Warkah

Minorities Surreptitiously Being Denied Equal Rights

adiwira — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:20:04 +0000

Which other country in the world does the majority community surreptitiously and systematically deny equal rights and opportunities to its disadvantaged minorities other than Malaysia?

Can you name one?

Let me clarify how this works in reality with three reports from Utusan Malaysia (Oct 3, 2009). These three reports are from the IPTA/IPTS special supplement of the paper. It is only from reports in the Malay media that a glimpse of such total usurpation by the majority is obtained. The other parts of the media do not feature any of this. This is the design. This is part of the scheme.

The first report is about the Umno government’s plan to produce 100,000 PhDs by 2024. Mara has a post-graduate school called IPS-is (Institut Pengajian Siswazah) which has been in operation since 1997. They are targeting to have 20,000 students in their various post-graduate programmes by 2024.

Given an average stay of four years for each graduate student, that will be an output of some 5,000 per year. Whether it is realised or not is really a different question. My purpose is really to show the embedded injustice in all these government programmes.

The institute’s dean says one of the factors contributing to low participation in their graduate programmes is the fees. So they are considering an assistance scheme for the better students and they are to be paid RM1,300 (Masters) and RM1,800 (PhD) per month.

That is really good. But here is the catch. This is a 100 percent bumiputra participation programme with zero non-bumi participation. Not only are the places provided but they also facilitated. This is something one never hears in any of the programmes involving non-bumis.

The second article is about Kolej Teknologi Timur in Sepang, which has just seen the graduation of its fourth batch of students on what is called the Kursus Intensif Timur Tengah (Middle East Intensive Course).

This is a three-month programme to prepare selected Mara-sponsored students to pursue medicine in the Alexandria University in Cairo. They are all SPM-level candidates.

The point about this programme is that it is a 100 percent bumiputra participation programme. This is only for one course, for one Middle Eastern University. This is a preparatory programme.

Not only do the participants get to do medicine on scholarship, the students also are put through preparatory programmes to reduce the fallout rate.

This is a good approach. But the point I want to make about this report is this. Not only does this programme systematically exclude the minorities of the country, it also shows in contrast, the attention to detail that is generally not shown if this were a programme for the non-bumis.

If the non-bumi programme were to fail, it would just be allowed to fail and no remedial measures would be planned or done. ‘A failure is a failure, sorry, just try harder the next time please. No remedial or facilitating programmes for you,’ they would say.

The third report is about Kolej Risda in Alor Gajah in Melaka – a Risda-run private college developing middle-level management and technical and operative level manpower for the agro industry.

It runs various diploma-level programmes. Some of the key ones are Diploma in Agriculture with UPM, Diploma in Plantation management with Mara, a pre-diploma in science programme as a feeder programme to the diploma programmes and a Diploma in Landscape Management.

There are several other diploma programmes offered with UPM. All of this are for the middle- management and middle-level technical personnel. Then there are programmes such as Certificate as a Plantation Conductor and a Certificate as a Palm Oil Mill Operator.

All the students of the college will be assisted to get funding from the National Higher Education Fund and scholarships are provided to second-generation small holders .

Needless to say, the majority if not all of the participants will be bumiputera. The point is that there are so many skills training programmes in the country like this one but which are systematically and surreptitiously denied to the non-bumiputera.

So many non-bumiputera youth could be kept away from the clutches of crime if they had opportunities like these available to them; opportunities for self-employment, for hope and maybe for upward mobility.

But no, this is systematically denied to them.

Malaysia is the only country in the world where the majority community grabs all the resources of the country for itself to the detriment and neglect of significant minority groups in the country. What I have shown above is from news reports in one day and from a couple of educational programmes pertaining to a couple of institutions in the country.

Multiply that several thousand times over the various fields of life beyond education and the scale of this usurpation will become clearer.

The many problems we see in the minority communities which are often attributed to some self- induced causes (meaning it is intrinsic and endemic to them) can really be shown to be only secondary if opportunities such as these are opened up to the youth from these minority communities.

They will have hope return to their lives and along with it opportunities for upward mobility in the system. The many issues and problems we see today will be pre-empted. We are not asking for more than what should be our share – we are only asking for our rightful share and nobody really, should have a problem with that.

The federal constitution which is the supreme document governing the country of Malaysia never said to totally exclude non-Malays from all the education programmes of the government like what is happening in our country right now.

The above article is written by Naragan N.

Source : MalaysiaKini

Technorati Tags: bumiputra, equal rights, ipta, ipts, majorities, minorities, scholarship, umno

National Automotive Policy 2010

adiwira — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:00:21 +0000

The “good feelings” brought by some benefits in the 2010 Budget have been wiped off by the new National Automobile Policy (NAP). The government will continue protecting domestic cars, making the public suffer.

As expected, the revised NAP will not lower car prices and the government will maintain the high import duty and excise duty as the taxes were important “revenue sources for the Government.” In fact, it is meant to protect domestic cars.

It is disappointing that the automotive industry has not really moved towards openness, which has contravened the Prime Minister’s commitment to implement economic liberalisation. A protection which is too strong will undermine the country’s efforts to attract foreign investment.

The new NAP shows a little signs of liberalisation, such as foreign firms will be given manufacturing licenses to hold 100 per cent equity in firms producing luxury vehicles. However, foreign firms are allowed only to manufacture luxury vehicles with an engine capacity of more than 1,800 cc and costing more than RM150,000, which are not the selling point of Proton.

The government made a promise in the NAP announced in March 2006 that the open approved permits (APs) would be terminated on 31 Dec 2010. But under the new NAP, the promise has changed and the new deadline is 31 December 2015. If even a promise can also be changed, how can we expect confidence from foreign investors?

Other protective measures are, starting from June 2011, imports of used automotive parts and components will be prohibited and imports of used commercial vehicles will also be prohibited effective 1 Jan 2016. It is not open at all. If a foreign automobile company wishes to set up a factory in Southest Asia, it is not going to choose Malaysia.

Another impact on car owners would be the mandatory roadworthiness inspections for vehicles aged 15 years or older before road tax renewal and old vehicles may also be prohibited on the road in the future. The mandatory roadworthiness inspections will further burden low-income earners. Currently, there are about 2.7 million vehicles aged above 10 years on the road. Puspakom should have a great business volume and thus, it should pay the government additional taxes.

In order to protect the environment, developed countries usually have a set of regulations to phase out old vehicles. But the government will provide subsidies and preferences. In fact, the subsidies come from automobile firms as they will benefit from the relevant laws, especially for domestic cars.

The government starts the implementation of the mandatory roadworthiness inspections before having a comprehensive policy. It is indeed a big hit for the used vehicle market.

With an underdeveloped public transportation system, cars have become a necessity for Malaysians. But domestic cars, including national cars, are more expensive than foreign cars (Tata Nano from India costs only US$1984). As the government continues protecting domestic cars and refuses to open up the market, it will force the people to forever “work” for cars. How can the little tax deduction allowed by the Budget offset the people’s losses?

The government claims that it wants to transform the country into a high-income country. But before we can see any specific programs to increase revenue, the burden has been aggravated. We have to pay annual service taxes for credit and charge cards and the government wants to impose the goods and services tax (GST) in the future. As our incomes are not able to catch up with surging housing and car prices, what’s the use to feed on illusions?

I have only one word for the revised NAP: Disappointing!

~ By LIM SUE GOAN/Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE/Sin Chew Daily ~

Source : Sin Chew Daily

Technorati Tags: 2010, AP, approved permits, automotive industry, domestic car, nap, National Automotive Policy, proton

2010 Budget Highlights

adiwira — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:28:38 +0000

Some of the highlights of the Budget 2010 presented by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak are as follows;

Employees EPF contributions will be raised again to 11 per cent on a voluntary basis with immediate effect. However, from Jan 1, 2011 employees’ EPF contribution will revert to 11 per cent.
The Government proposes existing personal tax relief of RM6,000 for EPF contributions and life insurance premiums be raised to RM7,000.
Government allocates RM2.3 billion to build and upgrade infrastructures in rural areas.
Government provides RM41 million to improve income and quality of life of the Orang Asli Community by implementing various projects.
Budget 2010 allocations totalled RM191.5 billion, of which RM138.3 billion is for operating expenditure and RM53.2 billion for development expenditure.
Federal Government revenue in 2010 to decline by 8.4 per cent to RM148.8 billion.
Budget deficit at 5.6 per cent of GDP compared with 7.4 per cent in 2009.
Effective Jan 1 2010, government agrees to allow agencies to retain 50 per cent of rentals received while the remaining 50 per cent will be remitted to the government as revenue.
The Government will implement fuel subsidy management system in early 2010.

The Government proposes the maximum income tax rate to be further reduced to 26 per cent from 27 per cent effective from the 2010 year of assessment.
Maximum tax rate for cooperatives will be reduced to 26 per cent while the fixed tax rate for non-resident individuals will be cut to 26 per cent.
Personal tax relief will be increased to RM9,000 from RM8,000 effective from the 2010 year of assessment.
The Government also proposes income tax on employment income of Malaysians and foreign knowledge workers residing and working in Iskandar Malaysia be imposed at 15 per cent compared with the maximum 26 per cent for the rest of the country.
Government to launch a scheme in January 2010 that enables EPF contributors to utilise current and future savings in Account 2 to promote house ownership.
RM14.8 billion is allocated to manage, build and upgrade hospitals and clinics.
The Government will issue 1Malaysia Sukuk totalling RM3 billion.
The Government will establish the 1Malaysia Retirement Scheme to be administrated by EPF.
To introduce a basic insurance and takaful scheme for motor insurance protection by mid-2010.
To expand micro insurance and takaful coverage for small-scale businessmen to benefit from coverage ranging from RM10,000 to RM20,000 with a premium as low as RM20 per month.
Stock market to be further liberalised to enhance efficiency.
Liberalise commission-sharing arrangements between stockbrokers and remisiers by allowing flexible brokerage sharing at a minimum rate of 40 per cent for remisiers and to have commission-sharing fully liberalised effective January 1, 2011.
Allowing 100 per cent foreign equity participation in corporate finance and financial planning companies.
All public-listed companies to offer e-Dividend and stockbroking companies to provide e-Payment options.
Current tax incentives to develop financial services, particularly Islamic finance, extended to 2015.
Twenty per cent stamp duty exemption on Islamic financing instruments.
Tax exemption on banking profits derived from overseas operations.
Double deduction on expenditure incurred in promoting Malaysia as an international financial centre.
Deduction on expenditure incurred to set up islamic stockbroking companies.
Deduction on expenditure incurred on the issuance of Islamic securities.
Government to encourage all syariah-compliant financial and banking institutions such as Bank Muamalat and Bank Islam to offer Ar-Rahnu scheme.
Government to ensure regional corridors be developed according to schedule. Todate 126 of 195 planned projects are at various stages of implementation. Planned investments totalling RM221 billion have exceeded the 9MP target of RM145 billion.
Government to allocate RM3.5 billion for infrastructure and basic amenities and training programmes and socio-economic projects to support implementation of private sector projects.
Government is in the final stage of completing a study on imposing Goods and Services Tax (GST). The rate will be lower than the current sales and service tax.
Income tax for 2010 based on income derived from 2009 will be allowed to be paid in instalments in five years.
A five per cent tax to be imposed on gains from disposal of real property from Jan 1, 2010.
A RM50 service tax to be imposed on each principal credit card and charge card and RM25 a year on each supplementary card from Jan 1, 2010.
RM100,000 to be imposed for each AP to open AP holders effective Jan 1, 2010. A portion of the collection will be channelled to the Bumiputera development fund in the automotive sector.
Malaysia’s economy to grow by two to three per cent in 2010.
Mining to grow 1.1 per cent, manufacturing 1.7 per cent, agriculture 2.5 per cent, construction 3.2 per cent and service sector 3.6 per cent.
Private consumption to expand 2.9 per cent while private investments 3.4 per cent.
Per capita income to increase by 2.5 per cent to RM24,661.
TNB to spend RM5 billion to implement electricity generation, transmission, distribution projects in 2010.
RM149 million allocation to develop food farming industry such as fruits, vegetables, organic farming, herbs, seaweeds and swiftlet nests.
RM58 million to develop basic infrastructures for livestock farms and establish supply chains for beef and mutton production.
A consortium comprising FELDA, FELCRA and RISDA will be established by the end of 2009, with a paid-up capital of RM300 million and with each agency contributing RM100 million.
Government to provide subsidies, incentives and assistance amounting to some RM2 billion to farmers and fisherman to safeguard their interests.
Government to allocate RM9 billion to finance infrastructure projects, with RM4.7 billion for road and bridge projects, RM2.6 billion for water supply and sewerage services, RM899 million for rail facilities, RM820 million for ports and sea services and RM276 milliion for airport projects.
To consolidate 79 SME funds to 33 to simplify access to SME financing to be coordinated by SME Corp.
To allocate RM350 million to SME Corp, with RM200 million set aside for SME soft loans, RM100 million for capacity enhancement and the balance for branding and promotion.
Financial institutions to approve micro-financing in six days and disbursement in four days.
To allocate RM538 million for implementation of various SME programmes, with RM281 million to state economic development corporations, RM200 million to TEKUN and RM57 million for purchase of business premises and infrastructures.
Government to sanction RM20 million to intensify green awareness activities and practise environment-friendly lifestyle.
Develop Putrajaya and Cyberjaya as pioneer townships in Green Technology as a showcase for the development of other townships.
Establish a RM1.5 billion fund to promote green technology, with a maximum RM50 million financing for suppliers and RM10 million for consumer companies. Applications for financing through the National Green Technology Centre to commence on Jan 1, 2010 and 140 companies are to benefit.
Building owners obtaining GBI Certificates from tomorrow until Dec 31, 2014 are to be given income tax exemption equivalent to additional capital expenditure.
Stamp duty exemption to buyers of buildings with GBI Certificates from tomorrow till Dec 31, 2014.

Source : BERNAMA

Technorati Tags: 2010, budget, malaysia, ministry of finance, najib tun razak, prime minister

Malaysian British Overseas Citizenship Dilemma

adiwira — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 02:25:22 +0000

Hundreds of Malaysians who tore up their passports and set off for Britain in the belief they could claim citizenship under a quirk of colonial law have found themselves stateless and desperate.

“Dee”, a trained architect from the resort island of Penang, is now reduced to washing up dishes at a Chinese restaurant in central London — a victim, he says, of a “citizenship that is not real.”

“I have become an illegal immigrant… actually even worse because at least they have their own country to go back to. I don’t,” the 34-year-old told AFP.

A little-known legal clause gave residents of Penang and Malacca — a seaside enclave south of the capital Kuala Lumpur — the status of British Overseas Citizenship (BOC) when Malaysia gained independence in 1957.

Ethnic Chinese in the two regions that were part of a British colony in the former Malaya, wary of discrimination under an independent nation dominated by Muslim Malays, had sought assurances they could resort to residing in Britain.

Immigration activists say that a few hundred Malaysians took up citizenship, most of them eventually being granted the right after residing in Britain for more than five years in the 1980s and 1990s.

Immigration laws tightened up in 2002, ending any chance for Malaysian BOCs to register as British citizens.

But confusion over the change, combined with shady immigration lawyers out to make a buck, meant many Malaysians continued to pursue applications. Dee, who had seen many BOC friends successfully gain citizenship, applied in 2003.

Ben Scaro, an Australian lawyer who advocates their cause, says the situation became messier as cases were left unresolved for years, and letters sent in 2005 told applicants they could not proceed unless they showed they had lost Malaysian citizenship.

As a result, a large number of BOCs including Dee renounced their Malaysian citizenship — a process that is extremely difficult to reverse.

“I filled up the forms to renounce my citizenship and my Malaysian passport was cut up,” Dee says.”I was told by the officials at the Malaysian High Commission here that I was no longer a Malaysian citizen.”

“What makes it worse is the British government saying it’s very hard to renounce Malaysian citizenship and declaring we are still Malaysian while the Malaysian government says we are not Malaysian any more but British. Its crazy.”

Sealing their fate, an Asylum and Immigration tribunal in July 2008 ruled that Malaysian BOCs who have or had Malaysian citizenship do not have a right to reside in Britain.

“We are looking at a situation where nearly 1,000 Malaysians who have given up their citizenship are now BOCs but have no right to stay in the UK,” Ben Scaro said.

It also ruled that a Malaysian BOC does not lose their Malaysian citizenship by applying for a BOC passport or renunciation of Malaysian nationality.

“The British Home Office effectively orchestrated the BOCs’ statelessness,” Scaro said.

“It said if you can prove you are not Malaysian your case can go forward, so of course the BOCs are going to go to the Malaysian High Commission and renounce.

“And then once they had renounced, then the decision comes along, saying the BOC will no longer be a path to citizenship.”

Malaysian constitutional lawyers also disagree with the British tribunal’s interpretation of Malaysian law.

“If a Malaysian has gone through the renunciation process and followed the procedure, then the person is no longer a Malaysian citizen,” prominent lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar told AFP in Kuala Lumpur.

“Of course Malaysia would not allow the citizen to renounce its citizenship without having another citizenship but as far as the government is concerned the British Overseas Citizenship, as its name implies, is another citizenship.”

“If these Malaysians follow the procedures, in these circumstances, they end up being stateless.”

Edmund Yeo, a Malaysian citizen who is an elected councillor in Ealing, West London, says that only the British government can now resolve the dilemma.

“The British government gave them that right, they were born and you called them BOC in Malaysia… and now you want to remove yourself from this problem, that’s not right,” he told AFP in his office near London’s Chinatown.

“These people can be turned into very productive citizens who pay taxes. These are not economic refugees, they did not come in the back of a lorry. They walked in the front door saying they are claiming citizenship, so give it to them.”

London Citizens, a civic group campaigning for the BOC, organised a major rally in July to urge the British government to legalise long-term illegal residents who are hardworking and contribute to society.

“People who have been here for more than four years, show evidence that they are good citizens, non-criminals, willing to contribute, we ask the government to give them a two-year work permit and during the period if they get a strong reference from their employer, we ask they be made legal,” said organiser Joy Lam.

“The Malaysian BOCs are a small group of people and they are stateless so our first priority is to try and get them indefinite leave to remain.”

However, a UK Borders Agency spokesperson, in a written response to AFP, said the government was sticking to the ruling of the tribunal.

“Being a BOC is not the same thing as having British citizenship and does not give people an automatic right to live in the UK,” she said.

“We do not believe that these individuals are stateless and the courts agreed. Anyone in the United Kingdom illegally should leave voluntarily. If they do not, they are liable to be removed.”

For Dee, the situation remains bleak.

“Malaysia will not take me and I have lived in the UK for 11 years,” he said. “I am British, I have lived here for more than a third of my life and I am willing to work hard so why don’t they just let me?”

Source : AFP

Technorati Tags: britain, british, British Overseas Citizenship, citizenship, colonial law, malaysian

The Only Option For MCA

adiwira — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:39:25 +0000

by James Chin

The delegates have spoken. No matter how both sides are going to spin the results, there is no denying the following:

The central delegates want both Ong and Chua out of leadership positions in MCA.
They have lost confidence in both leaders.
They want fresh presidential elections to elect new leaders.

If MCA does not hold fresh party elections and Ong hangs on as president, or one of the vice-presidents takes over as president, there is little doubt that MCA’s slogan of reform will be seen as empty rhetoric to the public.

Indeed one could argue that Ong’s refusal to resign on the spot suggests that MCA is no better than any third world political parties. There is nothing ambiguous about the vote, the delegates do not want Ong.

You can use all sorts of legal arguments on why you do not have to resign but the public will not be fooled by legal speak.

The same goes for Chua, the delegates do not want him as their deputy president or president.

The only way out of the present crisis is for both Ong and Chua to enjoy their retirement and leave MCA with a bit of honour intact.

In hindsight, it was clear that both sides over-played their hand. Their “winner takes all” attitude alienated many inside and outside the MCA. The spin from both sides further alienated more. Many of the delegates are sophisticated people and were not fooled by the spin.

For example, many delegates simply did not believe the spin that Ong had single-handedly “exposed” the PKFTZ scam and that his life was on the line for exposing the fraud. The issue has been in the public for the past few years already and was partly the reason why the former Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy did not contest in 2008.

It did not help that Ong’s public carefully crafted “super clean” image was contradicted by ”free trips” on private jets. The days when the mainstream press was the only source of information is long gone.

The central delegates are all politicians and they know spin when they see it. The more the mainstream press controlled by the MCA (and Ong-friendly website such as Malaysian Mirror) ran stories about how he was going to win the EGM, the more the reverse happened.

Their natural instinct was to believe that the tide had turned against Ong. Like typical Malaysians, they told both sides exactly what they wanted to hear – “we support you” – when inside their hearts they were really fed up with both sides.

Malaysian politicians will tell you what you want to hear if you are the incumbent (like Ong) or you have the potential to be the next King (as in Chua).

On Chua’s side, nobody believed him when he said he had no ambition to be president or be a minister again. Many delegates were sympathetic to him for the way he was sidelined by Ong but at the end of the day, they were simply fed up with his unrelenting quest to take down Ong, even it meant the downfall of the entire party.

In summary, it was the egos of both men which caused their downfall. Politicians, ironically, do not like boastful politicians and they do not like other politicians who complain too much. Most took the attitude that both men deserved each other and the only just desserts for both was to sack both. And this is exactly what they did.

The sorry state of the MCA can be an opportunity for the party to use it as a turning point for the political history of the party. If the party hold fresh elections and replace the entire leadership, the party might emerge from this crisis stronger.

Source : The Malaysian Insider

Technorati Tags: Chua Soi Lek, egm, mca, Ong Tee Keat, vote

Barisan Nasional Won Bagan Pinang By-Election

adiwira — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:58:12 +0000

Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad has won the Bagan Pinang by-election by a landslide of 5,435 votes, snapping its losing streak in peninsula Malaysia since Election 2008.

The huge margin of victory will give Umno in particular a big boost, which it hopes will mark the party’s revival.

BN retained the Bagan Pinang state seat after Isa polled 8,013 votes to 2,578 votes for Negri Sembilan PAS chief Zulkefly Omar. The margin of victory was more than double BN’s win in last year’s elections.

When met by reporters after his victory was announced, Isa said: “This is a sign of a good beginning, the Chinese, the Indians, and also the Malays are now supporting BN”.

Today’s results will also mark the return of Isa to active politics since his suspension from Umno in 2005.

A mentri besar for 22 years, he left the state administration after the 2004 general elections to become the federal territories minister. But he resigned from the government after he was suspended from Umno for his involvement in vote buying — a widespread practice which the party is trying to curb through a constitutional amendment expected to be passed early next week.

Early analyses suggest BN won in all polling streams, and wrested back the Indian votes it lost last year. Indian votes were seen as significant because they accounted for 20 per cent of the electorate.

Umno officials say the turnaround suggests Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s intense courtship of Indians contributed to their support for BN here.

The party also made gains in the crucial postal votes from army personnel. Isa took 3,521 postal votes while Zulkefly received just 601 votes. Last year the postal votes tally was 3,080-1,189 in BN’s favour.

Umno will be hoping today’s victory, which was expected, can be the catalyst for the party’s revival of fortunes. The party ran an efficient campaign by rallying around Isa’s popularity in the constituency.

Umno’s party machinery has been energised in anticipation of today’s win and leaders will be hoping this will put it in good stead to stop Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) momentum.

Still, the election of a tainted politician, who won on his personal popularity in a small state seat, is likely to reinforce negative perceptions of Umno nationally. A recent poll by the independent Merdeka Centre showed a majority of voters in peninsular Malaysia did not approve of the candidacy.

With Isa’s win, Umno may find it harder to shake off the image many Malaysians have of them as being tainted by corruption.

But Najib will be hoping that a reenergised Umno and an improving economy will be enough to swing the pendulum back in favour of Umno and BN by the time the next general elections are called.

Source : The Malaysian Insider

Technorati Tags: bagan pinang, barisan nasional, bn, by-election, pas, result, umno

Ong Goes On Leave After MCA EGM

adiwira — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 15:58:59 +0000

After losing the confidence of his party’s central delegates, MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat is taking four days’ leave until Wednesday and will not issue any statements, his aide said.

The Transport Minister’s office issued a terse two-line statement about his plans in the next few days. He is scheduled to attend the party’s central committee meeting on Thursday to discuss the outcome of the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) yesterday.

“Dato’ Sri Ong Tee Keat will be on leave from 11/10/2009 (Sunday) to 14/10/2009 (Wednesday). There would be no statements from Dato’ Sri Ong within this period,” Ong’s press secretary Lim Xiu Bin said in a statement.

“Thank you for your cooperation and understanding,” he added.

Ong had previously said he would quit the party presidency if he lost the no-confidence vote in the Oct 10 EGM. He lost the resolution by a wafer-thin margin of 14 votes, receiving just 1,141 votes against 1,155.

He had also said the presidential council that sacked estranged deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek should also quit if the central delegates voted to reinstate Chua’s membership which happened at the EGM. However, the delegates did not agree to give Chua his post back.

The decisions by the 2,307 central delegates have thrown the party into chaos as it effectively dumped both the president and the deputy president, who was sacked by the presidential council for bringing the party to disrepute with his sex DVD escapade.

The MCA central committee later revoked the sacking but instead suspended Chua’s membership for four years.

Both Ong and Chua have said they accepted the EGM’s decisions.

However, Ong has been cryptic about quitting the presidency as party officials say he can only be removed by a two-thirds majority rather than the simple majority obtained yesterday.

MCA’s allies in the Barisan Nasional have asked the second-biggest party in the ruling coalition to overcome the issue as soon as possible.

Source : The Malaysian Insider

Technorati Tags: Chua Soi Lek, egm, extraordinary, mca, Ong Tee Keat, vote

Malaysia 66th Globally, 3rd Best In Asean For Most Attractive Country

adiwira — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:58:54 +0000

Malaysia is the third most desirable country to live in the Asean region behind Singapore and Brunei. Overall, it was ranked 66th globally out of 182 countries, according to UN data released this week.

Data collected in 2007 before the global economic crisis ranked Singapore as the 23rd and Brunei the 30th most desirable country to live in.

Both countries were listed as having “very high human development” together countries like Sweden, France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Germany and the United States.

Other Asian countries ranked as having “very high human development” are Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE.

Norway retained its status as the world’s most desirable country to live in, according to the UN data, which ranks sub-Saharan African states afflicted by war and HIV/AIDS as the least attractive places.

Data collected prior to the global economic crisis showed people in Norway, Australia and Iceland had the best living standards, while Niger, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone scored worst in terms of human development.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) index was compiled using 2007 data on GDP per capita, education, and life expectancy, and showed marked differences between the developed and developing world.

Malaysia was ranked in the category of countries with “high human development” together with countries such as Romania, Costa Rica, Mexico, Cuba, Hungary, Bahrain, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon.

In comparison, Thailand was ranked 87th while Indonesia came in at 111th, and were only classified as having “medium human development.”

According to the country report for Malaysia, life expectancy at birth in Malaysia 74.1 years, compared with 82.7 years in Japan.

Malaysia has a 91.2 per cent adult literacy rate which is lower than Indonesia’s 92 per cent and Georgia’s 100 per cent.

Malaysia’s GDP per capita in 2007 was US$13,518 (RM46,495), compared to Botswana’s US$13,604 and Liechstenstein’s US$85,382.

Singapore’s life expectancy was estimated at 80.2 years, its literacy rate was 94.4 per cent and GDP per capita was US$49,704.

Malaysia was ranked 63rd in previous year’s index.

Technorati Tags: adult literacy, asean, country, global, human development, life expectancy, malaysia, most attractive

Thunderbirds Shows At Royal Malaysian Air Force Subang Air Base

adiwira — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:44:02 +0000

The Thunderbirds, a revered air demonstration squadron of the US Air Force (USAF) will perform their aerobatic formation and solo flying stunts in specially-marked jets during an air show here on Oct 3.

The air show which would feature the Thunderbirds F-16 and C-17 aircrafts has been scheduled to take place at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Subang Air Base.

“The US Embassy is proud to announce the visit of the USAF Thunderbirds to Kuala Lumpur in partnership with the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF),” said the US Embassy in a statement here today.

The statement added that the RMAF’s Sukhoi aerobatic team will also perform at the one-day show and that is open for members of the public, for free.

Into their 56th season, the Thunderbirds’ 2009 schedule includes 73 shows in the US, Puerto Rico and the Far East.

The USAF’s Lockheed Martin F-16 Thunderbirds in formation flying.

They began their tour on April 18 in Puerto Rico before performing all over the US.

Prior to Malaysia, they have performed in Hawaii, Australia and Guam earlier this month.

Their next tour covers Thailand, Japan and South Korea before returning to the US.

The aerobatic team coined its name from the American Indian fables of the giant eagle and the hawk which are described as birds of thunder.

Indian legend speaks of these two birds with great fear and respect.

When these two birds take to the skies, the earth seems to tremble from the thunder of their great wings, while their eyes shoot bolts of lightning.

Originally stationed at the Luke Air Force Base in Arizona in 1953, the Thunderbirds later moved to their present location at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.

The team comprises 12 officers and 120 enlisted men, led by Lieutenant Colonel Greg Thomas.

The other main team members are pilots majors John Baum (left wing), Kirby Ensser (right wing), Sean Gustafson (slot), Tyrone Dyon Douglas (lead solo) and Rick Goodman (opposing solo).

They are supported by Lieutenant Colonel Derek Routt (operations officer), Major Tony Mulhare (advance pilot/narrator), Major Charla Quayle (flight surgeon), Captain Patrina Hanson (executive officer), Major Dave A. Lemery (maintenance officer), Captain Jason McCree (public affairs officer) and a host of maintenance, support and liaison crew.

Source : Bernama

Technorati Tags: aerobatic, air show, c-17, f-16, sukhoi, thunderbirds, us air force

Tan Sri Isa Samad For Bagan Pinang By-Election

adiwira — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:18:15 +0000

The upcoming Bagan Pinang by-election is the best chance for Barisan Nasional (BN) to end the opposition’s winning streak, but the ruling coalition is starting off on a defensive note.

In an all too familiar scenario, Umno yet again enters the campaign defending its choice of candidate.

It picked former Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Tan Sri Isa Samad to contest the by-election.

Isa, 59, is popular with the grassroots but is tainted, having been suspended for three years from Umno for buying votes during the 2004 party elections.

By picking Isa, Umno is seen as riding roughshod over public sentiment.

The by-election was called after a former Umno assemblyman died last month. Polling will take place on Oct 11.

Umno was also on the defensive in the last by-election in Penang when it fielded a disbarred lawyer. It lost that round.

Its leaders are trying to paint the choice of Isa as that of the people of this coastal constituency in Negri Sembilan.

“The people of Bagan Pinang and Teluk Kemang, and not only Umno but people of all races, wanted him,” Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said.

Few would disagree that Isa has what it takes to win. He has a loyal base of support in the area.

An Umno divisional leader told The Straits Times that the party could not afford to lose after six consecutive losses in by-elections in the peninsula since last year’s general election.

“The party is fragile now,” he said.

It is thus reluctant to take a risk even though the demographics of the seat heavily favour the BN.

Of the 13,600 voters, 4,600 are postal voters from a nearby army camp. Postal votes are a safe vote bank for the BN.

The remaining 9,000 voters are divided into 63 per cent Malays, 21 per cent Indians, 11 per cent Chinese, and the rest classified as others.

Umno won the seat in last year’s general election with a majority of 2,333 votes.

Analyst Ong Kian Ming, who specialises in electoral politics, said 63 per cent of the Malay vote then went to the BN, excluding the postal votes.

As for the non-Malays, the BN picked up 42 per cent of the votes.

The high level of Malay support and large number of postal votes are factors that favour Umno.

But it is clear that Umno does not want to take any chances.

Its pledge to reform has suddenly started to ring hollow, say critics.

“Malaysians shook their heads in dismay at Isa’s nomination,” said veteran opposition MP Lim Kit Siang.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who strongly opposed the choice of Isa, said he will not be campaigning for the BN.

“Well, he is the party nominee… My personal feelings do not count,” he said.

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, an MP in Negri Sembilan, said the party has to be proactive in countering the inevitable backlash.

“He has paid the penalty. There must be some rehabilitation,” he said.

He also pointed out that the opposition cannot take the moral high ground because it, too, has tainted leaders.

Isa will be up against Negri Sembilan PAS commissioner Zulkefly Mohamad Omar, 44.

A Parti Keadilan Rakyat divisional leader, Shahruddin Abdul Hamid, 52, plans to contest as an independent.

Source : The Straits Times

Technorati Tags: bn, by-election, former menteri besar, negeri sembilan, pasbagan pinang, umno

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