for Malaysia or for the people of Malaysia. So my final choice may have to be laced with some sacr! ifice an d will have to take into consideration what is also good for Malaysia and Malaysians. And what that is I am yet to decide.

I suppose life is such. It is never so simple and straightforward. Anyway, let me stop here for the meantime and get back to my drums and hopefully by Christmas you and I will be clear in our minds as to what we need to do come the new year.

See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

SSG, local council and residents

One of the promises by the PR to the people of Selangor is the introduction and implementation of the local government election. I appreciate the legal issues surrounding the implementation of the election which I have written about it before. In my opinion saying to do something but using the excuses of not being able to do so as a publicity stunt only reflects own weaknesses and lack of creativity. What had been done thus far is that the SSG had ONLY shown on the surface that that they wanted to do it but do not really want to do it!

People like me lives in dangerous times and dangerous area. I had no choice as financially I cannot abandon my house and move to another area. I do not earn enough to rent elsewhere and service my present housing loan. Two weeks ago, I highlighted to MPAJ on the soil erosion problem on a slope that is located about 80m from my house. This week during my regular examination of my own house, shows that there is evidence of soil movement in my area. There are ample evidences from the drains to some structural gaps in my house walls. What we can do is remain alert, be aware of the early signs of failure and find ways to prevent another disaster.

Several weeks ago, I took the issue of the proposed construction of 10 unit apartment in the BA Mosque compound to task. That resulted in the declaration that MBA mosque committee to halt and says that they intent to withdraw their application. I decided to take MPAJ to task for breaching several laws and guidelines in approving the project. After more than a month and repeated follow up, pressure and one email to the KSN, I got an email reply from one of the MPAJ last week.

Now they say they HAVE NOT approve the project despite his original email and response from their officers saying otherwise. Another officer at MPAJ told me that I am the only one objecting the construction when other surrounding residents did not do so. Even! the BA local council member did not object on the construction. My verbatim response to him is that MPAJ sought the feedback from 8 to 10 house owners and that cannot be considered as All and my local council member is a politician and DO NOT lives here in Bukit Antarabangsa. His non objection is probably cluttered by the political impact of the decision rather than evaluating it from safety perspective.

If SSG is serious about having the residents in local council, they must not appoint party members and friendly NGOs. They should appoint residents that is apolitical and has strong support of the local community. The essence of Local Council election is about giving the third power back to the people where governance at the locality is done by the people themselves.

If election cannot be done find some other means to appoint people that that represent the masses. Right now the residents rights as rate payer is not being respected. No one really knows whether the local council is managing its finances properly. Our current council members are not reviewing issues raised at the council meeting objectively. They do not do in-depth analysis of any issues brought forward to the meeting before approving or denying it. They merely follow the tempo of the Chairman.

There are plenty of non political residents who are professionals within their own right that can contribute to the welfare of the residents by being on the local council. People who represent residents via their respective resident association are one of them. The government appointed JKP Zone is a political network that was created by BN and should be revamped. Its members must be elected by residents and not appointed by the local authority. We must not be ruled by politicians at every level of the society. As for the local council election and SSG, there is a popular Malay proverb that describe it well- Hendak seribu daya, tak hendak seribu dalih

!

See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?