Day: December 30, 2011

As if further reminders are needed, the closing month of the year have provided further proofs that the country has never been so polarised both on grounds of race and religion in the nation’s 54-year history than in the 32 months of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s premiership, viz:

• The irresponsible incitement and exploitation of the 3R cards of race, religion and Malay Rulers at the UMNO General Assembly;

• The Prime Minister’s pandering to the 3R rhetorics at the ensuing Perkida general assembly;

• The extremist reaction to a moderate and reasoned appeal for a fair and even-handed interpretation of Article 153 made by the chairperson of National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) Reverend Eu Hong Seng at a Christmas hi-tea on Christmas eve; and

• The unjustified response by Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to Reverend Eu’s speech at the national Christmas open house in Kajang on Dec. 26, warning against attempts to undermine the country’s unity “which the BN government has painstakingly built”.

Why has racial and religious polarisation in Malaysia worsened in the 32 months of Najib’s premiership when Najib had launched from April 2009 his signature policy and slogan of “1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now”, focussing on the core concepts of social cohension, unity in diversity and inclusiveness, social justice, excellence and integrity? Continue reading “2012 NY message – Year to make Malaysians proud of being a Malaysian and motivate Malaysians to achieve greatness”

— The Malaysian Insider
Dec 30, 2011

DEC 30 — When it comes to scandals of the financial variety, Putrajaya seems to have only one answer: blame the opposition.

Fair enough; the opposition does the same when it gets caught. Sometimes both sides are no better than the other.

Yet, what happens to the scandals? The National Feedlot Centre (NFC) “mess” was first revealed in the Auditor-General’s Report for 2010.

It blew up with further revelations from a few whistleblowers via PKR. Anti-graft officials passed the matter to the police. And over month later, it remains under investigation.

As is the matter of a man now held for attempting to “settle” the matter for those in the NFC. But Barisan Nasional (BN) has been quick to say it is an opposition plot to smear Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil.

And that the NFC has nothing to do with her, as the project is undertaken by her family. Not her.

It remains that the Auditor-General was the first to raise alarm bells about the NFC. Just as he and his team did with the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ).

We now have a similar situation with the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department who is in charge of Islamic religious affairs, Senator Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, whose legal fees were paid using zakat funds. Continue reading “Scandals, real or imagined?”

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 30, 2011

30 DIS — Rakyat sedang menghadapi terlalu banyak masalah yang berat akibat kelakuan dan sikap pemimpin kerajaan kita yang tidak mempunyai disiplin kepimpinan serta pemikiran. Sebagaimana yang telah selalu saya katakan masalah yang kita hadapi ini berpunca dari masalah kepimpinan negara.

Sekarang ini kepimpinan negara sedang menghadapi krisis keyakinan yang paling getir dalam sejarah kemerdekaan negara. Krisis ini sudah lama menular tetapi kerajaan dan parti yang memerintah masih boleh menyangkutkan kesinambungan kuasa yang dipegangnya melalui saki-baki sokongan dan kuasa yang masih berada di tangan mereka.

Umno tidak lagi mempunyai kepimpinan yang jitu kerana akhir-akhir ini krisis keyakinan ini ditokok dan ditambah oleh isu-isu baru, kesemuanya berkait dengan salah guna kuasa dan rasuah. Tidak ada pertembungan di antara dua atau lebih dalam Umno berkaitan dengan perjuangan. Semuanya kena-mengena dengan wang ringgit dan laba harta yang tidak berkesudahan.

Selepas isu NFC dengan Shahrizat Jalil, timbul pula isu Awang Adek dan sebelum itu isu menteri yang menjaga agama yang tidak amanah menggunakan wang zakat untuk membayar kos guaman peribadinya. Shahrizat pula menambah lagi dengan berkata tidak ada pemimpin dalam Kabinet atau parti yang tidak bermasalah. Ini semua berlaku dalam beberapa minggu ini dan jika hendak diluruti sejarah satu dekat yang lalu timbul pula wang rakyat dan negara telah dilarikan keluar negara sebanyak RM1 trillion.

Sekarang ini kita tidak lagi menyebut jumlah yang berbillion. Kini kita menyebut jumlah kecurian yang berjumlah trillion-trillion ringgit. Masyaallah, rupa-rupanya negara kita negara kaya sehinggakan dalam tempoh sepuluh tahun sahaja sebanyak RM1 trillion telah dibawa lari ke luar negara oleh mereka yang tidak bertanggungjawab kepada negara. Continue reading “Merdeka sudah, tapi jiwa masih terjajah”

By Debra Chong
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 30, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 — SMK Convent Bukit Nanas (CBN) has a Christian headmistress again, after the Education Ministry caved in to the wishes of school’s Catholic owners following a highly-publicised row.

“Yes, the candidate we named, Mystrical Rose Fernandes, reported for work last week,” Sister Rosalind Tan, the mother provincial of the Sisters of the Infant Jesus (IJ) Convent who own the prestigious mission school, told The Malaysian Insider today.

Fernandes, who is a Catholic, previously headed SMK Convent Sentul, which is also owned by the IJ Sisters, and SMK St Gabriel’s in the city, which is owned by the Anglican Church.

She replaces Datin Seri Zavirah Shaari, who was also newly posted to head CBN. Zavirah was taking over from the previous principal, Ann Khoo, who has since retired.

Tan, who is also on the school’s board of governors, said she had not received any letter from the Education Ministry informing them of the latest switch.

She found out only because Fernandes stopped by the Malaysian Catholic Education Council (MCEC) office to inform them of her new posting.

A spokesman from the MCEC, who asked not to be named, confirmed that Fernandes had reported last Friday. Continue reading “Malaysia CBN finally gets head of choice”