Pakatan Rakyat Buzz & Blog

DAP says MCA minister dismantling steps to uncover PKFZ scandal

By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 16, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 — The DAP today accused Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha of conspiring to reverse previous efforts to reclaim losses from the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal.

Publicity chief Tony Pua claimed the Port Klang Authority (PKA), which comes under the Transport Ministry, has decided to withdraw all legal action against turnkey developer Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB) for failing to carry out RM1.6 billion in work.

He said the MCA secretary-general "is doing everything in his means to dismantle and reverse all painstakingly agreed steps to get to the bottom of the scandal and cover up for all guilty parties."

The Petaling Jaya Utara MP said in a statement the suits related to "double and fictitious billings for works never carried out and excessive charges to PKA."

Pua claimed that PKA has agreed to proceed to arbitration instead despite the "obvious criminality of the alleged offences" by KDSB, whose then chief executive was Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, the current Barisan Nasional (BN) backbenchers' chief.

"Kong and new PKA chairman Datuk Teh Kim Poh have conspired to reverse the decision as well as many other decisions which were taken previously by PKA," he said.

He added that this decision came despite the courts already ruling last year in favour of PKA against KDSB's appeal that the matter be resolved through arbitration.

A three-man Federal Court Bench chaired by then Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Arifin Zakaria had decided last June that the suits be tried in the Shah Alam High Court.

He said the Lumut MP has also directed that all payments which are due to KDSB be paid to the latter's bondholders despite the decision to withhold payment by the previous PKA board.

"By proceeding to pay KDSB, PKA is basically jeopardising its own interest by making such payments before the court has decided as to whether such payments are due. The payment amounts to nearly RM700 million annually and has since been paid promptly by the current PKA," Pua said.

The project, initially tagged estimated at RM1.1 billion after it was mooted by then Transport Minister Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik in 1997, more than quadrupled to RM4.6 billion by 2007.

A position review by top accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) revealed in 2009 that the total cost including interests from debt repayments could reach RM12.5 billion.

Since December 2009, six individuals have been charged in court including Dr Ling, an ex-MCA president, and his successor as transport minister, former MCA deputy chief Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy, who are accused of lying to the Cabinet.

The Sun also reported today PKA has withdrawn its complaint to the Bar Council against Rashid Asari & Co in a conflict-of-interest case when preparing the sale and purchase agreements on behalf of PKA for the PKFZ project.

The complaint and suits against KDSB were filed by Datuk Lee Hwa Beng who was PKA chief from March 2008 to March 2011.

The former Subang Jaya assemblyman for the MCA will release his book, "PKFZ: A Nation's Trust Betrayed", tomorrow and has said details revealed so far are "only the tip of the iceberg."

This entry was posted on Monday, 16 April 2012, 6:44 pm and is filed under PKFZ. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0.

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Guan Eng: BN apology needed for ISA closure

By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 16, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 — Lim Guan Eng today pushed the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) to issue a public apology to all "victims of the ISA (Internal Security Act)", insisting that this was the only way to prove the government's sincerity in repealing the controversial preventive law.

Lim, who was himself an ISA detainee during Operasi Lalang in 1987, told the Dewan Rakyat today that so long as BN refuses to apologise, its proposed repeal of the Act would be merely be a "evil ploy" to continue wielding the law's powers under a different guise and form.

The DAP secretary-general noted that many provisions in the Security Offences (Special Measures) Bill still infringe basic human rights although the element of "detention without trial" is scrapped.

"Is BN ready to openly apologise to all victims of the ISA?

"As long as it refuses to do so to seek closure, it raises doubt that abolishing the ISA today is merely a game and an evil ploy to continue using the Act but in a different guise and form," he told the House when debating the Bill.

"This black mark of the ISA in our history must be buried forever and this cannot be done if the government does not apologise and guarantee that such iron-fisted laws like the ISA will not be repeated," he added.

Lim related to the House his personal experience under the 1960 law that was enacted to fight the communist insurgency, noting that he had only been 26-years old and just elected as the Kota Melaka MP during his 1987 detention.

"Even at this raw age, I was accused of threatening national security… at my age of 52 today, am I not a greater threat then?" he asked.

During his detention, Lim continued, he was interrogated repeatedly and pushed to admit that he was involved in "subversive" activities.

"The 60-day solitary confinement process is difficult to endure because our lives are placed in the hands of just a few police officers who could do whatever they want with me," he said.

"I was placed in a small blue room without mirrors and a fan that did not move.

"I was not allowed to sleep for more than 24 hours and made to sit on a bench. A police officer would shout in my ear every time I [was] about to fall asleep, forcing me to repent," he related.

"But I was among the lucky ones because I was not beaten violently like what was done to our Opposition Leader (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) and many others," he said.

The Security Offences (Special Measures) Bill, proposed to replace the ISA, removes the government's power to detain a person indefinitely without trial and reduces the maximum detention period from two years to 28 days.

The newly-proposed Bill is among the slew of legislative reforms mooted by the Najib administration as a part of its promise to increase civil freedom.

MORE TO COME

This entry was posted on Monday, 16 April 2012, 7:47 pm and is filed under ISA, Lim Guan Eng, Parliament. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0.

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TMI: Ambiga denies Pakatan hijacking Bersih, unhappy with members’ PSC role

Those who attended the UndiMsia!Chats were captivated by the talk

Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan has denied claims that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) was hijacking Bersih to gain political support, stressing today that she herself was dissatisfied with its members' role in the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on electoral reform.

The Bersih 2.0 co-chair maintained that PR members' participation in last year's rally did not mean they were influencing it as the event was open to all Malaysians regardless of their political leanings.

"Are you dying of shock that PR supports it? It is so predictable because they feel hard done by the system," Ambiga told an audience during a chat session in Bangsar organised by UndiMalaysia.

"We are angry with Pakatan members as well. How can they come out with this (PSC) report without insisting what can be implemented before the 13th General Elections?"

"The report is as good as a thesis."

She added that while some PR parties may feel they have some say in the rally, she had already reminded Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that he could not dictate what Bersih should do.

"When they called for Bersih at the end of the year, we did not react. We wanted to give the PSC a chance. We took it on good faith," she said.

Bersih will hold its third rally for free and fair elections from 2pm to 4pm at Dataran Merdeka this April 28.

But this time, the gathering will also be joined by simultaneous events across the country, likely adding pressure to the government to accede to the group's demand for a total reform to the country's election processes.

Bersih's previous rally on July 9, 2011 turned chaotic when the authorities employed huge teams of riot police, armed with water cannons and tear gas canisters, to disperse the crowd of thousands.

The crowd had converged on the streets of the capital from the early hours of July 9, defying earlier warnings that their participation could result in arrests.

Over 1,600 people were detained as a result, including Bersih chief Ambiga and scores of opposition lawmakers, but Bersih 2.0 later declared the event a success based on the number of participants and the publicity it had earned in both local and international media.

The government moved quickly to enact the Peaceful Assembly Act after the event and formed a parliamentary select committee for electoral reforms.

But Bersih 2.0 maintains that reforms were inadequate and subsequently announced the April 28 Bersih 3.0 rally.

The first rally, held in 2007, was partly credited for Barisan Nasional's worst electoral performance during Election 2008, when it lost its traditional parliamentary supermajority and five states to the fledgling Pakatan Rakyat pact.

This article was reproduced from The Malaysian Insider on 14 April 2012 and can be found here.

Malaysiakini: Ambiga upset with Pakatan MPs over PSC

Ambiga's not joking

Bersih 2.0 co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan expressed disappointment with the parliamentary select committee (PSC) on electoral reform, particularly the Pakatan Rakyat MPs in it, for failing to emphasise in its report that the EC must implement its core recommendations before the next polls.

"We are angry that the PSC did not stipulate that most recommendations particularly Bersih's eight demands must be implemented before the 13th general election, and disappointed that the (Pakatan's) minority report also does not stipulate this," she told a young audience of about 50 at a chat session in Bangsar today.

However, Ambiga noted that some of the PSC recommendations were commendable, such as the call for a caretaker government and its attention on the issue of political funding.

The chat session, organised by UndiMalaysia, is aimed at explaining the need for a Bersih 3.0.

Adding that early polls in June now seems likely, Ambiga said this would ultimately render the PSC report as nothing more than a thesis.

She also shot down claims that the PSC report has fulfilled most of Bersih 2.0′s demands made during its July 9 rally last year.

"This word 'fulfilled' is irritating to me. What does fulfill mean? It means to make it happen before the 13th general election.

"That is all we are asking for; make it happen and we will back off," she said.

Ambiga added that imminent polls ultimately justify the needs for a Bersih 3.0 sit-in protest which is scheduled for Apr 28 at Dataran Merdeka.

"You are rushing to have the election in June. (Therefore) you are not giving us a choice; we have to make our stance and tell the government that they have to delay the election to make sure reforms are implemented.

"You guys (the government) are rushing (for elections), so we are rushing (to protest) too.

"We say stop (the threat of an election). If you are sincere about reforms, then make it happen before the 13th general election," she reiterated.

Civil society drives Bersih

Addressing claims that the opposition had hijacked the electoral reform movement, Ambiga stressed that the ruling coalition was also welcome to join the movement.

"We will not allow them to hijack the event… I assure you the we are very strong civil society NGOs and we are clear about our agenda," she said in reference to the 82 bodies under Bersih 2.0.

However, she acknowledged that the opposition may have affinity with Bersih as it had pioneered the first rally in 2007.

"At the end of the day they started a very important movement in the country and I'm not going to run them down for it, there is a sense that they are still part of it but we've made it clear that we (civil society) are driving them this time," she said.

While admitting that she cannot change the perception that the opposition has a hand in the movement, she stressed that the people should ultimately judge Bersih by its deeds.

"It is easy to run down the movement so that you don't have to address the demands… but we don't need to waste time on this, you can judge us by our conduct," she said.

This article was reproduced from Malaysiakini and can be found here.

TMI: UndiMsia gets ’em rockin’

"You! Stand up and be counted!"

MELBOURNE, April 15 — The Twitter Generation was sceptical going into the Orange Room of the Melbourne Multicultural Hub yesterday. But in no time they were "rocking" in there. After four hours, they came out "rolling".

The previous night, UndiMsia prime mover Edmund Bon had promised them "the best four hours you will ever spend in your life".

It was a bold claim to make to the more than 30 Malaysians in the diaspora, given his repeated challenge throughout the evening to "come tomorrow" if you want to learn how to make a difference for a better Malaysia.

Did the "sacrifice" of a Saturday measure up to expectation?

"I was blown away," Monash University law student Liow Jie Hui told The Malaysian Insider. "IdolaDemokrasi could add nothing to my passion, but it taught me how to make my drive count."

Fellow university student Farah Ayesha Abdul Rahman said she never realised she could be a "power of one".

"It does not have to have anything to do with 'politics'. It could be about why full-fee-paying international students in Melbourne are not entitled to student concession travel on metropolitan public transport," said the final-year accounting and marketing student who heads the committee on international students at the student union.

"What was most inspiring to me was the initiative of Edmund and (associate) Hasbee to leave politics out of their gaming but instead open the minds of the people to help them realise how much power they have as an individual."

Law student Zaim Mohzani, who helped facilitate the game, said participants were initially hesitant in their group interaction. As they were rotated from group to group, they warmed to their "natural instinct" that people were the same all over, with the same anxieties and aspirations.

Bon and Sarawakian-born Hasbeemasputra Abu Bakar leave for home tonight after this last stop in their five-city swing to sensitise Malaysians to UndiMsia's "action" initiative refined as the "IdolaDemokrasi gameshop" to identify with the generation hooked on "American Idol".

They took UndiMsia's brand of "new politics" that Bon and Hasbee had developed over the past six months to the diaspora in London, Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds, finishing with the gameshop in Melbourne.

At the "teaser" forum the previous night, Bon and Hasbee, coordinator of IdolaDemokrasi, took questions on events in Malaysia and what UndiMsia was doing about sentiment.

Most among those at the forum organised by Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia Australia (SABMoz) Melbourne were the "Twitterers" of the following morning. Among older Malaysians was the Consul-General in Melbourne, Dr Mohamad Rameez Yahaya, and Faizal Ibrahim, Second Secretary at the Malaysian High Commission in Canberra.

Facebook, Twitter and wall posters promoting the event described Bon as "fiercely non-partisan". "What I want to say from the outset . . . is that UndiMsia is fiercely non-partisan," said Bon, partner in Chooi & Co, chair of the human rights committee of the Bar Council, and regular contributor to the Loyar Burok portal.

"No matter what people may say about my background . . . we (UndiMsia) have and always will be non-partisan. We do not support any political party, Barisan Nasional or Pakatan, we do not have any sympathy for them.

"We do not in any of our gameshops talk about any political party. In fact, what we do, we denigrate political parties and politicians. We think political parties and politicians are a lot of the problems in Malaysia.

"I won't give you the solutions (at the gameshop); we are 'solutionists'. You will find the solution (to your problem) when you come tomorrow (for the gameshop)."

Bon said what UndiMsia was about was "real people power, real democracy . . . This is an idea of the future, this is an idea for a better Malaysia."

Hasbee scribbled "10 steps to close an open society" on butchers paper before asking how many among them the audience could identify with.

All 10, the audience was at one. If there were detractors, they did not raise their voice. Except for "subvert the rule of law", a voice piped up, "because there is no rule of law (to subvert; in Malaysia)", to guffaws from the audience.

Hasbee was quick with his disclaimer. He had picked up "10 steps" from Naomi Wolff's book The End of America, and the documentary film it inspired, likening Bush America to fascist 1930s Germany.

Transport and logistics consultant Ranjeet Singh was affirmed in his philosophy. "Everything starts from the personal," the self-described "card-carrying" Malaysian who came to Australia to study economics in 1971, told The Malaysian Insider after the forum.

"And everything personal is political. It is in developing ourselves as an individual that we develop as groups. It is from the bottom up, not from the top down."

Penang complementary medicine practitioner Michelle Mary Lim can relate to the UndiMsia message, as an "international citizen" now travelling the world to see how people live. Independently of student Farah Ayesha, she has had her convictions on people confirmed.

"As a person, you want to do good; not do evil," multilingual Lim told The Malaysian Insider in her mother Hokkien.

The UndiMsia forum inspired her to post on Facebook: "Thank you, Edmund & Hasbee, and also all the Organisers of last night 13th April and not forgetting my dear David.

"It was a really a good night. Keep it up boys & girls, recruit as much as you can (sic). You all Boleh, young, Energetic, Malaysia Boleh. We all need you," said the grandmother who has spent the past five years in Victoria.

The David that Lim refers to is SABMoz Melbourne president David Teoh, who guided Lim to the Melbourne Multicultural Hub, across the road from the Queen Victoria Market, after Lim came to know of the IdolaDemokrasi event while surfing the Internet.

This article was reproduced from The Malaysian Insider and can be found here.

Guan Eng: Apologise to ISA detainees

KUALA LUMPUR: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has demanded that the government apologise to all those detained and tortured under the Internal Security Act.

A former ISA detainee himself, the DAP leader said if the government did not do so, it would be guilty of allowing the law to live on through the newly-tabled Security Offences (Special Measures) Bill 2012.

"Is Barisan Nasional ready to make an open apology to all the victims (who suffered) cruelty?"

"As long as BN refuses to do so, it will be difficult (for it) to find closure. It will show doubts towards the repealing of the ISA, and that this is really a game of tricks… for the ISA to continue in a different guise and form," the Bagan MP told the Dewan Rakyat today.

He estimated that as many as 10,000 people had been detained under the ISA since its inception in 1960.

Lim was referring to the Security Offences Bill, which was first tabled in Parliament last Tuesday. Today, the Bill was presented for a second reading by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and is currently being debated by various MPs.

Once passed, the Bill would do away with the ISA, which was introduced in 1960 to battle the communist threat at the time.

However, opposition politicians had argued that the law was later misused to detain BN's political enemies.

Today, Lim told the House how he was detained under the ISA during the infamous Operation Lalang episode in 1987, which saw over a 100 people detained under the law.

"As a former detainee, I personally know from bitter experience how the ISA can be misused. When I was detained in 1987, I was only 27-years-old and at the time, had just only become Kota Melaka MP.

"It was difficult, going through solitary confinement for 60 days, because our lives were under the hands of two police officers who could do anything they wanted to me," he said.

Lim then accused the Security Offences (Special Measures) Bill of having the remnants of the ISA.

He warned that the new law would make the public fear a government that appeared ready to misuse it for political gain.

Lim's father, Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang, who is now DAP adviser, was also detained under the ISA in 1987.

GMI: No need for new laws

In a related development, the Abolish ISA Movement (GMI) argued that there was no need for new laws to replace the ISA.

Speaking at a press conference in Parliament this evening, GMI chairman Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh said there were enough provisions in the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) to deal with national security threats.

He added that he also agreed with Pakatan Rakyat leaders' calls for the newly minted Securities Offences Bill to be refered to a select committee for a review.

Syed Ibrahim said the new Bill would still allow the government to detain a person for a maximum 28 days on mere suspicion which could allow abuses to take place.

He also said a detainee could be held without legal representation for a maximum 48 hours which was against the principle of justice.

"Even Israeli law only allows a person to be detained without trial for a maximum of eight days," he added.

Syed Ibrahim also took Najib to task for heaping laurels on the ISA during his speech at the installation ceremony of the new King last week.

"The ISA had caused great injustice and suffering to the detainees and the families. Yet, the government has shown no remorse for what happened," he said.

Also read:

Khairy slams 'envious' Pakatan, Anwar

Security Offences in, ISA on way out

Dr M maintains ISA still a good law

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Kids of UMNO/BN leaders are millionaires in their 20s...

'Maggi mee' and 'roti bun' while kids of BN leaders are millionaires in their 20s

The on-going PTPTN issue is really very telling. In all probability it will be like the proverbial fourth stone that broke the camel's back for BN.

Just take cognizance of the Tun Dr Mahathir's statement. He says that it was saudara Anwar Ibrahim who put the education loan system in place when DSAI was the deputy prime minister.

Now any unschooled silly would retort, "Then what the hell were you doing when you were the boss then? Couldn't you have stopped it for heaven's sake"

If the Tun Dr did not lift a finger to throw Anwar Ibrahim's idea to introduce the PTPTN, then does it not mean that the then PM is more guilty of this unjustified burden on our young and their families?

Tycoons let off but not student

Students are not wrong in asking why is it that the BN led government can let tycoons and cronies get off scot free from multi-billion ringgit scandals and mismanagement whereas a poor graduate with a merger starting-salary of RM1,500 is punished without mercy for non-repayment of a few thousand ringgit loan.

Students are asking where are all the mega bucks from the oil money going to. They are asking how come the Tun is still having a palatial and premium office for himself at the PETRONAS Twin Towers when he is no more employed as the prime minister. They want to know where is the rental coming from, let alone the maintenance of his private office.

They are asking this question because they cannot enjoy even a single ringgit as relief for fees whereas so many ministers are living a high-flying lifestyle.

Children of the BN leaders millionaires in their 20s

Students are angry because they read about sons and daughters of who is who in town within the power barricades of BN, enjoying a lavish lifestyle, driving exotic cars and becoming millionaires in their twenties whereas the tens of thousands of students have to borrow to study and end up paying through their noses to settle the loan.

Students are not wrong is demanding answers when they witness sagas like cow-gate, anak-gate, toll-gate, aman-gate and numerous other gates raking in benefits and bonuses and extravagance whereas the students have to eat magie mee to see through university.

Maggi mee and roti bun

Education is the lifeline of a nation's progress and development. Education is the hope for nationhood. Education is the investment for a future.

But when that ed! ucation is something that you have to be yoked with repayment, the inspiration and motivation to excel takes a back seat. Putting food for the family on the table becomes a priority.

Do the ministers and the especially the Education Minister know that there are many students who go to bed with Maggi mee and roti bun in their stomachs on most nights? Surely they will deny this.

Do the BN leaders and their bodek-kakis know that students are cramping in rooms to save money to pay for rentals?

Do the BN people know that many parents are borrowing money and over-using credit cards and stinging on their personal basic expenses just to give that little extra money to their kids to buy this and that and do this and that project while in university?

Why have we reduced our future leaders and nation-builders to be beggars through a PTPTN scheme? Is putting up Twin Towers far more important to nation-building than giving un-burdened education to our young?

Are there no countries in the world that have no twin tower and spanking palaces but have proven to be a success story on this planet?

Blame-all Dr M

We can borrow and spend lavishly to build spanking dwellings, but we cannot let our young focus on education without having to worry about re-payments and in being disheartened because no scholarships were within sight.

We can host all kinds of lavish dinners for the rich and famous, powerful! and cor rupt; but we do not care that our young within the hallways of knowledge are eating roti bun and drinking water each night.

Ask the students, ministers. And have the courage to let your main stream media report the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

We have allowed BN to rape and plunder our youth's basic rights to the wealth of this nation – the petroleum, palm oil and timber revenues; we continue to close both eyes to the opulence, acrimonious wealth hoardings and shameless business profiteering by so many leaders and cronies within the BN camp.

And the Tun Dr Mahathir has no shame in blurting that DSAI is the one who created the PTPTN.How bankrupt can our leaders get within their heads and hearts?- Malaysia Chronicle

PTPTN ibarat 'Ah Long'...

PTPTN adalah ibarat 'Ah Long' yang membendung pelajar sebaik saja dia tamat pengajiannya. Hari ini PTPTN telah membawa halatuju pendidikan negara ke arah yang songsang.

Pendidikan tinggi berkualiti telah dipesongkan sehinggakan pengajian tinggi itu seolah2 merupakan institusi yang hanya untuk menjanakan wang semata2. Lantaran itu,ramai daripada graduan akan menjadi hamba kepada PTPTN sebaik saja mereka tamat pengajian mereka,jelas Ng.

Dia mendesak agar gomen dengar pandangan rakyat dan mohon agar skim tersebut dimansuhkan.

Pengajian tinggi di negara ini seharusnya adalah percuma dan melalui bantuan gomen atau beserta dengan yuran ya! ng berpa tutan dan murah, maka lebih ramain pelajar daripada keluarga miskin boleh menikmati pendidikan tinggi tersebut.

Pelajar2 sedang membantah skim PTPTN bermasalah ini dan pada Sabtu lalu seramai 500 pelajar telah membuat bantahan di Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur.

Sekumpulan seramai 30 orang pelajar masih berkhemah di Dataran Merdeka dan akan terus berada di situ hinggalah tuntutan mereka dipenuhi oleh pihak berkuasa.

Tiada kebebasan dengan semak semula UUCA

Ng juga menyentuh tentang (Akta Universiti dan Kolej Universiti 1071)University and University Colleges Act (UUCA)1971 yang telah dibentangkan di Parlimen baru2 ini. Menurut Ng, ia masih menindas hak kebebasan pelajar dan menyekat mereka daripada bersuara.

Menurutnya,pindaan yang dibuat hanya merupakan memindah kuasa mutlak atas pelajar daripada Kementerian kepada direktor2 dan registrar Universiti2 berkenaan.

Katanya lagi,director2 ini tidak dilantik oleh pelajar dan pensyarah dan dengan itu mereka tidak berhak mewakili kebajikan pelajar2 semua. Katanya,Timbalan2 Chancellor dan para pentadbir seharusnya dipilih oleh pelajar dan pensyarah.

Ng berpendapat bahawa kedua2 PTPTN dan UCCA hendaklah dimansuhkan.- malaysiakini

More tents for Dataran student protesters

Students occupying Dataran Merdeka have received new tents to replace those torn down by city council officers, among other donations from well-wishers.

NONE

The occupation, now in its third day, received its first batch of four or five tents on the first day, and another five last night, according to Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia secretary Haziq Abdul Aziz today.

He said the students also received aid in the form of food, drinks, and cash several times a day.

"We had so much food last night that we donated some to the homeless," he said.

The students have at least a dozen tents at hand, three of which have been erected in Dataran Merdeka while the rest are in storage.

Today, in the wake of this morning's incident where one of the students tents was torn down, Pantai Jerejak assemblyperson Sim TzeTzin brought three tents with him, as well as some placards and a small white board.

"Every tent they tear down, we will give them three!" he said.

Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Loon , Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng, and aides of Bukit Lanjan assemblyperson Elizabeth Wong arrived later with another eight tents and more supplies.

There was also a another donation of a large bag of clothes, which the students intend to give away.

The students have been occupying the square in shifts since Saturday to call for free education, and the abolition of the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN).

The have vowed to stay put until the Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28, or when their demands are met.

Haziq said the group was also visited by a van bearing Umno's logo, said to be from its its Social Affairs Secretariat.

The van was carrying nasi lemak meant for the homeless, and Haziq said some pedestrians took the food.

However, the students rejected the food offer out of fear that it would become an issue to be played up.

Earlier today, Batu MP Chua Tian Chang, better known as Tian Chua, visited the students. He urged the authorities to respect the student's rights to assemble peacefully.

Ooi Siew Lan (left), also popularly known as Aunty Bersih, was also present to give support.

Holding the student's donation box, she said, "Donate, donate donate! PTPTN is the biggest loan shark!"

"Why isn't (Premier) Najib (Abdul Razak) coming? If Najib can't come, why not send (his deputy) Muhyiddin (Yassin)? If he can't come too, why not send the Higher Education Minister?" she said.

Siswa di Dataran terima sumbangan khemah

cheers.

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Land bank – Must it all be developed?

Last few weeks, LGE was attacked for selling a piece of reclaim land in Bayan Mutiara measuring 103 acres for RM1.1 bill to Tropicana Ivory (TISB). The deal was inked with deferred payment over several years. The bone of contention was price. LGE justified that the price is three times the value of government valuation. Today another story came out where it was reported that Syed Mokhtar is eyeing the 330acres land, which is leased to KGNS.

All major cities in the country are losing their open space. The people are being pushed into pigeonholes and family recreation is now held in door in shopping malls. Open space and parks are limited and people have to drive through the chaotic city traffic just to reach a park. The government appears to have lost its focus on the need to maintain the quality of life of the people. If there is a piece of land somewhere, it must be developed and the development comes with a maximum plot ratio. One poor example of concentrated development would be KL central.

A good government would look at maximizing value of any of its properties in a balance manner. In Penang, I find it unacceptable for the Penang Government to convert the reclaimed land to Freehold and sell the land to TISB. Penang is land dearth state. Every square inch is valuable. They should have followed Singapore model where the government would do the master plan, zone it, give appropriate building guidelines in terms of plot ratio, subdivide them into small parcels and then auction them to the highest bidder. In Singapore commercial land are leased out between 33-66 years. Residential lands are leased for 99 years. At the end of the lease the land revert back to the government and if there is no change in planning, the lease is extended.

Similarly the direct negotiation made famous by Mahathir must stop. In the case of KGNS if indeed the government plans to develop the land, why must it do it via direct negotiation? Why cant a balance approached is taken where part of the green lung is kept, make it open to public. The rest of the land is again should be sold following the practice in Singapore. The current dealing with regards to the KGNS land is simply unacceptable.

Urban living is becoming stressful by the day. The people need a place to release their stress. The government must handle development in a pragmatic manner where quality of life should be the focus rather than focusing on pure land development.

Filed under: Malaysia My Home

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HRP mocks hoopla over Tamil school rebuild

PETALING JAYA: The Human Rights Party (HRP) today sought to dampen the Selangor government's sense of achievement in rebuilding the Midlands Tamil school, saying Pakatan Rakyat had performed a "feat" in taking nearly five years to do so.

The arithmetic would show that Pakatan would need 480 years to rebuild the remaining 96 Tamil schools in Selangor to be on par with Midlands, said HRP pro-tem secretary general P Uthayakumar in a media statement that maintained a mocking tone throughout.

The school now sits on a four-acre plot in Shah Alam. The facilities are three storeys high, accommodating 24 classrooms, a computer and science laboratory and a convention centre. The state is reported to have footed RM3 million of the RM4.9 million cost.

Uthayakumar also claimed that the convention centre, which is said to be able to accommodate up to 3,000 people, was not under the school's exclusive control and that it would receive only 30% of profits from private functions.

He poured scorn on the publicity blitz leading up to the unveiling of the upgraded school, calling it "full-blown pomp-and-grandeur propaganda". Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim's administration took out full-page colour advertisements in all four Tamil dailies on April 14, "the eve of the grand finale," he said.

"We appreciate this good effort. But how come we have never heard or seen this magnitude of propaganda during the opening of a Malay, Chinese, Islamic or even Orang Asli school?"

Uthayakumar said he had never before seen such grandeur in the launching of a school, not even when his two-storey primary English school was built in the 1950s in his fishing village in Tumpat, Kelantan.

He said it was not necessary for Pakatan to hold such an exaggerated celebration just because it had provided the public with a basic need.

"Article 12 of the Federal Constitution states that there should be no discrimination in providing education out of the funds of a public authority," he said.

"So why a celebration over this a la Umno/BN one-off Tamil school? It's like in the Malay proverb, ayam telor sebiji rioh sekampung (a chicken lays one egg and the entire village gets into a frenzy of excitement)."

He asked the state government to explain why it had not decided to rebuild all the state's 97 Tamil schools simultaneously and thereby have no more "pathetic cowshed-like" facilities.

"Is this a 13th general election political gimmick? We would have had reason to join in the front rows of this celebration – if we had been invited – had the rest of the schools been similarly rebuilt during Pakatan's five-year rule."

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We’re clean, squeaks EC

KUALA LUMPUR: The Election Commission has repeated its claim that it is not a dirty organisation.

EC chairman Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said this after having a closed-door meeting with several MPs in Parliament.

"I told these MPs: Where in the world is there an electoral roll that is 100% correct?" he told reporters in the briefing room.

He added that it was unfair for certain parties to slam the EC of being dirty, especially with the 42,000 "doubtful voters".

"In Malaysia, we have 12.6 million voters to check. For doubtful voters, it is only 42,000…that is 0.3%…is that dirty? You have to be fair to the EC," he said.

Abdul Aziz said that there were 42,051 "doubtful voters" who could not be verified by the National Registration Department (NRD).

He said that the NRD had tried to contact these people, and was unable to get a response from them.

"We are afraid that if we were to remove some of these names, these people might still be alive!" Abdul Aziz said.

He later added that this number had been reduced to 41,750.

The EC chairman also cleared the air over 19,342 people affected by "boundary change".

He said that there was no boundary change for these people, and that they were really affected by "locality correction".

Using Bandar Tun Razak MP Khalid Ibrahim as an example, he said that the MP's address used to be in Selangor.

After checking with their Electoral Geographical Information System, the EC found that Khalid was really in Kuala Lumpur, and corrected it accordingly.

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Azmin: It’s a vile attack against me

KUALA LUMPUR: It's a vile attack by Umno to discredit me, said PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, of allegations he had insulted the monarchy during the coronation ceremony of the new King last week.

The Gombak MP dismissed the allegations by a blogger, saying Pakatan Rakyat had always held the monarchy in high regard.

Malay daily Utusan Malaysia quoted blogger, Dr Rahman Kadir, who claimed that Pakatan leaders had insulted the Sultans during the installation ceremony of Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah on Wednesday.

Among those Rahman accused of insulting the monarchy were Azmin, Batu MP Tian Chua and Kota Raja MP Siti Mariah Mahmud.

Following the report, Umno vice presidents Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Hishammuddin Hussein supported calls by several NGOs to set up a royal commission to probe the matter.

Whether he would take legal action against his accusers, Azmin, who is also Gombak MP, was non-committal and said he was used to Umno's slander for the past 10 years.

Tian Chua also dismissed the claims saying Umno was resorting to personal attacks at the expense of the Palace. "I have never insulted the monarchs," said Tian Chua.

On the call by Umno for a royal commission, Tian Chua said it was up to the government if they wished to investigate the allegations.

Shah Alam MP, Khalid Samad, said it was "ridiculous" for an RCI to be called based on "unsubstantiated accusations".

"Tian Chua has already disputed these allegations. BN is so desperate for issues to use against us that they have resorted to this. It is ridiculous," said Khalid.

Khalid said Rahman had claimed to have been seated infront of Tian Chua. He, however, added that Tian Chua was seated in front of Azmin and him while Nurul was seated behind them.

"So how could Rahman hear conversations from three rows away?" asked Khalid. "It doesn't make sense."

When reminded that he was singled out in Rahman's observations as "smiling proudly" when Tian Chua and Azmin praised the Sultan of Kelantan, Khalid chuckled.

"I was smiling because I'm always smiling," he said. "That is my problem. So if they want to order an RCI on my smile so be it."

Also read:

Hishammuddin: New law won't limit police powers

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Khazanah plans US$1.5 bln healthcare IPO

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's state investor Khazanah Nasional Bhd is expected to list its healthcare assets in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore in the second half, a deal that could fetch $ 1.5 billion, two sources with direct knowledge of the deal told Reuters.

The dual listing could be the fourth-biggest initial public offering in the city state's history and Malaysia's second-largest this year after the planned listing of Malaysian plantation group Felda Global Venture Holdings.

"It is coming out in the second half," a source with knowledge of the deal told Reuters on Monday. "Some preliminary discussions are being held with cornerstones and Khazanah's representatives."

The IPO will be one of the first after elections in Malaysia that are widely expected to be held in June. Analysts and investment bankers have said Malaysia's IPO pipeline has slowed ahead of the poll because of concerns of market volatility.

A second source said the listing was set for June or July, with pre-marketing to start in May.

Khazanah officials were not immediately available for comment.

Acquisition trial

The first source, who declined to be identified as the details of the listing have not yet been made public, said Khazanah was still making acquisitions "to bulk up the initial public offering (IPO)".

Khazanah's healthcare assets are currently parked under Integrated Healthcare Holdings (IHH), in which Japan's Mitsui & Co Ltd owns a 30 percent stake.

Aside from IHH's recent purchase of Turkish hospital group Acibadem AS, the unit to be listed would have assets of Singapore's Parkway Holdings, Malaysia-based Pantai Hospitals and International Medical University.

Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank AG and CIMB are joint global coordinators and book runners for the deal. Goldman Sachs, DBS and Credit Suisse are joint bookrunners, a source told Reuters in December.

-Reuters

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Reforming Education: Part 4 of 6: Enhancing Residential Schools

By M. Bakri Musa

Fourth of Six Parts

My first three essays dealt with the challenges facing kampong schools and how we could leverage technology to alleviate those problems. I discussed enhancing the educational opportunities through improving the schools, recruiting superior teachers, and enriching the curriculum. Failure to do so would doom these unfortunate students to perpetual mediocrity and poverty, with dire consequences for them as well as the rest of Malaysia. This essay explores ways of maximizing the potential of residential schools. Again here as with kampong schools, we are dealing primarily with Malay students.

Our residential schools get the top students, have the best teachers, and consume more than their fair share of resources. Yet their aggregate performance has been underwhelming. When I visit top American campuses, the Malaysians I meet there are from other than our supposedly elite residential schools. That is the most telling indicator.

Malaysia's oldest residential school, Malay College Kuala Kangsar, only recently (June 2011) started a matriculation program, the International Baccalaureate. Despite the luminaries on its board and the institution's special status, it took a full decade to implement the program. Imagine the glacial pace at lesser institutions!

Prior to the IB, MCKK students had to go elsewhere for their matriculation, reducing the school (and others like it) to nothing more than a glorified middle school, and a very expensive one at that. This has not always been the case. Up till the late 1960s, MCKK still had its Sixth Form. For over the past 40 years – two generations – the institution has been emasculated academically; the same with Tunku Kurshiah College and other residential schools. What a colossal lost opportunity for Malays, one that cannot be readily quantified. My surprise is that Malay leaders, especially the Perkasa types, are totally oblivious of this loss.

The issues with residential schools are principally with reducing their cost and enhancing the output.

Reducing Costs

The comparable cost for private schools in Malaysia ranges from about RM25-45K annually for tuition, plus another RM15-20K for full boarding per student. The facilities (academic and non-academic) at MCKK and other government residential schools are nowhere comparable to such private ones like Tuanku Jaafar College, so I would put a lower figure, conservatively at RM40K per student. That is still at least 8-10 times more expensive than the regular government day school.

The government bears the entire cost regardless of the families' economic status. Thus one quick way to reduce cost would simply have parents bear the costs based on a sliding scale, depending on income and assets. Beyond a certain level they would have to pay the full cost; below that, nothing, the students effectively on full scholarship. With the extra revenue the schools could enhance their curriculum and facilities.

The immediate impact would be to discourage well-to-do Malays from enrolling their children at these schools, preferring the much superior private ones instead. That would effectively free up more slots for children of the poor.

Another way of reducing costs would be to make these schools only partially residential, restricting hostel facilities only to those from out of town. Another would be to limit the intake of students from within the state or adjacent ones, thus reducing transportation costs, although that is only a minor component.

With the increasing urbanization of Malays I would build these schools in the cities to cater to poor urban families. Then with most of the students coming from nearby areas, this would obviate the need for full hostel facilities.

Increasing and Enhancing The Output

As our residential schools get the best students, we must ensure that the output of these schools must be superior both in quantity as well as quality. At a minimum all their students must qualify for university; anything less would be a failure both for the students as well as the institution. It would also be a loss for Malays.

Again, because they get our best, these schools must be challenged and compared with the best in the region, and not to SMK Ulu Kelantan. If today we were to compare MCKK to Kolej Tuanku Jaafar or KYUEM, the results would be embarrassing.

By far the most effective way of reducing cost and at the same time increase the output would be to eliminate the lower forms. Focus only on the last four years, meaning, take in students only after Form Three. Resources and facilities currently devoted to the lower forms could now be diverted to the all-important upper forms.

MCKK takes in over 100 pupils at Form One, but five years later fewer than 50 would be in its IB program. I would rather get rid of Forms One to Three and double up on the IB class. That would boost both the quality as well as quantity of the output.

Another way of increasing the quality would be for these schools to offer specialized programs. Some schools could for example, emphasize the sciences, others foreign languages, performing arts, or sports. Or these schools could admit only boys (as with MCKK) or girls (TKC). The government recently started one specifically for the children of FELDA settlers. There could be one catering only to children of Orang Asli, or those who would be the first in their family to enter college.

I would also have the headmastership of these schools be a terminal appointment. Let it be the job he or she will retire in (contingent upon performance of course). That would be the incentive for the individual to strive for a significant legacy. During the tenure, superior performance would be recognized by increasing the pay, and not, as is the current practice, by being promoted and transferred out.

It is a crying shame that Malay College had nearly twice as many headmasters during the past 47 years when locals took over than in its first 60. One local headmaster stayed barely a few months, just enough time to put an entry on his resume, before being promoted to be a functionary at the ministry. Then we wonder why MCKK has slid so far behind.

Other schools in Malaysia trumpet their students who are being accepted to top universities, but MCKK and other residential schools are still obsessed with and fixated over their students' SPM scores, with their graduation exercises ("Speech Day") attended by sultans and ministers. That, more than anything else, reveals the standards as well as aspirations of these students, their teachers, and our society.

The government is building many more residential schools. However each new one merely replicates and is being run like existing ones. There is little innovation in curriculum, management or philosophy. Consequently the same mistakes get repeated, and they call that experience!

Next: Fifth of Six Parts: Post-Form Five Options

This entry was posted on Monday, 16 April 2012, 12:03 pm and is filed under Bakri Musa, Education. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0.

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Jawapan kepada Tan Sri Isa Samad

KENYATAAN MEDIA
16 April 2012
UNTUK SEBARAN SEGERA

Jawapan kepada Tan Sri Isa Samad

KEADILAN mengutuk sekeras-kerasnya tuduhan liar dan tidak bertanggungjawab Tan Sri Isa Abdul Samad, Pengerusi Lembaga Kemajuan Tanah Persekutuan (LKTP) atau Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) yang kononnya KEADILAN cuba mempolitikkan dan mengelirukan rakyat mengenai isu penyenaraian FELDA Global Ventures Holdings (FGVH).

Tan Sri Isa juga dinasihatkan agar berhati-hati dengan tuduhan beliau kerana KEADILAN sama sekali tidak pernah mendakwa kesemua 112,634 peneroka di 317 tanah rancangan dan 22,468 pekerja FELDA akan dipaksa membeli saham FGVH dalam tawaran awam permulaan atau "initial public offering" (IPO) yang dijangka selesai selewat-lewatnya dalam bulan Jun 2012.

Sebaliknya, menurut sumber yang boleh dipercayai, KEADILAN sekadar mendedahkan bahawa peneroka dan pekerja FELDA akan "dipaksa" membuat pinjaman pada kadar faedah "daily rest" 5% setahun selama 6 bulan dengan 7 bank komersial terpilih untuk membiayai mohon beli saham IPO FGVH yang mana pembiayaan dengan simpanan sendiri tidak akan dibenarkan sama sekali. Maka, amat jelas dakwaan Tan Sri Isa bahawasanya FELDA menyediakan opsyen membeli saham IPO FGVH menggunakan wang sendiri adalah cubaan mengelabui mata rakyat terutamanya peneroka dan pekerja FELDA memandangkan ianya suatu pilihan yang sama sekali tidak wujud.

Selanjutnya, KEADILAN ingin menegaskan bahawa para peneroka dan pekerja FELDA yang diluluskan pinjaman hanya ada dua pilihan, sama ada membayar balik keseluruhan pinjaman dengan simpanan sendiri semasa menerima borang merah jambu/biru bersama dengan rebat RM100 ATAUPUN membayar balik pinjaman dalam tempoh 6 bulan menggunakan hasil jualan saham FGVH di pasaran terbuka bersama dengan jumlah kadar faedah atas pinjaman yang bergantung pada jumlah pinjaman (yakni harga IPO) dan harga jualan serta fi dan caj sebanyak RM200. Sekali lagi amat jelas bahawa "durian runtuh" yang diberi melalui kaedah "hutang paksa" ini sebenarnya salah satu cara PM Najib memberi peluang baharu kepada institusi kewangan terbabit terutamanya 5 bank pelaburan, 7 bank komersial dan beberapa syarikat broker saham seperti yang KEADILAN dedahkan sebelum ini untuk mendapat laba atas titik peluh dan pahit maung peneroka dan pekerja FELDA. Sebagai contoh, sekiranya kesemua 135,102 peneroka dan pekerja FELDA memilih untuk membayar balik pinjaman tersebut dalam tempoh 6 bulan, maka kutipan dalam bentuk fi dan caj sebanyak RM200 sahaja menjangkau RM27 juta bagi ketujuh-tujuh bank komersial terpilih.

Menurut garis masa yang ditetapkan, KEADILAN difahamkan bahawa mulai 16 April 2012, para pengurus cawangan bank-bank komersial terpilih akan diberi taklimat menyentuh segala maklumat terperinci mengenai pinjaman untuk pembelian saham atau "share margin financing" ini. Bermula 23 atau 24 April 2012, selama 8-9 hari, 7 bank komersial terpilih ini dijangka memulakan roadshow untuk memberi penerangan kepada para peneroka dan pekerja FELDA di kesemua 317 tanah rancangan di mana mereka akan diminta menandatangani borang permohonan pinjaman pembiayaan pembelian saham. Permohonan pinjaman ini kemudiannya akan diproses di antara 7 Mei dan 22 Mei 2012. Pihak bank-bank komersial tersebut akan memaklumkan FELDA dan para pemohon semua permohonan yang lulus dan gagal sebelum atau pada 22 Mei 2012.

Seterusnya, pada hari yang digelar hari "T", wakil FELDA akan menyerahkan borang biru dan merah jambu masing-masing kepada peneroka dan pekerja FELDA yang berjaya dalam permohonan untuk diisi dan perlu dikembalikan kepada wakil FELDA paling lewat pada hari "T+1". Selewat-lewatnya pada hari "T+3", bank-bank terbabit dijadualkan menerima semula borang biru dan merah jambu yang telah diisi ini bersama dengan senarai akhir permohonan yang diluluskan. Mereka yang memilih untuk membayar balik keseluruhan pinjaman pada hari penerimaan borang biru atau merah jambu dinasihatkan membeli bank deraf boleh dibayar kepada bank yang meluluskan pinjaman. Bermula pada hari "T+3", bank-bank akan memproses borang biru dan merah jambu serta mengeluarkan pembayaran membeli saham IPO FGVH kepada "registrar", Symphony House Berhad selewat-lewatnya pada hari "T+8". Pada hari yang sama, borang biru dan merah jambu akan diserahkan kepada gedung terbitan atau "issuing house".

KEADILAN sekali lagi ingin menegaskan bahawa Pakatan Rakyat tidak pernah dan tidak akan sama sekali menghalang sebarang inisiatif yang memberi manfaat dan kemudahan kepada rakyat yang memerlukan terutamanya peneroka dan pekerja FELDA yang sememangnya berhak mendapat ganjaran atau habuan dalam apa jua bentuk.

Jika PM Najib dan FELDA benar-benar ikhlas dengan niat menawarkan peneroka dan pekerja FELDA "durian runtuh sebagai menghargai kerja keras dan pengorbanan mereka selama ini" dan "mempermudahkan penyertaan mereka untuk menikmati segala faedah daripada penyenaraian FGVH", KEADILAN ingin menegaskan bahawa kaedah terbaik untuk memberi pengiktirafan yang sewajarnya atas jerih-perih dan ketabahan peneroka dan pekerja FELDA serta peluang menikmati manfaat memiliki saham sebuah syarikat "blue chip" yang tersenarai di Bursa Malaysia secara mampan adalah menerusi pemberian saham percuma, sekaligus menepati definisi "durian runtuh" dalam ertikata yang sebenar, bebas daripada belenggu hutang. Tanpa saham percuma, PM Najib dan Kerajaan Barisan Nasionallah yang sebenarnya memperlekeh pengorbanan peneroka dan pekerja FELDA selama ini!

Nurul Izzah Anwar
Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai, merangkap
Naib Presiden KEADILAN

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Jawapan kepada Tan Sri Isa Samad

KENYATAAN MEDIA
16 April 2012
UNTUK SEBARAN SEGERA

Jawapan kepada Tan Sri Isa Samad

Nurul Izzah Anwar
Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai, merangkap
Naib Presiden KEADILAN

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INTENTION TO CONTEST AS A COMMUNITY CANDIDATE ALIGNED TO THE PAKATAN RAKYAT COALITION IN THE ...

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Dear Honorable Leaders of Pakatan Rakyat,

We, the sons of the late Edward Lee Poh Lin (Selangor State Assemblyman for the Bukit Gasing N34 constituency, 2008 - 2011), with great humility, announce our intention in continuing with our late father's legacy as a social and environmental activist, and community leader by contesting in the 13th General Election as a community candidate.

It was after much deliberation, and with the encouragement of family, friends and the community of Bukit Gasing, that this decision was made.

Our desire and passion is to provide citizens of the community with an opportunity to actively participate in the making, amending, repealing and enacting of state laws and policies through the office of the community-elected representative in the state assembly. It is our vision to see the constituency of Bukit Gasing become a role model in the efforts to encourage direct public participation through the forming of a consultative / think tank body to offer ideas, feedback and constructive criticism.

This approach and the partnering of the community candidate with the Pakatan Rakyat coalition would serve to help strengthen the coalition's position in the upcoming general election in that:

1. This radical and progressive initiative would encourage the community to actively take part in supporting the PR coalition in the general election and in government after PR retains the state of Selangor post-election.

2. PR would be able to focus its campaign efforts and resources in other constituencies that need assistance.

We seek to work with PR to bring a positive and lasting change for our country and the common good of all. We sincerely hope that the PR leadership would seriously consider our proposition and look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

Gerald Lee , Simon Lee (The community Candidate), and James Lee

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Geng 5 tetap cadang Tiki Lafe

KUCHING: Kumpulan wakil rakyat yang dilabel Geng 5 (G5) tetap lantang menyuarakan hak mereka mencadangkan nama calon bagi kawasan Parlimen Mas Gading kepada Barisan Nasional (BN) sebagai calon alternatif.

Jurucakap kumpulan itu, Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie bertegas adalah tidak menjadi kesalahan kepada mereka untuk mencadangkan nama penyandang kerusi berkenaan, Dato' Dr Tiki Lafe memandangkan beliau merupakan calon boleh menang yang mempunyai peluang paling cerah.

Menurut bekas Naib Presiden Kanan Parti Demokratik Progresif Sarawak (SPDP) itu, sama ada BN akan menerima atau sebaliknya, G5 tetap akur dengan keputusan yang bakal diputuskan kerana apa yang penting kini ialah Dr Tiki masih mempunyai sokongan padu daripada semua jentera kepimpinan peringkat akar umbi.

"Tidak salah bagi kami (G5) untuk mencadangkan nama Dr Tiki sebagai calon alternatif kepada calon yang bakal diletakkan oleh SPDP.

Bagi masyarakat di Mas Gading beliau (Dr Tiki) merupakan penyandang serta calon yang mempunyai peluang paling baik.

"Dr Tiki bukan sahaja boleh menang, tetapi akan menang dengan kelebihan undi yang paling besar. Lihat sahaja malam ini, semua pemimpin di Mas Gading hadir di sini, jelas membuktikan kita masih memiliki sokongan kuat dan keyakinan daripada mereka," katanya sambil mengakui keputusan muktamad masih terpulang kepada pimpinan tertinggi BN.

Beliau berkata demikian semasa berucap di Jamuan Malam Pemimpin Bersama Rakyat Mas Gading yang turut dihadiri ahli lain dalam G5, Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran, Rosey Yunus dan Paulus Palu Gumbang yang masing-masing merupakan wakil rakyat Marudi, Bekenu dan Batu Danau.

Hanya cadangan

Mengulas lanjut, Menteri Muda Pembangunan Komuniti itu juga memberitahu G5 tidak pernah berniat untuk melawan 'bapa' seperti mana yang sering dicapkan sebelum ini, sebaliknya akan mengambil langkah dengan mengesyor nama Dr Tiki pada pilihan raya umum akan datang.

Katanya, meskipun Presiden SPDP Tan Sri William Mawan mengatakan adalah tidak logik bagi kumpulan lima bekas pemimpin parti itu untuk menamakan calon, namun ia sebenarnya tidak tepat memandangkan mereka hanya akan mencadangkan nama calon bukannya menentu atau menamakan calon.

"Kita (G5) tidak pernah menyatakan untuk menamakan Dr Tiki sebagai calon sebaliknya hanya mencadangkan nama beliau sebagai calon alternatif kepada pucuk tertinggi BN. Terpulang kepada BN untuk memutuskan senarai akhir calon kelak.

"Apa yang mustahak, kita tidak membudayakan politik negatif dengan perjuangan kita tidak akan terkeluar dari prinsip BN," katanya dan menambah, populariti seseorang tidak semestinya membolehkannya menang dalam pilihan raya umum nanti.

Sebaliknya ujarnya, jika mereka menang kerana mereka berkhidmat kepada rakyat tanpa mengira waktu, orang seperti ini boleh menang apabila dipilih sebagai calon, jelasnya lagi.

Dalam majlis sama, kira-kira 1,200 anggota SPDP dari kawasan N1 Opar dan N2 Tasik Biru mengumumkan keluar parti itu dengan menyerahkan kad keahlian masing-masing dan melafazkan ikrar taat setia dan sokongan kepada Kelab BN.

Tags: Geng 5 (G5), bekas Naib Presiden Kanan Parti Demokratik Progresif Sarawak (SPDP), Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie, Parlimen Mas Gading, Barisan Nasional,

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