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Bersih 3.0 necessary due to ‘haste’ in holding polls, Ambiga tells EC

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 06, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — Bersih 2.0 has defended its planned April 28 rally, saying it is necessary as the government has not shown any commitment to implement the group’s eight reform demands before the next election.

The election watchdog’s chairman, Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, accused the government of “showing haste” in calling for elections, which she predicted would be soon, and this made Bersih’s rally even more relevant and timely.

“As I said it is the government that is showing haste in holding the elections. No one has said that the reforms Bersih 2.0 has called for will be implemented before the 13th general election. Why is that?

“We have to do this now because the elections seem to be round the corner… I strongly disagree with what Datuk Wira Wan Ahmad Wan Omar had said,” she told The Malaysian Insider. Continue reading “Bersih 3.0 necessary due to ‘haste’ in holding polls, Ambiga tells EC”

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Leave BN to prove anti-Lynas stand, Guan Eng tells MCA

By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 06, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — Lim Guan Eng today challenged the MCA to prove its anti-Lynas stand by withdrawing from Barisan Nasional (BN) and standing under its own banner in the coming polls.

The DAP secretary-general cast doubt over the MCA’s sincerity in calling for the Lynas rare earth plant to be scrapped, saying the party could again change its mind after the polls to support the project.

“Therefore this is a last chance for MCA to prove its commitment to scrap the Lynas plant by withdrawing from BN and standing under its own banner at the next general election,” Lim said in a statement.

“Would (MCA president Datuk Seri Dr) Chua (Soi Lek) dare to announce that MCA would only rejoin BN when the Lynas plant is closed down?

“Any failure to do so will allow Malaysians to decide whether to trust a party that not only deceives itself but tries to deceive others,” he added. Continue reading “Leave BN to prove anti-Lynas stand, Guan Eng tells MCA”

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AG intentionally snubs Agong’s RCIs, says former senior cop

By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 06, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim added today the purported snubbing of the Agong to the list of accusations he has levelled against Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail after the Attorney-General (AG) refused to say if his office would prosecute three anti-graft officers who allegedly drove Teoh Beng Hock to suicide.

The royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into the DAP aide’s 2009 death had recommended that action be taken against then-Selangor MACC deputy director Hishammuddin Hashim, assistant enforcement office Arman Alies and assistant superintendent Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus.

But the country’s top lawyer instead told reporters yesterday the case has been referred back to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) after emerging from a meeting with de facto law minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and MACC investigation chief Datuk Mustafar Ali. Continue reading “AG intentionally snubs Agong’s RCIs, says former senior cop”

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Why the Need for Bersih 3.0?

By Kee Thuan Chye

THE call to rally has been made. There’s going to be a Bersih 3.0. Those who have been waiting for it are ecstatic.

April 28 is the day, and this time the anti-Lynas group, Himpunan Hijau, will be joining in. It looks like this is going to be more than just about electoral reform. It seems to have gone beyond that. It looks like those who are going to turn up for the rally will be declaring their stand against the Government and its administration of the country.

It’s beginning to seem like a rally to say “no” to Barisan Nasional (BN).

Hardcore anti-BN elements will be there. Those who have been declaring “ABU” (Anything But Umno) will be there. The Opposition will be there. As an ardent supporter of Bersih, I will be there.

But Bersih has mentioned an expected turnout of 500,000, and I wish it hadn’t. That’s a virtually impossible number. Even 100,000 would seem difficult to achieve, although it is planned that the rally will take place simultaneously in cities other than Kuala Lumpur.
Continue reading “Why the Need for Bersih 3.0?”

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My Lynas concerns

By KJ John | Apr 3, 12
Malaysiakini

My questions and concerns about the Lynas project to both the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) is: Why is the development of this particular rare earths plant of such a strategic interest to Malaysia, in the light of the failed Bukit Merah project?

What kind of real or new high-skilled employment is actually generated by the project that it qualifies for a pioneer status of 12 years?

What really is the value add for Malaysian strategic interests, other than the obvious rent-seeking behaviour of local partners; cronies, or otherwise? Does a deputy minister’s brother really have a stake in this project? Why are the Australian owners dumping their rejected project and residuals into Malaysia?

No one really questions the demand or marketability of the final outputs; but, the most serious questions remains the waste generated; and my question is, why in Malaysia, and why in Kuantan?
Continue reading “My Lynas concerns”

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Open season on Lim Guan Eng

By Tunku Aziz | April 06, 2012
The Malaysian Insider

APRIL 6 — Umno has apparently declared “open season” on Lim Guan Eng. That they have been stalking their favourite target for years, even well before he came into prominence, is an open secret.

If they had not maligned, abused and subjected him to unremitting muck-raking and mudslinging, these Umno stormtroopers would have felt totally inadequate and that something was missing from their miserable existence.

They would, like their brown-shirted, fair-haired and blue-eyed Aryan cousins of the Third Reich, have felt that they were not fulfilling their historic destiny which is to cause as much mayhem as the police, in their accustomed manner and wisdom, would allow. It is all in the name of upholding “ketuanan Melayu”, and nothing should be allowed to stand in their way, not even the rule of law. Years of blatant abuse with impunity by Mahathir Mohamad who, in cahoots with his Umno henchmen, succeeded by means fair and foul, mainly foul, in distorting the systems of orderly governance as provided for under our constitutional arrangements.
Continue reading “Open season on Lim Guan Eng”

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Public engagement meet on healthcare system a letdown

Dr Steven KW Chow | Apr 5, 2012
Malaysiakini

The title of the Event was ‘Pelancaran Siri Jejalah Public Engagement – Kajian Sistem Kesihatan Malaysia’ but what really happened was a paradox.

As a media event it was well organised.

The members of most of the mainstream media were at hand.

They, together with the large number of government servant attendees still in their uniforms or with their name tags, virtually made up the bulk of the crowd.

The robust public presence that was supposed to be the objective of this engagement was clearly missing.

Thus it was not surprising that the discussion was devoid of substance and spirit. Continue reading “Public engagement meet on healthcare system a letdown”