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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”

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Sabahans entitled to a clear and unequivocal answer why Najib has not announced the formation of RCI on illegal immigrants in Sabah

I am most disappointed that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has ended his two-day visit to Sabah without making the widely-touted announcement on the formation of a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants in Sabah.

Sabahans and Malaysians have been given to understand that the Cabinet had approved the establishment of a RCI on illegal immigrants in Sabah and that Najib would be making the announcement during his Sabah visit this week.

Sabahans and Malaysians are entitled to know why Najib has failed “deliver” on this issue during his Sabah trip and whether the claim of certain Sabah Ministers that the Cabinet had made a final decision on the establishment of a RCI on illegal immigrants in Sabah is mere “hot air” without any basis grounded on facts or whether this is another example of the Cabinet being subordinate and subservient to the dictates of UMNO hegemony? Continue reading “Sabahans entitled to a clear and unequivocal answer why Najib has not announced the formation of RCI on illegal immigrants in Sabah”

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Open letter to Chua Soi Lek

— Tota
Malaysian Insider
Feb 17, 2012

FEB 17 — Soi Lek, hold your silence, apologise to the Chinese Malaysian community and repent.

You always claim that the MCA is the defender of “Chinese rights” and that the party has done a great deal for the community. Your party’s record shows otherwise. The MCA has been in the Alliance/BN since independence, but politically and economically the position of Chinese Malaysians has nose-dived because the MCA representatives in the Cabinet and state governments have behaved like political eunuchs. Their behaviour shows how successfully emasculated the MCA is. Continue reading “Open letter to Chua Soi Lek”

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DAP: Gov’t manipulated laws to legitimise debt

Malaysiakini
Feb 17, 2012

DAP has blamed the country’s rising debt level to the ruling BN having raised the statutory borrowing ceiling “multiple times” to legitimise the debt.

DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua slammed the government for modifying the ceiling “at its whims and fancies over the past decade, rendering meaningless the legal debt ceiling”.

Therefore, he said, the government’s debt at 53.8 percent of GDP as reported in the Economic Report 2011/2 is below the statutory borrowing ceiling of 55 percent, is purely the result of the government’s “creative manipulation”.

“What is worrying is the fact that the ‘statutory borrowing ceiling’ has actually been raised multiple times by the BN government over the past decade to ‘legalise’ the federal government debt level which has been increasing at a much faster pace than our GDP.

The 55 percent statutory borrowing ceiling only came into effect in July 2009 by order of current second finance minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah.

“Prior to the revised limit, the limit was set at 45 percent in June 2008, barely 13 months before by the then second finance minister Nor Md Yakcop,” said Pua in a statement today.

He added that the limit was raised to 40 percent five years before that, by then second minister finance minister Jamaluddin Jarjis.

“Hence our statutory borrowing ceiling has been raised by 15 percent of our GDP in just six years. Continue reading “DAP: Gov’t manipulated laws to legitimise debt”

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At crossroads – MCA or Chinese community?

By Stanley Koh | February 17, 2012
Free Malaysia Today

Some equate truth and falsehood to water separating from oil. The Chinese proverb “shi zhen nan jia, shi jia nan zhen” means if it is the truth, it is impossible to falsify and likewise, equally difficult to make a truth out of falsehood.

This in mind, if MCA is at the crossroads, does it also mean that the Chinese community is facing the same predicament?

The symbolic relationship between MCA and the Chinese community is akin to fish to water and is destined to become irrelevant as more and more conscientious Chinese Malaysians abandon the party at the crossroads.

In the 2008 electoral tsunami, some 3.7 million Malaysians voted against the Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties of which the opposition DAP garnered more than one million votes against MCA’s 840,000 votes despite having a membership population of 1.3 million.
Continue reading “At crossroads – MCA or Chinese community?”

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Nasib masa depan Shahrizat adalah ‘prerogative’ PM, kata Najib

Oleh Aspan Alias | February 16, 2012
The Malaysian Insider

16 FEB — “Masa depan politik Shahrizat bergantung kepada Perdana Menteri” kata PM Najib. Sesungguhnya itulah hakikatnya jika dipandang dari sudut jawatannya sebagai ahli jemaah kabinet negara. Sememangnya jawatan menteri itu adalah ‘prerogative’ Perdana Menteri seratus peratus. PM boleh melantik sesiapa sahaja dalam jamaah menteri, waimma melantik orang yang tidak berguna kepada negara dan rakyat.

Begitu juga dengan pemilihan sesiapa yang hendak dilantik sebagai senator yang dicadangkan oleh Kerajaan Persekutuan. Itu juga adalah ‘prerogative’ Perdana Menteri. Oleh kerana ‘prerogative’ Perdana Menteri itulah maka kita lihat ramai menteri-menteri kabinet Najib itu ramai dikalangan mereka yang menjadi persoalan dan isu besar dalam politik negara pada hari ini.

Itulah sebabnya kita melihat ramai menteri-menteri yang masuk ke dalam jemaah menteri itu mengikut ‘pintu belakang’ kerana mereka telah ditolak oleh rakyat dalam pilihanraya yang lalu. Selalunya mereka ditolak oleh rakyat kerana bersebab. Tentulah penolakkan itu disebabkan kerana mereka tidak melepasi tahap kelayakan yang asas tetapi oleh kerana Perdana Menteri tidak menghormati pandangan rakyat, mereka ini dibawa juga ke dalam kabinet oleh Najib dan tentunya Najib mempunyai sebab yang tersendiri membawa yang ‘reject’ ini ke dalam jemaah menteri beliau.
Continue reading “Nasib masa depan Shahrizat adalah ‘prerogative’ PM, kata Najib”

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Of regime change and democracy in Malaysia

By Dr Mustafa K Anuar, Aliran Hon Secretary
16 February 2012

Aliran is troubled by the ex-premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s recent prediction in warning Prime Minister Najib Razak that Israel and the United States were “conspiring to cause a regime change in Malaysia through ‘a puppet government’ to be led by Anwar (Ibrahim)”.

This political ‘forecast’ has serious implications and repercussions for the country. If there is any grain of truth to this international conspiracy, then our sovereignty, and political independence and security would indeed be in jeopardy.

The gravity and severity of this matter, therefore, demand that Mahathir presents incontrovertible evidence to support his allegation. This will enable Malaysia to safeguard itself and remain as an independent nation in the world community, without fear that it would be transformed into a “client state” of the US or any other world powers for that matter.

Mahathir’s honest response would enable Malaysians, particularly their leaders, to take the necessary steps available in order to safeguard the country’s independence and sovereignty.
Continue reading “Of regime change and democracy in Malaysia”

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The story of a prime minister

By Zairil Khir Johari | February 17, 2012
The Malaysian Insider

FEB 17 — This is the story of a man who became prime minister not very long ago.

This man had not, however, been elected into the premiership, and consequently never earned his own governing mandate. He had succeeded into the job when his predecessor was forced to resign under internal pressure. While the coup was not entirely of his own orchestration, this prime minister had played an important albeit implicit role in facilitating it.

His predecessor is an altogether different story. Initially elected with much fanfare by a buoyant nation on a platform of hope and change after years of rule by an authoritarian and right-of-centre leadership, his premiership had by its tail-end been reduced to a lethargic disappointment.

Though heavily criticised and the subject of mass ridicule, he was still able to pull through with a mediocre win at the general election. Remaining defiant, he announced that he would fulfil the mandate of the people and see through his term as prime minister.
Continue reading “The story of a prime minister”

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That Saturday with the Oracle (Part 2)

By Sakmongkol AK47 | February 16, 2012
The Malaysian Insider

FEB 16 — I think one commentator misread my article “Another Saturday with The Oracle”. He accused me of underestimating Bangsar Bala. I know Mr Bala personally and am aware of his capabilities as a political operative.

The sting of my short mention of Bangsar Bala isn’t Bala, but Raja Nong Chik.

He doesn’t fraternise with people like Bala and, when given casual assurance that the Indians are back with BN, is easily over enthused. His exuberance leads him to generalise on the thinking of Malaysian Indians. Anecdotal evidence on the other hand indicates that Malaysian Indians are not for BN. But let the illusion permeate the BN camp.

If Raja Nong Chik contests in Lembah Pantai, that will be his Waterloo. At the function he was asked some sharp questions and was clearly agitated in his response. Many people who know the lean Raja Ning Chik are aware of his short fuse.
Continue reading “That Saturday with the Oracle (Part 2)”

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If Malaysia does not buck up on the anti-corruption front, Indonesia and China may overtake Malaysia before 2020 in the annual Tl CPI both in ranking and score

Just before I came up to the rostrum, I was reading the Jakarta Post report today “We are the best at anti-graft: SBY”, as follows:

Amid intensifying reports of massive corruption implicating many of his Democratic Party members, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono claimed on Wednesday that his administration had conducted the best anti-corruption campaign in Indonesia’s history.

“We have carried out the most aggressive anti-corruption measures in this country’s history,” the President said in his speech before 128 foreign envoys assigned to Indonesia in a meeting held at the Foreign Ministry office. Continue reading “If Malaysia does not buck up on the anti-corruption front, Indonesia and China may overtake Malaysia before 2020 in the annual Tl CPI both in ranking and score”

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DAP: RM97b in hidden loans pushes public debt over legal limit

By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 16, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 — The DAP today accused the government of not reporting RM96.9 billion in loans it has guaranteed as public debt, which would push the amount of federal loans above the 55 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) allowed by law.

Party publicity chief Tony Pua said the combined public debt of RM455.7 billion reported last year and the “off-balance sheet” financing would amount to RM552.6 billion, or 65.2 per cent of the economy.

“For all intents and purposes, even though these loans are not taken by the government, they are essentially government debt or otherwise known as contingent liabilities.

“This expanded figure would then constitute 65.2 per cent of our GDP, well above the 55 per cent federal government loan limit as defined in the Loan (Local) Act 1959 and Government Funding Act 1983,” Pua (picture) said in a statement today.

Malaysia’s national debt has been a hotly debated issue after the Auditor-General said in October it grew by 12.3 per cent to over RM407 billion in 2010, or 53.1 per cent of GDP. Continue reading “DAP: RM97b in hidden loans pushes public debt over legal limit”

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Dalam pilihanraya lalu lebih 1 juta ahli Umno keluar parti semasa mengundi … Kali ini bagaimana?

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 15, 2012

15 FEB — Saya telah diberitahu oleh rakan-rakan dalam Umno yang parti itu akan membawa Tengku Ahmad Rithauddin, Pengerusi jawatankuasa disiplin parti, ke setiap negeri melalui badan-badan perhubungan Umno setiap negeri. Tujuannya ialah untuk memantau permasalahan yang besar didalam Umno dalam pilihanraya umum nanti, iaitu sabotaj oleh ahli-ahlinya sendiri.

Saya telah banyak menulis tentang kerapuhan sokongan ahli-ahli Umno terhadap partinya. Tidak pernah saya terlupa dalam pilihanraya 1999 dan 2008 begitu ramai ahli-ahli Umno telah mengundi parti-parti pembangkang dan itu merupakan satu perkara yang begitu ‘normal’ dalam Umno sekarang ini. Parti itu sedar yang ia tidak boleh mempercayai ahli-ahlinya apabila sampai waktu pilihanraya.

Umno ini merupkan satu parti besar tetapi masalah menguruskan ahlinya pun besar. Ahli-ahli Umno sekarang bukannya seperti dahulu, hanya mengikut lenggang dan tari pemimpin mereka. Sekarang mereka lebih kritis dari dahulu. Dalam pilihanraya yang lalu lebih dari 50 peratus (1.6 juta) ahli-ahlinya telah bertukar haluan dengan mengundi parti-parti ‘alternative’.

Jika semua ahli-ahli Umno itu menyokong partinya, masakan ramai calon-calon Umno telah rebah bergelimpangan dalam pilihanraya yang lalu kerana ditolak oleh pengundi-pengundi termasuk oleh ahli-ahlinya sendiri. Inilah masalahnya jika sebuah parti itu terlalu bergantung kepada jumlah ahlinya. Banyak parti-parti didunia ini termasuk di negara kita ini, berjaya tanpa ahli yang ramai. DAP hanya mempunyai 135 ribu orang ahli sahaja tetapi undi yang diperolehi oleh parti ini dalam pilihanraya yang lalu melebihi dua juta orang. Continue reading “Dalam pilihanraya lalu lebih 1 juta ahli Umno keluar parti semasa mengundi … Kali ini bagaimana?”

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Not a penny more, BN

— CL Tang
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 15, 2012

FEB 15 — After handing out one-off payments of RM500 to the poor, the government turns around and is now asking for a handout from the taxpayers, under the guise of paying for an improved healthcare system.

The people must now realise that this is a government that has neither the vision nor the will to move Malaysia forward in the global marketplace. After a lousy victory in 2008 general elections, the Barisan Nasional (BN) government has virtually been on a re-election campaign mode since, devising short-term populist agendas such as KR1M, BR1M, etc., none of which addresses the current malaise the country is facing — stagnant wages in the face of rising costs in the midst of a long-drawn out, slow global growth.

As it stretched out is left hand to hand out cash to poor households, its right hand is dipping into the pockets of ordinary Malaysians to fund its lavish spending and greedy cronies. Continue reading “Not a penny more, BN”

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Moooving Tales in Bolehland!

By Martin Jalleh

Q: What is the nation suffering from at this moment?
A: Cowburn Mooonoxide!

Q: What are the twists and spins given by the bosses of the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) scandal called?
A: Mooodifications!

Q: Who was the then Agriculture minister who dubiously awarded the project to the incompetent Shahrizats in 2006 and initially said he saw “nothing unusual or anything wrong” with the project and passed the buck to current minister Noh Omar to answer further questions?
A: DPM, Mooyiddin!

Q: The Shahrizats has no cattle-rearing experience whatsoever?
A: Yes, they were moo-clue-less!
Continue reading “Moooving Tales in Bolehland!”