DAP 2012 Chinese New Year Message by Lim Guan Eng in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, 22nd January 2012:
DAP 2012 Chinese New Year Message
Only economic policies that are clean, fair, competitive and improves the well-being of the people as well as attract back talented Malaysians can help transform Malaysia into a high-income nation enjoyed by all
The time has come to implement economic policies that are clean, fair, competitive and improves the well-being of the people as well as attract back talented Malaysians that can help transform Malaysia into a high-income nation enjoyed by all. What better time than the year of the water dragon to initiate such changes so that the coming general elections marks the new beginning that would be enjoyed by all Malaysians rich and poor by 2020.
Present policies which are corrupt, opaque with no open tenders and benefits only certain cronies would only bring Malaysia backwards. A good comparison is South Korea. In 1970, Malaysia's Gross National Income(GNI) per capita was USD 380 as compared to South Korea USD 260. But 40 years later in 2010, Malaysia's GNI per capita was at USD 7,760 while South Korea had exceeded us by almost 3 times at USD19,890 (World Bank)
Malaysia's failure to compete is compounded by the horde of Malaysians leaving. Even the BN government concedes that 2 million Malaysians have left the country since Merdeka in 1957. Countless Malaysians have PR in foreign countries including present Ministers and former Ministers. No one blames the 2 million Malaysians for leaving when the present policies stresses more on politics of division and hate than results-oriented performance drive our best and brightest away.
A recent example is the unfair, harsh and humiliating treatment of temporary Chinese primary school teachers by reducing their benefits arbitrarily without any consultation. How much will it cost the Federal government to continue maintaining existing benefits or even increasing them to temporary teachers? I doubt that such costs will exceed the RM250 million National Feedlot Corporation scandal where money meant for rearing cows is used instead to purchase luxury condos.
Why allow the few cronies to earn extraordinary profits at the expense of 28 million Malaysians. For instance, it took RM 6 billion to build the North-South Highway. But the toll operators have collected RM 24.3 billion as at 31.12.2010 and yet can continue to collect toll till end 2038 and increase toll every year! As the toll operators have already made RM18.3 billion in profits, there is no reason why toll can not be abolished.
Even more talented Malaysians will leave if BN continues to blame the Chinese and minorities for the federal government's failed policies or use the Chinese threat to frighten the Malays. How can the Chinese be a threat to Malays when critical economic sectors such as banking, insurance, ports, highway toll concessions and infrastructure, transport, automotive industry, IPPs, sugar, rice, flour, plantation products, oil and gas are dominated by Malays?
We must grow up believing in our abilities, trusting each other and have faith that Malays and non-Malays can be world champions. Malays and non-Malay kids must grow up respecting each other as Malaysians and hating only corruption. 2000-9 is the lost decade of corruption where RM1,077 billion of "black money" was illicitly and secretly taken out of Malaysian.
Enough is enough! Let us implement policies that will stop corruption, wipe out poverty, attract back Malaysian talents so that Malaysia can be a high-income nation enjoyed by everyone regardless of race, religion or gender.
Let us welcome the Year of the Dragon by implementing policies that are clean, fair, competitive and improves our standard of living. Happy Chinese New Year!
*Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary General & MP for Bagan
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Inspiration is to writers what the eureka experience is to scientists. It is not something you can invoke at will. It will come when it wants to. I am hoping it will come to me soon because I have to write my obligatory Chinese New Year piece and the clock is ticking away.
How does one write about a celebration when one finds little to be cheerful about? I tried looking for the muse by scouting around the wet markets and supermarkets. All I got was nausea from looking at the prices of those food items that we associate with Chinese New Year.
Many traders are complaining that business has so far been lacklustre, but an optimistic few think it will pick up at the last minute. They say plenty of households are waiting for their delayed monthly salaries and year-end bonuses.
I wonder why people would bother to celebrate when many of them cannot afford even a decent meal these days.
Food prices have been rising sharply for some time now, forcing consumers to forego what was normal fare a few years ago for cheaper and less satisfying alternatives. And that includes foods that have symbolic meaning in Chinese culture and are essential in celebrating the new year. Traders and consumers seem to agree that these items must have risen in price by 50% to 100% over the past three years.
Malaysians can only smirk when the government makes its reassurances about controlling the prices of about a dozen food items widely used during Chinese New Year. We hear such promises at the approach of any festival and we never take them seriously. Our understaffed enforcement squads and their sporadic raids are no match against the smart and unscrupulous traders.
Would a boycott of the festival help to bring prices down? To many Chinese, the very suggestion is sacrilegious.
A friend chastised me when I raised the question. "Some traditions continue to have validity despite our living in modern times," he said. "Chinese New Year is a time to remind ourselves to take stock of our actions for the whole year. The practices associated with it inspire us with wisdom."
Okay, but what have all that to do with elaborate feasts that drain away your already meagre earnings?
It is all about symbolism. For example, there must be fish for a reunion dinner because the Chinese word for "fish" sounds similar to the word "abundance". And there must be lotus roots, leeks, kale and cabbage—no matter how expensive they are these days—because they are good omens. And we have not even mentioned the more exorbitant items such as dried abalone and oysters.
However, even in non-inflationary times, Chinese New Year has always been a costly affair. The festivities last for 15 days, culminating in the mother of grand feasts on the night of Chap Goh Meh, which is familiar to Malaysians as the Lantern Festival.
Pragmatism
So how do the ordinary wage earners among Malaysian Chinese cope in these times of high prices for food and everything else?
Well, inscrutability is just one of the attributes of the proverbial Chinaman. He is also pragmatic and innovative. Many are finding cheaper alternatives without sacrificing much of the symbolism.
"For example, some families are substituting orange-coloured lime for mandarin oranges," said retired trader Richard Soh, 59. "Their emphasis is more on the getting together of families, the spirit of the reunion rather than the food that goes into the stomach."
Also, more and more city-dwelling families are having their reunion dinners at cheap eateries instead of congregating at a rich relative's house for an authentic home-cooked feast.
Fewer and fewer Chinese families are inviting the Deity of Prosperity into their homes not only because of the expenses involved in decorating the house and preparing a feast, but also in order to avoid the bother of keeping to the do's and don'ts of the feng shui discipline.
Of course, these innovations have their critics, especially from among the elderly.
"Urban Chinese households of the Taoist or Buddhist faiths no longer worship the Kitchen God," said Teh, a surveyor close to retirement age.
"They treat the traditional practices as if they are on the same level as business practices, simplifying them to suit their own convenience. They celebrate not because they believe in the religious aspects of the festival, but because everyone does."
Change can be either positive or negative. Perhaps it is true that some traditional values are not in harmony with the times and ought to be replaced by those that resonate with modern philosophies.
Until recent times, there was no word in Chinese to express the concept of freedom either in the philosophical or political sense. Neither was "equal rights" ever a topic of discussion. According to classical Chinese thought, no man is equal to another; he is only either younger or older.
Nowadays, however, both freedom and equality are favourite subjects among young Malaysian Chinese.
Who knows, the time may soon come when Malaysians can actually celebrate both freedom and equality.
Meanwhile, we can try anyway to have a joyous time welcoming the Year of the Water Dragon.
Stanley Koh is a former chief of the MCA's research unit. He is a FMT columnist.
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JAN 22 — What wasn't expected surprisingly happened. The High Court acquitted and discharged Anwar. That decision took everyone by surprise and they hoped that it would be the end of this sordid affair.
What the vast majority of Malaysians had hoped for following Anwar's discharge did not happen. The Prosecution shocked everyone and appealed the High Court decision.
What will happen following this appeal is predictable. We have said as much in our previous statement on 23 December 2009. This is what we said:
"Aliran has been keeping track of recent Court decisions and with this knowledge we must warn the jubilant litigants not to get carried away easily. This is Round 1 and Round 1 usually goes in favour of truth and justice. It is here where the facts are scrutinised diligently and justice has its sway. It is as far as justice can go!
"In Round 2, this decision will almost certainly be overturned, as has been the case on many occasions. It is here where facts don't matter but technicalities will be the overriding factor and justice will be forced to take a back seat.
"This glaring outcome is inevitable in our system of justice. We have witnessed this without fail in Anwar's cases, in the Perak Pakatan government's tussle for democracy, in the Kampung Buah Pala residents' plea for justice and in the MACC case involving Tan Boon Wah's human rights."
Based on the track record of the Judiciary, it is not difficult to predict the outcome of Round 2. Anwar's freedom must be curtailed and his fundamental rights must be denied to ensure the very survival of the Barisan Nasional.
The only person who can wreak havoc and destroy the entrenched power of the Barisan Nasional through Pakatan Rakyat is Anwar and therefore he must be put away. And to give this political plot a semblance of legality, knowing Malaysians argue, the Judiciary has to play the subservient role it has been accustomed to since 1988.
It is a great tragedy that the Judiciary — except for some rare occasions when a few brave and honest Judges stood firm on the side of truth and justice – had been such a terrible disappointment. It is so tainted and tarnished that it no longer commands the respect of Malaysians. By its very questionable conduct, it has brought upon itself the loss of public confidence and earned itself the disrepute that it deserves.
What is the game plan? Well, the Anwar hearing will come very near to the election in order to tie him down with his case. He has to be convicted just before the election so that he would be disqualified to contest the poll.
Alternatively, the case can drag on until the election. Or the judgment could be delayed until the election. Whatever course the case takes, the intention remains the same. Don't give Anwar the breathing space to campaign.
All these underhanded tactics can only be prevented when there is a change of government. The only way to redeem the Judiciary is to bring about a government that will respect the separation of powers. — Aliran
* P. Ramakrishnan is an Aliran exco member
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.
Read More @ Source JAN 22 — It's the last day of the Year of the Rabbit but the tricks are still fast and furious from both sides of the political divide. Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) cybertroopers are out there battling each other and hurling allegations like there is no tomorrow.
I would like to ask both sides to figure out whether this is a good way to impress anyone?
For example, there are a few blogs citing an Australian newspaper report that Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor went shopping a few weeks ago and bought a lot of stuff worth A$ 100,000. So what? Can't she go shopping? Is that a crime?
Is she an elected official and needs to explain herself? Why the obsession with her lifestyle?
PR supporters and their websites however, are gung-ho in playing up such reports. Would it get them more votes? Is that how low a coalition will stoop to win votes and form the next government?
At the same time, pro-BN bloggers are now citing a rumour that someone who looks like the Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng, went on a sponsored holiday to Italy. And on the premium Raffles Class in Singapore Airlines. Perhaps Malaysia Airlines does not fly there.
Interestingly, one of the bloggers said the trip was paid by a Tan Sri who is involved in gaming. Is this true? Do we need elected officials owing favours to businessmen. It's enough that we have allegations that some politicians are in the pocket of several top businessmen but Guan Eng?
Can the DAP secretary-general confirm or deny this allegation? How can a man who talks about Competency, Accountability and Transparency (CAT) do such a thing?
Please clear the air, sir. Politicians must be seen to be clean. We've already heard from PR that their political foes are dirty. But what PR politicians?
You talk about CAT principles, sir. I do hope we get to the bottom of this claim because I don't want your image tarnished either. I think both sides need to focus on what is good for the country, not smear each other and family too. That would be the sign of petty-minded and vicious people.
We need a better government and both sides must show they can do that.
* Malcolm Tan reads The Malaysian Insider.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.
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KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak today announced that Minister in the Prime Minister's Department G Palanivel has been appointed as the lead minister for the socio-economic development of the Indian community in the country.
The announcement on the appointment of Palanivel, who is also MIC president, was made by Najib at the Malaysia Tamil Schools Community's annual gathering held at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (SJK) Tamil Kinrara here.
Najib said the community should build a vision centred on "nambikei" which is belief in Tamil to bring it forward.
"If we are guided by the principles and philosophy of 'nambikei' and if we have 'nambikei' among us, there is nothing that we cannot achieve and no problem that cannot be solved.
"I am hoping that this 'nambikei', which is a common platform in the Barisan Nasional (BN) leadership, will bring returns that we all can be proud of," he said.
Najib added that the government was committed to the future growth of Tamil schools, thereby the future of the Indian community in the country and that from 2009 till last year, the government had allocated RM340 million for physical and infrastructure development for Tamil schools across the nation.
He said, in terms of management and administration, the government had invested about RM2 billion for Tamil schools since 2009.
"In the 2012 Budget, I had announced an additional allocation of RM100 million for upgrading Tamil schools and for their physical and infrastructure development.
"The expenditure list is being prepared and I hope the sum will be spent well so as to truly benefit the schools concerned," he said.
Education development
He said the government was also cooperating on the matter on other funding groups like the "Community Chest", a welfare fund which contributed RM5 million to Tamil schools last year alone.
He said he hoped government-linked companies (GLCs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) would also contribute towards education development in the country including for Tamil schools.
"The government has also allocated RM3 million to Community Builders Foundation (CBF) whose chairman is the MIC president. Through this NGO, we have helped more than 4,000 Tamil school students throughout the country who were weak in their studies but today have overcome the problem because of the intervention of the CBF.
"I have also helped the Sri Murugan Centre to produce outstanding students," he said, adding that as a result of the efforts, the performance of students at Tamil schools was on the uptrend, showing a 47 per cent increase in the number of students who scored 7As in the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) examination between 2009 and 2011.
He added that last year, the number of Tamil school students passing all subjects in the UPSR reached a new record at 53 per cent and was confident that the percentage would improve in the future.
- Bernama
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KUALA LUMPUR: Representatives from 12 non-governmental organisations (NGO) were satisfied with the explanation provided by the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) in relation to its alleged misuse of funds, at a two and a half hour meeting today.
Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali, who represented the group of NGOs, said they reached the conclusion after listening to an explanation by NFC executive chairman Dr Mohamed Salleh Ismail during a meeting at 9.30 am at Putra Hotel here.
"Prior to this, we were also confused about the NFC issue but after listening to the briefing and explanation by the corporation's executive chairman himself, we're satisfied and accept the same," he said after the meeting.
Some of the other NGOs were Malaysian Entrepreneurs Council, Peninsular Malay Students Coalition, Consultative Council, Malay Professional Thinkers Association and Children of Kelantan Association.
Ibrahim said the group would also accept any decision made by the police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission on the case.
"I want to make it clear that we are not defending NFC and will stand by the findings of investigations carried out by the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission and police," he said.
Whistle-blower to be charged soon
He also alleged that the whistle-blower, a former NFC staff who had leaked the company's financial records to PKR, had been sacked for embezzling RM2.7 million from the company. He said the former staff would be charged in court soon.
He also symphatised with Umno Wanita chief and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abd Jalil who had been dragged into the controversy. Salleh is her husband while her children are NFC directors.
The NFC issue was raised in the 2010 Auditor-General's Report in October last year, which stated the corporation failed to comply with the objectives of its formation.
Following the report, the opposition alleged misuse of funds including the purchase of a luxury condominium in the Klang Valley.
Last week Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak announced that NFC's assets had been frozen pending investigations by the police and MACC.
Shahrizat meanwhile has taken a three-week leave from her ministerial duties beginning Jan 12 to facilitate the probe.
- Bernama
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In the spirit of a fresh new 'Spring' (Chun), the blawg introduces you to a few fresh perspectives from our writers, on reunions, prosperity, and even on being 'dragon'. First up is Yue-Li, a new writer to the blawg, with dreams of the good old days and her wishes for a reunion with them.
Reunions are pretty special occasions. These are times when you meet up with the people you haven't seen in a while, or maybe a friend you haven't heard from since secondary school. It is a time to get together to chat, gossip and, of course, reminisce about the good old days. Perhaps there are also some reunions no one looks forward to at all – but that's another story.
Me? I am definitely looking forward to a few reunions, festive season or no festive season. They are as below, in no particular order:
What we wish for - shouldn't they be a given? | Photo by buck82 | Source: www.flickr.com/photos/buck82/7297977/
Am I being unnecessarily nostalgic? Maybe. But then, is it too much to ask the powers-that-be for the bare necessities of life – safety, security, a sound education for our children and, most importantly, quality of life? In other words, the basic needs of any citizen living in any country? It's no wonder more and more Malaysians are leaving the country in search of fulfillment. Resources, on many levels, are becoming scarce.
A change in government may not bring about the changes we all yearn for. Not immediately, anyway. But the very least we can do is to give the alternative a chance. After all, we've given the current government chance after chance, year after year, for over 50 years. And our reward? Galloping corruption and the intensifying ruination of our country, which seem to pick up pace as the years go by.
If you feel the same longing as I do, and if you miss the good old days too, you and I need to walk into the impending General Election with eyes wide open and none of the sentimentality permeating this article. Vote wisely. And maybe we will have more reunions to celebrate by the next few Chinese New Years. The kind that lasts.
(Featured image accompanying article on the main page courtesy of Giulia Scifoni, source: www.flickr.com/photos/yunfa/5297102324/)
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Tags: mainstream media, Muslim, Natural Resources, prosely, security, sex tape, sodomy, Yue-Li Gan
Yue-Li's ideal life would be running carefree on her own island with her beloved dog Bessy, who would be balancing a fat rabbit between her jaws (we're talking ideal). Unfortunately, a career as a Copywriter doesn't afford one their own island. So for now, she's living in Malaysia. And hoping every day for a better day.
Posted on 22 January 2012. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
Read more articles posted by Yue-Li Gan.
Read More @ Source What will be the top five topics of all Malaysians during the Dragon Chinese New Year holidays?
I will pick the following five:
(1) The Attorney-General's appeal against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's acquittal in the Sodomy2 charge by the Kuala Lumpur High Court, expressing the determination of the top UMNO leaders to want to see Anwar in jail.
(2) The Court of Appeal decision to overturn the Kuala Lumpur High Court decision to acquit and discharge DAP National Chairman Karpal Singh on the sedition charge relating to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's illegal, unconstitutional and undemocratic coup d'etat against the Pakatan Rakyat Perak state government.
Both these incidents have killed off public hopes that Malaysia is firmly set on the road to restoration of national and international confidence in our justice system, with a just rule of law and truly independent judiciary.
The only inescapable conclusion is that Malaysia can only begin to seriously undo the ravages against the doctrine of separation of powers especially between the Executive and the Judiciary in the past 24 years years stemming from the arbitrary sacking of the then Lord President Tun Salleh Abas and two Supreme Court judges Tan Sri Wan Suleiman Pawanteh and Datuk George Seah in 1988.
(3) RM300 million National Feedlot Centre (NFC) "cattle condo" scandal highlighting the worsening state of corruption an cronyism in the country which even before this scandal had fallen to the worst Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2011 ranking of No. 60 and score of 4.3 in the past 17 years with both set to plunge to new depths in 2012. This is why there is no public confidence in the independence, integrity and professionalism in the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which has not been able to shake off its early image as a tool of the Barisan Nasional to hound and persecute Pakatan Rakyat leaders, resulting in the cold-blooded murder of Teoh Beng Hock – a crime which is still crying out for justice!
(4) The fraud and hypocrisy of the International Conference on the Global Movement of the Moderates when racism, extremism, hate and downright falsehoods had reached new heights under Najib's 33-month premiership, with the chief culprit none other than the UMNO newspaper, Utusan Malaysia. What was most significant about the Conference was what did not happen – Najib's failure to respond to my five tests to demonstrate that the Prime Minister qualifies to be regarded as the voice of moderates in Malaysia!
(5) These four top topics for all Malaysians in the Dragon Chinese New Year holidays lead to and merge with the fifth – that there can only be hope and salvation for the country and real change if Malaysians regardless of race, religion and region, grasp the first opportunity in 54 years to effect UBAH, get rid of UMNO/Barisan Nasional in Putrajaya and instal a new Pakatan Rakat federal government with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the seventh Prime Minister of Malaysia.
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KUALA LUMPUR: Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia Malaysia (Suhakam) menyambut baik langkah Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi untuk mengadakan perundingan dengan wakil pelajar, pemegang kepentingan dan pihaknya berhubung rancangan untuk meminda Seksyen 15 Akta Universiti dan Kolej Universiti (Auku) 1974.
Pengerusinya Tan Sri Hasmy Agam berkata beliau berharap perundingan dan dialog secara terbuka tentang isu itu akan diadakan untuk membolehkan pelajar menikmati lebih banyak hak dan kebebasan.
"Kesedaran tentang hak dalam bidang ekonomi, sivil dan politik dalam kalangan pelajar universiti dan penyertaan mereka dalam rundingan mengenai isu kepentingan negara perlu dilihat secara positif sebagai sesuatu yang boleh menjadi pelengkap dan penambahan terhadap pendidikan rasmi serta latihan yang mereka terima di universiti," katanya dalam satu kenyataan hari ini.
Hasmy berkata tindakan mengenakan sebarang "sekatan tidak wajar terhadap hak pelajar dan pengalaman ini" akan menafikan mereka untuk menerima pendidikan serta pengalaman yang mereka perlukan sebagai bakal pemimpin negara.
Beliau juga menyatakan "kebimbangan besar" suruhanjaya itu tentang keputusan universiti tertentu baru-baru ini menggantung pengajian pelajar yang menyuarakan pandangan mereka kerana didakwa merosakkan nama baik institusi berkenaan serta menggugat ketenteraman awam.
Katanya tindakan itu bukan saja menyekat hak asasi pelajar, tetapi juga bercanggah dengan pengumuman Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak bahawa kerajaan akan meminda Seksyen 15 Auku untuk memberi ruang kepada pelajar universiti berusia 21 tahun ke atas menunaikan hak mereka.
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KUALA LUMPUR: Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) mendesak Umno bertanggungjawab terhadap insiden program Asal Bukan Umno (ABU) malam tadi di Jalan Kebun, Shah Alam.
NGO pimpinan Ketua PKR Rembau itu, Badrul Hisham Shaharim itu juga meminta polis bertindak secara profesional ke atas insiden tersebut.
Katanya, kejadian malam tadi membuktikan sikap sebenar Umno dan hipokrasi kempen 1Malaysia.
"Adakah orang India sudah tidak selamat berada di kawasan ramai penyokong Umno,?" katanya dalam kenyataan hari ini.
Dalam kejadian semalam 20 pemuda menjerit kepada kaum India yang berada di dalam dewan tersebut.
Kata Chegu Bard, malah ada yang membawa masuk motorsikal ke dalam dewan.
Cedera dan rosak
"Mereka bersenjatakan topi keledar dan kayu terus memukul beberapa tetamu yang hadir. Peralatan P.A dan projektor juga ada dirosakkan.
"Beberapa orang cedera, namun mereka tidak mahu ke hospital kecuali seorang pemuda berbangsa India terpaksa dikejarkan ke hospital kerana hampir pengsan dipukul.
"Di luar dewan pula sebahagian dari kumpulan ini dengan senjata telah mengugut dengan menjerit kepada peniaga yang datang berniaga kerana program tersebut agar menutup perniagaan.
"Ada gerai yang menjual makanan ringan mengalami kerugian apabila gerainya disepak dan barang makanan yang dijualnya berterabur di tanah," tambahnya.
Chegu Bard berkata, petugas dengan beberapa hadirin yang kebetulan yang baru datang berjaya menenangkan keadaan.
Katanya, kumpulan pemuda tersebut berundur ke seberang jalan mengadap dewan.
"Kira kira empat atau lima anggota polis datang, tetapi jumlah mereka bertambah ramai begitu juga penyokong dan hadirin yang ingin hadir bersama ceramah ABU. Keadaan mula tegang, polis dilihat tidak mampu berbuat apa-apa.
"Kira-kira jam 10.00 mlm penganjur memutuskan untuk menangguhkan program tersebut kerana bimbang soal keselamatan dan mengelakkan insiden tidak diingini berlaku," katanya lagi.
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JAN 22 — The Lunar New Year falls on January 23, 2012, marking the start of the Year of the Dragon — a year of courage, prosperity, love and cooperation. With such a rosy expectations, the end of the world is likely not going to occur this year.
The current economic downturn may ease up a bit as well. People of Chinese heritage worldwide are likely going to celebrate this special day merrily and for a total of 15 days.
We can expect to hear loud firecrackers, see a lot of bright red clothes, watch the famous dragon dance and eat the delicious Nian Gao rice cake and roast pork. Children expect you to give out ang pao or "red envelopes," so make sure your pocket is full of them. Chinese New Year is a joyous occasion and gives us hope for a better tomorrow.
Let's extend a sincere Happy New Year to each other by saying, "Xin Nian Kuai Le."
Residing an hour's drive from San Francisco, most likely I'll be celebrating in this foggy city's famous Chinatown. San Francisco's Chinatown boasts the largest Chinese New Year celebration outside of Asia, which will take place on February 11.
The 2012 Miss Chinatown USA, who will be crowned on February 4, is likely symbolising the hostess of the festival. A 76-metre long golden dragon, the centre of the occasion, will dance the night away with 100 acrobatic martial artists.
San Francisco's Chinatown was established in 1848 and is both the oldest Chinatown in the United States and the largest Chinese community outside Asia. It is famous for its unique ambiance, which seems more like Hong Kong than an American city.
Chinatown boasts over 300 restaurants of various sizes, prices, and specialties, which would take nearly a year to try each one of them. With a total land area of only 3.5 square kilometres, its population of more than 100,000 makes it one of the most densely populated districts in the US.
Every Chinese New Year reminds me that I'm a part of one of the oldest cultures in the world. With 1.4 billion other Chinese individuals worldwide, including 40 million living outside Mainland China, it's a great feeling realizing how grand the membership is.
The Han Chinese ethnicity is divided into 56 ethnic groups. Indonesia is home to approximately seven million Han Chinese, with major populations based in other countries such as the US (3.8 million), Singapore (3.6 million) and Malaysia (7.1 million).
In Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, those who have assimilated into the Indonesian and Malay cultures are referred to as peranakan. By this category, I am considered a peranakan as well, even though my grandparents migrated directly from Northern China. I enjoy having spicy and rich peranakan cuisine and often wear my kebaya nyonya, proudly created by my own mother's fashion designs.
Raised in a middle-class family by a single mother, I never considered myself financially wealthy. My high school and college classmates witnessed how I was used to taking public transportation to go to school, including the notoriously overfilled public buses and trains. However, the stereotype that "all Chinese are wealthy" stays with me to this very day, despite my family's constant struggle to catch up with daily expenses. Such stereotypes taught me an important life lesson: Many people believe in illusions.
Most overseas Chinese, I believe, carry with them at least a longing to feel at home wherever they are, while at the same time feeling proud of their cultural heritage. For this, they try to find meaning through various allegiances and affiliations. Indian literary critic Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak said it well, "I attempted to fracture the totalising logic of their representational practices by othering myself from the stereotypical consolidation of the rich, non-resident Indian subject."
Spivak made a lot of sense because the "stereotypical consolidation of the rich" is merely a mirage, an illusion. Out of seven million individuals of Chinese ethnicity in Indonesia, how many are "pure" Chinese? Could we even distinguish or identify those individuals?
This would be very hard to prove with DNA evidence, because, after all, ethnicity a politicised idea, an invention to divide a social structure. Furthermore, out of seven million individuals, how many of them actually possess the economic power to influence a country? All seven million of them? I doubt it.
Just looking at Forbes magazine's list of 40 richest individuals in Indonesia doesn't give a valid picture of Chinese-Indonesians' wealth. One should also read ethnographic research findings about Chinese-Indonesians trapped in cycles of poverty, such as Vidhyandika Djati Perkasa's "Poverty in a Chinese Community in West Java, Indonesia: Survival, Identity, and Social Face."
As a Chinese-Indonesian in a Western country, I carry with me two beautiful cultures with which I strive for acceptance in whichever community I reside. Despite the stereotypes I had to endure, the New Year always brings new hope and aspirations.
Let's remind ourselves that our identity isn't determined by stereotypes, but by the quality of our work and the content of our character. — The Jakarta Post
* The writer is an award-winning author and columnist based in Northern California.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.
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KUALA LUMPUR: Medical practitioners who fail to report dengue cases treated at their respective facilities will face action under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act, Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said.
Under the Act, medical practitioners are required to report dengue cases to the health office within 24 hours.
"The ministry regards this as a serious matter because failure to report such cases will hamper the effort to control the disease, and contribute to an outbreak," he said in a statement.
He said last year, six medical officers of a private hospital in Petaling Jaya were fined RM1,000 each for failing to report dengue cases that were treated in their facility.
"The ministry found 213 dengue cases treated by the hospital and of the total, six were not reported to any health office," he said, adding that the ministry would carry out continuous monitoring on private and government clinics and hospital to ensure all dengue cases are reported.
Dengue claimed two lives during the first week of this year, he said. There are 921 dengue cases so far this year.
- Bernama
Read More @ Sourceby P. Ramakrishnan
22 January 2012
What wasn't expected surprisingly happened. The High Court acquitted and discharged Anwar. That decision took everyone by surprise and they hoped that it would be the end of this sordid affair.
What the vast majority of Malaysians had hoped for following Anwar's discharge did not happen. The Prosecution shocked everyone and appealed the High Court decision.
What will happen following this appeal is predictable. We have said as much in our previous statement on 23 December 2009. This is what we said:
"Aliran has been keeping track of recent Court decisions and with this knowledge we must warn the jubilant litigants not to get carried away easily. This is Round 1 and Round 1 usually goes in favour of truth and justice. It is here where the facts are scrutinised diligently and justice has its sway. It is as far as justice can go!
"In Round 2, this decision will almost certainly be overturned, as has been the case on many occasions. It is here where facts don't matter but technicalities will be the overriding factor and justice will be forced to take a back seat.
"This glaring outcome is inevitable in our system of justice. We have witnessed this without fail in Anwar's cases, in the Perak Pakatan government's tussle for democracy, in the Kampung Buah Pala residents' plea for justice and in the MACC case involving Tan Boon Wah's human rights."
Based on the track record of the Judiciary, it is not difficult to predict the outcome of Round 2. Anwar's freedom must be curtailed and his fundamental rights must be denied to ensure the very survival of the Barisan Nasional.
The only person who can wreak havoc and destroy the entrenched power of the Barisan Nasional through Pakatan Rakyat is Anwar and therefore he must be put away. And to give this political plot a semblance of legality, knowing Malaysians argue, the Judiciary has to play the subservient role it has been accustomed to since 1988.
It is a great tragedy that the Judiciary – except for some rare occasions when a few brave and honest Judges stood firm on the side of truth and justice – had been such a terrible disappointment. It is so tainted and tarnished that it no longer commands the respect of Malaysians. By its very questionable conduct, it has brought upon itself the loss of public confidence and earned itself the disrepute that it deserves.
What is the game plan? Well, the Anwar hearing will come very near to the election in order to tie him down with his case. He has to be convicted just before the election so that he would be disqualified to contest the poll.
Alternatively, the case can drag on until the election. Or the judgment could be delayed until the election. Whatever course the case takes, the intention remains the same. Don't give Anwar the breathing space to campaign.
All these underhanded tactics can only be prevented when there is a change of government. The only way to redeem the Judiciary is to bring about a government that will respect the separation of powers.
This entry was posted on Sunday, 22 January 2012, 12:32 pm and is filed under Anwar Ibrahim, Judiciary. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0.
Read More @ Source BN should not blame the rakyat or the opposition camp for the state of mismananged politics and bad governance thta BN is being labelled with. If only BN had led wisely, the opposition would not be a threat; if only BN politicians had not succumed to greed and corruption, BN would not have the rakyat abandoning them.
J. D. Lovrenciear
This past decade has seen Malaysian politics boil and simmer, simmer and boil again. All these are puncturing too many holes in the armour of our economy while steadily shredding at the seams of our social cohesion.
For how long will we continue to be battered by the politicians who are hell bent in their determination to hold on to power is even beyond the soothsayers' prediction.
But as long as BN politicians are determined and resolute to remain in power at all costs – even at the expense of democratic principles, then this nation will only sink deeper into the gutters of a failed nation status.
But looking at the daily unfolding of political drama after drama, it is everyone's best bet that the rakyat are increasing getting fed up. Like in all nations across the globe, perhaps our youth will when tested to the limits someday soon, burst the seams of social order.
Is this what the BN is waiting and plotting for?
Not only are we the citizens worried about the looming global financial crisis, but even trying to grapple with the runaway cost of living is already a nightmare.
Civil servants are also scoffing at all the political rubbish piling up. Same too goes to our men and women in blue. Talk to them over a cup of teh tarik and they will not shy from telling you "tak'tahu lah apa sudah jadi sekarang …"
Whichever camp you belong to, let us face the fact: By virtue of the fact that BN has been in command of the nation's political governance all these decades since independence, it must take absolute responsibility for the current state of crisis waiting to explode.
What BN is contributing and experiencing speaks volumes about a a bankrupt leadership. And one need not be a management guru or leadership expert to decipher this, really.
BN ! should not blame the rakyat or the opposition camp for the state of mismananged politics and bad governance that BN is being labelled with. If only BN had led wisely, the opposition would not be a threat; if only BN politicians had not succumed to greed and corruption, BN would not have the rakyat abandoning them.
BN, you got it?
If truly BN loves this nation and believes in God, King and Citizens, then it should immediately disband parliament, call for democratic elections and let the people decide who and what they want.
And if people choose BN again, then walk in and get on with the business entrusted. If they lose, then pack and leave peacefully with a resolute will to be more transformed to the liking of the electorate by the next general elections.
BN must stop all these political scheming, talking down to the populace, dishing out threats, continuing to wallow in corruption and scaffolding individuals in their camp who have been alleged to have amassed illicit wealth, testing the justice system of the nation, and what not.
Already the longest serving prime minister has failed the citizens miserably. Instead of using his track record, power and influence to show the erring politicians the way forward, he has today become the ridicule of the entire nation. Even senior journalists in neighboring countries have not spared their ink on the Tun Dr. Why?
For those of us who travel in and out of the country, we have first-hand experience of how many citizens in other countries are beginning to look at Malaysia with greater suspicion. It could be far worse with potential investors though. In fact even newspapers in other countries are beginning to identify the serious state of political affairs in the country.
If there is any word that can best describe our current situation, it is this: We are in a mess.
Today is the first time the regime has chosen to use youths, some of whom look like they are in their teens, to threaten and harm their fellow citizens who are engaged in a legitimate expression of their right to free speech and assembly.
N. Ganesan, National Advisor Hindraf Makkal Sakthi
The inaugural HINDRAF and ABU forum planned at Dewan Orang Ramai MBSA, titled "Tamatkan Rejim UMNO/BN" was violently disrupted by a gang of youths on motorcycles.
The event started at 9.20 pm, and within minutes of the speakers taking their seats on stage, a group of Samseng Jalanan rode their motorcycles into the venue, with horns blaring in an attempt to disrupt the proceedings.
The crowd and the speakers on stage calmly ignored the disruption, which was a signal for the leader of the mat rempits to step off his motorcycle and escalate the situation by calling for any Malays in attendance to leave the hall immediately. Having succeeded in getting a few of the attendees to leave the hall, the mat rempits then began kicking and pushing over the publicity material and tables placed at the entrance to the hall.
This made some of the crowd restless, and prompted the mat rempit leader to ask the crowd to 'berambus'. Things took an ugly turn when another mat rempit then rode his motorcycle right into the seating area, making those seated there scramble for safety. The men in the crowd walked up to the mat rempits and asked them to leave, and the shoving began between the two groups. Things went spiraling out of control with blows being traded, and one of the attendees who found himself in a running fight with the mat rempits outside the hall was knocked senseless, and had to be rushed off to the hospital.
The organisers then decided to call off the forum, as it became apparent that the mat rempits were under orders to do anything and everything to stop the forum from going on.
The police arrived at the scene about 10 minutes after the mat rempits rode off.
This is a sign that HINDRAF and ABU are doing the right thing. HINDRAF Makkal Sakthi are no strangers to intimidation by the police and other uniformed personnel at indoor forums and events that they organise.
B ut today is the first time the regime has chosen to use youths, some of whom look like they are in their teens, to threaten and harm their fellow citizens who are engaged in a legitimate expression of their right to free speech and assembly.
Hindraf Makkal Sakthi will not be cowed by today's brazen attempt by UMNO/BN to intimidate those that have the courage to speak out against their regime. Hindraf Makkal Sakthi will continue to hold forums around the country together with ABU, and educate the citizens that the time for change is nigh.
Today is the first time the regime has chosen to use youths, some of whom look like they are in their teens, to threaten and harm their fellow citizens who are engaged in a legitimate expression of their right to free speech and assembly.
N. Ganesan, National Advisor Hindraf Makkal Sakthi
The inaugural HINDRAF and ABU forum planned at Dewan Orang Ramai MBSA, titled "Tamatkan Rejim UMNO/BN" was violently disrupted by a gang of youths on motorcycles.
The event started at 9.20 pm, and within minutes of the speakers taking their seats on stage, a group of Samseng Jalanan rode their motorcycles into the venue, with horns blaring in an attempt to disrupt the proceedings.
The crowd and the speakers on stage calmly ignored the disruption, which was a signal for the leader of the mat rempits to step off his motorcycle and escalate the situation by calling for any Malays in attendance to leave the hall immediately. Having succeeded in getting a few of the attendees to leave the hall, the mat rempits then began kicking and pushing over the publicity material and tables placed at the entrance to the hall.
This made some of the crowd restless, and prompted the mat rempit leader to ask the crowd to 'berambus'. Things took an ugly turn when another mat rempit then rode his motorcycle right into the seating area, making those seated there scramble for safety. The men in the crowd walked up to the mat rempits and asked them to leave, and the shoving began between the two groups. Things went spiraling out of control with blows being traded, and one of the attendees who found himself in a running fight with the mat rempits outside the hall was knocked senseless, and had to be rushed off to the hospital.
The organisers then decided to call off the forum, as it became apparent that the mat rempits were under orders to do anything and everything to stop the forum from going on.
The police arrived at the scene about 10 minutes after the mat rempits rode off.
This is a sign that HINDRAF and ABU are doing the right thing. HINDRAF Makkal Sakthi are no strangers to intimidation by the police and other uniformed personnel at indoor forums and events that they organise.
B ut today is the first time the regime has chosen to use youths, some of whom look like they are in their teens, to threaten and harm their fellow citizens who are engaged in a legitimate expression of their right to free speech and assembly.
Hindraf Makkal Sakthi will not be cowed by today's brazen attempt by UMNO/BN to intimidate those that have the courage to speak out against their regime. Hindraf Makkal Sakthi will continue to hold forums around the country together with ABU, and educate the citizens that the time for change is nigh.
KUCHING: Seramai 42,209 pemohon Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) di Bahagian Kuching bakal mendapat 'durian runtuh' apabila pengagihan bantuan berkenaan akan diagihkan secara berperingkat-peringkat mulai 28 Januari ini.
Residen Bahagian Kuching, Abdul Rahman Sebli Senusi berkata, penyerahan baucer BR1M tidak dapat dilakukan pada tarikh sama seperti di beberapa negeri lain disebabkan Pejabat Residen Kuching hanya menerima baucer dan senarai penerima pada 13 Januari 2012.
Beliau berkata, pihaknya telah menyediakan jadual penyampaian secara berperingkat membabitkan 15 majlis setelah mendapat pengesahan wakil-wakil rakyat di kawasan yang terlibat.
"Setakat ini, Pejabat Residen Kuching menerima 42,209 senarai penerima yang telah diluluskan permohonan mereka dengan keseluruhan bantuan berjumlah RM21.1 juta.
"Seramai 9,637 penerima dijangka menerima pembayaran RM500 setiap seorang mulai 28 Januari hingga 7 Februari ini, manakala 32,572 penerima lagi baru sahaja diterima permohonan mereka dan sedang diuruskan," katanya.
Kad pengenalan
Rahman yang ditemani Timbalan Residen (Pembangunan Bahagian Kuching), Zamahari Haji Saidi dan Setiausaha Penyelaras Majlis
Penyampaian BR1M Kuching, Hairol Nizam Morshidi berharap semua penerima dapat menghadirkan diri ke majlis penyampaian beserta dengan membawa kad pengenalan masing-masing.
Kawasan Parlimen Petra Jaya merupakan penerima teramai BR1M iaitu 11,302 orang, diikuti Stampin (9,446), Bandar Kuching (7,502), Santubong (7,498) dan Mas Gading, 6,461 orang.
Majlis penyampaian BR1M bagi Parlimen Petra Jaya untuk kawasan N.7 Samariang diadakan pada 28 Januari bertempat di Dewan Hikmah dan Tapak Medan Sukma, Dewan Merpati Jepang (N.8 Satok).
Sementara untuk N.6 Tupong diadakan pada 29 Januari di Dewan Kampung Tupong Tengah, dewan Kampung Pinang Jawa, Dewan Taman Malihah dan Dewan SUPP Matang.
Semua majlis penyampaian BR1M untuk Parlimen Stampin diadakan di Dewan Ibu Pejabat SUPP Kuching membabitkan Dun Batu Kawa pada 30 Januari, Dun Batu Lintang (31 Januari) dan Dun Kota Sentosa, 1 Februari 2012.
Majlis penyampaian BR1M untuk Parlimen Santubong untuk Dun Demak Laut diadakan di Dewan MPC, Jalan Demak pada 2 Februari, Dun Pantai Damai di Bangunan Dun Lama (6 Februari) dan Dewan Masyarakat Lundu pada 7 Februari 2012.
Penyampaian bantuan Parlimen Bandar Kuching untuk Dun Pending dan Dun Padungan masing-masing diadakan di Dewan Suarah Kuching pada 31 Januari dan 1 Februari 2012.
"Penerima BR1M tidak dibenarkan menghantar wakil untuk menerima baucer. Pejabat Residen akan bekerjasama dengan agensi yang terlibat untuk menyerahkan baucer kepada penerima yang gagal hadir kerana alasan-alasan tertentu," kata Rahman.
Penerima boleh menghubungi hotline Pejabat Residen ditalian 082-246991 atau telefon pejabat 082-244434 untuk menyemak kedudukan permohonan mereka bermula jam 8 pagi hingga 5 petang termasuk pada hari Sabtu dan Ahad ini. Pejabat ditutup pada 23 dan 24 Januari ini sempena cuti Tahun Baru Cina.
Penerima BR1M kawasan Parlimen Petra Jaya juga boleh menghubungi talian Pusat Khidmat Petra Jaya ditalian 082-444390 atau 013- 8051971 (En. Morshidi). Semakan status permohonan turut boleh diperolehi di hotline BR1M Kementerian Kewangan -1-800-222-500/1- 300-88-3010.
Read More @ Source22 JAN — Kelmarin, ramai yang teruja terhadap dua kes mahkamah yang menjadi perhatian sebelum ini. Pertama kes melibatkan Pengerusi DAP, Karpal Singh yang diperintah membela diri terhadap tuduhan di bawah Akta Hasutan 1948 kerana mengeluarkan perkataan berunsur hasutan terhadap Sultan Perak.
Dengan keputusan tersebut mahkamah mengetepikan keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi pada Jun 11, 2010 yang melepas dan membebaskan Karpal tanpa membela diri.
Ingatan rakyat Malaysia terhadap kes itu masih segar. Ini kerana banyak aduan polis dibuat terhadap Karpal. Isu tersebut menggemparkan kerana ramai yang menyifatkan Karpal bersikap keterlaluan dan biadap terhadap Sultan Perak. Sebagai warga negara yang cintakan Perlembagaan dan Raja, Awang lega kerana masih ada ruang untuk mahkamah sekali lagi mengadili Karpal.
Berdasarkan pandangan panel tiga hakim Mahkamah Rayuan, kenyataan Karpal cenderung menghasut dan menimbulkan perasaan tidak puas hati serta kebencian rakyat terhadap Sultan Perak. Menurut panel itu lagi, hakim bicara kes itu terkhilaf ketika melepas dan membebaskan Karpal kerana mungkin tidak jelas dengan apa yang dicari ketika mendengar kes.
Walaupun Awang bukan peguam tetapi jelas tentang batas-batas adab sopan antara raja dan rakyat. Apatah lagi jika ia berkaitan kuasa prerogatif (hak istimewa) Raja atau Sultan sebagaimana termaktub di bawah Perlembagaan.
Kedua, melibatkan kes liwat Ketua Pembangkang, Anwar Ibrahim, yang Karpal juga merupakan peguam bela utama. Peguam Negara memfailkan rayuan terhadap keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi yang melepas dan membebaskan Anwar daripada tuduhan meliwat bekas pembantunya peribadinya, Mohd. Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
Pada 9 Januari lalu, Hakim Mohamad Zabidin Mohd. Diah membuat keputusan itu kerana tidak cukup bukti. Keputusan tersebut mengejutkan banyak pihak daripada orang ramai hinggalah kepada pemimpin pembangkang sendiri.
Awang menyertai majoriti rakyat Malaysia lega kerana pintu mencari keadilan buat Saiful masih terbuka. Beliau pernah membuat sumpah laknat di masjid, yang Anwar sehingga hari ini enggan berbuat demikian. Keluarga Saiful, banyak badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) dan orang ramai mengharapkan Peguam Negara, Abdul Gani Patail menyegerakan rayuan.
Awang percaya tindakan mengemukakan rayuan dibuat bukan semata-mata atas desakan banyak pihak tetapi kes itu mempunyai merit untuk diangkat ke peringkat rayuan. Tahniah kepada Gani Patail kerana mengambil keputusan yang tepat biarpun tidak disenangi Majlis Peguam.
Seperti dijangka, Anwar akan mempolitikan kes tersebut dan mengheret rakyat untuk menyelamatkan beliau. Senario itu nampaknya berulang. — Utusan Online
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.
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