Respect for Ulama: Earned or Requested for?Pakatan to avoid Islamic state debate at convention

Respect for Ulama: Earned or Requested for?Pakatan to avoid Islamic state debate at convention

Anwar played down talk about PASs latest insistence on an Islamic state should the opposition win the next general election. File pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 As expected, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will avoid touchy issues such as PASs renewed push for an Islamic state during its upcoming convention, focusing instead on issues of mutual interest.PR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim played down talk about PASs latest insistence on the formation of an Islamic state should the opposition take over Putrajaya, saying that the convention was no place to bring up the matter.
In the meeting, Hadi was there, Mustafa Ali was there and they explained that the issue that will be focused on is common issues. Why should we bring up issues which have no mutual consensus. Our decision as Pakatan Rakyat is based on consensus, Anwar told reporters after a PR council meeting today.
The opposition leader took great pains to explain that this did not mean that PR did not place any emphasis on Islam as the official religion in the country.
The issue of solidifying Islam is within the framework of the constitution and I feel it is important, as a Muslim.
However (for the convention) we as PR will move together on issues, agendas that we have consensus, said Anwar.
Fully aware of the opposition to an Islamic state, PAS has insisted on pushing for such a state with hudud law to be implemented in stages if it wins the snap polls widely speculated for early next year.
Hadi said there was a lack of understanding about the concept of an Islamic state. File pic
PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had admitted the concept had y! et to ga in significant traction among even PR component parties, but claimed that opposition towards the idea was only because there was a lack of understanding about the concept.
The veteran leader told The Malaysian Insider recently that the Islamist party would focus on introducing such laws in PAS-governed states like Kelantan and Kedah first, to allow Malaysians to evaluate the merits of Islamic and hudud law.
It has to be done in stages. We will implement this stage by stage because we have to realise the first thing that needs to be understood is the word Islam itself. Islam cannot be defined as a religion because the word religion in itself does not fully define Islam.
Islam is not just a religion but also a way of life, and it encompasses all aspects of daily life, said Hadi in an exclusive interview with The Malaysian Insider this week.
He had said that the federalism model practised by Malaysia would enable PAS to slowly enforce relevant Islamic and hudud laws in states which were currently under PAS.
Hadi, who was also present during the PR press conference today, did not elaborate on his earlier remarks about the Islamic state.
Instead, the PAS chief only said that the convention would be a progression from last years annual meet, but did not elaborate any further.
We will move from the Shah Alam resolution, which is based on the constitution. Umno, on the other hand, has failed to uphold the principles of Islam, he said.
Hadi also brushed aside talk about a non-Malay being offered a deputy prime ministers post should the opposition bloc win the next general election.
We will follow what is stated in the constitution in this. We have not yet won, or assumed power, so we cannot do it yet, cannot talk about it yet. We do it based on the federal constitution, he said.
Utusan Malaysia had recently quoted Anwar as saying in a Sin Chew daily interview as guaranteeing DAPs Lim Kit Siang the DPM post should PR take over Putrajaya.
However, An! war late r clarified that every coalition leader, regardless of race, had a shot at becoming deputy prime minister so long as the decision was made with consensus among PR component parties.
Lim said the DPM post was never discussed in the leadership council. File pic
The DPM post was never discussed in the leadership council, except that we agreed that whatever appointment will be based on the constitution, said Lim, who was also present at todays press conference.
Anwar also said that PR had yet to decide on its official logo, adding that the three parties had not decided on it yet. He did not however elaborate why an agreement could not be reached over the design of the PR logo.
Asked whether PR had already decided on its seat allocation for the upcoming polls, Lim said that PR had not reached that stage yet.
We have not reached that stage yet, we have not discussed the actual seat allocation and we will deal with it after the convention, said the DAP adviser.
Anwar told reporters that the upcoming convention will focus on the details of PRs agenda, its understanding of the constitution as well as economic and education issues.
In terms of having a formal economic policy, we are still looking at a final draft but what we can see is that there is a consensus in some aspects of the economy, principles of federalism and other issues which will be announced later, possibly before the convention, because we have a PR leadership council meeting on Wednesday in Parliament, said the Permatang Pauh MP.
The coalition began as an informal gathering of three parties PAS-PKR-DAP in April 2008 following Election 2008.
It currently leads the state administrations of Kelantan, Kedah, Penang and Selangor, and holds 77 parliamentary seats.
By Dr Wasim Ahmad,
There is a discussion currently going on initiated by a request Please respect our Ulam! a. We sh ould respect all human beings including the traditionally and modern educated. Having said that, please allow me to assert that respect is earned more than requested for. Do we ever need to start a campaign for increased awareness about the importance of sun, air, water and light etc? We dont.
Not realizing the fact that we have to discover the laws of nature and use them for our benefit we start fighting with the same. Why dont we argue that we should give respect to our modern educated? Why dont we campaign for giving respect to our scientists and engineers? There is something missing here. Our very assertion and request that we should respect our Ulama shows an inherent weakness. Instead of trying our best to find out the reasons of this weakness and removing it we start a misplaced campaign. Again it reinforces the fact that we learn wrong lessons from the right stories. The law of nature is that we give respect to those who are not easily replaceable. In order to cross-check this law of nature we just need to look around ourselves.
There is a locality in Bombay of wealthy Muslims. They had an Imam who in one of the Friday sermons spoke quite openly about those who do not give Zakat. He warned of its consequences. Before the time of Salaat al-Asr, the Imam was dismissed. After the dismissal he resolved to expose everybody. My question is why he did not expose those very people earlier? Anyhow, after his dismissal, many others made a beeline for the same position. What does it indicate? It indicates that our Ulama of today are easily replaceable. If this is the case then we are fighting a losing battle. But we are used to fighting such battles. Because we dont think twice about what we say, write and do.
On the other hand, I would like to understand how will the Ulama be able to EARN genuine respect by continuing the deep divide between deen and dunyaa? By carrying on with the division between deeni and dunyaawee uloom? How will they earn genuine respect by contributing to the margi! nalizati on of Indian Muslims? How will they earn the well deserved
respect by not speaking a language which the masses understand?
How will they earn genuine respect without educating the masses that the latter do not need to depend upon them? How will they earn genuine respect without instilling in the minds of Muslims the real concept of knowledge? How will they earn genuine respect without communicating with the modern educated and taking them along in all the worthwhile efforts and not considering them counterparts or others?
How will they earn genuine respect without thinking seriously how to teach Arabic to ALL the Muslim kids and not only to 3-4% of them? How will they earn genuine respect without giving a clear direction and a VISION to the Muslims that holding Quran in the Right Hand and most modern scientific and technological advancements in the Left Hand they need to and can become leaders of the world?
How will they earn genuine respect without issuing the fataawaa which are prospective in nature and NOT retrospective? How will they earn genuine respect without making us look forward and not backward? How will they or anyone else earn genuine respect by quoting more and relating less? And applying even further less? How will they earn genuine respect while being conditioned to a lot many factors and merely living in the past? How will they earn genuine respect while bringing to the market that currency which was current in some past century?
Let us start from the fact that respect is earned. It is not requested for. If we will believe in this law of nature we will do our best to make the situation better by making whatever adjustments required. If we are really interested in giving genuine respect to all our educated we need to create that educational environment wherein they actually earn it by contributing their maximum to the life as a whole. readmore LAUREN BOOTH Convert to Islam, and insanity ensues

We have no time Chasing each other without purpose, goal or strategy!

Chasing each other without purpose, goal or strategyPolitical leaders in Sabah are at the crossroads. So busy are they in mudslinging, intriguing and back-stabbing, that they have lost the sense of direction. So engrossed are they in digging up each others misdeeds, theyve forgotten to cover themselves with a fig leaf. So fragmented are they from within, they are struggling for survival. So cut off are they from ground realities, they remain blind to problems and expectations of the citizens.Take the ruling UMNO. Stung by a series of land scams, it is behaving like a bull in a china shop. Instead of setting things right and concentrating on clean governance, it is spending all its time and energy on unearthing scams involving its rivals. And instead of supporting an upright who is already inquiring into the land deals, it has gone ahead and announced another inquiry, creating confusion. Chief minister has his hands full. Not with administrative matters. But trying desperately to hold on to his gaddi. Fighting detractors from within, preventing more skeletons from tumbling out of his cupboard, keeping his kith and kin at an arms length. And making the party bosses believe that if he goes, Result: The partys credibility has plummeted.The P.K.R seems caught in a bit of bind. It is beginning to look like the punter who lost a flutter on the football match and then a fortune on the action replay. Its original mistake was a misconception; its contemporary error is a misperception.The historic flaw is its belief, at some gut level, that Sabah is a secular State because the minorities want secularism. Muslims do have a vested interest in secularism, since it ensures equality and democratic power, but that is less than half the story. driving them into a separate UMNO State; marginalized minorities and turned the state into . The obverse does not work in , however much MAHATHIR-! style ze alots might salivate at the prospect. The reason is quite simple.sabah is a secular state because muslims christaind and budhdist, who constitute the majority, and therefore have a proportional impact upon the political ethos, have created and defended a Constitution that is a remarkable triumph of reason over the temptations of sectarian passion. sabah is secular not because Muslims need it, but because christains want it. There is nothing new about it. Logic suggests, therefore, that if the P.K.R wants to define itself as a secular party, it should tread the middle road of coexistence rather than the extreme path of discord. Harmony requires more courage, commitment and moral consistency than conflict.The misperception arises out of a peculiar inability to comprehend the dimensions of an extraordinary Indian cultural revolution that has seeped across divisions of RELIGION and community, with its epicenter located in MUSLIM society.

One is not suggesting that this is true of everyone; but this is the role model that is influencing attitudes of decisive numbers. You cannot chase this generation out of a pub without sending a nationwide signal advertising your gender bias. The girls in the pub did not go to drink senselessly; they went there to exercise the right to go there. Those who attacked the pub, incidentally, had the full support of conservative reactionaries from all religions. While reactionary politics might persist among some ethnic groups, it is becoming malodorous to the young. Religion remains an important aspect of MALAYSIAN life; thes. But their faith, regrettable exceptions apart, is socially inclusive, not aggressively exclusive.

MALAYSIA becomes an increasingly younger country, it is this culture that will tip power towards one party or another. If the P.KR cannot get the vote of the young, modern CITIZEN, it has no future

I have been campaigning with broken ribs since Friday but I thank God for this because there must be a reason why God did this.

I am a 56-year-ol! d lawyer , a public figure if they can treat me like this, with this degree of incompetency, I fear to see what manner of treatment the government hospitals have been giving to the people of Sandakan all these years, he said.

When asked for his final strategy on the last day of his campaign, Ansari said he wanted to sleep first.

I have to sleep first. I have been told to take a rest. I cannot sleep because of the pain, I cannot breathe when I lie down so last night, I did not sleep at all.

I will try to get sleep first so I can wake up stronger. I went around to the islands yesterday shaking hands with two cracked ribs you can imagine my pain, he lamented.

Ansari, however, believes that his chances in the campaign had improved as the people could see his sincerity and the changes that his party could bring to the poor constituency.

We are behind the Barisan Nasional, yes, but we are definitely ahead of the SAPP, he claimed.

a crushing blow for the former chief minister, getting less votes than even PKR.
- YTLs first defeat in 8 elections in 25 years, and to a woman with shallow political experience no less. YTL previous won in 1985, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1999 (twice = Likas DUN & Gaya Parliament) & 2001 (Likas byelection).

What happened?

It is important to understand that these two seats typify a particular form; they are mixed semi-rural seats, like Hulu Selangor. They represent the oppositions political periphery places where the opposition won unexpectedly in 2008 and, importantly, are the current battleground for national power.

The BNs double victories showcase their ability to win this type of seats and hold onto its dominant national position in government.

Allow me to elaborate some factors that shaped the results in what I have grouped under the semi-rural category combined with some changes in the national politi! cal land scape.

1) Machinery and the personal touch

The BN was ready for these two battles. They had, as one party worker described, the guns and bullets to deliver the results. The preparation for the campaign began early and unlike the opposition which did not develop momentum until days into the campaign period, the BN was off and running from the onset.

The opposition was stretched and imported their party workers from nearby, as they lacked effective local networks. The fact that the two by-elections occurred on the same day weakened the collective Pakatan effort and points to the weakness of Pakatan nationally.

What is particular to semi-rural seats is the presence of the personal touch. BNs strong local networks provided voters in these areas with people whom they could connect to and trust. The grassroots house-to-house approach worked well in these semi-rural areas.

In contrast, the deluge of Pakatan outsiders did not translate into effective machinery on the ground, particularly since most came for only a few days and campaigning lacked the needed personal touch.

2) Political infighting

What weakened the opposition further was infighting, especially in Sabah. Granted, both sides had divisions, but Umno and BN were able to manage them better. They focused on their target victory.

Cooperation was noticeably missing in the opposition, with people staying away from supporting the team. This was most obvious in Batu Sapi, where physical violence occurred at the start of the campaign, but this occurred as well in Galas, where PAS was internally conflicted about the need to win Galas and expend resources.

The divisions in the opposition extended beyond internal component parties to the relationship among the opposition actors, as tensions simmered over the choice of contesting in Batu Sapi and dissatisfaction over the pace of the campaign in both places.

One factor in particular that overshadowed the contests was PKR! s party polls. The Batu Sapi contest showed the negative impact of non-consultative decision-making. Many in PKR are still smarting from the perceived bully tactics of the West Malaysian party leaders. The failure to put aside personal ambitions and build bridges for the good of the party contributed to the losses in both places.

The electoral contest was a proxy arena for the internal party fight between an approach that is exclusionary and one that is more inclusive and decentralised. In order to win the political periphery, the opposition needs to be united. The unity in the BN made their victories decisive.

3) The role of local warlords

BN gains should also be credited to the local warlords Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Musa Aman. These leaders reinforced the personal touch and provided the organisational base and local understanding for effective campaigns. They minimised infighting. What is striking here is the deficit of local leadership on Pakatans part.

The BN has returned to its approach of working effectively through decentralised decision-making and it earned dividends.

4) Limited appeal of national leaders

The crucial role of local intermediaries stands in contrast to the minimised impact of national leaders.

While Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin was on the ground, and should be credited for his success in the campaign, the absence of Prime Minister Najib Razak due to chicken pox was striking. He won by not going to the ground and making the campaign about the BN as a whole, not his persona or personal leadership.

For Pakatans national leaders, their presence did not yield the expected results. This was most obvious in Batu Sapi and for PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim, who was not able to move the partys vote share to striking distance of victory as the BN won three times more votes.

While these leaders did win support, the contests showed that they cannot do it alone. The two by-elections are a wake-up call to Pa! katan le aders to move beyond focusing on their own personal successes and issues and to lay out the policies and platforms to address the needs of the electorate.

Voters are rightly concerned that for Pakatan with the slogan The road to Putrajaya the focus is on winning personal power for themselves, as it remains unclear exactly how supporting them will benefit voters.

5) Better multi-ethnic messaging

This issue connects squarely with the need to have consistent and clear messages. The change rhetoric has lost its appeal, not only in Malaysia as Tuesdays US election results show. Now it is more about the delivery and the content of the change.

One area in particular involves multi-ethnic cooperation. Pakatans approach has been to showcase individual leaders from different ethnic groups as a symbol of their ability to work together across races. Yet, Pakatan has not laid out a clear multi-ethnic platform that addresses the concerns of all groups in areas of rights and religion.

A focus on personal relationships is not enough. In Galas, questions percolated about Malay rights, for example, and PAS was not able to effectively address the concerns of voters who are less politicised and less familiar with the debates.

In Batu Sapi, the concerns of older generations of Sabahans regarding the new citizens were not adequately addressed, and in fact the focus on winning the support of the new Filipino voters backfired in a reduction of support among Chinese and Malays.

In the racialised polity of Malaysia and in mixed seats, appeals to individual groups need overarching platforms on how groups can co-exist peacefully. BNs 1Malaysia rubric although also limited in actual substance provided much greater security to voters. This framework provided some traction in semi-rural areas, as it did in Hulu Selangor.

Another dimension on the messaging in these two seats is the fact that many voters in semi-rural areas do not read this article. They do not use onl! ine medi a and are less politicised. The BNs use of the mainstream media gave it an advantage, and allowed it to reinforce its more accessible multi-ethnic framework and slogan.

Yet, this highlights the fact that connecting to the semi-rural periphery is a challenge for Pakatan.

6) Relative economic prosperity

It is particularly a challenge given that economic conditions in many of these semi-rural areas have changed. The issues of inflation and decreased commodity prices are no longer as salient.

Palm oil, rubber and logging provided relative gains for voters in these seats, as most except the hardcore poor believed that conditions had improved economically and credited the BN and Najib with these gains. Bread and butter issues are the main concern of voters in semi-rural areas.

The Chinese swing-back to the BN, estimated at 5% in Galas, can in part be contributed to better economic conditions there. A similar swing among Batu Sapi voters did not occur, as 3% more supported alternatives in Sabah, but these votes were split and the BN won the lions share of 42% of the Chinese vote.

The opposition faces an uphill task winning national power when economic conditions favour the incumbent government.

7) Young generation swing

This dynamic played out especially among younger voters, who did not support Pakatan to the same level as before. There was understandably lower turnout among younger voters who did not come back to vote, given that this election happened on a weekday. Yet, even among those who voted, BN support increased.

This was most obvious in Galas where an estimated 7% of younger voters moved toward BN. In Batu Sapi, younger voters moved to BN by an estimated 5%. This is an important national trend, given the large number of younger voters nationally. They want jobs and better wages. BN has capitalised on this more effectively.

Goodies

This brings me to my last point, intentionally placed last. There is a tendency to focus on the goodies, and excuse losses due to the uneven playing field in the allocation of resources.

This is always a factor in by-elections and clearly took place, although many voters are still waiting for their promised items. This support only goes only so far, and cannot exclusively explain the comparatively large gains that the BN made.

Winning the political periphery

The two by-elections show that the BN is gaining ground, and Najibs policies are having an impact. They, however, are more effective in semi-rural areas where development concerns, comparative economic prosperity, less political engagement and information, and less machinery and connections for Pakatan are present.

The victories cannot be extended to all seats, especially in the urban areas, and they are not a national phenomenon. Yet, they do suggest that the BNs hold on national power is stronger and gaining. The momentum for the opposition has stopped as they have failed to win the political periphery of semi-rural mixed seats.

The BN was noticeably breathing easier Batu Sapi and Galas have given them good reason to smile. But Sarawak with its mix of seats will provide a much better national test.

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Letter & Opinion From Joe Public

Najib: Impossible for Pakatan to beat BN, we keep our promises

PEKAN - It is impossible for the Opposition to take over Barisan Nasional's role in heading the nation as the parties do not have the common ideology, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

"Their political ideology strife with the single an additional display their partnership to e the loose one," Najib pronounced during the Deepavali lunch gathering hosted by the Pekan MIC multiplication upon Saturday.

Najib pronounced which Barisan Nasional had the proven lane jot down of keeping the promises while antithesis parties just done empty pledges.

"From the days of the Alliance until the Barisan leadership, you have valid which you keep to the promises. Barisan brought the nation independence as well as you will be the a single to drive the nation to be the highly-developed one," he said.

He also warned the people opposite taking any risk upon the counts as the wrong preference could cause calamity.

"We cannot afford to forsake the future. If Barisan cannot win, no others can win," pronounced Najib.

- Star

Chasing each other without purpose, goal or strategy!

Chasing each other without purpose, goal or strategyPolitical leaders in Sabah are at the crossroads. So busy are they in mudslinging, intriguing and back-stabbing, that they have lost the sense of direction. So engrossed are they in digging up each other's misdeeds, they've forgotten to cover themselves with a fig leaf. So fragmented are they from within, they are struggling for survival. So cut off are they from ground realities, they remain blind to problems and expectations of the citizens.Take the ruling UMNO. Stung by a series of land scams, it is behaving like a bull in a china shop. Instead of setting things right and concentrating on clean governance, it is spending all its time and energy on unearthing scams involving its rivals. And instead of supporting an upright who is already inquiring into the land deals, it has gone ahead and announced another inquiry, creating confusion. Chief minister has his hands full. Not with administrative matters. But trying desperately to hold on to his gaddi. Fighting detractors from within, preventing more skeletons from tumbling out of his cupboard, keeping his kith and kin at an arm's length. And making the party bosses believe that if he goes, Result: The party's credibility has plummeted.
The P.K.R seems caught in a bit of bind. It is beginning to look like the punter who lost a flutter on the football match and then a fortune on the action replay. Its original mistake was a misconception; its contemporary error is a misperception.
The historic flaw is its belief, at some gut level, that Sabah is a secular State because the minorities want secularism. Muslims do have a vested interest in secularism, since it ensures equality and democratic power, but that is less than half the story. driving them into a separate UMNO State; marginalized minorities and turned the state into . The obverse does not work in , however much MAHATHIR-style ze! alots mi ght salivate at the prospect. The reason is quite simple.sabah is a secular state because muslims christaind and budhdist, who constitute the majority, and therefore have a proportional impact upon the political ethos, have created and defended a Constitution that is a remarkable triumph of reason over the temptations of sectarian passion. sabah is secular not because Muslims need it, but because christains want it. There is nothing new about it. Logic suggests, therefore, that if the P.K.R wants to define itself as a secular party, it should tread the middle road of coexistence rather than the extreme path of discord. Harmony requires more courage, commitment and moral consistency than conflict.
The misperception arises out of a peculiar inability to comprehend the dimensions of an extraordinary Indian cultural revolution that has seeped across divisions of RELIGION and community, with its epicenter located in MUSLIM society.

MALAYSIA becomes an increasingly younger country, it is this culture that will tip power towards one party or another. If the P.KR cannot get the vote of the young, modern CITIZEN, it has no future

I have ! been cam paigning with broken ribs since Friday but I thank God for this because there must be a reason why God did this.

I am a 56-year-old lawyer, a public figure... if they can treat me like this, with this degree of incompetency, I fear to see what manner of treatment the government hospitals have been giving to the people of Sandakan all these years, he said.

When asked for his final strategy on the last day of his campaign, Ansari said he wanted to sleep first.

I have to sleep first. I have been told to take a rest. I cannot sleep because of the pain, I cannot breathe when I lie down so last night, I did not sleep at all.

I will try to get sleep first so I can wake up stronger. I went around to the islands yesterday shaking hands with two cracked ribs... you can imagine my pain, he lamented.

Ansari, however, believes that his chances in the campaign had improved as the people could see his sincerity and the changes that his party could bring to the poor constituency.

We are behind the Barisan Nasional, yes, but we are definitely ahead of the SAPP, he claimed.

What happened?

It is important to understand that these two seats typify a particular form; they are mixed semi-rural seats, like Hulu Selangor. They represent the oppositions political periphery places where the opposition won u! nexpecte dly in 2008 and, importantly, are the current battleground for national power.

The BNs double victories showcase their ability to win this type of seats and hold onto its dominant national position in government.

Allow me to elaborate some factors that shaped the results in what I have grouped under the semi-rural category combined with some changes in the national political landscape.

1) Machinery and the personal touch

2) Political infighting

What weakened the opposition further was infighting, especially in Sabah. Granted, both sides had divisions, but Umno and BN were able to manage them better. They focused on their target victory.

Cooperation was noticeably missing in the opposition, with people staying away from supporting the team. This was most obvious in ! Batu Sap i, where physical violence occurred at the start of the campaign, but this occurred as well in Galas, where PAS was internally conflicted about the need to win Galas and expend resources.

One factor in particular that overshadowed the contests was PKRs party polls. The Batu Sapi contest showed the negative impact of non-consultative decision-making. Many in PKR are still smarting from the perceived bully tactics of the West Malaysian party leaders. The failure to put aside personal ambitions and build bridges for the good of the party contributed to the losses in both places.

3) The role of local warlords

The BN has returned to its approach of working effectively through decentralised decision-making and it earned dividends.

4) Limited appeal of national leaders

The crucial role of local intermediaries stands in contrast to the minimised impact of national leaders.

While Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin was on the ground, and should be credited f! or his s uccess in the campaign, the absence of Prime Minister Najib Razak due to chicken pox was striking. He won by not going to the ground and making the campaign about the BN as a whole, not his persona or personal leadership.

While these leaders did win support, the contests showed that they cannot do it alone. The two by-elections are a wake-up call to Pakatan leaders to move beyond focusing on their own personal successes and issues and to lay out the policies and platforms to address the needs of the electorate.

5) Better multi-ethnic messaging

In Batu Sapi! , the co ncerns of older generations of Sabahans regarding the new citizens were not adequately addressed, and in fact the focus on winning the support of the new Filipino voters backfired in a reduction of support among Chinese and Malays.

Another dimension on the messaging in these two seats is the fact that many voters in semi-rural areas do not read this article. They do not use online media and are less politicised. The BNs use of the mainstream media gave it an advantage, and allowed it to reinforce its more accessible multi-ethnic framework and slogan.

Yet, this highlights the fact that connecting to the semi-rural periphery is a challenge for Pakatan.

6) Relative economic prosperity

It is particularly a challenge given that economic conditions in many of these semi-rural areas have changed. The issues of inflation and decreased commodity prices are no longer as salient.

The opposition faces an uphill task winnin! g nation al power when economic conditions favour the incumbent government.

7) Young generation swing

Goodies

This brings me to my last point, intentionally placed last. There is a tendency to focus on the goodies, and excuse losses due to the uneven playing field in the allocation of resources.

Winning the political periphery

The victories cannot be extended to all seats, especially in the urban areas, and they are not a national phenomenon. Yet, they do suggest that the BNs hold on national power is stronger and gaining. The momentum fo! r the op position has stopped as they have failed to win the political periphery of semi-rural mixed seats.

The BN was noticeably breathing easier Batu Sapi and Galas have given them good reason to smile. But Sarawak with its mix of seats will provide a much better national test.

Letter & Opinion From Joe Public

Pakatan to focus on coalition building, unity ahead of snap polls

Malaysia Chronicle

With an eye upon probable snap ubiquitous elections, Pakatan Rakyat will focus upon coalition building, unity as well as strengthening a Common Policy Framework when it binds a much-watched gathering subsequent week end in Penang.

The coalition's top leaders pronounced they will not be diverted by "smaller issues" such as a usual logo, generally when a BN-friendly Registrar of Societies was not likely to authorize their application for formal registration as a bloc.

"We contingency follow a beat of a own drum. Why should we concede ourselves to be roiled by a Umno-BN who have no seductiveness but to see us split as well as fighting amongst ourselves," Opposition Leader as well as Pakatan de-facto conduct Anwar Ibrahim told reporters.

He was speaking during a corner press discussion after chairing a care council assembly that enclosed PAS president Hadi Awang as well as DAP confidant Lim Kit Siang.

Speculation had been rife that Pakatan would put greatest upon a convention's agenda a preparations for a subsequent ubiquitous election. Nonetheless, DAP confidant Lim Kit Siang pronounced a nuts-and-bolts issues such as chair placement amongst a 3 partners would only be discussed after a convention.

"There is time, no hurry. We will look in to it after a convention," Kit Siang told reporters.

Pakatan will not be distracted by Umno-BN

According to Anwar, education, Islamic matters, corner economic process were among a main issues that would be discussed as well as debated during a convention.

Reporters again rushed to ask if a make a difference of branch Malaysia in to an Islamic state would be discussed. This issue has prolonged been used as a bogeyman by a Umno-BN to shock non-Malay electorate divided from PAS, that aspires to establish hudud law for Muslims in a country.

It has additionally been used to! drive a wedge in between PAS as well as a secular DAP. However, Malaysia's constitution prohibits branch a nation in to an Islamic state unless a celebration that longed for it had a two-thirds majority in a 222-seat Parliament.

Pundits have forked out it would be unfit for PAS to single-handedly achieve a Islamic dream. At a same time, they additionally questioned because Umno - that has mostly proclaimed itself a defender of a Muslims - had not turned Malaysia in to an Islamic state when it held two-thirds majority in Parliament from 1957 to 2008.

"Umno has twisted a constitution to a advantage. It claims to be a hold up of a Malays. Yet who have been a ones who have mortgaged Malay land, a nation's land. Who has grabbed energy by corrupt means as well as with a aid of people similar to APCO (a Zionist-linked communitcatipns firm)," pronounced Anwar.

"Umno attacked us as well as labelled us as Malay traitors. We have been not given a possibility do defend ourselves. Umno manipulates a mainstream media as well as what ever justifications we give have been not even published in media. Tell me, because should we let them dictate a rhythm."

MCLM Formation Benefitting BN? (Part 1: Jeffery Kittigan Connection)

from Malaysia Waves by Tulang Besi

The way I see it, MCLM was formed about the time Zaid Ibrahim declared that had left the party. In other words, the main motivation behind the formation of MCLM is personality rather than ideals of a struggle.

We also know, one of the main force behind MCLM is Haris Ibrahim, who happens to be a staunch supporter of Jeffery Kittigan. Search his blog and you will see his glowing support for Jeffery Kittigan. In addition, Harris has also openly condemn Anwar Ibrahim.

In fact, all the flak that Anwar is getting which eventually led to the formation of MCLM started from the Jeffery Kittigan controversy. Anwar just doesn’t like the idea of Jeffery leading PKR Sabah. Harris Ibrahim, on the other hand, was openly lobbying for Jeffery to be PKR Sabah head.

Due to Anwar’s refusal, Haris declared an open war with Anwar. Now Haris Ibrahim is forming MCLM, a rival organization to PKR which in turn might benefit UMNO and BN more.

Since Zaid Ibrahim gets open support from Jeffery, Haris and his gang threw his support behind Zaid.

JEFFERY KITTIGAN IS NOT POPULAR AMONG SABAH PKR MEMBERS

Zaid could’ve won the Sabah votes if he hadn’t banked on the support of Jeffery Kittigan. This is because Jeffery is not as popular among PKR members as many would like to think. Personally, knowing the baggage that Jeffery carries, I was not keen on him being made a Sabah PKR leader. I would think a new face with no political baggage would be the best formula for Sabah PKR.

I would think PKR would appoint someone like the PKR Sarawak Head as he is new and totally clean. That would attract more fence sitters compared to Jeffery Kittigan.
After the PKR elections, PKR leaders from Sabah had come out calling for the sacking of Jeffry Kittigan. They are saying Jeffery Kittigan is a negative element within the party and must be rid of to save the party.

One Danny Addipai is quoted by FreeMalaysiaToday as saying:

“Kehadiran Jeffrey dalam PKR selama ini hanya bersifat pengacau atau gunting dalam lipatan kerana sejarah politiknya membuktikan, sokongannya membawa rebah. Semua parti yang disertainya porak poranda.

"Dia masuk PBS, PBS tumbang kepada BN. Dia sertai AKAR, parti itu terpaksa dibubar. Dia sertai PBRS, berlaku krisis perlembagaan.
Dia masuk PKR, PKR hampir hancur. Sebelum PKR hancur, pucuk pimpinan wajar pecat Jeffrey,” ujarnya.

Haris Ibrahim, an outsider to the party and not even a Sabah native, went out of his way supporting Jeffery and bringing only Jeffery’s side of the story in the whole Sabah PKR issue. While at the same time bad mouthing PKR De Facto leader, Anwar Ibrahim without actually getting Anwar Ibrahim’s side of the story. Why? Because Anwar Ibrahim refusal to allow Jeffery to become Sabah PKR head? Is that how much Haris’es struggle is worth?

My question to RPK and Haris, is Jeffery Kittigan a justifiable excuse to form MCLM? Is your entire struggle centered around Jeffery Kittigan not being appointed as Head of Sabah PKR?

Will MCLM go down in history as a movement formed because Jeffery Kittigan was not appointed as Head of Sabah PKR? That is the question everyone must ask.

(to be continued)

"Jeffrey porak poranda parti" – Andipai
Fri, Dec 10, 2010
Dalam Negeri
KOTA KINABALU: Bekas calon PKR Parlimen Pensiangan dalam pilihan raya umum (PRU) 2008, Danny Andipai mencadangkan supaya bekas Naib Presiden Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan dipecat kerana didakwa melancar agenda bagi memporak-poranda parti itu di Sabah.
Katanya, sepanjang menjadi naib presiden, Jeffrey tidak pernah berusaha untuk memperkasa parti tetapi sebaliknya merancang strategi untuk memecah belah perpaduan PKR Sabah sehingga parti gagal menang sebarang kerusi pada PRU 2008.
“Kehadiran Jeffrey dalam PKR selama ini hanya bersifat pengacau atau gunting dalam lipatan kerana sejarah politiknya membuktikan, sokongannya membawa rebah. Semua parti yang disertainya porak poranda.
"Dia masuk PBS, PBS tumbang kepada BN. Dia sertai AKAR, parti itu terpaksa dibubar. Dia sertai PBRS, berlaku krisis perlembagaan.
Dia masuk PKR, PKR hampir hancur. Sebelum PKR hancur, pucuk pimpinan wajar pecat Jeffrey,” ujarnya.
Kata Andipai, Jeffrey menjadi dalang utama kepada Geng 12 ‘Trojan Horse’ yang digantung keahlian selama setahun kerana menaja Parti Cinta Sabah.
Menurutnya, beliau sedia mendedahkan bukti pengkhianatan Jeffrey kepada pucuk pimpinan parti jika PKR memecat Jeffrey.
Ketua Penerangan PKR cabang Batu Sapi, Addin Ismail turut mencadangkan agar Jeffrey dipecat terus dan disenarai hitam oleh PKR atau menghalang dari menyertai mana-mana parti Pakatan Rakyat kerana ibarat "memelihara ular tedung di dalam rumah."
Katanya, pemilihan jawatan ketua perhubungan PKR Sabah akan dipantau oleh Naib Presiden, Tian Chua.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Reconciling with Jeffrey may doom PKR in Sabah
By Wong Choon Mei

As top PKR leaders in Kuala Lumpur mull the fate of their Sabah ‘strongman’ Jeffrey Kitingan (left), a storm of protest is building up in his home state, where many of the party rank-and-file are demanding that he and several division leaders linked to him be shown the door and quickly too!

These protesters – believed to represent the majority in Sabah PKR - fear that KL may recapitulate and reject Jeffrey’s recent resignation as vice-president and supreme council member. Such a decision will only bode disaster for the party and prolong a power tussle amongst the state division leaders, they claim.

Indeed chances are high that KL will opt for what it perceives to be political expediency, although party insiders reassure it will retain Jeffrey without bowing to the demands of his camp, which include rescinding the appointment of Thamrin Jaini (left) as the new state chief.

“Actually, what Jeffrey wanted was to be the state PKR chief and later on the Sabah chief minister. His supporters orchestrated the move that got Azmin Ali replaced but KL appointed another Sabahan, Thamrin, instead of him. So Jeffrey resigned as veep in a bid to force KL’s hand but although KL may reject his resignation, it will still stick with Thamrin,” an insider said.

The younger brother of current Sabah deputy chief minister Joseph Pairin, Jeffrey gave up his PKR posts along with Kota Kinabalu division chief Christina Liew (right) last month. The two accused the national leadership of racial favoritism and being insensitive to the wishes of the Sabah people. Both however remained as party members.

Dooming the PKR

Simmering infighting between division leaders in Sabah PKR finally broke out openly last month, dragging the entire party down in the esteem of voters both in East Malaysia and the peninsula.

Counter-accusations were leveled at Jeffrey and his camp for putting his political ambitions above party interests including spreading a spate of negative and false news that painted several leaders such as Azmin Ali (left) and former state chief Ansari Abdullah (right) in a bad light. According to the state communications bureau, Ansari has now threatened to sue a journalist and the editor-in-chief of news portal Malaysiakini for defamation and RM10 million in damages if they did not apologize over several articles published recently.

But short of a bold and clear-cut decision from the national leadership in KL, the infighting will continue in Sabah, a state in which PKR can ill afford to allow instability to foment and fester.

Indeed, its 25 parliamentary seats will be vital in deciding who wins the federal government at the next general election – the Pakatan Rakyat or the Umno-Barisan Nasional.

“For PKR to win Sabah, the reform agenda must be renewed, rejuvenated and rebuilt. And this can only happen if there is the will to revamp thoroughly and quickly,” said state Director Of Communications Ronnie Klassen.

While many would like to see Christina retained, they are convinced that Jeffrey’s shelf life as a leader is past and long expired. They see in him a troublemaker and a spoiler, who can only doom the party’s chances.

“KL has to take a firmer stance and kick Jeffrey out once and for all. The moment he confirms he will stay on, PKR and Pakatan will have lost Sabah and Malaysia once again,” said Hassanar Ebrahim, a veteran political watcher.

An unusual quiet

But since holding peace talks with national strategy director Tian Chua (left) two weeks ago, Jeffrey has been toeing the line and keeping an unusually low profile, sparking speculation that a face-saving reconciliation was being worked out for the Sabah leader.

According to the party grapevine, Tian is believed to have told Jeffrey that he would not be offered the post that he covets above all else – the chief ministership of Sabah.

“Even if PKR wins, Jeffrey has been told in no uncertain terms that he won’t get the chief minister’s job although he may be made a minister in the federal cabinet. The job that he wants most will go to another Sabahan, not him,” a party source said.

Why then would Jeffrey - who has warned that he may form his own party - agree to stay on in PKR? Already, his supporters have threatened to resign en-masse if Thamrin is not dropped.

Could Jeffrey have finally realized that his political star is waning and it might best to give up his party-hopping ways and soldier on in the PKR after all? Or are there other reasons, ulterior motives even?

“His camp gave KL two weeks to accede to their requests and it is now three weeks. Why isn’t he keeping his word and leaving to form his own party as he has threatened to. It is actually the best thing he can do for Sabah PKR. Leave and let the party rebuild itself before it becomes too late," said Hassanar.

A new political reality

Indeed, the flamboyant and wealthy Jeffrey has failed to impress as a party administrator, achieving little success despite his decades in the political arena.

Instead he has attracted unflattering speculation including controversial rumors that he was a Trojan horse planted by the BN to wreak destruction and infighting in the PKR – much like PAS’s Hassan Ali in Selangor.

Although, in the eyes of KL, PKR may still need Jeffrey for his Kadazan-Dusun-Murut links, many Sabah leaders insist his departure will not be missed at all. They believe he has the support of only eight out of the state’s 25 divisions.

Some are even willing to bet that if he leaves, more Sabahans will join the PKR, especially the Muslims whom they say have kept their distance because of his fiery communal rhetoric. Jeffrey had in the past centred his political platform around a tooth-and-nail fight for KDM rights, stepping on the toes of other ethnic groups in the process.

But a new political reality has dawned and taken hold since. Bitten repeatedly by bad experiences, Sabahans have become more sophisticated and demanding of whom they want to lead their state out of poverty, suppression and blatant abuse of power.

Also, due to re-bordering by the BN, they now have 60 seats in their state assembly compared to 48 previously. Of the 60, 35 are Muslim-majority constituencies, eight are Chinese and 17 are KDM. This compares against the eight Chinese, 20 Muslim and 20 KDM before.

“The mood of the people has changed vastly. PKR itself espouses priority on a needs-based methodology and not on a race-based one,” said Hassanar (right).

“The situation in the peninsula has opened up the minds of Sabahans. If one Jeffrey supporter leaves today, 10 others including many from the KDM community will join PKR tomorrow. There is no need for KL to worry about letting Jeffrey go. In fact, by letting him stay, it may be barking up the wrong tree.”

(Wong Choon Mei is the former chief editor of Suara Keadilan)
Posted by Ronnie Klassen at 5:26 AM

Sad MCA leaders’ grasp of Constitution and political principles so shallow – no wonder no MCA Minister dare to tell Muhyiddin that he was wrong and an

After I have thrown back the question to the MCA Youth leader and Deputy Education Minister, Datuk Wee Ka Siong whether there is any provision in the Constitution which bars a Chinese or Malaysian of any race or religion from being Deputy Prime Minister, I would have thought that all the top MCA leaders would have become more educated about the Malaysian Constitution.

But this does not appear to be the case, with Wee continue to persist with the question whether I agree with the Pas Mursidul Am and Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat that only a Muslim can become a Deputy Prime Minister.

It is obvious that my answer is “No” but this seems to be too difficult for the top MCA leaders to understand or fathom.

It is sad that the MCA leaders’ grasp of the Constitution and political principles are so shallow.

No wonder no MCA Minister or Deputy Minister dare to tell the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin that he was wrong and going against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia concept when the Deputy Prime Minister declared that he was Malay first and Malaysian second.

In fact, as a result of Muhyiddin’s anti-1Malaysia declaration, no MCA Minister or Deputy Minister dared to stand up in Parliament to demonstrate full acceptance of 1Malaysia concept by declaring that they are Malaysian first and Chinese second – despite being given so many opportunities by DAP MPs!

Pakatan: Choice of DPM will be based on the constitution

Hadi, Anwar, Kit Siang

Malaysia Chronicle

Pakatan Rakyat leaders did not discuss the issue of who would be the Deputy Prime Minister if they won the next general election but they agreed that the decision would be based on the federal constitution - an outcome that will surely be cheered by the non-Malays in the country who have long aspired for political equality.

"The issue (of who will become the next DPM) was not discussed at the leadership council meeting,but we did decide that it will be based on the constitution," DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang told a press conference.

Kit Siang is the frontrunner among the non-Malay Pakatan leaders believed to be capable of helming this post and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim himself has said there was no reason why Kit Siang or any other capable non-Malay could not assume such a post.

Nonetheless, such a 'liberal' view has been siezed on by the Umno-BN media and played up to arouse the maximum resentment from the Malay community while casting doubt that such an aspiration could really become reality amongst the non-Malays.

Apart from PKR and DAP, the Islamic-based PAS has also been targeted with insinuations that if it allowed a non-Malay to become DPM, then it was selling out on Malay rights.

"There is no need to get excited over this because, have we won the general election yet," PAS president Hadi Awang, who was also present, told reporters. "The right choice will be made at the right time."

MORE TO COME

UM poll on PKR unreliable and inaccurate, says student leader

Non-stop attacks on Anwar - the glue that binds Pakatan

Malaysia Chronicle

The survey on PKR's popularity with voters conducted by a unit at the Universiti Malaya is unreliable, even to the point of being bogus, as many of the respondents were the student helpers themselves and their friends and families living in places outside of the designated sample area of Klang Valley.

Although the results of this poll have not created significant impact on PKR or Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, it is being used by the BN-controlled mainstream media to attack PKR ahead of the Pakatan Rakyat convention due next weekend.

"As we have pointed out, it is highly suspicious that this so-called independent unit in the UM would specially choose to carry out the survey during the PKR direct elections. We do not know if it was commissioned by the Trojan horses that have since been kicked out of PKR or by BN elements for the purpose of inflicting damage on Pakatan," PKR vice president Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

Commissioned as a tool to be used against Pakatan

Zaid quit in a huff - due to form new party in Jan

The UM poll was conducted by the Democratic Research and Elections Centre during the PKR historic direct elections held last month. It had sought the opinion of 1,124 respondents aged between 20 and 50 from the opposition strongholds of Cheras, Bandar Tun Razak, Titiwangsa, Ampang, Bukit Bintang, Subang Jaya, Wangsa Maju and Lembah Pantai.

Only 35 per cent of the respondents said they would continue to support the PKR while 22 per cent said they are fence-sitters. The poll also found that 52 per cent of respondents said the PKR party crisis had affected their confidence in the party and in its leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, while 29 per cent thought otherwise. The remaining 19 per cent were unsure.

But despite the findings that PKR was losing ground, its supporters have been largely unruffled by the survey results, which have also failed to gain much traction with the average Malaysian.

"Many people see the name Universiti Malaya and they know it is controlled by the Umno-BN. There is also speculation that Zaid Ibrahim and his supporters are still trying all ways and means to discredit PKR. One tactic an enemy would adopt would be to commission a so-called independent survey at a time when it is ceaselessly attacking PKR and Anwar. It only reflects the depth of their treachery," PKR veteran Eddie Wong told Malaysia Chronicle.

Email whistle-blower

The response of these PKR loyalists seem to be borne out by a email sent by a former student leader still involved in the UM student body to Malaysia Chronicle. The student leader has asked not to be named, but has minced no words in describig the manner in which the 'survey' was conducted.

According to him, the survey was held without proper monitoring and guidance. Student helpers were even allowed to fill out the questionnaires themselves rather than canvass for genuine replies from voters within the Klang Valley.

"The research authority used their students as research group. These students who became the ground researchers were briefed only once and the survey forms were distributed to them without any double checking on the methodology of collecting data by these students. Based on these two factors, hence, I believe that there are some issues in the research which accuracy is in question due to forgery," the student leader told Malaysia Chronicle.

Malaysia Chronicle appends below the email (original text in Bahasa Malaysia) and the English translation for readers' perusal

Greetings,

Sorry for the interruption. I just want to share my views. I see many authorities are using UM's recent research on PKR to destabilize DSAI and the party

I don't deny that the recent party election left an impact on the image of party and DSAI himself. However, please note that from the view of democracy principle, the direct election is good.

Yesterday, I had a discussion with a good friend of mine who is also the Ex co of ABIM and former research assistant to UM's Dean. Based on the discussion, I came to conclusion that there is an issue on the 'reliability' of the research based on certain matters:

1) The research authority used their students as research group

2)These students who became the ground researchers were briefed only once and the survey forms were distributed to them without any double checking on the methodology

of collecting data by these students

Based on these two factors, hence, I believe that there are some issues in the research which accuracy is in question due to forgery:

1) My friend himself is the respondent

2)In the survey report, it is mentioned that the respondents are from Klang Valley but there are some students, the ground researchers, went back to hometown and distributed the survey forms to their relatives who are staying out of Selangor and Klang Valley.

3)There is also an allegation that students themselves took the survey and distributed the survey forms among themselves(as how some undergraduates do...hehe..)

Salam,

maaf ganggu, sekadar ingin berkongsi pandangan. Saya lihat banyak
pihak mainkan isu kajian UM utk melemahkan DSAI dan Keadilan.

Tanpa saya menafikan bahawa pemilihan keadilan yang lepas memberikan
kesan dari segi imej parti dan DSAI walaupun dari segi prinsip
demokrasi ini sebenarnya baik.

Semalam saya berbincang dengan kawan rapat saya yang juga exco ABIM
dan bekas penyelidik kepada Dekan UM yang mengepalai kajian ini.
Berdasarkan perbincangan itu saya dapat konklusikan bahawa berlaku
masalah "reliability" dalam kajian tersebut berdasarkan beberapa
perkara:

1. Badan tersebut menggunakan pelajar mereka sebagai ground researcher.

2. Pelajar2 ini yang menjadi ground researcher ini hanya diberi
taklimat sekali dan diserahkan borang survey tanpa dipantau respondan
dan motodologi survey yang dilakukan oleh pelajar2 ini.

akibat daripada dua faktor ini, berlaku beberapa isu yang saya rasa
kajian ini tidak tepat kerana berlaku penipuan.

1. kawan saya sendiri menjadi respondan kepada 3 borang survey.

2. dalam laporan survey mengatakan respondan adalah sekitar selangor
dan lembah klang, sedangkan ada pelajar2 ini yang balik ke kampung dan
serahkan kepada orang2 kampung dan sanak saudara yang berada di luar
Selangor dan Lembah Klang.

3. ada juga laporan mengatakan mereka tandakan survey sendiri dan
agih2kan survey dikalangan mereka (spt yang sering dilakukan oleh
segolongan mahasiswa...hehe..)

Pakatan: Choice of DPM will be based on the constitution

Hadi, Anwar, Kit SiangMalaysia Chronicle

Pakatan Rakyat leaders did not discuss a issue of who would be a Deputy Prime Minister if they won a subsequent ubiquitous choosing but they agreed which a decision would be formed upon a federal constitution - an result which will surely be cheered by a non-Malays in a country who have long aspired for political equality.

"The issue (of who will turn a subsequent DPM) was not discussed during a care legislature meeting,but you did confirm which it will be formed upon a constitution," DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang told a press conference.

Kit Siang is a frontrunner between a non-Malay Pakatan leaders believed to be capable of helming this post as well as Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim himself has pronounced there was no reason why Kit Siang or any alternative capable non-Malay could not pretence such a post.

Nonetheless, such a 'liberal' view has been siezed upon by a Umno-BN media as well as played up to awaken a maximum resentment from a Malay community while casting doubt which such an aspiration could really turn being amongst a non-Malays.

Apart from PKR as well as DAP, a Islamic-based PAS has additionally been targeted with insinuations which if it authorised a non-Malay to turn DPM, then it was selling out upon Malay rights.

"There is no need to get excited over this because, have you won a ubiquitous choosing yet," PAS president Hadi Awang, who was additionally present, told reporters. "The right choice will be done during a right time."

MORE TO COME

Students and price hikes: Rebels with a cause

Mariam Mokhtar, Malaysia Chronicle

When 100 students from the Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam Semenanjung (Gamis) held a peaceful protest in Putrajaya after Friday prayers yesterday, their intention was to hand over a memorandum to the Prime minister’s office, which is located next to the Putrajaya mosque.

The memorandum expressed regret and disappointment over the recent price rises in petrol, diesel, cooking gas and sugar. The increases came into effect despite Domestic Trade, Consumerism and Cooperatives Minister, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, declaring in November that there would be no price hikes before the end of the year.

“Just two weeks after a minister pledged to maintain the prices of basic goods, we see price hikes,” said Gamis president Ahmad Syazwan Abdul Razak.

The students complained that they weree badly affected by the price hikes. Many find unacceptable the spiraling cost of food and say that the higher costs on essential items have reduced the spending power of their allowance. Many also claim that they are from the lower-income group and find it difficult to manage their finances.

The students at Putrajaya were all wearing black T-shirts and they shouted slogans such as “student power”. Police officers who arrived onto the scene, ordered them to disperse and warned, “No gathering and rally here, if not we will arrest all of you.”

In the aftermath, the students were allowed to submit their memorandum but then two student leaders, one of whom was Ahmad Syazman, were then arrested. A third was detained outside the Putrajaya district police station as he waited for lawyers to help with his two colleagues who were being held there.

The students’ demands included a government review of the subsidies for crony companies that allegedly amounted to RM19 billion.

They also wanted the salaries of ministers to be revised.

During a pre-rally press briefing, Ahmad Syazman said, “The revision must be in line with the authority's efforts to reduce our fiscal deficit.”

The student leaders condemned the police for over-reacting to their peaceful rally and said that although they successfully delivered their memorandum, they were unhappy with the PM's Department officer, Muim Omar.

According to the students, Muim refused to give them a timeline for a response, “He just gave us a verbal promise that the PM will respond”.

Hilman Idham, another student leader, issued a statement later that day which said that “the increasingly inflated prices of goods is a betrayal of the people's trust”.

Hilman stressed how the government continued to spew empty rhetoric for its blind supporters, but that its recent actions showed that it failed to read the signs from the ground, and was “acting like kings... without caring for the voice of the people”.

He also accused the government of caring more for its own “coffers and stomach” and warned that the students “unapologetically state that the government will be overthrown in the next general election” if it persists with the present behaviour.

Hilman declared that the student movement would continue to exert pressure on the government should it continue to abuse the people's trust that has put it in power.

He also called for the immediate release of the students arrested earlier that day and blasted the government for treating Putrajaya like a “holy ground that is off limits to the lowly rakyat who simply want to air their grievances about the ruling coalition”.

Pakatan: Common framework more important than formal logo

The upcoming convention is crucial for us to get our act together, to reassess Pakatan’s goals in light of growing speculations of snap elections.

KUALA LUMPUR — The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) annual convention may just be a week away, but its top leadership has yet to address or decide on various issues, including PAS’s insistence for an Islamic state or its logo and formal registration.

Expectations are running high for the convention next week, the second one PR has held since the 2008 general elections, amid speculations of snap polls as early as March next year.

PR leaders have dubbed the upcoming meet as a “necessity” to reassess and reprioritise on strengthening the coalition, in light of PKR’s recently-concluded fractious party elections, where its members have either left the party or complained of fraud in the elections process.

A recent Universiti Malaya opinion poll has also revealed that 43 per cent of residents in PKR stronghold areas will not support the party in the next general election due to a decline in confidence after its polls last month.

A mere 35 per cent of those polled claimed they would continue to vote for PKR while 22 per cent said they were unsure.

“The upcoming convention is crucial for us to get our act together, to reassess Pakatan’s goals in light of growing speculations of snap elections,” said DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua.

Pua however said that while PR needed to prepare themselves for the next general elections, having a common logo or pushing for a formal coalition was not “substantive” for an electoral win.

“It is a right to have but it’s not crucial towards a successful coalition. It is more important to concentrate on the common policy platform. If we can arrive at a common policy network it would supercede the idea of a formerly registered coalition. We have already submitted the forms some time back, but it is not a crucial element for us,” said Pua, also pointing out that while BN was formally registered, the federal coalition had “failed” to ensure that its members were treated equally.

Pua’s views was seemingly in tandem with that of PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, who had downplayed the need for PR to be formally registered or to have a formal logo before the next general elections.

Hadi (picture left) had last week rubbished talk that PR’s inability to agree on a common logo was a sign of the coalition’s weakness, saying that “logos were not important.”

“Pakatan Rakyat (PR) can form a federal government without having to be (registered) as a formal coalition. We have achieved successes in the past using our current formula,” Hadi told The Malaysian Insider in an interview last week.

Among the criticisms that have been directed towards PR since its loose formation was its constant clashing on several key issues, most notably the issue of an Islamic state which PAS has maintained that it will not back down from. PR’s inability to come to agreement over its official logo since last year’s convention has also been seen as a weak point for the opposition bloc.

BN lawmakers have also, from time and time again attacked the three PR component parties for being unable to decide on common policy issues surrounding its stand on the formation of an Islamic state and as to the top PR leadership should they take over Putrajaya.

“I cannot tell you right now about whether we have come to an agreement on the logo. It’s still some way to go, but we will be announcing something concerning the design of the logo at the upcoming Pakatan convention next weekend.

“We are only an informal coalition because we are not registered, but for all purposes and intentions the coalition has already been formalised. The relationship is real. The only difference between the coalition of BN and PR is that BN is legally registered,” Pua told The Malaysian Insider.

The Petaling Jaya Utara MP insisted that the three PR parties could work effectively together, pointing out the success of PR states like Penang and Selangor as an example.

“We make policies together, for instance the governance of state governments we do it together with polices agreed by all three coalition parties,” added Pua.

The Registrar of Societies (RoS) has been silent on the status of PR’s registration application despite giving a positive response early this year.

It is understood that the RoS last communicated with PR representatives a “few months ago” to suggest changes to the coalition’s name.

Another PR lawmaker, PAS MP Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (picture right) admitted that there were some leaders within PR who were still unhappy with the idea of a formal coalition.

“There are opinions from other within PR who are a bit resentful of the idea of formalising. It is just like leaders who are anxious about local elections, there are also leaders who do not want to allow local elections.

“Some of our leaders still remain unconvinced as to a formal coalition. You can’t get a 100 percent conviction before going on with something. It’s the same like 2008, before Pakatan Rakyat was formed there was scepticism among some people within PAS, PKR, DAP. There will always be resistance to change... (but) I do not think that this is the most important issue to iron out. They will eventually accept the need for change,’ Dzulkefly told The Malaysian Insider.

When asked whether he agreed with Hadi on the formal coalition issue, Dzulkefly said that Hadi had his “rights to his opinion”, even though Dzulkefly did not necessarily agree with him.

But he too dismissed the urgency for a common logo, saying that a logo was not the “be all and end all for Pakatan.”

PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar said that PR was aiming to expand the existing Common Policy Framework (CPF) to more specific economic policies, but declined to elaborate on the exact policies, saying that it would be made available during the convention.

“If we are able to forge a clearer common policy, expanding the CPF to something more specific, it would hold sway and attract more voters. That is something which we are looking at,” Nurul Izzah told The Malaysian Insider.

PR filed an application to register as a formal coalition to the RoS in November last year, just a month before it launched a common policy framework at its inaugural convention.

The coalition began as an informal gathering of three parties — PAS-PKR-DAP — in April 2008 following Election 2008.

It currently leads the state administrations of Kelantan, Kedah, Penang and Selangor, and holds 77 parliamentary seats.

The Malaysian Insider understands that several PR leaders were upset with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent remarks in saying that DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang was promised the deputy prime minister’s post should the opposition take over Putrajaya.

“The problem is Anwar released this bit of information on his own. In no explicit terms were we made aware that this had been agreed upon,” said a PR source.

Utusan Malaysia claimed two weeks ago that Anwar had promised Lim the post in such an event, prompting a round of denials by opposition leaders.

Anwar later clarified that every coalition leader, regardless of race, had a shot at becoming deputy prime minister, so long as the decision was “made with consensus” among PR component parties.

The source told The Malaysian Insider that some PR leaders were concerned that this latest issue could cause affect PR’s position in Malay-majority areas.

“There will be a PR leadership council meeting this weekend focusing specifically on the convention. If it needs be, we will raise this issue then. Everyone in PR needs to work together so that problems like these can be reduced with minimal effect on PR’s image as a whole. We need to be united, and be seen as united,” added the source.

However, The Malaysian Insider also understands that the convention this weekend will most likely “avoid” touching on sensitive or thorny issues concerning the relationship of the three component parties, and instead will place emphasis on PR states’ achievements. - Malaysian Insider

A 'friendly' fight for Penang DAP polls

from Free Malaysia Today - Free and Independent by FMT Team

By Teoh El Sen

PETALING JAYA: The Penang DAP election tomorrow, the last state polls before the party's national convention next year, is likely to be an "amicable" affair without the intense infighting seen in the recent polls in Perak and Selangor.

DAP leaders told FMT that the kind of hostility between factions seen in the Perak and Selangor polls would be almost non-existent in Penang, though there are 800 delegates voting an unprecedented number of 88 candidates vying for the 15 state committee positions.

"I think there are no clear lines drawn in this election; this would be more of a free-for-all," said a prominent state leader who declined to be named.

P Ramasamy, the party's national deputy secretary-general who is contesting as a candidate, agreed, saying that there are no hostile camps in Penang compared to Selangor and Perak.

"The candidates are fighting in a very amicable manner. It is normal for candidates to jostle for the 15 positions and this time we have a lot of candidates, but it is all very peaceful. There are certain groups, but the divide is not clear at all," said Ramasamy, who Penang Deputy Chief Minister II, and also Batu Kawan MP and Perai state assemblyman.

He said that he decided to contest after his name was nominated by a branch, adding that as a leader, he needed to be accountable and responsible to the party members.

"If you hold an important state post, you need to be responsible to the party. I'm offering myself so that I can better understand the members and help the party grow. A party position for me is important to keep in touch with the grassroots," he said.

Ramasamy, a former lecturer, also said that he supported incumbent state chairman Chow Kon Yeow (Tanjung MP) to retain his seat.

He said that he was unsure of his chances but hoped to be part of the committee, adding that he felt members would not mind his Perak roots as DAP does not practise "parochial politics".

On DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng's decision to stay out of the fight, Ramasamy said Guan Eng was neutral and also there was already too much on his plate at the moment.

"It's also not nice for a leader of his stature to take on a chairman's role," he said.

'No factions'

DAP deputy secretary-general Chong Eng, a party veteran who was voted out of the committee in the last election, said that there are no factions and attributed this to the good leadership of Chow.

"We are a team under Chow and if there are groups, which I don't think there are many, I don't know because I spend my time doing the things that are important," said Chong, the Bukit Mertajam MP, who claimed she was sabotaged by a few members with "self-interest at heart" in the last election.

She added that she did not think there would be any fixed "cai dan" (menu) for the delegates to pick their candidates.

However, Chong said that all leaders in the state should participate in the election so that the delegates themselves can choose the best line-up.

"Leaders who are interested in making decisions for the state DAP must contest to get into the committee. Now part of the problem is that leaders not in the committee want to decide how the state should be run," she said.

"You need a very strong team and I feel that all leaders should be in the contest and let the delegates decide in the spirit of true democracy," she said, adding that she also supported incumbent Chow.

"Chow and I have been through thick and thin. He is a leader who even offered to step down at one stage but was asked by members to stay on as he was thought to be the best person to lead the state DAP," she said.

On her chances of winning, Chong, who joined the party in 1991 and was elected to the central executive commitee in 1995, said: "If the delegates choose leaders based on their leadership skills and track record, I believe I am one of them."

On accusation that former state DAP grassroots leader Teh Hock Yong, or “Sakura Teh”, from

Nibong Tebal, was the mastermind behind a plot to overthrow the current leadership, Chong said that he had supporters but added that Tey was no longer a member after he became bankrupt.

'No such rules'

Bukit Bendera MP and party strategist, Liew Chin Tong, who pulled out of the contest, said he did so as his main focus was at the federal level.

He denied that his withdrawal became an issue among members who feel that leaders should take up state committee positions.

"There should not be any problems here... it's only when you're in the fight that you become a subject of debate. Also, there are no such rules that say that an elected state representative needs to hold a party post."

"We have some 20 elected representatives and if every state representative were to contest, it would be difficult as there are only 15 seats in the committee," said Liew.

Another party leader, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the only interesting thing about the Penang DAP was the number of delegates and candidates.

"So this should be not a heated fight,” said the leader, who is currently in the state committee.

Besides Chow, the current deputy is veteran Lim Hock Seng. The two vice-chiefs are party chairman Karpal Singh's son Jagdeep Singh Deo and Lim Hui Ying, the sister of Guan Eng.

The current state party secretary is Pulau Tikus assemblyman Koay Teng Hai while the treasurer is local councillor Tan Hung Wooi.

The high number of contestants has generated speculation on why national leaders such as Liew and Guan Eng's chief of staff Jeff Ooi have pulled out.

UM poll on PKR unreliable and inaccurate, says student leader

Non-stop attacks upon Anwar - a glue which binds Pakatan Malaysia Chronicle

The consult upon PKR's popularity with electorate conducted by a unit at a Universiti Malaya is unreliable, even to a point of being bogus, as many of a respondents were a tyro helpers themselves as well as their friends as well as families vital in places outward of a designated sample area of Klang Valley.

Although a results of this check have not combined significant stroke upon PKR or Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, it is being used by a BN-controlled mainstream media to conflict PKR forward of a Pakatan Rakyat gathering due next weekend.

"As you have pointed out, it is highly suspicious which this supposed independent unit in a UM would specifically choose to lift out a consult during a PKR approach elections. We do not know if it was commissioned by a Trojan horses which have since been kicked out of PKR or by BN elements for a purpose of inflicting repairs upon Pakatan," PKR clamp boss Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

Commissioned as a apparatus to be used opposite Pakatan

Zaid quit in a huff, due to form brand new celebration in JanThe UM check was conducted by a Democratic Research as well as Elections Centre during a PKR historic approach elections held last month. It had sought a opinion of 1,124 respondents aged in between twenty as well as 50 from a antithesis strongholds of Cheras, Bandar Tun Razak, Titiwangsa, Ampang, Bukit Bintang, Subang Jaya, Wangsa Maju as well as Lembah Pantai.

Only 35 per cent of a respondents pronounced they would go upon to await a PKR whilst twenty-two per cent pronounced they have been fence-sitters. The check additionally found which 52 per cent of respondents pronounced a PKR celebration predicament had influenced their confidence ! in a cel ebration as well as in its personality Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, whilst 29 per cent thought otherwise. The superfluous nineteen per cent were unsure.

But despite a findings which PKR was losing ground, its supporters have been largely unruffled by a consult results, which have additionally failed to benefit most traction with a average Malaysian.

"Many people see a name Universiti Malaya as well as they know it is controlled by a Umno-BN. There is additionally speculation which Zaid Ibrahim as well as his supporters have been still perplexing all ways as well as means to disprove PKR. One tactic an enemy would adopt would be to elect a supposed independent consult at a time when it is continuously aggressive PKR as well as Anwar. It usually reflects a abyss of their treachery," PKR veteran Eddie Wong told Malaysia Chronicle.

Email whistle-blower

The response of these PKR loyalists seem to be borne out by a email sent by a former tyro personality still involved in a UM tyro physique to Malaysia Chronicle. The tyro personality has asked not to be named, but has minced no difference in describig a demeanour in which a 'survey' was conducted.

According to him, a consult was held but proper monitoring as well as guidance. Student helpers were even allowed to fill out a questionnaires themselves rather than seek votes for genuine replies from electorate within a Klang Valley.

"The investigate management used their students as investigate group. These students who became a belligerent researchers were briefed usually once as well as a consult forms were distributed to them but any stand in checking upon a methodology of collecting interpretation by these students. Based upon these two factors, hence, we hold which there have been a little issues in a investigate which accuracy is in subject due to forgery," a tyro personality told Malaysia Chronicle.

Malaysia Chronicle appends next a email (original text in Bahasa Malaysia) as well as a English interpreta! tion for readers' perusal
Greetings,

Sorry for a interruption. we just wish to share my views. we see many authorities have been regulating UM's recent investigate upon PKR to destabilize DSAI as well as a party

I don't deny which a recent celebration election left an stroke upon a image of celebration as well as DSAI himself. However, greatfully note which from a view of democracy principle, a approach election is good.

Yesterday, we had a contention with a great crony of cave who is additionally a Ex co of ABIM as well as former investigate partner to UM's Dean. Based upon a discussion, we came to conclusion which there is an emanate upon a 'reliability' of a investigate formed upon sure matters:

1) The investigate management used their students as investigate group

2)These students who became a belligerent researchers were briefed usually once as well as a consult forms were distributed to them but any stand in checking upon a methodology
of collecting interpretation by these students

Based upon these two factors, hence, we hold which there have been a little issues in a investigate which accuracy is in subject due to forgery:

1) My crony himself is a respondent

2)In a consult report, it is mentioned which a respondents have been from Klang Valley but there have been a little students, a belligerent researchers, went behind to hometown as well as distributed a consult forms to their relatives who have been staying out of Selangor as well as Klang Valley.

3)There is additionally an claim which students themselves took a consult as well as distributed a consult forms among themselves(as how a little undergraduates do...hehe..)

Salam,

maaf ganggu, sekadar ingin berkongsi pandangan. Saya lihat banyak
pihak mainkan isu kajian UM utk melemahkan DSAI dan Keadilan.

Tanpa saya menafikan bahawa pemilihan keadilan yang lepas memberikan
kesan dari segi imej parti dan DSAI walaupun dari s! egi prin sip
demokrasi ini sebenarnya baik.

Semalam saya berbincang dengan kawan rapat saya yang juga exco ABIM
dan bekas penyelidik kepada Dekan UM yang mengepalai kajian ini.
Berdasarkan perbincangan itu saya dapat konklusikan bahawa berlaku
masalah "reliability" dalam kajian tersebut berdasarkan beberapa
perkara:

1. Badan tersebut menggunakan pelajar mereka sebagai belligerent researcher.

2. Pelajar2 ini yang menjadi belligerent researcher ini hanya diberi
taklimat sekali dan diserahkan borang consult tanpa dipantau respondan
dan motodologi consult yang dilakukan oleh pelajar2 ini.

akibat daripada dua faktor ini, berlaku beberapa isu yang saya rasa
kajian ini tidak tepat kerana berlaku penipuan.

1. kawan saya sendiri menjadi respondan kepada 3 borang survey.

2. dalam laporan consult mengatakan respondan adalah sekitar selangor
dan lembah klang, sedangkan ada pelajar2 ini yang balik ke kampung dan
serahkan kepada orang2 kampung dan sanak saudara yang berada di luar
Selangor dan Lembah Klang.

3. ada juga laporan mengatakan mereka tandakan consult sendiri dan
agih2kan consult dikalangan mereka (spt yang sering dilakukan oleh
segolongan mahasiswa...hehe..)

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