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Ignorance – the enemy of change

By Philip Ho
klik4malaysia

We are in the 21st century, and would be celebrating our 54th Merdeka in less than three months time but what is becoming of Malaysia?

Has Malaysia progressed politically, socially, economically and technologically after almost 54 years of independence?

Especially when extremist NGOs like Perkasa whom the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional government are even afraid of, continues to spew garbage from their progress-challenged minds?

The racial and religious rhetoric has come to a sickening point in the past 36 months, but Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has just refused to take decisive action against what would have been deemed seditious and an outright threat to the peace and harmony of Malaysians.
Continue reading “Ignorance – the enemy of change”

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Bishop decries fixation over Christian PM issue

By Terence Netto
May 10, 11
Malaysiakini

Catholic Bishop Dr Paul Tan Chee Ing said an obsession with the racial and religious leanings of a prime minister, or for that matter, of any other holder of high office in Malaysia is “fundamentally disorienting”.

In comments to Malaysiakini on the latest twist to the debate on an alleged Christian move to dethrone Islam as the official religion of the country, the bishop of the Melaka-Johor diocese, said:

“Allowing the debate over which race or religion wielded precedence in the matter of who is qualified to become a holder of high office in the country is fundamentally disorienting.

“We should not allow the debate to revolve obsessively around these parochial considerations.
Continue reading “Bishop decries fixation over Christian PM issue”

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Prove your mettle, MCLM tells Najib

By Tashny Sukumaran | May 10, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak must prove his mettle as the “leader of 1Malaysia” by speaking out against Utusan Malaysia over its Christian plot report.

In making the call, Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) president Haris Ibrahim also wondered why the authorities were slow in acting against the Umno-owned newspaper.

“Why has there been no action against Utusan under the Sedition Act?

“Is the Umno-led BN government complicit in this attempt to sow racial and religious discord or else powerless to act against an emerging group of fascists?” he asked in a statement.
Continue reading “Prove your mettle, MCLM tells Najib”

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The one who refuses to fade

By RK Anand | May 10, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

“Scary isn’t it? One minute, you’ re revelling in all that pomp and pageantry and then suddenly, zilch.”

Although it was a remark made in jest, the prospect of facing such a situation had obviously sent a chill down his spine as the politician squirmed uncomfortably in his chair.

And as if to distract himself from such a ghastly premonition, he reached for his coffee, never mind that it was piping hot, and took a gulp. His eyes registered alarm as the simmering dark liquid made its way down his throat, and he stuck out his tongue to let the cool air salve the stung muscle.

This is why we need the rehabilitation centre, he continued when his tongue returned to its normal temperature, mustering a nervous smile in between his words.
Continue reading “The one who refuses to fade”

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‘Malays don’t need Umno’

By Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz | sakmongkolak47
May 10, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

A former Umno state assemblyman cites two areas which received ‘least attention’ to explain why Chinese will not vote for Barisan Nasional

Why would the Chinese give up their freedom to pursue their self-interest for ‘interferences’? The great advances achieved by the Chinese as a whole happened when there was least ‘interference’ from the government and its little and not so Little Napoleons.

Let me give you some examples. Every town and city in Malaysia displays the same characteristics. I am most familiar with my hometown, Kuantan and Kuala Lumpur. In Kuantan you have a section of town dominated by Chinese (Ayer Puteh) and in Kuala Lumpur you have (Old Klang Road).

In my schooldays, these two areas were and are still dominated by the Chinese. Both these areas enjoyed least attention from the government in the past.
Continue reading “‘Malays don’t need Umno’”

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Christian state: PAS demands apology from Hisham

By Regina Lee
May 10, 11
Malaysiakini

PAS has taken Hishammuddin Hussein to task for his remarks on a media report that Christian groups are plotting to turn Malaysia into a Christian state.

Party vice-president Mahfuz Omar demanded that Hishammuddin apologises for his statement, which Mahfuz claimed had made the Christian-Muslim relations in the country even more tense.

“It was a completely inappropriate response,” said Mahfuz, who is also the Pokok Sena MP.

Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia last Saturday front-paged a report about a pro-Umno blog that said there was secret pact and agenda to make Christianity the official religion of the country.

The daily also reported that a meeting between Christian pastors and DAP in Penang plotted the appointment of a Christian prime minister.
Continue reading “Christian state: PAS demands apology from Hisham”

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Help, Umno has contracted panic disease!

By Shanker
May 10, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

They say that when the US sneezes, the world catches a cold. Well, I think in Malaysia, the equivalent comparison is when Umno goes into panic mode, the rest of the country suffers alongside their anxiety attacks.

Has Umno contracted panic syndrome? Well, the symptoms are there for us to observe; from racist and religious diatribes spewed by its mouthpiece Utusan and the various sub-contractors Umno employs, to demonising sections of society that dare vote against their wasteful rule of this country, to getting their crumb-seeking support-club members (especially the MCA) to play the fear factor card by “threatening” that Chinese representation in the government would diminish should their votes shift away from BN.

Yo MCA — dudes, I think these days your reasoning couldn’t even convince a housefly to come by and taste your pudding. Just how do you manage to put on a straight face and offer pitiful excuses to the many who pay their taxes faithfully year in, year out; but whose deserving children otherwise struggle to secure places in public universities?
Continue reading “Help, Umno has contracted panic disease!”

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Avoid lies, Umno

The Malaysian Insider

MAY 9 — It’s rich for Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor to advise Malaysians not to be influenced by hearsay over Utusan Malaysia’s Christian Malaysia reports.

“Like what the prime minister has stressed, we should not be quick to react. We do not know what has been said. We didn’t hear… If someone begins by saying apple, then eventually the apple will turn into something else.

“I recommend that [Malaysians be] calm and hear what actually transpired,” Tengku Adnan said today.

Where was he on May 7 when Utusan Malaysia came out with its baseless report?

Where was he when pro-Umno bloggers spun the story last week? Where is he now when Utusan and the other Bahasa paper, Berita Harian, report the story like it is factual.
Continue reading “Avoid lies, Umno”

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PAS says mandatory Muslim PM unconstitutional

By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani
The Malaysian Insider

KUALAL LUMPUR, May 10 — PAS vice president Mahfuz Omar said today that the party would not oppose a non-Muslim prime minister as it is constitutional.

Mahfuz, however, said that it is unlikely that a non-Muslim will lead the government as the Muslim community still forms the majority in the country.

“The constitution does not bar a non-Muslim from becoming prime minister. This is not about PAS. PAS cannot stop the constitution but it will not happen because of the current majority we have,” he told reporters during a press conference here.

Mahfuz added that Malay-majority seats will continue to dominate parliament as DAP and MCA will only contest Chinese-majority seats.
Continue reading “PAS says mandatory Muslim PM unconstitutional”

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Malaysia: Transforming to Vision 2020

By Khalid Noorshah
Globalia Magazine

Malaysia is fortifying her resolve to achieve her ideal, Wawasan 2020 or Vision 2020 within the nine years left, to be a self sufficient industrialised nation encompassing all aspects of life from economic prosperity, social well being, world class education standards and facilities, political stability as well as psychological well being. Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak showed that, since taking office in April 2009, he was focused in making Vision 2020 a reality within the timeline. He was well aware that he needs to improve the government to be more effective and at the same time he needed the people to be united as one to face the challenges of a new Malaysia.

In his maiden speech, he announced the One Malaysia (1Malaysia) concept tagged with a slogan People First Performance Now by calling on the Cabinet, government agencies and civil servants to more strongly emphasize ethnic harmony, national unity and efficient governance and attached with it the values of perseverance, a culture of excellence, acceptance, loyalty, education, humility, integrity and meritocracy. Immediately after assuming office, Najib introduced a series of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) in order to measure and improve efficiency and quality of government services and its delivery as well as realising the 1Malaysia concept. The KPI provides a mechanism for evaluation of ministers and other government agencies including performance reviews carried out every six months. Najib identified six major policy areas in which the KPI will play an especially important role in improving the effectiveness of the Malaysian government. Continue reading “Malaysia: Transforming to Vision 2020”

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Mind the gap: Asian income gulf shows economic model’s flaws

By Alan Wheatley, Global Economics Correspondent
BEIJING | Mon May 9, 2011 12:55pm EDT
Reuters

(Reuters) – Asia should have a smile on its face. The region’s economy is displaying resilience in the teeth of a structural rise in oil and commodity prices. Overheating is a greater threat than a swoon in growth.

Yet the tone of some officials’ recent comments has been strikingly cautious, reflecting an awareness that Asia has failed to seize the chance during the past decade of strength to address long-standing vulnerabilities.

Asia is still hopelessly dependent on final demand from rich countries. Investment, the seed corn of future growth, remains far below levels scaled before the 1997/98 financial crisis — except for China and India.
Continue reading “Mind the gap: Asian income gulf shows economic model’s flaws”

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‘Christian Malaysia’ a distraction from BN policy failures, says Lim

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
May 10, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 — Utusan Malaysia’s conspiracy of Christian groups plotting a takeover bid of the country is a “desperate” attempt by Umno to distract attention away from Barisan Nasional’s (BN) policy failures and economic mismanagement, Lim Guan Eng has said.
The DAP secretary-general charged that the latest conspiracy theory perpetrated by Umno was a way to shield the effect of the BN government’s announcements on a rise in petrol and sugar prices.

“The BN government’s announcement today that the price of sugar will be increased by 20 sen to RM2.30 a kilo has exposed the real malicious motive for Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia’s dangerous lies of a so-called conspiracy by DAP and Christian pastors to set up a Christian state and a Christian Malaysian Prime Minister.

“Such lies could be printed on the front page of Utusan Malaysia even though no Malaysian Christian had ever sought to be Malaysian Prime Minister,” said Lim in a statement today.
Continue reading “‘Christian Malaysia’ a distraction from BN policy failures, says Lim”

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1 Malaysia Email Advertorial: Truth or Lies?

By Tony Pua
May 08, 2011

I had taken the opportunity to read every word in the advertorial placed by Pemandu to explain and justify the “1 Malaysia Email Project” controversy across all major newspapers and even news portals yesterday.

I also read with interest the repeated assertions with regards to “misrepresentations spewed by the vocal minority”. Datuk Idris Jala had clarified that “the reason why Pemandu is clarifying this situation is to make sure that the general public is not misinformed by people who distort the truth” and that “Pemandu believes in integrity and transparency.”

I am not sure if I’m included in this exclusive circle of “vocal minority” who is “bent on distorting the truth”, and I shall not be so bold as to think that the criticisms are directed at me. However, after reading the “comprehensive” reply, I’m felt compelled to compile my own list of “frequently asked questions” (FAQs) on “truths and lies about MyEmail”
Continue reading “1 Malaysia Email Advertorial: Truth or Lies?”

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Malaysia’s Brain Drain: Government in Perpetual Denial

by Koon Yew Yin | CPIAsia
Monday, 09 May 2011 14:07

For some years now, various analysts have written about the brain drain from Malaysia arising from the country’s racist policies. Now the World Bank has finally come out with a definitive report detailing that the number of skilled Malaysians living abroad has tripled in the last two decades with two out of every 10 Malaysians with tertiary education opting to leave for either OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries or Singapore.

The report also studied the factors that would entice Malaysian currently staying overseas to return. The top picks were a change in the country’s race-based policies and fundamental reforms in the public sector with “Paradigm shift away from race-based towards needs-based affirmative action” and “Evidence of fundamental and positive change in the government/public sector” receiving 87 and 82 per cent positive responses respectively.
Continue reading “Malaysia’s Brain Drain: Government in Perpetual Denial”

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UMNO fiddles while Malaysia Burns!

by Damian Murphy Denis
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
www.realitybytesdmd.blogspot.com

Waking up two mornings ago to hear Utusan ranting about a group of Christian leaders were praying to change this country to a Christian state with a Christian PM was almost laughable.

Not that a Christian PM is impossible if you go by the provisions in the constitution but a Christian state? They’ve got to be joking. Or so it seems!

UMNO got to be worried sick that all it’s propaganda and maneuvering were not working but it’s backfiring them instead. From Anwar Ibrahim Sodomy 2 trial and the so-called sex video seems to be falling on deaf ears and the rakyat don’t seem to buying into that and rightly so!

Then, they train their guns on PAS and almost in a begging stance to join them under the pretext of Islamic struggle. UMNO went on to alleged that their partnership with DAP will not get them anywhere coz after all DAP was against the setting up of an Islamic state by PAS. Continue reading “UMNO fiddles while Malaysia Burns!”

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Sugar price up RM0.20

Malaysiakini
May 9, 11

Beginning tomorrow, sugar will cost RM2.30 per kilo, up RM0.20, announced the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry today.

This is the fourth time sugar prices had increased since Jan 1 last year when it was priced at RM1.65 per kilo.

Prior to that, sugar prices were maintained at RM1.45 for a long period. This marks a 58.6 percent increase in less than one-and-a-half years.

According to the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry, by increasing the price of sugar by RM0.20 tomorrow, the government stands to make a saving of RM116.6 million. Continue reading “Sugar price up RM0.20”

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Under fire, sister insists mystery note not by Teoh

By Boo Su-Lyn
The Malaysian Insider
May 09, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 — Despite being pressured by a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) lawyer on the contents of a mystery note, Teoh Beng Hock’s sister Lee Lan insisted before a royal panel today that her brother did not write it even as she broke down in tears at one point in her testimony.

Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah bombarded her with a series of questions on the mystery note and whether she could recognise her brother’s handwriting, until she said: “I want to know the correct and the exact truth (behind Beng Hock’s death). This is the reason we requested for this commission.”

“During the inquest, when they showed such a note, immediately we discussed and said this note does not belong to Teoh Beng Hock,” said Lee Lan at the inquiry today, as the RCI nears the conclusion of its testimony collection.

“This could not be written by Teoh Beng Hock because (there was) no need for him to write such notes,” she added. Continue reading “Under fire, sister insists mystery note not by Teoh”

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‘MACC officers were instructed to lie’

Teoh El Sen
Free Malaysia Today
May 9, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR: A senior Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer had pleaded to her superior to order his subordinates not to give false statements in the Teoh Beng Hock case.

Senior investigating officer Azian Umar, 31, said this today when questioned by Bar Council’s Cheow Wee at the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) investigating Teoh’s death.

Cheow read out a SMS text message sent by Azian to Selangor MACC investigation department chief Hairul Ilham Hamzah in which she said “this is a big case, it involves a person’s life, if (we) lie once, then we need to lie many times more to support the lie”.

In the SMS, in which she expressed sadness at what had happened in Teoh’s case, she also said the incident with Teoh may be God’s “divine retribution” to MACC. Continue reading “‘MACC officers were instructed to lie’”

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Putrajaya permitting Utusan provocation, says Bar Council

By Debra Chong
The Malaysian Insider
May 09, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 — Malaysian Bar president Lim Chee Wee accused Putrajaya today of giving free rein to Utusan Malaysia to publish and promote what he called lies dressed up as news reports and continuing to stir up religious fear and unrest.

The lawyer joined a growing choir in urging the authorities to get their priorities in order and immediately investigate reporters and editors in the Umno-owned daily for repeatedly pushing provocative religious rhetoric rather than hauling up Christian leaders over unproven claims.

The Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM), which represents over 90 per cent of churches nationwide, have also demanded Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak act immediately against Utusan for false reporting and spreading dangerous lies.

“Instead of questioning Utusan Malaysia’s journalistic conduct and ethics, the immediate responses from the ministers in charge of home affairs and communications were to order investigations into the alleged incidents themselves,” Lim said in a statement.

“In this way, the authorities are gullibly assisting those who seek to play up lies and falsehoods in order to artificially create religious conflict,” he added. Continue reading “Putrajaya permitting Utusan provocation, says Bar Council”