Month: December 2011

Mariam Mokhtar
Free Malaysia Today
December 16, 2011

Najib plays different tunes for political purposes but in the process, it is causing a rift in Umno.

COMMENT

At the Selangor Taoist solidarity dinner on Wednesday night, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak recalled Tunku Abdul Rahman’s long-term vision and praised him for being “far-sighted in administering a complex nation such as Malaysia”. His remarks were at odds with the opening speech at the 62nd Umno general assembly, a fortnight ago.

The solidarity dinner saw Najib urging Malaysians to emphasise the similarities in their respective religions, for a stronger and more united Malaysia. He espoused universal qualities like courtesy, filial piety, trustworthiness and diligence as shared values.

“If we can emphasise on the common values, then we will have similarities between us. We can develop good citizens regardless whether they are Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Taoists… what is important is being good citizens who love the nation, are loyal to the country, respect the law and other religions.”

At the Umno party conference, Najib was playing a different tune. He told delegates that if Umno were to lose power, the Malays and their religion would be threatened.

Using the favoured “3R” strategy of race, religion and royalty to win over the dwindling Malay support, he warned: “Who will preserve the sanctity of Islam? Who will protect the Malays and its agenda and who will protect the rulers?” Continue reading “Najib’s split personality”

Letter by James Ooi

I am a TM UniFi High-Speed Broadband VIP5 package subscriber since March 2011. As I am staying at a high-rise building, the TM UniFi service is provisioned to my premise using VDSL (copper) instead of using fiber optics. Ever since one month after I started using TM UniFi, I have been facing two major issues with the service of which one has been completely resolved while another has been happening up till this very day I am writing this letter!

Between April and July 2011, I had been experiencing disconnection where the DSL indicator on the VDSL modem blinked and reconnected itself. This happened randomly a few times a day. After numerous technician visits where they replaced my VDSL modem and changed the port, the problem was finally resolved in July 2011.

However, since May 2011, I have been experiencing what I call the “Upload Speed Syndrome” randomly where my upload speed drops till near zero. This happens randomly almost on a daily basis and at certain times, it happens at about the same time daily! At other times, the problem resolved by itself only to recur after a few days to a couple of weeks! Whenever this problem occurs, my upload speed drops till near zero where a speed test performed would either results in an “Upload Test Error” message or an extremely slow speed of 0.01Mbps! Performing a ping to a locally-hosted web server will even exhibit random packet losses! However, there is nothing wrong with the download speed as in most cases, my download speed is at least 90% of the advertised bandwidth.
Continue reading “Dissatisfied with TM UniFi High-Speed Broadband Service”

The Malaysian Insider/Reuters
Dec 16, 2011

WASHINGTON, Dec 16 — No country is immune from an “escalating” euro zone crisis and each one must act to head off the risk of a global depression, the head of the International Monetary Fund said yesterday.

IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, speaking at the U.S. State Department, said the outlook for the world economy is “quite gloomy” and warned that failure to act collectively could lead to protectionism and isolation reminiscent of the 1930s depression.

“There is no economy in the world, whether low-income countries, emerging markets, middle-income countries or super-advanced economies that will be immune to the crisis that we see not only unfolding but escalating,” Lagarde cautioned.

“It is not a crisis that will be resolved by one group of countries taking action. It is going to be hopefully resolved by all countries, all regions, all categories of countries actually taking action.”

The IMF has warned that it is likely to cut its 2012 growth projections, with the economy struggling with a worsening two-year euro zone debt crisis and sluggish US growth. There are also signs from falling Chinese factory output that manufacturers are struggling with waning global demand and tighter credit conditions. Continue reading “No country safe from euro crisis, says IMF”

By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 15, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 — Former senior police officer Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim today berated Datuk Seri Najib Razak for allegedly “misusing” the country’s religious authorities to create false fear over threats by non-Muslims against Islam and the Malay rulers.

He told the prime minister in an email released to the media that such threats only come from the Malays and Muslims themselves, adding that he has “never experienced or known of” situations where the non-Malays came together to conspire against anyone.

“The ones who dare to be rude and rebel in such a manner against him (Ruler) come from among the Malays themselves,” he wrote.

The outspoken ex-KL CID chief even singled out Umno politicians as those who often squabble among themselves “not due to differences in opinion or to protect the fates and futures of the Malays or uphold Islamic teachings but to fight over millions and billions of the people’s money”.

“Do not, YAB Datuk Seri (Najib) create issues that could create havoc among us as Malays, just to divert attention away from your personal problems and those who surround you. Continue reading “Jakim used to create false fear over non-Muslim threat, says Mat Zain”

By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 15, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 — Malaysia lost RM150 billion in illicit outflows in 2009, the fourth highest in the developing world, says US-based watchdog Global Financial Integrity (GFI).

According to its report on illicit financial flows from developing countries released today, Malaysia lost a total of US$338 billion (RM1.08 trillion) over the first decade of the century.

“This report should be a wake-up call to world leaders that more must be done to address these harmful outflows,” GFI director Raymond Baker said in a press release.

GFI had reported in January that RM930 billion flowed out of Malaysia from 2000 to 2008, growing to RM218 billion per year from an initial RM71 billion in that period.

It said the increase was “at a scale seen in few Asian countries.” Continue reading “Malaysia rises in illegal money chart, RM150b lost in 2009”

Today there is a complete blackout in Utusan Malaysia of yesterday’s Penang High Court judgment against the UMNO-owned newspaper for defamation against Penang Chief Minister and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng for its article “Kebiadaban Lim Guan Eng” published on 20th December 2010 and the order by the judge Justice George Varughese that Utusan pay general and aggravated damages of RM200,000 plus costs of RM25,000.

Who would have doubted that it would be front-page headline story in Utusan Malaysia today if Utusan had won the defamation suit against Guan Eng?

Although the Utusan Malaysia’s irresponsible blackout of the Varughese judgment because it was not in its favour is not unexpected, it serves to confirm how irresponsible and trashy a newpaper Utusan Malaysia has become in the past three years.

Isn’t the UMNO President, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to be responsible for how extremist, unprofessional, racist and anti-1Malaysia the UMNO newspaper Utusan Malaysia had degenerated to in the past 32 months since he became UMNO President and Prime Minister in April 2009, coining his “1Malaysia, People First, Performance Now” slogan?

As UMNO President and Prime Minister, will Najib apologise for Utusan Malaysia’s racist and defamatory attack on Lim Guan Eng and rein in Utusan’s extremist and anti-1Malaysia rampage of lies and falsehoods? Continue reading “As UMNO President and Prime Minister, will Najib apologise for Utusan Malaysia’s racist and defamatory attacks on Lim Guan Eng and rein in Utusan’s extremist and anti-1Malaysia rampage of lies and falsehoods?”

(Joint Media Statement by DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng, DAP Life Advisor Dr. Chen Man Hin and DAP Parliamentary Leader, Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, 15th December 2011)

On Tuesday, 13th December 2011, the DAP Central Executive Committee entrusted a three-man committee to resolve the differences between the DAP National Chairman Karpal Singh and DAP Penang Deputy Chairman and Penang Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. P. Ramasamy.

On Wednesday, 14th December 2011, Makkal Oosai Chief Editor M. Rajan issued a correction on its 28th Nov. 2011 news report, admitting its mistake and making clear that its 28th November 2011 report about DAP candidatures for the next general elections had not originated from Ramasamy and expressing sadness that its news report had been the cause of the public controversy between Karpal and Ramasamy.

Hoping that the differences could be resolved as soon as possible, the Makkal Oosai chief editor paid tribute to the leadership qualities of Karpal and Ramasamy and wrote:

“Untuk kita, Karpal Singh dan Professor Ramasamy adalah pemimpin yang terpenting. Karpal Singh adalah pejuang dalam barisan pembangkang yang amat disanjungi di negara kita. Beliau telah melalui banyak penderitaan dan dugaan. Beliau berpegang teguh kepada prinsip parti dan berjuang sehingga masuk ke penjara.

“Seperti itu juga, pemberian jawatan Timbalan Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang kepada seorang India adalah sejarah dalam politik negara kita. Pada pilihanraya lepas, Professor Ramasamy telah memenangi DUN dan Parlimen di Penang dan menjadi Timbalan Ketua Menteri. Beliau juga memberikan khidmat yang baik kepada masyarakat India Pulau Pinang dengan jawatan sebagai Timbalan Ketua Menteri tersebut.” Continue reading “Public spat between Karpal and Ramasamy resolved – DAP leadership to move forward as one united team to face the challenges of 13GE”

— Lucius Goon
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 14, 2011

DEC 14 — I read with amusement the account of Dr Ling Liong Sik’s trial yesterday. His lawyer argued that the former MCA president did not mislead the Cabinet over the inflated cost of acquiring land for the PKFZ because at all relevant times he was briefed by his ministry officials and did not conceal any documents from the Cabinet.

Dr Ling’s lawyer also said that at relevant time in question of the charge against his client, Ong Ka Ting was the minister of transport.

You know what? I think many Malaysians expect Dr Ling to walk because the prosecution’s case against him has been a joke. They have not been able to make even major points of the charges of misleading and cheating stick.

We also have grown tired of so-called “big fish” being hauled to court for corruption and then only to see it end in acquittal. Witness the trials of Eric Chia, Kasitah Gaddam and others.

But let us not get distracted here because, till today, no one is talking about how the billions of taxpayers’ money can be recovered. Continue reading “MCA: A gallery of rogues”

By Clara Chooi | December 14, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 14 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak may have to rush into elections within three months, analysts have predicted, due to a bleak economic outlook and a world backdrop that is more hostile towards “strongmen and corrupt establishments”.

“The economic dynamics will be most crucial in determining the election (timing), and the window is narrowing,” one analyst, Singapore Management University associate professor Bridget Welsh, told Singapore’s Straits Times newspaper in a report published today.

The article noted that Malaysia’s economy is expected to expand by just three per cent next year, according to Nomura International, well below this year’s targeted 4.7 per cent growth rate and the government’s five per cent forecast.

Others have also noted that Malaysia’s rising federal debt load and over-reliance on commodity exports could see the country’s economy hit the hardest among its Southeast Asian neighbours.
Continue reading “Glum economic outlook nudges Najib closer to polls”

By Simon Tisdall | 13 December 2011
The Guardian

The portents do not look good for Malaysia’s opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, whose trial on highly dubious sodomy charges draws to a close this week. If Anwar is found guilty – and the trial judge seems to have made up his mind already – he will not be the only or even the most important victim of an egregious, politically suspect injustice. Malaysia’s democratic reputation will have been critically wounded, and for that outrage, Malaysians will have their prime minister, Najib Razak, to thank.

The plodding Najib’s overriding objective is winning the general election expected next year, possibly within a few months. The son of Malaysia’s second prime minister, the nephew of its third, president of the dominant United Malays National Organisation (Umno), and a former defence minister, Najib was born to power and is accustomed to wielding it. As the charismatic leader of the opposition coalition, Anwar represents the biggest challenge to his continuing ascendancy.

It hardly seems coincidental that the sodomy charges were levelled at Anwar shortly after the opposition inflicted unprecedented defeats on Umno and its allies in the 2008 elections. Anwar’s main campaign plank – combating the official, institutionalised discrimination that favours ethnic Malays over the country’s large ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities – threatened the post-colonial order that has kept Umno and its National Front coalition on top since 1957.
Continue reading “Najib risks Malaysia’s reputation in his treatment of Anwar Ibrahim”

by Stephanie Sta Maria
Free Malaysia Today
13th December 2011

Past pupils and the Catholic Archdiocese want the Education Ministry to explain why it appointed a principal whose name wasn’t on the candidate list.

PETALING JAYA: The appointment of SMK Convent Bukit Nanas (CBN’s) new principal has triggered concern among its Old Girl’s Association and the Kuala Lumpur Catholic Archdiocese.

According to representatives from both sides, Zavirah Mohd Shaari’s name was not on the list of candidates submitted by the mission school authority to the Education Ministry and was “plucked out of the blue” to take over from CBN’s former head, Ann Khoo.

In a press statement, the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur Murphy Pakiam expressed his disappointment over the matter which he said was in contradiction with the government’s policy of maximum consultation.

This policy was enunciated by the government in the report of the Royal Commision on the Teaching Services, West Malaysia, repeated in 1976 by the then education minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Continue reading “New CBN head stirs up concern”

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC), the Attorney-General and the Inspector-General of Police must respond to the public demands by environmental groups and activisits from Malaysia, Europe and Australia for the arrest and criminal prosecution of Sarawak Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and his 13 family members for massive graft and plundering of Sarawak’s rich natural resources.

Seventeen non-government organisations and activists, including Greenpeace, the Swiss-based Bruno Manser, Europe-based forest advocate group FERN, the Borneo Resources Institute and the Japan Tropical Forest Action Network, today released a letter to the MACC, the Attorney-General and the Inspector-General of Police urging the immediate arrest of Taib, alleging crimes including illegal appropriation of public funds and land, abuse of office, fraud, money-laundering “and conspiracy to form a criminal organisation”.

The 10-page letter includes 16 exhibits that document the accusations against the Taib and his immediate family members, alleging that they have a stake in 332 Malaysian and 85 foreign companies worth several billion US dollars.

The letter which alleged Taib family stakes in 14 large Malaysian companies alone exceed RM4.6 billion or US$1.46 b illion, said:

“We allege that only the systematic breach of the law and the use of illegal methods has enabled Taib and his family members to acquire such massive corporate assets.” Continue reading “PM, MACC, AG and IGP must respond to demands by environmental groups and activists from Malaysia, Europe and Australia for the arrest/criminal prosecution of Sarawak CM and 13 family members for massive graft/plundering of Sarawak’s rich natural resources”

By Allan C. F. Goh

Patriots, stand up and be counted,
In the quest for real nationhood.
Let us not be fooled or courted
By glitz-mirages of falsehood.

Politics of chicanery
Must be objected with courage.
Exploitative machinery
Needs rejection with damning rage!

Unfounded incarceration
Of rightful civil liberty
Must be unshackled with gumption
With honourable decency.
Continue reading “The Call of Democracy”

By Clara Chooi | December 13, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 — Many Christians feel victimised and are convinced they are being used as political pawns to win Muslim votes in the next general election, a number of church leaders have said.

The church leaders told the New York Times in a report published today that there was generally a feeling of Christian-bashing among the community which makes up less than 10 per cent of the population and consists of most major denominations.

“I think Christians are generally feeling that there is kind of a Christian-bashing going on,” Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM) vice-president Rev Thomas Philips told the newspaper.

The report pointed out that recent events had worsened religious tension here, particularly after the controversial August 3 raid on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) in Petaling Jaya.
Continue reading “Christians used as ‘pawns’ for votes, say church leaders”

By Sakmongkol 47 | December 12, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

12 DIS — Dalam dua minggu ini, saya ingat saya sudah mendengar semua kenyataan tolol dan bebal dalam negara kita. Rupa2 nya saya salah. Tiba2 senator Ezam Mohd Nor mengeluarkan suatu kenyataan yang mengatasi kebebalan kenyataan2 yang sudah2.

Mula saya ingat Muhyiddin Yassin sudah tebiat bila menakutkan orang Melayu mengenai ancaman keatas Melayu oleh bangsa lain. Setelah itu, ketua penerangan Umno mengukuhkan lagi rasa cemas pemimpin parti yang kian tenat bila menyatakan pandangan bebal yang sama. Jika DAP dan orang Cina memerintah negara habis lah orang Melayu, habis lah Islam dan habislah Raja2 Melayu.

Sana sini orang bercakap. Adakah pemimpin Umno sudah jadi bingung? DAP yang bukan Kristian mahu mengkristiankan orang Melayu? Yang sepatutnya di soalkan orang Melayu ialah mengapa terjadi nya murtad di kalangan orang Melayu? Adakah kebajikan mereka tidak di jaga oleh pihak yang berwajib? Mengapa aqidah mereka teruk sedangkan masyarakat Melayu di lemaskan dengan 1,001 program keIslaman?
Continue reading “Pengucapan bebal disana sini”

By Aspan Alias | December 13, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

13 DIS — Senator Ezam Mohd Nor berkata kalau PR memerintah PR akan dipengaruhi DAP dan Malaysia akan menjadi seperti Singapura. Apa maksud beliau susah hendak difahami dan itu tidak menjadi hal, kerana Umno memangnya sebuah parti yang pemimpin-pemimpinnya selalu bercakap yang susah hendak difahami oleh orang ramai. Apa yang tidak eloknya di Singapura itu mungkin Ezam sahaja yang tahu.

Apa yang Ezam takut jika Malaysia menjadi seperti Singapura? Adakah Ezam takut Malaysia tidak lagi kaya rasuah seperti di Singapura? Adakah Ezam takut Malaysia akan menjadi negara maju jika negara ini menjadi seperti Singapura? Adakah Ezam takut jika Malaysia menjadi negara yang mempunyai kepimpinan yang beretika dan pemimpin-pemimpinnya tidak berlumba-lumba untuk menakluki segala harta kekayaan negara?

Atau mungkin kah Ezam takut jika Malaysia menjadi seperti Singapura pemimpin-pemimpinnya terpaksa menjadi pemimpin-pemimpin yang berdisiplin dan penuh dengan etika kerja yang tinggi? Elok bertanya kepada Ezam, adakah beliau akan merasa kerugian jika tidak ada lagi pemimpin-pemimpin kerajaan yang menggunakan pengaruh dan kuasa untuk mendapatkan pinjaman kerajaan dalam jumlah ratusan juta ringgit?
Continue reading “Kalau Malaysia jadi seperti Singapura, apa yang Ezam takutkan?”

By Mariam Mokhtar | Dec 12, 2011
Malaysiakini

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton received the brunt of the wrath of former KGB spy and ex-president Vladimir Putin, when he blamed her for encouraging Russian street protests.

When BN cranks up its dirty tricks, will Clinton risk the fragile relationship of trade and investment with the Malaysian government by telling its people to take to the streets, as she did in Russia?

Premier Putin’s desire to return to power as president next year, with the United Russia party ‘winning’ the elections, reminds us of Umno wanting to prolong its 54 years of power. The parallels between Malaysia and Russia are too many to ignore.

With reports of ballot box-stuffing and ‘carousel voting’ fueling their anger, Russians took to the streets to protest. Carousel voting is when people are driven from polling-station to polling-station to vote time and time again.
Continue reading “Parallels between Russia and M’sia”

— Tan Teck Huat
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 12, 2011

DEC 12 — If anyone wants to know the chameleon nature of the Najib government or perhaps even the prime minister, you just have to look at the government’s attitude towards Singapore.

On one hand, Najib talks about closer ties with Singapore and his upcoming retreat with Lee Hsien Loong, where some great announcement is going to be made about a joint announcement in Iskandar.

We are supposed to be good pals after years of difficult ties. But before anyone starts celebrating, there is Najib’s good friend, Senator Ezam Noor, warning undergraduates that the DAP is bent on turning Malaysia into Singapore!

Let there be no illusion about Ezam’s close connection to the establishment. A political maverick like Ezam can only be accepted back into the system and be appointed as a senator only with the blessings of the prime minister. Continue reading “Chameleon politics”

By M. Bakri Musa

Chapter11: Embracing Free Enterprise

Malaysian Capitalism

Moral Arguments For Free Trade

Daniel Griswold of the conservative Cato Institute in Washington, DC, argues that free trade is morally right, quite apart from the benefits that accrue upon the participants. Free trade respects individual dignity and sovereignty. When one engages in honest work, one has the basic right to enjoy the fruits of one’s labor. No authority has the power to forbid someone from exchanging the fruits of that labor with something else produced by another person, whether that person is in the next village or across the globe. Ibn Khaldun first expressed these views in the 14th Century. Protectionism is just another form of stealing; taking from one group of people (consumers) and giving the spoils to another (usually domestic producers and others who are politically powerful).

Free trade also encourages individuals to cultivate moral virtues. To be successful in trade, one must be reliable and provide the goods and services that are needed and at a price that is affordable. Rewards go to those who are trustworthy, reliable, and deliver on their promises. These are the same qualities that are regarded as virtues in any religion. For Muslims, it is instructive that Muhammad (pbuh) was a trustworthy merchant who brought great profits to his employer before he received his prophethood.
Continue reading “Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #92”

— Clive Kessler
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 12, 2011

DEC 12 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has recognised that a country’s intellectual capital is its primary asset.

Its “brainpower”, he understands, is the major determinant of its international standing, of its prospects of achieving success and prosperity (Melissa Chi, “PM says intellectual capital determines success of a country”, The Malaysian Insider, December 10, 2011).

So far, so good.

But it is wishful thinking to imagine that all can be saved and made good by the production, in isolation — in a cultural and intellectual vacuum — of a couple of world-class geniuses.

There are many small countries that, against the odds, have surprisingly produced the odd “world-beater.”

But unless these intellectual giants inhabit what may be called a “culturally hospitable environment” in their own countries (and provided, too, that they do not become part of the great international “brain drain”), little will come of their achievements. Continue reading “Essential national intellectual capital: What is needed more, a genius or two, or good academic institutions?”