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1 Care: Show us the mathematics

— John Teo
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 19, 2012

FEB 19 — 1 Care for 1 Malaysia sounds like a very good slogan but behind this impressive slogan and all the controversies, rhetoric, claims and counter claims lies a very big and fundamental question of where is the funding of such a massive overhaul of our healthcare system going to come from?

We know that the basic principle of part-government and part-public funding underlies this concept and the reason behind this shift of funding policy is the ever-escalating health costs which the government cannot continue to provide funding for indefinitely.

Let me quote two very important facts. 1) According to the 2012 Budget that was announced by our prime minister, the allocation for health totals RM1.8 billion, which is equivalent to 3.7 per cent of the total budget. There were other ministries that have higher budget, notable ones being the Ministry of Defence.

The World Health Organisation recommends that at least five to six per cent of a total budget be allocated to health. Many other countries allocate up to seven to eight per cent. Malaysia is way below that mark. Continue reading “1 Care: Show us the mathematics”

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The 1 Malaysia charade has ended

— Ali Kadir
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 19, 2012

FEB 19 — Today is the day that the charade of 1 Malaysia has finally come to an end. Thank you, Najib Razak for finally showing some honesty and playing the race card and in doing so, burying the notion that you actually were supportive of a country where race and religion were becoming less important.

It is a fact of life that we discover much about ourselves, our friends and our leaders when the going gets tough and challenges abound.

So it is with Najib today. It is a fair conclusion that with the National Feedlot Centre scandal, the civil service salary fiasco and continuing antipathy towards Umno, he is feeling some pressure with the general elections coming up. In this type of back-against-the-wall situation, I would have hoped that Najib would have resisted the temptation to play the race and religious cards. Continue reading “The 1 Malaysia charade has ended”

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Do you know how to write the word ‘shame’?

— May Chee Chook Ying
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 19, 2012

FEB 19 — Read that CSL took a swipe at OTK by saying that he, the latter, can’t lead and that was why he was toppled in a year. On the contrary, he, OTK, was toppled because he exposed corruption and that to me, is the sorriest thing MCA has done to itself!

Not too long ago when CSL was vilified left and right for his “indiscretion” I remember telling my husband that everyone should just forgive him (after all, he admitted his transgression) and let him be. I wasn’t condoning his act but I believe in second chances and more than that, I felt sorry for his wife and family for the pain they must have been going through. I remember, then, I wasn’t too happy that OTK did not seem to be able to forgive him. On hindsight, OTK maybe, knew a lot, lot more. Continue reading “Do you know how to write the word ‘shame’?”

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Debat CSL vs LGE: MCA tunjukkan lagi sikap chauvinisnya

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 19, 2012

19 FEB — Perdebatan diantara Lim Guan Eng (LGE) dan Chua Soi Lek (CSL) semalam menampakkan sikap dan pandangan MCA dan Presidennya yang ‘flip-flop’. Pandangan Soi Lek jelas menunjukkan lidah bercabang-cabang diantara parti terbesar dalam BN, Umno dan MCA. Saya tidak tahu mengapa CSL memberanikan diri untuk berdebat dengan topik sistem dua parti atau sistem dua bangsa dengan Setiausaha Agong DAP itu. Dari awal lagi saya telah menelah yang MCA akan gagal untuk meyakinkan orang ramai yang parti itu adalah sebuah parti yang hampir hilang seluruh kerdibilitinya dimata rakyat ramai.

Kita boleh mempelajari beberapa perkara dalam perbahasan ini. Pertamanya ia menunjukkan yang MCA lah yang anti Islam dengan menjadikan perhubungan baik di antara PAS dan DAP sebagai isu besar dalam perdebatan itu. Bagi MCA, PAS itu adalah parti Islam dan kerjasama DAP dengan PAS itu hanya akan menjadikan DAP sebagai keldai politik PAS untuk kepentingan PAS dan Islamnya.

Dengan kenyataan CSL itu maka hilanglah isu DAP anti Melayu dan Islam itu kerana MCA menganggapnya sebagai satu perkara yang tidak sepatutnya berlaku. Bagi MCA ia mahukan DAP menolak PAS kerana PAS adalah parti Islam yang didominasi oleh orang Melayu Islam. MCA tidak selesa melihat kerjasama DAP dengan parti Islam ini dan ia menunjukkan yang anti Melayu dan anti Islam itu adalah MCA. MCA masih tidak menyedari yang isu rasis dan agama ini adalah isu yang tidak lagi laku kepada generasi sekarang ini.

Umno pula selalu menyatakan tentang isu ini bertentangan dengan pandangan MCA. Oleh kerana permainan politik yang dianggap tidak bijak Umno sebaliknya menuduh PAS diperguna oleh DAP pula. Ini menunjukkan yang parti-parti komponen dalam BN masih mahukan cara mengekalkan kuasa dengan memecah belahkan kerjasama yang terjalin diantara parti-parti dalam pakatan itu. Continue reading “Debat CSL vs LGE: MCA tunjukkan lagi sikap chauvinisnya”

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Debate idea set to bloom

Terence Netto | Feb 19, 2012
Malaysiakini

COMMENT

The topic for the debate did not matter; in any case, it was too vague for the speakers to make much sense of it.

The moderator was not up to the task; in any case, allowing questions from antagonistic members of rival parties was an invitation to dishevelment.

Nevertheless, the speakers got off the hits they must have been honing all week; in any event, this was whole point of the exercise.

In sum, the principle of debate and of its utility between leaders of contending political parties came off well from the Dr Chua Soi Lek versus Lim Guan Eng televised clash yesterday.

Score one for the fledgling idea which may well come to be called the ‘Great Malaysian Electoral Debates’. Continue reading “Debate idea set to bloom”

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MCA’s achievements

By Tan Teck Huat | February 19, 2012
The Malaysian Insider

FEB 19 — I think it is time everyone gave the MCA some recognition for their achievements and what they have done for Malaysians.

So here is the roll call of high achievers in MCA:

Tan Koon Swan: in 1986, he was sentenced to two years’ jail by the Singapore High Court for criminal breach of trust relating to the collapse of Pan Electric Industries.

Ling Liong Sik: former party president and long-time minister has been charged with cheating and misleading the government in the Port Klang Free Zone scandal.
Continue reading “MCA’s achievements”

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BN Corruption – CSL’s public admission in debate with LGE

Tweets @limkitsiang:
1:19 AM – 19 Feb 12
MCA CSL said shocked allgtn 30% “rebate” demanded by Kedah PR ADUN from st govt allctn as they happen in BN! MCA confession BN corrupt!

1:32 AM – 19 Feb 12
Any MCA Minister/leader dare 2repudiate CSL’s confession tt BN corrupt in MP/ADUN constituency allocations?

1:44 AM – 19 Feb 12
If allegations 30% “rebate” agnst PR ADUN true, take action agnst them. But is CSL going 2lodge corruption reports agnst corrupt BN reps?

Comments on Open letter to Chua Soi Lek

boh-liao on Sunday, 19 February 2012 – 1:01 am
Ha, ha, it’s interesting dat during d debate, CSL ADMITTED dat BN always MAKAN SUAP, JIAK LUI, ACCEPTS BRIBE “我以為这是国陣罷了哦” Continue reading “BN Corruption – CSL’s public admission in debate with LGE”

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Dr M ‘assaulted’ judicial independence, says Bar Council

By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 19, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 — The Bar Council has accused Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad of stripping the judiciary of its independence, saying the former prime minister “assaulted” the institution with “Machiavellian ruthlessness” during his tenure.

Council president Lim Chee Wee said the 1988 amendment to Article 121 of the Federal Constitution had effectively tampered with the judiciary’s independence, forcing the courts to be subservient to the executive arm of government.

“The Malaysian Bar has consistently held the view that Dr Mahathir Mohamed had with Machiavellian ruthlessness assaulted the once great Malaysian judicial institution.

“First with this amendment, then the sacking and suspension of the Lord President and Supreme Court Judges and later the appointment of three different Chief Justices, whose reputation the Bar holds in low regard,” he told The Malaysian Insider in an emailed statement. Continue reading “Dr M ‘assaulted’ judicial independence, says Bar Council”