A KADIR JASIN The media empire, the grand old houses of money and power protect each other.

by A KADIR JASIN

A KADIR JASINI was born in 1947 in Kedah. I came from a rice farming family. I have been a journalist since 1969. I am the Editor-in-Chief of magazine publishing company, Berita Publishing Sdn Bhd. I was Group Editor NST Sdn Bhd and Group Editor-in-Chief of NSTP Bhd between 1988 and 2000. I write fortnightly column Other Thots in the Malaysian Business magazine. Books: Biar Putih Tulang (1998), Other Thots Opinions & Observations 1992-2001 (2001), The Wings of an Eagle (2003), Mencari Dugalia Huso (2006), Damned That Thots (2006), Blogger (2006), PRU 2008-Rakyat Sahut Cabaran (2008), Komedi & Tragedi-Latest in Contemporary Malaysian Politics (2009) and Membangun Bangsa dengan Pena (2009).

Why some political parties lost the plot Filth of UMNO and Evil of MAHATHIR never ever changes it can hide, camouflage itself, but will never deliver benefits.That's what is happening to the land of all virtues and 7% growth rate. The nation which boasts of a great functional democracy, looks dwarfed before countries like Myanmar and Zimbabwe .

With a quivered lip and a smile that can't be hidden, they can say, oh my God, this is you? Your journalists, your ministers and your judges phew!! Defeat is the distance between a bedtime story and a wake-up call. The former starts with Once upon a time and lulls the voter to sleep. The second is an energiser that addresses a fresh dawn.Three political parties have become victims of their own success: their narrative has run its course, and they have not been able to find a! further chapter to their saga.The fear of "revenge killings" is so deep that the politicians, otherwise so vocal in demanding a probe into many other scandals, are keeping their mouths shut, least a bruised journalist take on them at "an appropriate time".

Just see the grandeur of our scandals: THE UMNO STORY is the simplest: the fairies have abandoned its fairy tale. It began as the party of LIBERAL MUSLIM ELITES WITH THEIR KETUAAN MELAYU The robust economic and social resettlement of the dispossessed, evident by the 70s, paradoxically, liberated them from the party which helped them. After the high-drama blip of the ANWAR IBRAHIM SAGA the UMNO reinvented itself as a champion of a psychological rather than an economic need.

Najibs Lucky Number

ON his part, the Prime Minister, Mohd Najib Abdul Razak, has to be supremely confident and 100 per cent sure that the BN has recovered to think of an early general elections.

Number 11 is said to be Mohd Najibs lucky number, hence the widespread prediction that he will hold the GE sometime next year.

If he holds the GE next year, this will be the shortest Parliament in history. The current Parliament is just over three years.

Unless he is so very sure that the BN will do better, he is taking an unnecessary risk. On the other hand, waiting for the full term may also pose a danger as the economy could worsen and his transformation plans may not produce the expected results.

So, with the mainstream media and friendly pollsters giving him a high mark for popularity and performance, Mohd Najib may be tempted to call for an early GE to obtain his very on mandate instead of continuing with the mediocre mandate of his predecessor.

Irrespective of when the election is held, one new equation has set in. This has to do with the sudden rise in the number of new voters, presumably you! ng first timers and the change in the media landscape.

There has been a big fall in the following of the pro-BN mainstream media in recent years. Coupled with the rising influence of the new media, it could take the battle for the hearts and minds of the voters to whole new level. Whoever is in control of the new media, could end up with the bonus.

read this related article The Mahatirfication of malaysian judisciary the exclusive story DONT THINK LIKE POLITICIANS, JUDGES TOLD BUT judges ARE state actors

What after this?Maysia is going through moral turmoil.Mahathir the man to be impeached for corruption and power abuse was rewarded to be de-factor chief who would supervise all corruption cases for ensuring punishment for the guilty is the one who himself is facing charges and when the voters asked the reason for this, the attorney general had the cheek to rebuff malaysiansin these words: "If impeccable integrity becomes an eligibility criterion, then all judicial and constitutional appointments will be open to question.

"Nothing. The media empire, the grand old houses of money and power protect each other. They have the platform to reach millions, but not a single one has tried to discuss it threadbare with the same savage ferocity they show in ripping apart their ideological opponents after having tasted a good French wine in a vineyard. They often use papers and channels for their political vendettas and abuse every other person they dislike without showing any civility. Then their outfits shut their doors for the other voices.

No, the censorship is not by the state. It's by the media houses. They invite guests to their shows and use them to have their own "super Oprah" image projected at the cost of the other voices and other viewpoints.New media journalists have been accused ! of wrong doing, including having inappropriate conversations with a corporate lobbyist and acting more like power brokers in recordings released as part of an investigation into an audacious multibillion swindle considered the biggest scandal to hit MalaysiaBy batsman
I was intrigued by Hakim Joes challenge to Karpal Singh whether he (Karpal) had witnessed PKR elections first hand and been around for the vote count. At the same breadth Joe claims that PKR electioneering culture is inherited from UMNO, so I wondered if Joe had witnessed UMNO elections first hand and been around for the vote count to make this claim.

Still, it seems to me that there is a strong link between organisational structure and culture. Looking at history, we see that with a New Army of about 2,500 men, Cromwell was able to defeat the English king with an army of over 7,000 men at Naseby. By comparison, more than 1500 years earlier, in a different part of the world, great armies of over 100,000 men on each side (sometimes with 600,000 men on just one side) regularly and frequently clashed in the battlefields of China.

Obviously it takes a lot more to raise an army of 100,000 men than an army of 2,500 men. Could this explain why Asians in general are so much more placid and obedient than Europeans and why Europeans are so much more aggressive and rebellious? It was built into the cultures respectively through organisational structure.

For the Europeans, it was relatively easy to defy your king while to the Chinese, defying the Emperor means one has to have enough money to raise armies of hundreds of thousands of men or one lost ones head.

The question is if the PKR is organizationally a carbon copy of UMNO, could n! ot its r omantic idealism in giving its members the direct vote the greatest folly and tragedy in Malaysian politics?

Obviously power in UMNO is based on patronage and is feudal in nature. Its organisational structure therefore reflects this. The big chieftain cannot deal with tens of thousands of members directly through patronage. He needs to depend on sub-chiefs and the sub-chiefs must depend on mini-chiefs through a whole chain of feudal patronage. In a sense that is why UMNO needs so many vice-presidents. (Perhaps if Joe had witnessed UMNO elections first hand, he might be able to provide more detail and information for us to consider.)

As a comparison, Red Indian chiefs can at most control 100 300 braves. To muster greater numbers for a big war, allied tribes speaking roughly the same language or dialect need to be persuaded to join the fight and a great war chief elected by the war council. This was a cumbersome affair and control and command was confusing and tedious. So it was that Red Indian culture remained tribal and eventually suffered genocide.

The early Republican Romans had essentially the same structure (with big landlords instead of big tribal chiefs), only more efficient and more structured, with laws and formal institutions to control things. Later power was invested in an emperor, but as with the Chinese dynasties, control fluctuated between periods of peace and plenty punctuated by war and instability every 100 - 300 years or so, the difference was that powerful Roman generals could seize power sometimes without even killing the overthrown emperor, while in China, the emperor and his whole clan and family had to be wiped out and another family installed.

So it is that a culture based on placidity and obedience must have murderous intent as its counterpart, while a cultur! e based on rebellion and defiance could also be humane and loyal to its laws.

So it is that when PKR gave members the direct vote, PKR chieftains panicked because they had not bothered to reach out to ordinary members directly. They were big chieftains without Red Indians. They depended on the mass media to create a reputation based on their deeds at the national level and often it was just publicity seeking comical deeds. It was hoped that such deeds could attract the support that they needed to stay in power.

The results of PKR elections may support this conclusion. The voter turnout was miserable, showing that the ordinary members had not been properly organized and motivated and that the big chieftains were divorced from the grassroots. Those that bothered to turn out were subjects of their patrons and since one patron cannot reach out to tens of thousands of subjects directly, only a handful turned out and since these were fanatically motivated to support their masters, fist fights depended on hair triggers such as suspected wrong procedures for elections. Ordinary members voting without undue critical interest should not be so emotionally charged. The middle men (sub and mini patrons) were missing from the equation.

In addition, we now have a fair idea of what happens during UMNO elections at the branch and divisional level - lots of open hanky panky happens, but since these are committed by the dominant patron, most voters close both eyes. The situation became tensed only when 2 dominant and mutually unfriendly patrons contested. Unfortunately PKR has taken into its ranks people unfamiliar with all this patronage and hanky-panky culture, so there was horror and unending questions on the smallest transgressions.

It seems to me that this is the only (maybe a bit long winded) explanatio! n for so many problems arising from so few voters in so short a time. If you can provide some sane alternative explanation, please do so to get us all out of our misery.

So it would seem to me that to change organisational structure at the stroke of a pen based on romantic ideals is a famous folly and a great tragedy without considering changes to be made in culture as well.

It would seem to me that PKR should not be accused of hanging on to obsolete feudal UMNO culture and traditions, but should instead be accused of being too wishy washy and too romantic in trying to move ahead too fast for its own good, even before organizing and preparing the grassroots for such a difficult and complex endeavour. (Such a mistake is not a rare one and can be found in all sorts of situations throughout history, one famous one would be the Cultural Revolution in China.)

Add in possible black ops sabotage and expert opinion forming by expensive consultants hiring hack writers, the situation can reach hysterical proportions which apparently it looks like it did.
It would seem to me that PKR big chiefs are trying to rule by decree rather than by painstaking organization at the grassroots level. Such a method of leadership assumes that the grassroots are able to react well and capably to such decrees. Obviously such an assumption is false.
So if you guys want to throw around wild accusations and sling around filthy mud, please, at least sling the right kind of mud. heeheehee

Anwar unfazed at likely suspension from Parliament

By Clara Chooi

November 24, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim scoffed at speculation today that he would likely be suspended from Parliament next month over the APCO issue, pointing out that he had “gone through worse”.

The opposition leader admitted that he had heard rumours of his likely suspension but claimed that he had not received any official notice from Parliament or the House’s Rights and Privileges Committee which investigated his claim that government public relations consultant APCO Worldwide was linked to Israel.

“I have not been informed although my colleagues are quite aware of the rumours so let us see what will happen. There has been no information, no notice of any meeting. So it is interesting how this government works.

“Apparently, there is a decision made known to many people but yet, the committee has not even convened. Notice of the meeting was not even given.... so, welcome to Malaysia,” a smiling Anwar (picture) told reporters at a press conference after chairing the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leadership council meeting in Parliament this evening.

He also laughed off the implication that the punishment was viewed as the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition’s attempt to cripple its foes in PR, ahead of an impending general election.

He pointed out that in comparison to his six-year incarceration and many other punishments meted out to him in the past, a six-month suspension paled in comparison.

“They have imprisoned me for six years, so what is a six month suspension? I have gone through worse. They have assaulted me, stripped me naked, placed me in solitary confinement and now they want to suspend me for six months?” Anwar said, laughing.

The Malaysian Insider reported today that on the final day of the ongoing parliamentary session this December 15, the opposition leader will be made to answer for his APCO-Israel jibe from earlier this year, under recommendation from the House’s powerful Rights and Privileges Committee.

The committee is expected to recommend a suspension order against PR’s de facto leader, said to be a thorn in the side of the ruling government which suffered severe losses in the last general election.

In Election 2008, Anwar and other opposition leaders agreed not to fight each other ad ended up sweeping five states and denying BN its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority.

It is believed that Anwar will be suspended for at least six months from the House but will continue to receive his MP’s salary.

The Malaysian Insider understands, however, that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had initially been against the idea of meting out such a punishment to the opposition leader for fear of public backlash, but had relented after being convinced by his BN aides.

The prime minister had apparently also met with Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia over the issue today.

The move is believed to be a strategic attempt by the ruling BN coalition to throw the opposition momentarily off guard ahead of an expected general election, believed likely to be held in the first quarter of next year.

It is also believed to be a form of reprisal by the federal government, after similar moves by PR administrations in Selangor and Penang to suspend BN opposition leaders from its state assemblies.

Anwar had initially been summoned to face the House’s committee on June 8 after he claimed that the supposedly Israeli-linked public relations consultancy APCO Worldwide employed by the Najib Administration was behind both the 1 Malaysia and One Israel concepts.

His remarks had dominated the previous parliamentary session earlier this year and had been used incessantly by opposition leaders as campaign fodder during the Hulu Selangor and Sibu by-elections.

Anwar’s hearing before the committee was, however, put off when the leader insisted on being accompanied by legal counsel — former Bar Council president Datuk Ambiga Sreenivasan.

He was later allowed to be accompanied by Ambiga under strict instructions that the latter would not be allowed to speak during the proceedings.

Despite this, Anwar’s hearing was put off and the matter has not been raised since then.

Sivarasa - Pakatan is bracing for all eventualities

Sivarasa: If Anwar suspended for APCO, it may be a Commonwealth precedent

Despite a rumour that PKR de facto leader and Permatang Pauh MP Anwar Ibrahim will be suspended by Parliament's powerful Rights and Privileges Committee, its members have yet to meet.

PKR MP for Subang R Sivarasa, who sits on the bipartisan committee, said that he has not received any notice for further committee meetings.

“But we are still prepared for all eventualities including suspension,” he told Malaysiakini.

Online news portal The Malaysian Insider, quoting sources, had reported that the Opposition Leader may face censure over his Apco jibe in Parliament, linking the international public relations firm to the 1Malaysia tagline as well as that of Israel's.

However, Sivarasa reckoned that, even if Anwar is censured, this will not happen any time soon.

“The hearing won't be over so quickly. We still expect to hear from a number of witnesses including those from Apco. So as far as I am concerned, it is just speculation,” he said.

'No bearing on polls'

Sivarasa also rubbished the notion that the move to censure Anwar is part of BN's 'strategic plan' before calling for snap polls early next year.

“Even if he is suspended, there will be no direct impact on his candidacy or his campaign in the general election.

“In fact, it may actually help shore up support for Pakatan if this is seen as an unjust punishment for him."

Sivarasa also said that in the event that Anwar is suspended, it may create global repercussions for Malaysia's image in terms of freedom of expression for parliamentarians.

“If he is suspended from Parliament, it would certainly be unprecedented for an Opposition Leader in Malaysia and maybe even the Commonwealth.

“Malaysia will then have the dubious honour of being the first in the more advanced and bigger democracies in the Commonwealth to suspend the leader of the opposition."

Malaysian MPs generally enjoy immunity from the law as to what they say within the House.

However, they are answerable to the rights and privileges committee if they are suspected of misleading the House.

Anwar moves to recuse "intimidating" judge from Sodomy II

Sodomy II - Malaysia's shame

KUALA LUMPUR — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim claimed today the presiding judge in his Sodomy II trial had “intimidated” his lead counsel after he moved to disqualify the judge.

In a written affidavit filed this afternoon along with a notice of motion to disqualify Judge Datuk Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah, Anwar said that Mohd Zabidin had “threatened” Karpal Singh yesterday when the lawyer gave notice of the defence’s intentions to file an application to disqualify him.

“My lawyer at the time had given notice to the judge that he had been ordered by his client (me) to request that the said judge recuse himself from hearing my trial.

“The reason being that the judge did not respect the decision of the Supreme Court in United Asian Bank Berhad vs Tai Soon Heng Constructiion Sdn Bhd (1993).

“The judge then answered, saying that what my lawyer had said could be considered as contempt of court. My lawyer had responded by saying the issue of contempt of court did not arise and I was not given a fair trial,” said Anwar in his affidavit.

According the notes of the trial proceedings yesterday, Karpal had accused Mohd Zabidin of an “unwarranted threat of contempt,” thereby “intimidating the counsel.”

Anwar said that although the judge had subsequently withdrawn his “contempt” remarks and agreed that it was “not proper” of him to have said such things to Karpal, the judge’s act of “intimidation” indicated a “real danger of bias” which would prevent the opposition leader from receiving a fair trial.

Anwar also stressed that the application to disqualify the judge was based solely on Mohd Zabidin’s alleged acts of “intimidation” towards Karpal, and for no other reasons.

Earlier today in court, Karpal had informed the judge that the notice of motion along with Anwar’s application had been filed, and that the trial could not go on until Mohd Zabidin heard the application.

“Your lordship had intimidated counsel, that is me, [and] that’s why Anwar is concerned he won’t get a fair trial.

“We need time till tomorrow morning to be ‘well-prepared’ to recuse your lordship from further hearing the matter,” said Karpal.

Mohd Zabidin then fixed tomorrow morning for the hearing of the defence’s bid to have him disqualified as the trial judge.

Yesterday, the defence took issue with Mohd Zabidin’s ruling to deny Anwar access to three Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) doctors’ medical notes.

The judge, in making the ruling, cited that the defence failed to give reasons on why they needed those documents.

Karpal had at the time claimed that the judge’s decision had misinterpreted a Supreme Court decision in 1993, which stipulated that the courts are bound by the decision which states that witness must “place before the court all the data in which he bases his information.”

The judge, however, had said that Section 45 of the Evidence Act merely provided for the “admissibility” of opinion and nothing more.

“Originally we wanted to file an application to disqualify the judge because he did not take into considering a Supreme Court ruling when denying the defence access to the HKL notes,” another defence lawyer, Sankara Nair, told The Malaysian Insider today.

“But after what the judge had said yesterday, intimidating Karpal, we filed an application today citing the one reason why we want the judge disqualified, that is the act of intimidation.”

Anwar, the 62-year-old PKR de facto leader, is currently facing sodomy charges for the second time in his life.

The former deputy prime minister is charged with sodomising a former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan at Unit 11-5-1 of the Desa Damansara Condominium in Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara here between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.

Anwar has denied the charge, describing it as “evil, frivolous lies by those in power” when the charge was read out to him. He is charged under section 377B of the Penal Code and can be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years’ jail and whipping upon conviction. The trial is taking place 18 months after Anwar was charged in court in August 2008.

He was charged with sodomy and corruption in 1998 after he was sacked from the Cabinet and was later convicted and jailed for both offences. He was freed in September 2004 and later resurrected his political career by winning back his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat in a by-election in 2008, which had been held in the interim by his wife.

He had two years ago led the opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat, to a historic sweep of five states and 82 parliamentary seats in Election 2008.

The Third Force - Or Is It The Third Farce?

Zaid - from frying pan to the fire, or is it farce?

YL Chong

Self-appointed leader of the Third Force in Malaysian politics, civil rights lawyer Haris Ibrahim, has taken on the mantle of shortlisting candidates to stand under the banners of PR components, Part Keadilan PKR Rakyat (PKR), and Democratic Action Party (DAP). I don't believe either of the two PR party leaders have sanctioned Haris' initiative, for I can't imagine two key components in an alternative-government-in-waiting would surrender or privatise this important role.

In another article I had indeed asked of Haris,who also leads the online NGO People's Parliament, "Who art thou in politcs?", chiefly wondering why he was so "involved" in PKR inner politics when he was NOT even a card-carrying member, and that his writings were/are mainly in favour of two then appointed "top" PKR leaders who only recently abandoned the BN banner to join PKR.

In the Star print edition of Nov 17, 2010, a news report headlined
"Azmin’s faction blamed for pushing Zaid to a tight spot", it was reported that:

"Meanwhile, Barisan Rakyat coordinator Haris Ibrahim denied that it was a “third force” or that it was backed by Zaid.

The blogger, who said the group aimed to supply Pakatan Rakyat with MPs that would not abandon it after securing enough seats to form the Federal Government, said it hoped to contest 30 parliamentary seats in the next general election.

“So far, we have 16 potential candidates. We will contest using PKR and DAP banners but in Parliament, we will serve as independents.

“We do not want to form a new party as we want to do away with politics of patronage where division chiefs expect to be nominated.” (news report excerpt ends here)

A PKR strategist told this writer that an outsider like Haris who is not even a party member is being too presumptious to think PKR would surrender this role of selecting candidates to outsiders.

"Why would PKR or DAP want to pass on to a third party to select candidates to contest under our banner?

"And who is to tell that these so-called men/women of integrity picked by Haris will permanently follow his mandate based on his own set of principles and ethics?"

Indeed, I think Haris, drunk on commenters' cheering squad on his blog, has arrogated for himself a status justified by the cheering squad -- that status befitting a demi-god? On what criteria has Haris followed to shortlist these 16 candidates for the next general elections (GE13)?

A fellow blogger when asked about Haris' initiative, said as far as he knew, Haris was definitely very close to Zaid. "And this Third Force could turn out to be a Third Farce," he merrily added.

For people new to bloggers' world, Haris was a civil rights lawyer who shot to prominence in the high profile case of defending two bloggers, Jeff Ooi,now a DAP MP, and Ahirudin Attan aka Rockybru, now a Datuk, in a defamation suit by the NSTP and several top executives. In an olde post Haris went public in expressing differences of opinion with Rockybru on some issues, and I chipped in as a commenter that it was not professional for a lawyer, still acting as counsel for his client, to go public with this open show of differences.

I recently checked with Rockybru, who I worked pretty well in organising the annual Bloggers Universe Malaysia (BUM) events for four outings -- although we hail from different political philosopical backgrounds -- told me recently that in the NSTP suit case, he and Haris had indeed "parted ways".

I give Haris benefit of doubt that he might have good intentions, but to get involved so "intensely" in PKR activities while not willing to join up as a member, it raises many reservations in my mind. Is he acting on behalf of key players like Zaid and Jeffrey Kitingan?

In fact, as I had observed in an earlier article, Haris and some socalled Barisan Rakyat bloggers got pretty involved in PKR party elections, having concurrently started a campaign named "BLOGGERS FOR NURUL" just as deputy presidential candidate Zaid Ibrahim had advised the MP for Lembah Pantai Nurul Izzah Anwar to accept the nomination for deputy president candidacy (which Zaid had confirmed contesting, but would make way for Nurul. What I have noted is that Haris has consistently "supported" Zaid's and Sabah leader Jeffrey's stands, in the duo's politicking in PKR. If either Zaid or Jeffrey have been feeding PKR "insider information" to an outsider like Haris, then it reveals much of their leadership as far as integrity is concerned.

As Haris' initiative is officially reported by the MSM, I have sighted an article written about this socalled Third Force previously on his blog, but Nov 17's Star report is the first time where DAP and PKR are dragged into the picture.

Third Force would be new impediment for change at Putrajaya

I have written that a Third Force is premature on the Malaysian political landscape when even the Pakatan Rakyat comprising PKR, DAP and PAS -- the latter two having proven records of some 50years of struggle to boast of, with PKR only a 12-year teenage growing up period -- for the first time have given Malaysians the hope of a two-party system, hence the most viable coalition to replace the BN government.

At this junction, do we need a third force of "Spoilers" who would likely make the next GE13 see more three- or more-cornered fights, mainly to the benefit of the incumbent BN regime?

Who's to guarantee that some or all of this core group of some 20 "persons of integrity" when elected into Parliament would not sell their souls in a "hung Parliament scenario? Ask the electorate if they had felt cheated when three PR assemblymen in Perak caused the downfall of the PR government when they deserted PKR and DAP and "became independents". Independents, my foot! It's the almighy dollar/ringgit you frogs are looking at, no? RM4million for Hee Yet Foong, yes?

The next question arising is: Haris, where are the funds coming from to finance the election campaign for GE13 for these candidates under your Third Force?

Zaid who Haris adores as seen from his blogposts had yesterday stated he might set up a new political party once his resignation from PKR takes effect coming December 16.

The Case of froggie Wee Choo Keong

Let's digress a bit here and examine PKR banner-elected MP for Wangsa Maju Wee Choo Keong. In gist, he was once a DAP elected MP but fell out with party leaders, He and some cronies then set up the Malaysian Democratic Party (MDP). He and several others stood as candidates under the MDP banner in two general elections, and I believe all contestants lost their deposits.

Just before the March 2008 GE We managed to squeeze himself a seat, contesting under PKR banner BUT REMAINING AN MDP MEMBER, and the rest is history.The man -- ah, another lawyer! -- then jumped ship and is now an Independent-friendly-to-BN. Independent, my foot! Another case of staring at the almighty dollar/ringgit sign!


Maybe Zaid can team up with Wee -- their common enemey now is PKR, is it not? -- and can take part in GE13 under MDP? I bet it would turn out to be another farce. Oops, another real force in Malaysian politics. Zaid may even win enough support from BN-friendly MPs to be elected Opposition Leader, and Wee the Whip?
Though another writer claims on Zaid's behalf that it's presumptious of certain writers to link any of Zaid's moves to finally connect with Haris' latest initiative, it is a possibility that it finally would transpire that way. Zaid might not get enough support to register his new party, these two new forces would converge into one? So to contest in GE13, Zaid becomes another "man of integrity" by Haris' definition to add onto to his short list?

Am I going to be surprised? That's a RM64million question I may get to answer six months from now should PM Najib Tun Razak receive inspiration to call for an early GE13, one I believe could lead Malaysia down that slippery slope into another failed state. And a Third Force would not in any way help the PR's road to Putrajaya to prevent Malaysia becoming another Zimbabwe.

(YL Chong is a veteran journalist and a founding member of Bluggers United Malaysia)

A day at Malaysian Immigration

When I asked around on Twitter and Facebook about the most efficient and most convenient Immigration office to renew my daughter's passport I got many suggestions. Shah Alam, Wangsa Maju, Subang Terminal 2, Damansara Heights...Thank you all for your suggestions. But as Subang was the most convenient location from home (and I'd used them once before) I chose to drive there. With my 10 year-old daughter and 7 year-old son in tow. Mainly because he was bored at home and I was going to bring my iPad with me. When I arrived at Terminal 2 the scene that confronted me confirmed my fears. It was the school holidays and the place was packed!

There's 20 meters of counters and 10 of waiting space in front of them. Why?
Well, nobody's fault but my own for procrastinating. Surprisingly, we found a parking bay not too far away from what looked like a very dilapidated Terminal 2 building. You know the usual signs. Broken windows. Uncleared litter and garbage. Overgrown grass. And floors that hadn't been cleaned since the last plane took off I think. We walked past the make-shift canteen. And past a glassed-off area the size of a low-cost housing flat bedroom (read minuscule) which I discovered housed the passport renewal machines. I asked the pegawai standing guard at the door what I should do.

"Have 2 passport photos, your passport and IC and money ready."
No need for forms?
"No need." I was impressed.

But of course I soon realised that my daughter did not have her passport photos ready.

"No problem, Encik. You can take photos inside." Wah!

Inside meant the main hall. When we went there we were confronted by the sight of scores of sweaty men, women and screaming children. All there to apply or renew passports I presume. There was an especially long queue which I eventually found out was the line for the photo-! taking f acility.

4 passport-sized photos for RM10 + 45 minutes
Well....it was a facility. It had one of those photo-taking machines that you find in archades and malls. You go in, sit down in front of a mirror, put in your coins, smile-FLASH-and you're done. But this photo-kiosk charged RM10 for 4 colour passport photos and was never meant to perform high volume photo reproductions. Hence the long queue which took 45 minutes from queue-up to photo-taking. This little example of entrepreneurial skill was manned by 2 rather disinterested silent, gentlemen who looked like off-duty pegawai from one government department or another. You know the type. I later found out that the photo-kiosk was operated by the cooperative of the Immigration Department. Good what. If only they'd see the potential and put in a little better maintenance or update the machine or even add additional equipment so the turnaround would be faster and more lucrative.

Halfway down the queue it occurred to me that I hadn't made it clear to the pegawai I asked that I was renewing my 10 year-old daughter's passport and not my own. So, leaving the young lady in the queue I went back to the machine room and asked again.

"Oh untuk budak ya? Then machine tak boleh. You go to counter #1, get a form, fill it up, make photocopy of your IC and photocopy of child's birth certificate and then submit at the counter."

Oh! So I go to Counter #1.

"Can have a borang please?"
"Nah!"
I retreated to fill up the form. Brought it back to Counter #1
"Gambar mana?"

Oh must get gambar first. Back to standing in the photo queue. I go to get photocopies of my IC and my daughter's birth certificate.

The ever-present A4 notic! e on the window

The photo-copying service was also operated by the guys who were taking the photos. Which also was one of the reasons why the photo queue was so long. There's just so much a man can do la!

Finally, after 45 minutes we got the passport photos and the photocopies.

Back to Counter #1 and was told to wait for my number to be called to submit the renewal application. Another hour later our number came up. Yay! Rather short-lived joy.

"Where's your wife?", asked the counter lady. Wah! That's nice I thought. Maybe she's one of MamaMin's customers.

"She's at home," I replied.

"Where is your wife? Because you cannot renew your daughter's passport. Only your wife can do. Because your case under section (she quoted some number)."

I could feel my blood pressure rising. Stay calm.

"But I've spent almost half the day here only to be told that I cannot do this? How can la, Cik?"

Well, okay I wasn't exactly that calm la. But I was not rude. Tell you why later.

"Cannot. Only your wife can do."

"But why wasn't I told earlier so that I would not have wasted my time? Look, I am not angry with you ya Cik. It's just that your department's system sucks."

"If you like you can speak to my boss."

Yes I would like that very much. I was cleared through that magic door that separates the sweaty, screaming plebs from the powerful pegawai's. After waiting for less than a minute, some guy in civvies comes over, looked at my application, scrawls something on it, looks at me and says, "Ok?" and walks away. I don't know what his 'okay' was about although I detected a hint of resentment in his tone. Don't know why. I was nice what. Then the lesser pegawai ushers me through the magic door back into the sweaty masses.

"Okay, my boss say you can pay now but your wife has to come and colle! ct the p assport together with your daughter. Now you wait for your number then pay."

And so we waited another half hour to be called to the payment counter. I paid the dues and got a receipt and was told that the passport will be ready for collection in 2 hours time. But what the lady didn't say was that the counter closes at 4.30 and the 2 hours meant the passport would be ready at 5pm. And so my wife will have to make a trip there tomorrow to get through the final phase of the Malaysian child passport renewal process. No wonder Malaysian passports are so valuable on the black market. It takes a lot of effort and time to make one.

What I want to say before I end this rant is that the officers of the Jabatan Imigresen in Terminal 2 that I met this day, except for the 'boss', were friendly, smiling and genuinely helpful. And I salute them for doing their jobs in that kind of environment. The office air-conditioning system was not working.

Hi-tech cooling system for the over-worked photo machine
It was dirty and badly maintained. Broken chairs, wet floors, peeling wallpaper, uncleared rubbish. And the department system sucks big time.


A big TERIMA KASIH to the counter staff of Jabatan Imigresen Terminal 2 Subang.
I think you all should write a long letter to the minister of home affairs and tell him about your working conditions. He probably doesn't know and that's why he's spending time and money instead on catching people for sedition on the Internet. Tell him la that maybe if he helps you all improve your delivery system there might not be seditious writings on the Internet. Right?
Oh there is one more thing. Have you ever wondered why Malaysian government depar! tments s ervice counters are always designed width-wise? A long row of counters. But a very short waiting space in front of the counters. All of them are like that. LCCT, Johor 2nd Link Immigration, Terminal 2 Immigration...

If you know a lot of people are going to be queuing you make lots of space in front of the counters, right? It's not rocket science what.
courtesy of Niamah!!!
See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

MACC interviews Khalid over Yayasan Selangor's costly bash

By Rahmah Ghazali

SHAH ALAM: The Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today continued its investigations in to state subsidiary Yayasan Selangor's exorbitant 40th anniversary whack by interviewing Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

Yesterday a MACC obtained a seven-day remand order against a senior central of Yayasan Selangor as part of a examine over a high price incurred in organising a celebrations reported to be in a region of RM300,000.

The high price of a whack was additionally reported to have warranted a madness of Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor, who cancelled his gracing of it.

Khalid suggested in his Twitter this evening which he was in a midst of "giving cooperation with MACC to investigate Yayasan Selangor". The twitter was posted during 6pm. The sum of a assembly is unknown.

It is accepted which a assembly went upon for about thirty minutes, as well as could be a reason for Khalid blank his scheduled post-exco assembly press discussion during 5pm.

Khalid had formerly pronounced which he was in a dim over a total price of a anniversary. He had additionally voiced which he would not be in attendance a anniversary luncheon.

The controvery which arose over a price in a future saw a eventuality itself being cancelled.

MACC has additionally confiscated multiform documents from Yayasan Selangor's bureau in Petaling Jaya yesterday.

Also read:

Senior Yayasan Selangor central remanded for seven days

Angry Jabu slams DAP for constantly attacking govt

By FMT Staff

BINTULU: Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu Numpang has slammed antithesis DAP for constantly aggressive the state government's sincerity towards the farming folk.

"Here you are perplexing to urge the socio-economic status of the people by assorted sorts of programmes as well as DAP is regularly aggressive us.

"They are constantly criticising our efforts as well as rambling facts," he said, adding which the antithesis was opposite the state's efforts to jointly rise NCR (Native Customary Rights) land into oil palm plantations.

Describing the DAP as an enemy of the people in the farming areas", he pronounced antithesis was opposite people in the farming areas taking part in joint-ventures regulating their NCR land.

"They (DAP) are suspicious people. They do not want farming people to stick upon joint-ventures regulating their NCR land. They want the farming people to sojourn laid back.

"But the actuality is which with the expansion of the NCR land, farming folks now suffer monthly income of thousands of ringgit from oil palm yield, he told the new entertainment in Sungai Sebungan.

He pronounced expansion of NCR land had additionally led to infrastructural expansion as well as highway accessibility to areas in the interior.

Jabu, who is additionally state apportion of modernisation as well as agriculture, pronounced the antithesis was purposely distorting the expansion of NCR land for their own domestic mileage.

Fairness

Meanwhile at an additional function yesterday Jabu pronounced the majority-based ruling supervision should not abuse its authority.

"The majority should not violate the basic as well as unalienable rights of the minority regardless of culture, language, identity, " he pronounced at the launch of International Conference upon Minority as well as Majority: Lang! uage, Cu lture as well as Identity.

Jabu pronounced it was regularly "better to discuss" issues which dwell upon counts which impede society.

"It is better to discuss issues. It helps us concentration upon the bigger picture which is peace, harmony as well as stability. These are the pre-requisites for prosperity nonetheless you do understand the notion which in the democracy legitimate energy is conferred by the majority.

But this however comes with the very complicated shortcoming in ensuring the supervision which is only as well as satisfactory to the people. he said.

New Rules for Hot Money

November 24, 2010

New Rules for Hot Money

by Nouriel Roubini

Capital flows to emerging-market economies have been on a boom-bust merry-go-round for decades. In the past year, the world has seen another boom, with a tsunami of capital, portfolio equity, and fixed-income investments surging into emerging-market countries perceived as having strong macroeconomic, policy, and financial fundamentals.

Such inflows are driven in part by short-term cyclical factors (interest-rate differentials and a wall of liquidity chasing higher-yielding assets as zero policy rates and more quantitative easing reduce opportunities in the sluggish advanced economies). But longer-term secular factors also play a role. These include emerging markets long-term growth differentials relative to advanced economies; investors greater willingness to diversify beyond their home markets; and the expectation of long-term nominal and real appreciation of emerging-market currencies.

Given all this, the most critical policy question in emerging markets today is how to respond to inflows that will inevitably drive up their exchange rates and threaten export-led growth.

The first option is to do nothing and allow the currency to appreciate. This may be the right response if the inflows and upward pressure on the exchange rate are driven by fundamental factors (a current-account surplus, an undervalued currency, a large and persistent growth differential).

But, in many cases, inflows are driven by short-term factors, fads, and irrational exuberance, which can lead to an overvalued currency, the crowding out of non-traditional export sectors or import-competing sectors, a loss of competitiveness, and eventually a large current-account deficit and thus tighter external constraints on growth.

Th! is probl em is exacerbated by the fact that the worlds biggest exporter, China, is aggressively intervening to minimize any appreciation of the renminbi. If China doesnt allow the renminbi to strengthen, other emerging markets will remain wary of letting their currencies appreciate too much and lose competitiveness.

If allowing a currency to appreciate freely is costly, the second option is unsterilized foreign-exchange intervention. This is effective in stemming upward exchange-rate pressure, but it feeds the beast: it exacerbates overheating in already fast-growing emerging markets, causing inflation and leading to excessive credit growth, which can fuel dangerous asset bubbles.

The third option is sterilized intervention. This prevents monetary and credit growth, but, by keeping interest-rate differentials high, sterilized intervention feeds carry-trade inflows, thus contributing to the problem that it was supposed to solve.

The fourth option is to impose capital controls on inflows (or liberalize controls on outflows). Leaving aside the issue of whether or not such controls are leaky, evidence suggests that controls on inflows of short-term hot money do not affect the overall amount of capital inflows. Thus, such controls are ineffective in reducing short-term cyclical pressure on the currency to appreciate.

The fifth option is to tighten fiscal policy and reduce budget deficits with the aim of lowering the high interest rates that drive the inflows. But sounder fiscal policy might lead to even higher inflows as the countrys external balance and sovereign-risk outlook improve.

A sixth option especially where a country has carried out partially sterilized intervention to prevent excessive currency appreciation is to reduce the risk of credit and asset bubbles by imposing prudential supervision of the financial system. This should be aimed at restraining excessive credit growth, which the monetary growth that follows currency intervention would otherwise ! cause. H owever, direct controls on credit growth, while necessary, are often leaky and not very binding in practice.

The final option is massive, large-scale, and permanent sterilized intervention or, equivalently, the use of sovereign wealth funds or other fiscal-stabilization mechanisms to accumulate the foreign assets needed to compensate for the effects on the currencys value brought about by long-term inflows. The argument for this option is that long-term secular factors are important drivers of capital inflows, as advanced-economy investors discover that they are underweight in emerging-market assets and reduce their portfolios home bias.

Sterilized intervention usually doesnt work: if assets in advanced economies and emerging markets remain perfectly substitutable, inflows will continue as long as interest-rate differentials persist. But the demand for emerging-market assets is neither infinite nor perfectly substitutable for the assets of advanced economies even for given interest-rate differentials because these assets have very different liquidity and credit risks.

This means that at some point large-scale, persistent sterilized foreign-exchange intervention amounting to several percentage points of GDP would satisfy the additional demand for emerging-market assets and stop the inflows, even if interest-rate differentials remain. As sterilization induces issuance of domestic assets, global investors desire for diversification would be met without causing excessive currency appreciation, with all its collateral damage, in emerging markets.

Of course, currency appreciation should not be prevented altogether. When justified by economic fundamentals, the exchange rate should be allowed to rise gradually. But when a currencys appreciation is triggered by capital inflows that represent the asset-diversification preferences of advanced-economy investors, it can and should be resisted.Project Syndicate

Nouriel Roubini is! profess or of Economics at the Stern School of Business, NYU and Chairman of Roubini Global Economics. This column is based on a longer research paper titled How Should Emerging Markets Manage Capital Inflows and Currency Appreciation? available at http://www.roubini.com/analysis/137656.php.

Letter & Opinion From Joe Public

Former Hindraf leader, Uthayakumar seeks to nullify Sedition Act

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 Lawyer P. Uthayakumar today filed a notice of motion seeking an order to declare the Sedition Act 1948 void, in accordance with Article 4(1) of the Federal Constitution.

Uthayakumar, 49, is also seeking to have the charge against him under the act to be suspended or revoked.

Article 4(1) of the Federal Constitution states that the constitution is the supreme law of the country and any law passed after Merdeka Day which is inconsistent with the constitution shall, to the maximum extent of inconsistency, be void.

Uthayakumar filed the notice of motion through Messrs Kumar Hashimah & Co at the registry of the Criminal High Court here, naming the public prosecutor as the respondent.

In a supporting affidavit, Uthayakumar claimed that the charge against him was selective accusation which threatened and penalised individuals like him who criticised the government in a peaceful manner.

Uthayakumar, who was once detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA), is secretary-general of the Human Rights Party of Malaysia.

He was charged under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948 in the Sessions Court on Dec 11, 2007 for publishing a seditious letter on the Police Watch Malaysia website.

The trial is set for resumption on November 29. Bernama

See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

A Letter to King Karpal

To state for a fact that Zaid cannot be trusted is absurd, especially when Zaid was commenting on the felonious state of affairs regarding the party polls. If only you would take the time (carpe diem) to ask the ordinary PKR members or stand as witness during the tallying of votes, should you then recognize just how ingrained the UMNO rot has set into PKR.

By Hakim Joe

You have always earned the respect and admiration of the majority of Malaysians with your staunch stand promoting Racial Impartiality, the Rule of Law, Free Speech and Human Rights but this time, you have literally put your foot in your mouth by your statement that Zaid cannot be trusted. Can you perhaps tell me whether that is the second before he resigned
or the exact second after he resigned from PKR?

To state the obvious, “When can we ever really believe what a politician says all the time?”

PKR has its leadership problems but it was rather inane that you, as a leader of DAP, should jump into the fray, involving yourself and the party you represent, in something that is not of your immediate concern. To state for a fact that Zaid cannot be trusted is absurd, especially when Zaid was commenting on the felonious state of affairs regarding the party polls. If only you would take the time (carpe diem) to ask the ordinary PKR members or stand as witness during the tallying of votes, should you then recognize just how ingrained the UMNO rot has set into PKR.

Instead you chose to fire a barrage of unfounded criticisms against someone who is stating the obvious. Is this accomplished in the hope of showing overt support for a member of the Pakatan coalition? Do you actually realize that you actions have denigrated the many PKR supporters who have witnessed the fraud that is evinced during the recent PKR party polls? Does your statement mean that those who had lodged official complaints and protests regarding the manner in which the PKR elections are held are in fact all incorrigible liars and/or BN moles and saboteurs?

Or is it that your vast political experience facilitates your foresight to essentially recognize the character flaw of an individual the second he or she does not side with you? Did Zaid become someone that cannot be trusted the second he leaves the party or have you known of his true intentions long before he resigned from PKR? If that is the case, could you explain a bit more regarding the Jelapang Bitch (formerly) from your party?

Lastly, do you think that the Rakyat is incapable of making their own deductions from this sorry episode and that we require your profound insight to demonstrate to us simple folks just what is right or what is wrong, or who to trust and who is not to be trusted?

Sir, I was personally there during the PKR branch elections and the PKR divisional elections and I have actually witnessed the many polling infractions and violations that were done ala Umno style strong-arm tactics and fraud. I have lodged numerous complaints with the PKR Election Steering Committee but none of my complaints have ever been answered. It seems that the illustrious Molly Cheah is unavailable to stand in judgment (as she is away celebrating her masters’ victories) and that any investigations into these complaints will be performed after she becomes sober, whenever that’ll be.

For someone of your stature that has been in this political game for such a long time, your experience seems to have left you and your words have actually degraded your reputation and those of your party as well. Do you see your peers doing what you just did?

Before I sign off here, there is one question I need to ask of you, “Were you ever there personally during the PKR Party Elections or are your reasoning based on your prophetic vision from afar?”

Hakim Joe

Taking the Good Lord for a ride

A couple of months back Malaysia Today showed pictures of A-G Gani Patail with Shahidan. In case you still have doubts, Malaysia Today will now show you how close they really are. They are so close that they deem it fit to seek atonement and go to God’s house in Mecca together

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Deep Throat Bukit Aman

RPK has always said that Malays are the worst lot of Muslims in the world. They take bribes, cheat, commit criminal breach of trust, plunder the nation’s wealth, and much more. They also rape, murder and even blow dead people up with military grade explosives.

And after doing all these evil deeds, they purport to repent and put on a public show of visiting God’s house in Mecca to seek forgiveness.

Yes, that is what they do. And they think that all their sins can be cleansed and that God will forgive them by that single act of being seen to be performing the Haj. I suppose it is that easy to take the Good Lord for a ride.

If you think it was bad enough that the former Chief Justice, Eusof Chin, and his wife, went on holidays with Lawyer VK Linggam. If you think it was revolting to see a picture of the arms of Correct, Correct, Correct Linggam on the shoulders of Eusof Chin while on holidays in New Zealand. Then you haven’t seen it all.

That indiscretion was good enough to warrant a Royal Commission of Enquiry to investigate the manipulations of Linggam in the appointments to the judiciary.

Malaysia Today has posted Parts 1 to 10 on the plundering of MAS, which resulted in a multi-billion hole in its fortunes. Malaysia Today has exposed that in the end it was the Director of the CCID, Dato’ Ramli Yusuff, and his lawyer, Rosli Dahlan, who were charged for relentlessly pursuing the case against MAS’s former Chairman, Tajuddin Ramli.

Until today Tajudin remains a free and wealthy man living in his ranch called Al Raudhah or The Garden of Heaven.

Malaysia Today has unravelled the link between Tajudin and A-G Gani Patail through the smooth operator who goes by the name of Shahidan Shafie. Malaysia Today has provided the link between Shahidan’s adopted sister, Rizana Daud, who is married to Bistamam Ramli, Tajudin’s brother. Malaysia Today has also provided the background of Shahidan -- an ex-policeman who was charged for corruption in Johor Bahru.

Yet, today, he is the best of friends with A-G Gani Patail.

They say you must know how to choose your friends. Shahidan certainly does. What better friend can you have today in Malaysia, if you are a wheeler-dealer and underworld operator, than the Attorney General?

But then again with A-G Gani Patail he can be the best of friends with the highest bidder. He sells himself to whomsoever can satisfy his lust for money, money and more money. So that is what binds A-G Gani to corrupted former policeman Shahidan Shafiee, the riches that is thrown his way.

A couple of months back Malaysia Today showed pictures of A-G Gani Patail with Shahidan. In case you still have doubts, Malaysia Today will now show you how close they really are. They are so close that they deem it fit to seek atonement and go to God’s house in Mecca together. Or is this just another camouflage for the shenanigans that they are about to commit?

In this day and age, even a Holy place is not too sacred to hide deals that they are about to cut.

Did RPK not tell you that all the government agencies in Malaysia report to him? Now see this Tabung Haji list of Haj for this year.

Yes, A-G Gani, his wife, his son, and Shahidan, have gone for Haj together as a family. Right now, they are about to complete their Tawaf Wida. This scumbag of an A-G knows no bounds. He will use his family as a camouflage for the evil things he does, even in the Holy Land.

In case you are still confused, let me explain this Haj list package as follows:

a) Kod Pakej PZ2 is the Zamrud package of 2 persons to a room;

b) The number 096 is the joint booking number. So Shahidan paid for the A-G and his family’s Haj trip;

c) The numerals 01-03 is the room arrangement.

So the A-G stays in one room with his wife and the A-G’s son, Faezul Adzra, stays in the other room with Shahidan. They are certainly family!

By the way, to ensure that he is safe after he retires, A-G Gani makes his son a Federal Counsel in the A-G Chambers. Talking about building a dynasty and taking care of his backside. And A-G Gani Patail is teaching his young government lawyer son that it is kosher to consort with criminals and wheeler-dealers so long as it is done secretly.

This scumbag A-G did not factor in that Malaysia Today will always find out his dirty deals.

Shahidan Shafie may think he is smoother than VK Linggam. But nothing escapes Malaysia Today.

Stay tuned and Malaysia Today will make more exposes on this scumbag A-G until a Royal Commission is set up to investigate the accusations that Datuk Mat Zain bin Ibrahim, the former Kuala Lumpur Officer-in-Charge of Criminal Investigations (KL OCCI), had said about A-G Gani Patail being protected by the MACC:

“It only shows that MACC and the Chambers are prepared even to go to the extent of affirming false affidavit to screen Gani Patail from legal punishment.”

I wonder whether they managed to con God into forgiving their sins. Maybe the infamous Perak Mufti can come out with a fatwah as to whether if you go for your Haj with dirty money your Haj will be Haj Mabruh or Haj Malboro.

What maketh a force?

The bottom line is, the third force would become a reality only because of the attitude of Pakatan Rakyat in trying to monopolise the electoral process and not share the field with others.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

It looks like the issue of the Third Force does not want to go away. I wrote earlier that the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) is not a third force and it was never intended to become one. Nevertheless, many still insist that it is a third force in spite of these denials.

Be careful what you wish for lest your wish gets granted. If you keep talking about it too much and too often it may just become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

What Syed Husin Ali said, however, does hold some truth when he commented that the third force is neither third nor a force. This was almost the same argument that was used to change the name of the opposition coalition from Barisan Alternatif (the Alternative Front) to Pakatan Rakyat (the People’s Alliance).

Why should the opposition coalition be called ‘alternative’? Alternative to what? Barisan Nasional (the National Front)? Alternative means second choice, second choice to Barisan Nasional. So the name Barisan Alternatif was replaced with Pakatan Rakyat.

The idea of a third force must be dropped. As Syed Husin said, it is neither third nor a force, yet. Instead it should be called Barisan Rakyat (the People’s Front).

It can still be a force, though, if it wants to. However, to be a force to be reckoned with, Barisan Rakyat must merge all the different ‘mosquito groups’. The political parties, movements and whatnot -- such as Hindraf, groupings from West Malaysia, groupings from East Malaysia, and so on -- should be brought under one roof.

Then, when this new grouping called Barisan Rakyat is as big as Pakatan Rakyat, both must sit down and hammer out an electoral pact.

Pakatan Rakyat is a coalition of three parties versus Barisan Nasional, a coalition of 14 parties. Soon, Barisan Nasional will enlarge its membership by allowing direct non-party membership. Barisan Nasional may soon become a bigger giant than it already is.

Pakatan Rakyat must also try to enlarge its membership. All the three parties in Pakatan Rakyat combined can’t even beat the membership of just Umno, let alone that of Barisan Nasional.

Pakatan Rakyat can no longer remain an ‘exclusive club’.

Pakatan Rakyat must reach out to Barisan Rakyat. It needs to invite them to become coalition members of Pakatan Rakyat. Only then can Pakatan Rakyat grow from being a coalition of three parties to maybe six, seven or eight.

If Pakatan Rakyat closes its doors and refuses to embrace Barisan Rakyat then they leave the others no choice but to form their own grouping or coalition. And this would mean a third force that they talk about would really emerge. But it will emerge not because those in Barisan Rakyat want it to but because Pakatan Rakyat closes it doors and treats them as the enemy and forces the ‘homeless’ Barisan Rakyat to build a home of their home.

The bottom line is, the third force would become a reality only because of the attitude of Pakatan Rakyat in trying to monopolise the electoral process and not share the field with others.

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

Syed Husin: Third force 'neither third, nor force'

Public attention on rampant politicking during the just-concluded PKR polls prompted much talk about a political 'third force' coming into existence.

But for PKR's NONEoutgoing deputy president Syed Husin Ali, talk will be talk because for now, the third force is “neither third, nor force”.

“Most people associate the idea of a third force with the Liberal Party in England, but the Liberal Party has existed for hundreds of years as a political organisation. It has its own force.

“We have yet to see this third force as a 'force' or a 'third' because there are differing views among those behind it, too,” he told Malaysiakini last week.

The veteran politician's decision to not defend his post sparked vicious in-fighting in PKR and allegations of vote-rigging. This led to deputy presidential aspirant Zaid Ibrahim pulling out of the contest and eventually quitting the party, pledging to set up a new one.

Syed Husin said he understands that parties involved in the third force are not entirely independent.

“We know who is behind the third force and they may not necessarily be Pakatan-friendly,” he said, noting that this could have an adverse impact on the opposition coalition.

“I more or less know (who is involved) but one by one they have come out to say they have nothing to do with it, including Zaid, the one in Sabah, in the peninsula and in Sarawak,” he said.

Lawyer and prominent blogger Haris Ibrahim - another person said to be part of the third force - has also denied the claim, saying that his proposed Barisan Rakyat is intended to screen election candidates for Pakatan Rakyat.

However, Haris does not rule out the possibility of the 20 proposed candidates contesting independently if Pakatan does not accept them.

This did not sit well with Syed Husin, who said PKR does not need to be held at ransom.

“We have our own screening process and we have a larger group of potential (candidates). Of course we can make the decision to let others contest under our banner (as PSM candidates did in 2008), that's not a problem (but) we make this decision, not someone else coming in to say 'You must field this candidate'.

“If they say they have someone with potential, that person must show their strength because in politics numbers count. How strong is his support?”

Interestingly, Syed Husin said that a representative believed to be in the group behind Barisan Rakyat had met with him prior to the 2008 election to suggest a candidate for the Kota Damansara state seat.

“It so happened that I knew this person he was referring to, (so I said) 'Do you know that he is a drunkard? Where is this screening? You come here to negotiate, to ask that someone else be sidelined. But if this is your candidate then sorry, goodbye'.” -- Malaysiakini

PKR – A Victim of Black Ops?

By batsman

I really have no idea. Black ops being what it is definitely does not go around advertising its presence. However, an article on MT triggers some thoughts (How corporate America is pushing us all off a cliff).

What I am sure of is that the PKR elections are a shambles. However whether it is a shambles from pure incompetence and inexperience, or a simple act of sabotage, or a well planned black ops operation from the start which involves saboteurs followed by opinion forming on a grand scale, or even manipulation by a devilish Anwar-Azmin team on a grand scale is really up to you to decide.

The evidence is scanty and consist mainly of claims, accusations and mud-slinging by many parties. Some even claim to have witnessed wrong-doing with their own eyes, but the wrong doing is so detailed and so broad that it must have encompassed several elections in several branches all openly and brazenly committing fraud for such acts to be witnessed by any single person’s eyes.

Further the acts of fraud are so brazen as to take people for fools. For example the tally of members who voted does not match the total votes received by all the candidates by almost a factor of 100%. I suspect a 2 year old Mongoloid would have picked up such a mistake, yet are the manipulators so brazen as to take everyone for fools? Is this believable?

The branch elections started on the worst public relations gaffe that anyone can imagine. It deteriorated into fist swinging and chair throwing fights. Either the organisers are complete incompetents or some provocateurs have managed to get into the act or maybe even both. This means either the organizers were completely unprepared or the provocateurs were an extremely professional and well-prepared team who have been trained and practiced well before the elections were due. In my humble opinion it looks to be both cases. But can anyone say for certain?

When it came to the elections for the No 2 slot, Zaid’s claims for the elections to be re-organised started with only about 3 apparently not that serious complaints. Maybe they were serious enough to warrant the elections to be re-done, but as time went on the accusations of malpractice became more detailed and more serious – enough to cast DSAI into an almost evil public relations hole as the devil manipulator incarnate.

Now it looks as if the PKR on which we have pinned our hopes for a reform of Malaysian politics is not worthy of championing that role. What happened? Was PKR pushed off a cliff by expert opinion forming consultants worth tens of millions of ringgit? Did PKR not just shoot itself in the foot but blew its own brains out? Or is it really the evil Anwar-Azmin team that did PKR in?

Before things get any worse and the disease infect PAS and DAP as well, let me just recommend some common sense remedies.

In a situation where there is danger of friendly fire, it makes sense for all the friendly forces to stop shooting altogether. In a disciplined situation with good communications this will stop all the casualties from friendly fire. If anyone continues to shoot it can only be enemy forces. Thus defensive fire can be done in a disciplined manner.

Unfortunately Malaysian politicians tend to have big undisciplined mouths and they will continue blabbing even when the order is given to stop shooting, so such a cease fire is only partially effective. Big mouth politicians cannot be differentiated from enemy provocateurs.

This creates a big problem. The way to solve it is to learn from police forces all over the world who are trained to identify victims from criminals in hostage situations. When undergoing their training, they are supposed not to shoot the hostages but to neutralize the criminals. So some discipline is also needed in pulling the trigger. Friendly forces must be clearly differentiated from enemy forces before anyone pulls the trigger. Unfortunately our big mouthed politicians are also clearly undisciplined and trigger happy, so some friendly casualties are to be expected from “friendly” fire.

Unfortunately our big mouthed politicians are also a whinny cowardly lot who complain incessantly that they have been hurt. To make things worse, these big mouthed politicians are also vindictive and will take revenge for every small little hurt even if such hurt is accidentally done by friends.

So it is that our big mouthed politicians cannot be clearly differentiated from enemy provocateurs. This gives expert opinion formers worth tens of millions of ringgit fertile ground to work on.

So it is that the Malaysian public should accept some casualties from “friendly” fire. So they should clearly be unsympathetic to politicians with big mouths who whine and moan endlessly after getting hit and not whine and moan nauseatingly along.

After taking such casualties and bandaging the wounded, it is time to re-group and re-organise and drum it into our politicians that we no longer accept undisciplined trigger happy and vindictive behaviour. It is OK if PR loses the 13th GE, but if they are worthy, they can come back and be supported by the rakyat again during the 14th GE.

In the mean time, I guess more millions or even billions of ringgit will be lost to corruption and more good people will be victims of abusive bureaucracies, but there is no longer any choice since this is the price we must pay if we cannot fight expert opinion formers worth tens of millions of ringgit.

In the subsequent GEs, I guess the fees of these opinion formers will go up and they will even be more manipulative and be supported by an almost all powerful partisan bureaucracy. So Malaysians will have to pay even more taxes to meet the fees of these expensive public opinion formers who will then go all out to sabotage the trigger happy and foot shooting opposition again and again.

I guess these are the hurt and pain we have to experience unless and until we wise up and finally vote UMNO out.

In the meantime, the fines and penalties will shoot up for any small transgression committed by the rakyat. More people will be turned into criminals just for trying to live their daily routine lives. Car owners will no longer be able to drive their cars legally if they become black listed thus creating a bigger black market for illegal driving licenses and road tax discs. In the meantime the MACC will continue to use their NFA chops and corrupt bureaucrats or powerful politicians will get away scot-free for major serious transgressions and criminal acts.

Similarly, the rakyat will receive heavy fines for having stagnant water in their premises while the huge oil palm estate that surrounds their houses will get away scot-free for breeding zillions of dengue carrying mosquitoes while the bureaucrats claim that aedes mosquitoes never breed in oil palm estates and the health authorities plead for public cooperation and public goodwill in their fight against dengue while collecting hefty fines and penalties imposed on the public with glee.

Malaysia will become a very unpleasant place to live in indeed unless and until we vote out UMNO, if not in the 14th GE, then perhaps in the 15th GE, or maybe even after that (hopefully). I guess hope springs eternal, but I hope our vocabulary in daily usage will not migrate from the millions into the billions and finally into the trillions or zillions with each passing year. heeheehee

Why bad guy always win ? Here another reason why UMNO must die ?

Anwar to pay Mahathir RM70k in costs....

from tumpang sekole...? by ali allah ditta

Judges have wide discretion to write their grounds of judgment either in the national language Bahasa Malaysia or English.

In delivering the ruling today, the Federal Court also dismissed Anwar Ibrahim's appeal against a Court of Appeal judgment over a defamation suit he had filed in 2006 against Dr Mahathir Mohamad because it was in English. The appellate court judgment was however written in English.


Chief Judge of Malaya Justice Arifin Zakaria said this morning that the grounds of judgment do not constitute part of a judgment. He nonetheless declared that the court views seriously the use of the national language in courts. Justice Arifin cited a 1990 circular by former Chief Judge of Malaya, Justice Hashim Yeop Sani, in which he said that at least one judgment must be written in the national language.

Following the decision - which led to the appeal being struck out - Arifin ordered Anwar to pay costs of RM70,000, although Mahathir's lawyer VK Lingam had applied for RM100,000. Lingam said he had to prepare more than 2,000 pages of documentation with two other lawyers. He further said a benchmark must be set for leave applications in Federal Court cases, citing a decision where the apex court had agreed to award RM100,000.

Karpal had raised a novel constitutional issue at the apex court on Sept 27, when he said all written judgments should be in Bahasa Malaysia. He was making a preliminary objection after the Court of Appeal dismissed Anwar's appeal last December on the grounds that it was not submitted in the national language. Ironically, the court's judgment itself was rendered in English.

Karpal then asked the apex court to compel the Court of Appeal to write its judgment in Bahasa Malaysia, after which Anwar's appeal application could proceed. “Most of the written judgments in civil or criminal cases are in English at all levels of the court,” he said. “Hence, this brings into question the validity in the jurisdiction of all those judgments which are written in English.”

Karpal said Section 8 of the National Language Act states that all proceedings (other than the giving of evidence) in the Federal Court, Court of Appeal, the High Court or any subordinate court shall be in the national language. “This provision also applies to judges, as this does not provide them with the exception of writing judgments in English,” he said.

His lawyer Karpal Singh said he would consider filing a review. Arifin led a three-member panel also comprising Federal Court judge Justice James Foong and Court of Appeal judge Justice Suriyadi Halim Omar.

source:malaysiakini

My RM70k question is does language has boundaries when you need to serve justice?......

cheers.

Thoughts from London

Opinion

As mentioned in my previous column that attracted some attention on the Internet (http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/article/lets-perfect-the-two-party-system-first/), I am in the UK for a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference. The CPA is a Commonwealth institution that brings together supranational, national and provincial legislators.

Through conferences like this, the CPA offers a platform for elected representatives to share and learn from one another. I’ve learned quite a lot here and hopefully it will help me serve the people of Seri Setia better when I get back.

The CPA is perhaps the most substantive institution in the Commonwealth of Nations today. Many feel that this association of former British colonies is now meaningless.

Indeed, Britain, despite the reservations of the Eurosceptics, cannot ignore the reality that the European Union is a more immediate and powerful bloc that it needs to play an active role in. Similarly, Australia and New Zealand are finding ways to get closer to Asia and its huge, growing market.

Looming over all of this is the rise of China to economic and geopolitical power as the United States waxes and potentially wanes. Malaysia must come to terms with these new realities and it’s not clear if Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s government has the vision to do so.

Still, there’s one legacy from the Commonwealth that Malaysians should take heed of: Commonwealth citizens still have the right to vote and stand in elections in Britain. As a matter of fact, the chief executive of the Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), Wan Saiful Wan Jan once contested in the British local council elections in 2007 for the Conservative party.

It is ironic, therefore, that while Malaysian citizens can participate in British elections by virtue of their Commonwealth citizenship, they are unable to vote in Malaysian general elections from the UK, or indeed any foreign country. Last year, after visiting the US and the UK, I raised the same point about our democratic deficit (http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/article/Overcoming-our-democratic-deficit/).

On the one hand, our soldiers and police are still given postal votes. This is despite the fact that the Communist Emergency (which started the practice) has been over for almost 50 years and most of our security forces now reside in towns and cities like other citizens rather than in camps like back then. This leaves room for various abuses to take place, and the Barisan Nasional government has been adamant in denying Malaysians abroad the right to vote.

Indeed, the way our government treats its citizens overseas makes me wonder if their rhetoric about luring our expatriated talent back home is just a big joke.

As I wrote last week, one of the UK’s Umno Clubs hosted me for a forum discussion this month. Last year however, another Umno Club in the US invited me to speak as well but the invitation was vetoed by their “higher-ups.”

As Umno Youth Leader Khairy Jamaluddin has admitted, it smacks of hypocrisy when Umno/BN stops students in Malaysian universities from being involved with opposition parties through the University and University Colleges Act but allows (and in some cases, coerces) them to join Puteri/Putera Umno or Umno Clubs.

In fact, Malaysian students overseas who are under scholarship have received warnings or even been sent back home if they are deemed “anti-establishment.”

I can speak with some experience having received one myself after organising programmes for Nurul Izzah Anwar in London and Dublin a month after I arrived to study in London in 2002.

I remember an argument I had with the Malaysian High Commissioner to the UK at the time when I was on the committee of the UK Executive Council for Malaysian Students (UKEC), the umbrella body for Malaysian societies in the UK. He had demanded that the UK’s Umno Clubs be represented on the UKEC’s decision-making body.

I reminded him that the UKEC Constitution barred the affiliation of political organisations. He responded by claiming that Umno Clubs are social, not political clubs. I replied that regardless of their function, the fact that they carried the Umno name meant they were inseparable from the political party that funded and organised them.

Contrast the High Commissioner’s eager advocacy for Umno with what happened in the Hulu Selangor by-election this year. Back then, four UKM political science students – Hilman Idham, Woon King Chai, Azlin Shafina Adza and Muhammad Ismail Aminuddin – were stopped by a posse of university bureaucrats formed to enforce the UUCA.

Yes, your tax ringgit paid for that.

The students, who had Pakatan leaflets on them, were charged under the UUCA. Their lawsuit to challenge the constitutionality of the Act has been thrown out by the courts. UKM is still to decide on their fate, but King Chai, was dropped from the dean’s list despite his excellent grades.

It is time we stop treating our students – whether they are at home or elsewhere – like children, but accord them their full rights as Malaysian citizens.

I have no problem if any of them chose to join one of Umno’s youth auxiliaries. In fact, I would be the first to object should a future Pakatan government try and stop them from doing so.

Young Malaysians should be given the freedom to choose to join or not join political parties and movements. Perhaps that’s the root of our problems: Our government doesn’t respect people’s right to choose.

The latest announcement by Deputy Foreign Minister Kohilan Pillay that Malaysians overseas are “monitored” to safeguard the “good name of the country and its leaders” illustrates the backward thinking that still permeates not just a large part of Umno but Barisan Nasional as a whole.

Maybe the government should monitor those Cabinet ministers whose corruption scandals and gaffes make international headlines; they probably do more to tarnish the country’s image than anybody else! Humour aside, the announcement is the surest sign that Malaysia has become a police state under Umno-BN.

The biggest irony is that while our citizens in the UK can enjoy its democracy, they have been effectively disenfranchised by virtue of being under scholarship or simply because they’re abroad. You really have to wonder what the government is so afraid of.

After all, our founding fathers – including those from PUTERA-AMCJA and Umno – cut their political teeth in London. One of them, a certain Tun Abdul Razak bin Hussein, was a member of the Labour Party.

It’s a sad sight to see that the government his son who now leads it is bent on stifling the rights of its citizens.

Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad is the state assemblyman for Seri Setia and Parti Keadilan Rakyat's Communications Director.