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Ong Tee Keat as Selangor's first ever Chinese MB?

2012-02-14T00:30:00Z

Prime Minister Najib Razak knows that UMNO and the other BN component parties are in bad shape, all suffering from a bad image due to under-performance and gutter politicking. He knows that it would be impossible to undo the many wrongs committed by the UMNO-BN in the past 56 years.

Najib denies being disorganized. He now feels that he has a very good image or good enough at least to face the voters with confidence.

His main focus remains winning Selangor from the Pakatan Rakyat. The latest plan is to win 31 out of the state's 56 state assembly seats with Umno and MIC contesting 41.

Although, he has pointed out that 60% of the candidate will be new faces and clean, the old guard is still thinking they have a chance. But Satim Diman, Noh Omar, Mohd Zin, Khir Toyo, Muhammad Muhammad Taib, Ezam Mohd Nor and all the present UMNO office bearers can wave good bye to their dreams.

They can also stop bickering as Najib has already got his list of winnable candidates. And given that in the recent UMNO general assembly, delegates authorized him to make the final decision, Najib can be expected to push through with this list, regardless of how loud the grumbling and grousing gets.

There is also talk that Najib is trying to entice former MCA president Ong Tee Keat to accept a state seat and surrender his Pandan parliamentary seat to Umno. In exchange Najib will appoint Tee Keat as Selangor's first ever Chinese mentri besar or chief minister.

What are Najib's ulterior motives in such a proposition and whether Tee Keat will fall for it remains to be seen. Yet despite the media pumping up his image and describing his preparations for the polls as meticulous, especially in Selangor, where he remains the state liaison chief, Selangor is likely to blow up in his face.

Not only is the Pakatan extremely popular in the state, but Najib's preparations are not really that well organized at all.

For example, the all-important question is still unanswered. If BN really wins in Selangor, who will be the Mentri Besar? Will it really be Tee Keat?

How can Najib talk about winning and ditching the old guard and party workers, when he can't even name a Mentri Besar potential.

Some in UMNO, especially his rivals from the pro-Mahathir Mohamad faction such as Rafidah, have begun asking if Najib is really preparing to win Selangor.

To them, at the rate he is going, it looks more like he is preparing for an extended exit strategy for the UMNO-BN and unwittingly also for himself.

Because if Selangor is not recaptured, Najib can kiss the UMNO presidency and premiership goodbye! - Nawawi Mohamad, Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

cheers.

BILA JAWI DAN JAIS NAK SERANG GENTING?

2012-02-13T20:16:00Z

TUNNGU SENARAI GAGALIST AKAN KELUAR

NOTA:
jangan hanya serang anak muda dalam kelab
jangan hanya serang anak muda dating valentines
jangan hanya serang anak muda di bujet hotel

serang genting pusat judi
serang empat numbor ekor
serang sport toto
serang ma cai

tun hanif towkay judi
anak madey pemilik syarikat arak
kenapa tak serang
takut ke?

asik asik serang anak muda dengan kekasih
asik asik sernag hari valentin
kalau badan gedebab
muka poyo memang tak laku
kah kah kah

LEMBU ANAK BERANAK CURI DUIT 250 JUTA RINGGIT

2012-02-13T18:42:00Z

SHAHRIZAT LEMBU

NAZRI : KELUARGA SHAHRIZAT WAJAR BAYAR RM250JUTA - mkini

Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Mohamed Nazri Abd Aziz menasihatkan ahli keluarga rakan kabinetnya, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil supaya membayar balik RM250 juta yang dipinjamkan kepada syarikat milik keluarganya bagi menjalankan projek ternakan lembu itu.

Bercakap kepada wartawan di kawasan parlimennya di Padang Rengas, semalam, Mohamed Nazri berkata tindakan itu adalah penyelesaian terbaik bagi masalah berkenaan tanpa perlu Shahrizat meletak jawatan Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat.

“Beliau (Shahrizat) tak perlu letak jawatan. Apa yang paling utama, kembalikan semula wang itu kepada kerajaan,” katanya dipetik akhbar Sinar Harian hari ini.

Menurut Nazri, dengan penyelesaian seperti itu, kerajaan masih boleh meneruskan projek NFC tetapi mencadangkan tender terbuka dijalankan bagi mengelak masalah hal yang tidak diingini.

NFC dibidas pelbagai pihak termasuk dari Umno, apabila PKR membuat pendedahan demi pendedahan bahawa syarikat itu, di mana suami Shahrizat, Datuk Seri Mohd Salleh Ismail, adalah pengerusinya menyalah gunakan dana RM250 juta yang diperuntukkan sebagai pinjaman mudah oleh kerajaan.

KAH KAH KAH
KAH KAH KAH
KAH KAH KAH

woit..INI BERITA BAIK.... kah kah kah..

kah kah kah...GEROMBOLAN SDUDAH GADUH SAMA SENDIRI.... kah kah kah..

kah kah kah...MENTERI SUDAH TIBAI SAMA MENTERI...kah kah kah...

kah kaah kah...INI POLITIK SEHAT.... SEHAT UNTUK PAKATAN... kah kah kah..

NOTA:
tamu allah tiga kali
rupa rupanya kali kelentong

BERKUMPUL DI KUANTAN AHAD 26 HARIBULAN INI

2012-02-13T18:33:00Z

LAWAN HINGGA PINDAH

PAKATAN RAKYAT SOKONG HIMPUNAN LYNAS 26 FEBUARI – keadilan daily

PETALING JAYA 13 Feb: Pakatan Rakyat hari ini sepakat menyokong penuh Himpunan Hijau pada 26 Februari ini, yang antara lain sebagai usaha untuk memberhentikan projek nadir bumi oleh Syarikat Lynas di Gebeng, Kuantan.

Ketua Pembangkang, Anwar Ibrahim mewakili PR menyatakan sokongan tersebut selepas selesai mesyuarat Pakatan Rakyat yang didakan di Ibu Pejabat KEADILAN, di sini hari ini.

“Gerakan membantah Lynas diteruskan. Pada 26 Februari ini akan diadakan himpunan hijau, menentang Lynas di Kuantan.

“Pemimpin parti (Pakatan Rakyat) akan turun memberi sokongan,” Katanya kepada media.
Menurut Anwar, beliau juga difahamkan Gabungan Hentikan Lynas (SLC) akan memfailkan semakan kehakiman bagi mencabar Lembaga Pelesenan Tenaga Atom (AELB) yang meluluskan Lesen Kendalian Sementara (TOL) untuk projek itu.

“Jawatankuasa itu akan mempersiapkan tindakan undang-undang bagi semakan kehakiman diadakan dalam masa yang segera dan diharapkan dapat dikemukakan sebelum 26 Februari ini,” ujar beliau.

Lynas Advanced dilaporkan akan memproses sisa nadir bumi mengandungi bahan radioaktif yang boleh mendatangkan bahaya kepada hidupan dan alam sekitar.

Baru-baru ini, AELB meluluskan lesen kendalian Sementara (TOL) kepada syarikat daripada Australia itu untuk beroperasi.

Gabungan Anti Lynas dalam satu kenyataannya sebelum ini menyokong penuh Himpunan Hijau tersebut sebagai usaha untuk memberhentikan dan menyemak semula projek yang mengancam keselamatan orang awam, serta bercanggah dengan semangat Piagam Bumi (Earth Charter).

SLC sebelum ini turut menyertai Himpunan Hijau 1.0 yang berlangsung pada 9 Oktober 2011 di Kuantan.
Program yang amat berjaya itu melibatkan lebih daripada 80 NGO, gerakan sivil dan parti politik yang disertai hampir 7000 penyokong.

NOTA:
anak anak muda
pelajar dan mahasiswa
sila ambil perhatian
ahad 26 februari ini
berkumpul dan berhimpun
di kuantan

SEBELUM NASI JADI KERAK

sebelum terlambat
sebelum nasi menjadi kerak
sebelum ayam berkepala tiga
sebelum anak kecil bermata satu
sebelum ikan patin sebesar buaya
sebelum ibu melahirkan air
sebelum jantan mati pucuk
sebelum kambing makan lembu
sebelum lembu makan anjing
sebelum anjing berkali lapan

kita turun
kita lawan
sampai kilang ditutup

NOTA:
hanya satu soalan
jika kilang ini selamat
kenapa todak didirikan di australia?
kenapa rakyat australia sendiri menolak kilang ini?

SEMUA PASANG LUKAH - PAU DUIT ATAS NAMA AGAMA

2012-02-13T11:12:00Z

JANGAN LUPA ESOK - HARI GAGALIST

RASUAH : KETUA PENDAKWA SYARIE PERAK DIPENJARA 8 TAHUN - meloya

IPOH 13 Feb. — Ketua Pendakwa Syarie Jabatan Agama Islam Perak dijatuhi hukuman penjara berjumlah lapan tahun dan didenda RM55,000 oleh Mahkamah Sesyen di sini hari ini selepas didapati bersalah terhadap empat pertuduhan rasuah berkaitan kes khalwat melibatkan seorang anggota polis lima tahun lepas.

Hakim Tan Hooi Leng membuat keputusan itu terhadap Shahrunnazri Abdul Samad, 43, selepas mendapati pihak pembelaan gagal menimbulkan keraguan munasabah di akhir kes pembelaan.

Bagi pertuduhan pertama, mahkamah menjatuhkan hukuman penjara dua tahun dan denda RM25,000, dan bagi pertuduhan kedua hingga keempat, hukuman penjara dua tahun dan denda RM10,000, atau dua bulan penjara jika gagal membayar.

Mahkamah memerintahkan hukuman bagi keempat-empat pertuduhan itu berjalan secara serentak mulai hari ini.

MENTERI ARAH TANGKAP KEKASIH PADA HARI VALENTINE – mkini

Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Jamil Khir Baharom meminta semua Jabatan Agama Islam Negeri menguatkuasakan tindakan yang perlu diambil terhadap pasangan Islam bukan mahram pada Hari Kekasih yang disambut pada malam ini atau esok.

Beliau berkata ini kerana Hari Kekasih bukan amalan umat Islam.

"Kita bergerak serentak di seluruh negara untuk menguatkuasakan peraturan dan tindakan yang perlu bagi hal-hal yang berkaitan dengan memperingati kekasih ini," katanya kepada pemberita selepas majlis penyampaian bantuan kepada masjid Negeri Sembilan oleh Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan di Seremban, hari ini.

Katanya pelbagai bentuk dakwah, nasihat, pandangan, kenyataan dan sebagainya telah disampaikan mengenai Hari Kekasih ini kerana ia bukan amalan umat Islam.

KAH AKH KAH
KAH KAH KAH
KAH KAH AKH

woit...TAK PAYAH LAAAA NAK TUNJUK ISLAM SANGAT.... kah kah kah..

kah kah kah...SILA JAWAB BOLEH ATAU TAK BOLEH GUNA DUIT ZAKAT BAYAR UPAH PEGUAM .... kah kah kah..

kah kah kah... BACA BERITA DI ATAS.... ORANG AGAMA OUN PASANG LUKAH.... kah kah kah..

kah kah kah...POLIS BUAT ROAD BLOK PASANG LUKAH ... PAU PEMANDU.... kah kah kah..

kah kah kah...GENG JAIS DAN JAWI..PASDANG LUKAH PAU ORANG NAK MENGENTOT... kah kah kah..

woit...NAK ENTOT PUN KENA MINAK SURAT DARI JAIS KE?... kah kah kah...

kah kah kah...SURAT DARI KETUA CAWANGAN OAK TAK?.... kah kah kah..

kah kah kah..SEMUA KAKI PAU... SEMUA PASANG LUKAH.... kah kah kah..

kah kah kah...SEMUA JUAL AGAMA...kah kah kah..

kah kah kah..SEMUA NAK SUSAH KAN HIDUP ANAK MUDA.... kah kah kah...

kah kah kah...KES BUNUH ALTANTUYA... TAK ADA PULA FATWA...kah kah kah..

kah kah kah...KES SHAHRIZAT CURI DUIT LEMBU.... TAK ADA PULAK FATWA.... kah kah kah

Fix the Economy, what ETP?

2012-02-14T00:14:30Z

February 14, 2012

www.themalaysianinsider.com

Fix the Economy, what ETP?: Young Voters not impressed

by Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, Lisa J. Ariffin, Farhan Darwis and Lee Wei Lian

The Government’s talk of economic transformation and reform has little resonance with the nation’s newest batch of voters who are suffering from the erosion of spending power in the country which they feel has made it a struggle to survive and clouds their future.

Unlike the older generation of voters who were able to easily pay off a house and a car within a few years of starting work, today’s generation of young adult workers find themselves in debt before they even start working and are looking at 20-30 years to pay off a house, if they can even afford one, and as long as nine years to pay off a car.

The country is also grappling with poor purchasing power as reflected by KL’s ranking in the 2011 Prices and Wages report by Swiss bank UBS AG, placing a lowly 49 among major global cities, down from 47 in 2010.

While wages have largely remained unchanged for the past two to three decades, inflation has been steadily rising, hitting 3.2 per cent last year with prices of food and beverages increasing even faster at 4.8 per cent.

A poll of young working adults by The Malaysian Insider showed that that they were concerned that the difference between wages and the cost of living had reached a critical stage, with many looking at the prospect of either meagre savings or high debt and feeling hard pressed to survive without family assistance.

Among some of the suggested actions the government take were to set minimum wage levels while capping inflation. Rashaad Ali, 23, who works as a writer for Groupon Malaysia, said that cost of living was of paramount importance since he became a taxpayer.

As a young adult, it is at the forefront of my mind especially since I started paying tax,” he said. “The immediate future is a big question mark of survival, while questionable usage of EPF funds makes me wonder for my ‘retirement’ as well. While I should put equal stock in my own ability to take care of myself, there are things that are simply out of my control which I expect my government to handle.”

Biotech graduate Phillip Tay, 27, who works as a marketing executive with a publishing house, feels that many graduates are underpaid, and that ultimately it is government who should decided on basic wage levels.

“Wages have been stagnant for way too long. There should be government enforcement, the government should raise it up,” he said.

“I graduated with a degree in biotechnology. I look at my peers… many of them barely make more money than a SPM leaver… I might as well be selling insurance,” he said. “What the government can do is come up with policies that can help address the issue of stagnant wages, prices are going up but wages aren’t. I’d vote for a government which can look into that.”

Melissa Low, 26, who works as an accountant with an European multinational in Singapore but is a registered voter, said she left Malaysia partly due to the better purchasing power across the Causeway. “The money is better and the inflation in Malaysia is very high,” she said. “Food, clothing, branded items are all more affordable in Singapore if you earn a Singapore salary.”

Mohd Abdul Wahid Rosmat, 26, a warehouse worker in Sekinchan, Selangor, said he was feeling the effects of the country’s inflation rate keenly. “Prices will just rise suddenly and sometimes, the price increase doesn’t make sense,” he said. “With our wages not keeping up with prices, the value of our money is shrinking.”

Rachel Tan, 23, who works as an accounts executive at an online advertising company, said young working adults are “stuck”.

“There’s poverty of a different kind,” she said. “There’s a lot more debts at this age… someone my age already has so many loans to repay even before they can own a home, once they get out of university.”

Malacca-born Mohd Fareez Azman, 25, who now lives in Shah Alam, said prices have gone completely out of kilter with salaries. “Wages are very different from the cost of living,” he said. “Salaries should be in balance with prices, even if it’s not high, it should at least be higher than the cost of living.”

While the government has promised to cut back on subsidies under its reform programmes, some such as Yanti, a 24-year-old cook from Parit 5, Sekinchan, believed that the government needed to keep forking out subsidies and helping the poor, because many cannot cope with ever-increasing prices of daily goods.

“I’ve been working as a cook for three years, but my pay is stagnant, but the prices are increasing. Both me and my husband’s combined pay does not even add up to RM3,000. How do we live?”

Ibrahim Suffian, head of the opinion research firm Merdeka Center, said the Government’s rhetoric on economic transformation has little traction with the younger voters. “Whoever can do better to address the practical needs of the younger voters and communicate this via a wider set of channels will benefit at the polls,” he said.

James Chin, head of the School of Social Sciences at Monash University, Sunway in Petaling Jaya, said the cost of living would be the number one issue in the coming general election which was likely why the government has been giving out assistance such as vouchers and cash grants to low-income households.

He noted however that the public was largely cynical over the efforts and it was not sustainable over the long run.“The government needs to address the structure of the economy,” he said. “Wages are stagnant and the cost of living has gone up. They need to reform the entire economy.”

Economists have said that inefficiency, lack of competition and an undervalued ringgit are the reasons behind higher prices and the country’s distorted purchasing power for imported goods.

The cost of the two big ticket items — houses and cars — are often prohibitive for even the majority of older workers.

While the Government has taken limited steps to address housing affordability, such as imposing a cap on the value of third housing loans and above, it has not tackled the exorbitant excise duties which make cars by foreign brands so unaffordable.

Taken together with the country’s relatively low salary base, the purchasing power of the average worker in KL as calculated by UBS is 60 per cent or more lower than that in Los Angeles or Sydney and only about half that of a worker in Tokyo.

With more than 30 per cent of Malaysians reportedly earning less than RM700 a month, the Najib Administration has been mulling the introduction of a minimum wage but no decision has yet been reached as government officials fear it could cause higher unemployment and loss of competitiveness.

Pakatan Rakyat has also said that it is in favour of a minimum wage. Young voters meanwhile will be scrutinising the efforts of both the ruling party and the federal opposition to restructure the economy.

“For me, I will vote a government that will continue to provide aid, to help us. It’s difficult living when everything has a price,” said Yanti.

NFC scandal likely to delay 13th General Election...

2012-02-13T22:00:00Z

The National Feedlot Corporation controversy, which has implicated Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil's family, is likely to put the government off from calling a general election soon.

This, PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar (right) said, was among several reasons why the general election would not take place in the next two months.

"It is unlikely that the government will call a general election while NFC haunts its and Umno's leadership," Mahfuz told a press conference at the PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

Another problem plaguing the government, he said, was the Public Service New Remuneration Scheme (SBPA), which was still under review. The scheme in its current form, Mahfuz said, has created anger in the public service, a key voting bloc for the government, as it sees huge pay rises for top-tier government officers but only nominal increases for the lower tier workers.

Mahfuz said changes being implemented by the Election Commission (EC), such as the use of indelible ink, would also indicate that the general election would take place later.

“The EC will need a few months to train its people and produce new procedural manuals on managing the next general election (because of the changes being made),” he said. Instead, Mahfuz speculated that the general election may be in April or May, shortly after the Agong’s coronation to take advantage of the ‘feel good’ atmosphere.

“The Agong has been sworn in, but his coronation has yet to be held. The government will likely use the atmosphere of the Agong’s coronation and call the general election after that,” he said.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has been coy about when the 13th general election will be called. However, the premier and his deputy Muhiyddin Yassin have been on a campaign blitz in several states in the past months to rally BN members.- malaysiakini

Najib's olive branch to Shahrizat? Repay RM250mil and you don't have to quit

Nazri Aziz, widely regarded as Prime Minister Najib Razak's spokesman, has given Cabinet colleague Shahrizat Jalil an olive branch loaded with implications - repay a RM250mil government soft loan extended to her family and she won't have to resign.

Even so, it is unlikely that any move other than Shahrizat resigning and the Najib administration carrying out a full-scale probe would satisfy Malaysians. Shahrizat is the Women's minister, whose family is at the centre of a corruption probe into the NFC cattle breeding project.

"We hope this is not Najib's idea of a solution. It will teach young Malaysians it is okay to be corrupt. Cheat, lie and embezzle until you get caught and then repay back the money and you are not only scot-free. You won't even be considered as having done something wrong," PKR vice president Chua Jui Meng told Malaysia Chronicle.

Nazri was reported by Malay daily Sinar Harian as saying it was the best solution to put and end to the ongoing controversy without forcing a resignation from Shahrziat, who is also the Wanita Umno chief.

“She does not have to resign. The main thing is, return the money to the government. But after this, it is better to use open tender to avoid such unwanted incidents,” said Nazri.

Insult to the Malays?

Indeed that Nazri, a seasoned politician and senior Cabinet minister himself, could utter such comments show the depth of depravity in Umno, a party that has been accused of succumbing to the maxim 'absolute power corrupts absolutely'. Umno has ruled Malaysia for 55 years and relies on a brand of racial favoritism and religious bigotry to stay in power.

Those in Shahrizat's camp, which includes Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and former premier Abdullah Badawi, who were the ones approved the project to her family in 2006, have been spreading the word that any move to oust Shahrzat as Umno Wanita chief or drop her from the Cabinet was tantamount to insulting the Malay race.

Caught in a Catch-22 of his own making, all eyes are back on Prime Minister Najib, who has tried to avoid coming to any decision on the Shahrizat issue despite growing calls from the public, the opposition and other factions in Umno including former premier Mahathir Mohamad to sack Shahrizat immediately or face greater damage to Umno's credibility.

Within Wanita Umno, moves are already afoot to call for an EGM to pass a no-conifdence move against Shahrizat. The NFC debacle, given that it involves the inappropriate purchase of super-luxury bungalows in Singapore, has attracted foreign attention. Without realizing it, Umno is confirming to the world how corrupt it is, according to Jui Meng.

"Here they are playing politics and patting themselves on the back at how great they are at intrigue. But the rest of the nation is thoroughly disgusted and the international community caught between disbelief and laughter at the fools Umno is making of itself over what is a clear cut case of corruption that should have been resolved decisively," said Jui Meng.

Wishy-washy

Of the RM250 million soft loan, the Shahrizats have purchased 5 condos, a super-class Mercedes Benz, chalked up huge credit card bills, extended million-ringgit discounts and cash remittances to family-controlled firms.

In the next few weeks, in the Umno style of damage control that Malaysians have become accustomed to, the mainstream media can be expected to downplay the misappropriations by the Shahrizats in a bid to help the party gloss over the incident.

Shahrizat has refused to step down despite an ultimatum extended by Najib and although she is the one on the defensive, he is not expected to pressure her further given his weak hold on the government, and his own wishy-washy characteristics.

Najib too is hounded by scandals galore and is still fighting accusations of having taken a RM570 million kickback from the government's purchase of 2 Scorpene submarines.

Shahrizat has said no one is Umno was free of 'problems', a statement that may believe was aimed to tell her Umno colleagues including Najib that she will not hesitate to spill the beans on them if they did not help her. - Malaysia Chronicle

Kemelut NFC akan lambatkan PRU13

Kemelut projek ternakan lembu syarikat Perbadanan Fidlot Kebangsaan (NFC) yang dikaitkan dengan Menteri Wanita, Keluarga dan Pembangunan Masyarakat Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, mungkin melewatkan kerajaan daripada membubarkan Dewan Rakyat supaya pilihan raya umum dapat diadakan.

Ini, menurut naib presiden PAS, Datuk Mahfuz Omar, adalah antara beberapa sebab mengapa pilihan raya umum tidak akan diadakan pada tempoh dua bulan akan datang.

"Tidak mungkin kerajaan akan adakan pilihan raya umum apabila isu NFC ini menghantui kepimpinannya dan Umno," kata Mahfuz pada sidang akhbar di ibu pejabat PAS di Kuala Lumpur hari ini.

Selain itu, katanya satu lagi masalah yang membelenggu kerajaan, adalah skim Saraan Baru Perkhidmatan Awam (SBPA) yang masih dalam kajian.

Skim berkenaan dalam bentuk semasa, kata Mahfuz, telah menimbulkan kemarahan kakitangan awam yang merupakan penyokong utama bagi kerajaan, kerana kenaikan gaji yang besar hanya dinikmati pegawai tinggi tetapi peningkatan nominal untuk pekerja peringkat bawahan.- malaysiakini

cheers.

Pertambahan mendadak pengundi di Selangor mencurigakan...

2012-02-13T18:12:00Z

Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim berkata terdapatnya kecurigaan dalam pertambahan mendadak bilangan pengundi di sesetengah kawasan di negeri ini sejak 2008.

Penasihat PKR itu menjelaskan, antara kawasan yang mengalami kadar kenaikan ketara adalah di kawasan Subang, Kota Raja, dan Puchong.

"Berdasarkan kajian analisis terperinci Pakatan Rakyat (PR) terdapatnya pertambahan mendadak bilangan pengundi di sesetengah kawasan yang mencurigakan.

"Pengundi di Subang bertambah sebanyak 35 peratus, daripada sejumlah 84,000 ribu kepada 114,000, Kota Raja mengalami peningkatan 29.5 peratus, dan Puchong mengalami peningkatan sebanyak 25 peratus daripada tahun 2008," katanya, namun tidak mendedahkan butiran lanjut berkenaan peningkatan tersebut.

Sehubungan itu, Anwar turut menuntut SPR melaksanakan penyiasatan terperinci terhadap sejumlah 42,000 senarai nama yang meragukan di dalam senarai daftar pemilih yang tidak mendaftar dengan Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN).

"Sehingga Oktober 2011, sejumlah 42,000 senarai nama meragukan terdapat dalam senarai daftar pemilih dan kebanyakan mereka ini berumur antara 90 hingga seratus tahun dan tidak berdaftar dengan JPN.

"Sekiranya perkara itu tidak di atasi segera, Pakatan Rakyat mendesak SPR supaya tidak melaksanakan pilihan raya sehinggalah siasatan selesai," jelasnya lagi dan menambah, pembangkang turut mendesak SPR menubuhkan Suruhanjaya Diraja bagi menyiasat warga asing yang diberi kerakyatan.

"Perkara itu bukan hanya isu di Sabah, bahkan masalah peringkat nasional. Sehubungan itu, PKR mendesak Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) mewujudkan suruhanjaya dan sahkan status mereka yang layak sebagai warganegara dan pengundi sebelum pilihan raya akan datang," tegasnya.

Menurut beliau, yang juga Ahli Parlimen Permatang Pauh, tiga pemimpin PR yang berada di dalam Jawatankuasa Khas Parlimen berkenaan penambah baikan pilihan raya (PSC) akan memainkan peranan mendesak SPR menjalankan semakan yang lebih telus dan pendaftaran secara automatik supaya data pengundi dapat disemak dengan lebih teliti.

"Azmin Ali, Anthony Loke, dan Dr Hatta Ramli akan bertanggungjawab mendesak SPR bagi memperbaiki perkara ini sebelum pilihan raya dilaksanakan," katanya lagi.-malaysian insider

Pakatan wants 'Project IC' RCI to cover whole nation...

Just days before the Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is to announce the government’s decision on the proposal to establish a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants in Sabah given citizenship and rights to vote, Pakatan Rakyat demanded that the RCI cover not just the land below the wind but the whole nation.

“We urge the government to establish (the RCI) immediately and don’t limit it to just Sabah because this is a national issue,” said PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim during a press conference at PKR headquarters after chairing the Pakatan leadership council meeting.

The opposition coalition also wanted the authorities to verify the citizenship and voting rights of those dubious voters before calling the next general election. It was reported that Najib is expected to make the much-awaited announcement with regard to the federal cabinet’s decision on the RCI during his next visit to Sabah, slated for two days beginning on Feb 16.

According to Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Maximus Ongkili, the recent cabinet meeting had discussed the issue in detail.

In another related development, Anwar revealed the meeting had lengthy discussion on preparations for the general election and resolved that the Election Commission (EC) should remove the 42,000 dubious names from the electoral role.

As part of the effort to clean up the problematic electoral roll, the EC had displayed 42,051 names of voters which do not exist in the National Registration Department for two months, but only 50 persons came forward to verify their status.

Hence the EC is mulling over whether to remove the remaining 42,025 names from the electoral roll.

Anwar also reiterated that Pakatan had detected an unusual surge of voters since the last general election in certain Parliamentary constituencies won by its component parties.

Among others, voters in Subang (PKR) has increased by 35 percent from 84,000 to 114,000; Kota Raja (PAS) recorded drastic growth of 29.5 percent while Puchong (DAP) saw its voter number balloon by 25 percent.

He also claimed that some 600 voters were transferred to the same addresses in constituencies located within the Federal Territory.

“We are still doubtful of the credibility and freedom of the EC. It needs to have more transparency, and information should be given to all quarters earlier so we can have a thorough examination,” the Permatang Pauh MP added.

Anwar was asked on the issue of the deportation of Saudi Arabian national Hamza Kashgari, but he replied that the Pakatan leadership council did not discuss it.

On the arrest in Indonesia of Hilmi Malek, who was said to be involved in releasing semi-nude pictures of Selangor exco member Elizabeth Wong, Anwar said he had not received any information from either Hilmi or his family, and wondered why it has become an issue" - malaysiakini

Pakatan janji kembalikan undang-undang dirombak Dr M jika memerintah

Pakatan vows to fix judiciary if voted into power

cheers.

Sehari Bersama Anwar Ibrahim–Liputan Koran Tempo

2012-02-13T16:58:15Z

Klik imej untuk besarkan keratan

Pakatan Desak SPR Batal Daftar 42,000 Pemilih Ragu

2012-02-13T15:49:50Z

“Hiccup” delays settlement over Tajuddin’s Appeal

2012-02-13T16:27:37Z

February 14, 2012

“Hiccup” delays settlement over Tajuddin’s Appeal

S Pathmawathy@www.malaysiakini.com
12:59PM Feb 13, 2012

Former Malaysia Airlines (MAS) head Tajudin Ramli has cited a “last-minute hiccup” in ironing out terms of settlement with Pengurusan Danaharta Bhd (Danaharta) in a case before the Court of Appeal.

Justice Abu Samah Nordin agreed to adjourn the proceedings to 2.30pm tomorrow(February 14) after Tajuddin’s lawyer, Lim Kian Leong, said more time is needed to resolve several “procedural matters”.

The appeal pertains to a Kuala Lumpur High Court order on December 7, 2009 which requires Tajuddin to pay Danaharta RM589.14 million with 2 percent annual interest above the base lending rate of Malayan Banking Bhd, backdated to Jan 1, 2006.

Danaharta is managing loans that Tajuddin had incurred in purchasing MAS shares in the 1990s.

Lim indicated this morning that the parties involved have reached a settlement, the terms of which were not divulged in court.Lawyers representing Danaharta and the government agreed to the postponement. However, other parties objected, insisting that unless Lim could offer an assurance that the process would be completed by tomorrow, the appeal should go on.

“If I could give some assurance (I would) but my client believes that it can be resolved by tomorrow. A great deal of effort has been put in getting us this far… I understand the frustration,” replied Lim. “… we have made huge progress so far… this is just a last-minute hiccup.”

Justice Abu Samah is sitting with Justices Syed Ahmad Helmy Syed Ahmad and Alizatul Khair Osman Khairuddin.

Tajuddin, in his affidavit obtained by Malaysiakini last week, said that Danaharta had requested to settle the matter “out of court” and for for “all relevant cases” to be adjourned until the settlement is finalised.

He stated that he cannot divulge the terms of settlement in public until the government and Finance Ministry have been briefed and the government-linked companies are informed.

Among those who have filed suits against Tajuddin are Danaharta, Telekom Malaysia, Celcom (M) Bhd, CIMB, Naluri Corp Bhd, Atlan Holdings Bhd and MAS.

Suits withdrawn

Tajuddin became the largest shareholder in MAS, after he borrowed RM1.79 billion from the government in 1994 to purchase a 32 percent stake in the national carrier.

Severely affected by the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and 1998, Tajuddin in 2001 convinced the government to buy back the MAS shares at RM8 per share.

However, Tajuddin failed to repay the multi-million ringgit loans taken to purchase MAS, following which Danaharta filed a suit against him in 2006, seeking RM589.14 million with interest.

He then filed a counter-suit claiming RM13.46 billion from some 22 parties and individuals. The tycoon claimed that he had acted on the instructions by then premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and finance minister Daim Zainuddin to take over MAS. Mahathir, however, has denied ever having given such instructions.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, in a letter last August, had informed litigants that the government and the Finance Ministry had agreed that all suits against Tajuddin would be withdrawn for an out-of-court settlement.

The legal team was to be replaced by lawyers from Hafarizam Wan Aishah & Mubarak, a firm that regularly acts for UMNO, in a bid to save the government billions of ringgit.

Menteri Agama blur minta Menteri Agama blur lulus; minta RM1 juta lulus RM4 juta...

2012-02-13T14:00:00Z

Mengapa Yayasan Taqwa menerima wang zakat RM4 juta dari Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (MAIWP) tahun lalu sedangkan ia hanya meminta RM1 juta?

Soalan itu dikemukakan hari ini oleh Ketua Pemuda PAS Nasrudin Hassan kepada Menteri di Jabatan Perdana, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom yang berkata keadaan itu cukup mengelirukan.

“Pada 17 September 2011 Yayasan Taqwa pohon RM1 juta kepada MAIWP tetapi pada 12 November 2011 jawatankuasa Baitulmal MAIWP melulus RM4 juta.

“Jumlah itu bukan sahaja mencurigakan, apatah lagi Pengerusi MAIWP dan Pemegang Amanah Yayasan Taqwa itu adalah orang yang sama,” kata Nasrudin pada sidang akhbar di Kuala Lumpur pagi ini.

Katanya, Jamil Khir (kanan) bertanggungjawab terhadap kedua-dua badan itu.

“Erti kata lain macam Jamil Khir minta pada Jamil Khir, Jamil Khir lulus pada Jamil Khir,” katanya sambil menambah keadaan itu menimbulkan banyak tanda tanya.

Sementara itu, Ketua Pemuda PAS Wilayah Persekutuan Kamaruzaman Mohamad, berkata peranan Yayasan Taqwa pada asasnya yang serupa dengan MAIWP.

"Tugas Yayasan Taqwa adalah untuk mengagihkan zakat, tetapi MAIWP juga menjalankan tugas itu. Jadi mengapa perlu orang tengah?" soal beliau.

Rabu lalu, Pemuda PAS menuntut supaya satu badan bebas dilantik untuk mengaudit Yayasan Taqwa kerana mendakwa banyak perjalanan badan penyalur bantuan zakat itu yang diragui.

Antaranya, yang didakwa itu ialah perbelanjaan sehingga RM2 juta yang direkodkan yayasan itu, sepertimana dalam laporan tahunan 2010 MAIWP.

Laporan itu pula tidak menunjukkan siapakah penerima wang zakat tersebut tetapi hanya jumlah kutipan dan juga agihan wang zakat.- malaysiakini

Baitulmal: Jamil Khir mohon, dia sendiri lulus?

RM4mil zakat fund poser for Jamil Khir

Why did Yayasan Taqwa receive RM4 million from the Federal Territories Islamic Affairs Council (MAIWP) Baitulmal last year when it had only sought RM1 million?

PAS Youth chief Nasrudin Hassan (right) has demanded answers from Jamil Khir Baharom, the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department who is in charge of Islamic affairs.

"Yayasan Taqwa applied for RM1 million from MAIWP and was granted RM4 million. Why is this? How can the same person apply for and approve the money?" Nasrudin posed at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur this morning.

He pointed out that Jamil is charge of both bodies.

Federal Territories PAS Youth chief Kamaruzaman Mohamad, who is also the party’s Youth Zakat Task Force director, said Yayasan Taqwa's role is essentially similar to that of MAIWP.

"Yayasan Taqwa's job is to distribute zakat (tithes), but MAIWP is already doing that. So why do you need a middle man?" he asked.

Last Wednesday, PAS Youth had asked Jamil to justify Yayasan Taqwa's expenditure of RM2 million.The foundation had defended the spending, saying that the amount encompassed its administrative costs, programmes, staff pay and utility bills.

Nasrudin today appeared dissatisfied with the explanation, calling on Khir to reveal details of how the money was spent.

"We also want Yayasan's Taqwa's audit report to be made public so there is no suspicion," he added.

Late last year, Jamil Khir had denied misusing zakat funds to pay his legal fees in a court case involving the Sodomy II complaint. - malaysiakini

Tough love for Muslims on Valentine's Day

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom(right) has urged state Islamic religious departments to act against Muslims celebrating Valentine’s Day.

“We are moving simultaneously across the country to enforce regulations,” he told reporters after a ceremony to present aid to mosques in Negri Sembilan by Menteri Besar Mohamad Hasan in Seremban today.

He said that various forms of preaching, advice, opinion and statements on Valentine’s Day had been made because it is not the practice for Muslims.

“We fear that the love being celebrated by couples are not in the sense of husband and wife. Other than giving advice, we also have to act,” he added.

cheers.

Pakatan Wants ‘Project IC’ RCI to Cover Whole Nation

2012-02-13T10:57:55Z

Malaysiakini

The opposition coalition also wanted the authorities to verify the citizenship and voting rights of those dubious voters before calling the next general election.

It was reported that Najib is expected to make the much-awaited announcement with regard to the federal cabinet’s decision on the RCI during his next visit to Sabah, slated for two days beginning on Feb 16.

According to Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Maximus Ongkili, the recent cabinet meeting had discussed the issue in detail.

21st Century Diplomacy

2012-02-13T12:57:22Z

February 13, 2012

To those who have the stomach for this long review of 21st Century Diplomacy, read on. If not just skip it. Modern day diplomacy is a demanding profession. I recommend this piece to geeks in Wisma Putra and aspiring diplomats. –Din Merican

Diplomacy-Sucharipa

21st Century Diplomacy

by Ernst Sucharipa [1]

“No Diplomatic Service today can maintain its high quality without a strategy for the life-long learning of its staff.” (Melissen)

To Abba Eban, the late great Israeli statesman and diplomat, we owe the rediscovery of the following statement which he attributes to President Jefferson: ”For two years we have not heard from our ambassador in Spain; if we again do not hear from him this year, we should write him a letter”[2].

Many things have changed in diplomacy since then. And yet, the diplomat’s craft[3] has an astounding potential for survival. Its more or less imminent death has been predicted many times, mostly in the context of revolutions in communications technology.

Today, of course, we think of the World Wide Web and its consequences for a profession, which relies so much on words and knowledge management. But in all likelihood the advent of the telegraph was even more decisive. When the first dispatch sent by cable reached his desk in Whitehall, Lord Palmerston is reported to have exclaimed: ”This is the end of diplomacy”.

Similarly, Queen Victoria, when consulted whether the British Legation in Rome should be elevated to the status of full Embassy, is said to have immediately rejected this proposal because, in her assessment, given the new telecommunication techniques, the time for ambassadors, their pretensions and privileges were definitely over. [4] Here, of course, Her Majesty was wrong.

Diplomacy today is vastly different from what it was in the 19th century; it will continue to evolve and change. Tomorrow’s diplomacy will be even further removed from the famous pictures of the dancing Congress of Vienna, where the foundations for the structure of diplomacy for many decades, indeed for two centuries, were laid.

At the height of the rigged elections in Zimbabwe earlier this year (2008), the International Herald Tribune carried a picture that contrasts perfectly with the images the Congress of Vienna has left on our minds. It shows Pierre Schori, the Permanent Representative of Sweden to the UN and former Secretary of State for Development Affairs, who was head of the EU election-monitoring group, after his eviction from Zimbabwe.[5] He is in jeans and leather jacket, one hand grasping a wad of documents and in the other his mobile phone, standing all alone on what is obviously a busy London street, reporting to his EU superiors on the situation in Zimbabwe. Modern diplomacy will be more of this than the dancing type.

This contribution will deal with the following issues:

·What has changed, what will continue to change in diplomacy as a profession and in the environment in which it operates;

.what are the requirements for diplomacy in a ”globalized” world;

·how does modern information technology effect the organization of foreign services;

· what will the future of European diplomacy look like; what are the tools for the diplomat in the new 21st century, what qualifications must he (or increasingly often she) bring to this profession; what do they have to be taught, what do they have to train themselves in?

Changed interstate structures

With recent additions, the membership of the UN now totals 191 Member States, nearly four times the number at its foundation in 1945. This multiplies the instances of possible interactions between states, still the primary, but no more the sole subjects of international relations. At the same time some traditional categorizations have lost their meaning (East versus West) or tend to forego significance (North versus South). Others are becoming essential: rich versus poor, inclusion or exclusion from the process of globalization; good governance versus undemocratic, dictatorial regimes.

More and more states are members of an increasing number of international organizations to which they delegate – to varying degrees – the administration not only of foreign policy but also of economic, social, environmental issues and other areas hitherto exclusively in the domain of domestic politics. Some states have clear federative structures and their federal entities are also, at least to a limited extent, active on the international scene. Regional structures often transcend national boundaries and become internationally relevant.

New international actors

States have lost their monopoly as subjects of international law. Today, international organizations and other entities are recognized as agents under international law. In addition, a host of other international actors, irrespective of their legal status are relevant for our observations: business is active across national and international borders; multinational enterprises can boast balance sheet numbers that, individually, leave the GNPs of smaller and medium sized countries far behind. More than 15,000 NGOs (non-governmental organizations) directly involve themselves in international affairs[6].

Institutions like the International Red Cross, Amnesty International, Médecins sans Frontières, Greenpeace, Human Rights Watch and also religious organizations can look upon strong international public support for their activities. They act through staff that today no doubt also fulfill many functions similar to those of diplomats. Indeed, they probably would qualify as diplomats, if they wanted to.

The UN-organized world conferences held at Rio, Vienna, Beijing, Cairo, Kyoto, Monterrey and Johannesburg have become examples for the active engagement of NGOs in international affairs. Many important areas of today’s international relations (human rights, development cooperation, environmental politics, sustainable development and others) would be unthinkable without the active contribution of the NGO community.

Their activities are enforced by new phenomena such as international ”movements” comprising individuals, NGOs, interested States and individual representatives of public opinion which, acting jointly, pursue important international agendas: the Landmine Convention (Ottawa convention) would never have been concluded without such an international movement. The same holds true for the Rome Statute on the International Criminal Court.

All in all we see a multitude of different actors engaged in international affairs[7]. To a considerable extent the lines between them tend to become blurred; they share common tasks and interests, they are interconnected, they initiate action and reaction. Attempts by traditional diplomacy to shut out NGO activities are short sighted.

More often than not NGOs help to advance causes, which will shape the future of international relations or help to address future global challenges. In addition they can represent a democratic element much needed for diplomacy to retain its legitimacy. Of course, their participation on the international arena also raises a number of important questions, in particular as to their accountability and representativity.[8]

But the fact remains that to a large extent NGOs indeed represent international civil society and move issues forward. The same goes for important international enterprises that have started to acknowledge corporate social responsibility (CSR) and have joined the UN’s global compact initiated by Secretary General Kofi Annan.[9].

In his study on ”Polylateralism and New Modes of Global Dialogue”[10] Geoffrey Wiseman proposes that ”traditional state-centered bilateral and multilateral diplomatic concepts and practices need to be complemented with explicit awareness of a further layer of diplomatic interaction and relationships. Accordingly, the diplomat of the future will need to operate at the bilateral level, the multilateral level and, increasingly, the polylateral level (relations between states and other entities).”

In addition it can well be argued that we soon will enter a phase in which the “monopoly” of states in the conduct of foreign affairs will be further reduced to the extent that more and more actors will no longer depend on states to represent them or their interests abroad.[11]

Many entities other than states already today conduct their own “foreign policy”. The agents helping them to do so will need many of the skills usually associated with “traditional diplomats”. “Post-modern” diplomacy might therefore become a profession, which also includes agents not engaged in the service of a state but of international organizations, NGOs, business, sport federations and other entities operating on the international level.

Foreign Policy goes national

Today, foreign policy issues tend to dominate the newspapers in Europe, but more and more so also in the United States and elsewhere. Foreign policy actors have become public figures. Foreign policy is open to day-to-day public scrutiny and criticism. For the diplomat this means that she or he is also becoming more or less directly answerable to the public.

The public expects explanations, journalists need to be given background interviews,Parliaments ask for information. Many foreign policy issues have fully entered into the domain of national and even regional and local politics. Foreign policy today has to do with many issues in our daily lives.

What used to be ”low politics” (as against ”high politics”) has become normal work for the foreign policy agent: regulations for trade and investment, addressing environmental issues, regulating entry into the country and dealing with problems of migration, finding solutions to questions of road transit often endangering the living conditions of many people.

At the same time, for all these issues there are domestic ministries, experts in other government offices who increasingly are also establishing foreign contacts. They are directly interacting with their homologues in other countries and are regularly traveling to international conferences. This situation is bound to clash with the traditional ”gatekeeper” function[12] of foreign ministries, which hinges on the (false) assumption that domestic and international affairs are conducted in two very different political arenas.

In the age of globalization foreign ministries would be ill advised if they tried to maintain this claim as justification for their existence. If insisted upon too long, other ministries will simply bypass Foreign Affairs. It is not realistic to assume that in today’s world the Ministry for the Environment or the Ministries for Justice and for Home Affairs, just to take a few examples, will not have international contacts and that a modern diplomat can be an expert on detailed issues of environmental policy, or judicial and home affairs.

But the diplomat has to be able – on the international level – to assess the political consequences and possible trade-offs of a specific action or non-action in those areas of policy. This assessment can then lead to instruments of traditional diplomacy, e.g. if certain measures have to be explained or a demarche has to be delivered to the host country[13]. Diplomats have to learn this new mode of cooperation with their colleagues from other ministries.

Modern diplomats must learn to share their competence with other officials if they do not want to become redundant[14]. They have to take great care to make clear to their colleagues from line ministries what exactly the added benefit they can provide is.

Managers of globalization

The globalization of international relations, the internationalization of national policy areas and the growing awareness, that global problems require global solutions signify new important functions for diplomacy. Diplomats have become ”managers of globalization”; they are tasked to manage the ”global village” in which we live[15].

Disarmament, arms regulations, the fight against international terrorism, crime and drug abuse, the protection of human rights, the prevention of climate change and desertification, the promotion of sustainable development, conflict prevention, development cooperation, peace keeping, peacemaking, and peace enforcement, the protection of foreign investments, foreign trade issues… the task list for these ”managers of globalization” appears to be endless.

The concept of ”Global Public Goods” developed recently by Inge Kaul and others[16], which would typically include issues like disease control, crisis prevention, harmonization of norms and standards, helps to explain the workload of diplomats in the 21st century.

Diplomats need to follow developments in these fields proactively, to shape them, to involve public discourse and to give advice to decision-makers on the political levels. They need to be aware of global trends and interests and what they mean for their home country. These tasks are carried out through a combination of bilateral, multilateral and ”polylateral” diplomacy[17] (Wiseman), the latter including – in some structural way – NGOs, advocacy groups and other non-official entities. This development again calls for efforts to bridge the traditional divide between domestic and foreign affairs with foreign affairs moving beyond “gate keeping” to “coordinating” cross border relations.[18]

In the context of multilateral diplomacy the current stage of transatlantic relations is a cause of concern for many intellectuals on both sides of the ocean. There is a real difference in the approach to international law, international organization and multilateral diplomacy. This divergence of views can be exemplified by a number of examples. Among them: reduction of environmentally harmful CO2-emissions (Kyoto Protocol); the establishment of an International Criminal Court; the right of diplomatic protection for citizens of one state, living in an other country,[19] unlawful trade restrictions (WTO-rulings against the United States); and last but by no mean least: the issue of international legality in dealing with Iraq’s program of weapons of mass destruction. On all these fronts we witness an increasing continental drift.

Certainly this tendency has been reinforced by the terrorist attacks of 9/11 that struck US territory and US but also many non-US citizens. Immediate reactions worldwide and specifically in Europe left no doubt about the general condemnation of these atrocious acts and about the willingness to combat, jointly with the US, all manifestations of terrorism. NATO, for the first time in its history invoked Art.V of its constitution, the Washington Treaty of 1949, declaring these attacks an attack on all NATO members. More than a year later, it appears that this chance for a truly common approach – for reasons that still need to be scrutinized – was not used to the full extent.

Too many misunderstandings have been assembled on both sides of the Atlantic. They need to be thoroughly discussed in order to achieve not only a better understanding of each other’s positions but also to bring both sides back to resolute action on the basis of their shared common values.

The core of the transatlantic ”malaise” (to use a diplomat’s word) can be found in the perception of the USA as a truly exceptional country, or Polis, as the ancient Greek would have said. This ”city on the hill” (or as Secretary of State Madeleine Albright [left]used to say ”the indispensable nation”) will not easily succumb to international regulations, that is regulations among peers. This common American view contrasts with the Westphalian European model of an international system constituted by sovereign equals.

The most obvious manifestation of these two different models can be seen in the approach to the possible use of force outside a Security Council mandate. In the eyes of most Europeans, rule of law is paramount also on the international level and the UN’s Security Council holds the ultimate legal power to legitimize the use of force against a state that breaks international rules and regulations[20]. For the ”exceptionalist” United States such subordination is neither conceptually right nor politically practical. Hence, the impression, generally shared in Europe, that Washington – while not totally averse to multilateral action – is only willing to engage in a policy of ”multilateralism à la carte.”

Modern means of communications

For many observers, the modern means of electronic communication constitute the most obvious structural change to the environment in which diplomats operate[21]. The diplomat will never win in a speed race against the journalist. Nor should he or she. The press is not the enemy. The media and diplomacy need to be seen as complementary to each other; they also depend on each other.[22] The modern diplomat is aware of that and will consciously integrate the press into his daily work.

Diplomats will use their special confidential contacts, the empathy they have developed vis-à-vis the receiving state and its political class to report on long term trends, analyze developments and, more importantly, to propose modalities for reaction, to describe scenarios for future developments and also to sound warnings if these developments may be disadvantageous or even dangerous for the interests of his or her own country.

Diplomats must have the courage to also be the bearers of bad news, although many of their predecessors in ancient times suffered direly from such actions. In particular, diplomats should also have the necessary integrity to use their foreign vintage points to signal developments back home that may harbor problems for the future of their country’s interests.

The effects of information technology (IT) on the operation of the diplomatic service

At first glance it might look as if diplomacy has not changed all that much due to the advent of IT, as if diplomacy were to resist change. To some extent this is true, since there are no doubt retarding factors, such as a slower generational change in comparison to the business sector but also the particular relevance of the temporal factor in diplomatic procedure.

In diplomacy, probably more than in other professions, a fast decision is not necessarily the best decision. Most importantly, however, we should keep in mind that – again in diplomacy more than in other professions – human input, the human factor has considerable importance. Thus personal contacts, human expertise and experience, in-built controls and feedback mechanisms, characteristic for diplomatic procedures and not necessarily fast or highly efficient, will continue to exert influence over diplomacy making the re-engineering of diplomatic procedures a more subtle and complex exercise[23].

At the same time even in very traditional diplomatic services many changes due to the advent of IT have already occurred, sometimes not easily noticeable since they follow trends that we are observing also elsewhere in society. Some changes are in the early beginnings, so that their true impact has not yet gained too much attention within the diplomatic community. In the following, in view of their likely importance in the near future, these developments and emerging trends will be described in some detail.

Internet as information tool for the diplomat

Today it has become quite standard for the modern diplomat to have a tailor made mosaic consisting of the web sites of different national and international news agencies on his or her computer desktop or laptop and to consult them first thing in the morning. Secondly, every diplomat needs to have the homepages of all organisations and institutions, relevant for his work, ready on her or his list of ”favourites”. Diplomats today will be electronically connected with colleagues all over the world and thus can quickly and informally gather important information.

A tremendous shift in the main focus of diplomatic work occurs: no more factual reporting, no tele-copying of documents that in former times would have been obtained only after using a lot of diplomatic charm on some insider. Internet access increases the amount of information readily available. However, this information needs to be sorted and also be put in context. Factual reporting is best left to the public media. Diplomacy, even more than it has done hitherto, must concentrate on in depth analysis and drafting recommendations for action and reaction.

While information gathering has become so much easier, information management has and will continue to become much more important. The days of the old filing procedures are gone; new electronic procedures need to be worked out and established. They need to make collected and saved information accessible to all those within an organisation who need to have access to them. The danger that only highly personalised storage systems are developed must be countered. Easier information access brings more knowledge, which must be administered and managed well. Information managers need to be educated and given adequate places in the hierarchy of foreign ministries.

Let us turn now to the question of working procedures within a ministry: what has the introduction of Intranet systems changed, where will the development go?[24] In the Austrian Foreign Service today, as a matter of course, every officer up to the highest echelon and the great majority of officers abroad are linked up and have easiest electronic access to each other. In addition to electronic mail, electronic files have been introduced in the ministry; speeding up the decision making process without paper that has to be moved up and down the ministry’s scale of hierarchy.

The introduction of Intranet-systems has brought about most important changes for the diplomatic service. Among them:

- direct contacts between all officers, without the need for prior authorization, to get a message, an inquiry, an information note out or to get it received. The welcome results are higher motivation, no loss of time and greater sense of responsibility among younger colleagues;

- development of an informal reporting style;

- teamwork: officers can – independently from their geographic location – work together on a report to the minister, a draft statement, a position paper. The strict delineation between central authority and missions abroad is slowly vanishing;

-ministerial structures and lines of command at missions are being redefined, flatter authority, more delegation of responsibility are necessary by-products;[25]

- introduction of task-oriented structures independent of the physical location of the diplomats involved: limited and geographically dispersed experience or academic background in particular areas (e.g. international law) can more easily be pooled together electronically, thus also creating incentives for the continuous upkeep of specialisation (particularly important for smaller services);

- the introduction of Intranet systems leads to flatter lines of authority and increased possibilities for team working. Task-oriented organisation will change the relationship between the ministry and missions abroad;

- missions ought to be better integrated into the overall structure of the ministry, including decision making;

- integrated resource management needs to preserve the standard functions of missions abroad in relation to their geographic location and combine these functions with new tasks relating to the available expertise in individual missions, which can be employed for specific projects.

Within the EU the ”COREU” system (Correspondence Européenne) is used for exchange of information and position shaping in the context of the Common foreign and Security policy (CFSP). All foreign ministries, the Council Secretariat and the Commission are interconnected. Per year some 13.000 COREUS are exchanged. Over the last years this number has undergone a steady but fairly slow increase. The number of COREUS initiated by individual countries figures between app. 300 and 700 according to size and related foreign policy importance. Countries holding the rotating presidency generate higher numbers of COREUs. The COREU-System has quickly developed into an excellent information network, an important means for substantial co-ordination and an operative tool to draft and finalise position papers, EU Statements and demarches.

Hyperlinks

With the further advance of IT the technique of using hyperlinks in reports and information notes will provide additional opportunities. Hyperlinks can lead the reader towards specific paragraphs of a document, background material or other related reports. This technique, once accepted has the potential of reforming substantially the format of reporting and information sharing.

Web-sites

As a matter of course most Foreign Ministries and more and more individual missions nowadays maintain their own web sites. They assume important information functions: presentation of leading personalities, photographs and CVs, lists of embassies and opening hours, what to do if you are about to become a ”consular case” in a far away country. In addition web sites can be used as policy oriented tools to:

- provide important statements and position papers with some background note (hyperlink);

- put more information within easy reach of visitors: statistics, archival sources;

- publicise position-papers;

- guide visitors through indication of useful links;

- create interactive programmes to generate interest in foreign policy issues or to sound out public opinion, web-chats with the minister, letterbox, etc.

Web-sites assume an important function in the ”representation” of a country, one of the traditional functions of diplomacy. Web-sites need to be professionally developed and maintained. There has to be close co-ordination of the ministry’s central web-site and those of missions abroad to prevent contradictions and in order to demonstrate corporate identity.

Negotiating per Internet

Within the EU there is by now a fairly well established and totally unspectacular use of the email-system: in many domains EU foreign policy co-operation occurs through working groups. They meet at more or less regular intervals in Brussels. In between meetings, members of the group quite successfully are in contact with each other by COREUs, or less formally, by email and comment on a draft, which might have been established by the chairman of the group (presidency delegation). When they meet again, they have a text on which a fairly large extent of agreement has already been established and in their discussion they can concentrate on the remaining points of divergence.

Techniques for group editing of texts make it possible to integrate IT even more in the negotiating process. There is, however, as yet only limited reported practical experience on the usage of information technology for negotiations. The author has experienced some of the advantages of the tools provided by modern technology for the conduct of complex negotiations when in 2000 and 2001 he served in a pro bono function as the head of the Austrian negotiating team on the issue of restitution of property rights to victims of the national-socialist Regime in Austria. This experience was encouraging enough to recommend the wider use of this tool in diplomatic practice. The conclusions summarized here are drawn from that recent experience.

Negotiating per Internet – Advantages:

- concentration on content and substance, no ”emotional noise”;

- clarity, lucidity of formulation, less misunderstandings;

- facilitates comparison of texts proposed;

- transparency, easy to maintain record of proposals made and revisions added;

-time factor: each delegation can work according to its rhythm, time difference can be turned into advantage;

- easy and reliable method of establishing the final text;

-more than two parties can participate;

- cost efficient

Preconditions:

-partners must share a common view on the purpose of the negotiations and the time frame;

-ground-rules need to be established (who are the active negotiating partners? with whom can you share the text? who establishes the final text?)

- it helps to have a central facilitator who maintains control over the process and convenes meetings in person, when needed;

-basic trust among negotiating partners must have been established in prior face-to-face meetings and further personal meetings at regular intervals will be needed to advance the process;

-within delegations there has to be a clear understanding about delegation of authority (once a proposal has been made electronically it cannot be easily withdrawn); as head of delegation you must be comfortable with a fairly flat structure of hierarchy within your team;

Knowledge management[26]:

Modern communications technology offers the diplomat easy and fast access to broad areas of information and speedy and reliable methods of transmission. Information gathering has thus become easier, its management, however, more difficult at the same time. The problem, of course, is known in fields far beyond diplomacy: how to filter out from the bottomless resources of the World Wide Web the information that is reliable and useful; how to connect different streams of information to a coherent whole?

Modern organizations have to change from being one in which you are rewarded for how clever you are in obtaining information to an organization in which you are rewarded for how useful the information is to the team. The fact that information is so much at the center of diplomatic activity makes this a primary challenge for the diplomat.

The easy access to information and the more ”democratic” means of information transfer offered by the Internet and Intranet also change (or at least need to change) the structures of foreign ministries and the relationship with and among representations abroad. The flow of information can no longer be monopolized and hierarchically controlled.

In modern diplomacy, as in the modern business world, we need flatter hierarchies and the encouragement of teamwork, going beyond traditionally established boundaries and partitions of labor between the central authority and the field. In his famous book ”The Lexus and the Olive Tree” Tom Friedman recounts the advice he received from a seasoned businessman: ”We are not saying that headquarters doesn’t matter. But we are redefining what the center means in ways that are more inclusive, in ways that allow us to move faster and be more responsive. Any hierarchy that bases itself on denying information to its employees is not going to work. Now it has to be much more of teamwork”.

The use of electronic communication seems to have the inherent result of not only calling for but also facilitating teamwork and a broadening of organisational structures. Substantive authority has to replace formal authority. Only those services, which are willing to bring such changes about, will be able to fully make use of the emerging vast new possibilities

The Public Diplomat

Many of the above mentioned developments (the nexus between diplomacy and internal politics, the broadening of issues to be dealt with by diplomats, the communication revolution and others) have helped to give prominence to a rather new concept in foreign relations: public diplomacy[27]. The diplomat today is above all a communicator and mediator of positions of his/her own country vis-à-vis all sections of the politically informed public in the host country.

The main business is no longer discreet and confidential dealings with the foreign ministry of the host country but public diplomacy aimed at explaining and canvassing support for positions among government circles, parliament, the political parties, the business community, the social partners, the media and representatives of academic and cultural life. For this the diplomat must build up and cultivate a dense and stable network of contacts in all areas of society with a view to becoming actively involved in shaping public opinion in the host country.

More than elsewhere this holds true for the relationship between individual countries of the European Union, but certainly also in places like Washington, where the art of public diplomacy has developed out of the more traditional networking and lobbying business and where today public diplomacy literally reaches the sky. A recent article in the International Herald Tribune carried the telling title: ”Construction boom; ambassadors compete; building castles to keep profile high in Washington.”[28]

European Diplomacy

Within the EU it has become fairly routine for some politicians (usually from opposition parties) and journalists to question the need for maintaining national embassies in the capitals of other EU Member States. And indeed with so much political activity being concentrated in Brussels and with the aspirations of forming a common foreign and security policy, the continued maintenance of national embassies might appear simply to be the perpetuation of an old and certainly costly habit and hence needs explanation.

Why then do we need bilateral embassies in the other EU countries?[29] This question so much vexed the German foreign minister, Joschka Fischer, that in 2000 he commissioned a special study on this issue to be carried out by Ambassador Paschke, a former high level German diplomat and Inspector General (Office of Internal Oversight Services, OIOS) of the United Nations.[30] Ambassador Paschke, some will say not surprisingly, concluded that bilateral embassies remain most relevant, but are undergoing important changes in their activities with the following focal points:

·observing developments in public opinion in the receiving state which impact on decision making on European issues;

· analyzing long term trends, especially in regard of attitudes towards European integration;

·influencing (through direct contacts and public diplomacy) the national preparation of decision-making in Brussels;

· continuing to represent the intellectual and cultural identity of their home country in what will remain a ”Europe of Motherlands”;

·promoting scientific cooperation;

· promoting trade;

·serving as public relation agencies in a Europe where networks will become ever more important; and

· providing consular services, especially for long- term residents.

Thus for the mid term future bilateral embassies in EU countries will remain important for the pursuance of number of essential activities.

Another consideration has to do with a phenomenon, which Ambassador Paschke termed the ”illusion of familiarity”. Often the usefulness of the modern diplomat is put into question because of the close relations politicians develop with each other, their frequent meetings in the UN at regular conferences and even more so within the EU or in other regional settings.

The European Union is the primary example of these ”class room” relationships. And indeed, the personal networks of politicians, the ease with which, for example, they can resort to the telephone are fairly new developments in international relations. Frequent, periodic meetings generate the feeling of intimate knowledge not only of the politician as colleague but also of his or her thinking, his or her motives and the background of decisions provided by their home country.

However, more often than not this is a superficial felling, void of deeper analysis and knowledge about the circumstances leading to certain situations and decisions. ”Proximity has not produced intimacy.” (Paschke). Politicians, also in Europe, still think and act essentially in national categories. These vary widely and can only be properly evaluated through continuous first-hand observation. The illusion of familiarity requires correctives, which only the embassy on the spot can provide through meticulous, in-depth analysis supplying politicians with reliable ”hard” information on the political thinking of their colleagues. And only the embassy on the spot can ensure that bilateral problems are dealt with comprehensively, taking into account all aspects of the problem, and also provide the necessary follow-up.

A related issue is the extent to which membership in the European Union necessitates organizational changes within the structures of the foreign ministries of Member States[31]. The most important steps to be taken center around the organizational necessity of coping with the CFSP’s COREU-traffic (speedy distribution and, if necessary, reaction), including the establishment of a ”European Correspondent unit” within the political department of the ministry; the need, either within the foreign ministry or elsewhere within the structures of government, to ensure optimal coordination on EU related matters and the capacity to fulfill all the responsibilities concomitant with the function of the EU Presidency[32].

When we speak of ”European Diplomacy” we also have to look to the future of European foreign policy. There is considerable interest in this issue within the European Convention[33] and, naturally enough, within individual European foreign ministries.

What does the slow but ongoing consolidation and further development of the EU´s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) mean for the traditional foreign policy apparatus of Member States? In all likelihood, foreign policy of the EU will for some time at least remain in between interstate and community methods. The second pillar will not immediately disappear or collapse; rather it will slowly wither away.

In the long run, however, Political Union will be as unthinkable without a unified foreign policy as the internal market would be today without a unified foreign trade and tariff policy. And indeed, foreign policy is an obvious case study for an area, where truly combined EU action would certainly be more effective than national action. What is urgently required for the Union in order to move from ”global payer” to ”global player” is a more adequate, better-streamlined representation towards the outside world.

· the current system of rotating presidencies will have to be rethought;

· most probably we will see a gravitation of foreign policy competencies towards the Union’s High Representative, who will, in a personal union, combine what are currently both Mr. Solana´s and Mr. Patten’s job profiles. (Perhaps a High Representative as a member of the Commission, acting with a mandate of the Council);

· we will see a European diplomatic service being developed, directed by the HR and consisting of the following three elements:

-amalgamation of the Commission’s Directorate-General for External Relations with the corresponding Directorate-General of the Council Secretariat;

- further development of the Planning Unit into an independent unit for analysis co-staffed by diplomats from member countries; and

-in third countries EC-Delegations will become EU delegations, serving the whole union and with some coordinating function in the field.

At Wilton Park’s Conference on the role of diplomats in the modern world (FN 1) the point was made that the European Convention’s proposals on a “Constitutional Treaty” and subsequent negotiations at the next Intergovernmental Conference (ICG) might well bring more changes to the procedures and institutional set-up of the Union’s CFSP than has been hitherto assumed. Such a development, it was argued, would then also call for a deeper going re-structuring in the organization and procedures of national foreign ministries in EU member states in the direction of a true “Europeanization” of foreign policy making.

The emergence of a specialized external service of the European Union will, however, only happen over some extended period of time. It might very well include the establishment of additional bridges (”passerelles”) between the remaining national services and the emerging external service of the Union. Even then a number of important reserved domains will continue to remain with the individual foreign ministries of Member States, where national interests that can and will not be dealt with on the Union’s level, are at stake.

The evolution of a European Diplomacy and a European External Service will necessitate better coordination in the training of diplomats[34]. Currently there are only a few institutions in Europe that explicitly provide training with such a vision in mind. Foremost among them is the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna.

In December 2001 the Academy organized a meeting of leading European institutions in the field of diplomatic training with the purpose of finding ways and means to better harmonize training requirements and methods. The meeting adopted a number of proposals, which should guide further action in this field, among them the idea to jointly develop a ”programme de base” for a future common curriculum for the training of diplomats. This meeting was also a first concrete reaction to various initiatives presented to the European Parliament, most notably by the Spanish MEP, Gerardo Galeote Quecedo, concerning a common Community diplomacy and the development of the external service[35].

These proposals also include the idea of establishing a European Diplomatic Academy, without however specifying to any extent the structure of such an institution. Similar proposals for coordinating the training programs and a common foundation for European diplomatic programs can also be found in Mr. Inigo Mendez de Vigos’ contribution to Working Group VII (External Action) of the European Convention[36]. Furthermore, the proposal for the establishment of a European Diplomatic Academy is also contained in the final report of Working Group VII to the European Convention[37].

Probably the most efficient and workable way to meet these various interesting and forward looking proposals would be to establish a consortium consisting of the leading institutions in this area which will operate under jointly elaborated guidelines and with the coordination of the European Commission’s Department for External Affairs.

What qualifications does the 21st century diplomat need?

Many of the structural changes that we can discern in international relations today and which will be even more relevant for the future will require important changes in some of the traditional ideas associated with the ”art of diplomacy”:

· openness instead of secrecy; while this does not mean ”open covenants openly arrived at”, it does mean a sincere willingness to communicate with the interested public and explain positions and results achieved;

· in the age of general mobility of the citizen, diplomacy must also be seen as a ”service industry”, helping citizens in need for assistance and advice[38];

·to a very large extent networking and teamwork are replacing hierarchy; delegation of authority, and streamlining of administrative procedures and decision-making become essential;

. not the quantity or sheer speed but the quality of information counts;

·diplomacy needs gender equality and must promote equal career possibilities.

What then constitutes the ideal ”new age” diplomat? I think a thorough mixture of traditional and not so traditional characteristics[39]:

· a pluridisciplinary education;

·linguistic skills;

·patience to listen and observe;

·proficiency in intercultural communication;

· sensitivity to socio-cultural differences;

· feeling comfortable with the latest communications technologies;

. ability to perform at ease in public;

·free of elitism[40];

·service orientation;

·a high level of tolerance;

·neither a ”softie” nor the ”elbow type”;

.readiness for life-long learning, mid career training;

·stress resistance, coolness in crises;

·management skills;

·ability to work in teams; collaborator instead of competitor;

·a keen interest in global issues.

Transcending these requirements is the often-posed question: should the diplomat be a generalist or specialist? The great George Kennan once confirmed the need for both the generalist and the specialist, adding that of the two the generalist will take the more essential and central position: without his leadership and the coordination over the activities of the experts, they would only produce chaos[41].

Let us look into this issue a bit more in detail: the modern diplomat must in the first instance be a coordination expert. He or she must be able to meet the demands posed by globalization and be able to draw the right conclusions and policy recommendations from international developments, which are more often than not interwoven and mutually supportive.

The diplomat must be able, also in small teams, to motivate and show leadership. She or he must be a public relations expert and must have a sound knowledge in foreign policy issues in general as well as in global issues. In Europe, the diplomat must also – as a matter of course – be knowledgeable in European integration policy. And, it goes without saying, be well versed in languages. This ”generalist” will also need a sound background in economics and should be a seasoned negotiator in theory and practice. In short, our ”generalist” is a ”specialist” in the art of diplomacy.

However, in particular in the case of smaller foreign services this will not suffice: If we want to recognize the dire reality of scarce resources of available personnel and funding, we must have our diplomacy specialist, also trained to be a true specialist in one particular domain: e.g. multilateral diplomacy, international law, economic integration, environmental issues or development cooperation. And he or she would expect over the course of the career to be able, more than once, to have a posting where this special knowledge can also be put to use.[42]

On the European (EU) level, the European Council of Sevilla earlier this year introduced some new developments, which are of relevance in the ”generalist versus specialist” context. Together with a considerable streamlining of the different ”council formations” (nine instead of sixteen), the General Affairs Council composed of Foreign Ministers has also been given the formal mandate for horizontal coordination. It is obvious that this reinforced role for Foreign Ministers will also result in increased coordination responsibilities for their staff, the integration departments in their ministries and beyond: a new, additional challenge for the ”generalist-specialist”.

Training of diplomats needs to correspond to these new requirements and challenges. It should be able to count on a pluridisciplinary university education as its base. The training, in addition to the obvious need of language training, should include both a thorough and academically founded program acquainting future diplomats with various instruments in the fields of economics, international relations, conflict and crisis management.

Regardless of the age-old question whether human beings will ever be able to learn, from history[43], diplomats need to be well versed in Diplomatic History and have a sound knowledge of European and International Law including Human Rights Law and international trade regulations. Furthermore, given the increasing importance of the management of ”Global Public Goods”[44] diplomats need a sound basis in development economics and development cooperation as well as in environmental and international climate issues and questions of sustainable development[45].

In addition the development of personal skills needs to be promoted (presentation skills, personal management, project management, presentation techniques, public performance etc.)[46]. Given the fast evolution in these areas and in international relations, any diplomatic service that does not provide continuous lifelong training for its diplomats will not meet the challenge of the future.[47]

In a lecture he prepared for the meeting of Deans and Directors of Diplomatic Academies meeting at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna in 1979 the then Dean of the Fletcher School for Law and Diplomacy, Edmund Gullion, posed the question whether there still would be diplomats in the year 2000[48]. Today we know the answer.

Gullion’s answer then was to say that while certainly the traditional diplomat cast in the Vienna mold of 1815 could well be on the way to extinction, the species diplomat per se, however, would survive and flourish, as long as it was able to adapt to changed circumstances, to a new climate and to the new environment in which the craft of diplomacy will have to be exerted.

“The year 2000 promises to be crowded and contentious. It will need a Service, which is a repository of the history of civilization; it will need wise and able negotiators and conciliators. It will need the diplomat on the spot, in danger or in calm, who can say what will or what will not work, who can foresee problems and solve them. Ideally, he is the man who is “in control of the occasion” as Demosthenes described the Athenian diplomat, “the man on whose wisdom, steadiness, goodwill, integrity and faithful account policy must rely.”

We can add nothing here, except that neither Demosthenes nor, apparently, Edmund Gullion foresaw the possibility of woman diplomats.

Bibliography

Literature on the issue of diplomacy and its development over the century abounds. The present list contains – in addition to a few traditional works – a sample of more recent publications, which the author found to be particularly instructive.

Andrlic, Mladen and Zubcevic, Irena (ed): Diplomacy for the Twenty-First Century: Knowledge Management (Diplomatic Academy of Croatia, Zagreb 2000)

Andrlic, Mladen and Zubcevic, Irena (ed): Public Diplomacy and Media (Diplomatic Academy of Croatia, Zagreb 2000)

Berridge, G.R.: Diplomacy, Theory and Practice (Palgrave, New York 2002)

Braunias, Karl and Gerald Stourzh, (ed): Diplomatie unserer Zeit, Beiträge aus dem Internationalen Diplomaten-Seminar Klessheim (Styria, Graz 1959)

Busk, Sir Douglas: The Craft of Diplomacy; How to run a Diplomatic Service (Praeger, New York, 1967

Cascone, Andrea: Comparing Diplomatic Services: Structures, Networks and Resources of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of EU and G8 Member States (DiploProjects, Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies, Malta 1999)

Gore-Booth (ed): Satow’s Guide to Diplomatic Practice (Longman, London 1979)

Hamilton, Keith and Richard Langhorne: The Practice of Diplomacy (Routledge, New York 1995)

Hocking, Brian (ed): Foreign Ministries, Change and Adaptation (Macmillan, London 1999)

Keeley, Robert V. (ed) First Line of Defense: Ambassadors, Embassies and American Interests Abroad (The American Academy of Diplomacy, Washington,2000)

Kennan, George: Diplomacy without Diplomats in Foreign Affairs 76(1997), p 198-212

Kurbalija, Jovan (ed): Modern Diplomacy (Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies, Malta 1998)
Kurbalija, Jovan and Stefano Baldi: Internet Guide for Diplomats (DiploPojects, Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies, Malta 2000)
Kurbalija, Jovan (ed): Knowledge and Diplomacy (DiploProjects, Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies, Malta 1999)

Langhorne, Richard and William Wallace: Diplomacy towards the Twenty-first Century, in: Brian Hocking (ed) Ministries: Change and Adaptation (Macmillan, Houndsmill, UK 1999)

Marshall, Sir Peter and Nabil Ayad, (ed): Are Diplomats Really Necessary? (International Symposium Proceedings, University of Westminster Press, London 1999)
Marshall, Sir Peter and Nabil Ayad, (ed): The Information Explosion: A Challenge for Diplomacy (International Symposium Proceedings, University of Westminster Press, London 1999)

Melissen, Jan (ed): Innovation in Diplomatic Practice (Palgrave, New York, 1999)

Nicolson, Sir Harold: Diplomacy (Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, Washington 1988)
Nicolson, Harold: The Evolution of Diplomatic Method (University of Leicester 1954, reprinted 1998)

Potter, Evan H.: Canada and the New Public Diplomacy (Netherlands Institute of International Relations, Discussion Papers in Diplomacy, No 81/2002)

Talbot, Strobe: Globalization and Diplomacy: A Practitioner´s Perspective, in: Foreign Policy 108/1997), p 69-83

Wildner, Heinrich: Die Technik der Diplomatie (Springer Wien 1959)
——–
[1] The author is director of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. The text reflects the personal views of the author. At a recent Wilton Park Conference on “The Role of Diplomats in the Modern World” the author was able to discuss many of the issues reflected in this paper with a number of colleagues and experts. This paper does not attempt in any way to summarize its proceedings, it nevertheless mirrors the richness of ideas that the conference could bring to bear.

[2] Abba Eban, Diplomacy for the Next Century (New Haven, Yale University Press, 1998); p 92

[3] Alan Henrikson, Diplomacy for the 21st Century: Re-Crafting the Old Guild” in Colin Jennings and Nicholas Hopkinson (eds): Current Issues in International Diplomacy and Foreign Policy, vol 1 (Wilton park, 1999), p 5-47

[4] Ian Soutar, The Impact of Information Technology on Diplomatic Practice in Diplomacy Beyond 2000 (University of Westminster Press, London 1996), p 2

[5] International Herald Tribune, February 10, 2002

[6] Daniel Thürer, The Emergence of Non-Governmental Organizations and Transnational Enterprises in International Law and the Changing Role of the State in Non-State Actors as New Subjects of International Law (Duncker & Humboldt, Berlin 1999), p 37ff

[7] Benita Ferrero-Waldner speaking at the “Europäisches Forum Alpbach” 2002 (www.bmaa.gv.at/presseservice)

[8] August Reinisch, Governance without Accountability; 44 German Yearbook of International Law (2001). p 270 ff

[9] www.unglobalcompact.org

[10] Diplomatic Studies Programme, University of Leicester, Discussion Paper No.59 (November 1999)

[11] At Wilton Park’s Conference on the role of diplomacy (FN 1) Professor Alan Henrikson from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy spoke of “demediatization” as one of the trends (“futurios”) that will impact on the way diplomacy will be conducted.

[12]Jonathan W. Moses and Torbjorn Knutsen, Globalization and the Reorganization of Foreign Affairs Ministries: (Discussion Papers in Diplomacy, Netherlands Institute for International Relations, No 80 May 2002)

[13] Horst-Dieter Steinbach, The Modern Diplomat: Envoy or Manager in Diplomacy in the Area of Globalization (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, Zagreb2001) p 47

[14] Raymond Saner, Die Zukunft der Diplomatie in Enrico Brandt und Christian Buch (ed): Auswärtiges Amt – Diplomatie als Beruf (Leske & Budrich, Opladen 2002) p 339

[15] Phillipe Petit, La diplomatie du 21e siècle, Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva, Point de vue 2001, No 1

[16] Inge Kaul, Isabelle Grunberg, and Marcus A Stern (eds), Global Public Goods; International Cooperation in the 21st Century (Oxford University Press, New York 1999). In this book Global Public goods are defined as “having no excludable, nonrival benefits that cut across borders, generations and populations.”

[17] see FN 10

[18] Inge Kaul and Katell Le Goulven Institutional Options for Providing Global Public Goods in Inge Kaul a.o. (eds) Providing Global Public Goods (Oxford University Press, New York, 2003), p 372, 380

[19] Here the International Court of Justice lately in the La Grande case had to rule against the United States.

[20] For a detailed study of the norms governing use of force in international affairs see Thomas M. Franck, State Action against threats and Armed attacks (Cambridge University Press, 2002)

[21] Richard Burt and Olin Robinson, Reinventing Diplomacy in the Information Age, CSIS Report Washington 1998 (www.csis.org/ics/dia/final.htlm)

[22] Richard Burt and Olin Robinson, Diplomacy in the Information Age; Diplomatic Studies Programme Discussion paper No 58 (University of Leicester, October 1999) p 39

[23] Jovan Kurbalija, Diplomacy in: the Age of Information Technology in Jan Melissen (ed): The Innovation of Diplomatic Practice (Palgrave, New York, 1999), p 171

[24] The reader will note that in the following actual developments and discernable trends are mixed with the author’s visions relating to the future of a well functioning foreign service.

[25] Steffen Rudolf: Die Reform des Auswärtigen Dienste in: Enrico Brandt und Christian Buch (ed): Auswärtiges Amt – Diplomatie als Beruf (Leske & Budrich, Opladen 2002), p 348f

[26] In October 1999 the Diplomatic Academy of Zagreb organized a seminar under the title: “Diplomacy for the Twenty-First Century: Knowledge Management” focusing on this essential issue for modern diplomacy in its use of communication technology. The proceedings of this conference were published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia in 2000.

[27] Friedrich Höss, Concept and Substance of Public Diplomacy in: Public Diplomacy and the Media, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, Zagreb 2000.

Christian Prosl, Public Diplomacy, Diplomatic Academy Favorita Paper 1/2003 (in preparation)

[28] International Herald Tribune, August 20, 2002

[29] On this issue see also Brian Hocking Gatekeepers and Boundary-Spanners; Thinking about Foreign Ministries in the European Union in Brian Hocking and David Spence (eds) Foreign Ministries in the European Union (Palgrave New York 2003) p 1-17

[30] Report on the Future of Bilateral Diplomacy in Europe (Report on the special inspection of fourteen German embassies in the countries of the European Union), reprinted in: The Future of European Diplomacy, Diplomatic Academy of Vienna Favorita Papers 02/2001, p 7-30

[31] see Hanspeter Neuhold’s contribution on Austria in: Brian Hocking and David Spence (eds), Foreign Ministries in the European Union (Palgrave, New York, 2002), p 37-59. An earlier version of this chapter was published as Hanspeter Neuhold, EU membership and the Austrian Foreign Ministry, Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, Occasional Paper, No 2/1998;

The Finnish Foreign Ministry published an interesting and highly readable paper on “Challenges for the Finnish Foreign Service”, Report by Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja to the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, 12 June 2001. This report also deals with the impact of EU Membership on the Finnish Foreign Ministry (p 17ff)

[32] Alexander Schallenberg and Christoph Thun-Hohenstein (eds), Die EU-Präsidentschaft Österreichs (Vienna, Manz 1999); Otmar Höll, The Austrian Presidency of the European Union (Laxenburg, The Austrian Institute for International Affairs, 1998); David Spence The Evolving Role of Foreign Ministries in the Conduct of European Union Affairs in Brian Hocking and David Spence (eds) Foreign Ministries in the European Union (Palgrave New York 2003) p 19-36

[33] The Final Report of the European Convention’s Working Group VII on External Action (Doc.: CONV 459/02) gives an excellent overview of current thinking within the Convention (http://european.convention.eu.int/doc)

[34] Francisco Aldecoa Luzarraga: The coordination of training in community matters for the member state diplomatic corps, (Universidad Complutense Madrid, 2002,Conference Report)

[35] These proposals (in the form of European Parliament resolutions) and the reactions of the Commission are reproduced in“ The Future of European Diplomacy”(Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, Favorita Papers 02/2001).

[36] Working document 55

[37] see FN 33

[38]According to information posted on the Austrian MFA’s website (ww.bmaa.gv.at/presseserv) the increasing mobility of nationals, both as tourists and as expatiates working in foreign countries increases the workload of the consular service by roughly 10% per year.

[39] In a short piece on “Diplomatic Training, the Dutch way” the Director of the Department of Training and Education at Clingendael, Jan Melissen (The Clingendael Newsletter, 9/2002) reminds us that much of what some of the most eminent writers on diplomacy (e.g. the 17th century Dutchman Abraham de Wicquefort, his French contemporary Francois de Callières or more recently in the 1930s, Harold Nicolson) wrote about the requirements for sound diplomacy is still relevant today. However, while these great “diplomatists” stressed a number of highly appropriate character values, which they wanted to see in the ideal diplomat, who otherwise would be a true homo universalis, “no diplomatic service today can maintain its high quality without a strategy for the life-long learning of its staff.” (Melissen)

[40] Roland Kliesow, Wer sollte sich für den Auswärtigen Dienst bewerben? in: Enrico Brandt und Christian Buch (ed): Auswärtiges Amt – Diplomatie als Beruf (Leske & Budrich, Opladen 2002) p 254

[41] Stanley Martin, The Future of Diplomatic Training in: Diplomacy beyond 2000, International Symposium Proceedings (University of Westminster Press, London 1996), P 72

[42] The above-mentioned new possibilities offered by modern information technology could – if put to good use by well-intentioned personnel departments – help to achieve this goal.

[43] The great Austrian writer Ingeborg Bachmann once said: “History teaches many lessons but finds no pupils”.

[44] See above: FN 15

[45] “The foreign Service is expected to incorporate environmental and sustainable development aspects, in a comprehensive and coherent manner, in all activities of the Service, e.g., in development cooperation aims and country programmes, in trade policy relations, in international financing co-operation and in regional cooperation,..” Report by Foreign Minster Erkki Tuomioja, see FN 31

[46] In 1979 Ralph Feltham, one of the great scholars of diplomacy in our time, then director of the Foreign Service Course at Oxford University prepared a substantive paper for discussion for the meetings of Deans and Directors of Diplomatic Academies and Institutes of International Relations on the issue of “Training for an International career”, published in the ISD (Institute for the Study of Diplomacy) Legacy Edition series. To a large extent this paper is still relevant today, although of course is does not deal with the IT revolution and its impact on diplomacy.

[47] The Diplomatic Academy of Vienna provides a well-rounded one-year training program. See the program of studies for the Academy‘s traditional Diploma Course: www.da-vienna.at

[48] Anticipation of Diplomacy in the Twenty-First Century, Occasional Paper of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, Washington 1979, ISD Legacy Edition

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2012-02-13T12:44:00Z

by jantan tongkat ali & kacip fat mama, Donplaypuks® intrepid correspondent for high T teh tarik affairs

The battle-scarred veteran of many a GATT/WTO skirmish for free AP handouts to rich relatives and cronies under the affirmative action (for the rich and haves) driven New Economic Policy, Madam rAPidafire Ironic Lady, stormed into the deserted parlour of 1M $40 Million Heavily Subsidised Ye Olde Madras Town Mamak Tea Shoppe.

" A pot of my favourite Intergri T, Maidin. Lots of it. And be snappy about it, or else...You know who I am, don't you?"

"Aren't you that Biggest Loser Lady who always doing the Hari Raya TV ad with frizzed out rat fur on her head, year in year out at the same rural, rustic house in Melaka?

"What? How dare you confuse me with country yokel peasants! And where's my Intergri T?"

"Well, you are a bit behinding the times, Madam rAPidafire. We not serving that Alliance Daching blend since 13th May1969, and certainly not after July 1981."

"In that case, a pot of Earl Grey, Darjeeling or Tetley's Tea Bags will do. Chop, chop! You know what they say:

Tetley's Tea Bags - 90% aroma, 10% body.
Earl Grey - 50% aroma, 50% body.
Darjeeling - 90% body, 10% aroma.

"Sorry Madam rAPidafire, we don't serving yimported British or Yindian tea."

"No, and I'll have none of the Boh ganja powder adulterated "got oomph" local stuff for me."

"Just for you Madam, we having special promotion of tea from downing under. Coming 5 flavours:

Far T - 90% aroma, 10 % body. Sold by the cc (cubic centimetres).
Shi T - 50% aroma, 50% body. Sold by the kg (kilogram).
Cnu T - 90% body, 10% aroma. Sold by china doll.
Pas T - 100% fundamental hot air for those religiously inclined. Sold by Osama (deceased).
Dato Trio T - 100% HollyBollyTonkywood aroma. The creme de la creme of BUMNO sponsored salacious spicy teas, specially imported from the salons of Phat Pong in Bangcoq. When boiling water is poured over the tea leaves, a magical top layer of blue film will appear, which when sipped, can transform full-haired young men into pot-bellied grandpas wearing crew cut hairsyle. Must be consumed with jantan ali copporn. Boiling water must be timed with Omega Oyster Perpetual Day-Date Wrist Watch donated by Saudi Prince. For best results, comely China Doll will be on hand to ensure first boil is achieved satisfactorily in exactly 15 minutes and second boil, 30 minutes later. Sold by Cik Thamby Pendek.

Would you trying a cup of any?"

"No, not today, thank you. Just a bottle of mineral water then."

"Ah, that we having 3 types:

Air Hitam du TOILET with brown sludge ooze and ammonia, optional. Specially collected and bottled from Puncak, Splash and Syabas underground springs in the Klang Valley.
Air Derriere du FLOM (First Lady of Mongolia) reserved to keep in shape the blossoming hips of FLOM, FLOS (First Lady of Shopping) and FLOP (First Lady of Putrajaya).
Air Asia du CHEAP (Certified Helluva Experience Aero Planes) at $15 a bottle with $30 coqscrew if booked online and paid by credit card in advance. Otw, in-flight orders will cost $30 per bottle an coqscrew, $60. Now, Everyone Can Drink (if you can afford it, but you'll get coqscrewed anyway).

"Don't you have anything really special that you normally reserve for, say, FLOCU?"

"Please don't be swearing at me, Madam rAPidafire!"

"Oh, el mega stupido Maidin, I meant for First Lady of Curtin University."

"Oh, is there a doctor in the house?"

"Oh, do people have fake degrees here?'

"Perishing the thought!"

Donplaypuks® with INTEGRI T, man!

If NFC can get soft loan, why not house buyers...

2012-02-13T11:30:00Z

Rather than utilise RM1.5 billion from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) for low-cost housing loans, the federal government should explore such options as the soft loan enjoyed by National Feedlot Corporation (NFC), said Lembah MP Nurul Izzah Anwar.

She was commenting on Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Raja Nong Chik’s (right) denial that the Treasury had run out of money, hence having to resort to getting funds from the EPF.

“Nong Chik’s denial that ... the federal government has run out of money, opens up the possibility of alternative funding options for home buyers,” she said in a statement today.

She offered two alternatives in helping the poor to buy houses.

If NFC could be given RM250 million in a soft loan at 2 percent interest, she said, the needy could be afforded the same terms.

“The minister should respond as to why the same loan consideration wasn’t extended to the rakyat,” she said, noting that KL City Hall has indicated that the interest could be 6.5 percent.

Nurul Izzah also suggested a‘rent-to-own and zero interest’ scheme.

“For example, a RM35,000 unit for 20 years would only require a RM145 monthly repayment not including building maintenance fees.

“This approach would fulfill a people-centric economic goal since the units offered have already been built and currently occupied with the construction costs already accounted for.”

She called it a “win-win” concept that could ride on the existing administrative systems.The MP challenged Nong Chik to call for a referendum to allow people to choose which option they feel is best for them.

Nurul Izzah also said she accepted the minister’s challenge to an open debate, but said it should be telecast ‘live’, similar to that mooted between Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek.

“This indeed would be democracy in practice, predicated upon the right to information for the rakyat. After all, Malaysians want to know for certain that our Treasury is really not empty,” she added.

Replace EPF loan scheme with rent-to-own...

Putrajaya could help council tenants buy homes by offsetting their monthly rental against the purchase price instead of borrowing RM1.5 billion from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to set up a new loan scheme.

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders also suggested that the federal government could charge the unqualified home buyers a nominal interest on their loan, similar to the deal it offered the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) for a RM250 million soft loan to run a cattle-farm business in Gemas, Negri Sembilan.

Nurul Izzah also suggested that the federal government offer a two per cent interest rate soft loan for the home loan project, similar to the kind given to NFCorp for the cattle-farming project. — File pic

They offered these suggestions today as examples of what they see as equitable funding solutions to the government’s controversial proposal of offering loans to unqualified buyers using money from the pension fund.

The PR MPs also questioned why the EPF loan scheme was not included in the 2012 Budget which had been approved in Parliament last year, saying that the “sudden” announcement validated perceptions of it being a “vote-getting” scheme by Barisan Nasional.

Federal Territories and Urban Well-being Minister Raja Datuk Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin had blamed opposition lawmakers for making “baseless” allegations on the matter, but refused to disclose why Putrajaya was resorting to borrowing money from the workers’ retirement fund.

“Taking Raja Nong Chik’s statement at face value, I propose that the government consider these two options, which the government can rightly consider, since, according to Raja Nong Chik, the Treasury has the money,” PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar said in a statement today.

She said a more equitable funding mechanism could be used, called a “Rent-to-Own and Zero Interest Scheme”, whereby interested home owners would pay a flat RM145 per month to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) for 20 years in order to pay up the cost of RM35,000 for a low-cost unit.

The Lembah Pantai MP said this approach would fulfil a “people-centric” economic goal since the units offered have already been built and currently occupied with the construction costs already accounted for.

“This scheme would also eliminate any further administration cost as the existing monthly rental collection system in use can remain. This is a win-win concept for all stakeholders,” said the PKR leader, adding that it should also be expanded to include all Malaysians who qualify under the lower-income category.

A second alternative funding option, she said, was for the federal government to offer a two per cent interest rate soft loan for the project, similar to the kind given to NFCorp for the cattle-farming project.

“Based on an annual 6.5 per cent interest rate for a 25-year loan tenure would increase the price of the units from RM35,000 to RM70,800 compared to an annual two per cent interest rate levied for 25 years of just RM44,400.

“The minister should respond as to why wasn’t the same loan consideration for the NFC extended to the rakyat in this scheme. It would seem that the minister’s announcement of a 10 per cent default rate is connected to the 6.5 per cent high interest rate charged to the low-income earners,” added Nurul Izzah.

She said a referendum should also be held for residents who will be applying for the EPF home loan scheme to see whether they would prefer other options.

“Finally, I accept the minister’s challenge to an open debate which should be titled ‘Which is the best funding option for PPR-PA home ownership?”. This debate should also be telecast live on television, similar to the live telecast of the debate between the Penang chief minister and MCA president by Astro,” Nurul Izzah said.

Pua questioned the need to create a special housing programme for the Federal Territories.

DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua questioned why Raja Nong Chik’s ministry needed to create a special programme for the Federal Territories when the government had already allocated funds for Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd (SPNB) to resolve housing issues for low-income Malaysians.

“If his low-cost housing plan is not a sudden vote-getting scheme, then why was it not budgeted for in the 2012 Budget approved in Parliament last year?

“The fear is really that FTF (Federal Territories Foundation) is being used as the vehicle for extending the loans instead of other government agencies such as SPNB or government banks such as Bank Rakyat or BSN (Bank Simpanan Negara) because Nong Chik is in full control of FTF as its chairman, and will be able to direct the loans for political objectives, especially since he is expected to contest in Lembah Pantai in the next general election,” Pua told The Malaysian Insider over the weekend.

The DAP MP said as minister, Raja Nong Chik needed to abide by all the conditions imposed by the EPF in the project, especially the need to appoint a financial institution to manage the loans to ensure that the funds will not be abused.

The federal opposition has accused BN of abusing monies from the pension fund to hide its current debt levels under the guise of offering a purportedly “noble” housing loan to lower-income earners.

Civil servants and private sector unions have said they were not consulted over the fund utilisation plan. Raja Nong Chik has however declined to comment about this as well as why the government did not just use federal funds to finance the loan scheme.

The EPF clarified last week it is in talks with a government agency to provide loans to city renters to buy homes but that the deal has not been inked. It also said that the terms involve lending an initial sum of RM300 million to the federal government through a special purpose vehicle linked to the FTF, and that the firm will act as the middleman to grant the home loans to potential home buyers. - malaysian insider

4U 2 C...

cheers.

SI TENGGANG DAN BATU CAVES

2012-02-13T07:01:00Z

NOTA:
ketahulah dirimu
ketahulah asalmu
seratus penemuan
seratus pembaharuan
tidakkan hilang harga diri

SILA BACA DISINI:

http://my.news.yahoo.com/blogs/yahoo-malaysia-newsroom/si-tanggang-dan-batu-caves-042025476.html

TOLONG SELAMAT KAN KAWAN KITA INI

2012-02-13T06:37:00Z

MASIH ADA MASA LAGI UNTUK CARI DATE

SURAT KU UNTUK MU

saudaraku anak muda,

jangan membunuh diri
jangan lakukan kerja yang sia sia ini
jika tuan tuan dilanggar lori
bayangkan betapa susahnya
hendak membersihkan jalan raya ini

bayangkan kerja membasuh
bayangkan kerja mencuci
tak mungkin ada rakyat malaysia
yang akan membuat kerja ini
pasti mat bangla akan di panggil

wahai saudara ku
kasihan laaa kepada mat bangla

kami sedar bahawa tuan tuan semua telah gagal
mencari kekasih di hari velentine
kami sedar bahawa muka saudara empat orang ini
memang muka gagal
kami juga sedar bahawa muka muka macam ini
saban tahun akan mendapat surat ' maaf i tak kenal you...'

kami amat sedar saudara berempat ini adalah muka poyo
yang tak laku laku saban tahun

tapi jangan takut
jangan kecewa
cuba mandi bunga
cuba ubah style rambut
cuba pakai jean koyak
cuba pakai pony tail
cuba warnakan rambut jadi hijau
cuba warnakan rambut jadi merah
cuba jangan dengar musik m nasir
cuba jangan dengar lagu mawi
cuba jangan baca akhbar melayu
cuba baca boigraphy john lennon
cuba ketahui semua musik bob dylan
cuba pergi ke petaling street
cuba lepak di brickfeild
cuba jangan tengok tv tapi baca buku
cuba baca tulisan jean paul satre
cuba baca buku ibnu khaldun
cuna baca sejarah baitul hikmah
cuna baca sajak abu nawas
cuba baca buku al-farabi
cuna baca kitab karl marx
cuba berbual tentang falsafah dan bukan mu

kalau semua gagal
mula bergerak dari hari ini
untuk 14 februari tahun 2013

tak ada date tahun ini
kita demo di kuantan

NOTA:
kalau susah susah tak dapat dapat awek
cuba try balak
kata woody allen kalau jadi bisexual
saham kita naik saham 200%
kah kah kah

NOTA:
senarai gagalist
akan keluar esok
nanti dan tunggu

TAK ADA DATE ADA DEMO

JADIKAN DEMO BUDAYA KITA

2012-02-13T05:16:00Z

TAHNIAH - DEMO BUDAYA KITA

MDPT ZALIMI KAMI : PENIAGA – meloya

PADANG TERAP 12 Feb. - Kira-kira 400 peniaga pasar sehari Naka di sini mendakwa penutupan tapak niaga di situ oleh Majlis Daerah Padang Terap (MDPT) sejak dua minggu lalu menjejaskan pendapatan mereka.

Kebanyakan peniaga yang terdiri daripada mereka berpendapatan rendah turut mempersoalkan sikap MDPT dikatakan double standard apabila tidak mengeluarkan arahan sama untuk peniaga di sekitar kawasan tersebut.

Rata-rata peniaga yang ditemui mendakwa mereka kerugian antara RM300 dan RM500 sehari selain menanggung kos bahan jualan yang rosak kerana tidak dapat berniaga.
Menurut wakil peniaga, Matzuki Shamsul, 42, yang juga merupakan peniaga burger di situ, penutupan tersebut walaupun bersifat sementara, menjejaskan periuk nasi mereka.

"Kebanyakan peniaga mempunyai keluarga jika tidak berniaga sehari hilanglah pendapatan hari itu. Jika tidak bagi berniaga carilah tapak lain agar kami boleh berniaga.

"Ini tidak, cuma bagi notis dan tutup tapak. Ini tidak adil dan zalim kerana peniaga lain di kawasan sekitar boleh berniaga termasuk pasar malam yang terletak bersebelahan," katanya ketika ditemui sewaktu mereka mengadakan perhimpunan bantahan di tapak pasar sehari itu hari ini.

KAH KAH KAH
KAH KAH KAH
KAH KAH KAH

woit... SAYABAS PAK CIK MAK CIK ABANG DAN KAKAK...kah kah kah..

kah kah kah..INI LAH BAIKNYA MENUBUHKAN KERAJAAN PAKATAN.... kah kah kah..

woit..BAYANGKAN KALAU INI BUKAN NEGERI PAKATAN...kah kah kah...

kah kah kah...MUSTAHIL AKAN KELUAR BERITA DEMO INI?.... kah kah kah

woit...PAK CIK DAN MAK CIK TELAH BERJAYA MENAJDI DEMO BUDAYA KITA.... kah kah kah..

kah kah kah...BUAT KECIK KECIK DULU... SEBELUM KITA BERHIMPUN BERIBU JUTA..... kah kah kah...

kah kah kah...JANGAN LUPA TURUN KE KUANTAN PADA AHAD 26HB INI...kah kah kah..

kah kah kah...KITA DEMO RAMAI RAMAI.... kah kah kah

NOTA:
inilah hikmah
mengundi dan mendirikan
negeri pakatan rakyat
semua komplin
semua keresahan
akan dpat liputan media

NOTA:
mampooslah madey
dia kata demo bukan budaya kita
kah kah kah

SILA TURUN UNTUK BERDEMO

MASIH ADA BEBERAPA JAM LAGI

2012-02-13T02:23:00Z

GAGALIST SEDUNIA BERSATULAH

hanya tinggal beberapa jam sahaja
hanya tinggal beberapa minit
sebelum anda di nobatkan
sebagai gagalist

jangan risau masih ada masa
valentine hanya akan muncul
apabila matahri muncul esok
masih ada masa untuk memukul talipon
masioh ada masa untuk melayari fb
masih ada masa untuk membuka buku alamat

masih ada masa untuk menempah bunga
masih ada masa untuk membeli kad ucapan

jika semua gagal
sila hubungi tukar tiub
untuk di senaraikan sebagai gagalist

esok senarai gagalist
akan muncul
berbanggalah
gagalist sedunia bersatulah!

disusun tunggu dan nantikan

SEDIH DAN MENYEDIHKAN

SURAT PALING POYO DARI PEMBACA:

hari kekasih ni mari kita merayakan kekasih kita dengan minum brandy dan makan babi.
By koko on MASIH ADA DUA HARI UNTUK MENG AYAT on 2/12/12

NOTA:
rahmat harun
syafiq sunny
farid abdilah
apakah anda tidak gagal tahun ini?
kah kah kah