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Land Premiums for renewal of leases in Sarawak

by Sara Wak

The state BN leaders have already lost RM billions in First Silicon and Borneo Paper & Pulp projects, on the other hand they are trying to penalise the people for the mistakes that they made by imposing high land premiums for renewal of their lands.

How much has the State lost in the First Silicon and Borneo Paper & Pulp projects compared to the land premiums to be imposed by Taib and his government for land lease renewal?

Will the land premiums to be collected be sufficient to cover the RM billions which Taib and his government have lost in First Silicon and Borneo Paper & Pulp?

Who are to be held accountable for the losses? CM? The whole state Government?

Who were those responsible for making the decisions to invest in these projects?

Who were the ones who drafted the agreements not to cover Sarawak but to make the Government of Sarawak responsible for the loans taken out and having to pay the banks when the partners do not pay ?

The people of Sarawak have a right to know.

Where is the accountability? We demand an answer. Continue reading “Land Premiums for renewal of leases in Sarawak”

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Altantunya Shariibuu murder trial starts with black-eye for system of justice

The high-profile Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial started yesterday with a black-eye for the Malaysian system of justice with the last-minute switch of the prosecution team at the opening of the trial yesterday leading to a two-week adjournment until June 18.

Twenty-four hours after the sudden turn of events, no responsible or credible explanation is yet forthcoming from the Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail.

Gani’s explanation that he initiated the last-minute move to introduce a new prosecution team in order to ensure a “fair trial” to all parties concerned is no explanation at all, unless he could give two further information — firstly, what was wrong with the original prosecution team of DPPs Salehuddin Saidin and Noorin Badaruddin; and secondly, why he took the decision to change the prosecution team only at the eleventh-hour creating an international scene and not earlier when the Shah Alam High Court had fixed hearing for 25 days as far back as March 9, 2007?

DPP Tun Abd Majid Tun Hamzah, head of the Attorney-General’s Chambers civil division, who has been instructed to take over the prosecution, cannot be faulted as he had only been assigned to the case “at 5.30 pm on Sunday, while on his way back to Kuala Lumpur from his home town of Kuala Kangsar” but this does not mean that Gani should enjoy immunity from having to act with responsibility and accountability by giving a proper explanation, which he owes not only to the Shah Alam High Court but also to the courts of public opinion, both national and international. Continue reading “Altantunya Shariibuu murder trial starts with black-eye for system of justice”

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Flabbergasted by PM’s speech – no signs of any new public service delivery system

I am flabbergasted by the speech of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to the monthly assembly of staff of the Prime Minister’s Department in Putrajaya yesterday. There are three reasons.

Firstly, Abdullah is the first Prime Minister in the 50-year history of the nation to have given the official sanction to “moonlighting” in the Malaysian civil service, formally placing Malaysia in the footsteps of the Indonesian civil service well-known for “moonlighting” and corruption because of the low pay of the Indonesian government servants.

Although the Star headlined “PM: Don’t moonlight — Civil servants advised to budget and spend money wisely”, other media headlines are more accurate, such as: “Cut down on ‘extra jobs’ advises PM” (Sun), “PM: Outside jobs must not affect official duties” (New Straits Times), “Buat kerja luar jangan jejas productivity: PM” (Berita Harian) and “Gaji naik: Kurangkan kerja sampingan” (Utusan Malaysia).

This is because Abdullah never told civil servants to stop “moonlighting” but “to reduce such activities as they could adversely affect productivity”.

As Bernama reported, Abdullah said the government, aware of the problems facing civil servants in the lower ranks, had ensured that they got a higher percentage of salary increment compared to employees in other categories.

He said: “I’m aware that some employees in the lower ranks, especially those with many children, have to work at night selling nasi lemak, banana fritters or do odd jobs for additional income.

“I respect them for their diligence and the love they have for their family in fullfilling their responsibiities. I also understand that the wives too have to work to help make ends meet.”

Bernama reported that Abdullah however advised them not to do the part-time jobs until late night.

Abdullah has created history of sorts, as his speech is tantamount to an announcement to the world that the Malaysian civil service has fallen from the previous high standards five decades ago when it was regarded as of world-class standards. Continue reading “Flabbergasted by PM’s speech – no signs of any new public service delivery system”

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Lina Joy Dialogue

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“To say that she is not under the jurisdiction of the Syariah Court – because she no longer professes Islam – is not appropriate… In other words, one cannot embrace or leave a religion according to one’s whims and fancies.” – Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim

“Illegal and unreasonable… to expect the appellant (Lina) to apply for a certificate of apostasy – when to do so would likely expose her to a range of offences under the Islamic law – is, in my view, unreasonable.” – Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk Richard Malanjum

“I am disappointed that the Federal Court is not able to vindicate a simple but important fundamental right that exists in all persons; namely, the right to believe in the religion of one’s choice… The Federal Court has not only denied me that right but to all Malaysians who value fundamental freedoms.” – Lina Joy

Date: 7 June 2007 (Thursday)

Time: 7.30pm

Venue: Armada Hotel, Petaling Jaya

Room: Laksamana Room, Level 3

Speakers:

Y.B. Lim Kit Siang, Parliamentary Opposition Leader

Ambiga Sreenevasan, Malaysia Bar Council President

Dr Azmi Sharom, Associate Professor, UM Law Faculty

Lenard Teoh, Legal Advisor to Malaysia Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism (MCCBCHS)

Yusri Mohammad, President of Angkatan Belia Islam (ABIM)

Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary-General

Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, General Secretary of PKR

Chairperson: Tony Pua

Free Admission

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Bahasa Malaysia – by itself will not promote togetherness, unity and integration among Malaysians

Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said yesterday that the reversion of the designation of the national language as Bahasa Malaysia as in the first three decades of nationhood was intended to promote togetherness, unity and integration among Malaysians.

He said the government did not want to see the Cabinet’s decision in April being turned into polemics.

He said: “Our view regarding the national language is that it is owned by everyone, regardless of race and ethnicity.

“Although the national language is Malay, we want to make it a language for all. That is the rationale (for the change).”

Although this is the latest “flip-flop” of the Barisan Nasional government under the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, I support it.

I welcome both the restoration of Bahasa Malaysia as the official reference to the national language and Najib’s explanation, especially as Najib was one of those responsible in turning the issue into polemics in 1986.

Although Anwar Ibrahim is being blamed for the change from Bahasa Malaysia to Bahasa Melayu in 1986 when he was Education Minister, one of Anwar’s strongest supporters in the change at the time was none other than Najib, who was then the Deputy Umno Youth leader to Anwar as the Umno Youth leader.

It has taken Najib more than 20 years to fully understand and accept the DAP’s arguments at the time criticizing the change on the ground that the national language must transcend its racial origin to become a language of all Malaysians regardless of race, language, religion or culture. It is better late than never.

However, the restoration of the term Bahasa Malaysia to designate the national language does not mean that the various mother-tongues of multi-racial, multi-lingual and multi-cultural Malaysia are not Malaysian languages — as all mother-tongues of Malaysians must be fully recognized as an integral part of the Malaysian linguistic and cultural mosaic. Continue reading “Bahasa Malaysia – by itself will not promote togetherness, unity and integration among Malaysians”

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Yek Yow Ngan – MOH and Assunta wrong

by AHMAD SOBRI

I read with anguish the recent death of Madam Yek Yow Ngan, 51, a marketing executive at the Nanyang Siang Pau. Madam Yek was apparently involved in a car accident on Sunday morning, 27th May at about 3am at the 8th mile Puchong Road and was subsequently surrounded by a group of men with parangs and iron rods.

She was rushed to the Assunta Hospital where she was admitted at 4.10 am by her son, Allan Yeong Hon, with multiple injuries and in a state of coma.

Active resuscitation was apparently carried out at the emergency unit at the Assunta by the nurses and doctor there including intubation and infusion of 4 units of blood. Her condition stabilized at about 5am.

She was subsequently wheeled in for CT scans and X-rays and was being transferred to the ICU when the question of costs arose.

The son, apparently unable to afford the charges, requested for a transfer to a government hospital.

She was subsequently transferred by ambulance at 5.45am in a “stable condition” to the General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur when there was no response from the nearby University Hospital. She arrived at 6.10am. She however died 3 hours later at the GHKL at 9.40am, Monday morning 28th May.

Her distraught family, unhappy with the medical turn of events, complained to the Ministry of Health. The Health Minister has seemingly absolved Assunta Hospital, saying that the Hospital had followed proper procedures.

He further clarified that since emergency treatment had been rendered before the question of payment arose, “the hospital had done nothing wrong” and this he deemed was fair. These events were apparently further confirmed by officers of his “medical practices” division which concurred with him.

There are two pertinent issues here, as in almost every emergency case reported in the media. Continue reading “Yek Yow Ngan – MOH and Assunta wrong”

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Restoration of Bahasa Malaysia welcome – but why the sheepish, surreptitious, selective announcement?

The restoration of Bahasa Malaysia as the official reference to the national language is most welcome.

DAP had been very critical of the move in the eighties when Bahasa Malaysia was dropped and replaced by Bahasa Melayu, as it was a step backwards for Malaysian nation-building.

The Cabinet decision in April to restore the term Bahasa Malaysia for the national language has proven the DAP right in taking a far-sighted nationalist position in the past two decades that the term Bahasa Malaysia should continue to be used to signify that the national language had been elevated to a language for the nation and all races which make up the nation — and that it was Umno, MCA,. Gerakan, MIC and all the other Barisan Nasional component parties which had been wrong in taking a retrogressive step.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who was the Education Minister in 1986 when initiating the change, had been blamed for dropping the term Bahasa Malaysia in favour of Bahasa Melayu.

The question is why the other Ministers and leaders in Barisan Nasional, whether Umno, MCA, Gerakan, MIC and other component parties from Sabah and Sarawak went along with the change and did nothing to restore the term for the past 10 years when Anwar was no more in the Barisan Nasional. Continue reading “Restoration of Bahasa Malaysia welcome – but why the sheepish, surreptitious, selective announcement?”

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Dancing with desire

by Azly Rahman

“The self-controlled soul, who moves amongst sense objects, free from either attachment or repulsion, he wins eternal Peace.”
– Bhagavad Gita

In the Golden Age, Rulers were unknown. In the following age Rulers were loved and praised. Next came the age when rulers were feared. Finally the age when rulers are hated.
– Lao Tzu

It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
~ Voltaire

Wealth and power are temptations that erode our character. We should enslave these and put them to good use with the help of the inner self.

Many will fail and suffer when wealth and power become master to one’s destiny. The self will be destroyed, families will break down, communities will be in chaos, nations will become violent and turn against each other, countries will go to war and destroy countless millions.

American is one nation that is being destroyed. Malaysia will be following suit if we do not amputate our desire and stop dancing to its tune.

Inner peace, like what Kung Fu’Tze, Lao Tze, the Buddha, etc taught us begins with the inner self, inner conscience.

In Islam it is called “fitrah” or the “the gift” that has to be known, named, taken care of, nurtured, developed, and fed with good and healthy food of the soul so that this inner self may become larger than the universe outside and will have the energy to conquer evil.

This inner self will be the dictator to inner desire that wants to dominate, plunder, and possess others. Continue reading “Dancing with desire”

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New govt delivery system – make sure it is not “3rd-world Infrastructure, 4th-rate Mentality, 9th-rate Maintenance”

The new government delivery system the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is to unveil in ten days’ time must send out the blunt message that Malaysia under his watch will not degenerate from “First-World Infrastructure, Third-World Mentality” to “Third-World Infrastructure, Fourth-rate Mentality, Ninth-class Maintenance”.

When Abdullah became Prime Minister on October 31, 2003, he promised Malaysians one fundamental change — to eradicate the “First-World Infrastructure, Third-World Mentality” malaise and propel the country to “First-World Infrastructure, First-World Mentality” status.

After being Prime Minister for 47 months, there are not only no signs of any significant breakthrough for Malaysia make the transition from a “First-World Infrastructure, Third-World Mentality” malaise to a “First-World Infrastructure, First-World Mentality” status, there are more and more disturbing evidence of serious and rapid deterioration of the national condition towards a stage which is best described as “Third-World Infrastructure, Fourth-rate Mentality, Ninth-class Maintenance”!

Never before in the 50-year history of the nation has the public service been seen as more inept and incompetent — with the unending list of “crack-ups” of new government buildings and public construction projects, whether the brand-new administrative capital of Putrajaya, the RM270 million world’s second largest court complex in Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur, the Parliament Building after RM100 million renovation and the latest, the safety of the 15-storey Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry in Precinct 4, Putrajaya. Continue reading “New govt delivery system – make sure it is not “3rd-world Infrastructure, 4th-rate Mentality, 9th-rate Maintenance””

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Qualifying exams for new docs

QUALIFYING EXAMS FOR NEW DOCS
by AZK

“You don’t have to blow out anybody else’s candles…
to make yours shine brighter…”

I read with interest the Health Minister’s proposal to have common qualifying examinations for all foreign-qualified doctors. The Health Minister appears to have discovered that all these frequent visits to assess and continually evaluate new medical schools are a costly affair.

In fact, in the age of the internet, it is nothing more then a scam by our free-loading MMC council members to claim allowances and fly business class to various, sometimes exotic destinations just to see if these schools produce bona-fide doctors, all courtesy of the tax-payer when much of the information can be gathered via the net.

More importantly though, now that Chua has proposed a qualifying examination in line possibly similar to Britain’s PLAB (Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board) or the USA’s USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) it boggles the mind if our lot of council members are really up to it in conducting examinations of this complexity.

Needless to say the current Unscheduled Universities Examination under Section 12(1) (aa), Medical Act 1971 is so hopelessly biased especially in the clinical sections, that, like the legal profession’s CLP where there is an incredibly high failure rate, it gives rise to suspicions that the examination is yet another tool to discriminate and meet political agendas to right racial imbalances in the profession.

More alarming is its selective application on foreign graduates but not on local graduates who today are mainly responsible for our notorious healthcare deliver systems.

Chua’s frustration could be real. The Malaysian Medical Council is a discredited body. Among others, it currently consists of a member who graduated after 40 years of age, another who is being sued [deleted], yet another who chairs meetings and doesn’t operate anymore [deleted].

Many are involved in businesses such as housing development, private medical schools, nursing schools, etc therefore bringing to the body a conflict of interest that will eventually skew any decision they try to make.

A significant number of these members are downright academically uninclined including deans with dubious qualifications. Continue reading “Qualifying exams for new docs”

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RM530 million Transmile accounting fraud – how Liong Sik is to assume responsibility as Chairman?

Former MCA President and Cabinet Minister, Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik was quite active in the past month, as a search with The Star archives would produce eight news items featuring him, including one today at the ceremony at the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) campus in Kampar yesterday planting a Blue Pine tree.

But he has been very reticent on what has been described as the biggest accounting and corporate scandal in recent times in Malaysia, even likened to the accounting fiasco of Enron and Woldcom, although Ling is the Chairman of Transmile Group Bhd — the company which had overstated its revenue by RM530 million.

According to a special audit carried out by Moores Rowland Risk Management Sdn. Bhd, Transmile made pre-tax losses of RM126 million and RM77 million for FY 2006 and FY 2005 , respectively, instead of pre-tax profits of RM207 million and RM120 million as originally reported.

This means that Transmile had overstated its revenue by RM197 million in 2005 and by RM333 million in 2006 — a total of RM530 million. Continue reading “RM530 million Transmile accounting fraud – how Liong Sik is to assume responsibility as Chairman?”

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Miracle of revolution of public service delivery system in 12 days’ time on June 14?

Malaysians are very surprised by the revelation by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday that the government will be implementing a new public delivery system in 13 days. (New Straits Times).

Addressing Kuala Lumpur City Hall senior officials during a one-day tour of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Abdullah said he wants all state leaders and ministers to ensure that the government machinery is prepared to implement the new government delivery system in 13 days.

He said he gave the instruction at the National Physical Planning Committee meeting attended by all menteris besar, chief ministers and several ministers in Putrajaya on Wednesday.

Abdullah said: “I hope the ministers will follow up on the matter. This is important as we only have 13 days to go. We want them to monitor the state of preparedness to carry out the new government delivery system.”

This is a most extraordinary and cavalier manner to launch a new and major policy initiative like a new government delivery system — with the bulk of the civil service from all levels still in the dark and the 26 million Malaysian completely ignorant about the so-called new public delivery system, while mentris besar and chief ministers and “several ministers” were given the alert only on Wednesday!

Is the government capable of performing a miracle in 12 days time by June 14 to revolutionize the public delivery system which has been getting from bad to worse in the past four years? Continue reading “Miracle of revolution of public service delivery system in 12 days’ time on June 14?”

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Lina Joy case “biggest P.R disaster for Malaysia” – 400 adverse world media reports in past 48 hours

Information Minister, Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin would do greater good as Information Minister to inform himself to understand the deep well-springs of disappointment and frustration among Malaysians with the Federal Court 2-1 decision on the Lina Joy case instead of just demonizing the foreign media as is his wont.

Yesterday, Zainuddin accused the western media for taking advantage of the court decision in the Lina Joy case to run down Malaysia as an Islamic country that practises injustice.

He cited the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) for using the “screaming headline”, “Malaysia Rejects Christian Appeal”, and The Times for saying that the court decision is “a slap in the face for religious freedom in Malaysia”.

The BBC, the Times and the Western media should be perfectly capable of defending themselves against the attacks by Zainuddin that they “will use any opportunity for ‘Islamic bashing’ without regard for any country as long as it practises Islamic law”.

The pertinent question is whether Zainuddin understands the widespread and deep-seated anxieties and fears by thoughtful Malaysians whose only concern is to preserve and uphold the Merdeka “Social Contract” entered into by the forefathers of the major communities build a nation founded on the constitutional principles of freedom of religion, the Constitution as the supreme law of the land and Malaysia as a secular nation with Islam as the official religion but not an Islamic state; but who see these principles being relentlessly eroded particularly in the past decade.

Zainuddin, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and even the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi have come out publicly in support of the Federal Court’s 2-1 decision in rejecting the Lina Joy appeal. Continue reading “Lina Joy case “biggest P.R disaster for Malaysia” – 400 adverse world media reports in past 48 hours”

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Abdullah should give 3 mth’s notice for Parliament dissolution – to allow PSCs to wind up and submit their reports to Parliament

Speculation on when is the next general election is coming think and fast.

Although conventional wisdom is that the 12th general election would be before next April so that Anwar Ibrahim would not have fully regained his civil rights including standing for elective office, the preponderant opinion points to an end-of-the year timing, with Nov. 25 pinpointed as the polling date by some quarters.

In recent days, however, there are more and more vibrations coming from Barisan Nasional component parties that the next polls could be even earlier and might be in August or even July. I for one lean towards the end-of-the-year timetable.

Whatever the date, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should respect Parliament and give at least three months’ notice before dissolution of Parliament for general election to allow three Parliamentary Select Committees adequate time to submit final reports which could be debated in Parliament. Continue reading “Abdullah should give 3 mth’s notice for Parliament dissolution – to allow PSCs to wind up and submit their reports to Parliament”

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Hishammuddin – stop being “childish” and set an early date to meet up with Dong Jiao Zong

The tantrums of the Education Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein in the past few days, accusing the Chinese educational bodies Dong Jiao Zong of being “not sincere” and declaring that “it’s not the end of the world” if he did not meet the Dong Jiao Zong leaders or that the government will not protect Chinese education have rightly been criticized by many as manifestation of his “arrogance of power”.

But these tantrums also show his “puerile” dimension. It is time Hishammuddin stop being “childish”, be conscious that he is charge of one of the most important ministries in government and begin to conduct himself as Education Minister for all Malaysians and all streams of education by setting an early date for a meeting with Dong Jiao Zong in keeping with the Prime Minister’s injunction to all Ministers to “hear the truth” from the people and all sectors of Malaysian society.

I still wonder why Hishammuddin “blew his top” on Tuesday, openly accusing Dong Jiao Zong of being “not sincere” for laying down conditions for a meeting with him, which has been proven to be untrue by Dong Jiao Zong.

Was Hishammuddin misled by Chinese newspaper reports that day on the ten resolutions of the Jiao Zong 2007 Annual General meeting calling, among other things, for:

  • Revision of the National Education Blueprint 2006-2010 to make it compatible with Malaysia’s multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-lingual characteristics;
  • Repeal of the “final objective” of the national education policy to have only one language as medium of instruction at all levels of the education system.
  • Review of the use of English to teach mathematics and science from Primary One;
  • Re-opening of Damansara Chinese Primary School; and
  • Adequate trained teachers and fair allocation of funding for Chinese primary schools.

As Hishammuddin does not read the Chinese newspapers, was the Education Minister who is also Umno Youth leader misled in “blowing his top” at Dong Jiao Zong on Tuesday. If so, who was responsible for misleading Hishammuddin? To the Malaysian public, if it is not Gerakan, then it must be MCA. Continue reading “Hishammuddin – stop being “childish” and set an early date to meet up with Dong Jiao Zong”