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One-third of seats in four states enough to win, says Kit Siang

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 11, 2012

PETALING JAYA, April 11 — Victories in a third of the parliamentary seats from Sabah, Sarawak, Johor and Pahang will guarantee that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) takes the next general election, Lim Kit Siang has said.

The DAP parliamentary leader stressed that it was crucial for the federal opposition to make an impact in these states, which have long been considered Umno-Barisan Nasional (BN) strongholds.

“Sabah, Sarawak, Johor and Pahang all make up 99 parliamentary seats. If we can win one-third of each state’s parliamentary seats, we would have approximately 33 seats.

“If we then add that to the 82 seats we have now, we will have passed our majority mark and (be) on our way to Putrajaya,” Lim told attendees at a DAP fundraiser last night. Continue reading “One-third of seats in four states enough to win, says Kit Siang”

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Not surprising that Bersih 3.0 is allowed to go on

— Pak Man
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 10, 2012

APRIL 10 — Are you surprised that the Najib government has agreed to allow the Bersih 3.0 sit-in to go on? I am not. You shouldn’t either.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his aides have learnt their lesson from Bersih 2.0. They have also instructed their pro-government newspaper editors in the mainstream media to treat Bersih 3.0 differently from Bersih 2.0. That it is not a security threat that Bersih 2.0 was deemed by the security agencies.

Bersih 2.0 on July 9 was a seen as a security threat at the same level as Tahrir Square. That explains why Kuala Lumpur was locked down with phalanxes of policemen ringing the city. Police said only 5,000 turned up but they held nearly 1,700 people. How’s that for efficiency and effectiveness?

Despite all that, the Najib government’s handling of Bersih 2.0 was seen as a failure. He flip-flopped on giving them a stadium. He allowed his security advisors to get the upper hand but not this time. Najib cannot afford the fallout that Bersih 2.0 generated back then. Continue reading “Not surprising that Bersih 3.0 is allowed to go on”

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Jalan ke syurga penuh dengan onak dan duri

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 09, 2012

9 APRIL — Rakyat khususnya orang Melayu sudah sampai masanya untuk berfikir jauh diluar kotak. Sampai masanya rakyat memilih untuk memulakan pembetulan dengan merubah keadaan negara dari mula.

“We have to start anew”. Cara berfikir yang usang patut dibuang kerana kita orang Melayu yang sudah kononnya dibela oleh parti Melayu, Umno selama 54 tahun tidak berdaya untuk membantu bangsanya duduk sama rendah dan berdiri sama tinggi dengan bangsa lain walaupun perlembagaan telah memperuntukkan keistimewaan untuk orang Melayu.

Jika selama 54 tahun Umno gagal menaikkan taraf “competitiveness” orang Melayu, apa pula alasan pimpinan kita untuk meminta orang Melayu untuk terus menyokong Umno dalam pilihanraya yang akan tiba ini. Peluang untuk mendapat hasil yang sama juga adalah besar… walhasil balik asal.

Kalau kita berikan mandat lagi kepada Umno keadaan Melayu akan lebih teruk lagi. Yang pasti akan berterusan dan berkesinambungan ialah bertambahnya gejala rasuah dan menyalahgunakan kuasa akan bertambah besar lagi.

Kita tidak boleh lagi memberikan harapan kepada Umno kerana jika selama lebih lima dekad parti itu telah gagal masakan kali ini dengan kepimpinan yang lebih tidak senonoh ini akan memperbaiki keadaan orang Melayu. Umno dan kegagalan adalah dua perkataan yang sinonim. Umno itu kegagalan, kegagalan itu adalah Umno. Jangan malu-malu untuk mengakuinya. Continue reading “Jalan ke syurga penuh dengan onak dan duri”

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400,000 dubious voters may decide 35 seats, GE winner, says polls analyst

By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 10, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, April 10 — Over 400,000 dubious voters are on the electoral roll, enough to swing 35 federal seats either way and decide if Pakatan Rakyat (PR) can capture Putrajaya or Barisan Nasional (BN) reclaim its customary two-thirds supermajority in Parliament, according to a polls analysis.

Independent political analyst Ong Kian Ming said his Malaysian Electoral Roll Analysis Project (MERAP) found some 100,000 problematic names and combined with other previously highlighted issues, would “easily amount to over 400,000 dubious voters.”

Cleaning up the electoral roll is a key demand by the opposition and activist groups although BN say PR’s five-state victory in Election 2008 is proof there is no irregularity.

Ong told The Malaysian Insider this is likely “just the tip of the iceberg” as there may be other discrepancies that have not yet been uncovered by various parties who have combed through the gazette of over 12 million voters.

“If you divide 400,000 between 222 federal seats, it would average to about 1,800 voters. This is enough to potentially decide 35 seats,” he said, referring to the seats that had slim victories for either coalition.

“If voter sentiment is the same as 2008, then this can add the 30 seats PR needs to form federal government or the eight more BN needs to regain two-thirds,” said the political analyst. Continue reading “400,000 dubious voters may decide 35 seats, GE winner, says polls analyst”

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When Malay silence is not golden

Mariam Mokhtar | Apr 9, 2012
Malaysiakini

The average human brain weighs about 3 lbs and is 80 percent water. When Einstein’s brain was set aside for research, people were surprised that it was not unusually large. Perhaps, we have to remind ourselves that it is not size that matters, but what we do with our brain that really counts.

If there was an opportunity to dissect Malay brains, and separate the brains of extremist Malay/Muslims from the moderate Malays, would we find any differences in the pathological specimens?

Would the extremist brains be abnormally heavy because they were weighted down by the condition known as Ketuanan Melayu? Would the moderate brains show lesions on the lobes which govern speech?

It is a simple question, but no one has been able to answer it: where are the moderate, smart Malays who should speak up about issues which affect all Malaysians?

I pose the question because extremist Malays appear to dominate the affairs of Malaysia. Are the moderates consumed by apathy? Are they afraid of drawing attention? A few may think they are not articulate, or that their views do not matter. Perhaps, the moderates are content to carry on as we have done for the past 54 years; hence their silence.

If they are as disgruntled as the rest of the nation, they must speak out now because their opinions would send a clear message to Umno, that enough is enough. Continue reading “When Malay silence is not golden”

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Malaysia will need to improve its performance in education

— Tunku Munawirah Putra
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 09, 2012

APRIL 9 — Our deputy prime minister/minister of education announced that the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Competitive Index (GCI) report 2011-2012 for Malaysia ranks the quality of our education system at No. 14 out of 142 countries. Malaysia should be proud of this accomplishment which is above many developed countries including the United Kingdom, the US and Germany.

We really should give ourselves a pat on the back for being ranked at par with these First World nations. But instead, many have voiced their concern over the misrepresentation or misinterpretation of the data by the minister. Many are not amused but aghast. Continue reading “Malaysia will need to improve its performance in education”

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Bohong dan menipu adalah keperangaian kedua (second nature) Umno

— Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 09, 2012

9 APRIL — Apa yang menyebabkan Najib dan gerombolan Umno mampu menunaikan sebahagian besar janji janji mereka? Jawapannya ialah dana dan wang yang banyak. Itu sahaja kelebihan yang Najib dan gerombolan Umno ada. Dari segi idea dan gagasan dan wawasan yang terang, dia yilek. Jika tidak ada apco dan firma pakar runding seperti Mckinsey, Najib adalah seorang kanak-kanak yang hilang dalam hutan. Di luar jawapan dan pertanyaan yang tidak berskrip, Najib tidak dapat menjawap apa-apa.

Tiadakan kuasa yang ada, apa yang Najib ada? Sudah tentu hanya janji yang kosong. Janji kosong Najib jika di bandingkan dengan janji Pakatan Rakyat akan menelanjangkan ketandusan idea Najib dan BN. Dan saya tidak fikir Najib bodoh seperti yang kita melihatnya untuk tidak menyedari bahawa objektif PR ialah mendapatkan kuasa di Putrajaya. Dan kuasa inilah yang akan di pertahankan oleh Najib dengan segala tipu helah dan pembohongan terutama kepada orang Melayu.

Pembaca sendiri dapat melihat. Hanya selepas 4 tahun mendapat kuasa, beberapa kerajaan di bawah PR bukan sahaja menepati janji yang mereka buat tetapi mentadbir negeri masing-masing dengan lebih baik dari BN yang telah lama berkuasa. Ada negeri BN yang boleh menunjukkan bahawa mereka dapat mengadakan bajet lebihan? Ada, jika main silap mata yakni dengan mebatalkan beberapa perbelanjaan supaya balance sheet nampak baik. Kita mahu lihat negeri mana di bawah pemerintahan BN yang akan sekoyong koyong membentang supplementary bill untuk mendapat bajet tambahan. Ini semua kerja auta dan autawan in chief iaitu Najib Razak. Continue reading “Bohong dan menipu adalah keperangaian kedua (second nature) Umno”

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Our schools are better than those in the USA, UK, and Germany?

— Wan Saiful Wan Jan
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 09, 2012

APRIL 9 — In his speech closing the National Higher Education Carnival 2012 on March 31, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin claimed that Malaysia was ranked 14th globally for the quality of our education system.

He added that this means our younger generation is receiving a better quality of education compared to those in America, the United Kingdom and Germany.

The ranking that Muhyiddin, who is also the education minister, quoted was from the Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012 published by the World Economic Forum (WEF). It is just one of 111 indicators — each of which can individually be turned into rankings — that the WEF used to calculate our country’s competitiveness.

In fact, the ranking is not for the overall quality of our education system. Rather, we were 14th globally only for our higher education and training. We scored lower for primary education, at number 21.

Muhyiddin’s blunder was to be too selective in choosing what to quote from this 500-page document. As a result, his speech gave the wrong impression to the public, and created a field day for his critics. Continue reading “Our schools are better than those in the USA, UK, and Germany?”

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Sejuk rasanya hati mendengar kata Najib, tapi …

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 09, 2012

9 APRIL — “Dua perkara yang terpenting untuk diingati oleh pemimpin, pertamanya jangan bersikap sombong, dan jangan tidak tepati janji”, kata PM Najib di Temerloh semalam. Saya dan sesiapa juga bersetuju dengan ungkapan Najib itu, baik kawan dan lawan dalam politik. Kata-kata itu memang satu nasihat dan peringatan yang baik kepada semua. Bak kata anak-anak muda sekarang “gua caya lu Najib”.

Tetapi itulah diantara sebab kenapa Umno dimarahi dan dipersoalkan oleh rakyat. “Attribute” pemimpin Umno adalah kesombongan mereka serta sikap tidak menepati janji. Dan dalam artikel ini kita boleh tambah lagi apa-apa yang melekat sebagai stigma yang tidak dapat dipisahkan dari parti pemerintah itu. Apa yang dinasihati Najib itu, itu lah yang ada kepada Umno.

Umno begitu sombong kepada rakyat dengan mengugut rakyat supaya jangan tinggalkan Umno kerana jika Umno ditinggalkan, mereka tidak akan dapat menentukan nasib yang baik untuk rakyat yang ramai. Hanya Umno sahaja yang boleh mempastikan kehidupan yang baik untuk rakyat dan “there is no life without Umno”. Kepercayaan yang segala-galanya adalah dari Tuhan Semesta Alam tidak dipakai lagi. Mereka telah cuba mengalihkan keyakinan ramai yang, “there is life without Umno” dan “there is life after Umno”. Continue reading “Sejuk rasanya hati mendengar kata Najib, tapi …”

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Reforming Education. Part Three: Fixing Kampong Schools

By M. Bakri Musa

Third of Six Parts: Extending the School Day and Year

In the first essay I suggested enhancing the English fluency of kampong students through increasing the number of hours devoted to the subject and the number of subjects taught in that language, introducing English immersion classes, and even bringing back the colonial-era English schools. The second essay dealt with recruiting teachers, as with those retired ones trained under the old all-English system, native English-speaking spouses of Malaysians and expatriates, and recruiting from abroad. This essay focuses on kampong schools.

Finland demonstrates the crucial importance of having professional, well-trained teachers. That is only one part of the solution. Provide these teachers with superior school facilities, as those Finns are doing, and only then can we expect miracles from our students. Today we provide kampong pupils with neither, and we expect miracles from them. When they do not deliver, as you would expect, they would be blamed and left to shoulder the presumed deficiencies of our race and culture.

What a terrible burden we impose upon our fragile young!
Continue reading “Reforming Education. Part Three: Fixing Kampong Schools”

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Just who are the traitors?

— Spencer Gan
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 07, 2012

APRIL 7 — I note that Perkasa today called Bersih’s Ambiga Sreenevasan a traitor. I am afraid that the tables have been turned on its head in this country and the despicable and corrupt are now dishing out labels liberally.

But I do wonder whether the majority of us would consider a law-abiding activist a traitor or would they consider her a TRAITOR?

1. Someone who allegedly received kickbacks totalling RM144 million from a French defence company for agreeing to purchase two submarines. It is a fair assumption that the person/persons who received the money were not influenced by the utility of the purchase.

Asia Sentinel quoting French legal sources said that a Hong Kong company headed by Razak Baginda and his father received RM144 million from the French defence company. There is some evidence that the money was funnelled to Najib Razak who was the defence minister then. Is this a treacherous act? I wonder. Continue reading “Just who are the traitors?”

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Perkasa masih bermain dengan api perkauman dan agama

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 08, 2012

8 APRIL — Seruan pemuda Perkasa supaya orang Islam tidak bersama didalam rally Bersih 3.0 yang akan diadakan pada 28 April nanti menjelaskan lagi betapa jumudnya pandangan Ketua Wira Perkasa itu.

Semasa rakyat berbilang kaum sedang bertungkus lumus mencari penyelesaian terhadap penyelewengan dan pencemaran demokrasi ini ada pula pihak yang hendak menyelitkan kepentingan sempit pertubuhan itu dan berniat untuk menggagalkan usaha dan niat rakyat untuk memperbetulkan kepincangan yang dilakukan oleh institusi demokrasi negara ini.

Kenapa pula orang Islam tidak boleh menyertai rally tersebut. Apa yang “un-Islamic” nya rally itu sehinggakan orang Islam diseru untuk tidak menyertai rally yang berkepentingan untuk demokrasi dinegara ini? Saya tidak mahu berbahas tentang agama kerana saya tidak berpengetahuan agama yang lengkap. Tetapi apa yang saya fahami Islam memang menuntut umatnya untuk menolak kemungkaran politik dan ekonomi dan memperjuangkan kebenaran. Continue reading “Perkasa masih bermain dengan api perkauman dan agama”

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Teoh’s death: A-G’s ‘afraid’ to prosecute

by Teoh El Sen
Free Malaysia Today
April 7, 2012

Former KL CID chief Mat Zain Ibrahim claims the A-G is looking after his own interest in deciding not to charge anyone over Teoh Beng Hock’s death.

PETALING JAYA: With the amount of skeletons in his closet, Attorney-General Abdul Ghani Patail would be “digging his own grave” if he prosecutes anyone over the Teoh Beng Hock’s death, said a retired senior policeman today.

Ex- Kuala Lumpur criminal investigation department(CID) chief Mat Zain Ibrahim said this was the reason why Ghani was being cowardly and ‘afraid’ to institute criminal proceedings against any persons recommended by the royal commission of inquiries (RCIs).

“It’s for his own survival. Ghani will not institute any criminal proceeding against any person or persons that are being recommended by any RCIs.

“It is not about lack of evidence or that the case needs further investigation from the appropriate Department or anything to that effect. The RCIs recommendations are valid and proper.

“I state without any hesitation, that Ghani is himself very afraid to take any actions.

“To institute any criminal proceeding against those persons would be like digging his own grave.

“It is like putting himself in the same boat with those people he is suppose to charge and prosecute.

The only difference would be those people may have only one charge hanging over their heads,while Gani Patail has several times more,” said Mat Zain in an e-mail to FMT today. Continue reading “Teoh’s death: A-G’s ‘afraid’ to prosecute”

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We did it once… we are going to do it again!

by Shamini Darshni
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 07, 2012

APRIL 7 — April 28 it is.

When I joined thousands of Malaysians last July 9, making our presence heard and felt on the streets of Kuala Lumpur to force the government of Malaysia to take the people’s united voice seriously, I knew, like every other person with me, that I was making a difference.

Since Bersih 2.0, we have seen, felt and heard an intensity so naked and so pure among Malaysians who want nothing more than a better country to live in. A country we have called home all our lives. A country we choose to still believe in.

Although it is disheartening that the third installation of the Bersih movement is championing the exact same eight recommendations we called for last year, my pride lies in the face of the political awakening that has taken many of us by storm. We are now unafraid to say we want better leadership, government accountability and transparency, and an overall better life as a Malaysian.

Did Bersih 2.0 then fail? Hardly.

Is Bersih 3.0 necessary? Let’s see: Continue reading “We did it once… we are going to do it again!”

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Malaysians fail to get into Harvard for second year running

by Lee Wei Lian
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 07, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 — Malaysians failed to gain admission into the world’s most prestigious university for the second year in a row due to a slide in the quality of applicants, said Harvard University’s selection panel chief for Malaysia.

Not only did no Malaysian student receive an offer letter but none apparently was even good enough to make it to the interview rounds.

This comes after a controversy erupte over the quality of Malaysian education when Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin pointed to a World Economic Forum report to claim that Malaysians had a higher standard of education compared to that in some advanced countries.

Opposition lawmaker Tony Pua later rubbished Muhyiddin’s claims, pointing to another international study — the PISA 2009+ — that showed Malaysian students lagging far behind western nations in terms of literacy, mathematics and scientific understanding.

Datuk Dr Goh Cheng Teik, who leads the Harvard team that interviews prospective Malaysian students, said he was informed the quality of applicants had deteriorated. Continue reading “Malaysians fail to get into Harvard for second year running”

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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”