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Utusan: Bersih is Pakatan’s bid to spark Middle East-style protests

By Yow Hong Chieh
June 19, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 19 — The opposition will use next month’s Bersih 2.0 rally to trigger an uprising similar to the popular protests which toppled Egypt’s Mubarak regime and now threatens governments in Libya, Syria and Yemen, Utusan Malaysia said in its Sunday edition today

Its Mingguan Malaysia weekend edition said those who intend to mass in the capital on July 9 to demand electoral reform have lost faith in democracy after realising they cannot win federal power through the ballot box.

“Peace is no longer important to them. They want only to seize power and install their leader as Malaysia’s prime minister using whatever means possible,” the Umno-owned daily said in its Maulana Arrif column.

“The enemies of Islam, both humans and syaitan-syaitan (devils), are working to aid them,” it added. Continue reading “Utusan: Bersih is Pakatan’s bid to spark Middle East-style protests”

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What creativity?’ Kit Siang asks Soi Lek

By Shannon Teoh
June 19, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 19 — Lim Kit Siang mocked today Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek’s defence of the “unquantifiable creativity” behind the tourism ministry’s RM1.8 million Facebook project.

The Ipoh Timur MP pointed out that a Facebook page protesting the project has already garnered three times the support of the Tourism Malaysia ~ Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia page.

“Chua is defending the indefensible. What creativity is Chua talking about?” said DAP’s parliamentary leader of the MCA president’s statement yesterday defending Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

The Curi-curi Wang Malaysia community page has raced to nearly 120,000 “likes” in just five days while the official Tourism Malaysia page is yet to hit 40,000 despite being set up in May. Continue reading “What creativity?’ Kit Siang asks Soi Lek”

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Power is duty, not a prize

By Razaleigh Hamzah
Jun 19, 11 | MalaysiaKini

Malaysia’s post-colonial history began with optimism and a grand hope in 1957. When Tunku Abdul Rahman, the first prime minister of Malaysia, proclaimed our Independence at the Merdeka Stadium in the unforgettable words that “Malaysia is a parliamentary democracy with an independent judiciary,” he had a vision of a happy people in spite of the formidable economic problems we needed to solve.

After that dawn of independence, there was a search of how we could achieve this happy society, fulfilling the needs and aspirations of all Malaysians which was to continue for the generations to come. He symbolised the concept and conviction of generational responsibility in his vision. Continue reading “Power is duty, not a prize”

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“Creativity cannot be quantified” – Malaysians must thank their lucky stars it only cost RM1.8m

R1.8 million six Facebook fiasco – Going by Chua Soi Lek’s logic, Malaysians must thank their lucky stars they had not been charged RM18 million or RM180 million as “creativity cannot be quantified”

Going by the logic of MCA President Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek, Malaysians must thank their lucky stars that they had not been charged RM18 million or RM180 million for six Facebook pages to promote tourism to Malaysia although facebook pages are free as “creativity cannot be quantified”.

Chua’s logic is impeccable when he said it might cost nothing to start facebook but “maintenance had costs” particularly when he stressed that it is difficult to put a dollar figure to the creativity of the IT consultants used. Continue reading ““Creativity cannot be quantified” – Malaysians must thank their lucky stars it only cost RM1.8m”

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Growing into my father’s son

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
June 19, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JUNE 19 — A grunt, a shadow of a frown or dead silence. These things tell me whether or not Abah is upset with me.

All my life, I’ve known Abah to be a man of few words. A quiet, unassuming type, aunts and uncles call him, but a proud man nevertheless.

Take a walk into Abah’s study at home, or his office at work, and you’ll be greeted by an army of books, yellowed by time and dog-eared with overuse. Continue reading “Growing into my father’s son”

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Bank Negara’s conditions tripping Abu Dhabi’s RHB sale

By Jahabar Sadiq
Editor
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 19, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, June 19 — Several new Bank Negara conditions are threatening the RM5.9 billion sale of a 25 per cent stake in RHB Capital Bhd between two Abu Dhabi sister firms, including the requirement that the new shareholder must support a possible merger with another Malaysian bank.

Two other puzzling requirements by the central bank is the request for Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) and new RHB shareholder Abu Dhabi investment fund Aabar Investments to adjust the sale price if the merger price is lower than the RM10.80 per share price agreed by both companies and the merger must not deviate too far from the market price so as to weaken the merged entity.

The Malaysian Insider understands that after the deal was signed on Friday, Bank Negara sent a series of harsh emails to to ADCB telling them to state the conditions imposed by the central bank in their press releases, which some bankers say is an aggresive and unusual intervention for such a matter. Continue reading “Bank Negara’s conditions tripping Abu Dhabi’s RHB sale”

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Pemandu explains RM64 mil expenditure

Regina Lee | Jun 18, 11
Malaysiakini

The Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu), raising eyebrows with its RM63.9 million price tag, has pointed out that the expenditure pales in comparison to similar programmes undertaken by multi-national companies.

In a blog posting on the Economic Transformation Programme’s website yesterday, it said that out of the total amount covering communications and consultancy work, only RM27.5 million was expended on communications.

Out of which, RM15 million went to communications regarding the Government Transformation Programme while for the same purpose another RM12.5 million channelled to the Economic Transformation Programme.

But without providing a detailed breakdown, the statement said that they embraced “open days, exhibitions, speaker platforms and other targeted ground activities, media relations, advertising, digital campaigns, investor relations, production of videos, brochures and collaterals”. Continue reading “Pemandu explains RM64 mil expenditure”

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Soi Lek says Tourism Facebook pages incur more cost than personal ones

By Yow Hong Chieh
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 18, 2011

The Facebook pages operated by the Tourism Ministry are “complicated” and cost more to run than similar personal pages on the world’s most popular social networking site, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said tonight

The MCA president waded into the controversy surrounding the RM1.8 million paid for six Facebook pages by the ministry helmed by party vice president Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, saying it might cost nothing to start such pages but maintenance had costs.

He added that it was difficult to put a dollar figure to the creativity of the IT consultants used, which he suggested was the largest variable in the bill.

“That creativity, I don’t know how much they will charge,” he told reporters after attending a fundraising dinner at SMJK Chong Hwa here. Continue reading “Soi Lek says Tourism Facebook pages incur more cost than personal ones”

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Muhyiddin says opposition using Bersih rally to topple BN

The Malaysian Insider
June 18, 2011

BEAUFORT, June 18 – The opposition is hiding behind the planned Bersih 2.0 rally with a plot to topple the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.

The Umno deputy president (picture) said the opposition’s agenda was to create a momentum among the people to hate the government by raising various issues beyond the call for clean and fair elections. Continue reading “Muhyiddin says opposition using Bersih rally to topple BN”

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Isn’t a one-race civil service a form of apartheid?

By Dr Boo Cheng Hau
June 18, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JUNE 18 — I remember once, as a young medical officer, I was boycotted by operating theatre staff when I wanted stern action taken against a staff nurse who went for a kenduri when she was supposed to scrub for a surgery.

An assistant nurse had to cover up for her delinquent senior. Both the nurses — the one who had absented herself and the one suddenly forced to relieve her duty — were Malay. The young patient lying on my operating table waiting to deliver her baby was Malay too. And also Malay, the anaesthetist and other operating theatre staff who gave me the cold shoulder after I remonstrated with the matron. Continue reading “Isn’t a one-race civil service a form of apartheid?”

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Some Saudi women challenge drive ban

By Asma Alsharif
Reuters
Fri, Jun 17 2011

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) – Some Saudi women appeared to have answered a call over social media to challenge a ban on driving, posting accounts and pictures of themselves behind the wheel in the conservative Arab kingdom.

Groups such as “Women2Drive” and “Women’s Right to Drive in KSA” had called for a day of defiance, drawing more than 15,000 supporters on various Facebook groups.

“I drove with my husband, and a policeman stopped me and gave me a ticket, which stated that I was driving without a license,” Maha al-Gahtani, a resident of Riyadh, posted on Twitter along with a picture of a traffic ticket with her name.

“I was disappointed that I didn’t see any other women drivers,” she said. “I did it to get my rights.” Continue reading “Some Saudi women challenge drive ban”

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Rais demonising citizens through Bersih, says Ambiga

By Debra Chong
June 18, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 — Bersih 2.0 chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan denied today all links between the recent spate of cyber attacks on government websites and her electoral reform group raised yesterday by Datuk Seri Rais Yatim, saying his conjecture is an attack on Malaysians.

A group of hackers calling themselves Anonymous mounted an attack on at least 200 websites last Thursday, saying they are against censorship of websites by the government.

“It’s a wholly unfounded, unreasonable, preposterous suggestion made by a Cabinet minister who should really know better than to make such wild accusations,” she told The Malaysian Insider. Continue reading “Rais demonising citizens through Bersih, says Ambiga”

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BN strategy to muzzle PR reps and to punish Dayaks for NCR struggle in new Sarawak State Assembly?

The Barisan Nasional will be making a fatal political mistake if the new Sarawak State Assembly starts off next week on a wrong footing with a high-handed Barisan Nasional strategy to muzzle Pakatan Rakat representatives and to punish Dayaks for their Native Customary Rights (NCR) struggle.

Reports yesterday about the opening session of the 10th Sarawak State Assembly beginning on Monday are disturbing for if true, they point to an intransigent Sarawak state government which refuses to acknowledge the wind of change blowing hard and strong in the state and the aspirations of Sarawakians for accountability, transparency, integrity and good governance.

There is yesterday’s report in Free Malaysia Today entitled “Behave or face consequence, opposition reps warned”, where strong language was used, for instance, quoting second Finance Minister Datuk Wong Soon Koh as warning that the BN has 55 while the Opposition only 16 State Assembly members when uttering the threat: “We know how to deal with them”. Continue reading “BN strategy to muzzle PR reps and to punish Dayaks for NCR struggle in new Sarawak State Assembly?”

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Iban language: Pick the right candidates

FMT Staff
June 18, 2011 | Free Malaysia Today

KUCHING: The Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA) has chastised the authorities for its nonchalant approach to the Iban language.

SADIA chairman Edward Manggah said the Iban language was not like any other subject.

“The teachers must have the basics. You cannot just pick people randomly and make them teach,” he said in response to the latest controversy involving the selection of candidates for Bahasa Iban courses. Continue reading “Iban language: Pick the right candidates”

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‘Umno Youth, Perkasa want to foil Bersih rally’

By Athi Shankar
June 18, 2011 | Free Malaysia Today

GEORGE TOWN: The planned Umno Youth and Perkasa rallies are meant to foil, frustrate and disrupt the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9, said DAP national chairman Karpal Singh today.

He called on the police to strictly ensure that all rallies were held in a orderly way without any untoward incidents.

The veteran politician hoped that participants of the three proposed rallies would be separated and prevented from abusing each other. Continue reading “‘Umno Youth, Perkasa want to foil Bersih rally’”

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Changing the world in our own little way

By Aidil Rusli
June 18, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JUNE 18 — I’ve never been a voracious reader, though I think I do read quite a bit compared to the average Malaysian. What I do read though is mostly non-fiction stuff, especially articles or interviews where artists I admire talk about their creative process or motivations.

You see, even if I do think of myself as an artist, I’ve never been the cerebral type who can explain exactly why I do this or that with my art. So, it’s pretty fun and revealing to read about what other artists have to say about their creative process because sometimes what they say actually does explain or help me understand how my own creative process works. Continue reading “Changing the world in our own little way”

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Bersih rally: People’s will or just politics?

By R. Shan
June 18, 2011 The Malaysian Insider

JUNE 18 — Much has been said of the Bersih rally by the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, to the horror of the ruling elites.

But the gist of its original objective has also been lost to the people and public. Both sides are using this event to maximise their purported need — from race, religion and anything that they can lay their hands on.

For a start, we love a battle when we are not a part of it, especially when there is someone else to fight it out for us. We are good only at scrapping in the cyber world. Continue reading “Bersih rally: People’s will or just politics?”

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Anak Malaysia 2

By M. Chua
June 18, 2011 | MalaysiaKini

JUNE 18 — Someone sent me an article by Kalimullah Hassan, which appeared in The Malaysian Insider last week.

The article was on his experiences in trying to be an “Anak Malaysia” and I found the subject to be interesting, especially for me, an Anak Malaysia currently living abroad.

I must confess I hardly read Malaysian newspapers these days and not even The Malaysia Insider or any other publication or news portal. Frankly, most news coming out of my homeland does not exactly fill me with joy. Continue reading “Anak Malaysia 2”

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Mosque polls: King’s name being used, says don

By Hazlan Zakaria
Jun 18, 11 | MalaysiaKini

While the Agong has purview over Islamic matters in ruler-less states like Penang, renowned constitutional law expert Abdul Aziz Bari fears that the Agong’s name is being used to criticise the Penang government’s policies.

“Only after Pakatan Rakyat took over Penang that suddenly the Agong became a significant figure. Continue reading “Mosque polls: King’s name being used, says don”

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For anti-Lynas residents, the time for talking is over

By Shannon Teoh
June 18, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUANTAN, June 18 — After being bullied from making their stand before an international panel of experts earlier this month, residents opposed to a RM700 million rare earth plant have closed the door to the government.

Accusing the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration of making “a pathetic” show of engaging stakeholders, the Save Malaysia group spearheading the local movement against the project told The Malaysian Insider that it will focus on building public sentiment against the plant.

“The only way to get the government to act is with votes. So we will increase public pressure to indirectly force the government to act. No more direct engagement,” said chairman Tan Bun Teet. Continue reading “For anti-Lynas residents, the time for talking is over”