Day: December 1, 2011

Abdul Rahim Sabri | Dec 1, 2011
Malaysiakini

Defending an earlier speech which accused DAP of being anti-Malay and anti-Islam, Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin denied it was racist and hit back at his critics, describing them as being “100 times more racist”.

According to the deputy prime minister, what he had said was not something different from the historical facts, and instead it could “consolidate the new awareness” among the Malays about the party’s struggle.

“Only someone who is too racist (would think it is racist). When some quarters say something about their own race, he will say it is racist.

“They don’t realise that they are 100 times more racist than us,” he told the media, without mentioning any names, during a press conference today at the Umno annual general meeting (AGM).

During his opening address for the AGMs of Umno Wanita, Youth and Puteri on Tuesday, Muhyiddin accused DAP as an anti-Islam and anti-Malay party which attempted to turn Malaysia into a republic. Continue reading “Others are 100 times more racist, claims Muhyiddin”

By Yow Hong Chieh
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 01, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 — Malaysia’s corruption score would have improved to 4.5 if Transparency International (TI) had not included a new measure which dragged down overall performance, the government’s efficiency unit said today.

“TI’s Bribe Payer Index (BPI) was conducted only in 28 countries. This is the 1st time this has been introduced into the CPI,” the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) said on its @gtp_roadmap Twitter account for its Government Transformation Programme (GTP) section that covers anti-graft programmes.

“BPI is a new survey conducted to measure the propensity of Msians paying bribe to parties outside of Msia. If BPI was not taken into account, Msia’s score would jump to 4.5 and the country ranking would remain at 56.”

Malaysia’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) score has worsened for the third consecutive year to 4.3 from 4.4 in 2010, according to a report released by TI’s Malaysian chapter today.

Malaysia’s country ranking also fell to 60 out of 183 countries — between Saudi Arabia and Cuba — from 56 out of 178 last year. Continue reading “Pemandu blames new measurement method for poorer graft score”

— Lucius Goon
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 01, 2011

DEC 1 — I am truly dumbfounded; how did we reach this stage where wrongdoing, abuse of power is ignored and even celebrated.

What was the trigger point or epochal moment when corruption, abuse of public funds and plain padding up bank accounts stopped being an issue for Umno.

This was supposed to be Umno’s show of unity and transformation, an audition of sorts before the coming election. But instead we have seen a party from the top — Muhyiddin Yassin to the rank and file — celebrating the National Feedlot Corporation scandal.

Umno Youth says it is on reform mode but that it just shallow speak given the movement’s pledge to defend Messrs Shahrizat Jalil’s family’s scandalous use of public funds. Just to recap, her husband and children were given a softloan of RM250 million to develop the feedlot programme in Gemas.

But the Auditor-General reported that the project was a mess and digging by the Opposition showed that money was used to buy condominiums, umrah packages, a Mercedes Benz, etc. Basically, they treated my money and yours like their own. Continue reading “A party that celebrates wrongdoing”

By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 01, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 — Lim Kit Siang called today for Parliament to compel the government to implement the 10 recommendations put forward by the parliamentary select committee on electoral reforms by January 1.

Polls panel chief Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili filed a motion today for Parliament to adopt the reforms which include the use of indelible ink, allowing overseas Malaysians to vote and forming a royal commission to look into foreigners being given the right to vote in Sabah.

But DAP parliamentary leader Lim asked to amend the motion to compel “the Cabinet, Election Commission and related government agencies” to implement the recommendations effective January 1.

“The question is whether there is any guarantee they will be implemented by the 13th general election.

“This will ensure our debate will have meaning and action will be taken,” the Ipoh Timor MP said in Parliament. Continue reading “Kit Siang wants Cabinet, EC to implement polls reforms by Jan 1”