Scholarships for those who earn and need it

Yap Mun Ching

The Sun

23 June 2011

AFTER many years of opaque silence, the debate over tertiary education scholarships has finally boiled over with public demands for the list of renegade Public Services Department Scholarship (PSD) holders to be published and at least one father threatening to sue a corporate foundation for not giving his son a scholarship to Cambridge. It is a timely debate and one that stands at the heart of the transparency and accountability pledge of the government.

To find our way out of this mess, a useful starting point is the criteria for allocating scholarships which has been veiled under much secrecy. In a letter to the NST, the chairman of the Centre for Public Policy Studies, Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam, stated the criteria as follows: academic achievement (20%), racial composition (60%), East Malaysia bumiputra (10%) and socially disadvantaged (10%).

If this is accurate, we can trace many of the controversies over allocation of scholarship funds to this set of guidelines. If only 20% of the national scholarship budget is used to award meritocracy; it is not surprising then that the majority of scholars that we turn out are of mediocre achievement. If only 10% is allocated to support poor students; no wonder movements like Hindraf strike a chord. It is uncertain if the bulk of the 70% of racial allocation is made with any secondary criteria (e.g. meritocratic and means-tested) as well, but it is galling for this writer to recall the PSD and GLC scholarship holders who had sufficient means to purchase vehicles and designer goods throughout their study abroad.

Setting the criteria right is the first step that the administration has to take. If the 1Malaysia pledge is to mean anything, the criteria for awarding public scholarships should also reflect its principles. Scholarships should be provided to those who earn it and those who need it. If the government is concerned about assisting poor bumiputra students, this objective can be achieved by fine-tuning means-tested requirements, rather than using broad racial categorisations.

To ensure that a cross section of deserving students receive scholarships, it is also necessary to clarify what qualifies someone to be a top scorer. Does it mean getting straight As or should students also demonstrate other qualities such as community leadership and sporting excellence? Taxpayers should certainly not be required to foot a ballooning bill of generous promises without transparent and effective management of scholarship funds.

To better manage expectations, clear distinctions have to be made between the right to education and the right to scholarships. There cannot be a limit to a person’s right to seek the best education anywhere he wishes, but this should not automatically imply he has the right to public funds to support these aspirations. To receive a scholarship is a privilege for those who have done exceptionally well and those who intend to give back to society what they have received from it. When the line is not clearly drawn, parents and students come to assume that denial of a scholarship is a denial of education, which is clearly not the case. It also feeds the problem of “ungrateful” scholarship holders who do not return or repay their scholarship monies.

Unless we have a bottomless pit of funds to support a growing demand for scholarships, some hard decisions must be made and made soon. We cannot stinge on education spending but we can certainly better use it to improve the quality of tertiary education at home so that there is less pressure for students to go abroad. There should also be an end to giving away free money, with all students required to repay part of their scholarship money. To address the problem posed by those who received scholarship to go abroad but do not return, publishing their names in the newspapers would do nothing other than giving an outraged public temporary satisfaction. A more effective solution is simply to enforce repayment of the funds, if not from the students, then from their guarantors.

Mun Ching enjoys travelling off the beaten path to discover the grittier but more revealing parts of the region we call home.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 23 June 2011, 6:59 am and is filed under
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Seeing crackdown, Pakatan battens down hatches

By
Clara Chooi

The Malaysian Insider

Jun 23, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, June 23 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders are bracing themselves for a possible repeat of the infamous 1987 Ops Lalang crackdown when election watchdog Bersih 2.0 stages its mass protest in the capital this July 9.

The leaders, many of whom were among those arrested during the crackdown, told a press conference today that they feared the government would again flex its muscles and embark on a spree to detain all leaders participating in the rally.

“As former Ops Lalang detainees, we must ask if they are preparing for an Ops Lalang 2,” said DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang, one of the 1987 detainees.

PAS vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar said recent events surrounding the Bersih rally signalled the likelihood that the Najib administration could launch yet another dragnet to silence opposition dissent.

“I am worried. I am worried that (Bersih chairman Datuk) Ambiga Sreenavasan will be arrested under the Internal Security Act… and so will some other Bersih members and opposition politicians.

“It is like in 1987… whereby provocations that involved the prime minister himself (then Umno Youth leader) are the issues at hand but yet, the opposition becomes the scapegoat. Like me, many other representatives became victims at the time,” he told a press conference after attending a PR presidential council meeting in Parliament this afternoon.

Ops Lalang was launched on the morning of October 27, 1987 to clamp down on social activists and opposition politicians. Two dailies were also closed along with two weekly newspapers, and 106 people were arrested under the ISA, including Lim and his son, Guan Eng, who were both held for 18 months.

Earlier, Lim had urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, his deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, and the entire BN Cabinet to join Bersih 2.0 in its march, which calls for free and fair elections.

Instead, Umno minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, who is in charge of home affairs, said yesterday that the police would haul up Bersih leaders as well as those from Perkasa and Umno Youth, both of whom plan to hold separate rallies on July 9.

Today, Lim expressed disgust at Hishammuddin’s announcement, saying this ultimately meant that the Umno vice-president had failed to understand Bersih’s purpose.

“Bersih is proposing a peaceful rally. Bersih wants to see real democratic change in the country. Umno Youth has its own reasons but Perkasa has been making very provocative, seditious and treasonous statements… Ibrahim Ali has even declared himself a war general for preparing for bloodshed that day,” he said.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 23 June 2011, 10:33 pm and is filed under
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So True – but why you can’t believe everything on Internet

Letter

Now THIS is why you can’t believe any picture you see on the Internet! The guy who did these pictures did an awesome job!

And “they” can do the same thing with text and Video so we must be careful what we believe and send on as fact.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 23 June 2011, 9:42 am and is filed under
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Through my aging eyes: We are at the mercy of Nature

By Edwin Bosi

When I visited Tambatuon village in Kadamaian Kota Belud in April 2011 with YB Jimmy Wong and DAP Sabah political leaders it was actually partly a fact-finding mission. We heard so much of Tambatuon through the news media, their fight for survival against a proposed dam that will in the word of Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan, BN Member of Parliament for Kota Belud, obliterate them from the map of Sabah. Our casual visit, meeting and walking around the village gave us a feeling that the villagers were genuinely not in favor of the dam at all cost. It is not only showing in their faces but also their environment. They have built a beautiful yet simple and decent life in Tambatuon which they call home.

Sdr Lim Kit Siang took time on 28 May 2011 to visit and meet up with the ex-village chief Singkui Tinggi and other community leaders. He too was convinced of the peoples’ stance against the dam. When the plea of the villagers touched the very heart of Sdr Kit Siang, it does not take long for him to commence the battle for and to save Tambatuon, via the Twitter world. Sadly on that night, Kit Siang soon found out that there is no internet coverage in Tambatuon so the “Twitter war” has to be conducted in Kota Kinabalu.

While we mourned of no internet access in Tambatuon I was amused of the free computers given to selected rural students and households so that they are with the rest of the world. I remember seeing in the mainstream media a picture of an old folk in Banggi island with a computer in his shack with no electric supply. It was a front page picture, a government propaganda showing him admiring the “toy”. The government is so proud of its achievement! As for the students I was also told that parents have to folk out some RM28 per month on broadband service for their notebooks. In the early days when the rural folks were supplied with electricity it did not take long before they reverted back to kerosene oil. They just do not have the money to pay for the bills. The government never learnt and that habit continues. It looks like the government is spending our tax money for the benefit of some.

Writing in his blog, MP Rahman enlightened readers on food security. He then said that the dam will benefit thousands of Kota Belud poor paddy farmers contributing RM200 million into the local gross income and a substantial downstream economic activity. It will also erase Kota Belud’s unflattering title as “one of the poorest districts in Malaysia”. He also said beside providing water for the 25000 acres of padi field, the dam will help control flooding and destruction of crops. The dam can generate hydro-electricity when the government feels it is time to use it. Rahman also said the dam will provide treated water supply for humans and will be a tourist attraction, sightseers and activities like fishing and camping.

Food security is important. Self-sufficiency in rice is hovering at about 65% for the country. For a country to be secured in terms of food, it must diversify. In Sabah we see people eating tapioca, sweet potatoes and sago. These are staple food to some ethnic groups and life-saving food plants especially during the Japanese occupation. I was surprised that Rural Development Minister Shafie Apdal shared my thought when he recommended the government to go into tapioca farming. MP Rahman in his Twit asked anyone who want to eat tapioca to raise their hands. Are we going back to the Japanese occupation era, he asked?

For the purpose of this discussion I will confined it to rice. I have engaged with rice farmers and millers in Kota Belud and they have offered an overview of the “agropolitan” project initiated by the government. They confided that the main issue is not about inadequate water but the too much of it. One miller even joked that we should develop a “submarine” variety of padi for Kota Belud. Their concern is the lack of proper irrigation system. MP Rahman has revealed that the government has spent RM150 million to upgrade the Kota Belud’s irrigation, management technology and machinery. After having spent that amount, the problem persisted. We must be practical. Long duration of dry spell as in “El Nino” will affect the padi project even with a Tambatuon dam. Long duration of heavy rain will also affect the padi project even if we have good irrigation system and Tambatuon dam.

I am not disputing that the development of 25000 acres is good for our rice stockpile. I am also concerned for the wellbeing and welfare of padi farmers in Kota Belud irrespective of whether they are Dusuns, Bajaus or Irranuns. I think the concerned should also be trained at the Dusun villagers in Tambatuon. If few villages are going to be submerged and displace a few thousand people then the government must justify its proposal to have a dam. The government must ensure that they have made a comprehensive study and exhaust all the options before pinning down on the dam. Like a steroid, the dam is only a relief. A trip to Chengmai to see how they manage their agriculture land is highly recommended.

Why are the people of Tambatuon up in arms against the government plan to construct a dam? I believe it is about approach. The affected people must be consulted. They must be briefed on the advantages of having a dam and the quantum of compensation. However, the government failed to do just that. The government’s Moyog dam relocation exercise failed when the affected people were shortchanged. The government did not fulfill its end of the agreement. The people are not happy with the housings and infrastructure, and they were not given land in exchanged so that they can toil on them. It is so ironical when the new village which is located behind the Moyog dam is dependent on gravity water supply and rain. The failure in Moyog will not make it easy for future government relocation exercises of this nature.

My engagement with the people of Tambatuon inspired me to write about them and their fight to save their village from being obliterated from the surface of this planet. I am for food security and I certainly like to see the 25000 acres of land become productive. I like to see the landowners and rice farmers in Kota Belud actively working on their lands, provide the rice for our people and enjoy a decent standard of living. But is it fair not to be concerned for the Tambatuon people who will lose their land, property and heritage?

Tambatuon is a tourist destination with big potential. The river, hills, forest and Mount Kinabalu behind it provide the natural setting for the people to enjoy and admire. They are blessed with fertile land where wet and hill fragrance rice, rubber, vegetables and fruits grow without much difficulty. The river is so clear and refreshing and is teeming with fish, courtesy of the tagal system which the villagers have adopted. They now have homesteads and resorts, and these are good for the economy. They have also made a road towards Mt. Kinabalu which is now at the fringe of the National Park boundary. With some understanding, the Parks and the people of Tambatuon can now develop a new trail to the peak of Kinabalu. The villagers will soon grow temperate vegetables which will be good for the agriculture sector. The “Tagal” system can lead to a great fishing spot. My take is Kota Belud will become another exciting and attractive tourism destination.

However, let us get our sequence right. The government must address the issue of flooding in Tampasuk plain by managing the several rivers that drain into the area. I agree with a rice miller that several small dams can be constructed to control the water flows and where there is minimal or no impact on the villages. These small dams can also produce electricity and water supply that will meet the demand for the surrounding villages. The irrigation system must be able to solve the water problem when it rains or during a dry spell. As I indicated earlier, extreme long duration of drought and heavy downpour will always affect the padi project with or without the dam. I can see the future role of dams in the Kota Belud but damming the Kadamaian river at Tambatuon in its proposed scale and the reasons for it is not the answer. Nature when disturbed will definitely returns the favour.

(
Published in The Borneo Post, 19th June 2011
)

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 23 June 2011, 10:43 am and is filed under
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We’ve made a big mistake, says Lynas boss

Malaysiakini
 | Jun 23, 11

Lynas boss Nicholas Curtis has conceded that his company made the mistake of failing to adequately engage the community in Kuantan over fears of radioactive waste from its controversial rare earth plant.

“We made a mistake, and it was a big mistake, of thinking that because we have met the (Malaysian) standards (of safety), that it was enough. It was not enough. Our obligation is to continue to engage the community in Kuantan.”

The Lynas chief’s mea culpa came after the emergence of stringent opposition to the plant, which is being built in Gebeng Industrial Estate, about 50km from Kuantan. The RM700 million plant will be completed by the end of September.

“I respect that emotions have (become) very high, but these are emotions, not facts,” said Curtis. The detractors of the project, he said, are “pushing emotional stories for political gains”.

It may be a bit late, but the Lynas boss is determined to reach out to Kuantan residents who are sceptical of the plant.

“The only way we can dampen the emotions is to correct the mistake of not engaging sufficiently. I’m asking for an engaged conversation about their concerns, and for them to have a dialogue with us.”

Curtis was in Kuala Lumpur this week for a one-day charm offensive, where he met with a number of editors from both the mainstream and alternative media, including Malaysiakini.

He will be meeting with Kuantan parliamentarian Fuziah Salleh, one of the key opponents to the plant, on July 1.

Kemaman was a mistake too

Curtis dismissed suggestions that the plant was not built in Australia, where the rare earth mine is located, because of public protest.

“Do you have evidence of that? It’s a good emotional catch, but it’s not true. We are a global business.

“We have a mine (Mount Weld in Western Australia). But the ore deposit is 800km from anywhere. We can hardly build a big chemical plant in the middle of the desert. We have to fly people in and out, and our average employee cost is very high.

“We can build it on the west coast of Australia. But is that the best way to actually process the material? The answer is no. I don’t sell one gram of our material in Australia. Everything we sell is either to Japan, United States or Europe.”

Curtis admitted that the ferocity of the opposition to the plant, which emerged early this year, took him by surprise.

According to him, the negative reaction was sparked by a “perfect storm” of the radiation leaks in the Fukushima nuclear power plants in Japan coupled with Malaysia’s bitter experience with a troubled rare earth plant in Bukit Merah 20 years ago.

There is another unmentioned factor – the acute political climate ahead of a snap general election. The plant is, after all, located in Prime Minister Najib Razak’s home state.

Curtis also conceded making another mistake – Lynas had originally planned to build the rare earth processing plant in Kemaman, Terengganu.

“Kemaman is too isolated. Gebeng is a much more correct place. This is a 30-year plant. It would take us one year longer if we move it. We chose to take the pain then, and we have to redo the environmental impact assessment.”

Not a question of stay or get out

For Lynas, it is not a question of “stay or get out”. “It’s about how to manage the process in a way which is absolutely safe for the community,” said Curtis.

But he hopes that “the emotion of politics” could be taken out of the controversy.

“We welcome an open debate. We have nothing to hide. I don’t agree with the view that we should not have any level of radiation. That’s nonsense, that’s not true. Radiation exists everywhere. The question is what is the standard of radiation that does not pose any health risk to the community.

“In the Bukit Merah case, it was 70,000 ppm (parts per million) of radioactive material to 50,000 ppm of rare earth. In our case, it is 500 ppm of radioactive material to 180,000 ppm of rare earth. The proportionality is very different.”

Curtis also seeks to reassure Malaysians that the radioactive waste storage facility, to be located in Gebeng, is safe.

“We believe that we have a residual storage facility designed to last 500 years, and it will not pose any hazard to anyone.”

However, Curtis said that he was still open to suggestions of improvement.

The Lynas founder is nevertheless unfazed by plan by protest group Save Malaysia to go to Australia to lobby against the plant.

“It is a Malaysian issue, not an Australian issue. I’d love people to come to Australia, but I’m not sure what they hope to achieve.”

All eyes on IAEA report

The Lynas plant is expected to go online in three months.

In the bid to overcome growing opposition, the government has set up an independent panel appointed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to conduct a review on the radiation safety at the proposed plant.

The 10-member IAEA team is set to submit its findings to the Malaysian government by June 30 after spending a week early this month holding public consultation sessions and visiting the plant site.

Curtis is placing hope on the IAEA report as a basis of a “serious conversation” on what is to be done.

“We will certainly cooperate with the outcome of the report. If we are, in any way, asked to do things about the plant to make it safe for the community, we will do it. We are not here to harm the community. We are here to benefit the community.”

When told that the government will come under tremendous pressure to delay the commissioning of the plant due to the upcoming elections, Curtis said:

“I would hope that the government is strong enough to deal with the facts. I’m not going to pre-empt the IAEA study. But I do hope that the debate is based on facts, not emotions.”

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 23 June 2011, 12:54 pm and is filed under
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Would Hishammuddin have arrested his grandfather Datuk Onn Jaffar for organizing peaceful mass rallies and meetings resulting in formation of UMNO if the latter had been  alive today?

It offends all notions of good sense and fair play of rational Malaysians for the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to put  Bersih on the same footing as Perkasa when he announced yesterday that the Police would summon Bersih, UMNO Youth and Perkasa for planning separate rallies on July 9.

Bersih is planning a Bersih 2.0 rally to call for free, fair and clean elections with the organizers repeatedly, unreservedly  and unqualifiedly declaring their commitment to ensure that the rally will be a peaceful expression of the deeply-felt wishes of Malaysians transcending race, religion, gender, age and political affiliation for an a free and fair electoral system which would make all Malaysians proud in the world.

The Perkasa counter-protest is a different kettle of fish altogether – born to create strife and unrest. Its President Ibrahim Ali even declared himself a “war general” for the July 9 counter-protest to the peaceful Bersih rally, invoking provocative and inflammatory images of chaos bloodshed and May 13 – even threatening  the Chinese community by  warning the Chinese to  stay home and stock up on food during the planned Bersih 2.0  rally on July 9.

What the Home Minister and police should do is to arrest and charge Ibrahim Ali for the serious crime of racial and social incitement by publicly planning a highly mischievous rally prepared for civil unrest and even another May 13 instead of giving Perkasa respectability by putting it  on the same footing as Bersih for wanting to hold public rallies on July 9.

In this connection, let me ask a direct question to Hishammddin whether he is planning with top police officials a Operation Lalang 2 involving mass Internal Security Act arrests over the July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally for free, fair and clean elections?

This question must be asked in view of the many uncalled-for warnings by the Home Minister and the Police of repressive actions which would be taken to clamp down on the proposed Berish 2.0 rally.

Bersih 2.0 organisers and all who support Bersih 2 rally have all made one common  commitment – that it will be a peaceful, civil and civilized expression of the hopes and aspirations of right-thinking Malaysians transcending race, religion, gender, age or political affiliation for greater maturity of the democratic process in Malaysia.

I call on the Home Minister to facilitate the successful holding of the peaceful Bersih 2.0 rally instead of enjoining and compelling the police to suppress the democratic rights of Malaysians.

Holding of peaceful public gatherings and rallies is a fundamental human right recognized and respected all over the civilized world.

In fact, one of the pioneers of peaceful public rallies in Malaysia is none other than Datuk Onn Jaffar, the grandfather of the Home Minister.

Would Hishammuddin have  arrested his grandfather Datuk Onn Jaffar for organizing peaceful  mass rallies and meetings resulting in formation of UMNO  if the latter had been  alive today?

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 23 June 2011, 4:56 pm and is filed under
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“Datuk T” trio’s gross abuse of process of the court

What happened in the Kuala Lumpur magistrate’s court this morning in the “Datuk T” trio Sri Carcosa sex tape case was a gross abuse of the process of the court, reducing the judicial process to a farce.

It was alleged for instance that there are expert testimony that the man in the sex tape is “99.99 per cent” opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

What is the probative value and credibility of such expert evidence when they are not challenged or tested by other expert testimonies, reducing them to the status of one-sided accounts not much better than mere hearsay.

Many questions are raised by the farcical proceedings in the magistrate’s court this morning, where the “Datuk T” trio sought to justify their crimes on the ground of national interests.

What greater national interest could there be to  equal the fight against corruption, particularly “grand corruption” of political leaders, with Malaysia’s Transparency International (TI)  Corruption Perception Index (CPI) plunging from No.23 in 1995 to No. 56th position in 16 years?

Would the Attorney-General agree that  it would be relevant to mitigate offences committed by anyone, whether to steal documents or to breach the Official Secrets Act, if such crimes are committed with the noble purpose of exposing the “grand corruption” of Ministers and the political leaders in government?

The “Datuk T” trio were treated like VVIPs, allowed to leave court when their paltry fines had not yet been paid.

The question I want to pose is whether the Attorney-General and the Police are part of the conspiracy in “Datuk T” trio’s gross abuse of process of court resulting in the inordinate 3-month delay in charging them in court so that so-called expert testimonies could be compiled and ready to be reported in court alleging that the person in the Carcosa sex tape was Anwar?

If so, both the AG and the IGP should explain why they had compromised the independence, professionalism and integrity of their offices to play the political games of “Datuk T” trio and their masters in UMNO?

                This entry was posted on Friday, 24 June 2011, 4:25 pm and is filed under
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Another day, another bogeyman raised

by
Farah Fahmy

The Malaysian Insider

Jun 24, 2011

JUNE 24 — In all the furore surrounding the Bersih 2.0 rally, I couldn’t help noticing that all the things and events used to scare us are being dragged out yet again, presumably so that we would all be scared of history repeating itself and therefore stick to the status quo.

First up is of course the spectre of May 13. Time and again self-serving politicians bring this up to remind us to toe the line. You know what? I was born after 1969. I didn’t live through those events, and all I know about May 13 I learnt through my own endeavours.

If May 13 is so important to us, and if we’re always exhorted to remember it, then why, if we so much as try to discuss what happened then, are we told NOT to do so because it may be detrimental to our racial sensibilities?

I mean, come on. How can we be expected to remember something that we don’t fully know about, and that nobody seems to want to discuss objectively? It’s as if we rakyat are little children told by our adult politicians not to open a cupboard because monsters hide in there. What rubbish.

Don’t get me wrong. I love my country, and I have no wish to see it descend into Arab Spring-like chaos, but I think our politicians should give us a bit of credit too. Most of us are actually mature adults capable of holding rational discussions.

Yes, the events of May 13 were horrendous, and I fervently wish that it would not happen again, but I also think that we need to bust the myth of May 13 by discussing it openly so that we can learn from it — the lessons learnt in its aftermath might need reviewing after more than 40 years.

Then there’s the other favourite bogeyman — the Jews. For a country that doesn’t even have a Jewish population, politicians of a certain type in our country are obsessed by the Jews. Anyone accused of blackening the country’s name is denounced as an “agent of the Jews.”

Have any of these people even met a Jewish person? Funnily enough, they’re just like you and I (contrary to what an ustaz told me years ago, they don’t have hooked noses either!) and quite frankly, I think most Jewish people have other things to think about than worrying about our country!

I don’t quite get this obsession with the Jews actually. Is it because of Israel, and its treatment of the Palestinians? Is it because we want to show solidarity with the Arab world? Is it just because they’re Jews?

Well, at the risk of sounding callous, the Israeli treatment of the Palestinians is no better and no worse than the treatment of the Talibans towards their fellow Muslims when they were in power in Afghanistan (where were the demonstrations and agitations against the Taliban then, eh? And what about those Saudis and their penchant for beheading maids who have the temerity to strike back against employers who abuse them?). There are bad people everywhere. Should we demonise an entire race just because one country oppresses some of its people?

Yes, I too feel anger when I see the demolition of houses in the West Bank; when I see the shelling in Gaza. I too feel anguished when I read about men and women forced to abandon their ancestral lands simply because a wall has arbitrarily split their land into two. I too feel loathing when I read about the attitudes some of the Israeli settlers have towards the Palestinians.

But you know what? If I was an Israeli I would probably feel a lot of hatred towards the Palestinians too, because Hamas and its ilk have made life unpalatable. All I’m saying is, there are two sides to every story. Neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians are whiter than white and I find it extremely tiresome when a Malaysian politician peddles the Jewish line to score some points because it just comes across as being ill-informed and plain nasty.

In fact, what I find even more seriously disturbing is our prime minister inviting the likes of Robert Mugabe and Omar al-Bashir to our country to attend the recent Langkawi International Dialogue conference. I know why they were invited, but really, the excuse that we need to have dialogue with these types of people is nonsense.

Mugabe has personally bankrupted his country and presided over the death of many, many Zimbabweans. The many accounts of life in Zimbabwe, especially during election campaigns, are absolutely shocking and I am sickened at the thought of that man pontificating about how evil the West is, on our soil.

Yet still our PM invites this man to our country? It’s like saying we’ll invite someone like Hitler to our country so that we can engage him in dialogue. Why bother? With some tyrannical, despotic leaders it’s just not worth the effort.

Then there’s the explanation given by our PM on why it was all right to invite al-Bashir to our country — we’re not a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), so we don’t have to comply with their rulings.

Goodness, how far our ethical standards have fallen! In the 1980s we boycotted South Africa because of apartheid. Now, it seems that we are more than happy to play with the leaders of tyrannical states rather than abide by the ways of the civilised world.

Actually, if I were a politician, I wouldn’t need to go too far to find something to scare Malaysians with. Forget May 13 or the Jews. A government that sees nothing amiss with playing host to murderous tyrants, and giving them a platform to air their views … let’s just hope our politicians aren’t thinking of learning from them, especially during the Bersih 2.0 rally!

                This entry was posted on Friday, 24 June 2011, 7:09 pm and is filed under
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Apply the law equally

Terence Fernandez

The Sun

23 June 2011

BAD things happen because good people do nothing. How often have we heard this phrase and how many of us have been motivated enough to get off our butts to do something when others are trying to cause chaos and confusion?

At the rate things are going, it seems we are content to let things slide or sweep them under the carpet – a child’s logic: close your eyes and it will go away.

History has taught us that the worst atrocities were actually committed by the minority. But they were emboldened and abetted by a silent majority who at first laughed them off as a bunch of raving lunatics but to their horror, later discovered that this same group of madmen had taken control of the country’s social and political structures.

Back home, we have been listening to a lot of rhetorical nonsense. These are words that you would usually allow to pass you by as they are usually drivel associated with the mentally unstable.Unfortunately, the bombast with racial undertones is coming out of the mouths of elected representatives – people you and I may have put into power. I am one of many who at first laughed off the twaddle, equating it with desperate measures by people in the twilight of their political career. These are people who are falling out of favour with the electorate or their political masters and are doing everything they can to hold on to their posts so that they can continue enjoying all the privileges – tangible and imagined – that come with power.

I am still convinced that the powers that be are on the same wavelength as the majority who want peace and stability. Perhaps that is why the July 9 mass rally which was to have taken to the streets did not receive a police permit. (I for one would prefer if rallies are confined to stadiums. The message sent would be just as powerful and there are no fears that it will be lost).

But again, if those in authority are of the same opinion as the rest of us, they would also agree that if government-controlled organs of information are loosened up and dissenting voices are given access to them, there will be less or no need at all for mass demonstrations and rallies.

More importantly, the authorities would also not be seen to be selective in coming down hard on those who want to incite and divide us.

The velvet glove treatment given to some of these loud voices gives rise to questions and cause for concern. It is the lethargic handling of such seditious-like conduct that will further encourage more like-minded ones to spew their brand of divisive politics and deepen the wedge in our social fabric.

I have never ever been a proponent of draconian laws – enactments which were drawn up over 40 years ago to control insurgency and violence. I still believe that there is no need for such regulations, especially when the men in blue, the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the Home Ministry are entrenched with so many rules and regulations to control freedom of speech and assembly.

But the authorities must walk the talk and not be seen to be practising a policy of “different strokes for different folks”. The law must be applied equally without fear or favour. The fact that a wing of the largest political party and another political-party wannabe have now jumped on the band-wagon for next month’s rally may be a saving grace for the original organisers. Perhaps they can be assured of equal treatment as anything otherwise will reek of favouritism.

At the time of writing this, we at the newsdesk are deliberating whether our reporter should lodge a police report over a text message she received, that threatened to kill Coalition for Free And Fair Elections (Bersih) 2.0 chairperson S. Ambiga and all those who support her. It turns out we were not the only ones. Several other reporters and editors, as well as website umno-reform2.com, also received similar text messages.

But by taking the trouble to flesh out the culprits – whom I suspect do not have the backbone to carry out their threats – those who lodge these reports and the authorities who proceed to take action spurred by these reports are demonstrating that we will not tolerate any form of fear mongering and attempts to stir unrest. They can start by hauling up the loud-mouths who go berserk once given a platform to voice their opinions.

Perhaps the media must also exercise restraint by ignoring the frighteners as we usually would any mentally unsound person we pass along the street. Lest we, unwittingly or otherwise, become conduits for the spread of dangerous propaganda.

While he would rather stay home, curiosity will get the better of him and Terence will most likely be on the ground on July 9. Feedback:
[email protected]

                This entry was posted on Friday, 24 June 2011, 5:18 am and is filed under
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Death threat: We shall not be cowed

Malaysiakini Your Say
 | Jun 24, 11

‘Who are the pariahs here – those calling others demeaning and insulting names or those who put up a fight for our democratic rights?’

SMS death threat against Ambiga making its rounds

TehTarik:
 I hope that Malaysia doesn’t sink to the level where we see political assassinations. Unfortunately, we seem to be rapidly heading in this direction, particularly due to inaction and selective prosecution by the police and the judiciary.

As many have said, some of the leaders of Perkasa should have been arrested a long time ago under the ISA and interned in Kamunting. Perkasa appears to be similar to the ‘brown shirt’ of the Nazi Party which was formed by Adolf Hitler, and was responsible for political threats and violence, and even assassinations.

Many Malaysians are fast losing confidence in the country’s future. I know of many professionals and businessmen who are now contemplating migration.

Ambiga comes from an illustrious family. Her father, who passed way last year, was an eminent doctor and a past president of the Malaysian Medical Association. He was seen as the ‘Father of Urology’ and was instrumental in setting up the Urology Center at Hospital Kuala Lumpur, the first of its kind in the country.

He was the founder member of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), and helmed the post as chairman of the NKF for many years. The NKF has saved the lives of thousands of kidney patients at dialysis centres around the country.

His acquaintances will tell you that he was a man of impeccable honesty, both in his professional as well as private life. If he was around, he would be mighty proud of his brave daughter. The same cannot be said of Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, who is but a shadow of his illustrious father.

Jiminy Qrikert
: This is what happens when the country is led by leaders who stoke the fires of racism and encourage, even maybe fund, racist bigots like Ibrahim Ali and Perkasa to do their dirty work so that Umno is insulated and hopes to be perceived as being innocent of instigating and propagating such hatred of non-Malays.

Let’s all be there on July 9. I will be.

KSN:
 Is this not disgusting? This is our version of democracy. The name-calling shows the mentality of those who are sending the SMS and those behind it. Who are the pariahs here – those calling others demeaning and insulting names or those who are putting up a fight for democratic rights of citizens for free and fair elections?

It is to be hoped that the police will investigate this thoroughly and bring the criminals to justice, that is, if they are up to doing their duties responsibly and impartially. But nobody will hold their breath for obvious reasons.

What has Ambiga’s race got to do with Bersih? There is disgusting reference to Ambiga’s father in the SMS threat. How many know that her father, Dr Sreenevasan, is one of the finest surgeons we have ever had.

Those fellows who sent the message are sick in their heads. They not only called Ambiga all sorts of names, but insulted her father as well. I feel terrible as Dr G Sreenivasan operated on me for kidney stones way back.

4EverMalaysian:
 The sender of the SMS death threat is a coward. If he is brave enough, he should come out in the open, show his face and express his threat directly. Bersih chief Ambiga Sreenevasan will have thousands of Malaysians coming to defend her.

Anonymous:
 Do not hide behind your computers. Make sure we go down to the streets on July 9, or else we are just like the coward who sent the SMS.

The BN government’s fear of Bersih march has reached preposterous level. They are afraid because this time they can’t use money to buy support. If the majority of people support them as claimed, then where does the fear of a free and fair election comes from?

Jerit:
 Say what you want, do all you want, the people of Malaysia are more informed now. With or without Ambiga or other leaders, we will go to the streets on July 9 to show the people’s power.

Remember Egypt, remember Tunisia. If the people there can make change, so can we. Even though Bersih says it is about free and fair elections, we also want clean politics and a better government. This is, after all, our birth right.

2cts-worth:
 Poor leadership has allowed and even condoned the stoking of fire spewed by the monsters unleashed by a careless and selfish government. A simple demonstration to clamour for a clean and fair election has turned into a political and racial issue.

It is with abated breath we now await and see how this government will resolve this grave problem.

Anonymous_3e46:
 We are so sad that the scenario in Malaysia of late has unashamedly degenerated into a samseng (thuggish), biadab (uncouth), godless culture as to call people by names over their racial background and to issue death threats so as to intimidate others. Is this what is called Malaysian budaya (culture)? Shame.

RR:
 We talk about enlightenment, moderation, integrity, righteousness, etc, based on our religious tenets, but actually many of the leaders and their followers are mere hypocrites and have Stone Age mentality. Unless the leaders are enlightened, we cannot blame the ignorant followers.

Citizen:
 Does a prominent lawyer such as Ambiga with international recognition deserves all this? I am ashamed of myself of not having such guts as this incredible woman to stand for justice for all of us. Ambiga, we salute you.

Beetle:
 The majority of rakyat stands with Ambiga and condemn this threat on her life, Be strong and fear not, Ambiga. Those who are righteous will always triumph over those who are evil.

Abasir:
 The horde that gathered to burn Ambiga’s picture and called her names is Umno Malaysia’s finest; it constitutes PM Najib Razak’s top talent and investment magnet; its official patron is none other than Dr Mahathir Mohamad and it is merely answering Najib’s call to “defend Putrajaya at all costs”.

The question on every decent Malaysian’s lips is this: Does “at all costs” include death threats and possibly murder?

                This entry was posted on Friday, 24 June 2011, 11:55 am and is filed under
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Evil stalks the brave and threatens the peace

by
P Ramakrishnan

President Aliran

23 June 2011

Today, at around 1.00pm, I received an sms from +601119732179. The message conveyed to me was in Bahasa Malaysia and read:

Members of the Bersih steering committee at the launch of Bersih 2.0

Korg ni buta hati ke?? buat apa sokong ambiga keling paria haramjadah tu? dia ni kapir laknat. korang tau tak dia ni jadi alat anjing2 politik untuk musnahkan keutuhan melayu. dia kata je nak BERSIH kan SPR. bersih kepala bapak dia.

Puak2 PAS n PKR pun buta tuli n pekak badak.. kalau SPR tak bersih, boleh ke diorang menang kat Sgor, Kedah, Penang, Kelantan n perak dulu? DAP cina sial tu pulak lagi haram jahanam. dia tengok je melayu bertekak. hujung2 dia perintah negara ni dan kristiankan kita semua. aku nak kasi amaran kat korang semua.

Kalau perhimpunan ni jadi, aku dan org2 aku akan bunuh ambiga dan korang2 keliling dia satu persatu, termasuklah orang2 politik bangang yg bersekongkol ngan kafir laknat tu.. ini amaran aku. Korang tengokla nanti.

Translated into English, the message meant:

Don’t you have any sense? Why should you support that pariah keling haramjadah Ambiga? She is a scorned infidel. Don’t you know that she is a tool of those political dogs who are out to destroy the Malays. She claims she wants to clean up the Election Commission. Clean up her father’s head.

These PAS and PKR lots are deaf, dumb, blind and illiterate. If the EC is not clean then how did they win Selangor, Kedah, Penang, Kelantan and Perak? The damned Chinese DAP are even more despicable. They just watch the Malays go at each other’s throats. In the end, they will rule the country and Christianise all of us.

I am warning you. If this rally takes place, my people and I will kill Ambiga and those around her one by one, including these stupid politicians who are hand-in-hand with this scorned infidel… this is my warning. You watch.” (Malaysiakini translation)

What I received is apparently the same as those received by the steering committee members of Bersih 2.0.

Aliran is part of Bersih 2.0 and is represented on its steering committee, and we are committed to free and fair elections, which are crucial to the democratic process.

The message in the sms is full of venom, threatening death to Ambiga and warning to kill all those around her one by one. It reeks with racial hatred and blatantly concocts lies that have no basis. It seeks to communalise an issue that concerns free and fair elections, which is supported by a wide spectrum of our civil society.

It is intended to arouse passions and disrupt our improving communal harmony, which is seen as an impediment to communal parties that are striving to hold on to their political power through evil means.

The perpetrator of this heinous crime must be brought to book urgently. We cannot brook this criminality and we cannot condone any inefficiency in getting to the bottom of this threat. It should not be difficult as there is a telephone number which can be traced to the culprit.

This is a challenge to the police and they should rise to the occasion to convince Malaysians that they are capable of looking after our national interests and safeguarding our peace and harmony.

Anything short of this expectation is totally unacceptable.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 24 June 2011, 5:41 am and is filed under
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Isa, hands off our EPF money

Malaysiakini Your Say
 | Jun 24, 11

‘Isa, if you are so good at doing business why don’t you borrow from the bank rather than from EPF? Is it because EPF is forced to lend to you?’

Isa on RM6 bil EPF loan to Felda: So?

Brainless:
 These politicians from Umno/BN, whether they are ministers or chairpersons of government-linked companies are crooks and liars, typified by this man called Isa Samad, now Felda chief.

He still doesn’t get it that the court have found Felda guilty of cheating the settlers on many instances, it has made loses of hundreds of millions in its investments and now seeking to ‘con’ the rakyat, who are the Employees Provident Fund contributors, over this RM6 billion loan.

I, as an EPF contributor, like millions of other hard-working Malaysians, do not agree to this as this could potentially turn out to be a non-performing loan. It will reduce EPF annual dividends for one. If what Isa said is true, then go to the banks, please. Don’t raid the EPF.

Patriot:
 Let us agree with Isa that Felda has the business acumen to run the organisation and made it profitable.

Having said that, I would urge Felda now to borrow money from any of the international banks like HSBC, CItibank, Bank of China, OCBC and let’s see whether they will lend Felda RM6 billion.

To safeguard EPF, which is the people’s money, the BN government should immediately swap the lenders from EPF with any international banks, provided at all times, the federal government is not the guarantor.

If Isa can do that, then he is a good businessman; if not, he should take his dirty hands off our hard-earned EPF money.

Low Yat:
 If EPF is truly independent (of BN), I bet that Felda won’t even get one sen.

Onyourtoes:
 Isa, Felda is a company that has public interest. So whatever Felda does will attract the attention of the public.

Don’t be too arrogant. What do you mean by “so”? If Felda is not a government-sponsored and owned company, do you think EPF would lend them such a large sum of money?

One more thing, EPF is also a public body. The money in the EPF belongs to all the workers in Malaysia, not those managing it. In the end, if Felda fails to pay back and EPF fails to pay decent dividend to its contributors, we all know who shall eventually pay the bill.

It is not you, for sure, Isa. It is us, we are the ones ended up paying, and that include your more than lucrative salary.

SMC77: RM6 billion is not a small sum. Felda needs to explain to the public on the use of the loan proceeds. If Felda has a legitimate reason to borrow such a large amount of loan and not for self-enrichment, I believe the rakyat will support it.

Jamal Singh:
 We hope the loan will benefit both the Felda’s settlers and EPF’s contributors. We still have responsible people, EPF does not simply give away loans if they are not sure of repayment. Felda’s assets in property and plantations are unquestionable, they need cash to run business.

We should have more facts in hand before blaming EPF or Felda of any wrongdoing in this loan issue.

Dingy:
 Isa had been proved guilty of corruption beyond doubt by the Umno disciplinary committee and his membership was suspended in 2005 for three years. He was involved in money politics.

Making an untrustworthy person to be in charge of Felda is asking for trouble. If Felda is financially strong, why borrow RM6 billion from EPF? EPF is people’s money. Chances are EPF will not be able to recover the loan and Felda will be in serious debt.

Buffalo_Bill:
 For all those who contribute to EPF, we are barking up the wrong tree. We should insist that EPF CEO Azlan Zainol and the Board to Trustees provide us (contributors) the justification for providing such a huge loan to one single entity. Shall we start a signature campaign to get our trustees and CEO to either respond or resign?

Lau Eng Shinn:
 Since EPF money belongs to the people who contribute to the fund, it must justify why they giving the huge loan to Felda. What is the interest charge and for how long? It is time we demand an answer from EPF.

Kgen:
 Isa, if you are so good at doing business why don’t you borrow from the bank rather than from EPF? Is it because EPF is forced to lend to you as the banks will require a lot of feasibility studies?

Ksn:
 Why did Felda need such a big loan? How come Felda is having problems with cash flow? What was the money used for?

What are conditions of the loan in case, and most probably, Felda fails to pay up? How will EPF recover the loan? What are the returns? Could not the EPF find another place to invest with our money instead of the poorly managed Felda?

The public need answers as nobody is taking Isa’s word for it, especially with his shady background.

Dark Archon:
 I would not give a damn if Felda borrows money from any banks or financial institution. I contribute to EPF so that it help us, the little guys, to increase our returns upon our retirement.

It is EPF’s obligation to its contributors to maximises its investment ventures, and not getting involved in some bailout or shoddy deals to finance some sinking entity just because Umno leaders are in it.

Faz:
 This is another sick financial joke played on us. Felda borrows from EPF, both being government institutions under Umno-BN control. If Felda is so rich, why do you need to borrow so much money?

Under what criteria can anyone borrow from EPF? I smell a sweetheart deal here. This did not go down well with most Malaysians. So please be transparent.

Docs:
 “What is extraordinary. What is wrong? A company will always get a loan to conduct its business,” said Isa.

A case of RM2 billion for Umno, RM1 billion for me and the rest for Felda.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 24 June 2011, 11:57 am and is filed under
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Maybank, CIMB call off RHBCap takeover plan

by
Izwan Idris

The Sun

23 June 2011

LUMPUR (June 23, 2011): Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) and CIMB Group have announced separately that they have aborted plans to take over RHB Capital Bhd.

“In light of recent developments and following further deliberations, the board of directors of Maybank has decided not to pursue the possible merger at this juncture,” Maybank said in a short statement to Bursa Malaysia today.

Maybank and its biggest local rival CIMB Group had obtained Bank Negara Malaysia’s approval last month to start merger talks with RHB Capital.

The announcement from Maybank was released after trading on Bursa Malaysia ended for the day.

In a statement, CIMB said it has ceased negotiations with RHBCap on a potential merger exercise.

CIMB Group chief executive Datuk Seri Nazir Razak said: “Based on our various discussions and our assessment of the present expectations of key stakeholders, we do not believe that we will be able to arrive at a value creating merger.

“Merger negotiations are both resource consuming and distracting for staff and stakeholders. Therefore, we prefer not to prolong our discussions unnecessarily, allowing all parties to return to ‘business as usual’ as soon as possible.”

CIMB Group’s Board also stated its sincere appreciation to RHB’s board of directors and management for agreeing to engage and participate in discussions.

Shares in RHB Capital plunged 57 sen, or 5.9% to close at RM9.03, while Maybank declined 2 sen to close at RM8.82 and CIMB 4 sen lower to end at RM8.51.

Singapore’s Straits Times reported today that Maybank and CIMB had decided to drop separate plans to acquire RHBCap.

Citing executives close to the situation, it said both banks have informed Bank Negara about their decision to abandon merger plans with RHBCap, which has a market value of around US$7 billion.

The decision came after one of RHB’s shareholders, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB), signed the sale agreement of its 25% stake in RHB with Abu Dhabi-based investment fund Aabar Investments for RM10.80 per share, said the report.

The sources said the stake sale by ADCB has complicated the proposed takeover. Maybank and CIMB officials were not immediately available for comment.

“Pricing wise, the takeover doesn’t make much sense now. There is going to be a cooling down and the two banks may revisit the prospect of a merger with RHB at some other time,” a senior financial executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity, was quoted as saying by Straits Times.

A takeover by Maybank would have created the biggest banking group in Southeast Asia by market value, exceeding Singapore’s DBS while a CIMB-RHB combination would rank just below DBS.

Credit Suisse is advising RHB on the transaction while Nomura is helping Maybank.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 24 June 2011, 5:29 am and is filed under
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Question of efficiency, independence and professionalism of AGC and Police haunting Malaysia’s international image in a bigger way than any time in the past

Two days after the Sri Carcosa sex tape caper on Monday, 21st March 2011, I had warned that police efficiency, independence and professionalism were again the major casualties of the latest criminal attempt to target and character-assassinate Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

My warning of March 23 has proven true. More than three months after my warning, the questions of the efficiency, independence and professionalism of the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the Police have bulked even larger to haunt Malaysia’s international image in a bigger way than at any time in the past in the nation’s history.

The farce this morning in the magistrate’s court where the “Datuk T” trio were charged for the Sri Carcosa sex tape screening has only served to further lower public confidence and esteem in the efficiency, independence and professionalism of the Attorney-General and the Police.

The way the three criminals preened themselves as if they are national heroes for the crimes they have committed raised many questions – including why the AGC and Police have to take more than three months to charge the trio in court.

Coupled with the double standards of the Home Minister, AGC and the Police in recent cases – like the seditious and treasonous headline and bogey of Utusan Malaysia’s “DAP Christian Malaysia” since last month and the incendiary, inflammatory and seditious incitement of Perkasa President Ibrahim Ali threatening bloodshed and another May 13 to counter the peaceful 9th July Bersih 2.0 rally for free and fair elections, national and international confidence in the Home Minister, Attorney-General and the Police are at an all-time low. Even worse than at any time under the premiership of Tun Dr. Mahathir!

Is this what the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak meant by his 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme – GTP?

Is this the way Najib is trying to restore public and international confidence in the efficiency, integrity and professionalism of key national institutions which had suffered such severe battering in the 22 years of Mahathir rule – and had no chance to recover in the five years of Abdullah premiership?

Is it any wonder that never before in the nation’s history has the ruling coalition suffered such massive and sustained erosion of public support and confidence to the extent that uppermost in the minds of Malaysians is the question whether the time for the end of UMNO and Barisan Nasional rule in Malaysia has really come?

                This entry was posted on Friday, 24 June 2011, 11:41 am and is filed under
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Bersih 2.0, Perkasa and the ‘middle-ground’ fallacy

By
 Pak Sako

June 24, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JUNE 24 — Based on my analysis, I believe the government faked the plane crash and demolished the World Trade Center North Tower with explosives. The South Tower, in a simultaneous but unrelated plot, was brought down by actual terrorists. — Randall Munroe, on taking the middle ground, in xkcd.com

An article entitled “Bersih 2.0 — is there a third alternative?” appeared in The Malaysian Insider. The author, Anas Zubedy, attempted a clever-clogs proposal.

He argued that since Perkasa has vowed to take to the streets with the Bersih 2.0 gathering, to prevent disruptions, why not go for the “centrist’s” solution to everything: take the magical “middle-ground approach” and call off both demonstrations in downtown Kuala Lumpur.

Here is a case of the Pavlovian grasping for a middle path, or a golden mean compromise, whenever a dilemma arises. It leads neither to the correct answer nor to a just solution. This false compromise either signals a weakness of resolve that misses the whole point of a situation, or masks a sly strategy that claims “moderation” to blunt progressive action (painted falsely as extreme) so that the conservative status quo prevails.

This latter employs the “Overton Window” technique — aggressively promote an opposing extreme (e.g. by using Perkasa) so that the range (or “window”) of policies that the general public might see as acceptable shifts closer towards the side of the extreme. Previously plausible reformist movements and improvements will thereby be neutralised; they would have exited the frame and be viewed now as unacceptable or impracticable.

Now if there are indeed two incendiary polar extremes that could result in grave harm for all, defusing a stand-off by considering some middle ground may be justified. But Bersih’s demands are nowhere near extreme.

Unlike the demands of Perkasa, an overwhelming majority of Malaysians would desire what Bersih desires — free and fair elections, a fundamental democratic requirement. It is hard to see how Bersih’s plan for a peaceful and orderly demonstration is a danger or threat to Malaysian society. Bersih has clearly stated their eight demands (see their website). Assess their logic and reasoning.

The question that the authorities should be asking is what exactly are Perkasa and Umno Youth marching for. Are they in support of Bersih’s demand? If so, all is well and good. The more the merrier.

Anas Zubedy’s neutering “third alternative” of moving the march to the dead of Putrajaya is blinkered. Wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of the rally, to civilly advocate Bersih’s views in the broadest public space and urge the government to correct administrative shortcomings that are seen as anti-democratic?

Anas Zubedy prophesied that a couple of hours of organised marches on a single day will result in disruptions of such a scale that “our foreign-born Indonesians and Bangladeshi brothers and sisters” will starve and that businesses will suddenly be unable to “make a profit to continue providing employment to the thousands”. Business areas must be avoided, and we should be prepared to compensate for any loss of income, said Zubedy.

Did the days and weeks of industrial strikes by the French over the years reduce France to a banana republic? Didn’t the French public willingly bear the brunt of the costs of their actions?

Temporary and moderate sacrifices in material gain and comfort out of the spirit of solidarity are sometimes necessary for achieving certain noble societal goals. Liberty and justice for society as a whole cannot be given some price tag and then rejected by wrongly comparing these with a speculated single day’s sum of income loss for certain sub-groups. A true economist would flatly state that this is no subject for cost-benefit analysis.

If the authorities co-operate out of goodwill with the Bersih organisers in managing the march, and are willing to disarm any troublemaker without fear or favour, there should be absolutely no disruption that could lead to any permanent loss of livelihood or limbs. If anything, clever and adaptable businesses would profit substantially by catering food or drinks to the Bersih crowd. The net result could very well be positive.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 25 June 2011, 12:15 am and is filed under
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Don: Cop’s Bersih ban is against constitution

By
Hazlan Zakaria

25 June 2011 | MalaysiaKini

Renowned constitutional law expert Abdul Aziz Bari, hit out at the cops for their unilateral banning of the Bersih 2.0 rally planned for July 9, pointing out that the police crackdown on the gathering is not only illegal but unconstitutional.

“They have acted illegally because they have publicly stated that they are not going to issue a permit. As a public authority they can only make a decision after an application has been made,” the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) lecturer told Malaysiakini.

Abdul Aziz explained that under the law, the police are duty bound to consider every permit application, and not take irrelevant considerations into account.

He argued that the police have pre-judged the matter and this is against the law. Worse still, it contravenes a right that is enshrined in the Constitution.

“The police have no power to suspend the right of peaceable assembly guaranteed by Article 10(1)(b) of the constitution by declaring it illegal at will. Even the (lower) courts cannot do that,” said the law lecturer.

The said article guarantees “all citizens have the right to assemble peaceably and without arms”.

The massive rally, planned by electoral reform group Bersih, followed a similar gathering in 2007, when close to 40,000 people gathered in the federal capital of Kuala Lumpur, to push the government and the Election Commission (EC) for free and fair elections.

‘Gathering declared illegal’

The police have declared the gathering illegal and said that is has “strategies” to prevent a repeat of the 2007 mammoth gathering.

Abdul Aziz also dismissed a previous order obtained by the police from a magistrate’s court to declare the national capital as a prohibited area to pre-empt the first Bersih rally, and as some believe, a pretext to arrest those taking part.

He was referring to the ex-parte order issued by the Kuala Lumpur magistrate’s court on Dec 10, 2007, under section 98 of the Criminal

Procedure Code, following a criminal application by the Sentul police chief.

Section 98 provides powers for a Magistrate to issue “temporary orders in urgent cases of nuisance”, to restrain a person or persons from performing certain acts in order to avoid “a riot or any affray”.

However, the constitutional expert argued that in that instance, the order from the magistrate’s court cannot cancel the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of assembly, as the subordinate court had no power to interpret the constitution.

Elaborating further, Abdul Aziz said that only Parliament may restrict constitutional rights, but even then, only for two reasons; in the interest of the security, and public order.

What should be highlighted in the police handling of the matter, the law professor posited, is that security and public order is not the sole prerogative of the police, especially when it comes to interpreting constitutional rights.

‘Bersih 2.0 constitutional and legal’

“It has to be decided in the (higher) courts. Until and unless that is done I am of the opinion that the proposed assembly is constitutional and thus legal,” contended Abdul Aziz.

A such, Abdul Aziz is of the opinion that it is also illegal for the police to set up road blocks. The usual police tactic to prevent people from taking part in the rally, as was the case during the first Bersih rally.

Police road blocks restrict freedom of movement, a right guaranteed by Article 9(2) of the constitution. Any such restrictions to the civil liberties must be justified by the cops or they constitute abuse of power.

The lecturer recounted the 2006 royal commission on the police chaired by former chief Justice Dzaiddin Abdullah which recommended the abolishment of section 27 of the Police Act empowering police to issue gathering permits, as it is often abused.

Commenting on the many expressed legal opinions on the status of the Bersih rally, including from Umno lawyer Hafarizam Harun who spoke about it on TV1 this week, Abdul Aziz believes that it may be time to test the case in the higher courts.

“Of course some people are cynical about taking the matter to court. But let us see whether the judges are willing to uphold and protect the constitution. Or they prefer to allow the kangaroo court tag remain with them on this matter,” he jibed.

As for what the Agong’s role should be in the matter, the legal expert said that such considerations are for later.

“Let us first deal with the right of the citizens and the way the police should handle them,” concluded Abdul Aziz.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 25 June 2011, 3:43 pm and is filed under
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GST only removes tax burden on ‘wealthier’ minority, says Pua

By
 Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

June 25, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 — Implementing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) while reducing the existing income tax will only benefit the “wealthier” minority, says Tony Pua.

The DAP national publicity secretary said that currently only 15 per cent of the working population earned enough to qualify to pay taxes, which meant 85 per cent of the country’s workforce earned less than RM3,000 a month.

“What the BN government is proposing to do is to reduce the taxes paid by the wealthier 15 per cent of the working population, and redistributing the tax burden to the 85 per cent who currently do not earn enough to qualify to pay taxes.

“The irony is that now the government is arguing that by taxing the rich less, taxing the poor more, they will be able to source increased funds to support the poor,” Pua (picture) said in a statement today.

His remarks today were in response to a statement by Pemandu CEO Datuk Seri Idris Jala, where the latter said that the GST could help widen the government’s tax base and provide funds for the poor now reeling from a global rise in commodity prices.

Pua charged that Jala’s remarks were “completely perverse in its logic,” stating that the proper way to increase the country’s income tax base was to implement policies funded by oil and gas windfall profits.

“Such policies will include drastically improving the quality of education as well as setting a reasonable minimum wage… Once the income levels of Malaysians increase, automatically, based on existing tax structures, more Malaysians will be paying taxes and the government will be able to ‘broaden’ its tax base without burdening the poor,” he said.

He also said the government needed to implement competitive policies, competitive auctions for state land to maximise revenue, competitive tenders for all privatisation and procurement projects to minimise cost and reduce leakages through wastage, rent-seeking and corruption.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 25 June 2011, 3:15 pm and is filed under
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Hannah’s baby vs. an ‘East Indies’ Chinese

By
Dr Boo Cheng Hau

25 June 2011 | Centre for Policy Initiatives

My widowed mother was a rubber tapper who took care of me when I was growing up. My younger sister and I used to sleep on the grounds of the rubber plantation in the dark because we helped our mother to tap rubber at dawn. After finishing the work, we headed to school. Neither we nor my mom ever groaned about our poverty. All by herself, she managed to put me through medical school.

I did medicine in Jamaica where the University of the West Indies (UWI) charged an annual tuition fee about RM3,000 (the amount at that time) – which was more of a token sum really. I obtained a seat under the two places reserved in the medical faculty for non-West Indian students.

In 1986, I arrived in the West Indian isle of Jamaica, completely unknown to me and I daresay to most Malaysians. Being the first ever Malaysian to study at the UWI, my classmates held me as a ‘novelty’. Among them were Indian and Chinese Trinidadians and Jamaicans who sometimes saw me as a long lost relative from their ancestral lands – they termed me as ‘the East Indian’. It was a new and rewarding cultural adventure.

When at first I had hard time in communicating with the locals, my accent was unfamiliar to them. Some were puzzled and asked: “Man, what island (of the English-speaking West Indies) are you from?” They somehow still thought that I was from their neck of the woods as the region has hosted immigrants of Chinese descent.

“The East Indies,” I took to replying creatively.

A few ordinary Jamaicans in the Kingston streets had initially annoyed by calling me ‘Chinaman’.  My standard answer then was, “Hey Man, mi ‘ave a name”. Easing myself into my adopted Jamaican environment, I gradually learned to adapt to the West Indian way of looking at interracial relations.

Race in a black country

Jamaicans might be class conscious but they are much less racial in that there was no official distinction of Negro or half Negro in a population that was over 95 percent black when I was there.

Nowhere else but in Jamaica would you find people with Afro hair but Mongolian eyes. Mixed Afro-Chinese children tend to have dominant genes from each of their parents.

It was in Jamaica that I learned to live as a ‘man’ – a world citizen rather than a Chinese or a Malaysian.

There is no race bar or systemic racism that confers native status. Bumiputera-ism is not a rationale the Jamaicans would have understood, and admittance into their sole university was based on academic merit. I got into UWI to do medicine when the racism perpetrated by Umno & Co. would have denied me upward mobility for lack of education.

How could I then not be grateful to these new people that surrounded me? Thus, it was natural that their way of doing things have had a great impact on me. I enjoy reggae music to this day as well as miss their national dishes such as curried goat and ackee-n-salt fish.

Being in Jamaica for five years of my formative youth, I pondered on my identity against the backdrop of racism that was a de facto if subtle national policy under the Umno-dictated government.

Evolving to multicultural

In Jamaica, I asked myself: Am I Chinese? Malaysian? Chinese Malaysian? Malaysian Chinese? More profoundly, my ‘East Indian’ joke was perhaps (when you think about it) more reasonable than race and religion – a term that referred to geographical location vis-à-vis Jamaica as the locus.

In Jamaican patois, we simply referred to each other as ‘mans’ which means men. In Jamaica, Hannah Yeoh’s predicament would not have arisen. All are Jamaicans or West Indians regardless of one’s parentage, ancestry, skin colour or religion. In Malaysia, all are Malaysians as long as we are citizens.

The case of Hannah concerns stating a race in her newborn’s birth certificate. Her determination in choosing for her child to be Anak Malaysia (son of daughter of Malaysia) carried a significant anti-racial connotation.

Why should Malaysians be still forcibly classified according to race? Is it merely part of a statistical exercise or is it to later be a criterion enabling official discrimination?

Hannah – whose baby is registered Chinese when the father is Ramachandran Muniandy – would be well respected in Jamaica, a predominantly matriarchal society. In the olden days of slavery, it was the women who ran the households because the men were traded between slave masters.

In a case of mixed parentage, why should the ethnicity of the child automatically be that of the father’s? Is Shay Adora Ram a Chinese, Indian or Chindian? Will race be used discriminatively against the Malaysian child later in life for jobs and university entrance?

Can’t we visualize an alternative scenario where the race box is discarded?

Evaluating apartheid

It was in Jamaica that I began to ponder at length on what apartheid meant. My intellectual curiosity stemmed from the unusual circumstance of my being in Jamaica due to the denial of education opportunities by my own country.

On Feb 11, 1990, I was in the Jamaican capital Kingston when Nelson Mandela was released from prison. Jamaicans were overjoyed by the news. Cars on the streets switched on their headlights and drivers honked in celebration as if Mandela was their own national hero of liberation.

That event was a catalyst for my reading up on the nuances of apartheid. Before that, I used to perceive apartheid only in its physical manifestation of segregated public facilities like buses and public toilets, the argument used by Umno politicians in attacking me when the two regimes are equated.

After going through a lot of literature on the topic, I was stunned by the similarities between what was called apartheid in South Africa and what is disingenuously packaged as Bumiputera-ism.

Does nationalism today encompass Malays fighting against their own countrymen?

In the American South half a century ago, seven-year-old Linda Brown could not enrol in a school seven blocks from her Kansas home but had to walk a mile to a bus-stop to take a bus to a black school. There were only four schools in the city of Topeka for African-American children in a state where $150 was spent on white children for every $50 spent on black children in overcrowded classrooms.

How different was Topeka, Kansas in 1950 to Malaysia in the 21st century where Malays demonstrated to bar ‘non-Bumiputeras’ from entering public institutions of higher learning like Mara which are well endowed with funding and state-of-the-art facilities?

Race decides how the Umno-led government will treat your child. It detects how you state your child’s race in our system of official documentation where the aborigines are not recognized as Orang Asli, a formal ethnic group. Or we are labelled Chinese in courtesy but ‘non-Bumiputera’ in humiliation. Bumiputera is a term that never appears in the federal constitution. Therefore diminishing us as the ‘non’ flip side to the NEP-coined term shows just upside down this country is.

We are all ‘mans’

This country is so upside down that Malay ultras can see the speck across the ocean in South Africa and loudly condemn apartheid but fail to see the beam in their own eye. It was not be off-the-mark when the Afro-Jamaican lady I know married to a Malaysian described Malaysia as “a land of racism” even though we refuse to admit this ourselves.

Yet there is hope in the new generation that have been educated to see man as Man, transcending old race prejudices. You can understand how proud I was when my ten-year-old son asked for direction (to the toilet) from a brown-skinned worker at the Kota Kinabalu airport with “Abang, tolong tanya mana tandas?”

Abang? I was surprised my son used the term so naturally and appropriately at that moment. It would have been extremely embarrassing if my son greeted him something like “Hey Melayu” or “Si Hitam Manis”, wouldn’t it? The man could have been a Malay, Melanau, Sino-Kadazan, Kadazan, Bajau, Chindian, Eurasian or someone from the Philippines.

And I could see the man’s eyes sparkle maybe because he was thrilled that a little Chinese boy knew to greet him ‘Abang’. As a father, I too beamed with delight to see that my son appeared at ease with people of different skin colours.

So let me recall my command of Jamaican patois: ‘Hey man, mi ’ave a name. If ya dunno mi name, call mi bruder”.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 25 June 2011, 3:23 pm and is filed under
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Have cops work with Bersih, Lim tells Hisham

By
 Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

June 25, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 — Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein should direct the police to end its “hostile” stance towards the Bersih rally and work with its organisers instead, Lim Kit Siang said today.

The DAP parliamentary leader said mutual co-operation between the two would ensure a peaceful assembly on June 9.

“Hishammuddin should direct the police to end its hostile, combative, confrontational and repressive stance against the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9 and to undergo a sea-change for the police to co-operate with the Bersih 2.0 organisers to ensure that the peaceful Bersih 2.0 rally is held successfully,” said Lim in a statement today.

The veteran politician pointed out that the police have begun arresting people for simply wearing the yellow Bersih t-shirts, reportedly the reason for deputy PKR Youth chief Khairul Anuar Ahmad Zainuddin’s arrest last night.

Police have, however, denied arresting him, saying they merely wanted to take down his statement.

Lim also called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to embrace the July 9 rally to show that Malaysia was mature enough to handle mass public gatherings.

“The Malaysian prime minister at the time and other Umno leaders had praised these worldwide anti-war peaceful protests.

“Why, then, are the Umno and [Barisan Nasional] leaders in the year 2011 so silent and not prepared to help to ensure the successful holding of a peaceful Bersih 2.0 rally for free, fair and clean elections, especially if it is to set a new record in Malaysia for crowd turnout?” Lim asked.

Police insist Bersih will not be issued a permit to gather on July 9, and that authorities will treat the planned rally as an illegal assembly.

The first rally in 2007 saw up to 50,000 people take to the capital’s street before they were dispersed by police armed with tear gas and water cannons.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 25 June 2011, 4:56 pm and is filed under
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Karpal: Public porn screening in court ‘a first’

Malaysiakini

Jun 25, 11

Karpal Singh slammed the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate Court’s handling of the Datuk T proceedings yesterday for showing the sex video to the public and for allowing Anwar to be implicated in his absence.

“This is the first time in legal history of the country that a pornographic video clip produced as an exhibit in court has been played on two big screens, one facing them magistrate and the other the public gallery,” said the Bukit Gelugor MP and veteran lawyer in a statement today.

Karpal said in such situations the public gallery would always be cleared.

While he agreed that as a fundamental element of the charge against the Datuk T trio, the screening had to be done in the presence of the magistrate and relevant parties, and this should not include the public.

“It should have been the business of the magistrate to have immediately removed the screen facing the public gallery and cleared the public gallery,” he said.

At yesterday’s hearing related to the Carcosa sex video scandal, businessman Shazryl Eskay Abdullah and former Perkasa treasurer Shuib Lazim were jointly charged with possession and distribution of pornography under Section 292(a) of the Penal Code.

The third member of the trio former Malacca chief minister Rahim Thamby Chik was charged with abetment under Section 109 of the Penal Code.

The presiding magistrate Aizatul Akmal Maharani slapped the trio with a fine totalling RM5,500.

The three were reported leaving the courthouse before paying their fines, with one of their lawyers explaining that the magistrate had given them up to 4pm that day to settle the amount

In presenting the defence, Datuk T’s lawyer claimed that they had proven up to “99.99 percent” that the man in the sex video was opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Identity of actor ‘not evidence’

Karpal blasted the magistrate for allowing references on the likeness of the opposition leader to the man in the sex video as it had nothing to do with evidence related to the charge.

“What was stated in the facts and mitigation was, in the first place, not evidence,” he said.

“It was a mere statement, and a most damning one made in the absence of Anwar Ibrahim.

“Further, it was not an ingredient of the offence for the identity of the actor to be proven.

“The magistrate obviously did not carry out his duty,” said the legal eagle, who is also DAP national chairperson.

The lead counsel for Anwar in the ongoing Sodomy II trial said what was allowed to transpire court that day was “horrendous” and transgressed “rules of natural justice”.

“It is fundamental that one should not be condemned in his absence,” he explained.

“The damage done to the reputation of Anwar Ibrahim is irreparable.”

Precedent must be avoided

Karpal demanded the chief justice (CJ) take action against the magistrate for failing his duty to ensure that an external party was not implicated in the course of the trial, to ensure that it did not set a precedent.

“The judicial process cannot be allowed to sink into disrepute,” he said.

As such, the CJ ought to mitigate the damage done by issuing a public statement to condemn the errors that transpired, he said.

Anwar (right) has meanwhile condemned the matter saying, “I had expected they would use this court to cast fitnah (false accusation) against me and they would be let off with a light sentence.

“All this is pre-planned with (AG) Abdul Gani behind it…”

Meanwhile on the matter of Anwar’s sodomy trial in which his team was appealing on the matter of the recusal of Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah as the presiding judge, Karpal said that the Court of Appeal had on June 23 informed them that they had missed the 10-day appeal time-frame.

“The law on the subject is clear. Section 54(1)(a) of the Interpretation Acts, 1948 and 1967 provides the day on which the record of appeal was served is not to be computed for the purposes of determining the 10-day period,” he said.

This, he argued, meant that their petition of appeal dated June 24 was legally within the period as the record of appeal was served on Jun 14.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 25 June 2011, 6:32 pm and is filed under
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Malaysia No. 2 in Asia-Pacific for cargo theft

By
Yow Hong Chieh

June 25, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 — Cargo theft in Malaysia is now the second highest in the Asia-Pacific by value and looks to increase as more cargo from Singapore, the world’s busiest port, is routed overland through the Malay peninsula, the New York Times has reported.

The US daily, quoting figures compiled by the Transported Asset Protection Association, said more than US$22.7 million (RM68.9 million) worth of goods was reported stolen from Malaysian ports, airports, warehouses and trucks from 2007 to 2010.

Only Hong Kong reported higher losses, but the refusal of Malaysian police to share data with the association and the reluctance of companies to report losses that could impact insurance premiums mean that the total value of goods stolen here is likely higher.

While transporting goods through Asia-Pacific countries is generally safer than other parts of the world like the Americas, Africa and Europe, “there’s little question that cargo theft and supply chain risk have increased throughout Asia”, the New York Times quoted FreightWatch International as saying.

“Malaysia, which lies along a number of important trading routes, is a particular concern,” the paper added.

“The country is increasingly becoming a key thoroughfare, as more companies ship their goods to and from neighbouring Singapore… which is connected to much of the rest of Southeast Asia by road through Malaysia.”

FreightWatch International singled out Malaysia and the Philippines as countries in Asia that report frequent occurrences of in-transit cargo hijackings with violence or the threat of violence.

Weapons used to hold up trucks include guns and knives.

The New York Times also said that most of the hijackings were inside jobs where someone involved in transporting the goods leaks information to hijackers.

This has led companies to take greater safety measures like employing armed guards, using electronic seals and installing GPS systems onboard their trucks in Malaysia to prevent them from being hijacked.

While figures provided by Malaysian police suggest the measures have had an impact — cargo crime has declined from 357 incidents in 2006 to 60 last year — the precise impact of cargo theft has been hard to determine as police figures list only the number of incidents and not the value of goods stolen.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 25 June 2011, 1:21 pm and is filed under
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Muhyiddin insists Bersih political, threat to security

By
Melissa Chi

June 25, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 — Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has deemed the July 9 Bersih rally as politically-motivated and a threat to national security as well as the country’s reputation.

Apart from calling in the organisers for questioning next week, police also insist they will not issue permits for at least three rallies planned on the day.

“As far as the government is concerned, we have made a decision and we think that the assembly is illegal and if the purpose is to send out a message that there are disagreements, that there are suggestions that they want to make about the rules of elections to the SPR (Election Commission), there are process and procedures for that.

“Because of that, we think the rationale given by Bersih to have the rally is not relevant. That’s why we say this rally is politically-motivated,” the deputy prime minister told reporters after touring the booths at the GLC Open Day here at the KL Convention Centre.

Election watchdog Bersih 2.0 is planning a massive rally on the day in Kuala Lumpur to push for electoral reforms, with PAS aiming to galvanise all one million of its members to take part in the assembly.

Umno Youth and right-wing group Perkasa have also promised to carry out separate rallies to rival Bersih’s.

Today, Muhyiddin defended the counter rallies and said it was “normal” to have counter groups to any movement.

“Whether it is right or wrong, that is up to our interpretations, but we see this as something that can erupt situations that will not benefit the country, that will ruin the country’s image internationally, in the context of our hard work to develop the nation, attract investors, build our image globally as a peaceful and developed country,” he said.

Muhyiddin acknowledged Umno Youth’s pledge to rally but reiterated the prime minister’s remarks that the authorities have the right to take actions against anyone who participates in the assembly that is deemed illegal.

Police have repeatedly warned they will treat the rallies as illegal assemblies.

“So we leave it to the wisdom of the Umno Youth and Barisan Nasional leaders to decide on whether that is the right move or what is the right action they should take,” he said.

Muhyiddin then claimed news coverage of the rally, if it proceeds, will be used to falsely depict Malaysia as being in a state of unrest.

“We in Malaysia know that after decades, that is not our culture. So I know their trick. We are not stupid, we are also experts in politics and understand their bad intentions.

“So this has bad intentions. They did it on purpose so the people will be in fear and there will be eruption of unwanted incidents and internationally, Malaysia will be seen as a country that is unsafe, tourists will stop coming, investors will not invest because of the unrest, that is their intention,” he said.

The first Bersih rally in 2007 saw up to 50,000 people take to the streets of Kuala Lumpur before they were dispersed by police armed with tear gas and water cannons.

The demonstration has been partly credited for Pakatan Rakyat’s record gains in Election 2008, where the opposition pact swept to power in five states and won 82 parliamentary seats.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 25 June 2011, 5:37 pm and is filed under
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No such thing as runner-up in GE, says Najib

Jun 25, 11 |
MalaysiaKini

Najib Razak said victory in the general election was most important for Umno and BN because in politics, only victory would bring them meaning.

Hence, the prime minister and Umno president said, in a general election there was no such term as runner-up like in other contests which also offered prizes for the runner-up.

“In a general election, only becoming champion (winner) will have meaning for us… and we know that emerging as the runner-up means that we’ve lost in the elections.

“(And) we know the fate of the losing party,” said Najib when opening the Selayang Umno division 23rd delegates’ meeting at the Perangsang Templer Golf Club in Rawang today.

He said in today’s situation and political landscape, what was important was to effect change and revitalisation because “if we stick to the old ways, we can win the old war, but winning the new war is not a certainty for us”.

The prime minister said that in a parliamentary democracy system, no political party other than Umno and BN had performed brilliantly in terms of the success achieved.

BN record no guarantee of victory

Nevertheless, he said, Umno and BN were aware that past performance, no matter how awesome, would not guarantee that the party and coalition would continue to remain in power.

He said this was because the country’s political landscape, its surrounding environment and society’s thinking had changed much over the years, and he listed the information revolution and increasing level of education as among the factors.

“We cannot just be proud of our glorious history… when faced with threats we cannot be doing nothing, not wanting to bring change and to revitalise. If we are afraid of change, others will overcome us because they have effected change while we haven’t… and we cannot just be proud of symbols and images when the substance is lacking.”

In this context, Najib urged party members to create a winning alliance by forging relations and links with various levels and groups in society in their respective areas to ensure public support for the party.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 25 June 2011, 5:31 pm and is filed under
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Tambatuon folk fear Bakun fate

By
Michael Kaung

June 24, 2011 | Free Malaysia Today

PENAMPANG: The villagers of Tambatuon are anxious to avoid the heartbreak that the people of Bakun suffer, according to testimony before Suhakam commissioners who are conducting a study on Native Customary Land Rights (NCR) issues.

Jahim Singkui, who heads the Tambatuon Villagers’ Action Committee, told the commissioners today that the government had ignored pleas against its plan to build a RM450 million dam in the village, which is in the Kota Belud district.

The project would submerge ancestral lands, he said.

Jahim, the son of a former village head of Kampung Tambatuon, said he went to Sarawak to talk to the people forced out of their lands to make way for the Bakun Dam.

All he heard from them were tales of disappointment, he said. “They have been short changed by the government.”

He said the Tambatuon villagers were not interested in any offer of compensation because they did not want to end up heartbroken and bitter like the Bakun folk.

Furthermore, he added, the government had disappointed them before.  Some years ago, he explained, the villagers asked for assistance to implement an irrigation scheme so that they could harvest paddy twice year. They also asked for a road to connect their orchards to a main road. These requests were ignored, he said.

“Now we are looking after ourselves without any help. All of us, about 900 people, are very comfortable in our own land. We have about 300 acres of paddy fields, nearly 1,000 acres of rubber and about 50 acres of fruit.

“We are opposing the dam because Tambatuon is the only village we have lived in for the past 14 generations.”

Suhakam began its inquiry in Sabah on June 17. It will have sessions in different districts of the state until July 15 before moving on to Sarawak and the peninsula.

Villagers not consulted

Jahim recounted to the commission the how the villagers learnt about the Tambatuon dam project two years ago.

He said a few people went to the village claiming to be tourists interested in research about the area.

“We found out these individuals were lying when we read in the newspapers that they were appointed by the government to carry out a study in our village about the proposed dam,” he said.

“Since then, we have not allowed any outsider to come to our village to do any research for this particular project.”

Jahim said there had been no effort to consult the villagers about the project.

“We are very upset with the statement of certain leaders who only use the media to explain the project to Sabahans in a language that none of the people from the village can understand.

“Why don’t they come to our village and explain it to us?”

He said some government leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Yahya Hussin, finally visited the village last June 10, but did nothing to engage with the residents.

“They came just for a little while, feeding fish in our river and taking pictures. And then they left. But we managed to hand over a memorandum opposing the project. There has been no response.”

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 25 June 2011, 12:07 am and is filed under
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