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Chinese voters must decide

ON THE BEAT WITH WONG CHUN WAI
Sunday Star
Sunday May 8, 2011

The question is whether the Chinese community wishes to be in the government or the opposition in the next general election.

IT’S a month now since the Sarawak state polls and Tan Sri Taib Mahmud, who was the target of the emotional election campaign, remains the Chief Minister.

He delivered 35 out of the 35 seats contested by Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu and convincingly won in his Asajaya stronghold, with his opponents losing their deposits.

The calls for Taib, the longest serving Chief Minister, to step down have since stopped.

Despite the cry for change, nothing has changed. Taib is still the man in charge and he still holds the key to the state’s 29 Barisan Nasional MPs in the safe deposit box.

Painful as it may sound, the reality is that the only change that has occurred is the Chinese voters have committed their representation to the opposition. Continue reading “Chinese voters must decide”

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Church mulls legal action against Utusan for false reporting

By Debra Chong
The Malaysian Insider
May 08, 2011

GEORGE TOWN, May 8 — Bishop Antony Selvanayagam (left) said Utusan Malaysia lied about the Penang Catholic Church’s role in an alleged plot to make Malaysia Christian, adding he will consult a lawyer to discuss legal options against the Umno newspaper.

The cleric said neither he nor the Catholic Church were aware of any Christian meeting taking place in Penang as reported by the Malay newspaper, which also said yesterday the meeting was to discuss changing the country’s highest law to put a Christian in place of a Muslim as prime minister.

“That report is not true. No such conference took place in any Catholic church or facility here. As bishop, I would know,” he told The Malaysian Insider when contacted last night.

“That is false reporting,” Selvanayagam said, adding that neither Utusan nor any other person, apart from The Malaysian Insider, had contacted him to verify the report before its publication or since.

Asked if he planned to take action against Utusan Malaysia, he said, “Immediately, I would not be able to say. I would need to consult the Catholic Church and my legal advisor.” Continue reading “Church mulls legal action against Utusan for false reporting”

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Christian agenda claim “a serious matter”: Hishammuddin

The Sun
Sun, 08 May 2011

BESUT (May 7, 2011): Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has described as serious a purported meeting of pastors in Penang allegedly to discuss making Christianity the official religion of the federation.

He said any action by followers of a religion would invite reactions from followers of others.

“The same goes in racial issues. If certain races resorted to raising issues in an excessive manner, it will invite reactions from other races,” he told reporters after opening the Besut Umno division meeting, here today.

Hishammuddin, who is Umno vice-president, said he was now awaiting reports over what transpired at the meeting. Continue reading “Christian agenda claim “a serious matter”: Hishammuddin”

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GE: “We hear all your voices”, says PM Lee

By Chitra Rajaram | Posted: 08 May 2011 0401 hrs
www.channelnewsasia.com

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says the voters have decided and he is “humbled” that they voted the PAP government back to power.

Speaking at a post-victory news conference after the General Election results were announced on Sunday, Mr Lee said voters had given the PAP a strong mandate but he is aware of the concerns and issues voters had put across.

“We hear all your voices,” said Mr Lee.

The PAP government was returned to power with a majority of 81 seats including five uncontested seats. The strong showing is a relief for Mr Lee, who was seeking his second mandate as Prime Minister.

Although it was a sweeping win in terms of seats, the PAP’s share of the popular vote slipped to 60.14 percent from 66.6 percent at the last election in 2006. Continue reading “GE: “We hear all your voices”, says PM Lee”

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S’pore’s political awakening likely to impact Johor

Kuek Ser Kuang Keng | May 6, 11 5:32pm
Malaysiakini

With more than half a million Malaysians working in Singapore, the apparent political shift in the Singapore election campaign is set to shake Malaysia’s political landscape, especially in the southern state of Johor – deemed to be Umno last bastion in the peninsula.

In this polls, described by many as the toughest battle faced by ruling party People’s Action Party (PAP) since 1960s, the opposition campaign had gained impressive momentum, reflected by the attendance of animated crowds numbering in the tens of thousands at their mega-rallies over the past few days.

It has not only rung the PAP’s alarm bell but also received wide coverage from both the international and Malaysian media.

“No question, Singapore’s political opening will shape all those who are here to see politics differently, whether they are from Malaysia or Indonesia,” said Bridget Welsh, an associate professor in political science at the Singapore Management University. Continue reading “S’pore’s political awakening likely to impact Johor”

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Singapore’s democratic opening

Bridget Welsh | May 6, 11 1:54pm
Malaysiakini

COMMENT

Singapore’s 2011 general election campaign has been historic, and signals a major transformation in the country’s political landscape. The intensity and tone of this campaign has been unprecedented as the ruling PAP’s (People’s Action Party) record has come under attack.

Given the impressive management of the 2008 global financial crisis and record GDP growth of 14.5% in 2010, this election should have given Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (left) a strong mandate and seen as a celebration of Singapore’s success.

Instead, from the first day of the campaign when thousands thronged Hougang Stadium to attend an opposition rally organised by the Worker’s Party, the PAP has been on the defensive.

A few days ago, the Singaporean premier, in a brave and unprecedented display of humility, apologised for the mistakes of ministers and failings of his government – repeatedly. This move represented an acknowledgment that all is not right in Singapore and that the concerns of many Singaporeans are not been adequately addressed.

In fact, the mood on the ground in Singapore has been one of angst, sometimes anger, as this general election campaign has stirred a revolutionary outpouring of open criticism towards the PAP. Continue reading “Singapore’s democratic opening”

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Singapore’s Lee Retains Power With Smallest Margin Since 1965

Bloomberg Businessweek
By Shamim Adam and Weiyi Lim
May 07, 2011, 4:08 PM EDT

May 8 (Bloomberg) — Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s People’s Action Party retained power with the smallest margin of popular votes since independence amid a record turnout that tripled the number of opposition members in parliament.

The party that has ruled Singapore for more than five decades won 81 out of 87 parliamentary seats and 60.1 percent of the popular vote in yesterday’s polls, according to the Elections Department. A record 2 million ballots were counted.

The run-up to the election brought out tens of thousands of Singaporeans to rallies in support of the PAP and the opposition parties, which resonated with citizens complaining about the rising cost of living and competition with foreigners for jobs and housing. The result adds pressure on Lee, 59, to reach out to the growing number of Singaporeans who have questioned government policies.

“The political landscape has changed forever,” Suzaina Kadir, a senior lecturer at Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. “There’s serious questioning of the PAP’s continued dominance. Now the work begins for the opposition.” Continue reading “Singapore’s Lee Retains Power With Smallest Margin Since 1965”

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Utusan wants to set 1 Malaysia on fire, decries Lim

By Susan Loone
May 7, 2011

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has expressed outrage over a front-page report today headlined ‘Malaysia Negara Kristian?’ (Malaysia a Christian state?) in Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia.

Lim turned his guns on the Malay daily for the false report which was based on a couple of pro-Umno blogs and accused Utusan of planning to “set 1Malaysia on fire” by playing up racial and religious sentiments.

According to Lim, the newspaper was playing a dangerous game by front-paging an article without verifying the allegations featured in anonymous blogs such as Bigdog.com and Marahku.com.

“Utusan wants to set 1Malaysia on fire… it is the most evil (jahat) and dangerous element in our country right now,” decried an angry Lim at a press conference in Penang today.

“I have asked my party leaders to lodge a police report on the matter. How can a lie be on the front page of a newspaper?” Continue reading “Utusan wants to set 1 Malaysia on fire, decries Lim”

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DAP girds up to penetrate S’wak’s hinterland

By Ang Ngan Toh | Malaysiakini
May 7, 11

Interventional cardiologist Dr Tang Sie Hing has joined a growing list of professionals and educated young Sarawakians signing up as DAP members to serve in rural areas.

Tang, who celebrated his 42nd birthday on Thursday, will be helping Sarawak DAP secretary Chong Chieng Jen as special assistant, whose job specifications include serving the rural areas.

Under the five-year plan, the DAP is expanding into the state’s countryside with the main aim of spreading its influence among the Dayak community there.

The Chinese-based party has so far outshone the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) in winning urban support.

Boosted by its victories in capturing the mostly urban and Chinese majority 12 seats in the recent state elections, the party has turned its attention to the state’s hinterland to prepare the ground for the next state polls.
Continue reading “DAP girds up to penetrate S’wak’s hinterland”

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Divide and rule

By Elijah M | May 07, 2011

This is Umno’s strategy to remain in power in Malaysia: make the Malays feel like the Chinese and Christian communities are threatening their hold on power and position of Islam.

They need the Malays to come out in force at the coming elections and vote for Umno candidates in a big way. But in their calculation for that to happen, they must have an imaginary enemy for the Malays/Muslims.

Given than the Chinese have generally deserted the corrupt and self-serving MCA and Gerakan and by extension, BN, they qualify as a prime bogeyman. They are portrayed as slavish supporters of Chinese-based DAP and harbour ambitions of taking over political power from the Malays.

Now the Christians following their support for Pakatan Rakyat in the Sarawak and their refusal to be submissive to a government which has molested their religious rights are also being lumped by Utusan Malaysia and pro-Umno bloggers as enemies of Islam in Malaysia.
Continue reading “Divide and rule”

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Interfaith council: No one is questioning Islam

Malaysiakini
May 6, 2011

A religious council has rubbished allegations that the position of Islam in the country is “under siege”.

Saying that they are “concerned”, the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) is amazed by the remarks made by the Coalition of Muslim Organisations (Pembela) earlier this week.

“How could lslam’s position be under siege when all public institutions and other organs of government are under the control of Muslims?” asked coalition president Reverend Dr Thomas Philips.

He quoted Kita president Zaid Ibrahim who recently said in his blog that the Malays are already in complete political control.

The party president also said that various government-linked companies such as Maybank, Petronas, Telekom Malaysia are already in the government’s hand and managed by Malay-bumiputras.

“The G-20 group of largest listed GLCs alone possesses RM353 billion (around half) of the market capitalisation of the entire Bursa Malaysia,” Zaid had said.
Continue reading “Interfaith council: No one is questioning Islam”

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Slowing talent growth adds to brain drain woes

By Leslie Lau

KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 — Malaysia ranked 36th out of 60 countries in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s latest Global Talent Index which saw the United States placed as the top country in producing talent, while Singapore and Nordic nations were rated stellar performers.

The Global Talent Index (GTI) report for 2011, released yesterday, also projected Malaysia’s ranking would fall marginally by three places to 39th out of 60 countries by 2015, reflecting the country’s struggle with brain drain and retaining talent.

The World Bank’s report on the country’s brain drain released last Thursday showed that the number of Malaysians with tertiary education who moved abroad tripled in the last two decades.

Two out of every 10 Malaysians with a tertiary education opted for either OECD countries or Singapore.

As of 2010, the World Bank estimated the Malaysian diaspora at about one million, of whom one-third were tertiary educated.
Continue reading “Slowing talent growth adds to brain drain woes”

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Out of 10 people, 11 do not believe!

By Sakmongkol AK47

I spent a major part of the day, including some small hours into Friday prayers assessing people’s reaction of the sex video. It’s the video made in Thailand featuring a person who looked like Anwar Ibrahim. The man looked taller, sports a close cropped hair do and the lady in question looks suspiciously like a girl from China. Maybe she’s Suzie Wong. I am sure many of us remember the film no?

Here’s the deal. Out of 10 people I asked — 11 do not believe its Anwar! Perhaps it’s in the nature of the allegation. The allegation is so preposterous. Never before has any preposterous spectacle been created by so questionable a group made up of so dubious collection of characters.

As the issue of the smut video drags on, it’s becoming clear that it has also become the sword of Damocles over the head of the Umno leadership. The Umno leadership is probably wishing this sex video issue did not arise at all. At first they thought this was a fortunate gift to finish off Anwar Ibrahim. The sex video now is like the sword held at the pommel by a piece of horse’s hair hanging over the head of the Umno leadership. It now wants the sword be taken away quickly or it now wishes not to be associated at all with the sex video.
Continue reading “Out of 10 people, 11 do not believe!”

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Christian leaders condemn claims trying to usurp Islam

By Debra Chong | TMI

KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 — Organisers of a Christian meeting in Penang denied today allegations from pro-Umno bloggers that they were conspiring with the DAP to supplant Islam’s position as the country’s official religion in a bid to take over Putrajaya.

The heated religious rhetoric from before the April 16 Sarawak election appeared to have died down immediately after, only to flare up again this week as right-wing Malay groups sounded the alarm over the rising popularity of the Chinese-dominant DAP.

The National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF), together with partners Global Day of Prayer, Marketplace Penang and Penang Pastors Fellowship, said the claims against their community were lies and slammed the pro-Malay rights groups for driving a further wedge to create social disharmony in multicultural Malaysia apart from being seditious.

“The organiser vehemently denies such a claim as being unfounded and totally untrue aimed at creating division and social disharmony in multi-ethnic society of Malaysia and appears to be seditious,” the Christian group said in a statement this evening.
Continue reading “Christian leaders condemn claims trying to usurp Islam”

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MACC assassinates Teoh’s character

By Mariam Mokhtar | FMT

Even in death, the MACC will not leave Teoh Beng Hock alone. This time, they chose to sully whatever lasting memory Teoh’s poor family have of him, by claiming that Teoh committed suicide.

Are MACC lawyers poorly trained that they have to alternate from comical acts to farcical conjectures?

During the inquest into Teoh’s suspicious death, the MACC lawyer, Abdul Razak Musa grilled Dr Pornthip, the Thai pathologist, and gave the whole world a hilarious demonstration of how not to conduct a cross examination.

However, in the latest round of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI), the MACC lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah charged that Teoh ‘took his life and chose “death before dishonour” to spare the DAP from charges of corruption’.

How ludicrous is that?
Continue reading “MACC assassinates Teoh’s character”

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Standard of Proof Not Met in Sodomy ll

By Singa Pura Pura

The whole of the prosecution’s evidence, taken in its entirety at this stage, would not even pass the test enunciated in the Federal Court in Balachandran v. PP [2005] 1 CLJ 85 FC, namely, that:

“The result is that the force of the evidence adduced must be such that, if unrebutted, it is sufficient to induce the court to believe in the existence of the facts stated in the charge or to consider its existence so probable that a prudent man ought to act upon the supposition that those facts exist or did happen. In order to make a finding either way the court must, at the close of the case for the prosecution, undertake a positive [maximum] evaluation of the credibility and reliability of all the evidence.

“The test at the close of the case for the prosecution would therefore be: Is the evidence sufficient to convict the accused if he elects to remain silent? This must, as of necessity, require a consideration of the existence of any reasonable doubt in the case for the prosecution. If there is any such doubt there can be no prima facie case. As the accused can be convicted on the prima facie evidence – it [the evidence] must have reached a standard which is capable of supporting a conviction beyond reasonable doubt … The prima facie evidence which was capable of supporting a conviction beyond reasonable doubt will constitute proof beyond reasonable doubt.”
Continue reading “Standard of Proof Not Met in Sodomy ll”

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RM30 million donation rejected and scholarship for the poor

By Koon Yew Yin

1. I am not a politician. But I know politics is very important because it affects you and your children. I want to help you win the coming election. I have already donated RM100,000 during your last dinner to celebrate Lim Kit Siang’s 70th Birthday, a few months ago. (Admin note: RM100,000 donated to DAP Perak)

I put my money where my mouth is. Many people would grumble and complain about BN government’s corruptions, abuse of power and Chinese cannot get university places and also employment in the civil services, etc but they dare not come forward to support Pakatan Rakyat to change the Government.

I hope my coming forward openly will encourage many people to show support. Your party needs money and I hope you all will donate as much as you can afford.

2. You must bear in mind that the population of the non Malays is relatively small, even all non Malays vote for the PR and without Malays winning some seats, Pakatan Ryakyat cannot control the Perak State Government or Putrajaya. After tonight’s dinner, I would like each of you to make a serious effort to make friend with at least one Malay and convince him to vote for PR.
Continue reading “RM30 million donation rejected and scholarship for the poor”

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Post-Sarawak Elections: The Sway Of Chinese Voters – Analysis

By Choong Pui Yee and Farish Noor

MALAYSIA’S RULING Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition won two-thirds of the seats in the 16 April 2011 state elections in Sarawak. Supported by the presence of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, the BN victory means it retained its majority in the East Malaysian state with 55 seats and was able to form the state government again. Despite the victory in this staunchly pro-BN state, which has always been perceived as the BN’s ‘fixed deposit’, the ruling coalition has suffered a significant drop in ethnic Chinese voter support.

The opposition parties acting in alliance as Pakatan Rakyat (PR) made inroads, eating into the BN’s support base. The Democratic Action Party (DAP) won 12 out of the 15 seats it contested, doubling its share of seats in Sarawak since the 2006 state elections. Another opposition party, the People’s Justice Party (PKR) won three seats, including a rural seat at Ba’Kelalan, while the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) did not win a single seat. The inroads made by the opposition alliance were mainly due to the work of the DAP. One unexpected result was the toppling of George Chan, the state’s deputy chief minister from the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP). His defeat by a political newcomer, Ling Sie Kiong, strongly manifests the intensity of Chinese voter sentiment against the BN.

Building up the Momentum
Continue reading “Post-Sarawak Elections: The Sway Of Chinese Voters – Analysis”

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Take weeks even months to know position

Tweet

Lim Kit Siang
[Admin] LKS discharged after 4-day hospital – present PgCM LGE CKY LHS. Anwar Mansor Malek visited morng. Hourly home treatment. 2weeks off
6 May (5.08pm)

Lim Kit Siang
[Admin] After 5days “blind” left eye LKS begins 2c w +10% vision. Take weeks even months 2know how much sight recovery of dominant eye.
6 May (5.06pm)

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Syarat Kemasukkan ke Ijazah Farmasi Lepasan Diploma Farmasi

YB Lim,

Per: Syarat Kemasukkan ke Ijazah Farmasi Lepasan Diploma Farmasi

Merujuk perkara di atas, dimaklumkan bahawa saya pelajar jurusan Diploma Farmasi semester terakhir Kolej Universiti (IPTS). Di sini saya ingin meluahkan kekecewaan terhadap sistem yang diguna pakai pada masa kini untuk pengambilan pelajar lepasan Diploma Farmasi ke peringkat IPTA atau IPTS bagi jurusan Ijazah Farmasi.

2. Apa yang menyedihkan ialah graduan dari jurusan Diploma Farmasi wajib mendapat CGPA 3.8 ke atas untuk layak mejejak kaki menara gading untuk melanjutkan pendidikan ke peringakat Ijazah. Sebelum saya memilih jurusan Diploma Farmasi, saya pernah dimaklumkan bahawa syarat untuk melanjutkan ke peringkat Ijazah adalah CGPA 3.0 sahaja. Tetapi kini semuanya telah berubah. Saya berasa sedih dan hala tuju saya untuk melanjutkan pelajaran ke peringkat Ijazah dalam bidang Farmasi terbantut. Continue reading “Syarat Kemasukkan ke Ijazah Farmasi Lepasan Diploma Farmasi”