Sabah KDM BN parties must be firm on gerrymandering

By Daniel John Jambun (loyarburok.com) | May 27, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

MAY 27 — It had recently been announced that the Election Commission is planning to change yet again the boundaries of the state and parliamentary constituencies throughout the country. And so far, strangely, nobody has made any statement about the matter although we are all very much aware of the serious ramifications of such an exercise.

As a Kadazandusun voter and leader, I see this new redelineation as another opportunity for the Election Commission to indulge in another gerrymandering exercise — the manipulative shifting of electoral boundaries. For all we know, this exercise will be an all-important one in which BN will do its utmost to secure maximum political advantage through various ways.
Continue reading “Sabah KDM BN parties must be firm on gerrymandering”

Page wants Putrajaya to make stand on English

By Clara Chooi | May 27, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — Pro-English language lobby group Page today pleaded with the Najib administration to stop delaying its decision on re-introducing PPSMI (Teaching of Science and Mathematics in English) as an option in schools.

Page chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim revealed to The Malaysian Insider today that the group had been invited for a discussion with the Education Ministry on April 29, but said the meeting was mysteriously cancelled at the last minute.
Continue reading “Page wants Putrajaya to make stand on English”

Let us be blasphemous!

By Zan Azlee | May 27, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

MAY 27 — I am no longer a believer and will burn in hell for questioning Islam. And, by raising and seeking answers to issues that I am in doubt of, my children will even grow up to have sex with animals.

These are some of the things I have been called and accused of by certain people in reaction to the documentary films and articles I’ve written that deal with my religion.
Continue reading “Let us be blasphemous!”

Di antara Gerakan dan DAP

By Wan Hamidi | May 27, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

27 MEI — Ada sebuah parti politik yang hampir semua pemimpin dan anggotanya adalah dari kaum Cina walau pun ia menegaskan perjuangannya untuk semua kaum. Matlamatnya ialah mewujudkan Malaysia yang bersatu, mengamalkan keadilan sosial dan bersifat sekular.

Ia juga mahu mewujudkan masyarakat yang mempunyai hak dan peluang saksama untuk semua walau pun bersetuju bahawa bantuan harus diberikan kepada mereka yang memerlukan tetapi tidak boleh berasaskan kaum.
Continue reading “Di antara Gerakan dan DAP”

LRT lobbying tests Najib’s resolve to push public tenders

The Malaysian Insider | May 27, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — The award of a contract to upgrade the light rail transit (LRT) line to European engineering powerhouse Balfour Beatty has sparked intense lobbying which is testing Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s commitment to public tenders.

According to a report in today’s Singapore Straits Times, the intense lobbying over the contract could also delay the PM’s plans to upgrade the chaotic transport network and inject fresh vigour into Malaysia’s economy.
Continue reading “LRT lobbying tests Najib’s resolve to push public tenders”

Pua: Water bonds premium price abuse of public funds

By Yow Hong Chieh | May 27, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — The federal government’s decision to buy back Selangor water bonds at a significant premium is not only an abuse of taxpayers’ monies but borders on the outrageous, Tony Pua has said.

Quoting The Edge Financial Daily, the DAP publicity chief said the RM6.5 billion rescue deal will see Putrajaya acquire the bonds for 94.49 against a mark-to-market value of only 54.54 at the end of last month, or 73.2 per cent above market value.
Continue reading “Pua: Water bonds premium price abuse of public funds”

10 Days in May (35)

Tweets @limkitsiang:-

DAP-Christian Msia May7 front-page not 1st time Utusan exploited bogey. Its worst example. Y it must be stopped @mpkotabelud does not know?
10:57am

Pathetic.MCA Ministers still dare not teamup w BN moderates 2demand action agnst Utusan though CSL shouts:MCA will stick 2stand! What stand?
11:06am
Continue reading “10 Days in May (35)”

Gov’t scholarships: Don’t be disheartened, Heama

‘Have the inner strength to carry on your struggle despite this setback. Persevere. The world out there is waiting for you to explore.’

High achiever’s PSD scholarship dreams dashed

Pemerhati: The Sun reported Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz as saying that of the 300 scholarships that were given based on merit, 14 percent were given to bumiputeras while 86 percent were given to the non-bumiputeras.

This indicates that if Malaysia has a meritocractic system, there would be only about 20 percent bumiputeras in the various fields that require strong academic ability.
Continue reading “Gov’t scholarships: Don’t be disheartened, Heama”

Too many top scorers, not enough scholarships

Malaysiakini Your Say | May 27, 11

‘Perhaps the major problem is not there are too few scholarships, but too many applicants from an examination that have too many top scorers.’

High achiever’s PSD scholarship dreams dashed

Wfworker: While I sympathise with parents with ‘brilliant’ children, I like to relate two incidents regarding my friends’ children.

One parent expressed her surprise over her son’s achievement of 5As at the recent SPM examination. The reason being that he had failed in all his subjects at the school trial examination.
Continue reading “Too many top scorers, not enough scholarships”

Life is still good here

By Malik T | May 26, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

MAY 26 — It’s a wee bit late for me but I did consider encouraging my kids to move to Australia and for me to get a property for them there. However, I was not keen to do so for the following reasons:

1. The quality of life here is good. There are nice restaurants and pubs such as in Changkat Bukit Bintang, with a big and lively expatriate community. We have a good circle of friends here.
Continue reading “Life is still good here”

High achiever’s PSD scholarship dreams dashed

By S Pathmawathy | May 26, 11
Malaysiakini

Every year, we hear stories of high achievers not being able to secure government scholarships to pursue the courses of their choice despite fulfilling the necessary requirements.

Heamanthaa Padmanaban was among those who had suffered this setback to follow her ambition to study medicine abroad and also did not qualify to take up a course in biotechnology locally.
Continue reading “High achiever’s PSD scholarship dreams dashed”

Keluarga: ‘Kami nak tahu apa status kes Sarbaini’

Oleh Syed Mu’az Syed PutraThe Malaysian Insider
May 27, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, 27 Mei — Keluarga Allahyarham Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed mahu polis mendedahkan perkembangan terbaru hasil siasatan kematian penolong pengarah Kastam Diraja Malaysia itu dua bulan lalu.
Ini kerana, menurut sumber yang rapat dengan keluarga Ahmad Sarbaini, sehingga kini masih tiada perkembangan, menyebabkan keluarga itu tertanya-tanya status sebenar hasil siasatan tersebut.

Tambah sumber itu, perkembangan terakhir yang diketahui pada 4 Mei lalu di mana kertas siasatan kematian Ahmad Sarbaini akan dihantar semula ke Jabatan Peguam Negara.

“Kami nak tahu apa status terkini sekarang, kami tertanya-tanya apa yang berlaku dan perkembangan kes ini.

“Saya sendiri tertanya-tanya apa status kes ini sekarang, sebab saya lihat macam tidak ada apa-apa yang berlaku… senyap begitu sahaja,” katanya kepada The Malaysian Insider. Continue reading “Keluarga: ‘Kami nak tahu apa status kes Sarbaini’”

Wary of flip-flop tag, Cabinet dithers over English

By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
May 27, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — The Najib administration has not decided on switching back to English for Science and Mathematics (PPSMI) because several Cabinet ministers feel any change would be another embarrassing flip-flop.

The Malaysian Insider understands the Cabinet has discussed the issue but ministers are still divided, leaving Datuk Seri Najib Razak to ask the Education Ministry to work out the various options.

“They don’t want to appear to flip-flop like the Abdullah government,” a government source told The Malaysian Insider recently.

Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s rule was marked by several policy U-turns that led to him being mocked by predecessor Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and other critics. Continue reading “Wary of flip-flop tag, Cabinet dithers over English”