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Leave the children out of dirty politics

Malaysiakini YOURSAY | Oct 19, 2011

‘After the blue film, now they are resorting to slander against opponent’s child? Really, how low can you get, Umno?’

Incensed Guan Eng castigates pro-Umno blogs

your sayMalaysian Born: The politicians who are involved in spreading these unsubstantiated and cruel attacks on this child are despicable and have lost their way.

They are neither qualified to be representatives of the people nor are they deserving of being given any face or respect. This sort of behaviour is indicative of not having a proper upbringing, of not having any breeding, certainly the sort of bottom feeding dirt bags that should be avoided by all, let alone allowing them to be elected.
Continue reading “Leave the children out of dirty politics”

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The most cruel cut of ‘em all

Comment
by Thomas Lee Seng Hock

As a father, my heart goes out to Lim Guan Eng whose teenage son is being politically abused by the cruel inhuman Umno and other upstart politicians.

It is surely sad that the Malaysian politicalculture has descended to such a low gutter level that a 16-year-old innocent boy’s life may be permanently damaged or even destroyed by the evil derogatory politicians who dragged him into a shameful circumstance with their mischievous wickedlies.

Such immoral morons should be politically castrated,and treated as beastly pariahs by all right-thinking and righteous persons fortheir extremely uncouth and uncivilized character and behavior, even if they have doctorate degrees or graduates of prominent prestigious universities like Oxford. Continue reading “The most cruel cut of ‘em all”

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Fitnah galore

Tweets @limkitsiang:-

How PM/DPM feel if their children/grandchildren victims of such despicable/contemptible gutter attack built on lies? ow.ly/70wLK
3:54pm

Will Najib/M’ddin condemn such despicable attack on innocent children by Umno cybertroopers? Is this Najib’s “political transformation”?
3:57pm

Fitnah 1:Kes pencabulan di bulan May sebelum cuti sekolah. Fitnah 2:Bayaran tunai RM200 ribu untuk tutup mulut kes selepas tuntutan RM500k.
4:27pm
Continue reading “Fitnah galore”

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Attack on Guan Eng’s son is ‘gutter politics’, says Pakatan

By Shannon Teoh | October 18, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) top leadership came out in full force today to defend Lim Guan Eng, calling allegations by Umno against the DAP secretary-general’s son “the lowest gutter politics” seen in decades.

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told a press conference after a PR presidential council meeting that the accusations showed that Umno leaders “know no limits when it comes to clinging on to power.”

“Attacking not just leaders but their families … it is disgusting,” the PKR de facto leader said.

DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang called the allegations, which centre around the alleged conduct of Guan Eng’s son in school and allegations about the subsequent use of his father’s name to escape punishment, “gutter politics of the lowest I have seen in over 40 years of politics.”
Continue reading “Attack on Guan Eng’s son is ‘gutter politics’, says Pakatan”

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Incensed Guan Eng castigates pro-Umno blogs

Malaysiakini | Oct 18

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is incensed that pro-Umno bloggers are trying to finish off his political career by wrecking the life of his teenage son with “morally despicable and barbaric” lies.

In a statement, Lim demanded that Umno acts against those who are guilty of this, to prove that the party does not employ “desperate, dangerous and dirty tactics” to cling own to power at any cost.

He condemned several Umno leaders for highlighting “this shameful episode” in their blogs, namely, Bukit Gelugor Umno division vice-chief Dr Novandri Hasan Basri and Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaludin.

Khairy (right), the Rembau MP, had tweeted earlier @PapaGomo Mungkin dia roboh Kampung Buah Pala sebab nak ganti dengan Kampung Buah Dada (Perhaps he demolished Buah Pala village to replace it with ‘Boobs village’).
Continue reading “Incensed Guan Eng castigates pro-Umno blogs”

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Guan Eng slams pro-Umno ‘beasts’ for targetting son in ‘barbaric lies’

By Clara Chooi | October 18, 2011
The Malaysian Insider (Updated)

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — Lim Guan Eng said today he was furious with the “barbaric lies” made about his young son by “pro-Umno ferocious beasts” and singled out Khairy Jamaluddin and other party leaders for perpetrating the allegations with snide comments on blogs and on social media.

“My family and I deplore these lies and fabrications against my young son as morally despicable and barbaric. Umno should act against those trying to wreck the life of my young son with cruel and barbaric lies just to finish me off politically,” Lim (picture) said in a strongly-worded statement today.

The Penang chief minister pointed to the allegations highlighted in Bukit Gelugor Umno division chairman Dr Novandri Hasan Basri’s blog and a subsequent comment posted by Khairy on his Twitter account.
Continue reading “Guan Eng slams pro-Umno ‘beasts’ for targetting son in ‘barbaric lies’”

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Lim Guan Eng on alleged criminal wrongdoing involving his son

Press Statement By Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng In Kuala Lumpur On 18.10.2011.
 
UMNO Should Act Against Those Trying To Wreck The Life Of My Young Son With Cruel And Barbaric Lies Just To Finish Me Off Politically To Prove That UMNO Is Not A 3D Party That Employs Desperate Dangerous And Dirty Tactics

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had declared during the Gerakan National Delegates Conference two days ago that BN had not given up on Penang and will go all out to recapture the state from Pakatan Rakyat. Following those Najib’s declaration of intent, we see pro-UMNO blogs and some UMNO leaders carrying out a serial campaign in the internet to systematically not only character assasinate me but also cruelly dragging in my young 16 year old son with their lies.
 
My wife and I are furious that pro-UMNO blogs and some UMNO leaders have made or perpetuated false allegations against my young son of criminal wrongdoing. My family and I deplore these lies and fabrications against my young son as morally despicable and barbaric. UMNO should act against those trying to wreck the life of my young son with cruel and barbaric lies just to finish me off politically to prove that UMNO is not a 3D party that employs desperate, dangerous and dirty tactics just to cling on and retain power at any cost.
 
My son had transferred to St Xavier Institution in Penang from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Cina Heng Yee because I had promised him that he could transfer to the school of his choice if he scored at least 6As in his PMR. When he achieved that, he was transferred at the beginning of the school term this year in January 2011. My son wanted to go to St Xavier because he did not want to have his hair crew-cut as is required for Heng Yee students but wanted to keep his hair longer. Continue reading “Lim Guan Eng on alleged criminal wrongdoing involving his son”

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Mukhriz confirms Najib wants meritocracy for Malays

By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 18, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s call for meritocracy over the weekend meant finding the best Malays in the country but not abolishing pro-Bumiputera policies despite liberalising the economy, says Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir.

The prime minister was reported to have said that affirmative action under the New Economic Policy (NEP) is “here to stay” by a pro-Umno blogger who attended a closed-door session with the Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) Junior Science College alumni.

Mukhriz, who is the alumni president, confirmed the blog report with The Malaysian Insider, saying yesterday that Najib’s message was “that we are getting rid of rent-seekers and helping Malays become more competitive instead.”

The report quoted Najib as saying that the NEP would not be abolished but that meritocracy would be implemented among Malays to find “the best amongst Malays.” Continue reading “Mukhriz confirms Najib wants meritocracy for Malays”

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Race quotas, politics led to falling UM standards, says World Bank study

by Leslie Lau
Executive Editor
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 17, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 — A World Bank publication has found that standards at Universiti Malaya have fallen and the institution has been kept at a disadvantage because of race-based admission quotas and political interference in university management.

In contrast, Singapore’s decision to prioritise research, keeping English as the medium of instruction and a merit-based admissions policy have all contributed to the success of the National University of Singapore’s success, according to “The Road to Academic Excellence,” which studies what contributes to a world-class research university.

The study also noted that Malaysian secondary school students are not well prepared for tertiary education.

It points out that the Malaysian education system promotes rote learning, conformity and uniformity rather than fresh and creative thinking. Continue reading “Race quotas, politics led to falling UM standards, says World Bank study”

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Malaysian confidence dives as global recovery ends, says survey

By Lee Wei Lian
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 17, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 — The largest-ever global survey of finance professionals by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) shows that all signs of the global economic recovery have disappeared.

The confidence level in Malaysia also deteriorated markedly in the survey as out of 222 finance professionals who responded in Malaysia, only eight per cent reported confidence gains, down from 20 per cent in the last quarter, and 77 per cent believe the global economy is either stagnating or deteriorating compared with 54 per cent.

In terms of the global outlook, three-quarters of the 2,873 professionals who took part in the Global Economic Conditions Survey between August 19 and September 7, 2011 thought global economic conditions were deteriorating or stagnating.

The ACCA’s global business confidence index returned a reading of -34 for the third quarter of 2011, down from -8 in the previous quarter.

It said that based on past observations, a reading lower than -14 should indicate that the developed world is slipping into negative growth. Continue reading “Malaysian confidence dives as global recovery ends, says survey”

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Save Kampung Tambatuon

In May this year I visited Kampung Tambatuon at the foothills of Mount Kinabalu and which will be totally drowned in a proposed RM450 million Tambatuon Dam project.

Although the proposed Tambatuon Dam had been mooted for two years, there had been no proper and full consultation by the relevant authorities, including the MP for Kota Belud, who has become the strongest advocate for the Dam project, with the people who would be directly affected with the destruction of their traditional habitat and way of life.

The people of Kampung Tambatuon and concerned communities have protested to the various state authorities against the proposed Tambatuon Dam project. Continue reading “Save Kampung Tambatuon”

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5 transformation measures for Malaysia

Proposals which would have given meaning to 2012 Budget as a National Transformation Policy

The theme of of the 2012 Budget is: “National Transformation Policy: Welfare for the Rakyat, Wellbeing of the Nation.”

It is supposed to be a very important budget as it is open up a new decade of National Transformation Policy or DTN effective from 2011 to 2020 when Malaysia is to become developed and high-income nation.

The National Transformation Policy is the final lap of development policies starting with the New Economic Policy 1971-1990, National Development Policy 1991-2000 and the national Vision Policy 2001-2010.

But is there “transformational” in the 2012 Budget which is to usher in a decade of transformation in Malaysia? I can’t find anything transformational or even visionary at all. Continue reading “5 transformation measures for Malaysia”

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Judicial tribunal for AG and Ct of Appeal judge

b) Judicial tribunal into serious allegations of graft and abuse of power against Attorney-General Abdul Ghani Patail

In the past few months, many serious allegations of graft and abuse of power had been made against the Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail notably by the former Kuala Lumpur CID Chief Mat Zain Ibrahim in a series of open letters, former MACC panel member Tan Sri Robert Phang and blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin.

These allegations included falsifying facts and evidence in Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s infamous “black eye” incident in 1998, the graft case against Shahidan Shafie and the judicial abuses in the Altantunya Shaaribuu murder trial.

Unless Gani Patail take legal action against these allegations, the Prime Minister should set up a tribunal to clear the name of the Attorney-General as these are very serious allegations which if unrebutted can only undermine public confidence in the professionalism, independence and integrity of the Attorney-General but also key national institutions, including the judiciary, the police and the MACC. Continue reading “Judicial tribunal for AG and Ct of Appeal judge”

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Teoh Beng Hock and Sarbaini – victims of MACC

3. Continued degradation instead of restoration of independence, professionalism and integrity of key national institutions in the country.

(a) Great flaw of TBH RCI report – failure to affix responsibility for TBH’s death on MACC despite evidence galore

The Teoh Beng Hock Royal Commission of Inquiry did not contribute to the restoration of public confidence in the independence, professionalism and integrity of key national institutions but their continued degradation.

A great flaw of the Teoh Beng Hock (TBH) Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report is its failure to affix responsibility for Beng Hock’s death on the MACC although there were evidence galore before the RCI proceedings.

It was not just persons, namely various MACC officers led by Hishammuddin Hashim the then Selangor MACC Deputy Director and the “mastermind” of the illegal and massive 33-officer MACC “operation”, who must bear responsibility for Beng Hock’s death but also the institution of MACC as well. Continue reading “Teoh Beng Hock and Sarbaini – victims of MACC”

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Political ploy or genuine democratisation?

2. The undemocratic clampdown on July 9 peaceful Bersih 2.0 rally for fair, free and clean elections.

Democratic and political transformation must be furthest from the mind of a government which could mount the undemocratic clampdown on the July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally for free, fair and clean elections, launching mass arrests, locking down the Federal Capital and irresponsibly, indiscriminately and recklessly firing tear gas and chemically-laced water cannon at peaceful and patriotic demonstrators, including Pakatan Rakyat and Bersih 2.0 leaders.

The weeks before and after the historic Bersih 2.0 rally were undoubtedly the worst period for Datuk Seri Najib Razak since becoming the sixth Malaysian Prime Minister 27 months ago in April 2009 – his greatest failure of leadership which made him the object of ridicule and scorn not only in the country but also internationally, and forcing him to cut short his overseas trip.

Are Malaysians to believe that it was during this period that Najib had a sudden change of heart as to be converted to the agenda to democratisation and political transformation resulting in the establishment of the Parliamentary Select Committee on electoral reforms and the announcements on the repeal or amendment of repressive undemocratic laws like the Internal Security Act? Continue reading “Political ploy or genuine democratisation?”

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Why Malaysian universities fallen so low in international rankings?

Is Malaysia on the cusp of a major national transformation to restore national unity, achieve excellence and regain international competitiveness after the slew of policy initiatives, like the “1Malaysia, People First, Performance Now” and the impementation of the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) with seven National Key Result Areas (NKRAs), Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) with 12 National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs), the New Economic Model with eight Strategic Reform Initiatives (SRIs), and latest the Political Transformation Programme to repeal and reform undemocratic laws?

We are still very far from it and the following events and incidents in the past few weeks and months are salutary reminders of this solemn fact that we still have a very long way to go to have any transformational mindset and mentality, viz:

1. Exclusion of Malaysian universities from Times Higher Education (THE) 400 Top World University Ranking 2011/12.

The recent release of the Times Higher Education (THE) 400 Top World University Ranking 2011/12, where not a single Malaysian university is included, has punctured the elation and euphoria just two months ago over the QS 200 World University Rankings 2011/12 which saw University of Malaya making to the top 200 Top Universities moving 40 places to 167 compared to 2010.

In the QS World University Rankings 2011/12, four other Malaysian universities slid down the rankings – University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) ranked 279 this year compared to 263 in 2010; Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) ranked 335 (309 last year); Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) ranked 358 (319 last year) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) at between 401 and 450 (365 last year).

But in the just-released THE 400 Top World University Ranking 2011/12, none of the Malaysian universities made it into the placings.

A total of 60 Asian Universities made it into the THE 400 Top World University Ranking, with 16 from Japan, 10 from China, eight from Taiwan, seven from South Korea, six from Hong Kong, two from Singapore, and one each from India and Thailand. Continue reading “Why Malaysian universities fallen so low in international rankings?”

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Najib’s many firsts in 2012 Budget

Prime Minister-cum-Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 2012 Budget achieved many “firsts” in Malaysian parliamentary and budgetary history.

First, it beat all the other 53 budgets since 1957 in being the greatest cornucopia of goodies for votes in the forthcoming 13th general elections to reach out for voter support from a whole swathe of targetted groups comprising important vote-banks.

Second, it ranks at the most brazen and cynical budget exercise chalking up the highest Federal Government debt in history – set to break the RM500 billion mark next year, when for 2011, the Federal government debt to GDP (Gross Domestic Product) ratio of 53.8% has increased by 12% from RM 407 billion 2010 (i.e. 53.1% of GDP) to RM456 billion in 2011.

After 13 consecutive years of budget deficit, the Federal Government debt has increased by leaps and bounds – more than quadrupling from RM103 billion in 1998 when it was 38.3% to GDP to RM455.7 billion in 2011 or 53.8% to GDP.

Thirdly, in painting an overly-rosy picture of the economic future without taking into realistic account the grim international picture. Continue reading “Najib’s many firsts in 2012 Budget”

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It’s Muhyiddin who should be grateful

— Ali Kadir
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 16, 2011

OCT 16 — You know elections are around the corner when the politicians start telling the electorate that we should be grateful for all the development around us. It is incredible that these Barisan Nasional (BN) politicians still make all these patronising noises, knowing full well how tired we are of listening to their rubbish.

But since we are on the subject of gratitude, let me offer a number of reasons why Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (yesterday for the umpteenth time he advised Malaysians to be grateful) and friends should be grateful to us.

1. BN should be grateful that they are still occupying Putrajaya despite clear evidence of corruption, nepotism and cronyism at the highest levels of government, including members of the Cabinet.

So tolerant are Malaysians that we have put up with leakages, inflated contracts and ostentatious displays of wealth by members of the Mahathir administration, the Abdullah team and the Najib government. We have put up with all this corruption in the name of development. So Muhyiddin and friends should be grateful to us for our blind loyalty and apathy. Continue reading “It’s Muhyiddin who should be grateful”

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Understanding anti-Malaysianism in Indonesia

— Farish A. Noor
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 14, 2011

OCT 14 — And so, as it happens time and again, there appears to be yet another diplomatic spat looming over the horizon between Malaysia and Indonesia. The cause of it, this time round, is a dispute over border-land markers somewhere in East Malaysia/Kalimantan that appear to have been moved by persons yet unknown and unidentified. Some Indonesian legislators have called for an investigation, while others have tried to ease tension by saying that spurious accusations without proof are useless at this stage.

I will not comment on the exact circumstances and details of this dispute, for I am frankly in the dark about what really happened — along with millions of other Malaysians and Indonesians. Thus far according to some accounts it has been suggested that some of the border-markers may even have been moved by Indonesians themselves, who seem to think it would be better to live in Malaysia. Should that be the case, however odd and unlikely, it would still be a legal matter that has to be investigated before any resolution can come.

My concern here has less to do with this singular issue, but rather the wider picture of Malaysia-Indonesia relations and the internal politics of both countries. Continue reading “Understanding anti-Malaysianism in Indonesia”

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A Step Forward, On a Long Path

AIPMC Press statement
13 October 2011

As part of the government of Myanmar’s earlier announcement of a general amnesty to release 6,359 prisoners starting from yesterday, at least 200 political prisoners have since been released. However, many more political prisoners, prisoners of conscience remain in indefinite detention. Thus, the AIPMC today reiterates its call for the release of all political prisoners.

While we welcome this news, AIPMC notes that the international community, especially ASEAN, must remain wary of suggestions that equate genuine democratic reform and political reform with this long over-due release. With each passing year, the international community has come to expect that the regime will concede a number of prisoners. Yet, we fear that this approach does little to counteract the grievous lack of substantive democratic reform.

Given ASEAN’s ongoing engagement with its fellow member state, Myanmar, we ask that ASEAN utilize this opportunity to join with the international community in strongly urging the junta to ensure that this amnesty extends to all political prisoners. Continue reading “A Step Forward, On a Long Path”