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BTN communal poison again

Yesterday, I received an indignant email from a recent participant in the course of the Biro Tata Negara (BTN), funded by taxpayers but acting as the propaganda arm of UMNO, pumping communal poison instead of spreading the message of national unity.

Despite criticisms against the BTN both in and out of Parliament, invariably followed by denials by the Minister or Deputy Minister concerned, it is clear from this email that BTN had not changed one whit its irresponsible ways.

I read out the complaints in the email in Parliament yesterday during the debate on the 2008 Supplementary Estimates, viz: Continue reading “BTN communal poison again”

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Not fit to contest as UMNO Deputy President but fit to continue as Malacca CM?

How can Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam be barred from contesting to be the Umno Deputy President for involvement in money politics (euphemism for corruption) but yet be fit to continue as the Malacca Chief Minister?

The same question applies to Khairy Jamaluddin, who was given a warning for being involved in money politics – as to how he could continue even as MP for Rembau.

I posed these questions in Parliament during the 2008 Supplementary Estimates after the announcement by the Umno Disciplinary Board this evening.

In my speech, I quoted the interview by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz in Sunday Star (8.3.09) on money politics in the Umno elections, where he admitted:

“It’s still quite rampant except that it has gone underground.”

Continue reading “Not fit to contest as UMNO Deputy President but fit to continue as Malacca CM?”

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Karpal charged with sedition for saying Sultan can be sued

By Debra Chong
The Malaysian Insider
17.3.09

KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 – DAP chairman Karpal Singh was charged this morning with sedition for saying Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin’s removal as Perak menteri besar by Sultan Azlan Shah could be questioned in a court of law.

The veteran lawyer-politician was charged at the Sessions Court here before Judge Mohamad Sekeri Mamat under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1946.

Karpal is further accused of several other seditious statements related to the entire Perak constitutional crisis which began a month ago.

He is accused of committing the crime during a press conference at his law firm here on February 6.

A partial transcript of the press conference, which formed the basis for the charge, was read out in open court.

Among the underlined statements, which are allegedly seditious are:
“With that ruling of the federal court which has stood the test of time for 32 years beyond a pale of a doubt, the Sultan of Perak has contravened Article 16(6) of the Constitutions of the State of Perak,” referring to a 1977 Federal Court decision that the King had acted beyond his authority in confirming three detention orders under the Emergency Ordinance.

“Clearly the Sultan of Perak cannot invoke his powers under Article 16(1) which states [His Royal Highness shall appoint an Executive Council] to appoint a Barisan Nasional Executive Council with a new Menteri Besar and a new government. The Government of a Menteri Besar Dato’ Haji Nizar bin Jamaluddin still had constitutional supremacy and legitimacy. The actions of the Sultan of Perak are clearly, premature.” Continue reading “Karpal charged with sedition for saying Sultan can be sued”

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Political Roguery Runs Riot In Perak

by Martin Jalleh
(MJ tries to capture the initial events leading to Umno’s power grabbing, pariah politics and pyrrhic victory in Perak)

The rakyat of Perak are robbed in broad daylight of their political right to determine the State Government they want. Their will is ridden roughshod over by a few renegades and running dogs ready to reap their reward. A day of reckoning will come.

A fraudulent state government rules Perak. It is a farcical government of a fallacious “majority”. The people are frustrated and furious. They believe that a fake legislature forced upon them will eventually face its fatal consequences.

C4 and 4Cs

The Election Commission (EC) plays politics and panders to the political (pay)master. It even portrays itself as a court of law and makes a palpably wrong decision that prevents the people from being the paramount arbitrator to overcome Perak’s political deadlock.

The new EC chairman refuses to recognise the Perak Speaker’s request to call for two by-elections after two assemblymen “prostituted” themselves. It is a duty which he is constitutionally bound to do so – a fact promptly and plainly confirmed by his predecessor.

The EC chairman sets a precedent that will perpetuate party hopping and paves the way for Umno’s power grabbing, pariah politics and pyrrhic victory. He reinforces growing public suspicion that the EC is hand-in-glove with the powers-that-be. Continue reading “Political Roguery Runs Riot In Perak”

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D-Day for Ali, KJ and Khir tomorrow?

Zubaidah Abu Bakar in her New Straits Times column “Umno’s ticking time bomb” today wrote:

“Some people are expecting something big to happen over the next few days — either someone eyeing a senior post would be charged, disqualified from contesting or would withdraw from contesting.”

Is tomorrow, Tuesday, 17th March 2009, D-Day for contenders for UMNO and UMNO Youth top posts, viz: Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar and Datuk Seri Dr. Mohd Khir Toyo?

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Parliament becomes kangaroo court

Parliament convened as a court of justice this morning to decide the fate of DAP MP for Puchong, Gobind Singh Deo, over what transpired in Parliament last Thursday but it operated as a kangaroo court as Gobind was not even allowed the floor to defend himself.

For the first hour, Pakatan Rakyat MPs raised one objection after another against the motion to suspend Gobind for one year as MP without pay and privileges, from the propriety of the motion whether from the standpoint of the Parliamentary Standing Orders, the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952 or the Federal Constitution, to questions including double jeopardy and sub judice but they were all brushed aside by the Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin.
Continue reading “Parliament becomes kangaroo court”

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Calling For A New Breed of Politicians

By M. Bakri Musa

Book review: Saifuddin Abdullah: Politik Baru: Mematangkan Demokrasi Malaysia. English version: New Politics: Towards A Mature Malaysian Democracy. Institut Terjemahan Negara Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, 2008. 88 Pages, RM 30.00 (Sabah & Sarawak: RM35).

It is now de rigeur for ambitious politicians to pen their autobiographies, or put in print their political thoughts. Barack Obama did both, presumably just to be sure, first with his autobiographical Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, and then his The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream. That strategy obviously worked!

I am not privy to Deputy Minister for Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Saifuddin Abdullah’s political aspirations, but he has written Politik Baru: Mematangkan Demokrasi Malaysia, and its English translation, New Politics: Towards A Mature Malaysian Democracy. Both versions are included under this one cover.

Saifuddin has written three other books. Impressive! He is way ahead of another leader both in literary as well as political milestones. At a comparable stage in his life, Dr. Mahathir had yet to write a book or hold any ministerial appointment. Continue reading “Calling For A New Breed of Politicians”

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3-day nefarious Operation Democracy Tree plaque vandalism–desecration completed

Vandalism and desecration of the Democracy Tree plaque has been completed in a three-day nefarious operation.

There is now not a trace of the Democracy plague or relic at the historic Democracy Raintree in Ipoh.

Ipoh City Council workers in a lorry and tractor were sighted at the site this morning at about 7.30 am this morning to “cleanse” the site, removing every bit and piece of the Democracy Monument.

Even the signposts for the five Democracy saplings were not spared.

Democracy Tree Plaque Completely Bulldozed Away
Continue reading “3-day nefarious Operation Democracy Tree plaque vandalism–desecration completed”

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Consistency Of Purpose, Duty And Responsibility

by Tunku Abdul Aziz
mysinchew.com

Whenever I think of my friend Karpal Singh, I am reminded of my great headmaster, the late Dr. Frank J. Rawcliffe who taught us the importance of being consistent, even if meant sometimes upsetting some people.

You may say what you want about Karpal’s manner, his magisterial pronouncements often delivered with a great roar full of fiery passion, but you cannot accuse him of being inconsistent in the position he has taken over the years on matters involving both personal and public ethical principles.

While Karpal clearly recognises that there are, in politics, no permanent friends or foes, he believes devoutly in the importance of “permanent principles.”

Unprincipled politics as we have seen in Malaysia can very quickly degenerate into unmitigated disasters. The unsavoury Perak affair is a case in point.

I believe in, and will fight for, my right to say what I like within the law. I naturally accept willingly the accompanying responsibility that such rights impose on me.

I should expect to be free from threats of violence for my views, and I was, therefore, shocked to see on TV a disgraceful act of intolerance by a group of UMNO youth, and for a second or two I thought I was watching a familiar scene from a 1935 newsreel showing the storm troopers of the Third Reich pouncing on a hapless Jew in a wheel chair.

On this occasion, it was in the hallowed grounds of the national parliament, no less that the brave Malay warriors chose to flex their muscle. The only difference was that UMNO’s storm troopers were not wearing the dreaded brown shirts of their German counterparts of days gone by. Continue reading “Consistency Of Purpose, Duty And Responsibility”

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Dr M says Perak grab unlawful

Malaysian Insider
March 14, 2009
By Shannon Teoh

KUALA LUMPUR, March 14 — More than a month after Barisan Nasional ousted Pakatan Rakyat from Perak, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said the takeover was not done according to the law.

He said mistakes, bad strategy and carelessness in the Feb 5 power grab, orchestrated by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, had led to the current crisis in the state.

“You cannot topple a menteri besar or a prime minister without a no-confidence vote in the assembly. There is no other provision,” he said at a function organised by Mubarak, the association for former elected representatives.

“Umno-BN was too careless and did not wait for an assembly but instead asked the Ruler to sack the menteri besar,” he said, referring to Sultan Azlan Shah’s decision to ask Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin to resign.

“As far as I know, there is no such provision in the Perak or Federal Constitution,” he said.

Dr Mahathir said that BN should have done it properly and not “be in conflict with the law” as the courts may now rule that the Sultan has no right to sack a menteri besar.

He added that a Sultan could only reject a candidate for one of his choice after an election but even this candidate could be defeated in the assembly by a vote. Continue reading “Dr M says Perak grab unlawful”

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Double jeopardy – Motion to suspend Gobind for one year without pay against parliamentary Standing Orders

The motion to be moved by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz to suspend DAP MP for Puchong Gobind Singh Deo for a year without parliamentary pay and privileges is against the parliamentary Standing Orders.

Gobind had already been punished by the Deputy Speaker, Datuk Ronald Kiandee with a one-day suspension for what transpired in the House on Thursday, and it goes against all the rudiments of common sense, fair play and justice to invoke the Umno/Barisan Nasional parliamentary majority to subject Gobind to double jeopardy with a very harsh second punishment over the same parliamentary incident. Continue reading “Double jeopardy – Motion to suspend Gobind for one year without pay against parliamentary Standing Orders”

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Baggage too heavy for our new PM

By Tunku Aziz
Opinion | The Malaysian Insider | 13 March 2009

No one in living memory has ever had to drag so much unnecessary baggage along with him as Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak is doing on assuming the highest political office in Malaysia.

My heart naturally goes out to the unfortunate man who has had to fend off, without a break, a relentless barrage of poison-tipped arrows all aimed at his personal and public integrity.

I will not claim to know how he must feel because I would have absolutely no idea unless I were in his well-heeled shoes. And this would be most unlikely even in a million years.

Under different and happier circumstances, he should be celebrating his moment of destiny, the attainment, albeit Umno-style, of the greatest political prize of all.
Continue reading “Baggage too heavy for our new PM”

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Further vandalism of Democracy Plaque – Spirit of Democracy Relic inspires fear

The Democracy Tree plaque in Ipoh can be vandalized and desecrated but the spirit for democracy will grow stronger and more determined.

This was what happened when the Democracy Tree plaque was vandalized in the small hours of yesterday morning, with the vandals smashing into smithereens the top portion of the democracy plaque, turning it into a Democracy Relic.

But the Democracy Relic also inspires fear among the enemies of democracy and freedom in Perak and Malaysia.

In the small hours of this morning, like thieves in the night, the vandals went to work again, pouring black paint to erase the wordings of the Democracy Relic immortalizing the historic “Tree Perak State Assembly” on March 3, 2009, which has entered the folklore of the human struggle for democracy, attracting national and international interest and attention.

The enemies of democracy are in mortal fear of the Democracy Tree, Democracy Plaque and the Democratic Relic.

Democracy Tree Plaque Vandalised Further with Black Paint
Continue reading “Further vandalism of Democracy Plaque – Spirit of Democracy Relic inspires fear”

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Gobind to be suspended as MP without pay for one year from Monday

The UMNO/Barisan Nasional government is moving against the DAP MP for Puchong Gobind Singh Deo and will abuse their parliamentary majority, against all parliamentary convention, tradition and practices, to summarily suspend Gobind as Member of Parliament without pay for one year with instant effect from Monday.

The following is the motion which has been placed on Monday’s Order Paper as the first item of business after question-time:

ATURAN URUSAN MESYUARAT DAN USUL-USUL

1. Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri akan mencadangkan:

BAHAWA pada 12 Mac 2009, Yang Berhormat Tuan Gobind Singh Deo, Ahli Parlimen kawasan Puchong semasa perbahasan peringkat Jawatankuasa Rang Undang-undang Perbekalan Tambahan (2009) 2009 telah mengeluarkan kenyataan-kenyataan yang mendakwa YAB. Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Ahli Parlimen Kawasan Pekan terlibat dalam kes pembunuhan.

BAHAWA Yang Berhormat Ahli Parlimen Kawasan Puchong juga telah mengeluarkan kenyataan-kenyataan yang menghina Timbalan Yang di-Pertua Dewan Rakyat setelah diperintah keluar Dewan.

DAN BAHAWA kenyataan-kenyataan yang dibuat oleh Yang Berhormat Ahli Parlimen Kawasan Puchong adalah merupakan satu dakwaan yang sangat serius dan menyalahi hak dan keistimewaan sebagai Ahli Parlimen serta merupakan satu penghinaan kepada Dewan ini.

MAKA INILAH DIPERSETUJUI BAHAWA Yang Berhormat Ahli Parlimen Kawasan Puchong hendaklah digantung tugas dari jawatannya sebagai Ahli Parlimen selama dua belas (12) bulan dari tarikh keputusan usul ini diluluskan. Dalam masa penggantungan ini Yang Berhormat Ahli Parlimen Kawasan Puchong tidak akan dibayar kesemua bayaran elaun dan kemudahan sebagai seorang Ahli Parlimen.

Continue reading “Gobind to be suspended as MP without pay for one year from Monday”

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Najib – like Nero who played the fiddle while Rome burned

At the beginning of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s winding up of the RM60 billion mini budget (second economic stimulus package) in Parliament yesterday, I asked why his response to the economic crisis was so slow and so late, when it was evident to all economists and analysts last year that his RM7 billion “first economic stimulus package” was totally inadequate to the economic challenges facing the country.

As far back as January 21, Najib was so deep in denial that he could maintain that Malaysia could still achieve 3.5% GDP growth this year when there were already forecasts of negative growth.

It took Najib another seven weeks in his mini-budget of March 10 to revise Malaysia’s estimated GDP growth this year to between -1% to 1%, when there were even more dire forecasts of negative growth of between three to five per cent.

As Finance Minister of a country facing the world’s worst economic crisis in 80 years, Najib should have focused single-mindedly on the country’s economy.

Instead, he neglected his responsibilities as the Finance Minister at the country’s most critical stage to play politics, orchestrating the unethical, illegal and unconstitutional power grab in Perak, which has plunged Perak and the country into a new crisis of confidence in governance and democracy.

I told Najib in Parliament that what he did was like Nero who played the fiddle while Rome burned. Continue reading “Najib – like Nero who played the fiddle while Rome burned”

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Democracy Tree plaque vandalised

After five days, the Democracy Tree plaque in Ipoh has been vandalised.

The vandals came in the small hours of the night and smashed into smithereens the top portion of the democracy plaque, leaving behind a “democracy relic”. (pic)

How contemptible.

Everybody knows who are the dastardly masterminds of the latest sacrilege against democracy in Perak and Malaysia.

Photo after vandalism – “Democracy Relic”
Sacrilege Against Democracy

Photo before the vandalism – “Democracy plaque”
Plaque commemorating the Tree of Democracy

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Govt studying DAP proposal to buy back North-South Expressway and end toll collection in six years

The government is studying the DAP proposal that the government buy back the North-South Expressway to end toll collection completely in six years.

In reply to my query during the winding up of the committee stage debate for the RM60 billion mini-budget, the Second Finance Minister, Tan Sri Nor Mohamad Yakcop said the government is studying the DAP proposal to return the expressway to the people.

The proposal, a comprehensive, practicable and creative one formulated by the DAP Ops RESTORE (Restructure Toll Rates & Equity) Team, after consultations with legal experts, investment bankers as well as the general public, has the following features:

1) Impose no further increase in North-South Expressway toll rates.

2) End toll collection after 2015 instead of 2020.

3) Create RM14 billion savings for Malaysians from 2009-2015 – saved either (i) by Malaysians using the highway because of no further toll rate increases or (ii) in terms of compensation which would have to be paid by the Government to PLUS Expressways.

4) Incur no additional cost for the Malaysian Government or Malaysian tax-payers

Continue reading “Govt studying DAP proposal to buy back North-South Expressway and end toll collection in six years”

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Najib’s roll of the dice – RM60 billion economic stimulus package (5)

The Projects

Now on some specific programs outlined by Najib. Training and job placement programs of the type described by him are woefully inadequate. Those retrenched and displaced are in need of immediate assistance.

Malaysia lacks a safety net program of unemployment benefits as is the case in most industrial economies. Thus workers lack a cushion. The nation’s labor laws are skewed towards safeguarding employers as evidenced by the meager protections afforded to laid off workers.

It is also significant that both legal and illegal workers continue to flow into Malaysia – largely to permit employers to gain from cheap labor.

It is pertinent to question the Government as to why some of the resources being expended are not being set aside to launch a scheme that would provide income support to those laid off, or those who have seen a precipitous fall in income because of a fall in commodity prices. Equally, it can be asked why no program is being developed to aid those who are laid off with assistance in meeting their housing loan commitments.

These measures proposed under the various training schemes are palliatives and lack an imaginative attempt to address the key issue of assuring an income to those who fall victim to what has been termed the Great Recession. Displaced workers or those new entrants into the job market need to be assisted directly.

Training is and cannot be the first recourse. While such an effort may be appropriate in a time of cyclical upheaval, in a recession of the type now confronting Malaysia a vastly different approach is needed – one channeling resources to sustain incomes and support consumption. Continue reading “Najib’s roll of the dice – RM60 billion economic stimulus package (5)”

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Najib’s roll of the dice – RM60 billion economic stimulus package (4)

The Scope of the Package

The four so-called thrusts identified by Najib are generalities. Deeper analysis of these elements indicates that these are clichés and make for good sound bites.

It is rather salient that the DMP has made no effort to formulate and present an over-arching policy framework. There is a clear and urgent need to layout policy reforms to enhance competitiveness, correct the distortions, strengthen key agencies and identify areas of future potential growth.

There appears to be a mistaken view that Malaysia can find its way out from the hole it is in by spending billions. There does not appear to be a realization that fundamental reforms are needed particularly in the area of the regulatory framework.

There is no acknowledgement of the fact that the growth environment is deeply affected by rigidities of the NEP implemented mindlessly by the “Little Napoleons” of an inefficient and corrupt bureaucracy. Reform is imperative if Malaysia is to regain competitiveness.

In introducing the specifics of the Package, Najib makes no mention of the fact that there is a need to unite and jointly face the challenges; he fails to acknowledge that with almost 60% of the GDP generated in the Pakatan Rakyat governed states, the Federal Government needs to engage in efforts to work with these state Governments if it is to succeed in mounting the challenges confronting the country. Without the necessary collaboration, the efforts to achieve economic recovery will come to naught. Continue reading “Najib’s roll of the dice – RM60 billion economic stimulus package (4)”