Better Vision Malaysia

Malaysia denies corruption in submarine sale | ABS-CBN News

2012-06-27T00:46:00.001-07:00

Malaysia denies corruption in submarine sale | ABS-CBN News: "The allegations have emerged in a French investigative case examining whether French shipbuilding giant DCNS paid bribes to Malaysian officials.

Malaysian human rights group SUARAM and its French lawyers have alleged that DCNS bought classified Malaysian defence ministry documents to help its bid for the 1 billion euro contract it won in 2002. They say investigation documents show that about 36 million euros were paid by Thales International, a subsidiary of DCNS, to a company called Terasasi, controlled by a former associate of Najib.

"The defence ministry doesn't have any information on the alleged sale of secret documents by Terasasi to Thint Asia (Thales International) for the alleged sum of 36 million euros," Zahid said."

'via Blog this'

Convicted rapist asks for maximum sentence - General - New Straits Times

2012-06-26T17:45:00.001-07:00

Convicted rapist asks for maximum sentence - General - New Straits Times: "G. Thiyagaran, 35, asked Sessions judge Mohammed Mokhzani Mokhtar for the maximum sentence for raping a 19-year-old student three years ago.

Mokhzani asked if the accused knew what he meant by maximum, to which Thiyagaran replied: "Give me a long jail term. I don't care. I cannot be forgiven. I admit I did it."

The judge then sentenced Thiyagaran to 20 years' jail and 10 strokes of the rotan for raping the girl, who was then in Form 6, at the Kerling Chinese cemetery in Hulu Selangor at 7am on Oct 8, 2009."

'via Blog this'

‘No commission paid for purchase of submarines’

2012-06-26T17:41:00.001-07:00

That's not for you to say - Zaid; alone. The French court and the whole wide world is w...a....i...t....i...n...g......

‘No commission paid for purchase of submarines’: "“The procurement of the submarines were made via direct negotiations in line with the guidelines of government procurement and French and Spanish manufacturers, with the agreement of the respective governments,” he said.

He said the ministry did not have any information on the allegations of documents claimed to be classified by Hong Kong-based company Terasasi to Thint Asia (Thales International) for the alleged sum of 36mil (RM143.6mil)."

'via Blog this'

AFP: Malaysia minister denies French sub graft claims

2012-06-26T17:24:00.001-07:00

Take a good look and do remember this gentleman; Malaysian Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for he could well be the Man of 2013 pertaining to the Scorpene submarines 'scandal'.

AFP: Malaysia minister denies French sub graft claims: "Malaysian Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, responding to opposition allegations of abuse, told parliament late Tuesday that no confidential information leaked out, and the deal was done through "direct negotiations in accordance with procurement procedures".

"To the best knowledge of the ministry, up to now there is no information detected to have been taken out of Malaysia," he said. "The ministry has never paid any commission directly or indirectly to any companies in the procurement of the Scorpene submarines.""

'via Blog this'

The RM250 million National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal – “shouldn’t someone go to jail”?

2011-11-12T02:10:00.000-08:00

In his new book on the world’s latest financial crisis hotspots, “Boomerang: Travels In the New Third World”, journalist Michael Lewis wrote about how the then new Greek Minister of Finance George Papaconstantinou found out when he took office in October 2009 that his country had cooked its deficit figures with a budget deficit of 12.7% of GDP, four times more than the eurozone’s limit, and a public debt of US$410 billion. The projected Greek deficit of roughly 7 billion euros was actually more than 30 billion.

At his first monthly meeting with European Finance Ministers after he told his counterparts his shocking discovery, a European Finance Minister came up to him and said: “George, we know it’s not your fault, but shouldn’t someone go to jail?”

This is the same question many Malaysians are now asking about the RM250 million National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal, especially after the shocking claim by the UMNO Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin that the purchase of an RM10 million condominium from funds meant for cattle production was a “strategic move”, so that the money would not lie idle.

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak or his Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who was Agriculture Minister when the NFC project was first mooted and approved, should answer this question in the minds of most Malaysians: “Shouldn’t someone go to jail?”

If the cast of personalities involved in the NFC scandal had all involved Pakatan Rakyat leaders and their family members, and not the incumbent Minister for Women, Family and Community Development, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and her family members, there is no doubt that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) would have swooped in on the case from Day One, the MACC investigators now crawling all over the cases and all the protagonists already subject to intense and sustained grilling ala-Teoh Beng Hock.

But this is not the case as there is total inaction, indifference and disinterest on the part on the MACC with regard to the RM250 million NFC scandal, despite the shocking revelations of a clear misappropriation of public funds in the case of RM10 million from the funds to promote cattle production to purchase a condominium for private benefit and the RM800,000 to pay for the expensive overseas trip of the Minister and her family members on company funds.

Shahrizat’s self-defence that her family does not deserve the allegations as they work very hard has only opened up a Pandora’s Box.

It is time that her husband Mohamad Salleh Ismail, her children Wan Shahimur Izran, Wan Shahimur Izmir and Wan Izzana Fatimah, break their silence.

They should appear in the public to explain the numerous queries, contradictions and inconsistencies which had surfaced since the strictures of the Auditor-General’s Report 2010 about the NFC – especially as the explanations and justifications made on their behalf such as by the UMNO Youth Leader Khairy Jamaluddin have only dragged the Shahrizat family and the NFC scandal deeper into the mud. - Lim Kit Siang

The RM250 million National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal – “shouldn’t someone go to jail”?:

Malacca Baba Nyonya Rose Cut Diamond Gold Jewerly - Barry Ng - Picasa Web Albums

2011-10-29T15:52:00.000-07:00

slide show - Malacca Baba Nyonya Rose Cut Diamond Gold Jewerly - Barry Ng - Picasa Web Albums:

'via Blog this'

'EPF is becoming one giant Ponzi scheme'

2011-10-29T09:40:00.000-07:00

'EPF is becoming one giant Ponzi scheme':

YOURSAY 'Are they using contributors money to pay dividends? Otherwise where does the money come from?'

EPF loaned RM55bil without gov't guarantee backing

Tailek: The auditor-general should have named the 13 debtors to whom the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) has loaned billions of contributors' money.

Obviously they are cannot be named because they are probably GLCs (government-linked companies) or Umno-BN crony business groups. It makes you sick to the stomach that such corrupt actions that circumvent Finance Ministry procedures are still going on.

The finance minister should take responsibility for this and let someone of more ability and integrity takes over. The EPF is becoming one giant Ponzi scheme.

FellowMalaysian: This is preposterous - RM55.1 billion loans approved without any government guarantees? This sounds like the mother of all cronies.

Imagine what colossal financial implications this would have to our country's economy even if just 10 percent of these companies were to default on their payments? That would mean RM5.5 billion.

This surely did not comply with the department's operation manuals for investments as no financial institutions, whether government or otherwise, in their right sense would lend such enormous sums without water-tight guarantees.

Can the concerned people please highlight and bring forth this issue immediately before it turned out into another national fiasco?

Ashoka PJ: An EPF contributor going bankrupt due to credit card default or housing loan default as a result of unemployment or shrinking value of the ringgit, cannot withdraw his EPF contribution to save himself and feed his family.

But EPF can give cheap loans to GLCs and crony companies to save them from bankruptcy and make big profits from our hard-earned contribution.

EPF, where are your priorities? I feel you should allow withdrawal to clear contributors names from being declared bankrupt or blacklisted.

Quigonbond: Every single EPF contributor, be it business or employee, should pause and read this article, and consider the implications, if you haven't already. Your money has the potential of going down the drain.

They may still pay your paltry dividends. But future generations of contributors will bear the burden of diminishing returns.

It's not like this issue of financial control, or investment decision-making process, have never been called into question. But they have always fallen on deaf ears, because EPF is daddy's account for BN.

Ferdtan: Not only the RM55 billion loans, but also the quoted and unquoted shares EPF invested are of concern.

Are these shares in their book reflected the correct current market value? If not, many millions or billions, following standard accounting practice, should be written off as losses.

Often you find that at year-end, most Bursa Malaysia shares will shoot up artificially, thus saving EPF from writing off any below-par shares. We are not sure whether EPF have a hand in shoring up such share prices, but they certainly are big enough to have the clout to do so - if they so wish.

I'm not accusing the auditor-general of not doing a good work, we really wish EPF can be audited by an international audit firm. Then only can we honestly believe EPF is solvent as painted by them.

SMC77: The returns on loans and bonds are generally lower than equities.

We should question about why:

1) the loan portfolio is concentrated for 15 borrowers

2) whether EPF prices these loans correctly

3) EPF invests in loans instead of asking the borrowers to issue bonds, which have better liquidity than loans.

Jimmy Ng: Is that the reason why the EPF is now getting employers to increase their mandatory contributions from 12% to 13%?

Is it because they dug themselves into a deep hole and now are trying to get themselves out through the additional 1%?

Rick Teo: Most people don't realised that EPF is already a bankrupt institution. If it were to wind up today, it will not be able to pay back what it is due to its contributors.

They have lost so much money on its investment that they have to keep on getting the employers to increase their contributions so that they will have enough money to pay those contributions that mature.

The people helming EPF are nothing but Umno cronies and is only interested on how they can make a quick buck from the EPF funds.

Has EPF ever open up its books so that the public can scrutinise their financial reports to see if they are done in a transparent manner.

It is interesting to find out how they can pay dividends of 5% when their return of the RM95 billion was only 2.3%? Are they using contributors money to pay dividends? Otherwise where does the money come from?

Joker: Earning RM2.52 billion in interest on loans of RM95.79 billion (as of the end of 2010) implies an interest income of 2.6%.

This is lower than FD (fixed deposit) interest rate, which is less risky. If EPF is ready to give out loans at such low rates, the government can finance its 1Malaysia home loan from EPF directly.

A loan of RM96 billion is sufficient to finance 240,000 home loans of RM400,000 each.

Mohd: Being an EPF contributor, I am not surprised. The EPF has been giving an average 5.5% return over the past 10 years.

Now we know with facts why they are giving only such low rate of return. Take in the unofficial inflation rate of 4%, this make our real return at only 1.5%.

Ksn: No wonder the EPF was the first organisation that welcomed the extension of retirement age to 60 so that contributors cannot withdraw their savings for another five years.

They are gambling with the people's life savings for their retirement and old age. I thought EPF has a BOD (board of directors) and that the MOF (Ministry of Finance) is represented there.

Why has the entire BOD not sacked yet? MOF, get off your backside and act. What are the trade unions doing about it now that the story of the doggy loans are in the public domain?

Manjit Bhatia: Is anybody surprised by this? This is not money that belongs to the state. It's the people's pension fund. But it is being used and abused for chiefly political and corruption purposes.

Umno-BN cronies and their patron political elite are feathering their own nests to the detriment of the national interest and owners of that fund.

But I'll wager most Malaysians will simply whine and shrug their shoulders and walk away saying, "But what can I do? That's the government; I'm just one person." The usual story.

Malaysians are being robbed blind by Umno-BN and their cronies and their children. And you're going to let them get away with blue murder. Right?

Anonymous: I knew this day would come. The sources for funding is shrinking. Petronas and EPF are the last ones where the thieves and cronies can make quick bucks without paying the price. - Malaysiakini

Let’s talk about (halal) sex

2011-10-26T05:48:00.000-07:00

Of course this essay would have to be about the Obedient Wives Club. One can’t pass up the chance to write about the one very titillating piece of news in the media, though the recent Auditor-General’s Report comes close. And that is a painful read.

Like many Malaysians, I was flabbergasted and speechless when I read online accounts of the launch of the book titled, “Seks Islam – Perangi Yahudi Untuk Kembalikan Seks Islam Kepada Dunia (Sex in Islam –Wage War Against Jews To Return Islamic Sex To The World)”.

One, the English titled begged to be deciphered as it made no sense. Two, the title, even when understood, also begged for a suspension of disbelief. They cannot be serious about this: Having kosher sex meant that the Jews would be destroyed? How? What position would help destroy the Zionists for good?

The Star quoted Hatijah Aam, “When a man reached the highest spiritual level, he can appear in multiple apparitions and have sex with his wives even though they are in separatelocations”. Personally, I find this frightening. If a man can do this, I would think he has a hantu raya. If my husband, who’s supposed to be in Frankfurt, appears in bed with me in KL, I would file for divorce on the spot. I am very scared of hantu.

Feminists, conservatives and righteous men and women condemned the Obedient Wives Club and their book. On Twitter and Facebook, everyone I knew just howled and wet themselves laughing over the latest faux pas. They were crazy, those women.

But allow me to put this to you:

Their book is no different than the many sex manuals you can get off the Internet. We even have our infamous Permata Yang Hilang and Mona Gersang. What’s the big deal?

While we deride these women for having the audacity to talk about sex and launch a book on halal sexual positions, you gotta give it to them.

These women own their sexuality. The only difference is that these women have sex in a marriage, monogamous or polygamous.

“How can women as unattractive as them HAVE sex?” a friend asked.

Precisely. These women may not win any modelling contests, but they’re having nookie. And there are quite a number of women who are the antithesis of the OWC, who aren’t getting any.

Any woman, married or single, who hasn’t Googled “How To Perform Oral Sex” and “Various Sex Positions” is lying about it. It doesn’t matter if she is Muslim, Christian or an atheist. I repeat again. Any woman who hasn’t Googled for a sex act is a liar or under-aged.

And any woman who does not discuss bedroom secrets with her girlfriends and gay male friends is a freak. Who else will tell you what not to do and what to do, to please yourself and your man? Your parents?

The OWC women own their sex lives. Whether they receive pleasure from giving in to their husbands’ desire is something we will never know, but they have taken all this into their hands, figuratively.

Read women’s magazines: The Pursuit of the Elusive Female Orgasm is always a hot topic. Read November’s issue of the Malaysian Women’s Weekly. There’s an article expounding on behaving like a whore in bed, which may save one’s marriage.

I spoke with two heterosexual male friends about this. One acquiesced to the fact that it was these women’s right to have a great sex life. Hooray for them, hijabbed or not.

The other male was not too comfortable with the idea of women writing sex manuals and Googling for sex positions.

“Well wouldn’t it be better for you? You wouldn’t want your girlfriend or wife to gnaw or bite off your woowoo, would you?” I asked.

“No… but it feels weird to know women Google things like this.”

“If a woman is a lousy lay, you complain. When she Googles, you don’t feel comfortable. You are weird.”

Nicole Daedone of the Slow Sex Movement has appeared on TED.com to talk about orgasm, meditation. Her uber popular website Onetaste.us offers online workshops on women’s and men’s pleasure, and talks about intimacy in a frank, intelligent manner.

The Slow Sex movement has taken sexually empowered Americans by storm. And why not? It fosters more love and closeness among couples.

So why is it so strange when a couple of Muslim women propagate halal sex? How different are they from all of us? - Dina Zaman

Let’s talk about (halal) sex:

Towards Bankruptcy Under BeEnd Soon

2011-10-25T01:35:00.000-07:00

Penang PR Gov reduce debts 95%, UMNO/BN Fed Gov debts astronomical. Who is better at managing the economy?

Under BN, we are heading

towards bankruptcy very soon.

The Economy

The public debt is the total amount owed by the Federal Government, both domesti...c and external. Since 1997 the Federal Government debt (public debt) has steadily increased. The latest figure for June 2011 places the debt at RM 437 billion.

Not only has the total debt been increasing, but the rate of growth has for the most part remained high. It crossed RM100 billion in 1998. It crossed 200 billion in 2004. It crossed 300 billion in 2008. It crossed 400 billion in 2010.

In other words, the time taken for the debt to grow has been:

100 billion to 200 billion = 6 years
200 billion to 300 billion = 4 years
300 billion to 400 billion = 2 years

That is an exponential growth rate. The average growth rate from 2005 - 2010 was 10.6%/year. If the current growth rate holds steady at 10%, the public debt will cross RM 1 trillion by 2020.

This chart shows the size of the public debt from 1995 - 2020, based on an estimated growth rate of 10% per year from June 2011 onwards. This serves as an illustration of the possible future of the public debt based on recent trends.

While the debt ceiling ensures this will not happen easily, this chart should make it clear that recent trends are not sustainable for the future. Economic reforms are needed to drive up revenue, lower expenditure or both.

Ahmed Kamal
19th October 2011

------
Data used in this graph:

Format : Year - Amount

Public Debt (RM million)

1995 - 91369
1996 - 89681
1997 - 89920
1998 - 103121
1999 - 112118
2000 - 125626
2001 - 145724
2002 - 164963
2003 - 188767
2004 - 216624
2005 - 228670
2006 - 242225
2007 - 266722
2008 - 306437
2009 - 362386
2010 - 407101
June 2011 - 437182
2012 - 480900.2
2013 - 528990.22
2014 - 581889.242
2015 - 640078.1662
2016 - 704085.9828
2017 - 774494.5811
2018 - 851944.0392
2019 - 937138.4431
2020 - 1030852.287

By: PoliTweet.Org

国阵不倒，人民吃草 Sapu Habis Malaysia

2011-10-25T00:23:00.000-07:00

Yeah！国阵政府的《2010年国家稽查报告》终于出炉了！！！

看看国阵如何“A”人民，浪费人民的纳税钱！

Sapu Habis Malaysia!

我们每年所缴纳的税收，就这样被吃了！

1）以1200令吉购入市价只有419令吉的ELBA牌烤炉，相差价781令吉或186%，以在吉兰丹的烘烤课程中使用。

2）以1200令吉购入市价只有698令吉的Trio牌搅拌器，相差价502令吉或71.9%，以在吉兰丹的烘烤课程中使用。

3）以200令吉购入市价只有105令吉的Sharp牌搅拌器，相差价95令吉或90.5%，以在吉兰丹的烘烤课程中使用。

4）以250令吉购入市价只有79令吉的WAHL牌电动剃发器，相差价171令吉或216%，以在吉兰丹的理发课程中使用。

5）以500令吉购入市价只有100令吉的折床，相差价400令吉或400%，
以在霹雳的产后妇女按摩课程中使用。

6）以140令吉购入市价只有60令吉的Pensonic牌绞肉机，相差价80令吉或133%，以在霹雳的煮食课程中使用。

7）以200令吉购入市价只有59令吉90仙的Toji International牌煤气炉，相差价140令吉10仙或233%，以在霹雳的制糕点课程中使用。

8）以325令吉购入市价只有165令吉的WAHL牌电动剃发器，相差价160令吉或97%，以在砂拉越的理发课程中使用。

9）以1560令吉购入市价只有799令吉的Cornell牌搅拌器，相差价761令吉或95.2%，以在砂拉越的制糕点课程中使用。

10）手提电脑和彩色打印机（宏碁Aspire 3935，Intel Core2 Duo Processor 2.4GHz 1066MHz, 惠普打印机CP 1518in）：合约价格1万1845令吉，原价3428令吉，价差246%。

11）液晶电视和DVD播放机（东芝牌）：合约价格1万6100令吉，原价2182令吉，价差638%。

12）彩色海洋雷达（日本古野牌）：合约价格4万7725令吉，原价8255令吉，价差478%。

13）海洋用途望远镜：合约价格5万6350令吉，原价1940令吉，价差2805%。

14）博士能牌望远镜：合约价格5万6350令吉，原价2827令吉，价差1893%。

15）手提VHF通讯机：合约价格4324令吉，原价1561令吉，价差177%。

总稽查师报告：9个政府部门去年开销超支37亿3千万！！！

2010年国家稽查报告揭露，
马来西亚在2010年的国债较2009年攀升了12.3%，达到4070亿令吉了。

年年赤字、年年透支，人民养的这些大小官员都是领乾薪的咩？？？

国阵治国真的烂、根本烂、特别烂！
改变吧，朋友们！See More

这是重要信息，share出去！我们要让更多人知道真相！醒觉吧！！！别再被国阵骗了！

By: 我们全力支持民行 We Fully Support PKR<DAP>

Watch-out Bookmarked for Mind Blowing Official Launch of Affiliate Resurrection on Sept 19

2011-09-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

Good News especially to those who just embarked onto Affiliate Marketings, Watch-out Bookmarked for Mind Blowing Official Launch of Affiliate Resurrection on Sept 19

INSTANT ACCESS To The "Blogging Cash System" Site To Discover The Secret System That Teaches You.....

- How to find piping hot niche markets that are begging to give you cash

- How to do keyword research easily with Google's Keyword Tool to find the most profitable keywords for your niche

- The pros and cons of Blogger.com blogs vs. self-hosted Wordpress blogs. Which one is better and why

- How to get a domain name and hosting and set everything up quickly

- How to install Wordpress easily and how to optimize your blog for the search engines

- The secrets to producing great quality content that will turn your readers into loyal customers

- The best ways to monetize your blogs using range of income streams

- How to build a list of targeted buyers from your blog that you can sell to in the future

- 8 different ways to drive massive amounts of traffic to your site for free!

Come Watch Your Favorite Online TV on Any Computer

2011-09-14T17:03:00.000-07:00

Internet television software gives users the ability of different stations to view.
Users can choose classic or sport channels that may want to watch.
You can see The Nanny on repeat!
You`re very likely to find a fresh episode of Gossip Girl up and running the next moment. No longer is there an excuse to miss your favourite TV channels!
Online Television changes the way we watch TV.

Most people can`t afford the fancy television systems often associated with companies who provide big list of stations. This is where comes in.
With this affordable and accessible commodity for your home, you can cut your monthly bill drastically and only think about online fees.
Some stores such as coffeehouses and bookstores even provide online access for a low price or for free depending on where you go.

Why purchase cable television for hundreds of dollars when you can watch TV on home notebook? Online TV is the next new leap in Internet know-how.
Simply put, Internet television offers the customer a way to playback their most viewed channels and films without using buttons on the television front panel.
Think about the origins of Online TV.
With Internet Protocol Television you are able to view channels on the number of devices like, your computer monitor, a Cell Phone, a notebook, or even with the properly installed connections you can upload films and entertainments to home regular TV.
With last new hardware, high speed or cable Internet connections and well tuned up devices, you can even watch TV on your PDA.

There are lot of Interenet pages that provide you to watch TV channels.
Did you miss your favourite station yesterday?
Or do you just want to watch reruns of old channels?
It`s very easy to recall them. Find them on TV Interenet portals such as Internet TV products, or social networking pages like MySpace.
They will usually show you one or two parts of the most popular or most viewed shows.
Also are available stations that presented only on the Online.
They end for a short time, but are worth watching.

AVAILABILITY
Accurate News Television Channels Pack M application can be acquired free of charge at the FeedsBlog Digital.

Easy Money and More Friends with ChurpChurp

2011-07-17T21:31:00.000-07:00

How does getting rewarded through sharing sounds like to you? Join #ChurpChurp today and bring more friends to the community!

Getting more friends to your social networking webpage like Facebook and Twitter is by no means easy but to top up with income is even harder. But thanks now to ChurpChurp, a easy money making social networking marketing platform.

With a little imagination and creativity, write with guided post to various social networks or blog is what you need to do to gain more friendship; and of-course the money too. ChurpChurp is good for beginners into the money making internet world.

Being new myself into this industry, my Facebook friends had gone up dramatically with ChurpChurp. One shortcoming though is that it currently operational in Malaysia, Singapore and Philippines only.

Bersih wants Suhakam probe into police conduct

2011-07-10T04:09:00.000-07:00

July 10, 2011

Ambiga (left) together with Anwar (centre) visiting the family of Baharudin Ahmad July 10 2011. — Picture by Jack Ooi

KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 — Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan has urged the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) to investigate the alleged use of excessive force by police against Bersih protesters yesterday.

“What took place yesterday should not have happened,” she said after visiting the family of Baharudin Ahmad, who died yesterday after collapsing during the rally.

“I have already spoken to Suhakam and they will take further action.”

PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu said he too is considering taking legal action against the police for allegedly knocking him over while riding pillion on a motorcycle headed towards Masjid Negara yesterday.

He reportedly sustained injuries to a ligament in his right knee during the incident and was seen sitting on a wheelchair at Baharudin’s home here earlier.

“The police acted brutally by hitting, kicking (protesters) to the point where one was suffocated to death from the tear gas. This shows the Third World standard of our police,” he said in reference to Baharudin’s death.

Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu, said the chaos seen yesterday could have been avoided if the police had given protesters “two or three hours” to disperse.

“This... shows that the Najib administration is primitive and uncivilised,” he said.

PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, who visited Baharudin’s family immediately after returning from Mecca, added that Bersih did nothing wrong yesterday as their demands and actions were in line with the principles of Islam and democracy.

PKR has demanded that a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) be set up to look into alleged police brutality, including what the party said were deliberate attempts to injure its leaders.

PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is said to have sustained injuries when police allegedly fired tear gas canisters at him and other party leaders at the pedestrian underpass in Kuala Lumpur Sentral.

Anwar’s bodyguard, Fayyadh Afiq Albakqry, and Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad also sustained injuries during the incident as a result of sustaining direct hits from the cannisters.

All three were hospitalised and warded later.

Bersih wants Suhakam probe into police conduct: "

After Bersih clampdown, Anwar tells youth to fight for freedom

2011-07-10T04:03:00.000-07:00

Anwar speaking to the professionals at the session July 10 2011. — Picture by Shannon Teoh

PETALING JAYA, July 10 — Just a day after the Bersih rally which saw nearly 1,500 arrests, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told a room of young professionals here to hold firmly to their ideals and opinions.

The opposition leader shook off injuries suffered in yesterday’s mass rally to speak to about 100 youths here, capitalising on the clampdown that saw police fire tear gas and water cannons at tens of thousands of demonstrators.

“When we talk about the revolt of the masses, it doesn’t mean a physical revolt but a germination of ideas. The public must be given such a space.

“The strength of youth is not their age but their ambition and idealism. I invite you all, in direct, quiet or hidden ways to ensure a change happens,” said the PKR de facto leader who appeared in a neck brace.

He added in the hour-long dialogue session that it was the responsibility of leaders to give the young opportunities to voice out.

“Scholars allow for a difference of opinion and disagreements in a civil manner. In what democratic system do we allow oppression and the stripping on people?” he said.

The former deputy prime minister also attacked the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration, which refused to issue a permit for Bersih to gather in Kuala Lumpur, for producing yes-men.

“In Umno, they kiss everyone’s hand. In MCA, before you finish speaking, they will say they support you. In MIC, before you start speaking they will say they are fully behind you,” the former Umno deputy president said.

Yesterday’s rally by the electoral reforms movement went ahead despite the government’s refusal to allow the coalition of 62 NGOs to meet in Stadium Merdeka.

Bersih had chosen the historical venue after it accepted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s offer to move its street rally to a stadium.

However, both Putrajaya and the police told the movement that was outlawed last week to move its demonstration outside the capital.

Police began its clampdown on the movement since the beginning of July, arresting hundreds, confiscating Bersih-related material and remanding six under the Emergency Ordinance.

Roadblocks set up around the city saw Kuala Lumpur reduced to a ghost town on Friday night before it descended into chaos on Saturday as tens of thousands clashed with police on the streets of the capital.

"After Bersih clampdown, Anwar tells youth to fight for freedom: "

The one who refuses to fade

2011-05-09T23:11:00.000-07:00

Love him or loathe him, Anwar continues to be a force to be reckoned with.

COMMENT

“Scary isn’t it? One minute, you’ re revelling in all that pomp and pageantry and then suddenly, zilch.”

Although it was a remark made in jest, the prospect of facing such a situation had obviously sent a chill down his spine as the politician squirmed uncomfortably in his chair.

And as if to distract himself from such a ghastly premonition, he reached for his coffee, never mind that it was piping hot, and took a gulp. His eyes registered alarm as the simmering dark liquid made its way down his throat, and he stuck out his tongue to let the cool air salve the stung muscle.

This is why we need the rehabilitation centre, he continued when his tongue returned to its normal temperature, mustering a nervous smile in between his words.

The topic was about political casualties, leaders who suddenly found themselves cast out from the corridors of power onto the streets.

So the politician had joked about the need for a rehabilitation centre exclusively for politicians whose careers meet a premature end.

These people, he said, should be psychologically re-programmed to lead ordinary lives and for those who were once at the peak, the rehabilitation must also include lessons on dealing with the stress of being stuck in traffic jams with no police outriders.

Humour aside. From a politician’s perspective, especially those from Barisan Nasional, who had frolicked in the spoils of being part of the ruling government for decades, this prospect would be nothing short of daunting. And in the 2008 election, many experienced it first hand.

No ordinary feat

As the Election Commission’s solemn-faced officers announced results after results, official cars, perks, power and respect started to vanish . Also disappearing were the retinue of apple polishers who once trailed behind, closer than their shadows. In a blink of an eye, these politicians were reduced from heroes to zeros.

But there was one man, who had refused to die with his career and fade into oblivion.

He was not voted out, but booted out, and that too in the most unceremonious manner. But like a phoenix, which rises from its ashes, he emerged stronger and rattled his adversaries to the core. Till this day, he remains a force to be reckoned with.

Anwar Ibrahim’s mental fortitude is definitely worthy of admiration – from deputy prime minister to prisoner, he managed to overcome all the odds designed to pin him down. From being a leader on this side of the political fence to becoming a leader on the other side of the fence, is no ordinary feat.

During that fateful month of September in 1998 when Anwar was given the marching orders, many political pundits believed that his political career had been laid to rest. It was the tragic case of a man in a rush, who underestimated his mentor, and now had to deal with the fact that he would never become prime minister.

On the night of his sacking, Anwar arrived fashionably late for the Umno supreme council meeting, which had convened to decide the fate of its deputy president and quipped to journalists that he was caught in a traffic snarl since he no longer had police outriders.

Hours later, he emerged from the iconic building and addressed his supporters. Standing on a plastic chair, he bellowed: “They asked me to resign but I refused. If I am to go down, I will go down fighting like a warrior.”

Anwar left after uttering those words but not before sending his supporters into a frenzy and ushering the birth of a powerful force, which would eventually be named as “Reformasi”. What happened next, in the absence of the alternative media then, did not make the news here.

Tarmac street fighter

Despite the heavy police presence, Umno’s top leaders, including its then president Dr Mahathir Mohamad, were verbally abused and pelted with mineral water bottles as they exited the building. One prominent politician, fearing the wrath of the crowd, had to bolt through the back door.

Anwar, on the other hand, drove back to his home and immediately transformed from a red-carpet deputy prime minister into a tarmac street fighter. A lesser man would have cracked. But not him. Even the possibility of landing behind bars and being separated from his wife and children did not deter this man.

Instead of locking himself in a room and sulking over the reversal of his fortunes, Anwar took to the streets, tearing Mahathir to shreds with his razor-sharp oratory skills and setting the town ablaze with protests. He shamed Mahathir and his government on an international scale, and opened up the democratic space for dissent. The once impregnable fortress called BN suffered its biggest crack, and Anwar single-handedly altered the Malaysian political landscape.

Being socked in the eye, leaving it blue and black, also failed to dampen his spirits whereas six years in prison did not silence him either. This man, unlike his contemporaries in Umno, appeared to be cast in a different mould, a sturdier substance for sure.

Ironically, almost all of those who were accused of playing key roles in the alleged conspiracy to oust Anwar in 1998, save for its chief architect, Mahathir, had fizzled out. But even then, Mahathir is now considered by many as a bitter spent force, who only makes news for the wrong reasons. One wonders if it would be the octogenarian’s curse to see his once heir apparent-turned-nemesis conquer his brainchild, Putrajaya.

While the rest disappeared one after the other, Anwar remained relevant. He even outlived Mahathir’s successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s political career. The latter had made the biggest mistake of setting this political tiger free. He ended up being mauled and was forced to retire to a quiet life of agricultural pursuits with his new wife.

Sacked from his job, convicted of sodomy, stripped of all pride and dignity, assaulted and imprisoned, Anwar still managed to lead the opposition to seize five states and rob BN of its two-thirds majority in Parliament, just four years after Abdullah had secured the biggest mandate ever for the ruling coalition.

Now, Abdullah’s successor and Mahathir’s protege, Najib Tun Razak, is faced with the same ferocious animal. Another sodomy charge had surfaced which could land the tiger back in the cage and a sex video was recently thrown into the mix, for good measure.

Three years had passed since the epochal 2008 general election, and support for the opposition, riddled with infighting and defections, had been waning.

But for many, Anwar continues to be the political messiah who would deliver Malaysia from the clutches of tyranny and corruption. As far as his critics are concerned, he is a charlatan, hoodwinking the public to achieve his goals.

Love him or loathe him, one undeniable fact remains: This man has guts! And without guts, there is no glory.

"The one who refuses to fade: "

Investigate Utusan Malaysia, says Penang Gerakan

2011-05-09T23:09:00.000-07:00

It would be impossible for Christian leaders to garner two-thirds support from Malaysians of all ethnic and religious backgrounds to amend the Federal Constitution, said a Penang lawyer.

GEORGE TOWN: Penang Gerakan has called on the police to take stern action if there was no basis to the reports in Utusan Malaysia and two blogs that a group of Christian community leaders want to make Christianity the country’s official religion, replacing Islam.

State Gerakan chief Dr Teng Hock Nan pointed out that given that Utusan Malaysia was widely perceived as an Umno mouthpiece, the Malay language daily should be “more responsible, matured and professional in its reporting”.

“The newspaper will be seen to be helping to spread a rumour without prior verification and this is incorrect and dangerous.

“Such rumour can have detrimental effects on the peace and harmony of our nation,” he said.

Teng said Utusan Malaysia should have approached the authorities concerned to take early action to nip “the problem” in the bud, instead of highlighting the matter and raising the sentiments of its readers.

He stressed that such sensitive and negative reports can be exploited by any party, within and outside of Malaysia, for their vested interest to destroy the foundation of Malaysia’s nation-building.

Teng urged the police, especially the Special Branch, to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into the report in Utusan Malaysia and by two bloggers.

The reports claimed that a meeting had taken place in Penang, attended by Christian leaders who want Christianity to be the official religion in Malaysia.

He said that police must take appropriate action according to the laws of our country if the reports by Utusan Malaysia and the two bloggers were found untrue.

“I urged the media, including newspapers, to stop speculating and exploiting on the issue of religion that can stoke tension,” said Teng, who is also Gerakan national vice-president in a press statement yesterday.

‘Virtually impossible’

Lawyer Baljit Singh, who heads the Penang Gerakan’s legal and human rights bureau, chided Utusan Malaysia’s report saying it contained a “hidden political agenda”.

He claimed that the daily was only interested in propagating a hidden agenda of its political masters for “obvious reasons best known to them”.

He accused the newspaper of instilling fear among Malays without a second thought that it was mocking the country’s constitutional foundation.

He also called on the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation on Utusan Malaysia’s reports.

“Utusan report is seditious in nature. Appropriate stern action must be taken on the culprits based on police findings,” he said.

He pointed out that one would need at least a two-thirds majority to amend the Federal Constitution, which currently states Islam as the official religion of the country.

Pointing out that Christians were a minority community, he said Christian leaders would need two-thirds support from Malaysians of all ethnic and religious backgrounds to amend the constitution.

“Based on the country’s current racial and political landscapes, such amendment can never happen.

“Replacing Islam with Christianity as the official religion is virtually impossible,” Baljit told FMT.

"Investigate Utusan Malaysia, says Penang Gerakan: "

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2011-05-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

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2011-05-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

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2011-03-09T13:08:00.000-08:00

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2011-03-08T09:53:00.000-08:00

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Postal Summons - Wrong Way of Handling Summons

2011-03-03T18:10:00.000-08:00

There is been a recent development about postal summons where Mahfuz Omar is going all round to 'educate' people to go against postal summons. And given of the sheer volume of unpaid summons (17 million) as of Tuesday, the government is extending the half-price discount of summons until end of next Thursday (10).

I do not wish to elaborate about extension about it is basically Malaysian culture to do everything last minute or so, and as such the electronic system gets clogged and jammed up hours before the deadline when everyone goes in to pay the summons. But what I find is a very sinister feeling is about why postal summons, which dated to offenses committed even up to 10 years ago! Most people don't really remember of small details or things that they did 10 years ago, only to see a summon letter coming in after many long years.

If there is a problem of why all out of the sudden comes that, it simply reflects of poor handling of summons by the authorities. I would dare to say that there are imbeciles who absolutely said in the old archaic manner that postal summons must still remain whereas there are better ways, given of new technologies coming in and growing like a mushroom allows better ways of reaching to people and following up.

PAS has claimed that to blacklist a driver from renewing a driver's license or a road tax for not paying summons is tantamount to putting a person into ISA. This true, given of the present situation and much of the summons are issued before the Road Transport Act amendment which went on effect last month. And with that problem this clearly illustrates that the government's way of handling summons is wrong and it also reflects on how they have yet to understand human psychology in pursuing the amendments and enforcements.

It is understood that the bulk of summons are from speeding offenses. The numbers matches the conventional wisdom of 'speed kills'. However the problem here is many: speeding offense is easily traced and track. And as according to what Khir Toyo said, this creates the perception that the government is out to make more money instead of reducing accidents as intended. This is one of the ulterior motives. To makes things bad, when the AES system goes full operational by April, if there are no signs or warning of camera, and instead if it is misused just to make money for government without educating users, expect a mass backlash over a flawed method of enforcement. Expect more public anger and straining relationship between people and government.

Secondly, the problem is summon letters is that sometimes they do not have proof to back the claim that you have committed the offense or not. Until the amendment, the letter cannot be used as to final say that you did it or not, so it's bit hard to wipe off the case unless you bring it to the court to decide on it.

I've been observing all over and over again that the speed limits in certain roads are very unrealistic and inconsistent. For example, from Serdang to Kajang stretch, you are bound by a 90 k/m limit although you are in the highway that you can actually move to 110. This also applies after the Bukit Lanjan divider heading towards Jalan Duta, both are highways, yet it is inconsistent and you have a good road that is the highway! The speed limit of 110 at this time still remains unrealistic and I find it awkward for the then Deputy minister Donald Lim said that 110 is enough. No. It has to be increased to 120 or 130 given of how car technologies have improved and consider the traffic at highways is always smooth except on rainy and festive seasons.

I too agreed with Khir that many of us are not robots and sometimes, we don't see the heck of driving faster than the speed set there or because we are in the rush. The problem is lawmaking processes failed to take the human factor into consideration. Just because we go too fast doesn't mean that we are reckless all the way without knowing that we are in danger of an accident? It is also unfair to say that those who went 10-30 km/h more than usual should be given a compound summon (as with the amendment says) but it should be more structured, depending on speed severity.

Since the postal summons dating back to 2000 do not reflect the amended methods of enforcement started in February, it would be better to wipe the slate clean and start it again from scratch, starting with offences committed from 1 February 2011. Then it would be fair to all. Of course, those who paid would say it's not fair, but you might want to call for a rebate or something later on in either tax refunds or etc..

I would also suggest watching this video, as it too gives elaboration to what I mentioned above.

courtesy of A Little Taffer's Room

"Postal Summons - Wrong Way of Handling Summons: "

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