ANWAR: WE ARE READY!

My friend and colleague Hussein Hamid (better known as SteadyAku47) has uploaded a few video recordings of Anwar Ibrahim's recent speeches as the Opposition Leader tirelessly crisscrosses the nation getting voters into shape for the biggest battle in Malaysian history: GE13!

No point reinventing the wheel. Just view them at Hussein's blog - thanks!

AP photoMore strength, stamina, and power to you, DSAI! With you since 2 September 1998.... REFORMASI!

Some rights reserved Antares/Magick RiverYou may borrow and/or modify content for your own blog but please credit and backlink, thanks.

Perkasa helping unite opposition and the people

FMT LETTER: From So sad yet ticklish, via e-mail

In the middle east, the government and their goons underestimated how resolute the people were.

They thought violence could silence the majority as this was their modus operandi in the past and was effective in their implementation then.

But times have changed and theres always a limit to ones patience.

Similar to the Phillipines under Marcos, the Ninoy assassination was the trigger for people power.

The government should just let this demo go on. I dont see anything can be done about the EC unless there is a change of government first.

But to change the government is difficult as the EC will continue favour the present powers that be. So it is a dichotomy.

Perkasa may just be the vehicle that opposition need.

Frankly speaking, the opposition has never been so united before, until extremism, fascist and apartheid views starting to take root in earnest, in the name of religion and race.

Strange it may be, we could very much need to thank Perkasa in the future for helping unite opposition and the people.

Also read:

Perkasa to counter Bersih rally

PAS is on the ball, damn BN

Free Malaysia Today » Opinion by fmt

FMT LETTER

From piladan, via e-mail

PAS is realistic and pragmatic. It can feel the pulse of the people, the common ordinary folk, the vast majority of whom are surviving with meagre income and without even the basic necessities.

PAS’ welfare state is clearly a public demonstration that it is highly sensitive and readily responsive to the welfare and well-being of all, based on needs, in keeping with universally acceptable Islamic values.

In stark contrast, the Narisan Nasional government has lost its touch with reality and has utterly failed to address the socio-economic problems, the basic bread and butter issues and in the maintence of law and order.

The divide and rule was used to keep different race separate and apart to for its political survival. Barisan Nasional lost its sense of direction when it used the same divide and rule model based on wealth to create two distinct groups – the vast majority of poor, powerless and downtroden verses the smaller group of rich, powerful and the well-connected.

Through corruption and proxy cronyism with mega projects and mega shady deals, the rich became richer and the poor became poorer. BN has lost consideable ground to PAS. It may be difficult to save BN from the wrath of the enlightened.

Also read:

Laying bare the truth about PAS

To disqualify Batu MP Tian Chua is "dishonourable",says Nazri...

Bonus: Mahathir's Bro Mugabe not welcome

by ali allah ditta

Minister in Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz said that it would be "dishonourable" for BN to seek Batu MP Chua Tian Chang's disqualification as an elected representative.

"As a fellow MP, it is not right for me to put a motion to seek for his removal. We are all honourable members of the house," Nazri told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

He said that Chua's status is best decided by the speaker of the house.

"Moreover, I've to take cognisance from the first judge's decision on the matter, from the judgement it showed that he had lowered the fine to not disqualify him," he said.

Tian has lost his appeal against a conviction of obstructing a police personnel from performing his duties, which carries a RM2,000 fine. While the High Court Judge Ghazali Cha said that the amount was set in such a way as to avoid Tian from being disqualified, the Dewan Rakyat Speaker has the ultimate say on his status.

Nazri was responding to a Malaysian Insider report which quotes an anonymous BN backbencher claiming that a motion to disqualify Tian would be made.

"My personal take on this is that the matter, whether he is still a member of the Parliament or not is not for us to decide and to pursue.

"If he has been fined by the court, it's the duty of the Speaker to inform the Election Commission that because he (Tian) was fined more than the required amount, as a result of that the (could be declared) seat is vacant," said Nazri.

Nazri, who is the de facto law minister, explained that his ministerial powers would only take him as far as tabling a motion to suspend a MP for breaching Parliament's Standing Orders. "That is all. To remove a fellow member as a MP is beyond me. It's not for me. Even the backbenchers cannot do it, I would advise them not to because it's not an honourable act," he said.

However, it is understood that the backbenchers were toying with the idea following deputy speaker Wan Junaidi Jaafar's statement that the Dewan Rakyat has to be informed by the members if Tian is convicted and thereby stands the chance of being disqualified.

'We can't deny Batu of their rep'

The Court of Appeals last month rejected Tian's appeal against a conviction, effectively supporting last year's High Court decision to uphold his conviction and sentence of a RM2,000 fine in default of two months' jail.

Initially the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate Court had fined RM3,000 and jailed six months, pending an appeal.

Under Article 48 of the federal constitution and preceding cases, Tian stands disqualified as an MP because he was fined more than RM2,000.

"Whatever the rationale behind the (High Court) judge's decision is not my concern but I take cognisance of his and because of that I feel that Tian should not be disqualified," said Nazri.

Among other reasons, Nazri added that the Dewan Rakyat is in its third year now and declined to call for a by-election.

"Which means we are going to deny Batu of having a representative in the Parliament, which in fairness the government feels we should not deny the voters of their legally elected representative during the 2008 general election.

"So because of all these, I have decided against any move on the part of the government to disqualify him," he added.

source:malaysiakini

Nazri: Tak bermaruah bagi lucutkan MP Batu

Throwing out Tian Chua ‘dishonourable’, says Nazri

Someone got to explain to the court, that not less than RM2,000 include RM2,000 and above.I think Najib,Mahyuddin and the Speaker pun blur about this.

Rasa-rasa Nazri deman kot hari ini....


cheers.

Bashir, Mugabe not welcome

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia may withdraw the invitations issued to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe to attend an international conference in Langkawi.

Minister in the Prime Ministers Department, Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, said today that he will urge the government to withdraw the invitation because Malaysia has decided to accede to the Rome Statute.

I am taking this matter seriously and I want to discuss in the Cabinet because the Cabinet has decided that we should accede to the Rome Statute.

As such, I would strongly recommend to the government to withdraw the invitation, he said, adding, howevef, that representatives of these leaders are free to attend the forum.

Bashir and Mugabe, who are widely seen by the international community as dictators with a bad track record of gross human rights violation, have been invited to attend the annual Langkawi International Dialogue in Putrajaya from June 19-21.

There is currently an arrest warrant out on Bashir issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for genocide, war crimes and other gross human rights violation .

Speaking to reporters in Parliament, Nazri said the decision to invite the leaders was not discussed in the Cabinet.

He said the government, which had decided to accede the Rome Statute, should act in a manner that complies with the statute.

The Rome Statute is a compulsory binding treaty that needs to be signed in order for any country to be a member of the ICC.

Nazri himself had announced in March this year that Malaysia had decided to join the ICC.

However, Malaysia is yet to ratify the Rome Statute.

Arrest Bashir

Earlier, representatives from the Malaysian chapter of Parliamentarians for Global Ac! tion (PG A) cried foul at the invitations, saying that it was sending the wrong signal to the international committee about the countrys stand on human rights.

PGA-Malaysia, which has about 20 members, said today that the invitations also served as a litmus test to gauge Malaysias commitment to the countrys intentions to join the ICC.

PGA-Malaysia secretary M Kulasegaran said the members wanted the immediate arrest of Bashir upon his entry into the country.

Imagine that after saying we want to join the ICC, we invite the biggest crook in the world while killings are still going on in Sudanwhat kind of a message does that send to the international community?

He should not have been invited, but its not too late to cancel. But if he comes then please arrest him, he said.

The Ipoh Timur MP had also filed a motion for the matter to be discussed in Parliament.

He hopes to know by Thursday as to whether the motion will be heard.

Also read:

Arrest Bashir, Malaysia urged

Tags: Nazri Abd Aziz, Omar al-Bashir, Robert Mugabe,Langkawi International Dialogue

Subsidies masking IPP inefficiencies, says think tank

By Lee Wei Lian
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 13, 2011 KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 Independent Power Producers (IPPs) would have to charge much more than their Singapore counterparts if natural gas were sold to them at market rates, due to their bloated and inefficient cost structures, claimed Research for Social Advancement (Refsa) today.The think tank estimated that local IPPs would need to raise their average prices from 25 sen/kWh to 74 sen/kWh if subsidies were removed and gas prices were allowed to rise from RM10.70/mmBTU to the present market price of RM47.42/mmBTU.In comparison, Singapore power producers charge 41 sen/kWh.Put simply, if the gas subsidy in Malaysia is completely removed, the IPPs generation cost would be 80 per cent higher than that of power generators in Singapore, said Refsa executive director Teh Chi Chang, noting that in Singapore fuel prices are market based.In fact, the IPPs would not be able to survive in Singapore at all, because Singaporeans pay only 52 sen/kWh for their electricity, compared to the (estimated) Malaysian IPPs cost of 74 sen/kWh.He added that the IPPs cost structure appeared to be bloated and suffering from substantial inefficiencies.Refsas estimates come following statements from the Association of Independent Power Producers (Penjanabebas) that savings in gas costs the difference between international gas prices and fixed price set by the government are passed on directly to consumers through lower tariffs.Teh also called for the IPP contracts to be made public, pointing out that even toll concession agreements that were previously classified have been made public, following which several toll freezes and abolishments were announced.IPPs and their perceived lopsided purchasing power agreements with Tenaga Nasional Berhad have come under renewed scrutiny following the recent governments decision to hike electricity prices.The Najib administration yesterday formed a Cabinet committee comprising Minister ! in the P rime Ministers Department Tan Sri Nor Mohd Yakcop; Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin; and Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah to look into IPP related issues.

BERSIH 2.0 gets a morale booster from none other than THE OPPOSITION LEADER!

From anwaribrahimblog.com:)

Anwar Ups The Ante On Bersih 2.0
By Anwar Ibrahim 5 Comments
Categories: Agenda Baru, Aktiviti, Anwar, Demokrasi, Isu Semasa, KeADILan, Malaysia, Pakatan Rakyat, Parlimen, Pilihanraya, Politik and Program

From Malaysiakini

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, whose travel and speaking engagements these days remind observers of the self-punishing regimen of marathon runners, will take part in the Bersih 2.0 rally scheduled for July 9.

Speaking to about 1,200 people who had gathered at the Girl Guides Hall in Brickfields to hear a briefing on the Bersih march by its chairperson, Ambiga Seenivasan, Anwar, who was the final speaker at the gathering, disclosed that he would be present at the rally, called to push the cause of electoral reform.

NONEThe crowd cheered and although Anwar had taken part in the first Bersih rally in November 2007, these days his crisscrossing the country and frequent court appearances in connection with Sodomy II seem to preclude a repeat participation in Bersihs second edition.

The first Bersih rally, which drew a crowd that was estimated at 40,000, was held on Nov 10, 2007. It was a gathering whose size foreshadowed the sizeable turnout for the Hindraf rally held 15 days later.

Together, the rallies in late 2007 heralded the electoral swing that saw the opposition coalition of PKR, DAP and PAS deny BN a two-thirds majority in the general election of March 2008.

The way the government-controlled mainstream media is fulminating against Bersih 2.0 betrays anxiety that it would turn out to be as ominous for BNs electoral fortunes as its predecessor was.

Thus Anwars intended participation will be interpreted by the opposition Pakatan Rakyats supporters as an encouragement to turn out in numbers for event.

If Turkey can do it, why not us?

Anwar let drop the news of his participation after giving the crowd an inkling of his punish! ing sche dule these days.

Four days ago, I was in Kuwait just for a day to deliver a speech at a seminar on finance, he said in his speech.

In the course of the day, I was contacted by the representative of the prime minister of Turkey who extended an invitation for PKR officials to observe the elections in that country scheduled for today, continued Anwar.

PKR sent a few of its MPs, including Nurul Izzah, who was invited to monitor the elections in a part of the country where the contest would be intense, Anwar elaborated. Nurul is MP for Lembah Pantai which counts Brickfields as one of its wards.

If Turkey can invite representatives from something like 16 countries, I dont see why the authorities here cannot allow the Bersih rally to take place peacefully because it a demonstration of the right of our people to clean and fair elections, Anwar asserted.

Anwar claimed Umno-BN these days were motivated by the fear of losing besides displaying sundry symptoms of the arrogance of power towards the opposition.

Earlier, Anwar, as explanation of his seeming indefatigability in the teeth of a punishing schedule of travel and speaking engagements, said he took heart from the rousing crowds that regularly turn up at his functions.

I have a wonderful wife, good children and a circle of loyal friends who give me the strength to carry on, he said to cheers from the crowd, which besieged him when he ended his speech and made his way to his car.

To disqualify Batu MP Tian Chua is "dishonourable",says Nazri...

Minister in Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz said that it would be "dishonourable" for BN to seek Batu MP Chua Tian Chang's disqualification as an elected representative.

"As a fellow MP, it is not right for me to put a motion to seek for his removal. We are all honourable members of the house," Nazri told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

He said that Chua's status is best decided by the speaker of the house.

"Moreover, I've to take cognisance from the first judge's decision on the matter, from the judgement it showed that he had lowered the fine to not disqualify him," he said.

Tian has lost his appeal against a conviction of obstructing a police personnel from performing his duties, which carries a RM2,000 fine. While the High Court Judge Ghazali Cha said that the amount was set in such a way as to avoid Tian from being disqualified, the Dewan Rakyat Speaker has the ultimate say on his status.

Nazri was responding to a Malaysian Insider report which quotes an anonymous BN backbencher claiming that a motion to disqualify Tian would be made.

"My personal take on this is that the matter, whether he is still a member of the Parliament or not is not for us to decide and to pursue.

"If he has been fined by the court, it's the duty of the Speaker to inform the Election Commission that because he (Tian) was fined more than the required amount, as a result of that the (could be declared) seat is vacant," said Nazri.

Nazri, who is the de facto law minister, explained that his ministerial powers would only take him as far as tabling a motion to suspend a MP for breaching Parliam! ent's St anding Orders. "That is all. To remove a fellow member as a MP is beyond me. It's not for me. Even the backbenchers cannot do it, I would advise them not to because it's not an honourable act," he said.

However, it is understood that the backbenchers were toying with the idea following deputy speaker Wan Junaidi Jaafar's statement that the Dewan Rakyat has to be informed by the members if Tian is convicted and thereby stands the chance of being disqualified.

'We can't deny Batu of their rep'

The Court of Appeals last month rejected Tian's appeal against a conviction, effectively supporting last year's High Court decision to uphold his conviction and sentence of a RM2,000 fine in default of two months' jail.

Initially the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate Court had fined RM3,000 and jailed six months, pending an appeal.

Under Article 48 of the federal constitution and preceding cases, Tian stands disqualified as an MP because he was fined more than RM2,000.

"Whatever the rationale behind the (High Court) judge's decision is not my concern but I take cognisance of his and because of that I feel that Tian should not be disqualified," said Nazri.

Among other reasons, Nazri added that the Dewan Rakyat is in its third year now and declined to call for a by-election.

"Which means we are going to deny Batu of having a representative in the Parliament, which in fairness the government feels we should not deny the voters of their legally elected representative during the 2008 general election.

"So because of all these, I have decided against any move on the part of the government to disqualify! him," h e added.

source:malaysiakini

Nazri: Tak bermaruah bagi lucutkan MP Batu

Throwing out Tian Chua dishonourable, says Nazri

Someone got to explain to the court, that not less than RM2,000 include RM2,000 and above.I think Najib,Mahyuddin and the Speaker pun blur about this.

Rasa-rasa Nazri deman kot hari ini....


cheers.

Himpunan BERSIH - Ahmad Maslan Ajak Rakyat Boikot

(KL Pos) - Ketua Penerangan UMNO Malaysia, Datuk Ahmad Maslan menggesa kesemua warganegara Malaysia membantah Perhimpunan anjuran Pembangkang iaitu BERSIH 2.0 yang dakwa beliau bakal menggugat keselamatan dan periuk nasi warga kota.

Beliau juga menggesa kesemua Pertubuhan dan Persatuan Kerajaan mahupun bukan Kerajaan membuat laporan polis sebagai bukti kukuh seterusnya mendesak agar pihak berkenaan menghentikan serta merta perancangan pembangkang.

Ahmad Maslan turut mendakwa Pembangkang kelihatan buta dengan kerusi DUN dan Parlimen yang diperolehi mereka setelah berjaya merampas 4 buah Negeri dan menguasai Parlimen di Wilayah Persekutuan pada Pilihanraya Umum ke 12 yang lalu.

Ini membuktikan bahawa amalan demokrasi melalui Pilihanraya Umum di Malaysia telus dan bersih dari anasir-anasir kotor.

Beliau turut menggesa Pembangkang menganjurkan Perhimpunan ini di dalam Stadium Tertutup yang lebih efisyen dan tidak mengganggu ketenteraman awam di samping tidak menghalang sebarang aktiviti perniagaan dilakukan oleh peniaga-peniaga di ibu kota.

Ahmad Maslan berkata demikian di dalam Sidang Akhbar di PWTC, disini sebentar tadi. Turut serta dalam Sidang tersebut Pengerusi PEKIDA Wilayah Persekutuan, Datuk Roslan Dahaman.

Hee attacked Yew with pepper spray says court...

The Ipoh High Court has ruled that Perak deputy speaker Hee Yit Foong had assaulted Aulong assemblyperson Yew Tian Hoe with a pepper spray during the state assembly sitting on May 7, 2009.

Judicial commissioner Tarmizi Abd Rahman granted Yew's application for an injunction, with costs, to restrain Hee and her agents from any further assault against him. The court has yet to rule on damages sought.

The May 7 sitting was the first after the BN took over the Perak government with the support of three former Pakatan Rakyat assemblypersons, including Hee. The sitting degenerated into chaos after Pakatan refused to surrender the speaker's post to BN which controlled the majority seats.

BN then summoned plainclothes police personnel to drag Pakatan speaker V Sivakumar(left,below) out of the House and to escort BN speaker R Ganesan to his seat. In the scuffle between lawmakers on both sides, Hee allegedly assaulted the DAP's Yew with a pepper spray.

After the Attorney-General's (AG's) Chambers failed to act against Hee, Yew filed a civil suit against Hee on June 26, 2009. Yew claimed that he had sustained injuries to his left eye, suffered mental shock, distress, trauma and "great humiliation and shame in public".

Hee had denied the allegation, initially claiming that the pepper spray was a hotel key-chain and then a pen drive.

She then admitted that it was a pepper spray but said it did not belong to her.

Call for prosecution!

In an immediate reaction to the High Court ruling, Perak Pakatan Rakyat demanded that the AG's Chambers should prosecute Hee under Section 323 of the Penal Code, with voluntarily causing hurt.

"Yew's counsel will write to AG Abdul Gani Patail with the request," Perak DAP secretary Nga Kor Ming (left) said when contacted.

Nga, who attended the hearing, said Perak Pakatan has also requested the Sultan of Perak to withdraw Hee's datuk-ship.

"Malaysia is the first nation where an assemblyperson has hurt a colleague during a sitting. This had brought much shame to all Perakians as well as Malaysians," said Nga.

Hee was elected Jelapang assemblyperson on a DAP ticket in the 2008 general election. She was the first non-Malay woman to be appointed deputy speaker of a legislative assembly when Pakatan formed the state government.

However, in February 2009, she quit her party alongside Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (Behrang) and Mohd Osman Jailu (Changkat Jering) - both of who left PKR - to become pro-BN Independents.

This led to the downfall of the 11-month-old Pakatan state government. A constitutional crisis was triggered when the sultan consented to BN forming the state government without going through fresh elections.

source:malaysiakini

cheers.

Freedom of Information Act -- Selangor Pioneering Effort for...

Parliament to emulate...The Penang State Assembly has followed suit, and if the Malaysian Parliament were to change over to the Paktan Rakyat control cometh the 13th General Elections (soon to some like before December 2011, earliest is next year is Desi's prediction!), the probability of such progressive legislation will see the light of day. Citizens of Malaysia, THE POWER LIES IN YOUR SACRED "V"VOTE! -- YL, Desi

*************************************************************
From bum4msia.wordpress.com:)

June 13, 2011 5:46 am
Jump to Comments
Legislating Freedom of Information Act in parliament

By Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad

I am honoured to be asked to deliver the keynote speech at Bloggers Universe Malaysia 2011.

I attended the first one BUM 2007 and have spoken at one or two other BUM events. I was asked to arrange for Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to speak at the BUM event last year.

Some of us have reverted to the mainstream press that we criticised so strongly as bloggers. Some become politicians and consequently caught in the political intrigues. Being a blogger first before a politician, I am pleased to be among familiar faces and friends and hope to never join the first two categories!

On April 1, 2011, the Selangor state assembly created history after passing the Freedom of Information enactment.

This was the third and final reading before the enactment was sent to the Sultan to be signed as law.

It was a long three years from March 9, 2008, when Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim announced that a citizens right to information would be among the agendas pursued by the new state government in Selangor to April 2011.

I believe that the experience in Selangor is useful for the next step to push for a repeal of the Official Secrets Act 1972, the Internal Security Act 1960, the Sedition Act 1949 and the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 while introducing a Freedom of Information Act a! t the fe deral level.

Except for Selangor, Malaysia is truly lagging behind.

Other than the Western democracies, countries such as India, Bangladesh, Albania and Uganda have some form of Freedom of Information legislation. Recently, Nigeria passed its Freedom of Information Act.

This is one case that Malaysia tak or belum boleh.

Empowerment

Freedom of Information is a key institutional reform to keep up with the times about what the rakyat demands from the government but also about what the rakyat can do in spite of government with all the technology available.

Since 2008, Malaysians have become more interested not only in politics, but most importantly in how the government conducts its business. Malaysians demand more transparency and accountability, particularly in how their hard-earned tax money is spent.

Opening the government up is key towards empowering the rakyat, and ultimately strengthening our democracy. Democracy flourishes with well-informed citizens.

Yes, there will always be the need for official secrets but under our current framework even a tissue paper at a government meeting is theoretically deemed as an official secret!

Last year, the Kuala Lumpur High Court made a landmark ruling ordering the Syabas concession agreement and audit report to be released based on an application by the Coalition against Water Privatisation.

Judicial commissioner Hadhariah Syed Ismail had stated in her 19-page judgement that she was not convinced such a disclosure would be harmful to national security or public interest, as claimed by Syabas and the government.

However the Energy, Water and Green Technology Ministry and the federal government requested a stay order and filed an appeal, claiming that disclosure would upset the administration of government.

Institutional reforms are important to ensure that the emerging two-party (or coalition) system that we have today actually has lasting benefit for the rakyat.
There is no use for a two-party system if it means more of the same old policies.

Morality

Ultimately a democratic government rests on a government by the people, for the people. Thus the rakyat have a right to know about what their government does, how their government spends their hard-earned tax money.

We have seen how tens of billions of ringgit are lost each year through wastage, leakages and corruption. These cases flourish simply because the rakyat has very little oversight over government.

Legislating freedom of information is the first step towards empowering the rakyat to stand up for their rights.

Efficiency

By preventing wastage, leakages and corruption, freedom of information legislation can actually make government more efficient. More money would be spent for the direct benefit of the rakyat, not for cronies or contractors. Not for holidays abroad or to privately pursue a daughters wedding.

Technology

Then we had the Wikileaks incident. I actually mentioned Wikileaks in my July 2010 speech at the state assembly when the Freedom of Information enactment was first introduced. But then the United States diplomatic cable incident grabbed the worlds attention.

This I believe illustrates how fast technology is moving and how far behind we are when we are still dictated [to] by an ancient OSA.

Remember the entire diplomatic cable incident over Wikileaks that not merely brought blushes on Hillary Clintons cheeks but actually strained diplomatic relations between the United States and many key allies across the globe was caused by 23-year-old Bradley Manning.

The intelligence analyst merely brought a Lady Gaga CD and then copied all the data into the CD while singing to Lady Gaga tunes.

Keeping secrets from the rakyat is getting more difficult these days.

Trust

Ultimately, freedom of information legislation is key towards restoring the rakyats trust with ! politici ans. The tendency to govern by secrecy makes many politicians treat the rakyat as fools. Governing must cease to be a mystery for the rakyat.

Thus, it should come to no surprise that politicians tend to rank low in the trust scale for the public along with lawyers and salesmen. Datuk Ambiga [Sreenevasan, BUM2011 speaker] being a law graduate, I empathise with you!

Rumours and gossip are treated seriously in Malaysian politics because of the lack of information. In the absence of reliable and credible sources of information, any piece of information is valuable, no matter how sensational and ludicrous it may seem.

But when the rakyat knows more about what the government is doing, what the civil servants are doing, what the politicians are doing this will definitely build their trust towards the many unsung heroes who plough on berkhidmat untuk rakyat but who get painted in the same brush as the rotten durians because of the lack of information.

The Selangor experience

As mentioned above, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim actually mentioned on 9 March 2008 that one of his first acts as Selangor Menteri Besar would be to ask the legal adviser to enact a law that will enable the state to give the public the right to information.

On that same day, Tan Sri Khalid asked me to join his office to assist him in the task of governing, which ended me in holding the position of his political secretary for over two years until July last year.

Thus I was privy to the discussions that took place not long after that involving Khalid and Elizabeth Wong, along with various NGOs, most prominently the Coalition for Good Governance in drafting the Freedom of Information enactment.

The first hurdle we faced were those from within Pakatan Rakyat who felt that freedom of information should not be a priority. Of course, we demanded for it when we were the opposition but now that were in a position of power, they felt this would only hurt us.

But believers of free! dom of i nformation such as Khalid, Elizabeth and I argued that this is exactly the task before us. The test is not about demanding it while we had no power but to actually implementing it when we have power.

This is not unique to Malaysia.

Tony Blair, in his memoirs actually expressed one of his regrets is introducing the Freedom of Information Act that would later be a tool used by the media against his government towards the end of his tenure.

The state government actually almost adopted wholesale the draft from civil society.

But when the bill was presented to the state assembly in July 2010, it was a much watered down version thanks to some members of the civil service that are under federal control. At times, it read almost like an Unfreedom of Information enactment.

The Pakatan backbenchers, including myself, supported for the bill to be approved but with amendments to restore the original intent and spirit of the law.

BN on the other hand took two contradictory approaches.

One was that the Freedom of Information bill did not go far enough to ensure the right to know for the rakyat. Two was that it was in contradiction to the federal constitution. Maybe one was advised by Khir Toyo and the other, Apco.

The bill was passed at the first and second readings.

It was then decided that for the first time in Selangors legislative history, a select committee would be formed to engage in a public consultation with stakeholders and find ways to improve the bill before it was presented to the assembly again for the third and final reading.

Saari Sungib (PAS-Hulu Klang) was selected as chair while I, Hannah Yeoh (DAP-Subang Jaya), Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi (PAS-Sijangkang), Amirudin Shari (PKR-Batu Caves), Datuk Dr Karim Mansor (BN-Tanjung Sepat) and Abdul Shukor Idris (BN-Kuang) were the members.

Sadly both the BN reps did not attend a single select committee meeting as we sat from July 2010 to March 2011. They had a golden opportunity to present! their o bjections about the bill, even call their own academics and NGOs, yet they ignored the process altogether!

The consultation was extensive not only with Coalition for Good Governance members but also religious NGOs, government departments, GLCs, academics, think tanks and lawyers.

The result was a substantially improved bill. Among other things, the revised bill is better than the previous version by:

* allowing local councils and government-owned entities to be covered under the enactment;
* changing the appeals board into the state information board; and
* adding the penalties to include obstruction to access to information.

Conclusion

The Selangor experience provides a useful template for any efforts to introduce freedom of information legislation at the federal Parliament. Personally for me the process educated me on the various vested interests against freedom of information and how this can be circumvented through an extensive consultation process with all the stakeholders.

The expertise and passion of NGOs such as the Centre for Independent Journalism and the Coalition for Good Governance have been very useful in building the framework for freedom of information legislation.

At the same time, we need to take into account the practical views of those who will be at the frontline of implementation, namely civil servants and GLC employees who frequently end up as scapegoats in the battle between the rakyat and politicians.

While the Selangor Freedom of Information enactment may not entirely please everyone which I have learnt is part and parcel of governing it takes into account the point of view from every stakeholder across the spectrum, except BN of course who chose not to participate.

However, as the experience in other countries has taught us, the real battle is not between political parties but in reality those who are for freedom of information and those who are against freedom of information (and t! hose who pretend to be for freedom of information).

Ladies and gentlemen,

Malaysia is at a crossroads.

While many Malaysians on both sides of the fence are excited about the coming years, a great many more are apathetic or disillusioned. The brain drain and capital outflows, as well as our weakened education system are a sign that something is dreadfully wrong about our country.

Much of Malaysias problems emerge because our people feel hopeless and disempowered. They feel like pawns of the elite, jerked around by a wealthy and unaccountable few who care nothing about their needs.

But without the support of these forgotten Malaysians, all the bold plans for transformation, whether the Vision 2020, the ETP/GTP/NEM or Buku Jingga will fail because a countrys strength is in its people and not the plans of its leaders.

Freedom of information is the first step to reversing this dangerous trend because it will restore the confidence and faith of Malaysians.

It will draw them back into a sense of national mission and make them feel part of a coherent whole again.

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

Above was the keynote speech By PKR communications director and Selangor state assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad at the Bloggers Universe Malaysia 2011 forum Bloggers Solidarity with the Press? on 11 June 11, 2011 held at the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.

Adakah Benar Kita Mahu Dataran Merdeka Menjadi Tahrir?

Salam BERSIHkan 1Malaysia,

Artikel hari ini terbit dari kesedaran yang telah lama terpendam. Bukan untuk berbicara lebih terperinci mengenai 8 tuntutan BERSIH2, tetapi untuk sama-sama fikir di manakah punca huru-hara setiap kali perhimpunan aman berlangsung.

Pertama sekali, berhubung dengan 36 laporan polis terhadap usaha perhimpunan BERSIH2 9 Julai nanti. Laporan-laporan polis yang banyak itu adalah sebenarnya suatu yang memberangsangkan malah menggalakkan lebih ramai yang akan menyertai himpunan terbesar dalam sejarah. Justeru itu, ucapan setinggi terima kasih dirakam kepada NGO dan individu yang telah membuat laporan polis. Ia bukan sahaja secara tidak langsung mempromosi event BERSIH2, malah memaklumkan pada pihak berkuasa betapa kali ini himpunan aman adalah luar jangkaan kehadirannya. Saya ulang, himpunan aman menuntut pilihanraya BERSIH dan Adil.

Pihak polis harus sedia maklum, dengan jumlah demonstran yang seramai lebih 3 ratus ribu, pastinya tindakan lebih baik untuk pihak polis dan FRU ialah dengan menjalankan tugas menjaga para demonstran, bukan memukul sepak terajang. Adalah lebih baik pihak polis mengambil langkah mengawal laluan demonstran ke Istana Negara daripada menghalang demonstran dengan gas dan air kimia.

Percayalah sekiranya perhimpunan ini dikawal dengan baik oleh pihak polis, sudah tentu semua demonstran akan sampai ke destinasi yang dituju dengan selamat. Jika polis tidak menyerbu demonstran tak tentu hala, manakan sanggup peserta demonstrasi lari masuk ke Sogo untuk berlindung? Lari masuk HQ PAS itu adalah kes berasingan. Mungkin Sogo juga akan buka seperti biasa dengan market ratus-ribu pengunjung dari ! seluruh negara akan berada di depan Sogo.

untuk membaca lanjut klik http://edyesdotcom.blogspot.com/2011/06/adakah-benar-kita-mahu-dataran-merdeka.html

Umno iktiraf pemilihan Jawatankuasa Masjid di Pulau Pinang

10 - 12 Jun yang lalu che'GuBard telah menghadiri perbagai program di Pulau Pinang. Dari ceramah umum ke dialog isu semasa bersama penduduk setempat hinggalah ke Latihan Jentera Pilihanraya Batu Kawan. Dapat peluang bertemu ramai dari pengundi yang digelar atas pagar, JKKK setempat hinggalah bertukar pendapat dengan beberapa orang yang masih pro Bn. Ini memberi peluang untuk melihat dari bawah mengenai isu pemilihan jawatankuasa masjid.

Dalam media arus perdana dengan bersungguh-sungguh regim menggambarkan betapa kononya pilihanraya jawatankuasa masjid yang diadakan di Pulau Pinang sesuatu yang tak elok dan pecah belah masyarakat, malah ada yang mengatakan ia tindakan derhaka dengan yang dipertuan agong.

Di Pulau Pinang, jawatankuasa masjid kini dipilih melalui proses demokrasi. Pilihanraya masjid ini juga mampu menyusun atur rakyat dengan lebih berkesan apabila diwujudkan daftar ahli kariah.

Sebelum ini tiada daftar ahli kariah, jawatankuasa masjid dilantik dikalangan mereka yang hanya pro Umno dan malah ada di beberapa tempat masjid dipimpin oleh mereka di luar kariah dan mereka yang jarang di masjid. Kesanya fungsi sebenar masjid mati dan hanya menjadi tempat solat dan sesekali menjadi medan program pro Umno sahaja.

Kini dibawah kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat, kita tidak mahu mengulang kesilapan Umno. Kita boleh sahaja melantik pimpinan masjid tetapi kita terdedah dengan lobi dikalangan anggota komponen PR dan jika ini berlaku kita sama macam Umno dengan lantik semula orang - orang tertentu. Untuk memberi keadilan kepada semua dan menjadikan hanya yang layak terajui masjid dan menjadikan pimpinan masjid lebih bertanggungjawab terhadap anak kariah maka diadakan pilihanraya peringkat masjid.

Di media perdana macam - macam gambaran negatif diberikan terhadap proses ini, tetapi tahukah bahawa sebenarnya ramai ahli Umno mengiktiraf pilihanraya masjid ini. Hampir semua masjid pasti ada pimpinan Umno yang masuk nama sebagai calon dan turut berkempen bersungguh - sungguh untuk! mengeka lkan jawatan mereka yang selama ini diperolehi melalui lantikan sahaja. Untuk itu tiba - tiba sebulan ini masjid menjadi aktif sekali.

Kalau nak dikira berpuak sebelum inipun ada pihak dilantik ada pihak tak puas hati kerana ada yang dilantik bukan dari anak kariah atau mereka yang jarang ke masjid. Maka ada juga berlaku pemulauan. Adakah dengan adanya pilihanraya maka akan berpecah ? Ini tuduhan Umno hina orang Islam yang gambarkan orang islam di P.Pinang tidak matang. Sebenarnya orang ramai sudah matang dan mereka lebih menghargai proses ini. Cuma kali pertama cabaran besar ialah mewujudkan pendaftaran anak kariah. Mungkin terdapat beberapa kelemahan tetapi ia akan pasti ada proses penambah baikan di masa ke depan.

Dalam isu derhaka ini lebih mengarut. umno mempolitikkan isu istana. Selama ini Umno pilih dan senarai nama bawa kepada yang dipertuan agong untuk perkenan. Proses kini kita serah kepada anak kariah untuk pilih dan nama kemudian dipersembah ke bawah duli tuanku untuk perkenan. Apa bezanya ?

Adakah Umno cuba nak gambarkan institusi Istana ini bodoh ? Dengan memperkenan pilihan terus dari rakyat maka Istana akan lebih diangkat martabatnya.

Perlu diketahui umum cadangan mengadakan pemilihan jawatankuasa masjid ini hasil muzakarah jawatankuasa berkenaan pada 6 Mac 2011 telah mencadangkan kepada MAINPP tentang tata cara pemilihan tersebut pada April lalu.

Pada 20 Mei 2011 mesyuarat khas MAINPP telah memutuskan menerima tata cara pemilihan yang disyorkan oleh Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Masjid dan Hal Ehwal Kariah MAINPP.

Tata cara pemilihan ini juga merupakan penambahbaikan peraturan yang sedia ada selaras dengan Seksyen 104 (1) (b) Enakmen Negeri Pulau Pinang 2004 dan kaedah 4 (1) Kaedah-kaedah Jawatankuasa Kariah dan Pegawai Masjid (Negeri Pulau Pinang ) pindaan 2003.

Sebelum ini, pakar al-Quran dan Hadis Universiti Sains Malaysia Prof Madya Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin dilaporkan berkata bahawa sewaktu pemerintahan BN di Pulau Pinang dahulu, U! MNO meng guna pakai amalan politik kepartian dengan memilih ahli-ahli khariah masjid dari kalangan mereka sendiri tanpa mengikut prinsip syarak.

Beliau berkata kebanyakan ahli-ahli jawatankuasa itu bukan dari ahli masjid sendiri tetapi berdasarkan kegiatan mereka dalam parti, iaitu mereka yang aktif dalam UMNO mendapat kedudukan dalam jawatankuas masjid.

Dr Mohd Asri, anak kelahiran Pulau Pinang yang juga bekas Mufti Perlis, menyatakan masyarakat Islam tidak perlu bimbang dengan tata cara pemilihan kerana calon-calon yang terbaik akan dipilih oleh ahli-ahli khariah sendiri tanpa mengira pegangan politik mereka.

Kepada Kerajaan 'rakyat' Pulau Pinang teruskan usaha memperkasa rakyat, bagus juga ada pembangkang yang sentiasa 'bising' seperti di Pulau Pinang. Ini harus dilihat dari aspek positif. 'Bisingnya' pembangkang ini menjadikan kerajaan akan lebih berusaha membaiki keadaan. Cuma Umno Bn di Pulau Pinang harus memberikan teguran lebih konstruktif dari semata-mata emosi. Percaya dan yakin lama kelamaan Umno Bn di Pulau Pinang akan mula menyesuaikan diri mereka sebagai pembangkang tetapi jika tidak lansung memberikan cadangan membina sebaliknya hanya bermain sentimen dan emosi maka mereka seharusnya bersedia menjadi pembangkang untuk masa yang lebih lama.

dalam isu ini jelas Umno hanya mempolitikkan isu. Kenapa UMNO cuba kaitkan perkara yang tidak relevan seperti mengatakan DAP campurtangan terhadap pemilihan Jawatankuasa sedangkan ia mengikut saluran betul mengikut kaedah Jawatankuasa qariah dan Pegawai Masjid Masjid Negeri Pindaan 2003. Semuanya melalui peruntukan yang ada dalam enakmen pentadbiran Agama Islam Pulau Pinang Seksyen 104 (10)(b)....Umno harus berhenti berselindung memperguna nama Istana dan Masjid atau seumpamanya.

2 S'porean women stripped & made to do squats by M'sian customs...

Two Singaporean women who drove into Johor Baru were detained by Malaysian customs, stripped, and made to squat and stand while pulling their ears. They were detained for 24 hours for "illegal entry" as their passports were not stamped at the Malaysian customs, reported Shin Min Daily News.

The incident occurred last Thursday (June 9) when property agent Ms Lim, 29, went to Changi Airport to pick up a friend, insurance agent Ms Chang, 39, who was returning from a holiday in Hong Kong.

They then decided to drive to Johor Baru for supper at around 1.30am.

Ms Lim told Shin Min Daily News that she drove into Lane 2 and realised that there was no customs officer on duty. She attempted to use the intercom service to ask if there was anyone, but according to her, it was too noisy and she was not able to make out if anyone had replied her.

After five minutes, she decided to use the Touch n Go system to enter into Malaysia. The Touch n Go system is a smart card used at Malaysian highway tolls and can be used to enter the country if travelling from Singapore.

The two noticed that there was no one attending to the fingerprinting scanning system and therefore, were not able to get their passports stamped and checked before entering Johor Baru.

"I immediately made a U-turn towards the Malaysian checkpoint to find an officer to stamp our passports and that was when we were accused of illegal entry.

"We were interrogated by customs officers around 3am and were detained for up to 15 hours.

"We were handcuffed and around 6pm the next day, we were taken to a detention centre in Pontian," said Ms Chang.

Upon arriving at the detention centre, the two told Shin Min Daily News that they were ordered by a Malay correction officer to take off their clothes and said that this was "normal procedure".

Ms Chang also said that Ms Lim was given a smelly and old T-shirt to wear while the other detainees wore their own clothes.

She told the Chinese evening daily that the two of them were made to squat and stand while pulling their ears. They were allowed to wear their clothes only after they had finished ten squats.

Ms Chang said that they were locked up in a cell that was about two-thirds the size of a football field. There were about 50 other detainees in the same cell and were mainly from Indonesia and the Philippines; the two women were the only ones from Singapore.

When Ms Chang asked for a new sanitary pad from one of the detention officers, some of the detainees told her that she will have to use soap and water to wash her soiled pad before disposing it, or else she will be reprimanded by the officers.

She said the toilet was filthy and the stench filled the entire cell, and as the toilet did not have a door, a cloth was used instead, but only covered up to her eyes. They were also told by their cellmates that they would be punished if they did not finish their food and will be made to stand for an hour if they spoke too loudly.

"There was no mattress or pillow in the cell, so we slept on the floor with bugs and cockroaches," said Ms Chang. The two were released the following Saturday at 6am with warning letters. They were not charged or penalised.

While they were getting their passports stamped on their way back to Singapore, they were told that they will not be able to enter Malaysia easily after this incident. It was the first time the two had driven to Malaysia. They told Shin Min Daily News that although they were at fault, they did not understand why they were treated like prisoners.

They also said that they intend to seek a legal help and demand for compensation for their traumatic experience in Malaysia.

source:asiaone news

cheers.

Rakyat Sabah/Sarawak Setaraf Dengan Bangla/Myanmar

Hairan bin ajaib. Negeri Sabah dan Sarawak yang kaya raya dengan hasil bumi. Hasil bumi seperti balak, minyak, kelapa sawit, ikan, getah, padi, tebu dan koko.

Sabah juga adalah antara destinasi perlancongan yang terbaik di dunia. Tulang Besi pernah naik pesawat 777 dari Kota Kinabalu ke Kuala Lumpur. Pesawat tersebut asalnya dari Narita, Tokyo. Mengikut pramugara, pesawat tersebut pada mulanya sarat dengan pelancong Jepun. Mereka amat suka melawat Sabah.

Barang diingat, dalam tahun 70'an, Sabah adalah negeri terkaya di Malaysia. Rakyat Sabah mempunyai GDP per kapita yang tertinggi di Malaysia berbanding negara2 lain.

Namun, selepas UMNO mengambil alih Sabah, taraf rakyat Sabah telah turun kepada taraf Bangla dan Myanmar. Rakyat Sabah dan Sarawak dah disama tarafkan dengan buruh kasar yang datang dari Bangladesh dan Myanmar.

Padahal Sabah dan Sarawak adalah antara negeri terkaya dalam federasi Malaysia.

Bagi rakyat Sarawak pula, kalau mereka dapat ambil kembali kekayaan Sarawak yang dalam simpanan Pak Taib dan keluarganya, mereka tak payah nak jadi buruh kasar di Kuala Lumpur.

Dengan kekayaan hasil bumi Sabah dan Sarawak, sepatutnya rakyat Semenanjung yang lari ke sana mencari rezeki.

Sekian

Tulang Besi

And here is the rest of it.

Laying bare the truth about PAS

By Pak Sako

The professionals have been elected to PASs central working committee. PAS has trotted out a welfare state slogan. And the partys newly elected deputy president, Mat Sabu, has been hailed as a cosmopolitan democrat. A moderate image of PAS is being actively advertised.

Yet the question that worries many non-Muslims and moderate Muslims remains: has PAS abandoned its Islamic state ambition or hasnt?

For an answer, we need to go beyond slogans, media spin and the opinions of the politicians and examine the bare facts.

The bare facts are found in Clauses 3 to 8 of PASs constitution. They outline matters pertaining to party goals, laws and authority. Their key points, translated, are as follows:

The foundation of PAS: Islam.

The aims of PAS: To create a society and governance in which the values of Islamic life are implemented; to defend the sanctity of Islam.

The undertakings of PAS: Among others, to preach or proselytise Islam to all of mankind; to make Islam the guide to politics and statehood; to introduce Islamic values in efforts to uphold justice and bring about improvements in all fields including governance and administration, economics, society, learning and education.

The laws and powers of PAS: The supreme laws are the Al-Quran and the Sunnah; the annual general assembly and all other committees in PAS such as the central working committee are subject to it.

The roles of the Syura Council (the top committee in PASs organisational hierarchy): Among others, to guarantee that authority in PAS does not depart from adhering to the highest laws, that is, the Al-Quran and the Sunnah; to order that all parties and committees in PAS obey and implement the foundation and other provisions in PASs constitution; to ! monitor all activities, movements and administrative matters within PAS to ensure that these obey the foundation, provisions and requirements of the constitution.

Interpretation and comments about the constitution outlined above:

Points 1 to 4 would be a part of the framework and action plan necessary for setting up an Islamic state. Points 1 to 4 are the embodiment of PASs Islamic state goal.

Point 5 empowers the unelected Syura Council to ensure that the actions of all committees in PAS do not deviate from Points 1 to 4. The implication is that the central working committee, whether completely filled by professionals or religious scholars, cannot avoid working towards establishing what shall eventually be an Islamic state.

The very same applies for the Islamic state of Iran (refer to the countrys constitution): the supreme law of the land being the Al-Quran and Sunnah; the application of Islam to all spheres of statehood; and the position of the religious guardian council that ensures that Islam is the bedrock of the constitution.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Ibrahim Alis allegations that PAS has abandoned its ambition to establish an Islamic state are baseless.

Additional observations:

No PAS leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat, Hadi Awang and Mat Sabu included has ever gone on record to repudiate PASs goal of establishing an Islamic state.

PAS welfare state policy is most likely a socio-economic policy that should not contradict or cancel out the larger goal of putting in place an Islamic state.

The welfare state slogan and the selection of the professionals are strategies for attracting the non-Muslims and moderate Malays, an electorate that are wary of PAS Islamic state intentions.

PAS is very aware of the fact that if it is to expand its Islamic state agenda, it must do it in a gradual and piecemeal way to thwart the opposition of Malaysians who resist the further Islamisation of Malaysia.

The political vision of PAS professionals are in! perfect harmony with the partys ulama leadership ideology; the difference between the ulama and professionals is mainly a matter of political approach: the former is inclined to cooperate with Umno for power whereas the latter prefers to defeat Umno to gain power.

Umno probably fears that PAS moderate image would erode Umnos voter base in favour of PAS and Pakatan Rakyat in general.

This is a translated summary based on the authors original Malay-language article entitled PAS Tolak Negara Islam Atau Tidak? sent by the Centre of Policy Initiatives (CPI). The original was published on www.cpiasia.net.

Why BERSIH 2.0?

The organizers of the event that is schedule to take place on July 9th (Saturday). The aim of the event is to raise awareness on the issue related to fair elections and sending a strong message to EC on the need to be fair to the rakyat. Perkasa has challenged the event and says that they will raise members to counter the planned march if it does takes place. In the same breadth Ibrahim Ali has indirectly threatened the potential risk of problems when he said I cannot imagine that if there is a big crowd, certain element will come in, throwing the stone, burn the car, and with injuries like what is happening in Tunisia. Is he planning to implant trouble makers? What exactly is he objecting too?

My gut feeling tells me that any such event will never get a police permit. No amount of guarantees by the organizer will convince the police to issue a permit. We need to understand what the organizer intentions are. If the EC is truly fair then I guess no one will take the streets. Is it important to have a fair and transparent election? I say yes.

Instead of opposing, I would suggest that Perkasa and all other BN component parties join the rally. Everyone should ask for a fair election. Have a peaceful rally. Right now it appears that PR supporters are asking for fair election and BN dont want a fair election. It seems as if that they want a biased election. We need to correct these imbalances and disinformation. I believe it is in the best interest of the rakyat that a fair election must be in place. Use a common t-shirt, bandana etc. Dont use any political banners or logos. Show to the people and the world that members of Malaysian political parties are civilized bunch.

As for me the rakyat, I have only one request. Please do it on Sunday or a public holiday. Please minimize the discomfort to all road users. Please publicly announce the plan rout! e so tha t the members of the public who needs to travel can avoid the routes. I urged the police to work together with the organizers to ensure that a safe and well coordinated event can take place. After all they do it all the time during Merdeka parade or during Maal Hijrah. To Ibrahim Ali, please reconsider your plans.

Omega watch vs C4 and missing Immigration records

It was reported that our PM speaking to the rakyat in Kuala Lumpur raised a concern. He is reported to have hollered that Anwar Ibrahim has to this date not answered about the Omega watch.

Question is why does the PM reduce himself to such lowly levels of arguments? Mind you, you are no orddinary minister. You are the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister for the entire population - be they be belonging to BN or to Opposition.

Yes you are the party President of UMNO. But when you speak to the general population, please would you not wear the hat of PM - minister who is prime, and not your UMNO cap?

Okay. If you insist that you were darn right in questioning Anwar's integrity by raising the Omega watch issue, then you cannot blame the rakyat to rebutt by asking:

1. What about the Mongolian murder?

2. Who authorized the use of C4?

3. Why was the person who authorised the release of the C4 from the strongroom not punished?

4. Who authorized the erasing of the immigration records and why was the person/s not punished?

If you had provided acceptable answers to these still pending questions, then the rakyat will in fact join you in your Omega cries.

Otherwise you have just lost all respect. You see Mr Prime Minister, you do not even have to have Roundtable discussion. Just make sure you are kept abreast of all that the rakyat are saying in the alternate media and in the! warongs .

Najib had told an audience at Ampang UMNO that politics was not longer about "reality". "Politics is all about perception. Not the question of reality...the opposition knows how to play up perception and deny what is the truth. Even to get the DNA is turned down, the question on the Omega wristwatch has yet to be answered," Bernama had reported Najib as saying..

"That is why Umno and the BN must know how to influence the mind and aspiration of the people so that they will perceive Umno and BN as effective parties, the best and can champion the cause of the people compared to others who only know how to make promises but don't fulfill them." - J. D. Lovrenciear

source:malaysia chronicle

cheers.

KARPAL HENTAM MAHATHIR

Karpal nasihatkan Dr M supaya bertaubat

Pengerusi DAP yang juga ahli parlimen Bukit Gelugor Karpal Singh menggesa mantan perdana menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad supaya berkelakuan seperti seorang negarawan ulung dan menutup mulutnya.

Katanya, Dr Mahathir yang sedang meniti usia yang senja sepatutnya menggunakan sisa-sisa kehidupannya supaya bertaubat atas segala salah laku silamnya.

Dia banyak buat kesalahan (semasa menjadi perdana menteri) dan sepatutnya menggunakan sisa-sisa kehidupannya untuk bertaubat kerana banyak bersalah kepada negara dan rakyat, katanaya.

...Sebagai perdana menteri, dia sangat degil dan tidak sepatutnya berkelakuan seperti itu.

Menurut Karpal lagi, Mahathir juga tidak sepatutnya campur tangan dalam hal ehwal Pakatan Rakyat.

Beliau mengulas komen dalam blog yang dimuat-naik oleh Mahathir semalam yang mendakwa Karpal sepatutnya gembira dengan barisan kepimpinan baru PAS yang dikatkan lebih rapat dengan DAP.

Mahathir menulis Karpal tidak lagi perlu mati untuk PAS melangkah mayatnya terlebih dahulu jika parti tersebut berhasrat mahu menubuhkan sebuah negara Islam kerana, perjuangan pengerusi DAP itu sudah pun tercapai tanpa perlu dia bersusah-payah.

"Tokoh yang memang besar di sebalik muktamar kali ini adalah Karpal. Perjuangannya supaya PAS gugurkan matlamat untuk mendiri negara Islam yang akan menguatkuasa hukum hudud sudah pun tercapai. Karpal tidak perlu mati untuk PAS melangkah mayatnya.

"Belum pun dia mati, PAS sekarang sudah menjadikan perjuangan untuk negara Islam dan hukum hudud tidak lagi perkara utama. Sekarang PAS akan berjuang untuk negara kebaj! ikan," kata Mahathir dalam blognya.

Mengulas tulisan itu, Karpal berkata Mahathir juga tidak harus lupa bahawa sekitar 2001 di perhimpunan Gerakan, mantan perdana menteri itu telah berkata Malaysia adalah sebuah "negara Islam".

Kenyataan di blognya itu tak perlu kerana dia sudah berkata demikian, kali pertama pada 2001, kecuali dia sudah lupa, kata Karpal.

Beliau juga mengalu-alukan tindakan Presiden PAS Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang yang mahu membawa Malaysia ke sebuah negara berkebajikan jika Pakatan Rakyat menguasai Putrajaya.

"Khir told me to buy it," claims Shamsuddin Hayroni....

A businessman testified today that he had "no choice" but to give former mentri besar Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo a hefty discount and sold him property worth RM6.5 million property for RM3.5 million four years ago. He also said that he bought the property as Mohamad Khirs told him to.

Ditamas Sdn Bhd director Datuk Shamsuddin Hayroni told the High Court he could not refuse Mohamad Khirs proposal to buy the two-plot land and a bungalow for the price.

He said this was because he had development projects in Selangor and was afraid that his refusal to then mentri besar could damage his business.

"I did not agree. I told him (Mohamad Khir) it was too low. I wanted to sell it for between RM5 million and RM5.5 million after giving him some discount," he said in reply to questions from DPP Abdul Wahab Mohamed.

"After discussing with my wife, I had to agree to Mohamad Khirs price because he was the MB. I was worried about my status as a businessman and that my projects in Selangor would be affected."

Shamsuddin, who was acquitted of a charge of abetting Mohamad Khir last week and turned prosecution witness, also revealed that it was Mohamad Khir, who had asked him to buy the property.

"Mohamad Khir had actually asked my friend Datuk Sumadi Ismail to buy the bungalow but when Sumadi said he could not as he had many commitments, Mohamad Khir asked me to buy it.

"It was the MB, who was asking me to buy. I saw that he was interested in property and thought he would buy it from me. So I just proceeded. I bought it under Ditamas because it would be easier to arrange for loan," he said. He bought the property at No. 8 and 10, Jalan Suasa 7/1L, Section 7 from property developer Saiful Az! nir Shah abudin for RM6.5 million in December 2004.

Mohamad Khir, 45, who is Sungai Panjang assemblyman, and was mentri besar for almost eight years, is accused of committing graft in the land deal.

Shamsuddin(left), who was initially charged jointly with Mohamad Khir under Section 165 of the Penal Code and separately for abetting with the former MB, was acquitted on June 6.

He had been jittery in the witness stand on Wednesday, causing the trial to be postponed.

Defense counsel M. Athimulan has informed the court that the defence will tomorrow apply for documents pertaining to Shamsuddins statements to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission with a view to challenging his credibility through impeachment.

Earlier, freelance landscaper Nasir Ismail, 55, who on Thursday testified that he was paid RM6 million in cash installments to landscape the bungalow gardens to Balinese-concept, was accused of fabrication by Athimulan.

"Since you keep saying you have no records of the transactions and dealings made between you and Mohamad Khir, I put it to you that you met Mohamad Khir in May 2007 and not March 2006, which you said on Thursday.

"The total amount you received was only RM1.5 million (and not RM6 million)," he told Nasir, who disagreed.

Nasir told the court it was Mohamad Khir who had said there was no need for receipts for their transactions.

"He (Mohamad Khir) said Ill pay in cash no need receipts," he said. Athimulan also accused Nasir of lying to the court since he could as there was no documentation to records and details pertaining to the work completed.

Submitting an agreement for RM1.5 million, signed by Nasir and Mohamad Khir in May 2! 007, Ath imulan insisted that this was the real contract between the two and that renovation works only started in 2007.

However, Nasir continued to disagree and maintained his testimony that renovation had started in 2006 and more than RM6 million was paid for the work. Dismissing Athimulans allegation, he told the court the agreement was "just for formality".

source:theSun

Shamsuddin: Tiada pilihan jual pada harga RM3.5j pada Khir

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