Learn from the kids!

• Yesterday I sent my 16-year girl to SEGI College in Kota Damansara to attend a public speaking seminar. I left here there at 0900 and picked her up at about 400pm. Within the few hours that she was there she made some new friends. By the time I came her new friends were posing with her taking pictures as if they had been friends for a long time. That was the first time they met. I smiled when I say the two Chinese girls and an Indian girl posing with her and they exchange hugs just as they were leaving. Imagine if this relationship were to be fostered further during their school days and the impact it has on the nation.
  

• Moral of the story is that the children did not see the racial divide between them. Unfortunately we adults argue everything on the basis of ethnicity. Why is that many of us when we were kids did not treat all Malaysian the same and when we grew up all the commonalities are gone. The short scene that I saw at SEGI only shows that children being the next generation leaders of our nation must be kept together as much as possible. The first 12 years of school life is a good starting point. Vernacular schools must open up their intake and accommodate at least 51% of their intake to the Malays. The government schools must find ways to have more non-Malay students and teachers.

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Labels are not for people — Dr Kamal Amzan

MARCH 25 — I don't know why I keep stumbling on 'jaw dropping' news lately. 

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Mashitah Ibrahim, told the Dewan Rakyat that the government was working with several NGOs to curb the 'spread' of the LGBT* social problem, especially among Muslims. 

If she is right, I must have missed the class where my Irish lecturers teach me that sexual orientation is 'contagious'. But thankfully none of my patients have requested a long MC for being a homosexual. 

But this mistake of hers is not an isolated one. It goes to show how and what Malaysians really feel about homosexuals. In other words, the Deputy Minister was echoing the sentiment of a segment of Malaysian population who are ignorant about sexual orientations from lack of knowledge, education and exposure. Ignorance breeds fear, and will always feed on self insecurities. 

Sexual orientation is not contagious, period. Waging a war on something fictitious spells a combination of premature failure, wastage of public funds, facing non forgiving, angry Malaysians in the process. 

Their time would be better spent teaching Malaysians about safe sex. They will find such education beneficial in reducing number of teenage and unwanted pregnancies, curbing the very REAL SPREAD of sexual transmitted diseases among Malaysians. 

The days of believing that Malaysian teenagers and youth are naive about sex is over. Those who do are in for a big surprise. 

The Star on the 26th June 2010 reported that there were 131 teenage mothers receiving welfare aid in 2009. The numbers were 111 for the first six month of 2010. Can you give an educated guess to what kind of numbers are we looking at this year in 2012? 

Bearing in mind that not all teenage mothers opt to receive aid, some choose to abort their pregnancy. Can you imagine just how big of a problem this is, and will be if nothing is done about it? 

This is a war that is worth waging and as a tax payer I gladly support. But not for waging a war against the spread of homosexuality. 

Harry A. Blackmun, an associate justice in the Supreme Court of the United States said, 'Disapproval of homosexuality cannot justify invading the houses, hearts and minds of citizens who choose to live their lives differently.' 

Labels are for filing. Labels are for clothing. Labels are not for people. 

*LGBT is the acronym for Lesbians,Gays,Bisexuals,Transgenders. 

 This article first appeared on Kamal Amzan's blog at http://drkamalamzan.com/

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.

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Automatic voter registration; compulsory voting; no party hopping — Aliran

MARCH 25 — P Ramakrishnan made the following recommendations before the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reform. 

Katak poster — Photo courtesy of Aliran

No party-hopping 

We do not have an anti-party hopping law. Such a law is necessary so that the voters' mandate is not frustrated and violated. 

A successful independent candidate has no obligation to any party and subsequently she can join any party of her choice. 

But it is different when it comes to a candidate nominated by a party. He is elected based on the party's stature and manifesto. A candidate after having been elected on a particular party ticket has no right to switch party. It is clearly a blatant betrayal of the voters' mandate. When this takes place, the seat should automatically fall vacant forcing a by-election. 

It cannot be argued that a party candidate has the right of association when he switches party after being elected. The argument that it infringes on the right of association does not hold water. An elected member can switch his party affiliation any time he wants — that right is not challenged. But when he betrays the voters and makes a mockery of the democratic process there must be a consequence. He can become a member of any political party he chooses to be but he has no right to cling on to his elected position because he was elected on a different party platform. 

An elected representative who switches party should be allowed to contest in the by-election when his seat falls vacant. And if he gets elected once again, then his position is legitimised and he can stay on as an elected representative honourably. 

Recommendation 

An anti-party hopping law must be enacted to protect the peoples' mandate and sanctify the democratic electoral process. 

Automatic registration 

Registration of voters should be automatic. All we need is the political will to make this possible. The Election Commission's (EC) computer system should be linked to the National Registration Department (NRD). 

All Malaysians are required to renew their ICs on reaching the age of 21. It is at this stage that there should be a link with the NRD so that all Malaysians reaching the age of 21 are automatically registered. 

The address on the new IC will determine their constituency for voting purposes. The current practice of submitting forms to the EC to seek registration as a voter is slow, cumbersome and prone to mistakes. Those who don't submit such forms are left out from the electoral roll, thereby forfeiting their right to vote. 

All eligible voters will be on the electoral roll when registration is automatic and there will be hardly any mistake with regard to their particulars. By linking the EC's computer system with the NRD, it is possible to be up to date especially when deaths are reported to the NRD. The names of the deceased can be correctly and automatically removed in this way. 

Recommendation 

The EC's computer system must be linked to the NRD so that all eligible voters are registered. 

Compulsory voting 

We do not have compulsory voting in Malaysia. Our close neighbour Singapore has made voting compulsory. 

Non-notification of change of address can be solved through this system. People seeking jobs or settling elsewhere after their automatic registration must notify their change of address. When voting is made compulsory, those concerned will be forced to be responsible and provide their new address, failing which they will have to travel to their previous address to cast their vote. 

The advantages of compulsory registration is that there will be greater participation by Malaysians to make the democratic process meaningful. Greater participation of the majority of the population enhances our democratic process and compels the candidates to address the needs of all rather than confine themselves to certain groups who form the majority in that constituency. 

Recommendation 

Relevant laws must be amended or introduced to make voting compulsory.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.

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Pembangkang perlu cermin diri — Mingguan Malaysia

MAC 25 — Dalam minggu ini, dua pihak telah membuat kenyataan akan mengambil tindakan undang-undang ke atas akhbar Utusan Malaysia. Pihak pertama, Penasihat Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim manakala pihak kedua pula ialah Kerajaan Pas Kelantan. 

Sememangnya itu hak mereka untuk berbuat demikian kerana sejak selepas Pilihan Raya Umum 2008, tindakan menyaman sudah menjadi satu budaya baru bagi pakatan pembangkang yang sebelum ini menggambarkan mereka adalah jaguh dalam memperjuangkan kebebasan bersuara dan kebebasan media. 

Tetapi seperti biasa, pembangkang sememangnya hanya bijak bercakap, melemparkan tohmahan, mewujudkan persepsi dan merasakan mereka sahaja yang betul. 

Bagaimanapun yang menjadi persoalan mengenai kenyataan-kenyataan yang dibuat ketika hasrat hendak mengambil tindakan undang-undang mahu dilakukan... — 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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LEHER UMNO/APCO-BN SUDAH TERJERAT

NFC dipinjamkan sebanyak RM250 juta oleh kerajaan pada tahun 2008 untuk pelihara lembu dan bekalkan daging yang cukup untuk keperluan negara. Mereka pelihara lembu sedikit sahaja. Tidak capai matlamat. Itu rungutan Ketua Audit Negara. 

Yang mereka pentingkan hanyalah membeli kondo mewah di Kuala Lumpur, Singapura, dan Kazakhstan, termasuk berbelanja sakan dan lain-lain lagi yang tiada kaitan dengan pemeliharaan lembu dan pengeluaran daging lembu. Salah siapa?

Mereka patut bayar balik pinjaman mudah tu mulai Januari 2012. Satu sen pun belum bayar. Apa sebab tak bayar? Kerajaan UMNO/APCO-BN tangguh bina pusat penyembelihan bertaraf antarabangsa. Mereka pun tangguhlah pembayaran balik. Bagi NFC, kerajaan yang keluarkan pinjaman mudah tu aniaya merekalah. Yang mereka tak pelihara lembu secukupnya tu tak aniaya kerajaan dan rakyatkah? 

Rakyat pun nak tahu juga sebab-musabab kerajaan tak bina pusat penyembelihan bertaraf antarabangsa tu? Cakap tak mau kalah. Tak ada duitkah? Bukankah bajet peruntuk banyak duit kepada Kementerian Pertanian dan Industri Asas Tani bagi menjayakan konsep "Pertanian ialah Perniagaan"? Pergi ke mana semua wang tu? Habis kerana buat projek tak ketahuan hala macam jeti perikanan tanpa kelulusan sesiapa tu ke? 

Kerajaan UMNO/APCO-BN takkan mampu menjawab semua persoalan yang semakin berbelit-belit ini. Leher UMNO/APCO telah dijerat oleh NFC yan! g celaka ni. Bolehkah mereka mengharapkan rakyat memaafkan mereka atas perbuatan yang terkutuk ini?

Najib kata rakyat bertambah cerdik sekarang ini. Adakah orang cerdik akan sokong perbuatan terkutuk itu? Najib kata kekayaan negara perlu dikongsi bersama rakyat. Bukankah prinsip ini dipegang oleh Pakatan Rakyat (PR) sejak awal lagi? Jika demikian, Najib sokong prinsip PR. Rakyat yang cerdik akan kata, "Buat apa pilih peniru idea orang lain, pilihlah kumpulan yang mengeluarkan idea bernas tu." Bye Bye UMNO/APCO-BN.

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Is this the end of the line for wannabe Dick Taters?

Former US Vice-President Dick Cheney, once a leading candidate for the title of "Most Evil Man In America"

Cheney gets heart transplant, in intensive care
March 25, 2012 | The Malaysian Insider

Dick had an enormous heart; too bad it wasn't ticking right. It was a real problem finding the right organ to replace his dysfunctional heart. Finally a farmer in Idaho offered this mutant potato, which perfectly fit a man of Dick Cheney's stature.

WASHINGTON, March 25 — Former US Vice President Dick Cheney was recovering yesterday after undergoing heart transplant surgery, a once risky procedure whose survival rates have improved over the years.

The 71-year-old Republican, who wielded unprecedented power as vice president during the George W. Bush administration's war on terrorism, was in the intensive care unit at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia.

Cheney, who has suffered five heart attacks, the first at age 37, had been on the cardiac transplant list for more than 20 months before he received the heart from an anonymous donor.

"Although the former vice president and his family do not know the identity of the donor, they will be forever grateful for this lifesaving gift," the spokeswoman, Kara Ahern, said.

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, about 88 per cent survive the first year after heart transplant surgery and 75 per cent survive for five years. The 10-year survival rate is about 56 per cent.

Cheney's transplant followed a series of procedures in recent years to extend the use of his heart. Cheney had bypass surgery in 1988 and later had two angioplasties. In 2001, he had a defibrillator implanted in his chest.

He had a heart pump implanted in 2010 to compensate for worsening "end-stage" congestive heart failure. He said after the operation he was considering whether to seek a full heart transplant.

Waitlist

During Cheney's eight years as vice president from 2001 to 2009, he pushed a "go it alone" world view that enraged his critics and dogged him long after he left public life.

Cheney was a strong advocate for the 2003 invasion of Iraq and was among the most outspoken of Bush administration officials warning of the danger from Iraq's suspected stockpile of weapons of mass destruction. No such weapons were found.

In recent years, Cheney has appeared increasingly frail in public.

[Read the rest here.]

So, this is Cheney's idea of "a change of heart"? Dick, you shoulda listened to your mama and become a poet. Now, all you'll get is a million Iraqis dancin' on your grave.... and everyone who died on 9/11 will be waiting to greet you on the other side.

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

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Politik Dunia Pertama atau Ketiga?

Acap kali kita dihidangkan impian pimpinan kerajaan supaya Malaysia terus berjaya menjadi negara maju, hingga bila kita tiba kepada tahun 2020, sasarannya adalah gaji per kapita (GNI) daripada RM23,700 kepada RM48,000, hampir seperti negara-negara dunia pertama lainnya.

Tetapi kita mesti beringat – sasaran apa pun yang dimahukan, tidak boleh tidak kerajaan wajib membudayakan kepimpinan terpuji dalam membangunkan negara tercinta ini. Bukankah kepimpinan itu menerusi teladan?

Justeru apa kata pimpinan bila berlakunya manipulasi pilihan raya, rasuah dan salah guna kuasa yang berleluasa, peningkatan penggunaan samseng atau pembuli politik dalam mengekang golongan yang dianggap musuh politik kerajaan sedia ada?

Apa kata Perdana Menteri apabila ahli-ahli partinya bertanggungjawab terhadap gangguan ceramah-ceramah pembangkang – dari Himpunan Hijau di Pulau Pinang ke Felda Lepar Hilir 1 di Pahang dan Padang Keluang di Johor dilakukan dengan dukungan ahli-ahli Umno dan kumpulan Perkasa yang sememangnya mendapat sokongan daripada pimpinan Umno.

Apa kata Perdana Menteri seandainya disamakan budaya samseng ini dengan halangan kebebasan demokratik di Congo pada pertengahan 90-an, atau belenggu pelanggaran hak asasi manusia di Zimbabwe ketika itu? Tentunya Perdana Menteri tidak mahu perbandingan dengan rejim komunis di Timur Eropah pada tahun 80-an yang menindas rakyat. Mahu tidak, ekologi budaya politik ketiga ini dipraktis banyak rejim yang takut kehilangan kuasanya.

Sebaliknya, jika Perdana Menteri berani menggandingkan permohonan maaf beliau dengan teguran membina terhadap serangan yang kini kian menggila terhadap semua aktiviti pembangkang, barulah boleh kita melihat pendirian tegas menuju ke arah 'budaya politik dunia pertama.'

Budaya politik dunia pertama akan membahaskan isu-isu penting mengenai ekonomi, kesejahteraan sosial dan tidak menjadikan agama dan bangsa sebagai tebusan retorik politik ketakutan yang hanya memecah-belah masyarakat.

Ekologi budaya politik dunia ketiga berpunca daripada sanubari dan mentaliti politikus yang hanya mahukan kuasa untuk harta dan bukan kuasa untuk rakyat. Masa depan negara terancam apabila kebanyakan negara-negara dunia ketiga sedang menatarkan reformasi politik contohnya di Myanmar baru-baru ini. Rejim junta itu secara menakjubkan memberi ruang liputan di rangkaian televisyen nasional negara kepada semua parti politik termasuk daripada pihak pembangkang! Bayangkan wajah ayu Daw Aung San Suu Kyi yang terpenjara berkali-kali selama 15 tahun lamanya kini dapat ditonton oleh penduduk Myanmar tanpa perlu berjalan jauh untuk bertemu srikandi mereka itu.

Bayangkan sebuah Malaysia yang mengamalkan budaya politik dunia pertama yang dengannya Kuasa Rakyat menjadi asas utama kerajaan, di mana "kuasa datang daripada rakyat untuk rakyat" menjadi tiang seri kenegaraan yang akan terus membangun dan maju, dilengkapi pula dengan keluhuran Perlembagaan Persekutuan sebagai asas pemerintahan yang adil lagi saksama.

Bayangkan pilihan raya umum yang bebas, bersih dan adil menjadi teras mandat sebenar pemilihan kerajaan memerintah. Daftar pengundi akan bersih daripada pengundi hantu, pengundi yang dibeli dengan kewarganegaraan dan pengundi yang berpeluang mengundi berbilang kali. Perhimpunan aman pula dibenarkan tanpa syarat yang membebankan. Waktu kempen pilihan raya yang munasabah dibenarkan sementara akses kepada media massa tidak terhad ataupun jelas berpihak. Politik yang berpandukan wang ringgit mesti diharamkan. Suasana sedemikian layak diberi sijil kerana pilihan rayanya mempamerkan cetusan suara pilihan rakyat yang tulen berasaskan persaingan idea yang sihat.

Bayangkan Parlimen yang berfungsi secara demokratik sehinggakan soalan Parlimen saya kepada Perdana Menteri – agar menyenaraikan projek-projek, termasuk jumlah geran pembiayaan atau pinjaman kerajaan yang melebihi RM5 juta yang diberikan kepada syarikat-syarikat yang dimiliki oleh ahli-ahli keluarga menteri dan timbalan menteri sejak tahun 2004 hingga 2011 – dijawab bukan ditolak.

Bayangkan kedudukan tahap tinggi Malaysia berbanding negara lain, bukan kedudukan rendah Laporan Perkembangan Dunia (UNDP 2010); di mana tahap perkembangan sumber manusia menempatkan Korea Selatan di tangga ke-12, Singapura (27), Brunei (37) dan Malaysia (51). Bila ditambah dengan prestasi pendidikan yang semakin merudum – di mana peratus rakyat Malaysia yang berjaya menamatkan pendidikan menengah pula adalah 68.7 peratus, berbanding Korea Selatan (96.4 peratus), Hong Kong (75.2 peratus) dan Brunei (88.2 peratus) – terus meyakinkan kita bahawa hanya pengamalan budaya politik dunia pertama yang dapat membebaskan rakyat daripada penjara kemunduran ini.

Bayangkan sebuah Malaysia yang lebih terbuka, lebih bersatu, lebih maju dan lebih sejahtera, berdiri sama tinggi, duduk sama rendah sebagai negara dunia pertama dalam semua segi – sosial, politik dan ekonomi – jika budaya politik berjaya ditransformasikan.

Apa kata Perdana Menteri?

(pertama kali disiarkan di Sinar Harian pada 20 Mac 2012)

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Malaysians Living Abroad Want a Say in Next Election

From the New York Times: Malaysians Living Abroad Want a Say in Next Election

KUALA LUMPUR — Nurul Syaheedah Jes Izman, 27, a graduate of New York University, lives in New Jersey and works on Wall Street as a financial analyst. Though she has spent her college years and all of her working life in the United States, she closely follows political developments in her native Malaysia, reading Malaysian news Web sites every day and talking with friends and family back home about the issues.

But under current law, Ms. Nurul Syaheedah will not be able to express her political preferences at the ballot box in the next Malaysian election, widely expected this year, unless she makes the 23-hour trip home. The only Malaysians living overseas who are allowed to vote by absentee ballot are government workers, military personnel and full-time students and their spouses.

"The right to vote is a basic right of all citizens," Ms. Nurul Syaheedah said in an e-mail. "No one should be disenfranchised in this time and age, even from a different location overseas. We are all rightful stakeholders in our nation."

With an estimated 700,000 of Malaysia's 28 million citizens residing abroad, the Malaysian diaspora is spread far and wide, from neighboring Singapore to New Zealand and the United States, and their calls for a greater say in how their country is run are growing louder.

These appeals are being heard against the backdrop of a larger popular movement to make the process of choosing Malaysia's leaders more fair and transparent. Last summer, thousands of people demonstrated in Kuala Lumpur for electoral changes that they argue would level the playing field for the political opposition to compete against the governing National Front coalition, dominated by the United Malays National Organization, which has been in power since independence in 1957.
I n January, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur rejected an application by six Malaysians living in Britain for a review of the election laws. But the authorities have begun taking steps toward extending the vote to more overseas Malaysians. A parliamentary committee, set up after the protests last year to consider changes to the election process, has recommended that overseas voting be expanded and has been discussing options with the Election Commission. The panel is expected to present a report in early April.

But some expatriates are concerned that any changes will not come in time for the next election and that Malaysia will continue to bar some of its overseas citizens from voting — based, perhaps, on how long they have lived abroad, as some other countries do.

Some analysts believe that the Malaysian governing coalition — which in 2008 suffered one of the greatest electoral setbacks in its history, with the opposition taking more than a third of the seats in Parliament — is unlikely, for political reasons, to extend the franchise to more overseas Malaysians in time for the next election.

Expatriates, these analysts say, could be seen as likely to support the opposition, since many are ethnic Chinese and Indians who went abroad, at least in part, out of exasperation with the government's longstanding policies favoring Malays.

"The strong suspicion is that the vast majority of overseas Malaysians, who are ethnic Indians and ethnic Chinese, are somewhat frustrated with the affirmative action policies and have left Malaysia to seek better opportunities," said John Lee, adjunct associate professor at the Center for International Security Studies at the University of Sydney. "This includes better opportunities for their children's education, and also due to the fact that the best jobs in the public service and other selective sectors of the economy have affirmative action quotas in place."

Wan Saiful Wan Jan, chief executive of the Institute for Democracy a! nd Econo mic Affairs in Kuala Lumpur, said that, based on his observations, Malaysians living overseas were "overwhelmingly critical of the governing coalition."

"The government has a lot to lose," he said. "Overseas voters can make a big difference if they have that opportunity to vote."

Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, deputy chairman of the Election Commission, said the commission had recommended to the parliamentary panel that Malaysians living overseas be required to return at least once every five years to maintain their eligibility to vote. He said it would not be fair to extend the vote to citizens who return less frequently and do not follow developments in their constituencies.

Some expatriates are riled by the implication that if they stay away for long periods, they do not care about their country's affairs. They say they want the chance to vote for leaders who will address the issues that prompted them to leave in the first place.

"Just because you are overseas doesn't mean you don't care and don't know," said Ong Suan Ee, a Malaysian who works as a senior research analyst at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

See-See Leong, a software designer who has lived in London for 17 years and was one of the six Malaysians involved in the case the High Court ruled on in January, said there was "no logic" to why only certain overseas Malaysians are allowed to vote.

"The Constitution gives you the right to vote, and therefore, so long as you are a Malaysian citizen, you should have the right to vote," said Ms. Leong, 44, who is on the board of trustees of My Overseas Vote , an advocacy group established in London in 2010.

Among other changes, My Overseas Vote wants votes to be counted at Malaysian embassies, rather than mailed back to the country from overseas — a process that the election commission has recommended stay in place. The group said in a statement this week that voting by mail in Malaysia had "become synonymous with! fraud a nd unfair balloting."

The group also said that in the past, some overseas military personnel had had to fill out their ballots in front of their superiors.

Mr. Wan Ahmad of the Election Commission said he was aware that such allegations had been reported in the news media but said the commission had received no formal complaints and urged anyone with evidence of misconduct to come forward.

Some expatriates, including Hwa Shi-Hsia, 28, a biologist who lives in Singapore, are determined to vote even if the rules are not changed before the next election. Ms. Hwa, 28, plans to book a flight home as soon as the election is called. But she says this is a cost she should not be required to bear.

"The Philippines managed to arrange overseas voting for its citizens in Singapore," she said. "I don't see why we can't."

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Learn from the kids!

• Yesterday I sent my 16-year girl to SEGI College in Kota Damansara to attend a public speaking seminar. I left here there at 0900 and picked her up at about 400pm. Within the few hours that she was there she made some friends. By the time I came her new friends were posing with her taking pictures as if they had been friends for a long time. I smiled when I say the two Chinese girls and an Indian girl posing with her and they exchange hugs just as they were leaving. Imagine if this relationship were to be fostered further during their school days and the impact it has on the nation.
  

• Moral of the story is that the children did not see the racial divide between them. Unfortunately we adults argue everything on the basis of ethnicity. Why is that many of us when we were kids did not treat all Malaysian the same and when we grew up all the commonalities are gone. The short scene that I saw at SEGI only shows that children being the next generation leaders of our nation must be kept together as much as possible. The first 12 years of school life is a good starting point. Vernacular schools must open up their intake and accommodate at least 51% of their intake to the Malays. The government schools must find ways to have more non-Malay students and teachers.

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Siapa nasihat PM tolak tribunal kehakiman dlm isu 'copgate'...

Adakah Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak mendapatkan nasihat Peguam Negara Abdul Gani Patail ketika memutuskan tidak menubuhkan tribunal kehakiman dalam isu 'copgate'?

Persoalan ini diajukan oleh pemimpin popular DAP Lim Kit Siang sebagai respons kepada jawapan "tidak" Najib pada Jumaat ketika ditanya sama ada tribunal akan dibentuk bagi menyiasat dakwaan terhadap Abdul Gani.

Lim berkata, Najib juga patut tampil memberitahu parlimen dan berapa kali beliau mendapat nasihat Gani atau mana-mana pihak lain dalam isu isu sebelum membuat keputusan menolak penubuhan tribunal.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak sebelum ini berkata kerajaan tidak akan menubuhkan tribunal untuk menyiasat peguam negara Musa Hasan yang didakwa memerangkap Ramli kerana ia merupakan dakwaan yang perlu disahkan.

Malaysiakini sebelum ini melaporkan, timbalan menteri dalam negeri ketika itu Datuk Johari Baharom mengarahkan Ramli untuk menyiasat kumpulan kongsi gelap Johor yang diketuai oleh Goh Cheng Poh yang didakwa terbabit dengan wang haram.

Menurut Ramli, siasatan berkenaan mendedahkan bahawa Musa bersekongkol dengan Goh dan didakwa melindungi tokoh kongsi gelap itu.

Abdul Gani pula didakwa mempergunakan Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR) ketika itu bagi mengakses fail sulit berhubung kes berkenaan.

Pemberi maklumat berhubung kes Goh itu kemudiannya dikatakan diburu dan mereka dipaksa menukar kenyataan bersumpah mereka untuk memalitkan pihak polis.

Berikutan itu, pasukan siasatan Ramli pula didakwa memalsukan bukti terhadap Goh.- malaysiakini

Who advised PM against tribunal?

Did Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak seek the advice of Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail in deciding not to establish a judicial tribunal against the latter?

This is the question being pondered aloud by DAP veteran lawmaker Lim Kit Siang, in response to Najib's firm "No" on Friday when asked if a tribunal with be set up to hear allegations against Gani.

"Najib should be forthcoming and tell Parliament whether and how many times he had consulted Gani (right) on the issue and who are the other judicial, legal and other officers he had consulted before he came to the conclusion to reject the call for a tribunal," said Lim in a statement today.

A number of former and serving senior police officers, including former commercial crime investigation department (CCID) chief Ramli Yusoff, have stepped up to offer evidence of wrongdoing against Gani.

They are accusing Gani of being in collusion with an underworld figure and former inspector-general of police Musa Hassan in an elaborate cover-up operation.

Malaysiakini had reported on March 11 that a number of whistleblowers

But since Ramli and another top cop Mat Zain Ibrahim, a former Kuala Lumpur CID chief, has agreed to offer "new evidence" should a tribunal be called, Lim argued that this was grounds for a tribunal.

Lim said that calling for a tribunal was the very least that Najib could do to safeguard his own credibility and legitimacy.- malaysiakini
cheers.

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Siapa nasihat PM tolak tribunal kehakiman dlm isu 'copgate'...

Adakah Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak mendapatkan nasihat Peguam Negara Abdul Gani Patail ketika memutuskan tidak menubuhkan tribunal kehakiman dalam isu 'copgate'?

Persoalan ini diajukan oleh pemimpin popular DAP Lim Kit Siang sebagai respons kepada jawapan "tidak" Najib pada Jumaat ketika ditanya sama ada tribunal akan dibentuk bagi menyiasat dakwaan terhadap Abdul Gani.

Lim berkata, Najib juga patut tampil memberitahu parlimen dan berapa kali beliau mendapat nasihat Gani atau mana-mana pihak lain dalam isu isu sebelum membuat keputusan menolak penubuhan tribunal.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak sebelum ini berkata kerajaan tidak akan menubuhkan tribunal untuk menyiasat peguam negara Musa Hasan yang didakwa memerangkap Ramli kerana ia merupakan dakwaan yang perlu disahkan.

Malaysiakini sebelum ini melaporkan, timbalan menteri dalam negeri ketika itu Datuk Johari Baharom mengarahkan Ramli untuk menyiasat kumpulan kongsi gelap Johor yang diketuai oleh Goh Cheng Poh yang didakwa terbabit dengan wang haram.

Menurut Ramli, siasatan berkenaan mendedahkan bahawa Musa bersekongkol dengan Goh dan didakwa melindungi tokoh kongsi gelap itu.

Abdul Gani pula didakwa mempergunakan Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR) ketika itu bagi mengakses fail sulit berhubung kes berkenaan.

Pemberi maklumat berhubung kes Goh itu kemudiannya dikatakan diburu dan mereka dipaksa menukar kenyataan bersumpah mereka untuk memalitkan pihak polis.

Berikutan itu, pasukan siasatan Ramli pula didakwa memalsukan bukti terhadap Goh.- malaysiakini

Who advised PM against tribunal?

Did Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak seek the advice of Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail in deciding not to establish a judicial tribunal against the latter?

This is the question being pondered aloud by DAP veteran lawmaker Lim Kit Siang, in response to Najib's firm "No" on Friday when asked if a tribunal with be set up to hear allegations against Gani.

"Najib should be forthcoming and tell Parliament whether and how many times he had consulted Gani (right) on the issue and who are the other judicial, legal and other officers he had consulted before he came to the conclusion to reject the call for a tribunal," said Lim in a statement today.

A number of former and serving senior police officers, including former commercial crime investigation department (CCID) chief Ramli Yusoff, have stepped up to offer evidence of wrongdoing against Gani.

They are accusing Gani of being in collusion with an underworld figure and former inspector-general of police Musa Hassan in an elaborate cover-up operation.

Malaysiakini had reported on March 11 that a number of whistleblowers

But since Ramli and another top cop Mat Zain Ibrahim, a former Kuala Lumpur CID chief, has agreed to offer "new evidence" should a tribunal be called, Lim argued that this was grounds for a tribunal.

Lim said that calling for a tribunal was the very least that Najib could do to safeguard his own credibility and legitimacy.- malaysiakini
cheers.

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The rock kid

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Najib should explain to Parliament whether he is acting on the AG Gani Patail’s advice that there is insufficient evidence for a judicial tribunal to be empannelled against the AG himself?

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Proof MCA is finish as running dog

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Najib’s concern must be for real

Jeswan Kaur | March 25, 2012
Free Malaysia Today

Indulging in corruption, cronyism and nepotism is not what a leader who "listens" to his people does.

COMMENT

Trusting a politician is the hardest thing to do; the risk is not just worth it. So when Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak says he will listen to the rakyat in choosing candidates for the 13th general election, it is too good an assurance to hang on to.

Is it not Najib who keeps "cautioning" the people that he wants "winnable" candidates to contest in the looming GE? How then does the rakyat's choice make a difference to him?

In his March 22 interview with DJs Sam Mak and Tan Yi Hui in the one-hour 988 Street VIP programme of the 988 FM radio station, Najib said he would have to listen to the people when it comes to choosing candidates for the next general election.

"It is only right as a leader. I should listen to the people. So, therefore, I will make a decision that his or her time is up and should not stand as a candidate anymore," were the premier's words.

Najib is very right that he "must" listen to the rakyat, which he has not been doing. Indulging in corruption, cronyism and nepotism is not what a leader who "listens" to his people does.

What should the rakyat make of a leader like Najib who chooses a corrupt politician to helm the Federal Land Development Authority or Felda.

Everyone is aware of the money politics that Mohamed Isa Abdul Samad, the former Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan indulged in, which resulted in Mohamed Isa being stripped of his Umno vice-presidency by the Umno discplinary board in 2005. His six-year suspension however was commuted to three years upon appeal and ended on 23 June 2008.

Still, Najib found Isa a befitting candidate to contest in the Bagan Pinang by-electionin 2009. Was Najib then "listening" to the rakyat?

If that was not disastrous enough, Isa who won the Bagan Pinang by-election was "rewarded" and made the chairperson of Felda in 2011. So much so that National Economic Advisory Council (NEAC) member Datuk Dr Zainal Aznam Mohd Yusof remarked that Mohamed Isa's appointment to head Felda was a sad episode that caused uncertainty in the market.

According to the late Dr Zainal Aznam, the former Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar's poor track record and involvement in money politics involving Umno back in 2005 were cause for concern.

Najib refuses to learn lessons

However, taking cognisance over his "misdemeanours" is not Najib's forte. Otherwise, why would the premier dare give his "buddy" and former special officer Omar Mustapha Ong a free hand in the controversial move to list Felda Global Ventures Holdings (FGVH).

The proposal to list FGVH has not gone down well with the Felda settlers and stakeholders and Najib has made no effort to clear the fiasco.

As far as the settlers are concerned, they see the listing as Putrajaya's way of forcing Kooperasi Permodalan Felda's consent with regard to the move.

The highway scandal

Then there is the scandal surrounding the Kidex (Kinrara-Damansara Expressway) RM2.2 billion concession which was awarded to Umno-linked firms "as a reward for Perak's fall"?

Why is Najib silent when asked by ousted Perak Menteri Besar Nizar Jamaluddin and his Pakatan Rakyat colleagues to clarify the BN government's basis for awarding the highway deal to companies owned by Umno lawyer Hafarizam Harun and the wife of former Chief Justice Zaki Azmi.

The companies in question are Emrail Sdn Bhd and Zabima Engineering Sdn Bhd. Hafarizam is a director in both firms while Zaki's wife, Nik Sazlina Mohd Zain is a director in Emrail.

"Why such a disproportionate sum? How can a highway of 50km cost RM2.2 billion and then the Banting-Taiping highway, which was initially supposed to be RM3 billion, costs RM7.07 billion for a much longer distance," Nizar, who was formerly Perak Mentri Besar, told the media early this month.

"So where can they rationalise the award here… if you talk about per kilometre, there is a lot of difference between the two highways," Nizar queried.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin however insisted that the Kidex contract was awarded to only the most "qualified" companies and rubbished claims that it was due to political reasons.

Nizar had rubbished Muhyiddin's claim, saying: "But if DPM says the companies are qualified, have good track records and all that, then explain why the costing seems completely out of tune."

"Explain if the highway was awarded as a reward for Perak's fall."

The Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers also dismissed Muhyiddin's claim that the two firms were selected based on merit, pointing out that the deputy prime minister had still failed to disclose if the project had been awarded via open tender or direct negotiation.

Perak fell to Pakatan in the 2008 GE but was recaptured by BN during a year-long constitutional impasse that ensued when three Pakatan lawmakers left their parties to become BN-friendly independents.

Najib's concern not for real

What the premier is doing is to balm the unhappiness Malaysians have over the many issues the Barisan Nasional government under Najib's leadership refuses to show concern.

The BN government has no interest in arresting the problem of deaths taking place while in police custody. The call to put in place the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission has received no favourable attention from the federal government.

The issue of racial disharmony too has not been tackled by Najib. His leniency with Perkasa, an organisation set up with the sole agenda of safeguarding Malay rights and privileges and exterminating the non-Malays of this country is proof of the premier's lack of sincerity in ensuring peace and tranquility between the rakyat is always at an all-time high.

To conveniently "use" the people in an attempt to boost his popularity is not going to place premier Najib in their "good books".

Dismissing the rakyat's concern over the nation's manipulated elections and instead killing off entities like the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections or Bersih 2.0 which is demanding reforms to the electoral system fails to portray Najib as a "people's" leader.

There are just one too many instances of the rakyat having had enough of the BN-government's machiaevellian ways. When in July 2009 an opposition political aide, Teoh Beng Hock was found dead hours after a gruelling interrogation at the hands of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, all that was possibly possible was done to hush-up to prevent the truth from being revealed.

So afraid was Najib that he unwittingly "exposed" himself when he chose to ignore names suggested to him by Teoh's family to sit on the Royal Commission of Inquiry panel.

One of the names was that of Ambiga Sreenevasan, the former Malaysian Bar president and who is also chairperson of Bersih 2.0 and an award winning lawyer, her activism lauded by Michelle Obama, the First Lady of America and by the French government which honoured Ambiga with the Legion of Honour in September last year, acknowledging her contributions to human rights defense.

But to the BN leadership, Ambiga's fight for a clean and fair election is a threat, her resolute to stand up for the tenets of democracy lost on the party and its "top guns" Najib and deputy Muhyiddin Yassin.

With so much public resentment against BN and its leadership and the continuous politicking undertaken by the leaders, the rakyat has to seriously ponder where does the hidden-agenda behind Najib's "People First, Performance Now" lie.

This entry was posted on Sunday, 25 March 2012, 1:35 pm and is filed under Corruption, Elections, Felda, Najib Razak. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0.  

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Even in an assault case, its someone else’s fault — Aziz Zainal

MARCH 25 — Is there a pattern here? It does seem odd that for the second time Mohamad Nedim Nazri Aziz is "allegedly" involved in an incident that has become public knowledge, it was someone else at fault. It happened at Darren Kang's death in Desa Sri Hartamas and now the assault of a security guard in the posh Mont Kiara area.

Once again, it took a few days for the police to "clear" the air in the latest case that happened on Tuesday night. According to the son's bodyguard, the 50-year-old security supervisor attacked him and he was forced to respond in self-defence. The supervisor alleged otherwise.

Now that would be reasonable if the body guard is a midget but the men around Nedim are strong, young and strapping guys. And they can fill an MPV as they did that Tuesday night when escorting the son of a minister to the Mont Kiara condominium.

The Star reported that Brickfields district police chief ACP Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid said"it is a clear cut case" involving the security guard and Mohamad Nedim's bodyguard.

"This is a minor case. We have already forwarded the investigation papers to the DPP (deputy public prosecutor). I do not know why and how another person (Mohamad Nedim) was dragged into this,'' the English daily quoted him as saying of the case being investigated under Section 160 of the Penal Code for committing affray.

How convenient.

See, quite a number of issues about this incident is troubling, not the least the vehicles which the younger Nazri has: a Porsche sports car, MPV ... and well, he also has a Hummer, an Audi sports car among others.

I wonder how he can afford those cars given that his father earns RM15,000 a month as a minister. Oh yes, RM15,000 a month is the rental of his apartment in Damansara Heights.

I suppose the cops or someone else is going to say that the vehicles don't belong to him but to his security guard! That won't be a surprise to anyone.

However, we live in a modern world where the police must be seen to be impartial. If it is true that Mohamad Nedim is innocent, that is fine. But the facts of the case appear to show otherwise. An older man arguing with a group of body guards because he was apparently rude in asking them to register themselves to enter the condominium.

No one is above the law and the police should know that. In this case, as in the earlier case involving Nazri junior, that seems to have slipped their mind. I hope for justice to prevail for everyone, including the security supervisor.

* Aziz Zainal 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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Upset over plans to remove the dearly departed

By Elizabeth Peiris

For close to several months now the tiny island republic of Singapore has been consumed by a very animated campaign to save one of the last vestiges of heritages.

The locale is not any historic Gettysburg-style battlefield! Nor is it the site of a horrific and senseless scene of massacre as how the twin towers in New York destroyed during the Sept 11th 2001 terror attacks, came to be symbolised in iconic fashion and in a vaunted celebration of unbridled American capitalism.

Rather the site causing unspeakable animus is actually about how to treat the faithfully departed; those very pioneers who after having made their lucre in Singapore declined every desire to return to their ancestral homelands for their last rites.

One of those buried there is a certain Lee Hoon Leong the great-grandfather of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Some graves date back to the 1830s. The biggest tomb belongs to Ong Sam Leong. The latter died sometime in 1917 after making a fortune on the supply of coolie labour, which these days suffers is banned for the inhuman conditions the practice subjects workers to.

And considering it was a Chinese cemetery most of the activists unsurprisingly were Chinese Singaporeans; smitten at the mere thought of never being able to pay homage to their ancestors which being the cardinal rite it is in Chinese cultural ethos, would have all but disappeared if Singapore authorities carry out plans to cut a road through the grounds.

The opposition by mainly Chinese conservationists' is in stark contrast to the makeover Singapore undertook to clearing yet another cemetery the Bidadari cemetery in Upper Serangoon road in the late 1990s, to clear the decks for the inauguration of a train line.

Then there was no social media, or Internet campaigns to stop the authorities. Now especially after the thumping loss of votes at last year's general election the circumstances for disallowing such remonstrations no longer exist.

But there could well have been something else. Bidadari cemetery which once contained the remains of those killed in the 1915 Sepoy Mutiny uprising did not have that many Chinese graves.

At any rate most Chinese Singaporeans cremate their deceased if and when they opt for Bidadari and then would subsequently take their ashes home either to be placed on a mantle piece or be tucked away somewhere in their homes.

That in a single remove, removed any cause for grouses and thus it was easy to understand why there was no opposition when Singapore authorities decided to hoist a rain line above all the inanimate, slumbering souls.

As how matters panned out Bukit Brown these days is seeing a rather unlikely bag of activists, ranging from descendants of the faithfully entombed to nature lovers.

Their avowed aim is to stop the PAP government from building 8-lane road, which the latter argues is to relieve traffic congestion which is expected to rise by some 20% by 2020.

Hidden plans

Yet many suspect there are also hidden plans to erect public luxury apartments and trample over the dead so the living of Singapore have a place to live, just like how it was with Singapore's Lorong Lew Lian or the Newton train station beneath which once laid a Jewish cemetery.

Almost instinctively, it was never the PAP's call or day as it may ordinarily seem from outward appearances.

It never anticipated the flood tide of protests from conscientious environmentalists aghast that the new proposed development was adopted hastily with nary a consultation and which blatantly was against the protection of wildlife habitat and other environmental priorities.

It perhaps was just amid those competing priorities along with the need to mind the ballot box and be seen as being politically correct, the authorities engineered an about-face.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA), the Singapore statutory body overseeing public and all other forms of transport in the nation, caved in to public pressure by proposing the building of a 670-metre bridge over the cemetery to be adjoined to a road.

The bridge is supposedly to begin from the outer perimeters of one end of the road, to be fused subsequently, thereafter when it opens up at the other.

The objective behind the bridge the authorities now say, is to minimise the harm to biodiversity and will at the very least affect only some 3,000 graves as opposed to the earlier estimate of some 5,000 graves if a road had to be wrapped over it.

Still there can be no denying to the changed climate of consensus generation in the country. In the old days, the PAP was also used to having its way without any consultations with anybody.

It is too soon to say, if this sudden about turn after considerable pressure from activists and civic groups could herald a new beginning in decision making.

On a small, crowded island, it is understandable that space be allotted for the living.

But that should not be at the expense of ignoring public sensibilities. And it just had to take the dead to tell the living that the peace of the grave has to be keenly watched and fussed over.

Elizabeth Peiris is a freelance writer based in Singapore.

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Najib Hanya Berani Maki Anwar di Belakang Sahaja......

Terpampang di dalam harian2 nasional hari ni kenyataan Dato' Najib yang terbaru yang bertajuk:

"Anwar Tidak Layak Jadi Perdana Menteri"

Ditambah lagi dengan tuduhan terhadap pembangkang (Pakatan Rakyat):

Usah termakan auta pembangkang: Najib

Malangnya, serangan2 yang berbentuk pribadi ini dilayangkan oleh Dato Najib dari jauh. Tujuannya sudah tentulah mahu menyebar perasaan ragu dan waswas terhadap kepimpinan Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim dan juga kepada Pakatan Rakyat

Namun, sudah hampir sebulan lamanya Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim mencabar Dato' Najib untuk berdebat secara terbuka.

Pelawaan atau jemputan Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim tersebut sehingga hari ini tidak dilayan oleh Dato Najib Tun Razak.

Sepatutnya, kalau Dato Najib seorang yang anak jantan, beliau sanggup menerima pelawaan tersebut tanpa waswas.

Dan di dalam perdebatan terbuka tersebut, Dato Na! jib bole h membuat tuduhan sebegitu.

Itu barulah lagak anak jantan.

Kalau setakat berkokok dari jauh sahaja serta gunakan kawan2 Dato Seri Anwar yang belot, itu dipanggil sebagai bachul.

Mahukah kita seorang Perdana Menteri yang "anak jantan" ataupun seorang Perdana Menteri yang "bachul"?

Tulang Besi

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‘Using a borrowed knife to kill Umno’

When things started to go awry in Kita a few months back, the people most upset were from Umno.

How is this possible since Kita is of no interest to Umno?  Umno regards Kita  as an nonstarter and not a threat to itself.

So why was Umno so upset leading even the Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to decry the intention of Kita president Zaid Ibrahim to stand down his party?

Umno's interest in Kita can only suggest one thing. That, it has bought over some Kita members and was planning to use them to stand as Umno-sponsored candidates in the next election.

Umno plans to use Kita members whom they have bought over in three-cornered fights using its usual divide and conquer stratagem.

Talking about stratagems, we now come to Zaid's declaration to contest in Kota Bharu.

We noticed that none of the PAS big guns- Nik Aziz Nik Mat, Hadi Awang, Mohamad Sabu have come out to reject Zaid's offer to stand in KB.

I think their stand is wise. PAS can employ Zaid to destroy Umno. Zaid can win in KB if PAS supports him.

The possibility of having Zaid to contest in KB is therefore not discounted absolutely. There are actually strategic advantages in having Zaid contest in KB.

What Zaid says about neither PAS nor Umno carrying out substantive work in KB may be true.

Zaid advantage for PAS

I think PAS' top leadership should consider strategy number 3 in the 36 stratagems of Sun Tzu's  Art of War.

Strategy 3 states: ' Borrow one's hand to kill' (Kill with a borrowed knife.).

It means, victory can be obtained by attacking using the strength of another (because of lack of strength or do not want to use own strength).

The overriding objective of PAS and of Pakatan Rakyat  is to overthrow those who are ruining the country at the moment.

Umno plans to put up Fatmi Salleh, the PM's political secretary as the Umno candidate in KB.

Fatmi's posters with the PM are all over KB with the headlines – "Tolong Kami Untuk Menolong Anda" or something to that effect, in KB schools and places of public viewing.

The advantage of using Zaid to contest in KB lies chiefly in the fact that Zaid knows how Umno operates.

He can detect their deception and expose them.  Zaid is a native of KB and served as its MP from 2004-2008.

He has a foundation there, committed to welfare work and of helping people.

Why not then use a borrowed knife to kill off Umno?

The writer is a former Umno state assemblyman but joined DAP earlier this year. He is a FMT columnist.

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Najib’s concern must be for real

Trusting a politician is the hardest thing to do;  the risk is not just worth it. So when Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak says he will listen to the rakyat in choosing candidates for the 13th general election, it is too good an assurance to hang on to.

Is it not Najib who keeps "cautioning" the people that he wants "winnable" candidates to contest in the looming GE? How then does the rakyat's choice make a difference to him?

In his March 22 interview with DJs Sam Mak and Tan Yi Hui in the one-hour 988 Street VIP programme of the 988 FM radio station, Najib said he would have to listen to the people when it comes to choosing candidates for the next general election.

"It is only right as a leader. I should listen to the people. So, therefore, I will make a decision that his or her time is up and should not stand as a candidate anymore," were the premier's words.

Najib is very right that he "must" listen to the rakyat, which he has not been doing. Indulging in corruption, cronyism and nepotism is not what a leader who "listens" to his people does.

What should the rakyat make of a leader like Najib who chooses a corrupt politician to helm the Federal Land Development Authority or Felda.

Everyone is aware of the money politics that Mohamed Isa Abdul Samad, the former Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan indulged in, which resulted in Mohamed Isa being stripped of his Umno vice-presidency by the Umno discplinary board in 2005. His six-year suspension however was commuted to three years upon appeal and ended on 23 June 2008.

Still, Najib found Isa a befitting candidate to contest in the Bagan Pinang by-electionin 2009. Was Najib then "listening" to the rakyat?

If that was not disastrous enough, Isa who won the Bagan Pinang by-election was "rewarded" and made the chairperson of Felda in 2011. So much so that National Economic Advisory Council (NEAC) member Datuk Dr Zainal Aznam Mohd Yusof remarked that Mohamed Isa's appointment to head Felda was a sad episode that caused uncertainty in the market.

According to the late Dr Zainal Aznam, the former Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar's poor track record and involvement in money politics involving Umno back in 2005 were cause for concern.

Najib refuses to learn lessons

However, taking cognisance over his "misdemeanours" is not Najib's forte. Otherwise, why would the premier dare give his "buddy" and former special officer Omar Mustapha Ong a free hand in the controversial move to list Felda Global Ventures Holdings (FGVH).

The proposal to list FGVH has not gone down well with the Felda settlers and stakeholders and Najib has made no effort to clear the fiasco.

As far as the settlers are concerned, they see the listing as Putrajaya's way of forcing Kooperasi Permodalan Felda's consent with regard to the move.

The highway scandal

Then there is the scandal surrounding the Kidex (Kinrara-Damansara Expressway) RM2.2 billion concession which was awarded to Umno-linked firms "as a reward for Perak's fall"?

Why is Najib silent when asked by ousted Perak Menteri Besar Nizar Jamaluddin and his Pakatan Rakyat  colleagues to clarify the BN government's basis for awarding the highway deal to companies owned by Umno lawyer Hafarizam Harun and the wife of former Chief Justice Zaki Azmi.

The companies in question are Emrail Sdn Bhd and Zabima Engineering Sdn Bhd. Hafarizam is a director in both firms while Zaki's wife, Nik Sazlina Mohd Zain is a director in Emrail.

"Why such a disproportionate sum? How can a highway of 50km cost RM2.2 billion and then the Banting-Taiping highway, which was initially supposed to be RM3 billion, costs RM7.07 billion for a much longer distance," Nizar, who was formerly Perak Mentri Besar, told the media early this month.

"So where can they rationalise the award here… if you talk about per kilometre, there is a lot of difference between the two highways," Nizar queried.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin however insisted that the Kidex contract was awarded to only the most "qualified" companies and rubbished claims that it was due to political reasons.

Nizar had rubbished Muhyiddin's claim, saying: "But if DPM says the companies are qualified, have good track records and all that, then explain why the costing seems completely out of tune."

"Explain if the highway was awarded as a reward for Perak's fall."

The Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers also dismissed Muhyiddin's claim that the two firms were selected based on merit, pointing out that the deputy prime minister had still failed to disclose if the project had been awarded via open tender or direct negotiation.

Perak fell to Pakatan in the 2008 GE but was recaptured by BN during a year-long constitutional impasse that ensued when three Pakatan lawmakers left their parties to become BN-friendly independents.

Najib's concern not for real

What the premier is doing is to balm the unhappiness Malaysians have over the many issues the Barisan Nasional government under Najib's leadership refuses to show concern.

The BN government has no interest in arresting the problem of deaths taking place while in police custody. The call to put in place the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission has received no favourable attention from the federal government.

The issue of racial disharmony too has not been tackled by Najib. His leniency with Perkasa, an organisation set up with the sole agenda of safeguarding Malay rights and privileges and exterminating the non-Malays of this country is proof of the premier's lack of sincerity in ensuring peace and tranquility between the rakyat is always at an all-time high.

To conveniently "use" the people in an attempt to boost his popularity is not going to place premier Najib in their "good books".

Dismissing the rakyat's concern over the nation's manipulated elections and instead killing off entities like the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections or Bersih 2.0 which is demanding  reforms to the electoral system fails to portray Najib as a "people's" leader.

There are just one too many instances of the rakyat having had enough of the BN-government's machiaevellian ways. When in July 2009 an opposition political aide, Teoh Beng Hock was found dead hours after a gruelling interrogation at the hands of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, all that was possibly possible was done to hush-up to prevent the truth from being revealed.

So afraid was Najib that he unwittingly "exposed" himself when he chose to ignore names suggested to him by Teoh's family to sit on the Royal Commission of Inquiry panel.

One of the names was that of Ambiga Sreenevasan, the former Malaysian Bar president and who is also chairperson of Bersih 2.0 and an award winning lawyer, her activism lauded by Michelle Obama, the First Lady of America and by the French government which honoured Ambiga with the Legion of Honour in September last year, acknowledging her contributions to human rights defense.

But to the BN leadership, Ambiga's fight for a clean and fair election is a threat, her resolute to stand up for the tenets of democracy lost on the party and its "top guns" Najib and deputy Muhyiddin Yassin.

With so much public resentment against BN and its leadership and the continuous politicking undertaken by the leaders, the rakyat has to seriously ponder where does the hidden-agenda behind Najib's "People First, Performance Now" lie.

Jeswan Kaur is a freelance writer and a FMT columnist.

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Najib scared of Mahathir and Rosmah...

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah became the butt of jokes by Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim today in one of his many ceramahs in his home state of Penang.

He made a direct hit at arch rival Najib (right) accusing him of cowardice, when he said the prime minister was afraid of his wife, Rosmah Mansor.

The head of the family should be more fearless than his wife, said Anwar, likewise a village headman should be braver than the villagers.

"But the head of this country is afraid of former premier Mahathir Mohamad, USA President Barack Obama, and his own wife," he added at a PKR event in Machang Bubok, drawing laughter and applause from the 300-odd crowd.

Anwar went on the say that a wife should not be feared but loved, as she is his life partner.

He then related how after 32 years, he managed to bring his spouse PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, to Agra to see the famous icon of love, the Taj Mahal.

"Even though it's 32 years late, we kept our pledge to visit the place in India, during my last trip there," he said.

"But Umno, after 50 over years, have yet to fulfill many of its pledges to the people!" he stormed.
 

No response

Anwar was referring to Najib's reluctance to debate with him.

The former deputy prime minister had recently invited Najib to the United Kingdom, to join him in a debate with rebel blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, in a Wikileaks forum arrang! e by its founder, Julian Assange. However, Najib has yet to respond to Anwar's invitation.

The Permatang Pauh MP is on a two-day visit to Penang and Kedah to meet with supporters and participate as a main speaker in various ceramah.


At the event today, Anwar charmed the crowd with his usual fiery and humorous style, and even abandoned the stage to speak on the ground where he could engage with the audience.

The multi-racial crowd easily warmed to him, and were in stitches, especially when he repeated "cow jokes", directed at former federal minister and Wanita Umno chief Sharizat Abdul Jalil.

Sharizat (left), the former Lembah Pantai MP whose family is involved in the RM250 million National Feedlot Corporation controversy, will be giving up her minister's post next month.

During the function, Anwar also launched the constituency's election machinery which will involve 100 youths, and presented certificates of appointment to 34 voluntary corps members from Taman Alam Jaya.

Politics of conscience

Meanwhile, Anwar said this election, which may be called in June, would see Pakatan target MPs and state assemblypersons that are "with integrity, who are clean and virtuous, and practise politics of conscience".

He related the example of Kelantan Menteri Besar and PAS spirtual advisor Nik Aziz Nik Mat, who had been in office for 20-odd years and yet were free of any whiff of corruption.

"Do you see him buying land? Do you see his children owning companies? Do you hear him involved in any scandals?" he queried with the c! rowd res ponding in the negative.

"BN or Umno Menteri Besar will say Nik Aziz is stupid (for not accumulating any wealth)," he added, followed by laughter and beaming faces from the crowd- many of them senior citizens - who didn't mind putting up with the scorching heat in the tent.- malaysiakini

Najib takut pada Mahathir & Rosmah...

Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak dan isterinya Rosmah Mansor menjadi bahawa ejekan dan ketawa oleh Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dalam programnya di Pulau pinang.

Beliau membuat serangan langsung dengan mendakwa Najib sebagai pengecut apabila takut kepada Rosmah.

Mengambil contoh, Anwar berkata ketua keluarga lebih patut ditakuti berbanding isteri dan ketua kampung patut lebih ditakuti daripada orang kampung.

Tetapi ketua negara ini takut kepada bekas perdana menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Presiden Amerika Syarikat dan isterinya sendiri, dakwa Anwar di Machang Bubok sambil disambut gelak ketawa orang ramai.

Anwar juga berkata, isteri tidak patut ditakuti tetapi dicintai sebagai pasangan hidup.

cheers.

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Masing’s ‘key’ man to quit party

KUCHING:  Rumours are rife that a 'lead' official of Parti Rakyat Sarawak's (PRS) highest policy making-body is expected to resign and join the opposition PKR later this month.

Patrick Sibat Sujang, who is a founding member of PRS,  is expected to hand his application to de facto PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim during the latter's visit to Kuching on April 1.

Sujang's resignation is expected to trigger an exodus from the party.

Sujang, who is also an advisor to PRS president and Land Development Minister James Masing on the native customary rights (NCR) land matters, is offering himself as a potential candidate for the Baram parliamentary constituency.

The incumbent for the constituency is Jacob Dungau Sagan, senior vice-president of Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP). Sagan is also the Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry.

Sujang is banking his hope on the more than 10,000 Iban votes and about 50% of the balance  11,000 Kayan, Kenyah and Penan votes. All these communities are very much against Barisan Nasional for the construction of the proposed Baram dam.

Moreover, the revelation that Sagan's family has allegedly been given government contracts and belian licences as rewards for supporting the Baram dam had incurred the wrath of Orang Ulu voters.

Meanwhile, it is reliably learnt that PRS is gathering more information or evidence on Sujang's 'prejudicial activities' against the party.

According to a PRS member, Sujang activities will be discussed at supreme council meeting on April 14, 2012.

"The meeting was supposed to be held on April 7, but has to be postponed to enable the party to collect more evidence against Patrick (Sujang)," said a PRS supreme council member, who did not wish to be named.

"It is expected that a show-cause letter as to why action should not be taken against him is to be delivered after the meeting," he said.

Sujang, who is an EIA consultant, is known to be very vocal during the meetings of the party's supreme council especially on the issue of native customary rights land, and for that he has created a number of enemies within the party.

Anti-BN sentiment

Nevertheless, many of his ideas such as increasing the number of acreage of land from three acres to 14 acres to each family of those who have been displaced by Bakun, Baram, Murum and other dams have been adopted by the state land ministry.

Of late, he is openly critical of the party leadership especially on Masing's golden rule of life – jangan lawan towkay.

Sujang agreed with Masing's rule in the 'employer with the employees' context as the employer who owns the business pays his employees' salaries or wages.

"But I don't agree with him that the elected representatives are the towkays and that the voters are the servants.

"'Jangan lawan towkay' cannot be applied here as voters are the ones who elected representatives and put them where they are today.

"It merely shows their arrogance," Sujang said.

He believed that Masing's message (jangan lawan towkay)  is not entirely meant for Frusis Lebi, a handicapped person, whose agricultural subsidies and welfare allowance were withdrawn upon instruction from Masing's colleague and Assistant Minister of Agriculture (Research and Marketing) Mong Dagang.

Said Sujang: "Masing's message has a bigger audience. He means that all leaders of component parties of the state BN 'jangan lawan towkay', and in this context it is Abdul Taib Mahmud who is the Chief Minister and the towkay.

"As exposed by Sarawak Report some of BN leaders have some businesses, government contracts or licences dished out by the towkay," he said.

"Anyone who dares to challenge Taib or question his leadership will certain to face the consequences of his wrath, and their businesses may be affected.

"That explains why some of our Dayak YBs remain quiet on issues that affect the Dayak community because of this fear," he added.

On the show-cause letter, Sujang said that the show-cause letter might be too late, as he could have resigned from the party by then.

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Of cows, earth and Israel

PARLIAMENT ROUND-UP

KUALA LUMPUR: It was a week of cows and rare earth, along with sprinkles of Israel.

Many things discussed in the second week of Parliament's first sitting this year revolved around these topics.

Early on in the week, there was some confusion as to whether the RM250m National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) bovine scandal – now a pending court case – could be debated in the Dewan Rakyat.

Citing sub-judice, House Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia threw out an emergency motion to debate the subject. He later granted some leeway for MPs to talk about the beefy issue, so long as they didn't touch on the court case.

Still, the Speaker determined that it was difficult to determine what was not sub-judice and what wasn't.

Parliament's own investigators – the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) – would hit a snag over the case on Tuesday when NFCorp directors decided not to show for a scheduled interview.

Instead, the company chose to dispatch its human resources manager and two lawyers. The meeting between the two parties would only last for a mere 30 minutes, with the lawyers deflecting most questions with the shield of sub-judice.

The duo added that that the PAC did not directly request for NFCorp to show up, and chose to rely on the Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Ministry to send an invitation.

Undeterred, the PAC said that it would continue to delve into the scandal, but would ultimately stay away from the court case.

Lynas and Bukit Merah

Towards the middle of the week, Gebeng's Lynas rare earth plant came to dominate much of the debates in the Dewan Rakyat.

A motion was tabled to create a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) that would then study the plant's safety standards.

The matter was hotly debated in the House, causing Barisan Nasional MPs to attack Pakatan Rakyat for relying on emotions to champion their opposition to the plant.

Both BN and BN-friendly Independent MPs -such as Pasir Mas's Ibrahim Ali- accused Pakatan for playing up the issue, especially with the general electionsseemingly just around the corner.

Opposition MPs however argued that the PSC was tainted before it could be formed.

Citing news reports, they said that PSC chairman Khaled Nordin (also Higher Education Minister) had already made up his mind over Lynas before any inspections of the plant had even started.

Kuala Krai MP (PAS) Hatta Ramli said: "Early on, he (Khaled) has said that he wants to change the negative perception to a positive one. It means that he has made up his mind that this will happen."

A vote would later be called, passing the motion to form the PSC, though not without dissatisfied Pakatan MPs staging a walkout afterwards.

This walkout however, was different from the one they pulled off during 2011′s last Parliamentary sitting, when they left the House before a vote over the Peaceful Assembly Bill was called.

Digging into issues of rare earth however would not be laid to rest, when the House allowed a one-hour debate on allegedly dangerous levels of radiation detected in Bukit Merah.

Pakatan MPs argued that radiation readings there were still high, even 18 years after Mitsubishi's Asian Rare Earth (ARE) plant had closed down.

Since then, many parties have blamed the factory for alleged radioactive leaks. There were also a high number of leukemia cases in the villages nearby.

BN MPs however disputed these readings, adding that background radiation was not taken into account.

To prove his point, Science Innovation and Technology Minister Maximus Ongkili took a reading near the House that day, showing everyone that Parliament was more of a radiation risk (a negligible one) than Bukit Merah.

Felda, Israel and an angry Speaker

Nevertheless, he announced that he would personally make a visit to Bukit Merah to prove that the place was radiation-safe, after he was done with his business with the PSC on electoral reforms.

At the same time, Ongkili also said that the PSC report on the electoral reforms was expected to be out by the end of next week.

Parliament also saw some strained moments when Bakri MP (DAP) Er Teck Hwa claimed that Felda had been exporting palm oil to Israel.

It became especially heated when Pasir Salak MP (UMNO) Tajuddin Abdul Rahman heard Er implicate Felcra – of which Tajuddin is also chairman of – as part of the Israel-palm oil deal.

"This is not true!" he shouted in English at the DAP MP. "I'm not going to compromise…unless you withdraw (your statement), I will stand here until tomorrow morning!"

He then dared Er to say the very same thing outside the House.

Later on, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Ahmad Maslan denied that Malaysia was supplying palm oil to Israel.

Last week also saw Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia losing his cool with unruly MPs.

Seen in a clearly foul mood on Thursday morning, he threatened to make any noisy MP take his place as House Speaker.

"Maybe there are some of you who are habitual, which means that it is your culture to disturb the sitting," he scolded MPs present.

It is not known if Pandikar will carry out this threat in the weeks to come, although it has to be noted that MPs behaved themselves (mostly) for the rest of that day, Thursday.

[Additional reporting by Jamilah Kamarudin]

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