Want cheaper race track ? Vote Mamak out.

A need for a cheaper race track

from Free Malaysia Today » Nation by fmt

By Kay Wee Tan

KUALA LUMPUR: A group of former car and motorcycle racers, who honed their skills at the Batu Tiga racing circuit, want the government to build an affordable racing circuit in the Klang Valley.

A former racer Sutan Mustaffa Salihin said youngsters’ can’t afford to use the Sepang International Circuit as it is ridiculously expensive.

The rental of the full track of 5.5km for one day costs RM50,000 and for half day (maximum four hours) is RM30,000.

Sutan, who now runs the SMS motorsport and driving school, said he and his former racer friends can’t understand the logic behind building more and more golf courses when only the rich can afford to join them.

If there are more low-cost motorsport circuits, more people will get involved in the sport, he argued.

Since the Shah Alam racing track, also known as the Batu Tiga track, was closed down in 2003, Malaysia now has only two motorsport circuits – the Johor’s Pasir Gudang Circuit and Sepang International Circuit.

Sutan said because racing tracks are not easily available, the youngsters have taken to the roads and this has created social problem such as the emergence of Mat Rempits.

Follow the Japanese lead

The way to solve the Mat Rempit problem is to build more tracks so that youngsters can get involved in the sport, Sutan added.

He said in Japan, motorsport circuits are built across the country to reduce “hashiriya” (illegal car racers) and “bosozoku” ( illegal motorcycle racers).

Sutan also related on how he became a racer. “I was an illegal car racer once. A friend told me about the Shah Alam track and I started working there as an assistant administrator. And I learned racing skills and became a professional motorsport driver.”

But, unfortunately when the circuit was closed down, he lost his job and had to set up his driving school.

The Shah Alam Batu Tiga track was opened in 1968 with the first Grand Prix, the Tasman Series, won by Indonesian Hengkie Iriawan.

Some of the best Malaysian racers have come from this track – people like Sonny Rajah, Harvey Yap, William Mei, Bulldog Kuan, Velu and Ali Kadir, Alex Yoong and Karamjit Singh. These racers became household names among the racing fraternity.

Sonny Rajah was the first and only Malaysian to win the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Alex Yoong became the first Malaysian to race in Formula One. He was trained and grew up in the Batu Tiga track.

Now a housing estates

In those days, entry and use of the Batu Tiga track was cheap and that included use of all the facilities, including the garage and the equipment.

Motorsports now has wide following and Malaysia has an interest in Formula One through Team Lotus and Mercedes GP Petronas teams.

But there is not much downstream activities from these teams as they are based overseas. Sutan said if there were more motor racing circuits here, our talent pool will increase.

“Not only will we have better racers but also skilled mechanics, engineers, pit crew and people who can run a professional race track.

“Then, we used to organise the ‘Saturday Night Fever’ race event. Young drivers and bikers from all over Klang Valley came to the track and there was usually a big crowd cheering them,” he said.

But unfortunately all this came to an end as the Shah Alam track, which was owned by the Selangor State Development Corporation, was developed into a housing estate.

Senior Citizen at YMCA KL

I am the owner of my karma,

The heir of my karma,

Born of my karma,

Related to my karma,

Supported by my karma,

Whatever action I do,

Whether it be good or evil,

Of that I shall be the heir.

Indonesia bans MA-60 aircraft from three airports

Indonesia has banned Chinese-made MA-60 aircraft from using three airports for safety reasons, after one of the planes crashed and killed 25 people earlier this month, an official said on Wednesday. -- PHOTO: AFP

MALAYSIAKINI : JAKARTA - INDONESIA has banned Chinese-made MA-60 aircraft from using three airports for safety reasons, after one of the planes crashed and killed 25 people earlier this month, an official said on Wednesday.

The turbo-prop plane operated by state-owned Merpati Nusantara airlines crashed into the sea as it approached an airport in Kaimana district of West Papua province during heavy rain on May 7.

Air transport director general Herry Bhakti said authorities decided to ban the aircraft from landing at three airports with difficult approaches.

'The airports are in Ruteng in West Nusa Tenggara province, Ende and Waingapu in East Nusa Tenggara. Those airports have high obstacle rates. They demand lot of manoeuvring to get there,' he said.

The official said the cause of the crash was still being investigated but it was already clear that Merpati pilots needed supplementary training on the MA-60s.

Simulators for the aircraft - manufactured by Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation - are not yet available in Indonesia, he added. -- AFP

Gaddafi's regime 'on the run', Tripoli pounded

TRIPOLI - MUAMMAR Gaddafi's regime is on the run, a Nato official said, as alliance jets blasted Libya's capital and Russia on Wednesday slammed the blitz of Tripoli as a 'grave departure' from UN resolutions.

The senior Nato military official said the Western alliance is shifting into high gear in Libya in a bid to deliver a decisive blow to Gaddafi's government, hitting Tripoli with its heaviest bombardment to date.

Six powerful explosions struck late Tuesday near Gaddafi's residence, targeted a day earlier by intensive Nato air strikes, an AFP journalist said.

Jet fighters could be heard above before three deafening explosions rocked the area of the embattled leader's Bab Al-Aziziya residential compound, followed by three others two minutes later.

The zone came under heavy bombardment overnight on Monday lasting more than half an hour, leaving three dead and 150 wounded, according to the Gaddafi regime.

Government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim insisted those strikes targeted a deserted military barracks but instead hit civilians living nearby. -- AFP

Husam: "Let me save PAS from being sold ... ?"

Husam joins PAS VP fray

By Shannon Teoh

May 24, 2011

Husam says he decided to run after vice president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man offered himself for a higher post. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 — Datuk Husam Musa will run for PAS vice president in next month’s party polls.

Husam, who is currently in China, said in a press statement he had initially decided to defend his central committee membership.

The Kelantan state executive councillor said this was because the three incumbent vice presidents had performed well.

“But as vice president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has offered himself for a higher post, I was forced to reconsider my stand.

“I was guided by the views of the PAS divisions that nominated me, especially the need for a representative from Kelantan to occupy a higher position in the party,” he said.

Husam, who failed in his own bid to be deputy president in the last party elections, said that this was in line with Kelantan’s position as the main base for PAS.

While PAS has led the state governments of Kedah and Perak post-Election 2008, and Terengganu previously, it has governed Kelantan since 1990.

In his statement, Husam also expressed his support for President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, who will be returned unopposed for another term.

Ten leaders have been nominated for the three vice president spots, including all three incumbents with Datuk Mahfuz Omar confirming his candidacy last weekend.

Anwar file defence and counter claim against Hishamuddin...

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has filed his defence and counter-claim in a defamation suit by Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein over the sex tape. Anwar, who is Permatang Pauh MP, filed his defence and counter-claim on Monday, along with the full transcript of the press conference.

He is seeking damages for slander, damages for misfeasance of public office (failing to stop the screening of the tape), and aggravated and exemplary damages. Anwar's application was filed by Messrs Faiz and Co.

The matter came up for case management today at the Kuala Lumpur High Court before Judicial Commissioner Wazeer Alam Mydin Meera. Wazeer fixed June 3 for case management and ordered Hishammuddin to file his reply to Anwar's defence by June 1. Hishammuddin is represented by Cecil Abraham, while Leela Jesunathan represented Anwar.

'Video a personal attack'

In Anwar's defence, he claimed qualified privilege and alleges that as a former deputy prime minister and present opposition leader he has made various police reports against whom he made complaints (in his police report). Since 1998, Anwar claimed that he had faced numerous allegations and attacks on his character by Umno and BN politicians.

I have always consistently maintained that the allegations and attacks form part of a political conspiracy and persecution against me by politicians from the ruling coalition who had abused their statutory and governmental powers, he said.

The present video is the latest series of such personal attacks made against the defendant. There is much publicity given particularly by the government-controlled press to all these allegations including that of the video, said Anw! ar.
< br>Anwar claimed the 'Datuk T' trio had in their press statements stated their aim was to force the defendant (Anwar) and his wife (Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail) to step down from politics. The Permatang Pauh MP said Hishammuddin and various members of the BN, in an immediate reaction to the video, had questioned if he (Anwar) was fit to remain in politics, rather than the criminal activities of the trio.

Anwar claimed the video was sensationalised before the Sarawak state election where the state assembly was dissolved on March 21, the same day the video was shown. In the circumstances, Anwar alleged he and the public have a common or corresponding interest in the subject matter of the video and also Hishammuddin's reaction to its screening in the exercise of his duties as home minister.

The words published in the reasonable protection of my own legitimate interests as leader of the opposition and Permatang Pauh MP to the public who had a corresponding interest in receiving it, Anwar claimed.

Anwar also alleged his statement was fair comment and was with justification. This means the criminal acts of displaying pornographic material, criminal defamation and intimidation against Anwar and Wan Azizah were tolerated by the police and the home minister who had supervisory powers.

Anwar claimed that Hishammuddin as the minister ought to have known about the screening and had allowed the video screening to proceed. This proves, he alleged, that the screening was politically motivated.

Hishammuddin liable for police actions

Anwar further claimed in his defence that the 'Datuk T' trio has not been charged with the offences of possessing, screening and distributing obscene material (section 292 of the Penal Code), criminal defamation (section 499, 503) and criminal intimidation (section 507). Anwar further contended that police had since the screening issued statements contrary to established professional pract! ise that the person in the video has been identified but to date did not disclose who the person is.

He further claimed that in several seminars organised in Bachok and other areas in Kelantan, a senior police officer told a group of teachers that the person in the video is the defendant. Anwar also alleges Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri AzIz was reported to have said it is more important to identify the actor and not kill the messenger.

The opposition leader claimed snippets of the video were released on the Internet on April 4 and 28 this year and also screened on prime time news, although the trio claimed to have given the police the only copy. Anwar further denied that what he said in the press conference following the report he lodged was false. Following this, he applied that Hishammuddin not be entitled to seek relief to his civil suit.

Suing back Hishammuddin

Citing various media reports quoting Hishammuddin, Anwar filed a counter-claim alleging the minister's statement was malicious and with the innuendo that the opposition leader was unfit for public office. It gives weight to the assertion by the trio that it was the defendant who was the person in the video as it was evident from Hishammuddin's comments and references that he was referring to the defendant, Anwar said.

Anwar claimed that newspaper editors and journalists had received the trio's press statement that the defendant had been explicitly named as the person in the video, and referred to the fact that Anwar was the only opposition leader subjected to numerous attacks of a personal nature by Hishammuddin and other BN leaders since 1998.

Resulting from this, the Permatang Pauh MP alleged Hishammuddin had defamed him and claimed that the minister's action in failing to stop the screening of the video was contrary to his duties and responsibilities as home minister. He further contended that Hishammuddin had committed mi! sfeasanc e in the execution of his public office and hence would like to seek damages for injuring his reputation. - Hafiz Yatim.

source:malaysiakini

Video seks: Anwar fail pembelaan, tuntutan balas

cheers.

MUBARAK Sokong Ustaz Nasa dan Ustaz Tuan Ibrahim

Hairan juga Tulang Besi. Mengapa MUBARAK (Majlis Bekas Wakil Rakyat Malaysia) yang dianggotai bekas-bekas wakil rakyat UMNO menyokong kedua-dua calon Timbalan Presiden (Tuan Ibrahim dan Nasaruddin Mat Isa) tapi menolak Abg Mat Sabu?

Mengapa begitu semangat dan gembira sekali mereka dengan kedua-dua calon ini Tulang Besi tidak tahu.

Cumanya, apabila seseorang itu solat, tapi SYAITAN menyukai solatnya ertinya solat itu bathil atau tertolak. Ini kerana tidak mungkin syaitan menyukai seseorang yang melakukan amal kebaikan yang diredhai Allah SWT.

Dalam kes ini, MUBARAK yang pekat UMNO menyukai kedua-dua calon ini. Tulang Besi amat risau dan gusar. Apakah ini petanda yang tidak baik kepada PAS?

Tulang Besi masih ingat sewaktu pemilihan 2009 dahulu, KESEMUA BLOG UMNO menyatakan sokongan terbuka kepada Nasaruddin Mat Isa. BLogger2 UMNO yang sama ini juga bertanggungjawab menyebar fitnah dan melakukan Qazaf dengan terbuka. Blogger2 UMNO yang sama yang menuduh pemimpin2 tertinggi PAS berzina dan ada hubungan seks haram di dalam keretapi.

Tak termasuk menuduh Anwar meliwat Saiful tanpa 4 saksi yang secara otomatik menjadikan mereka ini blogger2 Fasik.

Blogger2 yang sama ini juga telah memberikan sokongan terbuka kepada Nasaruddin Mat Isa pada tahun 2009. Bukan setakat itu, mereka merayakan kemenangan Nasa dengan perasaan yang sangat sangat gembira pada tahun 2009.

Sekarang ini MUBARAK pula membuka mulut memberikan sokongan kepada Tuan Ibrahim dan Nasaruddin Mat Isa.

Kenapa hati Tulang Besi gundah gulana terhadap sokongan terbuka ini?
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MUBARAK: Ada sinar perpaduan Umno-PAS
Jimadie Shah Othmanhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Mei 25, 11
2:16pm

Majlis Bekas Wakil ! Rakyat M alaysia (MUBARAK) positif masih ada sinar harapan untuk usaha perpaduan PAS-Umno kerana hasrat itu masih terbenam di lubuk hati sebahagian pemimpin kanannya.

Enggan menyatakan sokongan terhadap mana-mana calon timbalan presiden PAS, presidennya Datuk Seri Abdul Aziz Rahman berkata, Nasharudin Mat Isa dan Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man kedua-duanya 'OK'.

NONE"Nasharudin OK. Tuan Ibrahim OK. Masing-masing ada perspektif yang berbeza. Tetapi saya rasa jauh di lubuk hati kerjasama itu wujud.

"Cuma hendak merungkainya sahaja," katanya ketika ditanya sejauh mana keputusan pemilihan PAS akan mempengaruhi kerjasama kedua-dua parti Melayu itu di masa akan datang.

Pemilihan PAS kali ini menyaksikan pertembungan tiga penjuru antara Nasharudin sebagai penyandang, Tuan Ibrahim dan bekas naib presidennya Mohamad Sabu.

Bagaimanapun, antara kesemua mereka, Mohamad dilihat paling anti-Umno, yang berkemungkinan menutup rapat pintu rundingan dengan Umno sekiranya berjaya memenangi kerusi nombor dua itu.

Kesal anggota miskin tegar

Nasharudin pula sebelum ini dikaitkan dengan 'rundingan sulit' dengan Umno semasa pemerintah bekas perdana menteri Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Sementara itu, bercakap dalam sidang media di Kuala Lumpur hari ini, Abdul Aziz bagaimanapun menyerahkan perkara itu kepada anggota PAS sendiri bagi menentukan pemimpin pilihan mereka.

azlanIni kerana, tambahnya, beliau belum melihat profil kesemua calon yang bertanding dalam pemilihan parti Islam itu kali ini.

Ditanya sekali lagi tentang siapakah calon pilihannya, sambil ketawa, beliau tetap enggan menyatakannya dengan jelas.

Muktamar PAS akan berlangsung pada 4 hingga 6 Jun ini di markaz tarbiahnya di Gombak.

Sementara itu, Abdul Aziz turut menyatakan kekesalan ekoran terdapatnya anggota MUBARAK yang didakwa masih berstatus miskin tegar dan harus mendapat pembelaan.

Selaras dengan itu, tambahnya, majlis yang dipimpinya itu menubuhkan Gabungan Koperasi MUBARAK bagi meran! cakkan e konomi negara, sekali gus, membantu anggotanya.

Sarawaks super tragedy

FMT LETTER

From Alan Newman (NZ), via e-mail

A criminal who for decades held multiple portfolios of finance, planning and resources to plunder Sarawak left, right and centre, leaving bones to the people.

Had this colossal Curse not been in Sarawak, roads, highways, schools, hospitals, amenities, environment and income levels would have been on par with those in Dubai, NZ and Australia.

The wealth of a State of four million people, worth mega-billions stolen by a family and a group of cronies. Daylight robberies, right under our noses. The wealth belongs to the people who voted Taib to serve them. This is Sarawaks super tragedy.

For Francis Siah, DAP, PKR, PAS, please record clearly and permanently the names of every one who harassed or intimidated you police officers, PBB sycophants, DUM members.

I dare them, speak a word, make a phone call, point a finger, or raise a hand. Their names will be recorded and sealed for future arrests, powerful vendettas and for posterity.

Their days are numbered and their retribution will be swift and severe when the time comes.

This is war. I tell them in no uncertain terms they will not escape accountability and justice for the crimes that are now being committed under Taibs rotten regime. Egyptian President Mubarak and his sons have gone from palace to prison.

To Francis Siah and supporters, I uged them to contact Amnesty International and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights at UN, and get them involved now.

WikiLeaks: How Najib overcame the Kartika dilemma

MALAYSIAKINI - KUALA LUMPUR: The caning of three Muslim women in 2010 under the syariah law for committing adultery was a tactical manoeuvre undertaken by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razaks new administration to retain the conservative Malay voters, Malaysia-based US diplomats believed.

They also felt that the caning of the three women was perhaps an attempt by Najib and his party Umno to test the waters to forecast the sentiments on part-time model Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarnos caning for beer-drinking.

Kartika was found guilty by a Pahang Syariah Court in July 2009 of drinking beer at a hotel in Kuantan and was sentenced to six strokes of rotan and a fine of RM5,000.

The courts finding to cane her attacted wide attention, both from within and internationally, and the ruling had taken place just a year after Najib had become the prime minister. While her caning was pending for months for various reasons, the three women were caned in February 2010.

Kartikas case put Prime Minister Najibs new administration in the difficult position of balancing the competing forces fighting for Malaysias Muslim identity.

While concerned about preserving Malaysias image as a moderate Muslim state, Najib has been unwilling to date to criticise syariah law or otherwise downplay the seriousness of Kartikas offence for fear that it could damage Umnos Islamic bona fides, wrote a senior political officer based in the US embassy here in a confidential cable to the US State Department in Washington.

Details of the confidential cable sent in 2010 were leaked by WikiLeaks to popular blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin who had published the cable in his Malaysia Today website tod! ay.

That the GOM (government of Malaysia) chose to cane three anonymous women, rather than the internationally renowned Kartika, seems to be a tactical manoeuvre by Umno to retain or lure back conservative Malay voters as well as perhaps a testing of the waters presaging Kartikas caning.

That Najib feels the need to placate the most conservative Malays suggests that his stated intent to change to a more inclusive, less Malay-centric economic and political model is facing considerable, resistance within his own coalition, added the cable.

The cable must have been sent to the State Department immediately after the caning of the three women on Feb 9, 2010 as it makes no mention of the eventual outcome of Kartikas case. Following the intervention of the Sultan of Pahang, Kartikas caning sentence was eventually commuted to 20-day community service in April 2010.

The three women were sentenced to be caned for committing adultery in violation of Section 23 (2) of the Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory Syariah Criminal Offences Act of 1997.



Hisham the Islamic cleric

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussien had announced on Feb 17, 2010, that government officials had caned three Muslims on Feb 9, 2010. The three women were believed to be the first women to be caned under the law in Malaysia.

Two of the women received six strokes of the cane and the other received four. The women were caned in a female prison.

The US cable noted that the sentencing of women to such corporal punishment under syariah law contradicts the federal law outlined in Section 289 of the Criminal Procedure Code that states that women are not to be subject to caning.

In the current case, the three women, previously unknown to the public, were caned and the public was not informed for over a week.

The canings were administered by federal prison officials in a federal womens prison. This gives rise to a possible violation of fede! ral law that the GOM has yet to explain or address, added the cable.

The US cable also said that federal government was clearly playing a role in meting out a syariah punishment, with Hishammuddin sounding like an Islamic cleric in justifying the caning on the three women.

The federal government has highlighted its role in meting out these sentences, indicating that the decision had Najibs support.

Hishammuddin placed himself at the forefront of this issue, announcing on Feb 17 that the women had been caned, commenting that the punishment is to teach and give a chance to those who have fallen off the path to return and build a better life for the future, sounding much like an Islamic cleric, said the cable.

The US diplomats noted in the cable that Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin also failed to address the legal issue surrounding the caning of the three women, and had instead focused on the need to explain that syariah caning is ritualistic rather than severe.

The cable further pointed out that the federal governments role in caning the Muslim women was also evident in a statement issued by minister in charge of religious affairs Jamil Khir Baharom who had reportedly said that the women were remorseful and welcomed their sentence.

Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Jalil was also reported to have said: As the minister in charge of women affairs in this country, I really hope that the whipping sentence on Muslim women will be carried out fairly and judiciously.

Press freedom in Malaysia restricted

MALAYSIAKINI - PETALING JAYA: Malaysia must do more to protect the rights of its citizens as well as foreign workers, a human rights group said.

Persatuan Promosi Hak Asasi Manusia (Proham) chairman Tan Sri Simon Sipaun said the situation of human rights in the country had gone from bad to worse.

"Press freedom in the country has plummeted by 10 in its ranking within a period of one year," he said adding that Malaysia was ranked 143 out of 196 countries surveyed worldwide in the latest Freedom of the Press Index report.

In the region, Malaysia was ranked below Timor Leste, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia but above Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam.

Simon said this during a round-table discussion on the 'US 2010 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Malaysia' yesterday.

The report listed instances whereby the freedom of press, association, assembly, speech, and religion in the country had been restricted by the Government in the past year.

The report is prepared annually by the US government for the 193 countries which are members of the United Nations.

Proham member Datuk Dr Raj Abdul Karim said the US government should also acknowledge what the Malaysian Government had done in terms of human rights.

"The Government has done a lot to reduce the country's maternal mortality rate due to its commitment to improve healthcare services in the country," she said, adding that the mortality rate was now only 31 out of 100,000 women.

However, she said the child mortality rate was expected to increase due to changing trends in the country.

Dr Raj said the changing trends were due to the increasing number of teenage pregnancies and pregnancy! among f oreign workers.

"In this country, it is considered illegal for foreign workers or migrants to get pregnant and they will immediately be sent back to their countries," she said adding that the strict policies led to more cases of baby dumping.

She called for the Government to be more considerate and to introduce favourable policies for unwed pregnancies.

"There needs to be more openness in family planning services," she said, adding that it should not be restricted only to married couples.

-The Star/Asia News Network

Dr Mahathir's health on the mend

MALAYSIAKINI - PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's health continues to improve, said his special officer Sufi Yusoff.

"Doctors at Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) have switched to oral antibiotic tablets in place of intravenous treatment," he said in a statement.

Dr Mahathir was admitted at 6am on May 18 after complaining of fever and cough.

Sufi added that Dr Mahathir would not attend the 17th Nikkei International Conference in Tokyo tomorrow as reported earlier.

-The Star/Asia News Network

42 pupils fall sick after drinking free milk

MALAYSIAKINI : BANDAR JENGKA, Malaysia - Forty-two pupils of Sekolah Kebangsaan Jengka Lapan here went down with food poisoning after drinking milk given by their class teacher yesterday.

They had nausea and diarrhoea and some were vomiting.

They were taken to the Bandar Jengka hospital and Polyclinic Jengka 8 for treatment before being allowed to go home.



Year Six pupil Siti Solehah Halim, 12, said she suffered from severe stomach ache and headache and was put on drips.

"I became weak and nearly fainted, but thank god my condition improved at the hospital.

"This was the second time that I had consumed the milk after we first had it last Friday," she said.
Normafuzah Mazlan, 11, said she and her friends drank the milk which was given by a class teacher before attending lessons.

"An hour later, some of us began to feel uneasy and had stomach ache. Then some of my friends ran out of the classroom to vomit. I alerted the class teacher and she rushed us to the clinic for treatment," she said.

Her mother, Norazizah Ismail, 46, said a teacher from the school contacted her to inform that Normafuzah had been taken to the polyclinic and she immediately rushed there to check on her daughter's condition.

The school's parent-teacher association deputy chairman, Zairol Nizam Osman, said the Education Ministry should look at the possibility of suspending the free milk programme if it continued to bring harm to the students.

Still at a loss over Sarawak polls results...

At the tail end of last month's Sarawak election campaign, Pakatan Rakyat leader Anwar Ibrahim addressed a press conference with an almost jubilant demeanour.

Buoyed by what positive responses the opposition got around the Borneo state, Anwar claimed that Pakatan Rakyat could even deny BN two-thirds majority in the Sarawak legislature.

But as the results came out, pin-drop silence enveloped the PKR headquarters in Kuching, with morose party workers collating numbers which, until today, Anwar says remain dumbfounding.

Of the 49 seats it contested, PKR won only three.

"I knew there would be rigging, but I am at a loss for (answers) on how and why it ended up that way.

"Some of the longhouse residents have woken up politically, you talked to the people and saw that they were quite genuine... I didn't think there was something wrong. "I don't know, except for the fact that the Election Commission would have the answer," he said.

While PKR's improvement from one seat to three in the state assembly was a commendable effort, Pakatan partner DAP's victory in 12 of 15 seats it contested was a stunning outcome that changed the face of Sarawak politics.

To some extent, the DAP's stellar performance also shifted the equilibrium in Sarawak Pakatan, causing a rustling that was most recently apparent in the announcement of the state's shadow cabinet. Political observers are also holding their breath as DAP moves into merger talks with the Sarawak National Party (Snap), despite the very public fallout between PKR and the Dayak party.

In this segment of an exclusive interview with Anwar, the PKR de facto leader weighs in on these issues, in addition to giving a lengthy explanation on his party's thor! ny episo de with Snap.The content has been edited for language and brevity.

Malaysiakini: The last time we spoke to you in Sarawak, you were confident of even denying BN two-thirds majority in the state assembly. That did not pan out. What happened?

Anwar Ibrahim: Yes, I was pleased with Ba'Kelalan, where we were able to penetrate most of the rural heartland, but you look at (PKR's Ba'Kelalan victor) Baru Bian and (PKR's Krian constituency victor) Ali Biju - both actually had better machinery, and worked earlier and harder.

They had loyal supporters, funding and even people (as polling agents) to monitor the counting of ballot papers. Nobody can tell us if there was actually a transparent manner in counting the votes. I knew there would be rigging, but I am at a loss for (answers) on how and why it ended up that way.

Some of the longhouse residents had woken up politically, you talked to the people and saw that they were quite genuine... I didn't think there was something wrong. I don't know, except for the fact that the Election Commission would have the answer.

You contested 49 seats and won only three. Would you have performed better if you had made peace with Snap?

(PKR) left this entirely to (Sarawak PKR chief) Baru and the team of Dayak guys, and they had very strong issues (against Snap). It is not just a matter of them being from a different party, but whether or not this group of people (from Snap) can be trusted.

So how did we deal with it? I took a very soft line... well, finally (deputy president) Azmin (Ali) went with a mandate that PKR must be able to speak with Snap against the advice of the Dayak leaders, but this was never reflected in any of the (media) reports, which I think is unfair, because it was interpreted that we were trying to dictate things.

You see, there was an agreement in writing, where! Snap on ly agreed to contest three seats, and then they asked us if it is possible to have another three. It was signed a few months before the election by (Snap president) Stanley (Jugol). Then, when the Kuala Lumpur 'experts' (backers of Snap) went in, they changed their position.

It is not a matter of us giving them or not giving them seats. I saw some of the areas as very weak for us and it was better for us to concede. But then the Dayak leaders told us, why concede to people who will not stay with Pakatan? This is a very serious allegation. It is true - the general perception is, you have 40 seats already, so why are you quarrelling?

Not just PKR leaders, but the Dayak civil society came and sent a strong message. They said, "Anwar, would you tolerate working with any independent candidate and party, that you do not have confident that they stay with you in Pakatan? Haven't you learnt your lessons with your jumping frogs?"

What did I say? It was not easy. I said, "Well, I don't know the situation, but the general perception here is that you must be seen to be more humble and negotiate."

They said, "What makes you think we are not prepared to negotiate?" And then they gave me evidence that this figure who is against Pakatan was seen with Stanley. In hindsight, should we have still conceded? I don't know.

So, initially you wanted to concede?

Yes, yes. In fact, (we wanted to concede) six plus-plus seats. Not (just) six.

This a very much a trust issue?

Yes, I mean Dayak politics were also... to be fair to them, (the Dayaks) also had views on this too and it went to the Pakatan council, and the brief from (the leaders) was still to go down and negotiate. So I had to call Baru to say, "You must allow Azmin to proceed" and Baru said, "Okay, I will back off a bit".

Baru said if he appea! red (in the negotiations), he would have problems with his people.

If it is a trust issue, then what do you make of DAP now offering to merge with Snap?

That's okay. I think the statements must be seen in the context that DAP wants to be portrayed as a multiracial party, etc. I don't think we should be so negative in reacting to this. DAP also got the message from the Dayak leaders. I think the merger could probably be not with the whole party (Snap), but to bring in some individuals. So I think we should give some leeway or space for DAP to discuss. The issue is, when discussions are done in public, then the (PKR) reaction is (it) not to proceed.

I told this to the DAP leaders. I said, "You can proceed, but the perception is, you're going with the party that lost its deposits, you're going with a party that is questionable - in terms of its position and desire (of whether) to be with Pakatan, to be truly independent, or somewhere in between."

You remember there was so much pressure for us to support the independent candidate against (Sarawak Chief Minister) Abdul Taib Mahmud. Because (former deputy education minister and ex-PBB leader) Salleh Jafaruddin (left) has more funds and the family factor (Salleh is Taib's cousin) so I thought, okay. Contrary to my public speeches, I considered it a bit in many ways.

(Someone) showed me this report. He was interviewed, in which he said, "I oppose Taib and BN in Sarawak, but I support Najib and BN in federal." So we could not proceed with supporting his candidacy. But for those who didn't know, they attacked us, saying we were greedy.

The result of the election somewhat changed the equation. DAP won more seats, PKR is no longer seen as the big boy (in Sarawak). How do you feel about that?

PAS is very small, but in all meetings and discussions, we must all be kept fully informed. You must not ign! ore the importance or need to recognise the role of each party, no matter how big or small. DAP's victory was (on the back of) mainly ethnic Chinese support. That was how (Batu Lintang victor) See Chee How (left) won with an impressive victory in the name of PKR.

He is basically an ethnic Chinese representing a multiracial party. So you can sense the mood among the Chinese voters, which to me is a positive point. That is why when it comes to the... shadow cabinet, we took a softer line. The younger guys sometimes get excited, and we can understand this, but here is how we resolve this - we don't resolve according to senior or junior party.

For every single portfolio, we have a team there that can be called in. Why should a shadow cabinet be like that in the UK? Why are we so obsessed with the whole idea? It is only necessary in so far as having a team to monitor the portfolio.

You were the one who mooted the shadow cabinet.

No, shadow committee - we said shadow committee, to make sure that every single committee is well represented (by all component parties). We don't have the dominance of one party or one group; these activities must be well-understood at all levels if you want Pakatan to work.

So, in the case of Sarawak where you have the shadow cabinet announced, DAP is quite obviously dominant...

Yes, probably in the Sarawak context it is okay, but don't forget the ramifications nationwide. It just reaffirms this campaign by Utusan (Malaysia) and Perkasa. But to be fair to (DAP Sarawak chief) Wong Ho Leng (in red shirt), he did present the issue to the committee.

You must allow it, not only representation, but you must also give credence. I mean I took a big risk with the Muslim crowd, endorsing (Baru) as the prospective chief minister, but they relegated him a very small portfolio.

There must be representation, particularly ! the Daya k and Malays should be well-represented and have strong seats in key portfolios. But let them (Sarawak Pakatan) deal with it... they are still discussing, although it has quietened down now.

A lot of people question why Pakatan cannot form a shadow cabinet. There is a lot of sensitivity involved. Some may feel that a shadow minister can eventually be the actual minister, and this could create tension between the parties.

This is partly true, but why the obsession of one person being a spokesperson (for a portfolio)? Why can't we work on a common position? Who do you want to appease with the idea of a shadow cabinet? The elite and professionals? When it comes to the masses, they want policies, so let's work as a team. Economic policy, distributive justice, affirmative action... all these, to my mind, is a learning curve and we can agree on broad parameters.

I am quite happy with the second line of leadership. (PKR secretary-general) Saifuddin (Nasution), (DAP publicity chief) Tony Pua, (PKR vice-president) Tian (Chua) and (PAS central executive committee member) Dzulkefly Ahmad... that team works well and they are quite thorough - that shows the need not to promote just one person, that we should work together to outline policies.

(Interview by Steven Gan, Salhan K Ahmad, Kow Gah Chie and Aidila Razak)

source:malaysiakini.

cheers.

PR SOCIAL CONTRACT THE ORANGE BOOK PART III (THE ABOLISHMENT OF TOLL)

PR 100 days Agenda No 3:
Instruct Khazanah Berhad, Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and other government bodies to take over highway assets from the concessionaires in order to abolish the toll system.

1.When I read the agenda, a few issues came to my mind. Firstly, there are no free lunches in this world! Secondly are they doing something that is popular or something that is right? As a man in the street certainly I am delighted for not having to pay any toll but the roads are built by the private sector and they need to be paid.

2.We must accept the reality that highway concessions were awarded on a business arrangement. Who got it and how they got is irrelevant as most of this entities have changed hand. To deal with the issue of TOLL we have to look at it from business perspective with the CURRENT owners. To take it over forcibly would means that the government has to use nationalization laws and I believe that would have a long term implication on investors in investing public related projects in Malaysia. Therefore it is not preferred.

3.When PR says they will instruct Khazanah and EPF to take over, it cannot be done without any guarantees. These are public business and quasi government entities. Someone has to pay. There are no free lunches. If the government guarantees a minimum 6% pa returns to this entities than the government has to pay from somewhere. Right now the nation is in deficit. Who ever take over the government must address this deficit.

4.Based on that, I believe PR agenda No 3 is not sustainable. It is a popular decision. At best, the right thing to do is to reduce the toll rates to cover operational and financial obligation. To abolish it is impractical. There is a need to consolidate the Klang Valley (KV) toll roads and the long haul highway (NS). Personally I dont mind paying this once in a while long haul toll charges but hope the regular toll payments that I made for the KV roads is either reduced of capped from further increases! .

5.In conclusion, I do not support PR agenda No 3 i.e. Toll abolishment.

0.0000000.000000

Its payback time!

MALAYSIAKINIlMaxwell Coopers:

It is payback time in Singapore! No, it is not the settling of scores. Instead, it is the paring down of the salaries of all political appointees.

The stratospheric salaries of its president, prime minister and all political appointees have been scaled back from May 21.

This issue which has caused deep-seated resentment before, during and after the May 7 general election has finally been addressed.

The big question is: just by how much and would it be sufficient enough to quell public anger?

To be sure, there is no concealing the fact that Singapore leaders are some of the highest paid in the world. With an annual pay package of US$2.48 million, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loongs salary dwarfs even that of the US president and other major European leaders. And that salary does not include the bonuses due to him, which traditionally is paid at the end of every year.

His other ministers, too, command equally high jaw-dropping amounts. President SR Nathan, despite being a figure head, draws a salary slighly higher than Hsien Loong.

At just 1.4% of the Gross Domestic Product, you are getting a good government, the nations founding father and first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew once reportedlytold his countrymen.

Celestial pay scales

Kuan Yew himself was the architect of those celestial pay scales. During a parliamentary debate in 1985, he argued that high salaries were necessary to prevent knaves, rogues and fools from entering Parliament.

But that was in 1985. A year later in 1986, the countrys Nationa! l Develo pment Minister, Teh Cheang Wan, whom Lee declared he would have made his business manager if Teh was running a corporation, committed suicide after it was revealed that he was being investigated for corruption.

Many in Singapore were stunned at the news that one of their ministers had taken his own life. What was even bewildering was that the circumstances leading to his death were but a classic instance of knavery amidst all the high salaries and perks he enjoyed as a cabinet minister.

In all fairness, there are as yet very little documented instances of the knaves, rogues and fools Kuan Yew once feared about in todays Singapore.

The science of what constitutes happiness, satisfaction and, above all, how much is actually too much is rarely understood. It was perhaps the abstract nature of defining what is equitable and fair that is now lying at the heart of all the ferment in the tiny city-state.

Singapores system is unique in that the salaries of ministers, junior ministers and rookie ministers are all benchmarked against the median income brackets of some leading private sector professions including law, banking, engineering, and manufacturing.

Lesser global responsibilities

Any notion that politics and public service are to be a calling, to be infused with a missionary sense of zeal, was rubbished off a long time ago when Kuan Yew made his famous knaves, rogues and fools speech. In its stead is the allure of unusually high salaries for not so unusually high office.

All this means that regardless of whether the country sinks into a recession or not, Singapore ministers will continue receiving the same salaries.

By any reckoning, Hsien Loongs annual wages are considerably higher than the US president. Thats despite the well-publicised fact that he has considerably far lesser global responsibilities than what a US president is expected to accomplish.

Updated accounts of how people gene! rally ar e faring and their quality of living in Singapore are non-existent at the time of writing. But the sight of ageing, gaunt and infirm people waiting at tables in restaurants, cleaning up streets and pushing carts in the airport confirms long-standing angst that wages for ordinary Singaporeans have not kept pace with economic progress.

It also confirms that the divide between the haves and have-nots has widened over the last few years. Earlier this year strident calls were made by activists to address the wage issue by imposing a minimum wage regime. As expected, it was shot down.

If there was indeed pain that should have been felt, it was not felt by the powers to be. But, oddly it took an election and the withdrawal of general support for the ruling Peoples Action Party (PAP) for it to come around.

It just has to be payback time for the PAP!

Maxwell Coopers in a freelance writer based in Singapore

Iskandar authority wants more funds from Budget 2012

MALAYSIAKINI : JOHOR BARU - Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda) is seeking more funds from the Federal Government in the upcoming Budget 2012.

Chief executive officer Ismail Ibrahimsaid a submission had been made to the Government and Irda was hoping that it would consider giving more allocation to Irda.

The allocation will be used for infrastructure projects and other related works such as public amenities, he told a press conference yesterday after the opening of the Wealth of Iskandar Malaysia conference.

He said the extra allocation was important as Iskandar Malaysia would be entering its fifth year and several of the infrastructure projects and iconic developments would be completed in 2012.

Ismail said the money would also be used in programmes specially structured and coordinated for the locals to create opportunities for them and equitable distribution of future wealth in tandem with the progress in Iskandar Malaysia.

Under Budget 2010, the Government had allocated some RM850mil for the five economic growth corridors, mostly in infrastructure.

The countrys first economic growth corridor Iskandar Malaysia had received RM339mil to construct highways, housing areas and public transportation services. The Northern Corridor Economic Region had received RM133mil, East Coast Economic Region RM178mil, Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy RM93mil and Sabah Development Corridor RM110mil.

Separately, Ismail said interests from Singapore investors to invest in Iskandar Malaysia remained strong despite the results from the recently-co! ncluded general election in the republic.

SingaporePrime Minister Lee Hsien Leonghas given a strong signal to Singaporeans to invest in Iskandar Malaysia and there is no turning back for them, he said.

Ismail said improvement in bilateral ties between Malaysia and Singapore since Prime MinsterDatuk Seri Najib Tun Razaktook office in April 2009 would bring economic benefits to the two countries.

He said Irda and other stakeholders had to work even harder to attract investments not only from Singapore but from other parts of the world to Iskandar Malaysia.

Ismail said as of March 2011, Iskandar Malaysia had recorded RM73.24bil in committed investments since its inception in November 2006, with 59% from domestic investors.

- The Star

When will Asia lead? Answer: When Mamak dies.

MAY 24 — Let’s not delude ourselves; the next head of the IMF was always going to be a European. Despite much commentary in Asia (and Europe) about the need for a candidate from the developing world, the US and EU agree that Dominique Strauss-Kahn is to be replaced with another European, maintaining the convenient status quo of a European head of the IMF and an American head of the World Bank.

The case for maintaining a European head is purely political. The American zeal for democratic principles is conveniently suspended as it continues to resist supporting an emerging markets candidate lest the Europeans do the same at the World Bank. Instead, we are told by a succession of EU ministers that the selection of the new head of the IMF should be based on “merit.”

There is little doubt that Europe boasts the breadth and depth of talent needed to field a candidate who is able to oversee a quickly evolving global financial system whilst being able to manage a large and bureaucratic international organisation. But so does the emerging world. If the process were truly meritocratic, the world would have had the choice of a wide range of candidates irrespective of their nationality.

Instead the argument being made is that the present Eurozone crisis demands a European head of the IMF. This is an insult to the developing world. It is apparently perfectly natural for Frenchman Michel Camdessus to have sorted out the Asian financial crisis in 1998, but it would clearly be an outrage for an Asian to sort out the Eurozone’s current predicament.

More than insulting, the argument is also desperately short-sighted. The Fund’s raison d’être is to govern the international monetary system and to promote international trade.

The Eurozone crisis may be extremely pertinent today, but it is the rebalancing of financial capital from the West to Asia that is likely to take up most of the IMF’s time in the coming few years. Asia is already the leading driver of growth in international trade and the rapid internalisation of the Renminbi is likely to lead to the emergence of a competing reserve currency in the near future.

These trends will require careful managing to avoid the potentially destabilising impact it will have on the international monetary system. Applying Europe’s own arguments, it would be natural to conclude that we need an Asian head of the IMF more than ever before.

So why is it this possibility so remote? The most obvious reason is that the votes are quite simply stacked in favour of the US and the EU. The Fund is governed by a 24-member executive board, with each member representing a constituency of four or more of the 187-member countries.

Each country’s votes are proportionate to its contribution to the Fund, which in turn is determined by the size of their respective economies. The EU and the US together control more than 50 per cent of the votes and can easily dictate the identity of the new managing director should it speak with one voice (as it currently does).

But as Asia continues to accumulate the capital surplus that the West is increasingly dependent on, this arrangement can and should change over time. But the speed of change will be determined by Asia’s ability to find a common voice.

India and China are both natural picks to lead such a move, but continue to treat one another with suspicion. As a result, neither is likely to support a candidate from the other country. Instead, if Asia is to find a common candidate, it will have to look to smaller states, as it has with Ban Ki-Moon, the South Korean Secretary General of the UN.

South-East Asia is an obvious choice for this. In 2009, China was Asean’s biggest external trading partner contributing 12 per cent of its total international trade; with the EU not far behind at 11 per cent. The stability of the Euro and the rise of the Renminbi are therefore issues that are of great concern to the region.

Asean is also not short of capable and well respected candidates. Malaysia’s well-regarded central bank governor, Zeti Akhtar Aziz, and Singapore’s Tharman Shanmugaratnam (who is already Chairman of the International Monetary Fund’s International Monetary and Financial Committee) are two frequently mentioned examples.

But Asean has failed to act with the speed and unity of purpose needed for it to seize such an opportunity. Asean may only have 3.89 per cent of the overall votes, but together with Japan, China, India and Australia, Asia counts for a not insignificant 22.68 per cent. A strong Asean case today would have helped raise its profile on the world stage even if unsuccessful and paved the way for a future Asian head by exposing the blatant inequities of the current system.

The IMF is an important institution whose role in managing the international financial system since Bretton Woods has been invaluable. But to continue to be relevant in the rapidly changing financial world order, it must become more than another club led by the US and the EU. Asia, and Asean, must quickly learn to match its impressive economic growth with a sense of common purpose on the world stage.

"Ethnic Indians to declare blood war with Mamak"

RACIAL QUOTA?

I will never agree with that.. If we are talking about racial quota, then we are just another racist. What we are fighting for is EQUALITY. All racial barriers should go..

1.When all Malay schools and Sekolah Agama are fully aided, why not Tamil Schools and Chinese Schools? We are not requesting racial quota, but equality.

2.When all Malay-Bumiputera can start freely apply for government projects, why the non-Malay-Bumiputera needs to be qualified in racial requirement in getting government projects. We are not asking our shares. But we need equality.

3.When we buy a house by paying 100%, why should a Malay-Bumiputera given 7% off, regardless of whether they earn 3, 4, 5 or 6 figure income. We don't want discount. But we want equality.

4.When special programs like FELDA, created for poor Malays, why not such programs open to ALL. We are not asking racial quota in it. But just requesting them to be fair.

5. MARA's Standard and STPM standard is no way comparable. Yet, MARA student easily get into universities. But STPM students who obtained excellent results denied a course in Local Uni. They were also denied scholarship, when students who obtained just an average results got FULL PSD scholarship to further their studies abroad. We are not begging for scholarship. But just don't understand, why there are double standard?

Above are just a few example of what is happening in current system. If our government is transparent, non-racist, fair to all, then Malaysian Community will exist. As long as, racist policies exist, Indians wants to secure themselves as Indians. Chinese as Chinese. and the Malays will remain Malays.

The fault is not with the people. But with the system. People are ready for changes. But the system never change. We are looking for assurance. Once we are assured of EQUALITY, then I'm sure people will come out from this racial network. We need to strengthen the community first, before we build a strong nation.

We can't forever sit in a comfort zone as Indians. This is just temporary shelter. We have to breakthrough racial shell in future. Before that, we shall seek for betterment. Lets improve our community in EDUCATION and ECONOMY. That will give us confidence to set free. We require no allocations and quotas to CHANGE OURSELVES. We just need few seconds to THINK. So, invest your time, Use your Brain, Arise, Awake and Act!!

Arivananthan Marimuthu

Che Khalib to lead TNB for another year

MALAYSIAKINI : KUALA LUMPUR - Datuk Seri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh will stay on as president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Tenaga Nasional Bhd for another year.

The extension of service is effective July 1 to June 30, 2012.

The announcement was made by the company in a filing to Bursa Malaysia here Tuesday.

Che Khalib, 46, was appointed CEO on July 1, 2004 for a three-year term. The company then extended his service for another three-year term.

His service was also extended for another one year term from July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011.

- BERNAMA

Changi Airport records double-digit growth in April

In its monthly update, Changi Airport Group said passenger traffic from most regions including Eastern Europe, South-east Asia and North-east Asia, recorded double-digit growth. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG

CHANGI Airport handled 3.73 million passengers in April, a 13.7 per cent increase compared to the same month in 2010.

In its monthly update, Changi Airport Group said passenger traffic from most regions including Eastern Europe, South-east Asia and North-east Asia, recorded double-digit growth.

The overall growth came even as traffic volume to and from Japan, continued its slide as demand to the quake-hit country stayed weak.

In April, the Singapore-Tokyo market shrank by 34 per cent compared to April 2010, while demand for Singapore-Japan air traffic fell by 26 per cent.

Low-cost carriers, which account for about a quarter of Changi's traffic continued to be the growth driver, carrying 26 per cent more passengers in April compared to the same period a year ago.

Buoyed by double-digit growth in cargo trans-shipments, airfreight movements at Changi Airport grew 6.1 per cent to 155,812 tonnes in April 2011, Changi Airport Group said.

UMNO Mamaks Are NOT Real Malays and Should Speak on Behalf of KIMMA instead

Quote

"... I find myself in strange territory listening to people like Reezal Merican, or Rahim Azeez speak for the Malays.

I would have thought, Malays are better off if THESE people speak on behalf of KIMMA.

(Note: KIMMA = Kongres India Muslim Malaysia, OR Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress =MIMC)

How can we force ourselves to suffer fools by allowing ourselves to consume the hate spewing writings of some bloggers whose Malay-ness are questionable?

Why isn't the peddler of rancid curry speaking on behalf and FOR KIMMA members?

I think Malays have got enough talented people to speak for ourselves.

Then we have those who pretend they speak for UMNO but are themselves NOT UMNO members.

The REAL UMNO man WOULDN'T speak of an imagined clash of Christians and Muslims or spun the story about Christians taking over this country.

(And) those Malays in power have not helped other Malays.

So if UMNO insists that UMNO is Malay and Malay in UMNO, then by extension, Malays in power do not help the rest of Malays will also mean, UMNO in power does not help the rest of the Malays.

UMNO people must be realistic on this. One doesn't stop becoming Malay if one dismisses UMNO. People are already doing that if you still don't realize it.

Yet the leadership is hyping themselves, aided by a pliant audio visual and print media into believing all is well. Ignorance is really bliss.
-"Sakmongkol AK47"

Talking Malay on False Premises

by

"Sakmongkol AK47"

Let us demolish one pet belief of UMNO people and those who think they speak for UMNO. It's time for the real Malay to speak for the Malay. Where have the real Malays gone?
Ho w can we force ourselves to suffer fools by allowing ourselves to consume the hate spewing writings of some bloggers whose Malay-ness are questionable? Why isn't the peddler of rancid curry speaking on behalf and for Kimma members? He looks more kitol-ish that the person he castigates as Kitol. Why isn't the gold nugget seller doing the same? We thank you but no thanks.

Jadi jadi lah kita orang Melayu kena tipu.

I find myself in strange territory listening to people like Reezal Merican, or Rahim Azeez speak for the Malays. I would have thought, Malays are better off if these people speak on behalf of KIMMA. I think Malays have got enough talented people to speak for ourselves.

Then we have those who pretend they speak for UMNO but are themselves not UMNO members. Can they have the same thinking dynamics of an UMNO member? And I am not even differentiating between good and bad thinking- just undifferentiated UMNO thinking. Why is this important? It's important because then, what we say can be leavened with realistic assessment. Then we can appreciate the UMNO spirit.
Without the UMNO spirit, what you write is mechanical.

The real UMNO man wouldn't speak of an imagined clash of Christians and Muslims or spun the story about Christians taking over this country. I think Malays are already suffering from an overdose of ghost stories and will NOT want to add to their consumption ,manufactured tales about DAP becoming PM or Christians taking over this country.

Does a Malay cease to be a Malay if he is not UMNO member? Being UMNO is not an absolute requirement to fight for a Malay cause. Even being Malay is not an absolute guarantee that Malay interests are taken care of. Both require the right Malay with the right values and the UMNO Malay with the right values.

Consider the record before us. From the day we got independence, most of our MBs are Malays. The top bosses in the Police and the army are Malays. The KSUs and TKSUs are almost invariably Malays. The top gove! rnment o fficers are Malays. All the District officers are. All penghulus are Malays. All the Kings? All are Malays.

Now, one would be justified into assuming that given the fact that almost all the important orifice bearers are Malays and the governmental institutions we have are peopled by Malays, the lot of the Malays would be greatly improved or would have been vastly improved. Wouldn't it?

Well, in terms of control of the economy, Malay economic interest is just about 20%. That's 20% of the overall wealth being shared by 65% of the population. We would further imagine that Malays would own more land in this country. We would also imagine that Malays owned better housing. Their education would be of higher standard. With Malays in power, there would have been more rich Malays than rich non Malays. Yet in the top 20 richest in Malaysia, you would find probably one fellow.

In the top 40, you start getting more Malays but you also get more non Malays.
So what conclusion can you deduce from these observations?

The only valid and justifiable conclusion, is having Malays up there does not readily translate into Malay prominence in any of the fields we mentioned. It follows from here, that positioning Malays in strategic offices is not necessarily beneficial and advantageous to Malays.

The other conclusion is those Malays in power have not helped other Malays. So if UMNO insists that UMNO is Malay and Malay in UMNO, then by extension, Malays in power do not help the rest of Malays will also mean, UMNO in power does not help the rest of the Malays.

UMNO people must be realistic on this. One doesn't stop becoming Malay if one dismisses UMNO. People are already doing that if you still don't realize it. 1.5 million UMNO protested by not voting in UMNO candidates. That should be interpreted as a rejection of not merely the candidates but perhaps more so of the policies and vision that UMNO projects.

1.5 million Members didn't share in the vision of UMNO. 3.7 million Mal! ay voter s didn't subscribe to the UMNO ideals pedaled by UMNO leaders.

Yet the leadership is hyping themselves, aided by a pliant audio visual and print media into believing all is well. Ignorance is really bliss.

Karpal: Speaker can't move to disqualify Tian Chua yet...

Veteran lawyer and lawmaker Karpal Singh said that the speaker of the Dewan Rakyat cannot move to disqualify Batu MP Chua Tian Chiang at this juncture.

Karpal said this was because Chua still can seek a review of a High Court case which handed down a decision that could potentially disqualify him.

The speaker of the Dewan Rakyat cannot resort to the provisions of Article 53 (1) of the federal constitution for a decision to disqualify Chua at this stage.

A decision to disqualify Chua by the Dewan Rakyat can only be taken after the dismissal of his review application by the Court of Appeal, said Karpal in a statement today.

Yesterday, the Court of Appeal threw out Chua's application for a review of a High Court decision to hand him a RM2,000 fine for obstructing a police officer. Chua's application was rejected on the grounds of a technicality and thus Karpal argued that the former was still eligible to file a fresh application for a review.

It is open to Chua to apply for a review of the decision of the Court of Appeal handed down yesterday within a reasonable time, as there is no time limit for filing an application for review and attend the Dewan Rakyat sitting commencing June 13, 2011, said Karpal.

'Dewan Rakyat must wait for final court verdict'

Chua and his party PKR are now concerned about whether the speaker, who is from the BN, would use his powers under Article 53 (1) of the federal constitution to! call fo r a vote on whether to disqualify him.

With nearly a two-third majority control of the Dewan Rakyat, a vote would surely not be in Chua's favour.

However, Karpal points out that Article 53 (1) also specifies that the Dewan Rakyat cannot prevent the House from postponing such a decision until other related proceedings, that may affect its decision, are disposed of.

Upon appeal, the High Court on June 17 last year dismissed his appeal against his conviction but reduced the fine from RM3,000 to RM2,000 specifically to avoid a by-election.

Article 48 of the federal constitution states that a member of the Dewan Rakyat can be disqualified if fined an amount not less than RM2,000" by a Malaysian court.

Justice Ghazali Cha's rationale was based on Supreme Court Justice Gunn Chit Tuan's judgment that read the phrase 'shall not be less than' should mean 'more than'.

source:malaysiakini

cheers.