Expect BN defections to Pakatan...

2012-02-11T04:21:00Z

Some defections are expected among elected representatives after the general election if the BN government's strength is rocked further.

Speaking at a forum by a Centre for Public Policy Studies forum in Bangsar yesterday, Gerakan Youth chief Lim Si Pin (below) said this is a "likelihood" if BN loses more seats in the peninsula.

"Politics is about survival, yours as an MP as well as your party. The likelihood of (MPs) joining a new coalition is there when the number of seats won by BN in the peninsula makes it less than able to be a stable government," he said.

According to Lim, defections in such a situation will be seen among Sabah and Sarawak politicians.

"One cannot treat Sabah and Sarawak as fixed deposits, there are no more strongholds in Malaysia. Everyone is out to save their own butt, especially someone in Sarawak," he said.

Agreeing with him was fellow panelist political scientist Ong Kian Ming who said "the hunts for frogs will continue" if a either side win with less than 55 percent of the seats, or a margin of less than 11 seats.

Calculating crossover figures

"The issue is relevant if either coalitions wins with less than 55 seats. If Pakatan wins majority seats in the peninsula then you will see the non-PBB representatives in Sarawak and the non-Umno representatives in Sabah being tempted to cross over.
If BN wins, you'll see peninsula MPs (from Pakatan) being courted by the ruling coalition. Anwar learnt his Sept 16 lesson and won't try aggressively if BN is more stable with 65 to 70 percent of the parliament seats, Ong (left) said.

He added that internal strife in Umno, in the event DPM Muhyiddin Yassin challenges Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's leadership may also be used tempt individuals.

Earlier, Lim had crossed political boundaries to speak on behalf of Pakatan MPs serving in Kuala Lumpur, who, he said are being victimised as they do not get federal government allocations to serve their constituencies.

He also empathised with PKR vice president Tian Chua who defeated him in Batu in 2008, who, he said, "doesn't get support from DBKL".

"Everything surrounds DBKL, roads, signboards, traffic lights...so if we don't get accountable local councils, how do we answer our voters?" he said, backing the calls for local government elections.

Speaking bluntly, Lim also called for "transformation" within BN, advising Pakatan not to repeat the ruling coalition's mistakes if it ever comes into power.

Why Gerakan wont quit BN

"We are a coalition government but when it comes to issues....only one person makes the decision and not the coalition as a whole.

"If Pakatan comes to power, don't let one single party dictate how the government is run. Please have more consensus....don't be dictated by one or two ministers," he said.

When asked by a member of the audience of about 30 people why Gerakan is still in the BN despite these misgivings, Lim said that it is unfair to suggest that for a BN founding member.

"The first person Tun Razak met to moot the idea was (the late) Lim Chong Eu (then Penang chief minister). Why should Gerakan leave the BN? Why shouldn't other parties leave?

"The one who should be leaving is the one who did not play by the rules of the BN as it was envisaged in 1974. I won't name who, but in 1974, the rule was one party, one vote," he said.

Another forum participant was Bar Council Human Rights Committee chairperson Andrew Khoo who questioned the legitimacy of a government elected by only about 30 percent of the eligible population.

"People say you get the government you deserve. If you allow 30 percent decide who is in power, you have a question of legitimacy. Have they been authorised to govern?" he asked.

source:malaysiakini

cheers.

Kasih’s Random Brunch #LoyarBerkasih

2012-02-11T01:25:35Z

Luva posing | Photo by Tambako

Warning: This story began with a threat and a joke. Elements of this may appear throughout.

When Kasih wasn’t careful, she often ended up wondering, in that cursory way which we wonder things usually taken for granted in our lives, how she had a giraffe for a cousin.

That’s not to say that it had never happened before – inter-species marriage had become quite a thing around the time she was born – but to have a herbivore for a cousin, when you are so decidedly a predatory carnivore, can’t be a very common thing. But her tigress aunt had fallen in love with an ape, and they had decided on adopting a giraffe. Love did funny things to animals.

When they were growing up, her mother and her aunt had forced them to play together very often, perhaps to acclimatise them to each other and to prevent her from eating her cousin when she grew up. There was this newspiece back when she was little, of a lion who had eaten his tapir brother-in-law over a game of football; one of them had tackled the other and the ensuing argument had got rather out of hand. Aunt May and Mama’s worries were legitimate. And as a result of their combined parenting, Kasih and Derek had grown to be best friends. Kasih would scare off his bullies with a quick snarl; Derek was great at reaching the cookies hidden on the high shelves. They made quite a team.

But at times though, she wondered.

Like today, as she prepared a huge salad (blergh) for brunch. Derek and his futsal friends had come barrelling through her apartment at 10am after a solid three hours of playing, and they were famished, and could Kasih whip something up for them, pretty please? She was the best cook Derek knew; he’d never trust anyone else with his friends’ digestive systems.

That was one way to put it, she thought, looking out into the balcony where they were playing Pictionary very noisily, smelling rancid and gamey and quite delicious. She consumed herbivores everyday, or had he forgotten that? If she were hungrier and hadn’t had that ribeye steak last night, this would have been difficult.

And it didn’t help that Derek had such a random group of friends as well. There was the online activist/hobo vigilante Bobo, whom they referred to jokingly as ‘the Lord’ (she thought him rather bossy, a little pretentious), who had been chainsmoking into her oregano plant the whole time they’d been here. She was going to have words. And off to the side, eyes watery red and nose twitching constantly, was the rascal Bonsiah, called ‘Bon’ for short. He was a shrewd rabbit with what she suspected was a bit of ADHD, though Derek had chosen not to comment on it. He’d picked up yoga recently to “centre” himself, and of course, he stepped through her door that morning in those garish purple yoga shorts of his.

At the very least, Marc had offered to help her in the kitchen, shooting dirty looks at his friends who had made a beeline to the balcony and her boardgames. She would’ve agreed too, only his long orange hair had a tendency to fall into the food, and she never quite got over the incident with the jelly pudding at her birthday party which Derek had organised.

All these males at the same time in her city apartment. Her father would have a mighty fit if he knew. She could just imagine him roaring into the videophone, his jaws unlatched for maximum effect, “What do you think this is, a zoo in the 1970’s? Are you insane? You are coming home, cub!”

By the time she was done with the salads (one vegetable and one fruit, for all the above reasons), it was obvious that Derek’s team was winning, and Bon wasn’t reacting to it very well. These lawyer types never did.

“I am sure that the indentation of the paper would indicate that you lifted your pencil during the no-lifting-of-pencil round!” he was yelling, eyes blinking twice as fast as they normally did, which was saying something. His long ears were working up a fuss as well and nearly knocked the bowls out of her paws.

“Bon,” Marc said, in a voice far calmer than hers would have been, “with all due respect, shut up. You lost. We won. Your epileptic ears are giving me a headache. Thanks, Kasih.”

“My partner argues that the evidence would prove to the contrary,” Bobo piped up, flicking ash between the railings. Kasih bared her teeth a little in response; she’d always been averse to cigarette smoke and it never settled well in her lungs. She glared at Derek, who tossed his neck apologetically, in that universal gesture of offering to do the dishes after this.

“To use your own words against you, Bon, ‘deal with the damage’. Now put out your fags, thank Kasih, and dig in.” Derek’s plate was already piled heavy with leaves, which was his biological advantage, she supposed.

“Terima kasih, Kasih,” they chorused. Oh, they were funny.

“Kasih,” Bon mumbled, mouth full with roasted carrots, “weird name.”

“I agree, Bonsiah,” she growled a little, wondering if his huge ears ever detected sarcasm. “I don’t know what my parents were thinking.”

“Well, they did name your brother Jaguh,” Derek pointed out, a stalk poking out of his mouth thoughtfully. “And look how that’s turned out.”

“My parents were very goal-oriented, what can I say.”

“So…your parents wanted you to… find love?” Bobo asked, nostrils flaring with smoke. Derek noticed the flash of her carnassais teeth as ash from Bono’s cigarette landed on her hydrangeas, and he nudged the pots away with his nose. “Careful, man.”

“Ah, sorry,” Bobo said distractedly. “Why, though? Why the emphasis on love? I mean,” he sat up straighter, “your parents named your brother ‘champion’, pretty much. Why would they name you ‘love’? Why would they want that for you?’

“Nothing wrong with wanting your child to find love,” Marc said in between chews, pulling his orange hair away from his face. “Sometimes it’s the least a parent could hope for.”

“No, but why is it considered an achievement? I mean, I know, me, last person to talk about what it’s like to have kids, but as a parent Marc, why on earth would you want to set a precedent for your daughter to find love? To have to seek love and…and conquer it? Isn’t that sort of sexist? Boys must win things, be a champion; girls must love.”

“And love like fools”, Bon piped in, chewing noisily on a carrot she’d left in one of the salads (it seemed a nice touch), ears raised in the air and expanded. “Females sacrifice so much for love. They quit their jobs, squander their education, give up their life savings, follow their husbands to high heaven or earth, raise their progeny (a thankless job if ever there was one) and gain nothing – nothing in the end.”

“Preach, brother, preach.” Bobo gave him a lazy salute. Marc kept his head down; Kasih suspected to hide the grin she saw peeking out. Derek flexed his long neck, face amused. He knew her too well.

“Oh, what a great load of the finest bullcrap I have ever heard!” Kasih said frustratedly, her canines bared to full display. “First you boys assume the reasons behind my name, and then you explain it off with the sorriest psychoanalysis a person could conjure out of their butt, never mind that I was just bloody sitting right here. You lot are far from Lacan. Far. From.” She let herself enjoy the startled looks on their faces as she glared at them, one by one. “And for another thing, you!” she pointed at Bonsiah, who jumped in his seat but looked her steadily in the eye. “What is your problem with love? Didn’t you ever watch Disney when you were young? I can maybe understand the lack of faith, but God, are you always this nasty?”

“Disney is the opiate of the weak, romantic masses,” Bobo mumbled through a mouthful of purple banana.

“Didn’t ask you, Bobster.” She kept her finger in the direction of the rabbit’s face. “You. What have you got against love, that you have to spew such sexist crap? What makes you think females become incompetent in the face of love? What, we meet Prince Kimba, get knocked up and have babies and cook all day long? That’s our default setting, is it now?”

“I can see how you’re not related,” Marc mock-whispered to Derek, who grinned lazily.

“Yeah, Bon,” he hollered across the balcony, where Bon sat unfazed, waving the carrot stem around like he would a cigar. “Why the bitterness?”

“Oh, don’t get the bunny started,” Bobo muttered. “Please, don’t. Just… Bon, apologise to her. Spare us all.”

“I believe that love is a social construct,” Bonsiah started, ignoring Marc’s chuckles and Bobo’s deep, tobacco-filled sigh. Derek sauntered out of the balcony, ostensibly to escape. “It’s a ploy, a game, a great big joke, which mostly females seem to swallow wholeheartedly. And ‘love is all you need’ is crap advice, because it’s wrong. I mean, look around you – wars, domestic abuse –“

“How are they different from wars?” Marc mused.

“ – poverty, starvation, homelessness – I mean, tell me you can fix all that just by loving a little bit more, and I’ll give you everything in my wallet, right now.”

“The problem with you, Bon, is that you think with your – ”

“Kasih,” Derek came back out on the balcony, passing her some cold cuts on a plate, watching her only from the corner of his eye. The others looked on with squeamish interest; Bonsiah crossed his legs at the sight of the meat. “Eat.”

“No.”

He sighed. “Fine, just…if I have to call to report a homicide – Bon is a lawyer. You’d actually want him on your side, so don’t, you know.” Bon shifted in his rattan chair, his purple shorts squeaking as he did.

“I’m not that desperate,” she growled, teeth set on edge. “And you probably wouldn’t taste good anyway.” She glared at Bon.

His ears were now sitting flat on his head. “I… well, go on,” he said, nose twitching.

“As I was saying,” she glared at her unfazed cousin, “your taking those lyrics to a song literally is like taking idioms literally. The Beetles wanted to sell records, and it was a catchy phrase on a catchy bar. Who told you to make it an absolute truth or assume that everyone else believes the same? Also, if you think that all women follow that outline you gave – that they suffer for the sake of love and suffer foolishly – then your social circle must be sorely lacking. And even if women chose that path, how is it wrong? What is wrong with wanting to have a family, to have children, and who says a female can’t leave her job to become a mother, or that she has to keep a job, or that those roles are mutually exclusive?”

“To put yourself secondary to another person for the rest of your life, because you think that’s what love demands of you, that’s healthy?”

“You’re confusing social expectations and sterotypes with emotions!”

“Love is a mental illness,” he said calmly, but with ears fully waving in the air “Plato called it that. The thing that doesn’t make sense and leads people to desperate acts that defy logic. People make it a priority and sacrifice near everything else for it. You don’t call that foolishness? You think that the high of an emotion is worth leaving everything else for? How is that different from addiction?”

“You know,” Marc said slowly, lifting his palm as though in a classroom. “I love my two little girls. I love my wife. I’m not, you know, moping the whole time like a sopping idiot even though I am hopelessly all for them. I’m not gushy or melancholy, although my wife says some public affection would be nice. I’m doing fine. The females in my life make me want to be better.”

“Not everyone is as blessed as you are, you lucky orangutan,” Bobo clapped a hand on his shoulder genially. “Not everyone has your sense.”

“But that’s the point I’m making,” Kasih insisted. “That thing Bon says is the result of love – that’s not everyone.”

“But it is, pretty much,” Bon retorted.

“I love my mother,” Derek suddenly piped up. Kasih stopped snarling for a moment and felt herself smile at her cousin, his slender neck curved down towards the rest of them in conversation. “We are…so different. She fell in love outside her species – I mean, she married an herbivore!” Bobo nodded; Kasih knew he’d tried dating a panther before and how it really didn’t work out. “Nobody thought it would work. My grandparents issued security outside their first home, in the off-chance that a domestic would turn, you know, bloody.”

His neck trilled with laughter. Bonsiah’s ears were folded in a pensive pose atop his head. “But they endured, although the temptation must have been strong, now and then. And then they picked me up from one of those safari orphanages nobody really goes to, and, I mean, who picks a giraffe for a kid anyway? But, as Ibu says, they fell in love with me, and so they told each other, ‘we have to take him home’.” Derek’s voice broke on the last word. “I have tigers and apes for cousins. Half of them should rightly want to eat me for lunch, and some small part of me will always be relieved that they don’t.” He winked at Kasih, who grinned back. “But I never think about it. We never think about it. We love each other, and although I try, I cannot imagine another life, or loving them any less than I do.”

He swung his neck so that it was poised just above Bon’s head, forcing the rabbit to look up. “You have parents, Bon. I know they’re great parents. That’s love. They had you because they loved each other. And, you know, a few hundred years ago, our animal kinds wouldn’t be as nurturing as they are today. They had wider, more fragmented families and some seriously twisted mating habits. So that thing that pulls us all together? It’s love. Our mothers raised us as an extension of that love. At the end of the day, how can it be all that bad, if it makes us what we are – if it continues to shape us through the years?”

Bon seemed to consider this, as he took a cigarette from Bobo and lit up. Kasih finished an entire cut of salami as they took a breather and waited for Bonsiah to retort, chewing on it slowly, trying to study her opponent. Not only was the topic unexpected, but it was getting ridiculously preachy, and fast. These cubs, she mused, looking around her, are some of the biggest saps she knew. So much for males having killer instinct. This lot wouldn’t last more than two days in the actual jungle.

“But come on,” Bobo spoke up after a nice silence, puffing a huge ring in Derek’s direction, “love songs. All those bleeding love songs. What was the name of that armadillo? The one with the booming voice? Adele? That song of hers that keeps replaying itself on the radio, Some Kind Like You? That’s just…I mean, that’s sad, if that’s what love is. That whining inability to forget and move on. That selfish desire to mope about an animal that’s no longer yours.”

“But we all want to have a cry sometimes,” Marc said. “That song is cathartic.”

“No, that song is nuts,” Kasih nodded. “But we all do that. Not just the females, but the males as well. We mope, we cry, we sacrifice. Because that’s what you do when you’re in love – you compromise, you take on their pain because it inevitably becomes a part of yours, you care for them. You try to become everything that they need, as much as you can.”

“Well, I believe that’s dangerous,” Bon said. “I believe that a lot of love is dangerous, and that this obsessive search for it endangers us. I mean this manufactured idea of love – different from the one we experience in real life with our parents and our family – it’s desperate and manic. ‘I will climb the highest mountains and swim the roughest seas for you’ – honestly? How does that prove anything?”

Derek nodded, bowing his head low in thought. “But Bon dude, those are just songs. You know, poetry to express how you feel. Hyperbole to illustrate the magnitude of one’s emotions that are pretty much incomparable to everything else previously experienced.” Kasih gave him a curious look and wondered how he was doing with Alicia. To his credit, his face betrayed nothing.

“But it conveys desperation, and it’s influencing the masses! They’re so desperate for love they no longer freaking think about it. They think it’s some sort of ridiculous magic. One sight and poof! A goner. ‘I would do everything for you…’”

Bobo shook his head. “No. No no. Don’t sing, Bon. No.”

“But love’s not magic. It’s effort.” Kasih plucked a branch of oregano and shredded it on her plate. “It’s a choice. You choose to love. You decide, every day, what to do with that love, with this person. You make decisions based on that love, some of them great, but most of them mundane.”

“Exactly. But the media, in films and songs and television, is telling us to be ridiculous about it. Like that movie, what was it called? Gelora Cinta? Deruan Asmara?”

“Lautan Cinta,” Derek provided, looking at his furry friend amusedly.

“Thank you, yes. That cub was raped! And then she wanted her rapist to marry her! And then they fall in love? And… is this rubbish what we’re telling our females? That this is okay? That love will conquer all in the end, so by all means, marry the man who sexually assaulted you – given the right musculature prowess, he’ll probably be not that great of a jerk?”

Bobo looked alarmed. “Bonsiah, have you actually watched this film?”

“My sister made me,” he said quickly. “But my point is just that. Love is ridiculous. Love is an exaggeration. It’s become this stupid aim in life, and if you never find it, you’re told you might as well jump off the Kinabalu free-style and end it in a gory mess of blood, muscle and tendons.”

“Dude,” Marc shuddered, “enough with the imagery.”

“Fair enough,” Derek said. “Bon does have a point, Kasih.”

“I know that,” she growled at him in mock-anger. She sighed, filling her lungs what little air wasn’t already contaminated by secondhand smoke. “And I agree. But to dismiss how important love is because you don’t agree with the way it’s played out…”

“I don’t agree with the way it’s perceived,” Bon reiterated. “I don’t agree with people who fall in love unthinkingly and live the rest of their lives that way. I don’t agree that we are lesser animals if we have not experienced devastating love. I think that’s bullshit.”

“It is, but we wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for love,” Marc pointed out. “Continuation of the species, anyone?”

Bobo grinned. “Oh, you don’t want to know my solution for that.”

A collective “Bobo dude, NO” rang across the balcony.

Later, when the males had all left (save for Derek, who was put to work cleaning the cobwebs near the ceiling), she found a heart-shaped card with four different animal prints on it, propped up in one of the salad bowls.

“No,” she laughed. “No – Derek, you didn’t!”

He peeked in from the living room, all teeth and dust. “It really wasn’t my idea. I told you, they’re all right cubs.”

Dear Kasih,

We know we’re a bit of a pain, and we don’t always show it, but we like you. Thank you for never kicking us out when we come. Forgive Bon because contrary to that fluff on his butt, he’s a bit of an ass. (Get it??)

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

“Oh,” she said, chuckling. “That is rather cute of them.”

“So we can come again next Saturday after futsal?” He waggled his ears.

“Only if you buy me steak the night before.”

Syazwina spends her days subediting legal commentary for erratic punctuation and her nights doing editorial work for writers she believes in. She rants @syazwinasaw for a better Malaysia, or so she hopes.

Lembah Pantai tolak dakwaan Raja Petra, Nong Chik dalang NFC

2012-02-11T03:43:45Z

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno Lembah Pantai menyangkal bahawa ketua mereka, Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin menjadi dalang memberi maklumat pusat fidlot kebangsaan (NFC) kepada pembangkang.

Dua bekas orang kuat Umno bahagian – Yusri Ahmad dan Zalina Abdul Halim – berkata, ahli parlimen Lembah Pantai sekarang Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil sudah terkeluar dari politik bahagian.

“Raja Nong Chik sudah memberi tahu bahawa beliau akan bertanding di Lembah Pantai. Beliau ketua bahagian, menteri dan timbalan ketua Umno Wilayah Persekutuan, beliau paling layak bertanding.

“Seharusnya ketua bahagian yang menjadi pilihan bertanding,” kata Yusri, bekas ketua bahagian.

Beliau berkata demikian sebagai menjawab dakwaan Raja Petra Kamaruddin bahawa Raja Nong Chik yang memberikan rahsia tersebut kepada PKR.

Pengendali laman berita Malaysia Today itu mendakwa Raja Nong Chik berbuat demikian kerana beliau mahu menyingkirkan Shahrizat dari terus bertanding kerusi parlimen itu.

Raja Nong Chik mahu bertanding di kerusi parlimen tersebut, kata Raja Petra.

`Tidak percaya’

“Saya tidak percaya dengan dakwaan Raja Petra itu,” kata Yusri lagi.

Zalina yang pernah menjadi ketua Puteri menambah, tidak munasabah untuk Raja Nong Chik memberi maklumat kepada pembangkang mengenai NFC itu.

Katanya, menteri Wilayah Persekutuan dan Kesejahteraan Bandar itu tentu tahu implikasi memberi maklumat dalaman Umno kepada pembangkang.

“Terlampau banyak implikasi kepada parti (Umno) jika orang dalam melakukannya,” tambah beliau.

“Isu NFC itu telah dilaporkan dalam laporan Ketua Audit Negara.”

Sementara itu ketua Umno Cheras, Datuk Syed Ali Alhasbshee berkata, Shahrizat hanya perlu berterus terang sama ada beliau terlibat atau tidak.

“Jika benar mengaku, kalau salah nafikan lah. Jangan buat orang keliru,“ kata beliau.

Menurutnya, jangan kerana diri seorang semua orang menjadi susah.

Isu NFC menjadi heboh setelah PKR mendedahkannya kepada umum termasuk memberi bukti pembabitan syarikat milik keluarga Shahrizat.

Shahrizat menafikan pembabitan beliau sebaliknya mengatakan NFC syarikat milik suaminya.

SPRM telah mengambil kenyataan dari Shahrizat, Rabu lalu.

Kumpulan Semesta dipantau secara bebas

2012-02-11T02:48:26Z

PETALING JAYA: Kerajaan Negeri Selangor telah mengambil inisiatif bagi memastikan syarikat milik penuhnya, Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB), diuruskan secara telus dan bertanggungjawab.

Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim berkata pegawai-pegawai Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) dibenarkan memasuki secara bebas ke pejabat KSSB sejak 2009 untuk menjalankan siasatan sekiranya perlu.

“Ketika KSSB dikritik pada 2009, saya telah mengadakan perjumpaan dengan pegawai-pegawai kanan SPRM diketuai Timbalan Ketua

Pesuruhjaya (Pencegahan), Datuk Sutinah Sultan dan menawarkan mereka untuk menempatkan pegawai-pegawai di pejabat KSSB.

“SPRM menerima tawaran ini dan sejak itu pegawai dan kakitangan SPRM bebas keluar masuk ke pejabat KSSB,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan media ketika mengulas dakwaan rasuah melibatkan operasi pasir di Selangor yang disiarkan di sebuah laman blog.

Beliau berkata, semua transaksi perniagaan pasir di Selangor dipantau Transparency International dan dua pengarah bebas badan itu juga dilantik sebagai Ahli Lembaga Pengarah KSSB sejak tahun lalu.

“Kita meminta Transparency International mencalonkan dua nama untuk dilantik sebagai Ahli Lembaga Pengarah KSSB kerana kita berpendapat, sekiranya lantikan dibuat oleh kerajaan negeri, individu berkenaan mungkin tidak berlaku bebas.

“Transparency International telah melantik Chong Seng Gee dan Sabtu Md Ali untuk menduduki jawatan Ahli Lembaga Pengarah KSSB sejak tahun lalu,” katanya sambil menambah, KSSB juga diaudit setiap suku tahun oleh juruaudit bebas.

Tidak halang

Khalid berkata beliau tidak akan menghalang sesiapa yang ingin memberi maklumat mengenai rasuah dan salah guna kuasa dalam pentadbiran kerajaan negeri dan anak-anak syarikat.

“Kita bersedia menerima maklumat daripada orang ramai untuk membantu kerajaan negeri dan anak syarikat supaya lebih telus dan bertanggungjawab. Kita serius membanteras rasuah dan kerana itu kita telah mengambil langkah-langkah tertentu sejak beberapa tahun lalu,” ujarnya.

Isu penyelewengan pasir timbul semula apabila pengendali blog Malaysia Today Raja Petra Kamarudin mendakwa dua Ahli Dewan

Undangan Negeri (Adun) Selangor dari PKR, Shuhaimi Shafiei (Sri Muda) dan Amiruddin Shari (Batu Caves) terlibat dengan salah guna kuasa dan rasuah.

Bagaimanapun, kedua-dua Shuhaimi dan Amiruddin dalam sidang media di ibu pejabat PKR di sini pagi semalam menolak dakwaan itu dan sebaliknya mendakwa Raja Petra telah mencipta fitnah terbaru.

Sementara itu, Pemuda Umno Selangor mahu polis dan SPRM menyiasat dakwaan Raja Petra dalam blognya berhubung penglibatan dua Adun itu dalam skandal perlombongan pasir.

Ketuanya Ungku Mohd Salleh Ungku Abdul Jamal yang membuat laporan di Ibu Pejabat Polis Shah Alam semalam berkata, di dalam blog tersebut terdapat pendedahan penyalahgunaan kuasa dan rasuah oleh dua Adun tersebut.

Hanuman: Suara Hati – Bahagian 3

2012-02-11T02:43:17Z

Rama tidak pernah mengakui kelayakan sebenar yang aku miliki. Cuma, sebelum dia pergi tahun lalu, dia menyerahkan cokmarnya kepadaku.

“Engkaulah penggantiku, Hanuman,” katanya.

Tapi bukankah aku hanya anak angkat Rama? Bukankah itu sahaja kedudukan tertinggi yang Rama anugerahkan kepadaku?

Bukan itu soalnya kini, kukira. Aku perlu memikirkan hal-hal yang kontemporari.

Kerajaan sudah di tangan. Bukan ini masanya mempersoalkan kelayakan.

Akulah kera putih itu. Pengikut setia Rama. Aku kini menggantikan tempatnya memerintah kerajaan yang maha luas ini.

Tiada musuh. Bukankah semuanya sudah Rama uruskan? Tiada masalah. Bukankah semuanya sudah Rama uruskan? Aman.

Seluruh isi istana tujuh belas tingkat aman. Para penduduk sekitar dua puluh enam ribu orang, semuanya hidup aman damai.

Apa lagi yang perlu mereka risaukan? Semuanya sudah Rama uruskan sebelum dia pergi.

Demikianlah seorang raja yang rakyat kasihi. Hingga dianggap sebagai jelmaan Vishnu sendiri. Dan ada pula ura-ura mahu membina kuil di tempat kelahirannya di Ayodhya!

Demikianlah Rama berjaya mendapat tempat istimewa dalam hati rakyat.

Tapi dalam hatiku? Amankah; tenangkah?

“Dirgahayu, tuanku,” sembah Maramanden.

Tiba-tiba sahaja dia sudah berdiri di hadapanku di balairung. Entah sudah berapa lama dia berdiri di situ.

Mungkin aku terlalu leka mengimbas kejadian masa lalu sehingga tidak menyedari kedatangannya tadi.

“Tuanku sihat sekarang?”

“Kenapa dengan saya?”

“Ampun, tuanku. Malam tadi, tuanku mengigau. …”

“Mengigau?”

“Benar, tuanku. Mungkin perasaan tuanku terganggu mengenangkan Rama dan Sita yang pergi meninggalkan kita semua setahun lalu. Tuanku meracau dalam tidur. Mungkin bermimpi.”

Istana tujuh lapis bertingkat tujuh belas tersergam indah di Gunung Maha Purita. Ular danu melengkungi puncak istana.

Sepasang musafir berlari masuk ke balairung. Maramanden menyambut mereka.

Di atas singgahsana, duduk seorang manusia. Tubuhnya tegap berotot. Wajahnya bersinar-sinar. Bibir tersenyum gagah. Matanya bercahaya. Subang di telinga kirinya berkilau.

“Saya bermimpi, mamanda. …”

“Mimpi yang bagaimana, tuanku?”

“Saya bermimpi, kononnya bukan saya yang duduk di singgahsana ini. …” – Bersambung esok

Baca juga:

Bahagian terdahulu

Uthaya Sankar SB menerima Hadiah Sastera Perdana Malaysia 1998/99 menerusi kumpulan cerpen Surat Dari Madras (DBP: 1999).

Is Khazanah Nasional a bumi fund?

2012-02-11T02:22:27Z

— Spencer Gan
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 11, 2012

FEB 11 — Dear Mr Prime Minister,

I need clarification. Two days ago, you announced that PNB and Khazanah Nasional will be divesting some of its businesses to bumiputera firms.

There was also the usual talk of open tenders and how qualified bumi firms will be considered. I am not going to bother about this talk of open tenders because it will snow in Malaysia before there is a level playing field in business.

What concerns me is this drive to ask Khazanah Nasional to divest its stake in non-core businesses to bumi firms. I thought Khazanah was the sovereign wealth fund of the NATION. And I thought that meant that Khazanah is the custodian of wealth belonging to ALL Malaysians.

If that is the case, then Khazanah Nasional should be divesting its non-core businesses to qualified Malaysian businesses.

I understand that this being the election year, there is a need to placate powerful Malay business interests but please don’t use funds or hijack the interests of all Malaysians for narrow political gains.

All this talk of economic liberalisation will not amount to much if the administration keeps not matching its words with deeds.

I share the concerns expressed by MPs that there is a return to the Mahathir days when plum contracts and projects was given to certain Malay business figures. Well, we know what happened to them: they are all personally filthy rich but their business entities crashed.

If the government is taking the position that wealth and assets belonging to all Malaysians are going to be hijacked for narrow Malay interests, then my belief is that we have a legitimate reason to stop paying taxes and other payments. Alternatively, we should boycott all entities owned by Khazanah Nasional.

Yes, to spreading economic wealth to all. No, to making a few Malay cronies and their political patrons rich.

This entry was posted on Saturday, 11 February 2012, 10:22 am and is filed under Najib Razak, NEM, NEP. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0.

Hasan Ali rapped over ‘republic’ remark

2012-02-11T01:04:55Z

GEORGE TOWN: A Penang-based Malay NGO has slammed axed PAS man Hasan Ali for causing disharmony and disunity among Malaysians with his seditious “republic” claims against Pakatan Rakyat.

Penang Malay Congress president Rahmad Isahak said Hassan was making an outrageous claim merely to sustain his political survival.

“He stirred sentiments of the Malaysian multiracial society. He has resorted to cheap political stunts to save his sinking political ship,” he told a press conference here yesterday.

Rahmad said that the former PAS vice-president should get his facts right before shooting his mouth off.

He said PMC found that Hasan’s seditious allegations were unfounded after holding dialogues with the leadership of Pakatan Rakyat parties, especially with senior ethnic Malay leaders from DAP.

“Such an agenda does not exist in Pakatan. Hasan’s seditious remarks have gone beyond reasonable doubt and sensible logic. He has only managed to embarrass the Malays with his wild allegations.

“He has dug his own political grave by reacting to rumours,” fired Rahmad.

Also present during the press conference were PMC secretary Mohd Noor Kadir and its treasurer Mohd Faisal Kader.

‘Quit as assemblyman’

Hasan, who was sacked from PAS on Jan 9, claimed that Pakatan, especially the DAP, would turn the country, which is based on the system of constitutional monarchy, into a republic.

The former executive councillor from Selangor’s Pakatan government claimed that Malaysia could join with Singapore to achieve this agenda.

Meanwhile, Rahmad also called on Hasan to resign as the Gombak Setia assemblyman since he had won the seat under the PAS ticket in the 2008 general election.

He said Hasan should prove to be a man with principles to give up his seat allotted to him by PAS.

“It would be immoral for him to keep the seat while he condemns PAS. He should resign immediately as a matter of principle,” he added.

‘S’gor govt has let down the people’

2012-02-11T01:03:49Z

PETALING JAYA: Former Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo has claimed that his successor Khalid Ibrahim let the people in the state down by not implementing social development programmes.

In an interview with FMT, the dentist-turned-politician said: “Why did he stop the zero-squatter programme? Under my leadership, the state was 98% squatter free.”

To make matters worse, Selangor under Khalid stopped the low-cost housing programme under the state owned agency, PKNS, claimed Khir.

“How are the poor people going to purchase the houses when it only caters for the middle income group?” he asked.

The Umno leader also commented on Khalid’s administration, which he claimed wrongly focuses on having more flats.

“The present government should focus on enhancing the facilities in the flats area instead of setting up new flat projects,” he said.

Khir who helmed Selangor for two terms (about nine years) also criticised Khalid’s administration for providing more budget allocation for management costs compared to development cost.

“The management cost ratio to development cost is 70:30. It is dangerous for the state,” he said.

Pakatan Rakyat in Selangor led by Khalid had been subsidising water for those living in the state since taking over the administration in March 2008.

“I have checked with the professionals and they told me that it is not feasible to provide free water in the long run,” said Khir.

Sand mining project

The former MB was also critical of the state government’s sand mining project via state owned corporation, Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd.

“You may rake in RM1 – 2 million in profits but what about the environmental losses that you have to endure? That is more priceless.

“That is why I discouraged KSSB’s venture into sand mining during my tenure,” he said.

Apart from that, Khir also highlighted that Khalid’s administration failed to draw the much needed foreign direct investment.

“During my time, I brought in investments amounting to RM11.7 billion. Now it is only RM6.8 billion – the same as in the year 2000,” he said, adding that the state government would only be able to create about 20,000 jobs with RM6.8 billion.

Khir also spoke about the Maha Mariamman temple in Kampung Rimba Jaya, Klang, that was demolished on Deepavali day in 2007.

The demolition was a key factor that led to the overwhelming support of the Indian community in favour of Pakatan in the 2008 general election.

“I was merely monitoring the demolition in my capacity as menteri besar,” said Khir, who explained that the demolition was done due to a court order.

DCM to file suit against Star, reporter

2012-02-11T01:02:45Z

GEORGE TOWN: Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy will file a RM10 million defamation suit next Monday against English daily the Star and its journalist Ian McIntyre.

His lawyer, Sungkai assemblyman A Sivanesan, will file the suit at the Kuala Lumpur High Court at 2.30pm.

Ramasamy is claiming RM5 million in damages from each defendant – the tabloid and its journalist – over an alleged defamatory article published on Dec 23.

When contacted, the DAP leader confirmed the impending suit and said its filing was delayed due to heavy legal paperwork preparations and the recent holiday season.

“But definitely it will be filed next Monday,” he told FMT.

On Dec 28, Ramasamy issued notice of demand to the Star and McIntyre demanding an apology from them within a week over the article, failing which, he warned that he would sue.

The Batu Kawan MP demanded an undertaking from the national daily and its journalist that the impugned statements “shall not be printed, published and circulated in future.”

He also demanded for an appropriate sum be paid and/or offered as damages to him for the defamatory article.

Both the Star and the journalist however refused to apologise.

In the said article, the Star quoted Ramasamy as saying that there was a plot to oust him because he turned down requests for projects and favours from the party’s grassroots.

The report headlined – “Distress in DAP continues” – prompted party supremo Karpal Singh to call for Ramasamy’s resignation from the Pakatan Rakyat state government.

But Ramasamy had accused the Star of publishing a baseless and frivolous report. During a press conference on Dec 26, he openly denied making the published statements.

The notice of demand stated that despite his denial, the Star on Dec 27 reiterated that Ramasamy had uttered those impugned statements during a media interview.

The notice stated the Star’s statement on Dec 27 that the original interview was arranged and agreed upon by Ramasamy on two counts; including one on the allegation that he was having an extra-marital affair, was grossly false and calculated to disparage his reputation.

“Consequently Ramasamy’s reputation has been seriously injured and (he) suffered distress and embarrassment,” read the notice.

The Ox, Dragon and GE

2012-02-11T01:00:12Z

There have been many reports in the mainstream English newspapers highlighting the confidence of the BN federal government in relation to the 13th general election.

Several of the pumped up headlines read as follows: “BN confident of capturing Kelantan”, “BN confident Perak will remain with BN”, “BN confident of wresting back Selangor” and “BN confident that the voters are returning to BN”. If this is the prevalent mood in BN, then why is Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak still yet to dissolve Parliament?

Have the newspapers become the mouthpiece of the government spouting only BN’s “syiok sendiri” statements? All those statements are not so true and should be taken with a pinch of salt. The only thing worth buying the papers for are cinema listings, at least that is accurate.

Word has gone round that despite the fantastic sounding reports in the mainstream papers, Najib is still not confident of doing well in the polls and therefore will probably not hold the election in March this year after all.

There are several reasons for this:-

1. The power of the Ox – in Chinese metaphysics, the Ox is a stubborn and resilient character prone to having a foul temper when provoked. This has become true in the Feedlot fiasco which has stubbornly refuse to die down despite attempts by those involved to avoid answering questions on this matter.

Moreover, more and more informative details kept coming to the surface and this has provoked the lady at the centre of the saga to act like a raging bull by attacking those in the opposition in an unprofessional and uncouth manner. She has stubbornly reiterated her innocence and insisted on staying put, thereby also stubbornly ignoring all calls to step down. She is certainly one very resilient lady.

Throughout it all, Najib has maintained an “elegant silence” knowing that Malay support could erode due to this issue. Thus far, Umno leaders campaign to the rural folk by saying that these informative details brought up by the opposition is a grand design to topple Umno.

2. The civil service new remuneration scheme – the civil service consists of 1.4 million workers which the federal government regards as its vote bank. Currently many of the civil service workers in the lower grades are unhappy with the new remuneration scheme and this seriously needs to be sorted out before the polls are held.

3. Felda – The listing of Felda Global Ventures Berhad on the Bursa Saham Kuala Lumpur – the federal government is trying to convince the Felda settlers that this listing is for their own good saying that the settlers will be getting much more profits. Once the settlers are sufficiently convinced, the polls will be held. So much for the “hot potato” Malay issues.

4. White angpow – it is just a coincidence that this item is at No. 4 which in the Cantonese dialect is “sei” which means “death”. At first BN was making some headway among some of the rural Chinese voters with the RM500 cash aid but this has been nullified by the white angpow fiasco which has been blamed on MCA. No wonder many Chinese refer to MCA as Make Chinese Angry. Some Chinese interpret the white angpow fiasco as a warning, telling the Chinese not to vote the opposition.

After this incident, Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers’ open houses received more support than last year. Among those open houses which received tremendous support were those hosted by PKR Batu MP Tian Chua in Jinjang Selatan; DAP Canning state assemblyman Wong Kah Woh in Ipoh; and PAS Kuala Selangor MP Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad in his constituency.

Najib’s faults and foibles there for all to see

5. The Black March – in addition to the angpow fiasco, the Chinese community especially the property and business owners in Jalan Sultan in Chinatown, KL are unhappy with the government. They want the MRT route to be re-aligned instead of tunnelling works being done under their properties, some of which are more than 100 years old.

This will inevitably cause instability to the foundation of their properties. A similar situation also affects the property and business owners in Jalan Bukit Bintang resulting in The Black March taking place from Jalan Sultan to Jalan Bukit Bintang on Feb 1, 2012 during the Chinese New Year season.

Property and business owners wore black and marched from Jalan Sultan to Jalan Bukit Bintang to voice their protest on this matter. During Chinese New Year, it is taboo for the Chinese to wear black unless attending funerals and the marchers willingness to wear black is a clear indication that they are unhappy with the government.

6. The Teoh Beng Hock issue – the Chinese are also unhappy that no action has been taken against the three officers who interrogated Teoh right into the wee hours of the morning. T-shirts of the late Teoh’s face in white against a black background has become iconic.

7. Perak power-grab masterminded by BN – the Chinese in Perak have certainly not forgotten this and recently some of them also wore black to commemorate three years of the power-grab incident in a gathering with Pakatan lawmakers held under the Democracy Tree. So much for Chinese black-and-white politics.

8. Garland issue – going by the comments on the internet, many Indians are unhappy that the garland for the PM and his wife overshadowed the garland for Lord Muruga during the recent Thaipusam festival.

Najib’s lifeline is the RM500 cash aid but his blunders with regard to how he handled the Feedlot issue, the white angpow issue and the garland issue have dented his support pretty badly. Many voters can see his faults and foibles.

All in all, it shows that despite what the mainstream English papers are saying, the support for the BN government is not guaranteed from the three major races from all walks of life. For the Chinese especially, too much water has gone under the bridge and BN can forget about Chinese support.

The die is cast with the white angpow incident. Ground reports also indicate that Chinese support for the opposition is about 80%. Further to that, this is the year of the Water Dragon symbolising courage and change. The Water Dragon rising up from the ocean bringing with it a tsunami wave of change appeals to the Chinese who are all fired up to go for change in this year of the Dragon.

Najib should have called for the polls last year during the year of the Rabbit – a much milder and gentler creature. The time has passed for Najib and that is why he is having difficulty in calling for the general election.

Still, he will now go all out to woo the Malay vote in an aggressive manner. As they say, we live in interesting times.

Selena Tay is a FMT columnist.

BAGAIMANA YANG EMPUNYA DIRI?

2012-02-11T00:35:00Z

Hasan Ali disaran berdakwah tanpa bayaran

YB Datuk Hasan Ali yang saya hormati,

Saya kira tidak perlulah saya perkenalkan diri saya memandangkan Datuk merupakan tokoh dan sahabat yang saya kagumi. Saya kira, Datuk juga tetap menganggap saya sebagai kenalan rapat Datuk sekeluarga.

Secara ikhlas, saya mula mengkagumi Datuk sebagai motivator semenjak saya di bangku sekolah lagi, sehinggalah Datuk menceburkan diri dalam bidang politik. Walau bagaimanapun, kekaguman saya tidaklah menjadi penghalang untuk saya menyatakan sedikit pandangan terhadap pendirian Datuk mutakhir ini berdasarkan neraca ilmu dan keadilan.

Kesedaran bahawa apa yang telah Datuk lemparkan kepada mantan parti Datuk sendiri, iaitu PAS, dalam kenyataan-kenyataan Datuk di media dan juga lewat ceramah-ceramah Datuk yang bercanggah dari amanah keilmuan dan kebenaran, maka saya terdorong untuk menulis surat terbuka ini.

Sebagai ahli akademik yang mengkaji bidang gerakan Islam, politik Islam dan juga Usul al-Fiqh, saya rasa terpanggil untuk mengarang surat terbuka ini kepada Datuk untuk menilai beberapa kenyataan Datuk dari pertimbangan ilmu dan kacamata ilmiah dalam bidang pengkajian saya.

Saya kira tulisan surat terbuka saya sebagai ahli akademik ini adalah sebagai tanggungjawab saya kepada kejujuran terhadap disiplin ilmu yang saya pikul dan bukannya sebagai ahli politik.

Islam moderat

Saya bukanlah ahli parti PAS, yang tampil untuk membela PAS dari serangan Datuk. Maka saya bertegas menyatakan apa yang saya tulis ini hanyalah semata-mata pendangan orang luar dan ahli akademik yang neutral dan tidak berpihak, baik kepada Datuk mahupun kepada parti PAS yang telah memecat Datuk.

Saya kira Datuk mungkin telah maklum dengan pencapaian gerakan-gerakan Islam moderat di utara Afrika seperti Ikhwan Muslimin di Mesir, parti Ennahda di Tunisia, parti keadilan dan pembangunan (PJD) di Morocco dan juga parti-parti Islam lain selepas kebangkitan rakyat (Arab Spring).

Kemenangan semua gerakan-gerakan tersebut secara empirikalnya seperti yang telah dianalisis oleh pakar politik di rantau berkenaan merujuk kepada tiga perkara utama: ‘Wacana Islam moderat yang segar’; Kesediaan ‘perkongsian kuasa’ (power sharing); dan juga ‘pengaruh dalam kalangan rakyat’ melalui jaringan kerja kebajikan dan juga pendidikan yang menyeluruh, berterusan serta meluas.

Apa yang dimaksudkan dengan wacana moderat yang segar ialah kemampuan gerakan-gerakan tersebut untuk menawarkan apa yang diperlukan oleh rakyat dan apa yang diperlukan oleh sesebuah negara dalam pendekatan mereka.

Wacana moderat juga telah memperlihatkan bagaimana gerakan-gerakan Islam, tidak lagi memaksakan apa yang mereka mahukan atau percaya ke atas rakyat tanpa kerelaan majoriti. Maka, dalam wacana baru mereka, gerakan-gerakan Islam tidak lagi menawarkan retorik ‘Dawlah Islamiyyah’ (Negara Islam) yang agak bersifat utopia dan tidak tentu modelnya.

Mereka juga tidak menawarkan hukuman jenayah Islam ‘secara paksaan’ seperti yang pernah dilakukan oleh Taliban di Afghanistan, sebelum keadaan ekonomi dan kebajikan yang kondusif disediakan dalam negara mereka.

Mereka juga tidak mempamerkan diri sebagai penghukum, tetapi mereka muncul sebagai pembawa harapan, pejuang kebebasan dan pelaksana keadilan setelah rakyat ditindas dan dizalimi selama berdekad-dekad lamanya oleh para diktator.

Proses kematangan

Perkara ini telah membuatkan ramai dari kalangan pengkaji di barat telah mula mengatakan bahawa golongan ini telah merubah sikap dan prinsip mereka, lantas menggelar fenomena ini sebagai post-Islamism (pasca-Islamisme).

Saya konsisten untuk tidak menyokong istilah pasca-Islamisme yang sarat dengan makna neo-kolonialisme. Hakikatnya gerakan-gerakan Islam yang terlibat tidak pernah merubah prinsip.

Mereka juga tidak meninggalkan landasan perjuangan, apatah lagi mengubah pendirian. Apa yang berlaku ialah proses kematangan gerakan-gerakan terlibat untuk melihat Islam dalam kerangkanya yang lebih luas dan komprehensif. Kejayaan beberapa individu berlatarbelakangkan Islamis di Turki melalui agenda neutral AKP, telah menjadi sumber inspirasi gerakan-gerakan tersebut.

Wacana ini juga bertunjangkan konsep Maqasid al-Shariah dan melihat ajaran Islam dari aspek yang holistik, terutamanya aspek moral dan keadilan. Gelombang perubahan pada pendekatan inilah yang telah melanda kebanyakan gerakan Islam di seluruh dunia mutakhir ini, tidak ketinggalan PAS yang Datuk pernah sertai dahulu.

Gelombang ini sekali gus melenyapkan pengaruh model Iran yang pernah mendominasi wacana gerakan-gerakan Islam sedunia dengan melaungkan pembinaan sebuah republik Islam dan juga pemerintahan mutlak golongan agama (Wilayatul Faqih).

Bapa parasit

Realitinya kini, gerakan-gerakan Islam moderat yang wujud lebih memilih ruang demokrasi untuk membawa perubahan. Mereka juga melaungkan pembentukan negara sivil milik semua warga dengan menjamin kebebasan politik, penegakan keadilan, hak upaya masyarakat sivil, hak wanita, tatakelola yang baik, kebajikan rakyat yang terpelihara, ekonomi yang lebih berdaya saing serta bebas dari korupsi, pecah amanah, serta perkongsian kuasa bersama segenap lapisan rakyat dan kumpulan.

Menurut kajian saya terhadap wacana baru PAS, terutamanya melalui konsep ‘Negara Berkebajikan’, PAS juga tidak terlepas dari arus perubahan ini. Jika Datuk merasakan pendekatan baru PAS ini bermakna PAS telah meninggalkan perjuangan Islamnya, saya kira Datuk tersilap.

Perubahan pada PAS bukanlah kerja parasit seperti mana yang Datuk dakwa, tetapi merupakan satu dinamisme tabi’i bagi sebuah gerakan Islam yang matang. Jikalaulah parasit yang telah menyebabkan perubahan pada PAS, maka pastinya kesemua gerakan Islam di Utara Afrika dan Asia Barat, termasuk Ikhwan Muslimin di Mesir dan juga parti Ennahda juga telah dilanda parasit.

Timbul dilema dalam pemikiran saya, apakah pemimpin dan tokoh ideolog gerakan Islam sedunia, Rashid Ghannoushi yang telah mencetuskan wacana gerakan Islam yang baru itu juga telah dijangkiti parasit? Apakah mungkin Datuk ingin mengatakan bahawa Rashid Ghannoushi yang merupakan sumber inspirasi perubahan fikrah pada gerakan-gerakan Islam moderat sedunia itu pula merupakan bapa parasit?

Ditakuti Umno

Yakinlah Datuk, seperti mana gerakan-gerakan tersebut telah berjaya mendapatkan majoriti undi dalam pilihan raya di negara-negara mereka kerana pendekatan baru ini, PAS juga sedang meniti langkah tersebut.

Inilah yang ditakuti oleh Umno dan kerajaan BN. Pihak lawan tidak mahukan PAS mendapat sokongan majoriti masyarakat Islam dan bukan Islam di Malaysia. Pihak lawan mahu PAS kekal sebagai parti kampung milik Pak Lebai dan Pak Haji.

Pihak lawan juga tidak mahu PAS bangkit sebagai parti milik semua rakyat Malaysia, mereka lebih selesa PAS dikenali sebagai parti ekstremis dan fundamentalis yang hanya tahu memotong tangan orang sahaja. Hanya dengan wacana Islamis global yang baru ini sahajalah niat buruk mereka akan terhalang.

Malang sekali apabila Datuk pula yang mula bercakap senada dan seirama dengan pihak lawan menentang perubahan pada PAS. Lebih malang lagi kini Datuk menjadi suara pihak lawan untuk memaksa PAS kembali ke kerangka persepsi lama rakyat terhadap mereka yang telah dilelong oleh pihak Umno dan BN.

Saya yakin, dalam PAS masih terdapat segelintir yang termakan umpan Datuk lantas mempercayai kewujudan parasit. Mereka ini golongan yang ikhlas tetapi hanya kurang mendapat pendedahan terhadap dunia luar sahaja.

Ada di antara mereka juga yang berkepentingan, lantas menggunakan hujah Datuk untuk kekal berpengaruh, tetapi saya yakin mereka ini teramat kecil bilangannya. Melalui pengamatan saya, PAS akan terus menggalas harapan rakyat dan juga kefahaman Islam yang sebenar berteraskan wacana baru gerakan Islam sedunia untuk menempuh hari muka mereka.

Gelombang perubahaan

Seperkara yang perlu Datuk ketahui, wacana baru gerakan Islam moderat ini juga telah mendapat restu dari para ulama terkemuka seperti Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Dr.Tawfiq al-Wa’ie, Dr. Rashid al-Ghannoushi. Amat kasihan kerana Datuk tidak dapat bersama lagi dengan realiti baru ini.

Apabila melihat kepada isu ‘Negara Berkebajikan’ pula, pada hemat saya, setelah meneliti dokumen ‘Negara Berkebajikan’ PAS dan membandingkannya dengan manifesto parti-parti Islam moderat lain di dunia Arab, saya mendapati PAS ternyata senada dengan mereka yang telah berjaya di negara masing-masing.

Saya berkeyakinan gagasan ‘Negara Berkebajikan’ merupakan satu langkah drastik PAS dalam membawa perubahan dan menyuarakan persiapan mereka untuk muncul sebagai alternatif kepada parti pemerintah yang sedia ada. Prinsip-prinsip konsepsual ‘Negara Berkebajikan’ yang dibentangkan dalam dokumen tersebut dan juga cadangan mekanisme perlaksanaannya merupakan satu anjakan paradigma bagi sebuah gerakan dakwah dan parti politik yang telah matang seperti PAS.

Jelas sekali PAS sudah melayakkan dirinya untuk menyertai gelombang perubahan yang melanda gerakan Islam di seluruh dunia dengan membuktikan bahawa golongan Islamis mampu dan bersedia untuk berkongsi kuasa dan memerintah dalam kerangka demokrasi dan tatakelola yang baik. Malangnya, hal ini tidak disambut positif oleh Datuk, malah dipandang sinis.

Melihat kepada isu hudud yang Datuk anggap telah ditinggalkan oleh PAS, saya kira itu juga agak kurang tepat. Sebagai sebuah parti Islam, saya berpendapat PAS dilihat amat konsisten memperjuangkan apa yang mereka yakini, iaitu kewajipan melaksanakan hukum hudud.

Memaksakan hudud

Apa yang menarik ialah pendekatan PAS yang terbuka untuk membicarakan isu tersebut di ruang umum dan bersedia untuk meyakinkan rakyat melalui proses pendidikan dan dakwah adalah sesuatu yang patut dihargai.

Apa yang saya dapati melalui metod observasi ke atas ruang ‘discursive’ PAS selama ini, PAS tidak memilih untuk memaksakan hudud kepada orang lain secara kekerasan. Malah dalam banyak kenyataan PAS, mereka bersedia untuk mendengar suara majoriti dalam melaksanakan hukum jenayah Syariah itu.

Pendekatan diplomasi PAS ini harus dihormati kerana mencerminkan sikap professionalisme PAS dan keterbukaan para pimpinannya. Saya kira kerana sikap konsisten PAS inilah yang menyebabkan parti itu telah berjaya meraih sokongan ramai bukan Islam melalui ‘Kelab Penyokong PAS’.

Akhir kata, jika Datuk benar-benar ingin memperjuangkan aqidah dan memerangi gejala murtad yang dikatakan sebagai mengancam umat Islam di Selangor, saya mempunyai pelan tindakan yang boleh Datuk lakukan berdasarkan kekuatan yang ada pada diri Datuk.

Turun padang tanpa bayaran

Sebagai seorang motivator yang begitu meyakinkan dan berupaya bermain dengan emosi orang ramai, saya rasa sudah sampai waktunya Datuk turun padang bertemu dengan mereka yang didakwa murtad berdasarkan senarai yang rakan-rakan Datuk miliki.

Mungkin juga Datuk boleh menggunakan kemahiran tersebut untuk berdakwah kepada mat-mat rempit, tahi dadah, remaja berpeleseran yang terdapat di negeri Selangor secara sukarela tanpa sebarang bayaran.

Jika dulu mungkin Datuk sibuk dengan tugas exco, kini Datuk lebih mempunyai waktu lapang. Buktikanlah kata-kata Datuk yang ingin menjaga aqidah itu.

Saya kira Datuk juga boleh berdakwah di Hard Rock Café menyeru umat Islam agar bertaubat dan menghayati agama Islam. Saya pasti pemilik Hard Rock Café tidak akan menghalang kerja murni Datuk itu.

Saya yakin 10,000 atau lebih orang yang turut berHIMPUN bersama Datuk untuk menyelamatkan aqidah umat Islam boleh Datuk kerahkan dari seluruh negara untuk sama-sama turun padang demi menyelamatkan aqidah umat Islam secara praktikal.

Saya amat meyakini, jika Datuk berdakwah seperti itu, Datuk akan tetap dikenang kawan ataupun lawan sebagai ‘pejuang aqidah yang sebenar!’.

Dr. Maszlee Malik
Penulis adalah ahli akademik politik warga UIAM.

Part IX: Universal Healthcare

2012-02-11T00:24:49Z

Part 1: 1-CARE: Scouting in the dark

Part 2: 1-CARE: Who pays for it?

Part 3: 1-CARE: Is it fair for the people to pay?

Part 4: 1-CARE: The way I would do it?

Part 5: 1-CARE: The interview

Part 6: 1-CARE: Understand the people’s worry and manage it

Part 7: 1-CARE: Giving the poor the access to private practice

Part 8: 1-CARE: A matter of priority

MOH likes to use big words that sometime people in the street may have difficulty to comprehend. One of the reason cited is that project 1C is about ensuring that the country will provide a universal healthcare (UHC). To some people UHC is about giving everyone a chance to go to private hospital. Is that true? That is something the public need to ponder.

The WHO defines UHC to organized health care systems built around the principle of universal coverage for all members of society. In the current context today, Malaysia has UHC. Everyone has access to healthcare system in the country. The government has been in the past provided affordable healthcare system that is affordable to many people in the street. They provided the safety net for all that wants to use the system when needed. Therefore in terms of access, there is access. A very decent access is available to the people. The quality is good and the cost is damn cheap. It is so popular that the government hospital is always crowded. Therefore it is wrong to say that we need 1C because we need to give everyone the rights to go to private hospital. It is not about giving the people the access to private hospitals but giving medical care to the people. Is the private hospital are really good?

The private hospital does not guarantee that it gives good care. It does however give a good glossy look from the outside. What it does is that it gives expensive medical care. The main reason private hospitals thrive in the country is because of the existence of private insurance. Because of insurance, they simply charged the patients. In Malaysia if the insurance company decide to stop selling hospitalization insurance, many of the hospitals will collapse tomorrow. With 1C we are simply encouraging the development of more private hospitals. In the long run, the government will reduce their commitment to built hospitals and clinics. They will pass the services to the private entity. In the long run, MOH may not be in the business of providing treatment care. They will corporatize and subsequently privatize all the medical facilities and concentrate in managing the finance only. That is what 1C is all about. Is this a right thing to do?

Why is it the government is moving in this direction? It is clear that it is all related to dollar and cents and the size of government wallet. They want to pass the cost of healthcare directly to the people. This will ensure the people will take care of themselves and will not take care of healthcare services for granted. In simple terms- cost of living will go up. Without saying the cost of SHI will also go up as what is happening to the private insurance. The government does not have a good record of controlling the price of “bawang, ayam and ikan” and they think they would be able to control the cost of SHI. I think the record speaks for itself.

Even after Anwar’s acquittal, politics will likely stay dirty

2012-02-10T21:53:42Z

— Bridget Welsh
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 10, 2012

FEB 10 — Malaysia recently hit the headlines after opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was acquitted of sodomy charges, although the prosecution has already filed an appeal.

The case is entirely political and reflects the government’s willingness to use the judiciary for political ends. Malaysia is set for the most competitive elections it has ever had, likely before June or else pushed off until 2013, and each side has a fighting chance to win.

Malaysian politics is dirty. Murder, sodomy, secret trysts, sex videos and conspiracy are all commonplace, and corruption scandals occur regularly. Both sides wallow in this political gutter, each trying to darken the reputation of the other and not fully appreciating how much the system as a whole has been damaged. Anwar’s acquittal gave the government an opportunity to take the high road and move away from this negative approach. Instead, it opted to appeal, despite the shabby evidence.

Concerns are now focused on the integrity of the electoral process. The government is mooting reforms but the problems are vast, from administrative neutrality to vote buying. As the system becomes more competitive, political institutions involved in anticorruption and law have been compromised, with the government pressuring institutions such as the civil service to toe the line.

The upcoming election will revolve around Anwar and Prime Minister Najib Razak tapping into their own popularity bases, as politics in Malaysia is highly personalised. Both men have been damaged by character assassinations and will need to work hard to win support. The test now is whether either candidate will move beyond a largely self-centred campaign and articulate the solutions that his leadership can offer.

The country’s problems are well known — including the need for economic reform and improved race relations, coupled with growing inequality — but sadly, the policy options each side promises to pursue are unclear.

Anwar’s strength has been his charisma, and he has succeeded in consolidating his support base through martyr politics. Nevertheless, his reputation suffered during the trial and he has a long road ahead to win new supporters, especially in rural areas, where the government media dominates.

On the other hand, Najib faces a trust deficit, which seems to be growing at the same rate as inconsistencies in his reform policies. It is still unclear what he stands for, and his reliance on handouts to woo voters reflects weakness, not strength.

Malaysian politics is also highly polarised. Both sides can expect support from about 35 per cent of the electorate, with the remaining third in the middle. But in satisfying their primary support bases, Malaysia’s leaders have alienated the centre. To win the upcoming election, both leaders will need to meet the expectations of their support bases while reaching out to those who are ambivalent, tired of over-politicking, and eager for more than negativity.

Najib in particular faces the challenge of preserving the loyalty of his base, many of whom have resisted change and adopted reactionary racial positions. They expect him to protect their interests and have shown that they will remove any leader who fails their expectations.

His attempts to reach the middle ground, both in areas of political reform and ethnic relations, compromise his base’s support. He now has limited political space, and the result has been inconsistency. In contrast, Anwar can more easily reach out to the middle because his support base wants change, although even he must manage the growing anger of his supporters.

In this complicated terrain, ethnic politics is alive and well. Malaysia has three linked interethnic dynamics. The first involves race relations between Malays and non-Malay minorities. Then there is the issue of religious relations, especially between Muslims and other religious groups. Finally, there is the issue of moderate views and more extreme views of race and religion in the Malay community.

These dynamics have become more difficult to manage since the 2008 elections when Najib’s National Front lost its two-thirds hold on seats; in some instances, they have even led to violence, such as the church bombings in 2010.

Navigating these divisions is not easy, and the contenders for power ultimately need to include all Malaysians. For Najib, the challenge is to reach out to non-Malays. For Anwar, the challenge is to show that his coalition can represent the positions of different ethnic groups, while also incorporating the country’s Islamists.

Especially challenging for both is how to accommodate more extreme perspectives in a moderate framework, in a bid to move Malaysian politics from negativity toward inclusion and hope. — Jakarta Globe

* Bridget Welsh is an associate professor of political science at Singapore Management University.

This entry was posted on Saturday, 11 February 2012, 5:53 am and is filed under Anwar Ibrahim, Elections, Najib Razak, UMNO. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0.

Malaysia’s prime minister loses most from Anwar trial

2012-02-10T21:36:54Z

— by Barry Wain
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 10, 2012

FEB 10 — Malaysians expressed a collective sigh of relief when Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was acquitted of sodomy charges in early January.

Their groan of dismay over the prosecution’s subsequent decision to appeal was equally palpable.

For most Malaysians, despite being divided in their opinions of Anwar, the acquittal marked a chance to move away from the sleazy politics that has long dominated daily life. Now, they expect more of the same. Aware of public exasperation, Prime Minister Najib Razak was quick to seize on the not guilty verdict as proof of his ‘reformist’ agenda and Malaysia’s supposedly independent judiciary. But the appeal leaves him stranded, inclined to delay calling a general election, and acutely aware that he is under threat as much from within his own ranks as from the opposition. It seems likely that Najib will win the next election, but unless he scores big — which seems unlikely — his leadership could be at risk.

The old guard in Najib’s United Malays National Organisation (Umno), the core of the Barisan Nasional coalition government, has been trying to have Anwar convicted of sexual misconduct for more than 13 years. His first sodomy trial in the late 1990s was regarded as a miscarriage of justice, and the recently completed second trial was just as dubious, according to international legal and human rights organisations. Kuala Lumpur has a thriving gay club scene and nightlife, and the police — to their credit — do not hound homosexuals. But Anwar was hauled into court twice on a charge of ‘carnal intercourse against the order of nature’, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment.

The government’s deliberate targeting of Anwar is obvious. His arrest in 2008 came soon after he led a revitalised opposition to unprecedented gains in a general election, depriving the Umno-led Barisan Nasional of its usual two-thirds majority in parliament. Subsequently, Anwar has spent much of the past three years caught up defending himself in the sodomy trial, when he might have otherwise engaged in consolidating the opposition coalition.

Despite, or perhaps because of, these efforts, the trial has become a liability for Najib. The value in distracting Anwar and trying to knock him out politically has been offset by the damage to Najib’s reputation as a putative reformer. Conscious that the long-term electoral trend is running against the ruling coalition, which has held power since independence in 1957, Najib has positioned himself as an agent of change, who is in touch with Malaysia’s younger generation. He has attempted to roll back unpopular elements of an affirmative action program designed to benefit the country’s majority ethnic Malay community, liberalise press restrictions and replace controversial security laws, including detention without trial. Still, Najib is yet to convert the rhetoric of reform into reality, which he must do to win back the alienated centre of Malaysian politics, where cynicism and anger run deep.

Najib is encountering entrenched opposition within Umno, particularly from conservatives who favour continued Malay privileges and the flow of patronage to the party faithful. These older Umno Malays and their supporters in the business world and bureaucracy — especially the police and prosecutors — strongly objected to Anwar being freed and lobbied hard and successfully for the appeal. In the end, Najib will lose the most. It seems he failed to stand up to these factions — again — and lost the public relations gains from Anwar’s acquittal.

The loss of the momentum that Anwar’s freedom initially gave Najib may persuade him to wait until later this year to call an election, which must be held by March 2013. Najib must gamble that the electoral climate will improve by this time. But the economy could slow and more political scandals could emerge — rampant corruption involving Umno politicians has already hurt his government.

Free to campaign, Anwar will lift the spirits of the three-party opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition. But he is looking and sounding tired, and his own People’s Justice Party is rife with factionalism and squabbling. Although Anwar said recently: ‘My gut tells me we will win [the election]’, most analysts believe he will fall short, even if not by much.

While the opposition will surely live to fight another day, Najib may not have it so easy, even if he wins. Only the recovery of a two-thirds parliamentary majority will ensure his continued leadership of UMNO and Malaysia. Failing this, Najib could face pressure to step aside if he loses more seats, a fate that befell Abdullah Badawi, his predecessor. — East Asia Forum

* Barry Wain is Writer-in-Residence at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore.

This entry was posted on Saturday, 11 February 2012, 5:36 am and is filed under Anwar Ibrahim, Elections, Najib Razak, UMNO. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0.

PRU 13 permulaan BN hilang kuasa...

2012-02-10T20:00:00Z

Pilihan raya umum akan datang tidak akan menyaksikan tsunami seperti yang diharapkan oleh Pakatan Rakyat bagi membawa mereka ke Putrajaya, demikian ramalan ahli sains politik, Ong Kian Ming.

Bagaimanapun, katanya, keputusan berkenaan akan menyediakan pentas bagi Pakatan mengambil alih kerajaan pada pilihan raya umum ke-14.

"BN tidak akan mendapat majoriti dua pertiga (pada PRU13), mereka juga akan kehilangan kerusi di Johor, Sabah dan Sarawak, akan menang 55 hingga 63 peratus kerusi.

"Saya jangkakan senario selepas pilihan raya di mana PM Najib Razak akan dicabar oleh TPM Muhyiddin Yassin kerana Najib tidak mampu merampas kembali Selangor atau memenangi dua pertiga majoriti di parlimen," katanya.

Bercakap pada satu forum di Bangsar, katanya jika Muhyiddin mengambil alih sebagai perdana menteri, BN akan menjadi lebih "eksklusif daripada inklusif".

"Ini dan ekonomi yang semakin teruk akan menyaksikan 60 peratus daripada kerusi BN akan jatuh kepada Pakatan Rakyat pada pilihan raya umum ke-14.

"Pilihan raya umum ke-13 adalah permulaan bagi BN kehilangan kuasanya," kata Ong.

Pakatan will only win Putrajaya in 14th GE

The next general election will not see the tsunami that Pakatan Rakyat hopes will take them to the seat of government in Putrajaya.

However, said political scientist Ong Kian Ming (left), the results will set the stage for a Pakatan takeover in the following 14th GE.

“BN will not get their two-thirds, but will lose ground in Johor, Sabah and Sarawak, to win 55 to 63 percent of the seats.

“I posit a post-election scenario where PM Najib Abdul Razak is challenged by DPM Muhyiddin Yassin as Najib won't be able to take back Selangor or win two-thirds of Parliament,” he said.

Speaking at a forum in Bangsar, he said that if Muhyiddin takes over as PM, BN will be more “exclusive than inclusive”.

“This and the worsening global economy will lead to 60 percent of the seats going to Pakatan in the 14th general election.

“The 13th general election is a set-up for when BN would lose power,” he said at a forum organised by the Centre for Public Policy Studies.

Marginal seat impact

He added that Pakatan will see some losses in seats in the states it governs while BN is set to lose ground in Sabah, Sarawak and Johor, where the conditions are ripe for a “local tsunami”.Ong told the cosy discussion of about 30 people that a “local tsunami” for or against BN is expected if either coalition strategically places prominent candidates.

“Placing of candidates in strategic seats may swing sentiments from one party to the other, like Move Muhkriz Mahathir from Jerlun and declare him as MB candidate in Kedah.

“Make a prominent DAP leader with a prominent PAS leader contest in Southern Johor, ripe for a big swing, and you can have a local tsunami. The same in Sabah n Sarawak,” he said.

Ong added that the next elections will be one dictated by “subnational issues” as a considerable 37 percent of seats in Parliament are considered “marginal”, where the slightest swing could impact on results.

Voters, too, he said are more “sophisticated” and “will not vote for either BN or the opposition just for the labels” but will look at not only individual candidates but also his or her party's position in a coalition.

“We won't have a situation like in 2008 where Loh Gwo Burne in Kelana Jaya, who was voted in (as MP) just because he was the person who filmed the VK Lingam tapes.

“If such a a person contests against a strong MCA candidate, the seat will be a danger for PKR. Voters will hold the parties to a higher standard of accountability,” he said.

He said the tough fight foreseen will also see a greater role for independent candidates.

“Ong Tee Keat, if not fielded in Pandan, can act as a spoiler or negotiate with the opposition to win the seat as an Independent, taking away MCA's only Selangor seat,” he said.

Christians and Indians

Also speaking at the forum was UKM researcher Denison Jayasooria, who said that a community to be watched is the Christian community, who faced several unfriendly policy decisions in the past years.

“This is not a national issue but can make an impact in Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.

Denison (right) added that compared to 2008, the impact of the Indian vote is lower as there are no strong Indian leaders leading the change, including from Hindraf.

“The people want to feel respected and that their culture is important. The PM going to the Batu Caves wins a lot of hearts and votes, too

“But many substantive issues of the Indian community are not addressed in ways they should have... RM500 here and RM100 there would not solve long-term disadvantages but would make a short-term impact,” he said.

He added that the impact of cash handouts is not only seen among Indians but among the “sizeable number of voters at the bottom 40 percent of the economy, which cuts across ethnicity and religion”.

source:malaysiakini

cheers.

KFC Malaysia Never Learn

2012-02-10T18:29:00Z

Why are Malaysians so stupid? Till today one after another scandalous videos on KFC Malaysia are on Youtube, yet people are rushing in to eat dirty chicken and accept bad services.

Umno gets tough with Shahrizat: Najib issues ultimatum while Wanita members ponder EGM

2012-02-10T16:00:36Z

It looks like Umno has made up its mind to ditch Women’s chief Shahrizat Jalil, and will use a two-pronged approach to prise her out from both her Cabinet post and the Wanita presidency.

According to Umno sources, Prime Minister Najib Razak has told her in no uncertain terms to make up her mind and “don’t force me to sack you” as far as her Women’s minister Cabinet post is concerned. As for her presidency of the Umno women’s wing or Wanita, several women leaders including deputy chief Kamilia Ibrahim and former chief Rafidah Aziz have begun moves to call for an Extraordinary General Meeting to pass a no-confidence vote against her.

“This time, there is no more escape. The last straw came when her son issued a public statement that the family had a prerogative to invest in the condos. The family has completely misjudged public opinion, they don’t even realize that they come off sounding arrogant even if they don’t mean to. But the rest of Umno is by now very well aware of what a stink the NFC has caused. Shahrizat is a time-bomb and Umno has to detonate her one way or another,” an Umno insider told Malaysia Chronicle.

Anonymous whistle-blowers

Indeed, dozens of reporters had waited outside the Prime Minister’s residence from as early as 8am on Thursday amid swirling rumors of her imminent resignation. Although, her aides later informed the press that Shahrizat had gone to the PM’s official residence to attend a meeting on the Government Transformation Programme and Economic Transformation Programme, Umno sources said she also met with Najib.

“The PM has made it clear she has to go and left it to her to decide the timing but obviously, it can’t be too long. He also told her he could only guide her on the Cabinet post. But for the Wanita presidency, which is an elected post, he has to leave it to the women delegates. Unless Shahrizat agrees to also step down as Wanita chief, she faces an EGM which will be very embarrassing for her,” the Umno insider said.

Shahrizat’s family was awarded the National Feedlot Centre cattle breeding project to oversee in 2006 and also granted a RM250million government soft loan to develop the scheme, which aims to supply cheaply-priced beef to Malaysians.

In the past 3 months, thanks to anonymous whistle-blowers, PKR leaders led by strategy director Rafizi Ramli have revealed a slew of transactions that reeked of misappropriation of funds.Althogh, Shahrizat has blamed the PKR leaders for her downfall, it is believed that her real enemies – the whistle-blowers – were from Umno.

Among those suspected are FT minister and Umno Lembah Pantai division chief Raja Nong Chik, a protege of Najib’s. It is believed that the PM wants Raja Nong Chik to contest in Lembah Pantai in the coming 13th general election, but Shahrizat refused to give way as this was has been her seat since the 90s until it was wrested from her in 2008 by PKR’s Nurul Izzah Anwar.

Without her Cabinet post, would her family have won the NFC project?

The loan was used to purchase 5 top-end condominiums, a super-class Mercedes Benz, expensive family holidays, while million-ringgit discounts and cash transfers were given to family-controlled firms.

Shahrziat, who was questioned by the MACC on Wednesday, has insisted there is no conflict of interest and she was not involved in anyway in the NFC project.

However, few find her explanation credible or acceptable, with an Umno member even telling the press that no one knew her husband, Salleh Ismail the NFC chairman, “from Adam”. The implication was, if not for Shahrizat being a Cabinet minister, Salleh who has no track record in cattle rearing would never have won the deal.

Someone is “lying”

Her son, Izmir Salleh, too was castigated when he tried to defend his parents, insisting that the RM250million loan extended to his family allowed them to invest freely.

But instead of helping to cool public anger, Izmir received a public scolding. Opposition leaders have demanded an immediate Royal Commission of Inquiry into the messy NFC project and loan.

“During our Public Accounts Committee meeting on the NFC scandal on 23 November 2012, the senior Ministry of Finance (MoF) official was very specific in saying that the loan cannot be used for purpose other than that specified, and there was definitely no provision for the loan to be used for property ‘investment’,” said Tony Pua, the DAP MP for PJ Utara, in a statement on Friday.

“The senior MoF officer even explained that the purpose for each drawdown must be clearly stated. When further queried, the officer confirmed that the MoF who provided the RM250 million loan facility had never received an application to purchase propety. Therefore if the senior MoF official was telling the truth when testifying with the PAC, then Wan Shahinur Izmir must be lying through his teeth to defend the indefensible.”

Shaky start for BN Club in Sarawak

2012-02-10T16:00:18Z

Native community leaders in Sarawak have been reminded to focus on serving the people and to avoid becoming ‘political missionaries’.

The proposal by the five former leaders of Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) to set up a Barisan Nasional (BN) club faces a shaky start in the face of mounting objection from within BN and from the opposition.

The five – Mas MP Gading Tiki Lafe and four other assemblymen Peter Nansian (Tasik Biru), Sylvester Entri (Marudi), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu) and Paulus Gumbang (Batu Danau) – were expelled from SPDP in November last year for gross indiscipline.

Following their expulsion, they decided to form the BN Supporters Club in order to keep their “membership” with the BN and to enjoy the privileges given to BN elected representatives.

While waiting for the green light from the Registrar of Societies, the group has been going around securing membership for the club.

In Bau, the group signed a memorandum of understanding with 34 community leaders who have pledged full support for the setting up of the club.

Nansian (picture), who acted as spokesman for the group, said that those who opposed the formation of the club are not “loyal” to the BN.

His remark has irked some BN leaders and supporters.

The latest to condemn Nansian was a SPDP leader in Bau, Majen Minos. Minos described Nansian’s remark as “utter rubbish”.

“It is a misleading statement. What happens to the members of SPDP and other BN political parties who remain loyal to their parties?

“They are the ones who make up the political parties which in turn form the BN government.

“So who is Nansian to say that they are anti-BN government?” Minos asked, pointing out that Nansian is only confusing the people “especially the community leaders”.

‘Don’t be political missionaries’

Austin Dimin, a Bidayuh pemanca (leader) said: “I don’t agree with the formation of this club and believe community leaders should not be involved in it.

“The formation of this club is unhealthy because it is set up by politicians who appeared to be desperate in their efforts to remain relevant at the expense of the community leaders.

“Community leaders should not get involved in political activities promoted by the controversial BN club as the latter is confusing the people particularly in view of the coming general election.”

Dimin urged community leaders in Bau not to deviate from their role to serve the people without fear or favour.

Meanwhile, Sarawak National Party (SNAP) secretary-general Frankie Jurem Nyumboi ticked off the clubs leaders who tried to woo the community leaders.

He said that under the Community Chiefs and Headmen Ordinance 2004, community leaders are not allowed to be involved in politics.

“The ordinance which was passed by the State Legislative Assembly clearly spells out the roles and functions of community leaders be they tuai rumah, penghulu, pemanca, temenggong or kapitan.

“Under section 6 of the ordinance, the duties of the community leaders are, among others, to preside over native court cases and to look after the welfare of their community and others. But they must not be political missionaries.

“Otherwise, why pass the law and not use it?” he asked.

Club would erode BN relevance

Among the first to oppose the formation of the club was the SPDP president William Mawan who said that the club “is not a political party and cannot be considered as a political entity”.

According to him, the group has no rights nominating candidates in the four parliamentary seats allocated to SPDP.

“The seats (Mas Gading, Baram, Bintulu and Saratok) belong to SPDP,” Mawan said.

A PBB leader and Deputy Parliament Speaker Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar criticised the proponents of the BN club for promoting their cause and recruiting members for the club as it is yet to be registered.

“If I remember my law correctly, they can only hold membership drive and promote their cause after the club is registered,” he said.

Jeneri Amir, a political science lecturer at Universiti Sarawak (Unimas) said that the formation of the club to accommodate the disgruntled members of BN component parties would set a bad precedent for the ruling coalition.

“If the club is allowed to grow, its importance would erode the relevance of the BN political parties and also the power-sharing concept, which the BN has been practising,” he said.

What’s govt stand on NCR land?

2012-02-10T16:00:01Z

The Sarawak administration which is projecting itself to be a caring government must first state its stand on the definition of NCR.

The opposition here wants Chief Minister Taib Mahmud to openly declare that the state accepts and recognises the court’s definition of native customary rights (NCR) land.

Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian said that regular coverage in the press of Barisan Nasional politicians rejoicing with landowners at “presentation ceremonies” gave the impression that the state government recognised the “pemakai menua” (communal forests) and “pulau galau” (territorial domain) forests as part and parcel of NCR land as defined by the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court.

“Does the government accept the Court of Appeal and Federal Court’s definition, which includes Pemakai menoa (communal/territorial domain) and Pulau galau (reserved forest or land) as NCR land?

“Thus far in every NCR land case I bring to court, the submission by the state Attorney-General (AG) is that NCR land is restricted to temuda (farming land) established before 1958.

“This shows either that the state AG’s office is ignorant of the court’s ruling, or that the state has totally no regard for the authority or supremacy of the highest courts of the land.

“I again call on the Chief Minister, the Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment, or the Special Functions Minister to declare publicly that the state recognises that pemakai menoa and pulau galau are part and parcel of NCR land, as defined by the court, ” Bian, who is a prominent NCR lawyer here, said.

Not against new NCR initiative

Commenting on a recent statement by Special Function Minister Adenan Satem, Bian said that he did not oppose the new NCR initiative to survey the land and provide landowners with titles.

“The Special Functions Minister was quoted as saying that there are some people telling landowners to oppose the NCR new initiative.

“I assure the Special Functions Minister that PKR and I do not oppose the NCR new initiative. In fact, we would welcome any initiative to document and ensure the security of our people’s NCR land.

“The only stumbling-block is the inability of the state to assure us that there is a meeting of the minds with regard to the meaning of NCR, and that has resulted in people being wary of the surveying exercise by the Land and Survey Department.

“In fact, the explanation made by the department to the landowners is similar to the state AG – that NCR is restricted to temuda established before 1958.

“This is wrong and unacceptable. Our native landowners must have the assurance that the state will adhere to the definition of NCR land as pronounced by the courts.

“Only then can we lend our full support to the NCR new initiative,” added Bian, who is also Ba’Kelalan assemblyman.

Light-heARTed midnight rendezwoo, in Heaven or Hell, it's your democratic choice...

2012-02-10T16:11:00Z

I often TEAse my tehtarik pardners I prefer that plaze where Marilyn Monroe, Ziana Zin and Lindai would likely end up. for they have a noroious past. Yes, they had SINned. Desi have also seen. Lots. You see, I peep only at Midnight, hence I titled my first volume of poems published in 2007 as "Midnight Voices and Other Pomes" by Desi YL Chong.

A recnt newfound fan of Desi's cybertokkok is one half of Tome&Jerry. I am reproducing his lust email's enclosing received at mid-day, so it's knot secret!

The Queen & Dolly Go To Heaven!

Queen Elizabeth

And

Dolly Parton

Die on the same day and they both go

Before an Angel to find out if they'll be admitted to Heaven.

Unfortunately, there's only one space left that day,

So the Angel must decide which of them gets in.

The Angel asks Dolly if there's some particular

Reason why she should go to Heaven.

Dolly takes off her top and says, 'Look at these,

They're the most perfect breasts God ever created,

And I'm sure it will please God to be able to see

Them every day, for eternity.'

The Angel thanks Dolly, and asks Her Majesty

The same question. The Queen takes a bottle of

Perrier out of her purse, drinks it down.

Then, wees into a toilet and pulls the lever.

The Angel says, 'OK, your Majesty, you may go in.'

Dolly is outraged and asks, 'What was that all about?

I show you two of God's own perfect creations and

You turn me down. She wees into a toilet and she gets in!

Would you explain that to me?'

'Sorry, Dolly,' says the Angel, 'but even in Heaven,

A Royal Flush

Beats a Pair -

No Matter How Big They Are.

Read More @ Source