Day: June 11, 2011

When history is written in the future, the present period may be described as the most exciting, challenging and momentous period in the nation’s history since Merdeka and formation of Malaysia as for the first time in half a century, Malaysians feel that it is within their power to effect far-reaching changes affecting not only themselves, but their children and children’s children.

Just look at the news on online portals and they reflect the multi-facted turmoil affecting the country.

For instance, if we look at the main news headlines on The Malaysia Today, we read the following:

• “Kit Siang, Soi Lek agree race column outdated”
• “Ku Li calls for RCI on power deals”
• “Ex-cop claims AG concealed billion-ringgit scandals”
• “Najib: People, not slogans, decide who wins Putrajaya”
• “PAS polls outcome a win for DAP, says Najib” Continue reading “Najib cannot be more wrong as PAS polls outcome is a win for PR and a loss for UMNO”

By Melissa Chi
Jun 11, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 – Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud should go on leave until the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) complete their probe into allegations of his corrupt practices, Lim Kit Siang said today.

The pro-government New Straits Times have highlighted the probe, which began after Taib won the Sarawak polls in April. The long-serving chief minister has resisted Putrajaya’s call to step down sooner than later, prompting a media campaign on his alleged graft offences.

“Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has confirmed that it is currently investigating Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud over allegation of timber corruption. Continue reading “Kit Siang says Taib should take leave while under probe”

Oleh Amaluddin Zhafir
10 June 2011 | Roketkini.com

“Kenapa tidak? Kalau ramai orang Melayu dalam DAP, boleh jadi calon DAP, itu bermakna satu perkembangan dalam kesedaran politik orang Melayu.”

Kata-kata di atas dilontar penuh semangat oleh tokoh wartawan Said Zahari ketika saya bertandang ke rumahnya di Subang Jaya semalam (9 Jun).

Pertama kali ketika menjejak ke ‘kubu’ beliau – yang dipenuhi dengan ratusan buku di rak-rak – Said Zahari atau terkenal dengan panggilan Pak Said yang sudah berusia 83 tahun sedang merenung luar dari jendela biliknya. Continue reading “Perkauman sempit Utusan: Said Zahari”

By Boo Su-Lyn
Jun 11, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 — As Umno and PAS battle over their welfare state policies, DAP’s Lim Guan Eng said today Penang’s welfare policies were sparked by Barisan Nasional (BN)’s failure to impose a national minimum wage and increase real wages.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said yesterday that the results of the recent PAS party election was a victory for the DAP, pointing out that the new PAS line-up now championed a welfare state and not an Islamic one. Continue reading “Welfare state: DAP dares Najib to enact minimum wage”

By PM Wong
Jun 11, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JUNE 11 — We cannot choose where we are born but we can certainly choose where we live. My father was born in Guangdong province and migrated to Malaya with his family when he was six. I grew up in Kuala Lumpur, studied and worked in New York for many years before moving to Hong Kong 18 years ago.

Hong Kong is now my adopted home because I enjoy living here. More importantly, it is a place where I believe I can best contribute to creating a better world.
Continue reading “A place that values me”

By Hirobella
June 11, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JUNE 11 — I have been following closely articles written by like-minded people like me who chose to leave Malaysia and others who chose to stay. For those who have chosen to leave or about to leave the country, someone like me can easily identify with their choice. After all I made the same decision over 20 years ago to come to Australia with my wife and one-year-old daughter. Continue reading “No regrets”

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has confirmed that it is currently investigating Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud over allegation of timber corruption.

Its chief commissioner, Abu Kassim Mohamed said two days ago that the commission was in the process of gathering more information regarding the matter.

Is “gathering more information” tantamount to a corruption investigation under the MACC Act 2009 or is it an activity which can be outsourced to any research organisation? Continue reading “Taib Mahmud should go on leave until MACC has cleared him of grave “grand corruption” allegations”

I just returned from a visit to Beijing and Xi’an. Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi province and home to the Terracotta Army, has a history of more than 3,100 years.

It was the seat of power of 13 dynasties in China, most notably Zhou, Qin, Han, Sui and Tang.

One thought struck me when visiting the historic sites in Xi’an – that in Malaysia, the time has come for dynastic change after 54 years of Umno-hegemonised Barisan Nasional to equal-power-sharing Pakatan Rakyat in the next 13th general election. Continue reading “DAP Dayak Brain Trust to advise DAP Sarawak and DAP Malaysia to end Dayak marginalisation”

by Walter Chan
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 10, 2011

JUNE 10 — So it looks like election season is in the offing, judging by politicians making statements here and there.

I am especially interested in statements attributed to Prime Minister Najib Razak as reported in The Malaysian Insider. Apparently he was speaking to some residents in Datuk Keramat when he said that people and not slogans decide who wins Putrajaya.

Coming from the man who has relied on “People First, Performance Now” and 1 Malaysia rather than any substantive change, that is a bit odd. But we should not nitpick.

But what really got my blood boiling was his question on whether voters can trust Pakatan Rakyat. The follies and shortcomings of the opposition are amplified and documented well in the mainstream media but there is only fawning coverage of Barisan Nasional in the same pages. Continue reading “Can we trust you, Najib?”

The Malaysian Insider
Jun 10, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 — Veteran politician Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah today called for a royal commission to probe Tenaga Nasional Berhad’s contracts with independent power producers (IPPs), saying the lopsided deals may be burdening consumers.

“The commission must investigate and propose the best suitable measures to be taken by the government to ease the burden to be borne by the consumers following the inevitable increase in the electricity tariff after the IPPs charged higher rates to TNB,” the Gua Musang MP was quoted by Bernama Online today.

The Cabinet raised power tariffs by an average of 7.12 per cent effective June 1, in a bid to trim a growing subsidy bill and widening fiscal deficit.

But the move has also thrown the spotlight on the purchasing power agreements that TNB is engaged in with the IPPs. Continue reading “Ku Li calls for RCI on power deals”

By Melissa Chi
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 11, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 — Political foes Lim Kit Siang and Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek have unanimously agreed race columns should no longer exist on identification papers such as birth certificates and identity cards (IC).

The DAP parliamentary leader said he does not see any reason for the race column to remain.

“It has been more than half a century, we should all be Malaysians, in line with the 1 Malaysia concept,” Lim told The Malaysian Insider.

As for data collection purposes, he said that can be done through census.

“I think we should move towards regarding everyone as Malaysians… (Racial classification) should be a secondary purpose instead of the overbearing objective,” the Ipoh Timur MP said. Continue reading “Kit Siang, Soi Lek agree race column outdated”