48-Day Countdown to 13GE: Najib is heading towards setting a third record as Malaysian Prime Minister in order to avoid a fourth record as the last UMNO/BN Prime Minister fulfilling the “RAHMAN” prophecy

The 12th Parliament is supposed to be dissolved today for the 13th General Elections to be held, with nomination on March 16 and Polling on March 30.

But February 22 has come and will go without any dissolution of Parliament, with the speculation on the  critical dates of dissolution shifted to between March 15 – 21 with polling in the first or second week of April (with the bets on the second week so that many out-of-state Chinese voters would not cast their votes as they are not expected to return to their hometowns after returning in the first week for the annual Qing Ming festival or All Souls’ Day which falls on April 5).

I was first informed of the February 22 dissolution of Parliament on January 9 after  a high-level meeting of the Prime Minister’s  political strategists  in Putrajaya on the same day, and in the ensuing five weeks, it became an increasingly speculated date to become the “hottest” date for dissolution for the 13GE.

But clearly with one blunder after another, Datuk Seri Najib Razak just lack the confidence to be ready for the 13th General Elections and to be able to pass the Mahathir test formulatedf by the former Prime Minister on January 31 this year.

It was at the 15th Malaysia Strategic Outlook Conference that the former and longest-serving Prime Minister who has emerged to be  the real power behind the UMNO throne publicly formulated  the “Mahathir test” for Najib in the 13GE – that it is not good enough for Najib just to win and that  he should step down and give way to Deputy UMNO President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as Prime Minister if UMNO/Barisan Nasional only scores a slim majority in the 13th GE, without regaining a comfortable two-thirds parliamentary majority for Barisan Nasional.

But until the Chinese New Year on February 10,  with  the multi-million ringgit Psy and Gangnam Style coup for Penang BN CNY on February 11, Najib was still supremely confident that he was ready for February 22 dissolution of Parliament.

This Psy and Gangnam coup however proved to be a dud and counter-productive, as the Psy Appearance in Penang was not only a failure, its adverse repercussions were nation-wide  as illustrated by the lukewarm response Najib received when he tried to make history as the first Prime Minister to attend the Dong Zong Chinese New Year Open House six days after the Psy Effect.

Although Najib had thought that the Korea K-Pop superstar  would be one of his “secret weapons” for the 13GE, it can now be said that it was Psy and Gangnam Style which “killed” the proposal to dissolve Parliament on February 22 – because of the multiple political and public relations disasters from the RM3.5 million invitation for the  Psy and Gangnam Style appearance in the Penang Barisan Nasional Chinese New Year Open House on February 11.

After all, it was not just one disaster but a basket of disasters – the nationally reverberating  “3 Yes for Psy, 3 Noes for BN”, the five-minute “Toss Yee San” fiasco, Psy’s refusal to dance Gangnam 1Malaysia Style with Najib, Rosmah and Ng Yen Yen and the ludicrous allegations of death threat to Psy and Najib.

As a result, Najib is heading towards setting a third record as Malaysian Prime Minister in order to avoid a fourth record as the last UMNO/BN Prime Minister fulfilling the “RAHMAN” prophecy.

The two records Najib has set as Prime Minister are:

•	the longest Prime Minister without an elected mandate of his own;

•	Parliament under him serving out its longest tenure.

The third record Najib would set in two weeks’ time on the fifth anniversary of the March 8, 2008 “political tsunami” in the 12th general elections is having a Parliament under him serving its full five-year term, which has never happened before in Malaysian parliamentary history.  Every day after March 8 would be a day exceeding Parliament’s five-year natural term.

Najib is setting these three records because he wants to avoid setting a fourth record fulfilling the RAHMAN prophecy of being the last UMNO Prime Minister in Malaysia.

It is the possibility of his fulfilling the RAHMAN prophecy of being the last UMNO Prime Minister  which is hounding and haunting Najib and causing him to delay holding the 13GE for the past two years, including the latest irresolution to stick to the February 22 dissolution.

Najib’s Hamlet role of “To Be Or Not To Be” is most extraordinary considering the flattering picture that UMNO/BN propagandists and publicists have been presenting not only about UMNO/BN combat-readiness, but their purported confidence that UMNO/BN can do well in the 13GE – even winning two-thirds parliamentary majority and recapturing some of the Pakatan Rakyat state governments!

Najib for instance visited Johore Baru on the third day of the CNY and declared that Johor remained a Barisan Nasional bastion in the 13GE and that he was confident of wresting seats BN lost to the opposition in the last general election.

In actual fact, of all the states in Peninsular Malaysia, Najib is most worried about Johore, which provided 25 MPs  or 30% of the total of 85 BN MPs in Peninsular Malaysia in the 2008 general elections.

This is why Johore, together with Sabah and Sarawak, have been regarded as the “fixed deposits” states for UMNO/BN and who will be the “kingmaker” states to decide who wins Putrajaya in the 13GE.

In the 2008 general elections, Johore remained the UMNO/BN bastion although UMNO/BN candidates were falling like nine-pins in other Peninsular states, viz:

•	UMNO nearly wiped out in Kelantan except for Gua Musang and Jeli;

•	MCA and Gerakan totally wiped out in Penang and Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur; and

•	MCA totally wiped out in Selangor except for Pandan (Ong Tee Keat).

In the 2008 General Elections, UMNO/BN leaders were very cocky and arrogant declaring that Johor, Selangor and Malacca would become “zero-opposition” states.

In the event, BN lost the state government in Selangor to Pakatan Rakyat, managing to win only 20 out of 56 State Assembly seats; lost five of the 28 State Assembly seats in Malacca while Pakatan Rakyat won six of the 56 State Assembly seats in Johore.

UMNO/BN leaders are again talking about a “zero-opposition” in Johore in the 13GE, as in the 1995 and 1999 general elections, and virtually “zero opposition” in the 2004 general elections.

Whether Johore will revert to become a “zero-opposition” state  will be decided by the voters of Johore and not the UMNO/BN leaders, state or national –not even Najib or the Johore Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman.

UMNO/BN leaders, state and federal, had three days of “delight and fun”, believing that Pakatan Rakyat in Johore is on the verge of disintegration and self-destruct and that they would be spared the nightmare in the 13GE to witness the  end of Johore as the bastion of Umno/BN for the past half-a-century.

The jury is still out whether UMNO/BN leaders would be spared this nightmare to see Johore leading the “political tsunami” in the 13GE – leading the transformation of the political landscape in Peninsular Malaysia!

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                This entry was posted on Friday, 22 February 2013, 4:41 pm and is filed under
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After the gamble with the Chinese, Najib deals the racial card!

By Martin Jalleh

                This entry was posted on Friday, 22 February 2013, 11:53 am and is filed under
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Come Election Day

By Allan CF Goh

Come Election Day

If this election

Sees the racists’ foul return,

Blame ourselves for that,

For the nation’s tragic turn.

Let’s walk with heads high,

Clean up the nation’s fester;

Show the whole wide world,

Malaysians can do better!

Malaysia is us:

We, children of this blessed land,

Must ensure its best.

Let’s make Malaysia real grand.

Elections and votes

Are citizens’ sacred right,

To put right the State,

To actualize “Right is might”.

Let not vile scoundrels

Steal this coming election.

Let democracy

Shine with people’s selection!

Only the good folks,

Free of stains of corruption,

Filled full of wisdom,

Can lead without exploitation.

Only moral folks,

Who differentiate right from wrong,

Can steer the nation,

Make Malaysia truly strong.

Come this election,

All citizens must arise,

Vote for righteousness,

Claim the country’s holy price.

Live not in regrets,

For the missed opportunity,

Of voting in truth

On one-nation reality.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 22 February 2013, 3:19 pm and is filed under
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Has the Defence Minister Gone AWOL?

By Martin Jalleh

                This entry was posted on Friday, 22 February 2013, 6:58 pm and is filed under
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Tanda Putera a double-edged sword

By
Carrie Rina
 | 12:13PM Feb 21, 2013

Malaysiakini

FILM REVIEW
 Despite the cabinet deciding against airing the controversial Tanda Putera film until after the next general election, the leader of the same cabinet, Najib Abdul Razak, appears keen on showing it to selected segments of the Malaysian populace.

The reason is likely that the film is a double-edged sword, serving as an effective propaganda tool for one community – but which may well offend the other communities.

While both the Malays and Chinese are depicted in the film as turning on each other during the May 13 riots, the Chinese were often characterised as the aggressors.

The film opens with a group of Chinese, who appear to be Communist sympathisers, attacking a party worker, abd calling for the 1969 general election to be boycotted.

The victim was later revealed to be an Umno member, for news flash with the headline: ‘Umno party worker killed’ is shown.

A voice then narrates that victory marchers had chanted “Melayu balik kampung” (Malays should go back to their villages), hurting the feelings of Malays and thus triggering the May 13 race riots.

The build-up to the tension in the film shows a group of Chinese youths vandalising campaign materials.

They are later, when fleeing, shot by the police,  causing anger among the Chinese community.

Later, an angry crowd of Chinese protesters assembles and their leader tells the crowd not to give reasons for the police to arrest them, for they could take “revenge” during the general election six days later.

After the general election, several scenes are shown, presumably of opposition supporters of Chinese descent, laying claim to to Selangor after the incumbent Alliance (present day BN) failed to obtain a majority to form the state government.

The antagonists

A scene showing a group of Chinese on a lorry entering a Malay kampung, declaring that the area now belonged to them, raises tension and the police step in to prevent a clash.

Another scene shows a group of Chinese youth urinating on a flag pole bearing the Selangor flag, outside the residence of the then state menteri besar Harun Idris.

The group declares that Kuala Lumpur – then still a part of Selangor – belonged to them and the menteri besar should get out.

At another protest, the crowd chants slogans in Chinese. A Malay police officer there shifts uncomfortably when he is told that they were chanting “Malays go die”.

In yet another scene in Setapak, a group of Chinese refuse to allow two Malay youths on a motorcycle to pass through, claiming that the area now belonged to them. The pair were beaten up when they insisted on passing through, until the police intervened.

The duo, beaten bloody, subsequently made it to Kampung Baru where a rally led by then-menteri besar Harun of Umno was going on.

Enraged by this, the Malay crowd took it out on a passing vehicle whose driver was Chinese and he was killed. Later, a similar Chinese crowd also went about hunting for Malays.

In another scene at a cinema, the screen suddenly blacks out, replaced with Mandarin words asking the Chinese to leave the venue, which they do.

A man then shouts out, in Malay, why there were Chinese words on the screen and demands the movie be put back on. Then, suddenly, the remaining audience in the cinema is massacred.

Throughout the build-up of tensions and race riots, there is a mysterious Chinese man who observes the happenings. He is later revealed to be a communist leader – indicating that the communists may have had a hand in orchestrating the mayhem.

This angle in Tanda Putera could likely have been derived from former prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman’s book, titled May 13: Before and After, which was published in the same year of the riots and in which he blamed the communists.

Countering alternative takes

However, the film also seeks to portray the Umno leaders then as having taken every precaution to prevent the racial riots.

Prior to the Umno rally going awry, Harun is shown reiterating that the rally should be peaceful and urges participants to put away their weapons.

Even when the participants went out of control after witnessing the two bloodied youths, Harun repeatedly shouts for them to stop, until he suffers chest pains.

 The scene appears to counter the version of the May 13 riots by author Kua Kia Soong in his book entitled May 13: Declassified Documents on the Malaysian Riots of 1969.

Kua’s book had blamed, among others, Harun for orchestrating the riots in a bid to oust the then prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman.

The book, which was based on British declassified documents detailing observations by foreign diplomats and correspondents using dispatches in the country, also appeared to receive another rebuttal as the film portrayed these sources negatively.

In one scene, a group of foreign correspondents is shown arguing with an official as they aere not allowed out due to a curfew, and subsequently they say they will write with their “imagination” since their movements are restricted.

The National Operations Council chairperson then, and subsequent second prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein, also raps a foreign diplomat for disputing the casualty figure in the riots, demanding the source of information, to which the diplomat is unable to answer.

The portrayal will a good reminder to audiences of the May 13 racial riots – the version as told, and in which the fear spectre is often raised by the establishment.

The film also focuses on a group of class of students of various races and their lecturer, who are threatened by Malay and Chinese mobs.

Despite their efforts to help one another regardless of race, they eventually drifted apart due to racial fears. But they later make up, as the country pulls away from this dark history under Abdul Razak’s premiership.

These scenes make up about an hour of the film and in the second hour, the attention shifts to Razak and his deputy, Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman.

Idolising Abdul Razak

Though Tanda Putera also touches on the struggle against the communist threat, the New Economic Policy as well as BN’s 1974 general election victory, they come in flashes as the attention is on the two leaders.

Razak and Ismail are gravely ill, but they conceal their illnesses from their families and struggle to perform their duties in the short lives they had.

It also tells of their close friendship, and in one instance, Ismail asks Razak to take his personal doctor along for the 1973 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Canada, after learning of the Razak’s illness.

Ismail died of a heart attack when Razak was in Canada. Razak later insisted that Ismail be buried in the Heroes’ Mausoleum.

The pace of the second part of the film is significantly slower than the first, but was emotionally manipulative.

It portrays Razak’s slow and painful death and his family’s struggle to cope with the predicament.

As his condition deteriorated, one of his sons, Johari, spent most of the time by his deathbed but there are mentions of one “Jib” over the telephone, presumably present-day Prime Minister Najib.

After Razak’s death, there are several flashes of Razak interacting with common folk and how he had touched their lives.

One example is when he visits a run-down school and meets a teacher wearing a torn tie.

Razak immediately instructs that the facilities be upgraded, the children be provided with necessities and even gets the teacher a new tie.

The film’s portryal of Razak is simplistic, with the bulk of it dedicated to idolising the former premier who oversaw several landmark policies of the BN, such as the New Economic Policy, Malay as the national language and Felda schemes.

No doubt large parts of the film are indeed based on research material, but they aere religiously derived from the official versions.

Watching Tanda Putera may well be akin to flipping through a secondary school textbook, one-sided and shallow in its presentation, lacking in depth and hardly thought-provoking.

The scenes in the film will resonate well with BN’s age-old messages, but airing it to the general populace now will likely solicit controversy and debate, which may prove risky so near to a general election.

____

‘CARRIE RINA’ is a pseudonym. The writer is a film enthusiast who had the opportunity to watch the film at one of its previews held for different groups over the past months.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 22 February 2013, 12:09 pm and is filed under
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When is Najib going to put aside his daily campaigning for 13GE and pay regular visits to meet with people in Lahad Datu to ensure quick resolution of the stand-off with Sulu intruders entering its third week

I welcome the visit of the Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman and his Cabinet entourage to Felda Sahabat 16 in Lahad Datu yesterday to get first-hand view of the stand-off between the Malaysian security forces and the self-proclaimed Royal Army of Sulu.

This is one of the objectives of my visit to Felda Sahabat 16 in Lahat Datuk two days ago, together with the Sabah DAP elected representatives, including DAP Sabah State Chairman and Sabah State Assemblyman for Sri Tanjong, Jimmy Wong Sze Phing, State Vice Chairman Frederick  Fung, State Secretary Dr. Edwin Bosi, State Publicity Secretary Chan Foong Hin, MP for Kota Kinabalu Hiew King Cheu, DAP National Assistant Organising Secretary, Vincent Wu.

Our visit to Lahad Datu on Feb. 20 has the following objectives:

fact-finding mission to ascertain the actual situation on the ground with regard to the standoff;

to understand the concerns and anxieties of the local population;

show solidarity with the people in Lahad Datuk affected by the stand-off; and

send clear and categorical message to the Federal and Sabah state governments, in particular the Prime Minister and the Sabah Chief Minister, to give priority to the stand-off  to ensure a speedy resolution because of the manifold  problems it has  created for  the Sabah people.

I am glad that we have achieved this objective as far as the Sabah state government is concerned, for immediately on the following day of our visit, the Sabah Chief Minister and his Cabinet entourage had visited Felda Sahabat 16 to get a briefing at the General Operations Force (GOF) security post there.

But this is not enough, as not only Sabahans but Malaysians are asking why the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has the time to conduct daily campaigning for himself and Umno/Barisan Nasional although Parliament has not been dissolved yet, but does not find the time in 14 days to visit Lahad Datu and meet with the people in the area to listen to their anxieties and concerns about the stand-off with some 150 Suluk intruders?

If DAP leaders can put aside election campaigning to visit Lahad Datu, why can’t the Prime Minister do the same?

The question I want to pose to Najib is when he is going to put aside his daily campaigning for 13GE and pay regular visits to meet with people in Lahad Datu to ensure quick resolution of the stand-off with Sulu intruders entering its third week?

Can Najib enlighten the people in Lahad Datuk, Sabah and Malaysia how the 150 Suluk intruders could evade the marine, navy, army and police as to hole themselves up in Kg Tanduo in Felda Sabahat 17 since Feb. 9?

Many legitimate questions have been raised by Malaysians on the social media and the Prime Minister should himself answer them or direct the relevant Ministers or federal agencies to furnish the answers.

On twitter, for instance, defence journalist Dzirhan Mahadzir @DzirhanDefence posed the following questions and views:

Wondering if Police should be in charge of negotiations in situations like Lahad Datu which involve foreign policy demands, not their area

Frankly Malaysia needs to overhaul it’s crisis management methods, esp involving international element, letting @PDRMsia handle it wrong IMO

Seeing tweets of @mpkotabelud and @ @HishammuddinH2O, can only say as someone with bckgrn in defence/security, utter nonsense from both

Wonder if anyone recalls that we have radar systems in East Msia provided by US under 1206 program to detect incursions

The following post from the blog of
Major (rtd) D. Swami from the Seventh Rangers
,  is worth pondering not only by military and former military personnel, but also by the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister, the Home Minister and the entire population:

Do you notice the Top Cops, they are fat!! Does that instill confidence in you that they are capable of handling the armed terrorists? They are observing the terrorists via binoculars on our land? That takes the cake!! I guess they are trying to impress the public that they are on the ball. As usual they think we are fools. The Police should not be involved, as it is not an internal security situation, so far they seem to be completely inept in evicting the invaders..

Politicians have interfered that is why the standoff is ongoing. The Police are not trained to launch attacks on enemy locations, where the enemy fires back. It is not a Bersih rally. They do not have Mortars, Artillery, Infantry Fighting Vehicles or Special Forces skilled in Reconnaissance, Air Force and Navy. It should be the job of the Military as it is an external threat, they are equipped and trained for this. This should be handled by the 5th Brigade Commander without sparing all the niceties. This is the Defense Minister’s baby, apparently he is AWOL and the Military is being humiliated by a rag tag bunch of terrorists. There was another clown, so called Admiral, had the cheek to say our defence spending is so good (with useless submarines) that a
1511 invasion will not happen again
.

Yeah right, we have been invaded this time not by Portuguese galleons but Filipino sampans. So what say you about your mighty submarines?

Can the Prime Minister explain why the Home Minister and the Police are handling the stand-off when it should be the Defence Minister and the armed forces?

Further, how long more is the stand-off to be dragged on – for another week or month?

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                This entry was posted on Friday, 22 February 2013, 6:55 pm and is filed under
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47-Day Countdown to 13GE – Royal Commission of Inquiry into the RM100 billion losses from financial scandals in the 22-year Mahathir premiership

Yesterday, the three-day-old business news portal KiniBiz carried the report “
Syed Mokhtar eyes Malaysia Airlines
” by Jose Barrock, reporting that Syed Mokhtar Albukhary is proposing to the federal government to take over national investment arm, Khazanah Nasional Berhad’s 69.3 per cent equity interest in Malaysia Airlines which includes as part of the deal a long-term fuel subsidy by the government for as many as 60 years.

Malaysians await the full disclosure of this latest development in the byzantine government-corporate nexus, with  a “source close to Syed Mokhtar” denying  that there is such a proposal to take over MAS with “two separate sources” confirming that such a deal is being contemplated.

This report has, however,  brought to the fore as priority issues in the impending 13th General Elections public concerns about good governance in Malaysia whether about past financial scandals arising from privatisation as a whole and specifically about the ailing national airline;  Syed Mokhtar’s  far-flung business empire and his mega-debts creating  genuine fears whether  they will require a massive bailout using taxpayers’ money and the history of corruption, cronyism and abuses of power in the long list of  bailouts of Umnoputras at the public expense in the past few decades.

The 13th General Elections is the most appropriate time to revisit these issues of public concern about accountability, transparency and good governance.

Although the the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, has given priority to accountability, transparency and good governance in his Government Transformation Programme (GTP)  and National Key Result Areas (NKRAs), they remain at the level of sloganeering and lip-service as nothing has basically changed in these areas or Malaysia’s corruption ranking as reflected in the annual Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI) under Najib would not be the worst as compared to all the previous five Prime Ministers – Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak, Tun Hussein, Tun Mahathir and Tun Abdullah.

The continuing  Malaysian Airlines System (MAS) scandals under Najib’s premiership is a case in point.

Up to now, Najib has failed to give a frank and honest answer whether Malaysians are still paying for the RM100 billion financial scandals perpetrated in the 22 years of Mahathir premiership with the decision by his government in 2011 to write off  Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli’s RM580 million judgment debt in a “out-of-court” settlement between Danaharta and other GLCs with Tajuddin with regard to all suits pending between them.

Before the “out-of-court” settlement for the Malaysian Government to write-off Tajuddin’s RM580 million judgement debt, Tajuddin had claimed in affidavits in court that former premier Mahathir had made him buy MAS in 1994 to help bail out Bank Negara after the central bank suffered massive foreign exchange losses due partly to speculation in foreign exchange markets as a “national service” with an “Overriding Agreement” to indemnify him against any losses suffered.

Although this has been denied by Mahathir, it has still to be established who is telling the truth – Mahathir or Tajuddin; an answer which is relevant and  pertinent to the question who must bear responsibility not only for some RM10 billion MAS losses – RM1.8 billion losses resulting from the government’s buy-back of Tajuddin’s 29.09 per cent stake in MAS at RM8 per share representing a premium of RM4.32 or 117 per cent over the market price at RM3.68 per share when the deal was signed on 20th December 2000 followed by MAS police reports from 2002 that Tajuddin had caused the national flag carrier to suffer losses in excess of RM8 billion.

I had estimated in Parliament two decades ago that Bank Negara lost a colossal RM30 billion from the Bank Negara foreign exchange scandal under Mahathir’s premiership. But Bank Negara claimed RM10.1 billion loss in 1992 and RM5.7 billion in 1993 while former Bank Negara Deputy Governor Dr. Rosli Yaakop estimated last year at a public forum that Bank Negara lost between  USD27 to USD33 billion, which was five times more than its foreign reserves and its entire assets of USD20.7 billion in 1992.

What is the truth?

Barry Wain, in his book “Malaysian Maverick”, estimates that Malaysia lost RM100 billion just in four financial scandals during Mahathir’s premiership.

In the forthcoming general elections, Malaysian voters should not only pass a verdict on Najib’s non-transformation in the past four years, but also pass judgment on Mahathir’s 22 years of authoritarian and corrupt policies when he was Prime Minister from 1981 – 2003, as with Mahathir campaigning even more conspicuously than Najib in the run-up to the next general elections, both Najib’s policies and Mahathir’s legacies have become central issues in the 13GE.

I am on public record as sayin that  if Pakatan Rakyat is  to capture Putrajaya in the 13GE, we should re-open investigation not only  on the RM30 billion Bank Negara forex scandal of 1992, there should be a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the RM100 billion losses suffered by the country  in the financial scandals of the 22-year Mahathir era.

Let the 13.3 million voters in the 13GE decide whether they endorse the proposal to have a wide-ranging public inquiry into Mahathir’s financial scandals in 22 years which have cost the country RM100 billion of losses and for which the present generation of Malaysians are still paying the price – although there is totally no accountability and transparency about these glaring instances of corruption, cronyism and abuses of power for more than three decades.

Let me assure Mahathir that I do not want to see him suffer the fate of Mubarak or Gadafi.

I do not even want to see Mahathir in jail but there must be full accounting for the RM100 billion losses from the financial scandals during the 22-year Mahathir era, a dark era in Malaysian history which saw key national institutions in the country like the Judiciary, the civil service, Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Police, the Anti-Corruption Agency , the Election Commission compromised and subverted to serve the behests of one man, the Prime Minister and from which disaster Malaysia has not yet fully recovered.

Only then can Malaysia start afresh on a new page – to build a great Malaysian nation which is united, harmonious, competitive, progressive and prosperous.

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                This entry was posted on Saturday, 23 February 2013, 1:12 pm and is filed under
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Chinese see Psy, Malays see May 13 film

By
Mariam Mokhtar
 | February 22, 2013

Free Malaysia Today

As we approach the 13th general election (GE13), Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s interpretation of “1Malaysia” gets more bizarre.

To herald in the Year of the Snake, Najib made the surprise announcement that the Chinese would be treated to a special performance by the Korean entertainer Psy. Earlier this week, after much delay and heavy censorship, the Indians were finally allowed to view the film, “Vishwaroopam”.

The Malay masses, always on the wrong end of the stick when it comes to Umno’s largesse, were forced to view the Umno propaganda film “Tanda Putera”.

Psy’s performance allegedly cost RM3 million for a mere 12 minutes. The ban on Vishwaroopam caused promoters to suffer significant financial losses. Much of the box-office takings were diverted to pirated DVDs which were openly sold throughout Malaysia.

“Tanda Putera” cost RM4.8 million and is funded by the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) and the Multimedia Development Corporation (Mdec) – in other words, the taxpayer.

We are told that “Tanda Putera” uses the May 13 racial clashes as a backdrop to the relationship between the deputy prime minister of the time, Abdul Razak Hussein, and the former home affairs minister, Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman. For health reasons, Ismail had retired from politics but Razak managed to persuade him to come out of retirement to help resolve the crisis.

The screening of “Tanda Putera” was deferred twice, last year. On Sept 13, it was claimed that there was insufficient promotion for the film, then on Nov 15, the Cabinet decided that certain scenes were “inappropriate”.

Were the bans designed to create more hype around the film and so increase the curiosity of some members of the public?

Last Monday, around 3,000 Felda settlers who were in Kuala Lumpur to hear Umno leaders including former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, received an unexpected addition to their programme. Najib ordered that “Tanda Putera” be screened and journalists were asked to leave the hall.

It is outrageous that Najib uses racial sentiments to scare the voters into voting for Umno. How can the wounds from May 13 heal, if they are continually being re-opened?

The film was shown after Mahathir had told the Felda settlers that they were beholden to Umno. He said, “The comfort today is due to hard work as well as the government’s help, can’t people be a little grateful and appreciative?”

Lessons from history ignored

The greatest tragedy of the May 13 riots is that Umno ministers have not learned any lessons from history. The legacy of Mahathir means that his loathsome influence still continues after he resigned as prime minister.

In the book, “The Reluctant Politician” about Ismail, by Ooi Kee Beng, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah claimed that Ismail was the one who wanted Mahathir expelled from Umno and twice prevented Mahathir from being re-admitted into Umno.

The book also states that Ismail banned offending documents criticising the Tunku from being circulated because law and order was breaking down, and he was adamant that there would be “no coup in the country and no coups in the party”.

Ismail was known for fair play and correctness, and the book claimed that “every Malay colleague… including Mahathir, feared Ismail”. Ismail was always ready to debate and he was highly principled.

Malaysia is still haunted by the May 13 riots and each one of us has to bear our share of shame and guilt. How many of us can truly call ourselves Malaysian?

Some of us demand that vernacular or religious schools be kept. Universities have special quotas to meet. Particular jobs, contracts or positions are given to certain sections of the community. Are we prepared to dispense with all these racial policies?

Najib is playing a dangerous game in using “Tanda Putera” to try to swing support for Umno. The similarities between 1969 and 2013 are uncanny.

In 1969, it was believed that there were two factions in Umno – the “ultras” who included the young Mahathir; and the “old guard” or the moderates who were led by Tunku. Today, a power struggle exists in Umno between the old Mahathir and Najib.

The communists were made a convenient scapegoat for the May 13 disturbances. In the past few years, the communist element is again being blamed for troubles in Malaysia.

Even PAS leader Mat Sabu was accused of being a communist sympathiser when he alluded to Malay freedom fighters who used communist ideals to fight for independence of Malaya.

Bersih marchers were not spared when former Inspector-General of Police Hanif Omar claimed he recognised communist elements from video footage of people on the march.

In 1969, the ruling Alliance party suffered a significant decline in support. In an echo of the past, the loss of support that BN suffered in 2008 is predicted to continue to GE13.

The opposition took control of Kelantan and Penang in 1969 and states like Selangor and Perak did not have a clear majority. In 2008, Kelantan, Penang, Kedah, Selangor and Perak fell to the opposition although Najib later grabbed back power in Perak.

In the 1960s, the Malays were suffering economically. Despite various programmes to help Malays in the lower income bracket, most of the benefits have been abused by Umno Malays to help themselves, and not their poorer cousins.

‘Ketuanan Melayu’ myth

Foreign powers were aware of the discrimination suffered by the minorities, in the 1960s, but economic considerations made them look the other way.

There is no change today. Britain and France are more interested in selling their weaponry than chastising our leaders for their human rights abuses and racist policies.

Even before independence, the non-Malays had learnt to stand on their own two feet while the Malays have always felt that Malaya was their “homeland” and they did not need to work as hard as the “pendatang”.

Five decades later, the “Ketuanan Melayu” myth has caused a further deterioration in the living standards and expectations of the Malay.

It was claimed that in 1969, the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) whose members were from a cross- section of Malaysia, was the only security unit which dispensed law and order without bias.

Today, instead of attracting non-Malays into the security forces, the armed forces, like the civil service are predominantly Malay.

In 1969, the May 13 troubles caused the Sarawak state election to be postponed. Today, we witness the Sulu militia incursion in Lahad Datu and the revelations by the Sabah Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI). Would these be used to delay elections or declare emergency rule in Sabah?

In October 1969, Najib’s father, Abdul Razak, who was the head of the National Operations Council (NOC) investigating the May 13 tragedy, produced a report which outlined some of the tasks and choices they faced. Razak said that Malaysia had to work hard to restore mutual trust and racial harmony. Has Najib taken heed of his own father’s advice?

In recent years, Malaysians have been subjected to much violence and many threats from the ruling party.

If the rakyat cannot trust its Cabinet ministers to tell the truth, then the thin wall that protects us from anarchy can easily be breached.

Does Najib want to create anarchy in a last-ditch attempt to retain power?

____

Mariam Mokhtar is a FMT columnist.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 23 February 2013, 6:34 pm and is filed under
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FELDA screening of ‘Tanda Putera’ proves movie racist, Ambiga says

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid

The Malaysian Insider

Feb 23, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 – Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan questioned today the motive behind the recent private screening of “Tanda Putera” to Malay FELDA settlers here, saying this meant the movie was likely racist portrayal of the bloody May 1969 riots.

On February 18, over 3,000 settlers from the Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) programme were shown a surprise preview of the controversial film in what the opposition has alleged was an attempt to “brainwash” them against voting for Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in Election 2013.

“My issue with Tanda Putera is why did they want to show it only to FELDA settlers.

“Show it to all of us. Let us all judge and believe me we will judge it… why only let a select few of people watch it? That shows what the issue is about,” the former Bar Council president said at a forum on racism held at the Civil Servants Golf Club here.

“Tanda Putera” depicts second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and his deputy, Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, during the post-May 13 period.

It was produced by Pesona Pictures Sdn Bhd in collaboration with the National Film Development Corporation (FINAS), which provided the financing together with the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDEC).

Abdul Razak’s eldest son, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, is the current prime minister.

Putrajaya had decided last October to put off the public release of the film indefinitely due to its controversial depiction of the events surrounding the bloody racial riots in 1969.

PR leaders, especially those from the Chinese-based the DAP, claimed the film was intended to stoke racial hatred among the Malay majority in a bid to mitigate the growing support for the opposition.

Observers noted that the possibility for the opposition bloc to form the new federal government at Election 2013, which must be held by June, is high.

Ambiga said such tactic reflects what she described as “institutionalised” racism.

The lawyer, who also co-chairs polls watchdog group Bersih 2.0, added that the roots of racial problems in the country could be attributed to a political system that promotes segregation through the existence of race-based parties.

“It permits everything that happens in this country,” said the Bersih leader, referring to the various racial-charged incidents that have cropped up throughout the years.

She cited as example the alleged racism instilled through the education system in the form of the Biro Tata Negara (BTN) programmes where instructors had been reported to have told participants that the non-Malays are unwelcome immigrants.

Ambiga added that among the major factors behind the problem is the existence of political interference in the education system – where politicians, instead of educationists, are in charge of the learning institutions.

“What they are doing to our children is a crime,” she said, adding that her schooling children have also experienced the very same system that she claims has caused communal strife in Malaysia.

The former Bar Council president said combating these problems should be one the chief issues political parties must address in Election 2013 but pointed out that the leadership have remained silent on the matter.

She claimed politicians refrain from tackling racism out of the fear that it would alienate support from their respective races.

Ambiga said the best way to deal with them is to vote them out at the coming polls which must be held by June.

“I want a statesman, not a politician,” she said.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 23 February 2013, 7:50 pm and is filed under
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Investigate Malaysia’s debts now

By
Pak Sako
 | Thursday, 21 February 2013 11:34

CPIASIA

Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad claimed last week that Malaysia’s current debt level is “healthy” compared with Greece’s.

But the debt-to-GDP percentage Mahathir relied on tells next to nothing about the full extent of Malaysia’s debts; the nature of these debts; or what can happen next.

The real devil lies in the details, namely:

(i) the trend in the debt level.

How has it changed in the recent past? Is there momentum in a certain direction? The federal government’s debt had doubled in just four years from 2007 and 2012. Will it stop growing, or will the trend and absolute totals continue their upward rise?

In the last decade, our finance ministers have repeatedly pledged to reduce the budget deficits. This has not happened. Instead, deficits have ballooned and the federal government’s debt has mounted.

(ii) the causes of debt.

For what are the borrowings and for whom? Are these borrowings for worthwhile investments that benefit the public? Are these liabilities being used to cover government operating costs or to prop up failing crony companies or the stock market? Is the use of costly loans for projects with low or no rates of return justified?

Almost a trillion ringgit was recently whisked out of the country in the form of illegal outflows. This is capital flight. It is conclusive evidence that our economy is ‘leaking out’ wealth.

Capital flight explains what the crony private sector and other rent-seekers are doing with their ill-gotten gains: they are squirreling these away in offshore accounts in Swiss banks and tax havens such as the Cayman Islands.

It is no wonder that private-sector investment in Malaysia is dismal. To make up for foregone domestic investment and job creation, environmental standards and taxes are lowered to lure foreign investors such as Lynas.

(iii) the types of debt, both known and “hidden”.

How much of the debt is borrowed from the savings of citizens (internal debt)? How much is borrowed from foreign lenders (external debt)? How much of these debts is government debt, and how much is private?

A big chunk of Malaysia’s debt, RM467.4 billion as of September 2012, is internal debt (Bank Negara Malaysia, Quarterly Bulletin, Third Quarter 2012).

This is the portion of debt that is popularly spoken about — the debt-to-GDP percentage of 53% involves almost entirely this debt.

This is money borrowed domestically from the savings of citizens. It is money belonging to individuals taken from the Employee Provident Fund (EPF), Tabung Haji, pension funds and other social security organisations and institutions (see ‘Debt growing but manageable, says MOF’, The Malaysian Insider, 28 September 2012).

At what rates of return are Malaysians being compensated for this borrowing? Will they recover their savings at all? Will they be fraudulently ‘compensated’ with funds coming from the liquidation of oil and forest assets; in other words, from the public’s own pockets? Or will a Ponzi scheme be devised to borrow more to honour commitments that come due?

Wholly separate from internal public debt is private external debt — money borrowed from foreign lenders. This is a portion of debt that is hardly spoken about.

The government’s external debt is RM17.3 billion as of last September, according to Bank Negara. But this is the tip of the iceberg.

We should also be very interested in the private sector’s external debt.

Because when private companies borrow from foreign lenders, the government is obliged to pay off these debts if the companies fail to do so. Simply put, citizens might have to pick up the tab. That is what happened in the debt crises in the West.

That is why this category of external debt is called ‘publicly guaranteed debts’.

Beyond these, there is the ‘non-guaranteed’ debt obligation of the private sector. These affect the overall creditworthiness of the nation and also cannot be ignored.

Bank Negara says Malaysia’s total external debt was RM257.8 billion at the end of September 2012.

How much of this is publicly guaranteed debt held by private corporations?

It is alleged that one Malaysian tycoon and his group of companies owe RM34 billion (‘Syed Mokhtar’s debts raising fear of future bailout, says Tony Pua, The Malaysian Insider, 27 September 2012). How much is publicly-guaranteed? What about other Malaysian corporations?

More disturbing are the claims that the Malaysian government has large hidden debts.

These are “contingent liabilities” and “off-balance sheet” borrowings, which are said to have amounted to RM117 billion in 2011 (see ”Hidden debt” edges M’sia beyond 55pct limit’, Malaysiakini, 27 September 2012).

There is also little knowledge about annual interest payments and the due dates of debts.

Any meaningful public discussion of Malaysia’s debt situation must consider all of the above.

Neither the Ministry of Finance nor Bank Negara give a full picture of all of the above.

Mahathir Mohamad said nothing about any of the above.

He told Malaysians not to worry about debt because our foreign reserves are strong.

But foreign reserves or public wealth are not for settling the illegitimate debts accumulated by corrupt regimes. They are not to be used as collateral to pile on new debts or service existing ones.

The size of the foreign reserves gives false comfort. During the 1997 East Asian crisis the government devalued the total stock of ringgit using a currency peg. Foreign reserves took the hit and shrunk.

Mahathir Mohamad’s comments lull Malaysians into a false sense of security. These comments should however serve as a wake-up call. Malaysians should demand for clarification about Malaysia’s total debt and its consequences. The Ministry of Finance and Bank Negara should respond.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 23 February 2013, 1:47 am and is filed under
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Lahad Datu stand-off with some 150 Sulu intruders getting curioser and curioser – why is Hishammuddin passing the buck to Wisma Putra and not to the Defence Ministry?

The Lahad Datu government stand-off with some 150 Sulu intruders is getting curioser and curioser.

Today, the Home Minister Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein said that the Home Ministry has left it to Wisma Putra to decide on the Philippine government’s request of an extension on the deportation of a group of intruders in Lahad Datuk but such an extension “should not be too long, as the ministry will not compromise on matters which could potentially threaten the sovereignty of the nation”.

Clearly, the Home Minister is not on the same wavelength as the overwhelming majority of Sabahans and Malaysians who are one in feeling that the sovereignty and security of the nation had been compromised right from the beginning of the intrusion of and standoff with the 150 Sulu militias into Sabah territory at Kampong Tanduo in Felda Sahabat, Lahad Datu since February 9.

Just on the issue whether the nation’s sovereignty and security had been threatened by the intrusion and standoff with the so-called Royal Sulu Sultanate Army, the overwhelming majority of Malaysians have proven that they are more patriotic and nationalistic than the Home Minister himself.

In fact, the question more and more Malaysians are asking is why Hishammuddin is passing the buck to Wisma Putra instead of to the Defence Ministry?

Can the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak explain why he is insisting that Hishammuddin and the police should be handling the stand-off with the Sulu intruders when it should be the Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and armed forces?

Up to now, Sabahans and Malaysians have been kept in the dark as to how there could be a serious security lapse in the first place involving the navy, the armed forces, the maritime and the police that resulted in the intrusion and stand-off with the Sulu militias.

Who is prepared to step forward to assume responsibility for the security lapse and the stand-off which is entering into its third week, threatening not only the nation’s sovereignty and security but giving Malaysia such a poor international image when government leaders had repeatedly boasted that Malaysia is the safest country in South-East Asia   – the Defence Minister, the Home Minister, the Prime Minister or some lowly officers down the line whether in the armed services or the police, who will be made to take the rap?

All that the Sabahans and Malaysians have learned is the fizzling out of  a series of vague deadlines for the return of the Sulu militias to the Philippines in the past two weeks.

It is sad and shameful that in the past fortnight, Sabahans and Malaysians have to search the Internet to read about what is happening with regard to the Lahad Datu standoff from the Philippines media as there is a serious information blackout of the issue in the Malaysian media – another international black-eye for Malaysia!

I call on the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to lift the information blackout on the Kampung Tanduo stand-off in the Malaysia media and the Malaysian government should start telling Sabahans and Malaysians what is actually happening in Kampung Tanduo, starting with a personal visit by the Prime Minister himself to “Listen, Listen, Listen” to the people in Lahad Datu.

Artikel ini juga boleh didapati dalam Bahasa Malaysia di:
https://blog.limkitsiang.com/2013/02/25/situasi-di-lahad-datu-dengan-150-orang-penceroboh-sulu-menimbulkan-semakin-banyak-tanda-tanya-mengapa-hishammuddin-menyerahkan-kepada-wisma-putra-dan-bukannya-menteri-pertahanan/

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 23 February 2013, 7:16 pm and is filed under
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Who’s taking responsibility for Lahad Datu standoff?

By
Mat Zain Ibrahim
 | 11:29AM Feb 23, 2013

Malaysiakini

COMMENT Until today, there is not one honourable person who is prepared to take the responsibility for the lapse of security that resulted in the Lahad Datu standoff. Surely there must have been someone put in charge of the area, but has neglected his responsibilities.

If Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is serious about protecting the sovereignty, security and safety of our country and the citizens, he would have caught hold of one or two of the ground commanders and relieved them of their command.

Only then will the rakyat believe that the PM is not only in control but that he is on top of the situation and has his priorities right.

Since nothing of that sort is happening, we can only expect that, eventually, the blame will go to the lowest ranking soldiers, who will be accused of sleeping on the job and for failing to wake up their superiors. And also the constables who have failed to gather the intelligence before the intrusion for actions to be taken before the invaders landed.

This was the position taken by our Najib himself, when he was interviewed at length by reporters from on July 9, 2000, after the Sauk incident.

When Najib was asked about the lapse of security at the 304 Army Camp that resulted in the arms heist by the Al-Maunah gang, his answer was that all the standing orders were already in place but the fault was on a few low-ranking soldiers who did not follow the instructions to the letter.

When queried about the capabilities of the intelligence operators, Najib said the police should have gathered prior information about the Al-Maunah activities and if he had been told of the involvement of one army major in the group earlier, for instance, he would have taken some actions against the said major.

As the defence minister then, it was improper for Najib to stoop so low as to pick on the level of soldiers guarding the armoury to shift the blame to. He should have reprimanded severely the division commander, or at the very least the brigade commander, for failing to ensure that units under their command carried out their tasks jobs properly.

In other words, Najib is telling the rakyat that he can take action against soldiers or police of the lowest rank only, but would not dare touch the generals or police chiefs.

‘Dealing with armed enemies’

The citizens must surely remember how the people in the Klang Valley were terrified and lived in horror for almost two months, between May and June 1993, when the notorious Kalimuthu aka Bentong Kali went on a rampage, and with just one automatic pistol, a 9mm Sig Sauer.

More than 200 police personnel (me included) were deployed to track him down and only managed to get Bentong Kali on June 29, 1993. And even then, only after he had already killed 16 people.

If a person can inflict that many casualties using just one handgun, then we would rather not imagine the damage the Sulu militants in Lahad Datu can cause to our citizens with the firepower they brought along with them, as reported.

Najib himself admitted in that interview of July 2000 that he was nervousand could not sleep well when told about the arms heist at the 304 Army Camp.

If he, as a defence minister then, could have such fearful feelings, then he cannot expect the citizens, especially those in Lahad Datu and the rest of the country, to be unafraid of their safety after knowing about the armed intrusion by a group of foreigners who are known to be seasoned fighters.

It is the duty of the government of the day to provide the citizens with regular updates on these situations, similar to what was done during the operations against Bentong Kali and the Al-Maunah group, to name a few.

It would be wrong and irresponsible for the government to downplay the Lahad Datu intrusion or hide the truth from her own citizens, who might be caught off guard should any of the intruders slip through the cordon.

Our sovereignty, our pride, our security and safety are being threatened and put under siege by hundreds of armed invaders and the prime minister is saying that the rakyat do not have the right to know?

It is a sad and embarrassing situation that Malaysians are forced to depend on news and statements from President Benigno Aquino and the Malacanang spokesperson to get a better understanding of the actual state of security of our own country, instead of hearing it from our very own prime minister or home minister.

Is the PM being fair to the people in this regard? He should reassess his position.

Why no military involvement?

Malaysians are wondering, and many are asking, why the military appears to be sidelined instead of being mobilised to help solve the standoff, since the intrusion has become a national security issue and of public interest.

My gut feeling tells me that Najib is worried that if the military is involved in this operation, it will develop into another “standoff” within the Lahad Datu standoff.

This time, it will be between the police commanders and the army field commanders, who will be arguing over who is to be in-charge of the whole operation, who is to get the most media and TV coverage, who is to be cited as the hero at the end of the day and who is to be awarded another medal and title. This will be a more long drawn-out and complicated issue to settle than the actual standoff itself.

Seriously I am not trying to pull a fast one here. Neither is it my intention to belittle both the current police and military commanders or to embarrass anyone, dead or alive. I am still part of the big family, and so are my brother and in-laws, albeit all in retirement.

This “standoff within a stand-off” did happen in real life, during the Bukit Jenalik, Sauk, incident.

The question of who is the “real hero” in the surrender of those Al-Maunah arms raiders between, Lt-Gen Zaini Mohd Said and ASP Abdul Razak MohdYusof , has not been resolved fully until today, after almost 13 years.

As far as Najib is concerned, it’s Zaini, who “single-handedly” brought the Al-Maunah arms heist and hostage standoff to a finish. Only God knows how he came to this conclusion.

But as far as the former IGP Norian Mai and the police are concerned, the real hero is ASP Abdul Razak, who at the time of incident was a chief inspector based in with the General Operations Force in Ulu Kinta.

According to the former IGP, it was Abdul Razak who, by continuously arguing “religion” with the Al-Maunah gang, managed to convince the group to lay down their arms. Even when Zaini, wgho was then army field commander, and GOF Commander SAC II Abdul Hadi Mahmud went in with the security forces, Abdul Razak was already there and trying to calm both parties to ensure that no confrontation took place.

I would suggest that in order to avoid complicating the already complicated Lahad Datu standoff, it is better to let IGP Ismail Omar finish his business and show us that he really knows what he is doing and keeping the citizens updated.

Where’s the rule of law?

Without a doubt, what the Sulu armed intruders have done is waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sabah, irrespective of whichever angle one looks at it.

No one from the intruders should be allowed to get away scot free, under any circumstance. They must face the full weight of our laws as a deterrent to prevent others from following their footsteps.

We should not be afraid and should ignore any threats of retaliation from any quarter.

After all, our people are already conditioned to threats of another “May 13” chaos taking place and still they can go about their business as usual.

Our people have already accepted the fact that the chaos did take place and the threat of history repeating itself will always be there, that the threat will remain as a threat forever. They will cross the bridge when the time comes, if at all. The real losers are the hatemongers.

What is before Najib now is an “Al-Maunah like standoff”. I must say that Najib was quite hands-on during the Sauk incident. Now, the citizens who have always been under threats, some of which were incited on his own behalf, would be watching very closely how Najib handles the Lahad Datu standoff instead.

The rakyat can judge whether Najib’s actions will be more or less, or less is more, as compared with the Al-Maunah standoff. If he does more, there will definitely be a backlash from certain quarters. If he does less, he will get more whacking from the rakyat. So, he had better find something in between… a “just nice” solution.

Good luck to the prime minister and we should wish him well.

____

MAT ZAIN IBRAHIM is former chief of the Criminal Investigation Department, Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 23 February 2013, 5:20 pm and is filed under
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46-Day Countdown to 13GE – Call on Pakatan Rakyat not to be lulled into complacency as it is still on the cards that Najib could dissolve Parliament in next 12 days before the fifth anniversary of 308

I call on all DAP and Pakatan Rakyat leaders, members  and supporters not to lulled into complacency into believing that the 13th general elections have been pushed to April and after, as it is still on the cards that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak could dissolve Parliament in the next 12 days before the fifth anniversary of the  March 8 “political tsunami” in 2008.

On January 9, I was first informed by “reliable sources”  that Parliament would be dissolved on February 22, with the nomination and polling dates fixed for March 16 and March 30 respectively,  following a high-level meeting of Najib’s political strategists in Putrajaya that day.

February 22 has come and gone without any dissolution, and although other February dates had also been speculated as likely dates for Parliament’s dissolution, it is now generally believed that there has been a further 13GE delay to dissolution in the middle of March and polling in second week of April, so that outstation voters would not return home to vote so soon after the annual Qing Ming festival or All Souls’ Day in early April.

Although the initial plans by Najib’s political strategists for the dissolution of Parliament on February 22 and in the last week of February had been scuttled, because of one political blunder after another by the Prime Minister during the Chinese New Year – most infamously the multiple political and public relations disaster in the multi-million ringgit invitation to the Korean K-Pop superstar Psy and Gangnam Style to Penang on the second day of the CNY – it is still on the cards that Najib could dissolve Parliament in the next 12 days before the fifth anniversary of the  308 political tsunami of the 2008 general elections.

Najib has  set two dubious records as Prime Minister, viz:

•	the longest Prime Minister without an elected mandate of his own;

•	Parliament under him serving out its longest tenure.

Is Najib so politically desperate that he really wants to set a third record on March 8 in being an unelected Prime Minister with a Parliament which, for the first time in Malaysian history exceeded its five-year natural term, taking advantage of the Constitution which provides that the five-year term is calculated from the first meeting of the new Parliament and not from the previous general elections?

This constitutional subterfuge will gain Najib another 50 days to play around with to save his premiership.

If four years as the sixth Prime Minister cannot save Najib in the 13GE, can another 50 days for him to play around with  save the day for him – and to go down in history as the Prime Minister who is so afraid to lose the premiership that he had to violate political norms and exceed the five-year natural life of Parliament?

I don’t think it is really worth it just to gain an extra week or month to dissolve Parliament in order to go down in history as the only Prime Minister who dare not seek a mandate from the people within Parliament’s five-year natural term – unless Najib is really convinced that he is heading for a fourth record as the last UMNO/BN Prime Minister fulfilling the RAHMAN prophecy!

For this reason, I think the dissolution of the 12th Parliament before March 8 next month is still very much on the cards.

Of course, Najib would not have second thoughts about dissolving Parliament now or in the last few days of February if his initial plans had not gone awry.

What was supposed to be Najib’s “secret weapon” to win back Chinese votes – the Psy and Gangnam Style performance at the BN CNY Open House in Penang – has proved to be an unmitigated disaster creating adverse repercussions nationwide.

It was not just one disaster but a basket of disasters – the nationally reverberating  “3 Yes for Psy, 3 Noes for BN” public exchange, the five-minute “Toss Yee San” fiasco, Psy’s refusal to dance Gangnam 1Malaysia Style with Najib, Rosmah and Ng Yen Yen and the ludicrous allegations of death threat to Psy and Najib.

Najib has become so desperate that he is doing things he would not otherwise do, although there is no guarantee that he would not backtrack or renege from his commitments – just like what Mahathir did after the 1999 General Elections when he reneged on the Barisan Nasional’s support “in principle” for the 83-point Suqiu Appeals, accusing those who supported Suqui as akin to “communists” and “Al Maunah terrorists”.

Examples are:

•	his visit to the Dong Zong CNY Open House, first by a Prime Minister, but he went empty-handed – creating all-round disappointment that he would announce government’s comprehensive recognition of UEC as well as approval for the establishment of new Chinese Independent Secondary Schools in Petaling Jaya, Puchong, Johore Bahru and Segamat; and

•	his signing of  the Transparency International (TI) Election Integrity Pledge, although Malaysia under his premiership is the most corrupt when compared to the first five Prime Ministers.

Najib should know that there is no guarantee that any delay in holding the 13GE is going to be to his advantage, especially with more revelations of scandals under his premiership including exposes by private investigator P. Balasubramaniam and carpet trader Deepak Jaikishan.

Artikel ini juga boleh didapati dalam Bahasa Malaysia di:
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                This entry was posted on Sunday, 24 February 2013, 7:36 am and is filed under
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Najib has violated the TI Election Integrity Pledge at least five times during the Chinese New Year

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak came to Kuching  on Friday and boasted about the Transparency International (TI) Election Integrity Pledge which he signed on Wednesdy and declared that Pakatan Rakyat leaders too should sign the pledge if they are committed in fighting corruption and abuse of power.

He said: “They have been accusing Barisan Nasional of all kinds of things, yet we are willing to sign the pledge, so if they are truly committed they should also sign it.”

Najib has in fact beautifully given the reason why I, for instance, has reservations about signing TI’s  Election Integrity Pledge after Najib had signed it!

There is no question about my commitment in fighting corruption and abuse of power for which I have dedicated nearly half a century of my life in Malaysian politics, but the question is whether my commitment to fighting corruption and abuse of power would become a joke and a mockery if I sign the Election Integrity Pledge after Najib had signed  it!

Firstly, is Najib sincere and serious in signing the Election Integrity Pledge, which stipulates four principles for all signatories to observe when contesting in the 13th general elections, viz:

•	Truth, integrity, ethical conduct and accountability, including not accepting or giving bribes or being involved in corrupt practices in any way;

•	Upholding and giving priority to the interests of the rakyat as a whole;

•	Good governance and transparency; and

•	Compliance with all the applicable laws and regulations of Malaysia.

Although the TI Election Integrity Pledge technically applies only to the future after the signing of the pledge, it is not possible for Malaysians to completely ignore the signatories’ record on corruption, crime and abuses of power.

It is most appropriate, relevant and pertinent to ask whether Najib’s signing of the Election Integrity Pledge, especially in the presence of Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, the bete’ noire of international anti-corruption campaigns, has enhanced or undermined and even destroyed the credibility and legitimacy of TI’s Election Integrity Pledge.

This is after taking into consideration that Malaysia, under Najib’s four-year premiership, is most corrupt when compared to anyone of the previous five Prime Ministers in the 56-year history of the nation –  according to the annual TI Corruption Perception Index (CPl).

In fact, in the 15-day Chinese New Year of the Snake, Najib has violated the Election Integrity Pledge at least five times viz:

1. Yesterday in Kuala Terengganu, for the first time in his four-year premiership, Najib openly betrayed 1Malaysia principles and  pandered to religious incitements, declaring that “a vote for PAS would lead to discord among the Muslims and a vote for DAP is a vote for the oppression of Muslims”.

Najib’s line of falsehood  that PAS is a stooge of DAP is totally contradictory to the lies spouted by MCA President Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek to  Chinese voters  that DAP is “just a political eunuch in PAS’ shadow”.

Such dishonesty, hypocrisy and unprincipled opportunism is a violation of the TI Election Integrity Pledge to uphold the principle of “Truth, integrity, ethical conduct and accountability”.

2. Najib’s racist and divisive directive on Monday to exclusively screen the May 13 film, Tanda Putera, to 3,000 Felda settlers although the Cabinet decided last November, as revealed by the Information, Communications and Culture  Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim,   that the film was “inappropriate” to be screened because of “bias” in the portrayal of the May 13 riots in 1969.

This violates the TI Election Integrity Pledge of “good governance and transparency”.

3. For 15 days since Feb. 9 campaigning  every day for himself and Umno/Barisan Nasional, Najib could not spare time to visit Lahad Datu in Sabah to get first-hand information about the fears and concerns of the local people over the 15-day government stand-off with 150-strong Sulu armed group, and to explain why there was such a serious security lapse and why it is the police and Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and not the armed forces and the Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who is tasked with dealing with the crisis of “occupation” by the Sulu militants.

This is violation of the “People First” principle of the Election Integrity Pledge to “upholding and giving priority to the interests of the rakyat as a whole”.

4. The dishonest Bernama report three days ago plagiarising from a UMNO/BN cybertrooper website falsely claiming that the British think-tank Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) had dismissed Pakatan Rakyat as a serious challenge to Barisan Nasional in the 13th General Elections.

This violates the principle in the TI Election Integrity Pledge to uphold “Truth, integrity, ethical conduct and accountability”.

5. The lavish expenditure spending RM3.5 million to invite  Korean K-Pop superstar to Penang for BN Chinese New Year Open House on Feb. 11 to perform Gangnam Style and other unaccounted vast expenses (like putting up 10,000 1Malaysia flags all over the island in a matter of a few hours in the early hours of the first day of CNY – and up to now nobody has owned up who is responsible for this project which could cost a quarter of a million ringgit) is proof of the bane of money politics in the run-up to the 13GE.

Is Najib unaware that in the TI Election Integrity Pledge, he has sworn not to be ‘involved in corrupt practices in any way” as money politics during election time is the root cause of rampant corruption, cronyism and abuses of power in the country?

(Speech at the DAP Sarawak election workshop at DAP Kuching headquarters on Sunday, 24th February 2013 at 12 noon)

Artikel ini juga boleh didapati dalam Bahasa Malaysia di:
https://blog.limkitsiang.com/2013/02/25/najib-telah-melanggar-ikrar-integriti-pilihan-raya-sekurang-kurangnya-lima-kali-ketika-tahun-baru-cina/

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 24 February 2013, 3:47 pm and is filed under
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Najib practices a two faced NEP cum NEM economic policy

By Dr Chen Man Hin, DAP Life advisor

23 Feb 2013

Events have shown that the NEP is still enforced in the economic development of the economy – two faced NEP and NEM economic policy.

Soon after being Prime Minister, Najib launched his New Economic Model to stimulate development with the aim of achieving a high economy like that of the Asian Tigers of Singapore, S Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan

To do this he had to get rid of the economic handicaps wrought by the New Economic Policy. It is on record that Najib announced on May 2nd 2009 that he would replace NEP with his New Economic Model (NEM).

It is now 2013, and the signs of a high economy are not encouraging. For Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) of 2012 Malaysia scored 9 billion US dollars compared to Indonesia’s US$19 billion and Singapore US$130 billion.  (World Bank figures)

Per capita income for Malaysia in 2012 was US$9500 million, compared to Hong Kong US$30 million, Singapore US$50 million and South Korea US$25 million. Can Malaysia reach a high income status of US$20million by 2020.

Much has been publicised about huge foreign investments, but the Per capita income and FDIs are the tests to show the true state of the economy.

So what has pulled down the NEM. It is the NEP which caused the economy to be sluggish. It was presented by Najib’s father Tun Razak in 1971.  The NEP is very much in force, not officially but its principles are still enforced in the ministries and state governments. Reliable sources say that the administration czars demand 40% control of all new investments.

Two days ago, REHDA the highest body of private housing developers complain that the NEP conditions were hampering housing development. The imposition of 30% discounts for bumiputeras was causing huge losses to the industry.

But government and UMNO cronies enjoy exemption of the 30% clause, and they make the money.

Examples:  Felda Sendayan project ,  Ainsdale project in Labu and the latest Railyard Project in Seremban.  All three projects are exempted from the NEP as they not required to build low cost houses.

However, private developers throughout the country, including Negri Sembilan, have to follow the requirement of  building 30%  low cost housing.

Najib is practising a two faced economic policy – a combination of NEP and NEM. It is no wonder that a high economy will be impossible to achieve.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 24 February 2013, 8:35 pm and is filed under
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45-Day Countdown to 13GE – Proposal for a 10-point addendum to TI’s Election Integrity Pledge to ensure signatories are signing a meaningful document to  usher in a new era of integrity

It is quite entertaining to see UMNO/Barisan Nasional leaders  trying to create a song and dance  on statements by Pakatan Rakyat leaders voicing reservations about the authority, credibility and legitimacy of Transparency International’s (TI) Election Integrity Pledge after the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, had signed the pledge.

This is because Najib must bear full responsibility for Malaysia plunging to the lowest rankings of the annual TI Corruption Perception Index (CPI) in the past 18 years.

Swiftly after Najib’s  statement in Kuching on Friday that Pakatan Rakyat leaders should sign the TI Election Integrity Pledge if they are committed in fighting corruption and abuse of power, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz quickly followed suit, dramatically declaring yesterday that “When the time comes, I will sign to affirm that I am not involved in corruption, crime and have no debt with the government”.

Many thanks to Nazri, for he had reminded every Malaysian that Najib had failed to make such an affirmation when signing the TI Election Integrity Pledge on Wednesday that he is not involved in corruption, crime and have no debt with the government!

Is Najib going to have a re-signing ceremony for the TI Election Integrity Pledge so that he could categorically and unequivocally make such a declaration, or is it because to use Nazri’s words, he is “scared and have something to hide”?

I do not think Nazri or any UMNO/BN leader, including the two former Prime Ministers Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and Tun Abdullah would dare to  contradict the statement that of all the six Prime Ministers in the nation’s 56-year history, Najib as incumbent Prime Minister is hounded and haunted by the most number of mega allegations of corruption, cronyism and abuse of power – including involvement in an allegation of murder!

Now, many more allegations of corruption, cronyism and abuse of power are awaiting expose particularly by private investigator P. Balasubramaniam and carpet trader Deepak Jaikishan.

Nazri cannot be more wrong when he said that “only scared people are afraid to sign and give various reasons for not signing it”.

Several Pakatan Rakyat MPs have signed the TI Election Integrity Pledge even before Najib and I myself have no problem with signing the TI Election Integrity Pledge.

However,  I developed reservations after Najib had signed the TI Election Integrity Pledge, which reminded me of the story of Martin Luther,  the father of Reformation who rebelled against the Roman Catholic Church over the sale of indulgences to be absolved from sin.

Have we in Malaysia reached a stage where the sins of corruption could be absolved with a signature?

If a Prime Minister who had caused Malaysia to descend to the worst levels of corruption of any Prime Minister in the nation’s 56-year-history could overnight transform himself into a crusader against corruption and abuse of power just because he had put his signature to the TI Election Integrity Pledge, isn’t this the greatest insult and dishonouring to all honest men and women who over the decades had  stood up for honesty and integrity?

It would appear that the TI Election Integrity Pledge has a greater transformative power than Najib’s various National Transformation Programmes and Plans as to transform him into a great fighter against corruption!

Najib has been called a “false democrat”. Is he going to have an added appellation as a “false fighter against corruption”?

I am prepared to sign TI’s Election Integrity Pledge but it must be a meaningful event, not like the sale of indulgences in the Middle Ages to absolve sins with cash, but in Malaysia, to absolve corruption with a signature!

I propose a 10-point addendum to TI Election Integrity Pledge to ensure signatories are signing a  meaningful document to usher in a new era of integrity.

The full details of this 10-point addendum can be discussed and decided by TI and the signatories in a roundtable conference, but it should include the following five points:

1. Public Declaration of  Assets by all present Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Chief Ministers and Mentris Besar for two periods: (a) before they held  political office and (b) at present.

As UMNO/Barisan Nasional Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Mentris Besar and Chief Ministers are required to submit their declaration of assets to the Prime Minister when they hold office and after every general elections, it should be no great problem to just making public these declarations of assets.

2. Pledge by signatories to the Election Integrity Pledge of “No money politics” in the 13th General Elections.

Every ringgit of expenditure for the 13GE, whether by the candidate or the political party concerned, must be accounted and audited.

A special audit commission to audit every ringgit of expenditure for the 13GE, whether by candidate or political party concerned, should be formed which would make public its audit after the 13GE.

3. Pledge by signatories not to raise the spectre of May 13 or use politics of fear,  blackmail or hatred  to intimidate  or frighten voters.

4. Commitment by signatories to free, fair and clean elections which is  to be monitored by a Fair and Clean Elections Commission as well national and international observes. The ban on the Australian Senator Xenophon from entering Malaysia should be lifted as there is no valid reason to deny him entry or to deport him.

5. Pledge by signatories to accept the verdict of the voters in the 13GE fully committing them to a peaceful transition of power in Putrajaya if this is the will of the electorate.

Malaysians do not want an Arab Spring involving bloodshed and revolution. What Malaysians want is a Korean Spring, which preceded Malaysia by 15 years in effecting a peaceful transition of power when an Opposition candidate Kim Dae-jung was elected and sworn in as President. Again in 2007, there was a second peaceful transition of national power in the South Korean Presidential elections.

[Speech at the Kuching DAP Ceramah at Chonglin Park, Kuching on Sunday, 24th February 2013 at 9 pm]

Artikel ini juga boleh didapati dalam Bahasa Malaysia di:
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                This entry was posted on Monday, 25 February 2013, 2:59 am and is filed under
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Bilakah Najib akan meletak ketepi dahulu kempen hariannya untuk PRU13 dan pergi melawat mereka di Lahad Datu untuk memastikan penyelesaian segera kebuntuan dengan penceroboh Sulu yang sudah masuk minggu ketiga

Saya mengalu-alukan lawatan Ketua Menteri Sabah Datuk Seri Musa Aman dan Kabinetnya ke Felda Sahabat 16 di Lahad Datu semalam bagi mendapatkan pandangan terus berkenaan kebuntuan antara pasukan keselamatan Malaysia dan yang kononnya Tentera Diraja Kesultanan Sulu.

Ini merupakan salah satu objektif lawatan saya ke Felda Sabahat 16 di Lahad Datu dua hari lalum bersama-sama dengan wakil yang dilantik DAP Sabah, termasuklah Jimmy Wong Sze Phing, Naib Pengerusi Negeri Frederick  Fung, Setiausaha Negeri Dr. Edwin Bosi, Setiausaha Publisiti Negeri Chan Foong Hin, Ahli Parlimen Kota Kinabalu Hiew King Cheu, DAP Penolong Setiausaha Penganjur Kebangsaan Vincent Wu.

Lawatan kami ke Lahad Datu pada 20 Feb mempunyai objective berikut:

Misi mendapatkan fakta untuk menentukan keadaan sebenar di tempat kejadian berkenaan kebuntuan yang berlaku;

untuk memahami kebimbangan penduduk tempatan;

menunjukkan solidariti dengan rakyat di Lahad Datu yang terkesan dengan kejadian itu; dan

menghantar mesej yang jelas kepada Kerajaan Persekutuan dan kerajaan negeri Sabah, khususnya Perdana Menteri dan Ketua Menteri Sabah, untuk memberi keutamaan kepada siatuasi buntuk di sana bagi memastikan penyelesaian segera kerana semakin banyak masalah timbul kepada rakyat Sabah.

Saya gembira kerana kami telah mencapai matlamat sejauh mana melibatkan kerajaan negeri Sabah, kerana sejurus selepas lawatan kami, pada hari berikutnya Ketua Menteri Sabah dan rombongan Kabinetnya telah melawat Felda Sahabat 16 untuk mendapatkan taklimat di pos keselamatan General Operations Force (GOF) di sana.

Namun itu tidak memadai, memandangkan bukan saja rakyat Sabah tetapi seluruh Malaysia bertanya mengapa Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak mempunyai masa untuk menjalankan kempen harian untuk dirinya dan UMNO/Barisan Nasional walaupun Parlimen masih belum dibubarkan lagi, tetapi tidak ada masa dalam tempoh 14 hari untuk melawat Lahad Datu dan bertemu dengan orang di kawasan itu bagi mendengar keresahan dan kebimbangan mereka berkenaan situasi buntu bersama 150 penceroboh Sulu?

Sekiranya pemimpin DAP boleh mengetepikan kempen pilihan raya untuk melawat Lahad Datu, mengapa Perdana Menteri tidak dapat melakukan perkara yang sama?

Soalan yang ingin saya kemukakan kepada Najib ialah bilakah beliau akan meletak ketepi dahulu kempen hariannya untuk PRU13 dan pergi melawat mereka di Lahad Datu untuk memastikan penyelesaian segera situasi buntu dengan penceroboh Sulu yang sudah masuk minggu ketiga?

Bolehkah Najib mencerahkan penduduk Lahad Datu, Sabah dan Malaysia bagaimana 150 penceroboh Sulu mampu melepasi tentera laut, askar dan polis sehingga mereka bertaha di in Kg Tanduo di Felda Sabahat 17 sejak 9 Febuari?

Banyak soalan yang tepat telah dilontarkan oleh rakyat Malaysia di media social dan Perdana Menteri perlu menjawabnya soalan mereka sendiri atau arahkan Menteri yang sesuai atau agensi persekutuan untuk memberikan jawapan.

Di twitter misalnya, wartawan pertahanan Dzirhan Mahadzir @DzirhanDefence melontarkan soalan berikut dan pandangan beliau:

Tertanya apakah Polis sepatutnya bertanggungjawab terhadap rundingan dalam situasi seperti Lahad Datu yang melibatkan tuntutan dasar luar, bukan bidang tugas mereka

Sejujurnya Malaysia perlu membaik pulih kaedah pengurusan krisisnya, terutamanya melibatkan unsur antarabangsa, membiarkan  @PDRMsia adalah salah pada pandangan saya

Membaca twit @mpkotabelud dan @HishammuddinH2O, hanya dapat mengatakan sebagai seorang yang mempunyai latar belakang pertahanan/keselamatan, hanya karut dari kedua-duanya

Tertanya apakah sesiapa dapat ingat kembali bahawa kita mempunyai sistem radar di Malaysia timur yang diberikan AS di bawah program 1206 untuk mengesan serangan

Pos berikutnya daripada
blog Mejar (rtd) D. Swami dari Seventh Rangers
, berbaloi untuk direnung bukan sahaja oleh pegawai tentera dan bekas pegawai tentera, tetapi juga Perdana Menteri, Menteri Pertahanan, Menteri Dalam Negeri dan seluruh penduduk:

Tahukah anda pegawai-pegawai tinggi Polis, mereka gemuk-gemuk belaka!! Adakah itu memberikan anda keyakinan bahawa mereka mampu menguruskan pengganas bersenjata? Mereka memerhati pengganas melalui binokular? Rasanya mereka hanya cuba mengkagumkan orang awam bahawa mereka sedang melakukan sesuatu. Seperti biasa mereka sangka kita bodoh. Polis tidak sepatutnya terlibat, kerana ia bukan situasi keselamatan dalam Negara, setakat ini kelihatan mustahil mereka dapat mengusir penceroboh..

 Bolehkah Perdana Menteri menjelaskan mengapa Menteri Dalam negeri dan Polis menguruskan situasi buntu itu apabila sepatutnya yang menguruskannya Menteri Pertahanan dan pihak tentera?

Dan lagi, berapa lama situasi buntu itu akan berlarutan – untuk beberapa minggu lagi atau bulan?

Ahli politik telah campur tangan dan sebab itulah situasi buntu ini berterusan. Polis tidak terlatih untuk melakukan serangan di kawasan musuh, di mana musuh menembak semula. Ini bukannya perhimpunan Bersih. Mereka tidak ada mortar, artileri, Kenderaan Infantri atau Pasukan Khas yang mahir dalam intipan, Pasukan Udara dan Tentera Laut. Ini sepatutnya tugas Tentera memandangkan ia adalah ancaman luar, senjata mereka lengkap dan mereka terlatih untuk ini. Situasi ini sepatutnya diuruskan oleh Komander Briged kelima tanpa membiarkan semua adat tertib ini. Ini merupakan tugas Menteri Pertahanan, nampaknya dia bercuti dan Tentera sedang dimalukan oleh sekumpulan pengganas. Terdapat satu lagi badut, kononnya Laksamana, tanpa malu berkata perbelanjaan pertahanan kita sangat bagus (dengan kapal selam tak guna) sehingga serangan 1511 tidak akan berulang lagi.

Yalah tu, kita telah diserang kali ini bukan oleh armada Portugis tetapi sampan Filipina. Apa kata anda tentang kapal selam kita yang gagah?

Bolehkah Perdana Menteri menjelaskan mengapa Menteri Dalam negeri dan Polis menguruskan situasi buntu itu apabila sepatutnya yang menguruskannya Menteri Pertahanan dan pihak tentera?

Dan lagi, berapa lama situasi buntu itu akan berlarutan – untuk beberapa minggu lagi atau bulan?

This article is also available in English at:
https://blog.limkitsiang.com/2013/02/22/when-is-najib-going-to-put-aside-his-daily-campaigning-for-13ge-and-pay-regular-visits-to-meet-with-people-in-lahad-datu-to-ensure-quick-resolution-of-the-stand-off-with-sulu-intruders-entering-its-th/

                This entry was posted on Monday, 25 February 2013, 10:38 am and is filed under
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BN — a stable of stale, stunted, stultified, spent and short-of-intelligence politicians!

By Martin Jalleh

                This entry was posted on Monday, 25 February 2013, 8:38 am and is filed under
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Lahad Datu standoff: Give us the facts

The Sun Daily

R. Nadeswaran

Posted on 24 February 2013 – 08:55pm

AS THIS column is being written, there are scores of intruders in this country. No one knows the exact number in Tanduo in Lahad Datu town in Sabah, but it varies depending on where it is coming from. But our inspector general of police says the public should not be influenced by online reports on the standoff, which he said were being spread through social media networks.

From what has been reported, they are subjects of the Sulu sultan and the latest is that he has asked the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) to help his followers who are running out of provisions.

According to The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Sultan Jamalul Kiram III wrote to the UNCHR in Manila on Feb 20, asking for protection for 250 members of the “Royal Security Forces of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo” whose lives, he said, were threatened by a food blockade thrown by Malaysia.

Jamalul has also written to Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei asking for help in resolving the standoff in Tanduao peacefully. The UNCHR was furnished with a copy of Jamalul’s letter to the sultan of Brunei, also dated Feb 20.

In the absence of official bulletins or announcements from the police, what choices have the people got? Even the exact numbers are hazy and on the Net, it varies from 100 to 400.

Since our authorities have no control over the press in the Philippines, it has gone to town with its stories and commentaries. The Philippine Daily Inquirer also says Malaysia is in a no-win situation as a result of the standoff in Sabah.

“If it uses deadly force on a small group of armed Filipino Muslims now holed up in the village … members of the fiercest of Philippine Moro tribe, the Tausogs of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, will retaliate.

“If, on the other hand, Malaysia compromises with the armed group purportedly belonging to the Sultanate of Sulu, it will be perceived as a weakling by its neighbours.”

But that’s not all. A commentary by Ramon Tulfo in the same newspaper makes compelling reading because we are not talking about just the men and women who arrived by boat three weeks ago, but something more sinister. He says that even before the landing of 200 men in Lahad Datu, the Sulu sultanate had sent armed men in small groups to Sabah to escape notice from authorities.

“The armed groups are being coddled by Tausogs in the Malaysian state,” he wrote.

That claim should make every Malaysian sit up and ask: “What the hell is happening to our country.” All we know is that the IGP has told us that the “situation is under control and we know what we are doing.”

And Tulfo adds insult to injury by saying: “When the (Philippines) government was fighting the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in the 1970s through the 1980s, Malaysia was secretly supporting the rebellion in the South. Weapons coming from Libya and other Middle East countries passed through Malaysia on their way to the MNLF. Now, it seems the shoe is on the other foot. The law of karma is being played out.”

As much as we want to heed the advice by the IGP not to listen to what is happening in the social media scene, those who are Net-savvy, cannot avoid but read news portals, many of which are reliable.

After all, the information above did not come from newly-set platform by some anti-national elements. It comes from The Daily Inquirer which is one of the most widely read and respected newspapers in that country.

While Malaysians do understand the need to be secretive of security operations, what they are asking for is daily updates on a situation that threatens the country as a whole. It cannot be dismissed as a local problem as it involves the sovereignty of this country.

No one wants bloodshed. No one wants to see dead bodies. No one wants to tell the police how to deal with the problem – they know best as they are trained for such purposes. No one even knows their motives or what they want. No one knows if they have taken hostages or have occupied strategic positions in the area. In short, we have been blanked by the silence of officialdom.

No one is asking for operational details but it will be a relief to all Malaysians if we are told the truth, and nothing but the truth.

R. Nadeswaran is editor (special and investigative reporting) at theSun. Comments:
[email protected]

                This entry was posted on Monday, 25 February 2013, 7:00 am and is filed under
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Manifesto Rakyat – Pakatan Harapan Rakyat

Download/Muat turun Manifesto Pakatan Rakyat:

Penuh

Bahasa Malaysia

English

中文

தமிழ்

Iban

Ringkasan

Bahasa Malaysia

English

中文

தமிழ்

Iban

Kadazan

Malaysia adalah negara berpotensi besar. Rakyatnya yang bersaudara gigih berusaha. Negara dibina atas landasan agama dan akar budaya diikat oleh muafakat Perlembagaan.

Namun, cita-cita kita direncat oleh elit kekuasaan. Rasuah dan ketamakan membarah. Rakyat dibiarkan dengan kepayahan hidup.

Setiap daripada kita berhak mendapat yang terbaik. Pendidikan berkualiti, negara berkebajikan, peluang saksama dan pentadbiran beramanah menanti kita.

Demi kita, demi rakyat, bersama-sama ubah sekarang untuk melakar masa depan Malaysia.

Pakatan Rakyat

Manifesto oleh Pakatan Rakyat di Shah Alam pada hari Isnin, 25 Februari 2013

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