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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”

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KLPAC insists Singapore ballet application was rejected

By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 05, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, April 5 — The KL Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) maintained today it had submitted a permit application for the Singapore Dance Theatre (SDT) to federal authorities a month ago, refuting a federal minister’s claim that it had not done so.

KLPAC executive producer and co-founder Datuk Faridah Merican explained in a statement here that the application was “personally” submitted to Puspal, or the Central Agency for the Application for Filming and Performance by Foreign Artists, on March 7 by KLPAC production manager Freddy Tan.

Tan, she said, was subsequently “advised” by a Puspal officer last Wednesday that the application had been rejected for two reasons – costuming and foreign performers.

“This was most unusual because we had applied for performances by the Singapore Dance Theatre on two previous occasions and both were approved,” Faridah said.

“In fact, we have always found Puspal to be most helpful and understanding.”

It is believed that the two reasons given by Puspal were not communicated in great detail to Tan.

Faridah said that following the permit rejection, an appeal was submitted on the same day.

But despite this, she confirmed that the ballet performance, titled “Ballet Illuminations”, originally scheduled for April 6 and 7 at KLPAC, had to be cancelled. Continue reading “KLPAC insists Singapore ballet application was rejected”

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‘Duduk means sit, Bantah means protest’, so let’s ‘Jom Duduk Bantah, Malaysians’

— May Chee Chook Ying
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 05, 2012

APRIL 5 — I must apologise for such a weird title for my write-up this time. I’m doing it for the benefit of some upstart whose tweet went like this: “…jumping like Monkeys in d street not going to solve anything in Malaysia….we r not Planet of the Apes. Be civilized Pakatan #Bersih3…”

Our Twitter friend above, firstly, has a very poor command of the national language. Go, take some tuition, it helps to understand the national language better for some politician wannabe like you.

Secondly, for calling your paymasters “Monkeys”, you ought to be sacked!

Thirdly, what have you solved, so far?

I used to think that Gerakan were notches above the MCA. They were the lean ones, you see. Till today, I feel kind of sorry for Koh Tsu Koon. Still believe he’s a good man, may not be the right man for the job, nevertheless, don’t see any evil in him. (Will keep you in my prayers, KTK.)

Looks like the GE13 will be the dirtiest yet. If what we hear is true, the incumbent government is pulling no stops to be voted in. That means the plundering will not stop. Neither will we see an independent judiciary, MACC, and what-nots. Justice will not see the light of day for many. The education system will go to the pits. Idiots will use the name of the Almighty in vain. The poor will become poorer, the thieves will become richer. We will die because with 1 Care, we will be robbed blind and not have the means to seek proper treatment. We can’t help our neighbour without being accused of proselytising! Murderers, thieves and criminals can still roam free! Malaysia will go bankrupt in no time! I’d better stop before I throw up! Continue reading “‘Duduk means sit, Bantah means protest’, so let’s ‘Jom Duduk Bantah, Malaysians’”

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DAP gives thumbs up to Bersih 3.0

By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 05, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, April 5 – The DAP formally voiced its support today for Bersih’s third rally for free and fair elections this April 28, agreeing with the group that the Parliamentary Select Committee’s (PSC) electoral reform proposals were inadequate.

Its secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said in a statement here that the PSC’s report, approved in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday, had shown a “serious lack of commitment” to addressing fundamental issues of electoral irregularities, which was the panel’s main objective.

“Given the lack of commitment to provide a clean electoral [roll] so that the next general election is free and fair, the DAP fully supports Bersih 3.0’s call to gather at Merdeka Square from 2pm to 4pm on April 28.

The DAP also reiterates its support for the full implementation of Bersih 2.0’s eight demands, out of which only one – the use of indelible ink – was sufficiently addressed in the PSC report,” Lim (picture) said in the statement. Continue reading “DAP gives thumbs up to Bersih 3.0”

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Gross stupidity might be a good reason for you to march

— Abdul Haleem Abdul Rahiman
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 05, 2012

APRIL 5 — I will join the Bersih 3.0 rally because I can’t stand the gross stupidity that is crippling the entire nation. Honestly, as much as I agree stupidity has no limit, I can’t take this absurdity which has been feed to us in high doses on a daily basis.

Day in, day out the events unfolding in Malaysia make you sick and drive you insane. With all the transformation programmes and what-not, I believe we are on full speed in a very wrong direction. Almost every institution in this country is failing. Religious bigotry is at its peak. Most MPs, if not all, are busy politicking rather than working. Corruption is nothing but the norm. A priority list is something unfamiliar in our daily life in Malaysia. Common sense is not so common anymore.

What irks me the most lately is the amount of stupidity and bigotry.

The latest, in declining a permit for a Singapore ballet group to perform here, is just absurd. The reason given is indecent costumes. Ballet costumes deemed indecent? Are you joking? I will not buy that reason simply because it’s insane to agree ballet costumes can poke your eye! Assuming it does, how do we justify swimsuits then? A gymnast who will be performing in the coming Olympics? Are we going to censor all female categories in gymnastics? Perhaps we should censor all female sports from being broadcast then. When countries like Saudi Arabia are sending female athletes to participate in the Olympics, we are banning ballet costumes. We have banned books, movies, T-shirts, yoga and what-not. Can we ban idiots who can’t even speak or write English from standing for elections? Continue reading “Gross stupidity might be a good reason for you to march”

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Pak Samad ready for Bersih 3.0, ‘disturbed’ by lagging reforms

By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 05, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, April 5 — National literary icon Datuk A. Samad Said made headlines last year when it was his slightly-hunched, barefooted frame that was seen leading a group of Bersih 2.0 marchers to deliver a memorandum on electoral reforms to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Today, he is “disturbed” that no real electoral reforms have taken place since the chaotic July 9 event.

The soft-spoken septuagenarian told The Malaysian Insider repeatedly that he was “not happy” with the 22 recommendations put forward by the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on polls reform in its report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday.

The government’s and PSC’s failure to suggest total reform, he said, was “good reason” why Bersih 3.0 “should” be held.

“I’m not happy with what has happened. I’m not happy. Not happy,” the bearded poet said yesterday, shaking his shock of white hair.

“So that’s why I think, because of what’s happening, it is very disturbing as far as I’m concerned.

“That’s a good reason why we should have this (Bersih 3.0),” he said. Continue reading “Pak Samad ready for Bersih 3.0, ‘disturbed’ by lagging reforms”

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Najib kata jangan tukar pemandu tengah jalan

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 04, 2012

4 APRIL — Hari ini Najib Razak mengingatkan semua supaya tidak menukar kerajaan yang merbahaya dalam pilihanraya ini. Katanya “jangan tukar pemandu dipertengahan jalan”. Maksudnya jangan tukar kerajaan dalam pilihanraya ini kerana itu adalah tindakan merbahaya.

Setiap kerajaan bertukar tangan dalam perjalanan. Parti Conservative dan Liberal Democrat telah mengambilalih kerajaan Britain dari Parti Buruh dalam perjalanan. Mana ada kerajaan yang sudah tiada untuk ditukar? Tentulah kerajaan yang sedang berkuasa yang selalu ditukar dan mereka ditukar kerana bersebab, bukan saja-saja untuk ditukar.

Perjalanan mentadbir negara adalah tugasan yang berterusan kepada siapa yang diberikan mandat. Ibarat sebuah bas yang dalam perjalanan jauh, ia disyaratkan supaya mempunyai pemandu gantian (spare driver).

Banyak kemalangan berlaku kerana pemandu itu terlena sambil memandu kerana telah memandu terlalu lama. Maka itulah undang-undang mensyaratkan setiap bas ekspress mesti mempunyai seorang lagi pemandu gantian supaya bas itu dipandu bergilir-gilir supaya tidak merbahayakan penumpang yang sedang tidur lena itu.

Dalam kes kerajaan pimpinan Najib, penumpang-penumpangnya sudah bangun dari tidur dan telah merasakan yang pemanduan Najib sudah cukup merbahaya. Najib memandu dengan tidak mematuhi undang-undang memandu. Continue reading “Najib kata jangan tukar pemandu tengah jalan”

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Implement PSC reforms before polls, Bar Council tells Najib

By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 04, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, April 4 — The Bar Council today urged Datuk Seri Najib Razak to “exercise political will” and ensure all the electoral reform recommendations passed by Parliament yesterday would be implemented before the 13th general election.

Council president Lim Chee Wee said in a statement here that the prime minister should also consider the weaknesses in the 22 recommendations, which were contained in the parliamentary select committee’s (PSC) final report to the House.

“The Malaysian Bar urges the PM… to pursue holistic solutions towards rectifying the problems of the electoral roll and implement unhesitatingly all the recommendations of the PSC, before the next general election,” he said.

Lim described, however, the PSC’s report as “incomplete” and “inadequate” to achieve free and fair elections, which was the panel’s main objective when it was formed last year.

Najib had mooted the PSC last October, several months after his administration drew widespread criticism in the international media for its handling of Bersih 2.0’s rally for free and fair election last July 9.

But the PSC’s 22 recommendations, tabled and approved by Parliament without debate yesterday, have been criticised for purportedly failing to touch on specific issues pertaining to discrepancies in the current electoral roll.

“This was the principal and immediate concern that gave rise to Bersih 2.0,” Lim reminded today. Continue reading “Implement PSC reforms before polls, Bar Council tells Najib”

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Massive deception and propaganda campaign afoot that PSC majority report complies with seven of eight Bersih 2.0 demands when only one is being implemented

A massive deception and propaganda campaign is afoot, making full use of public funding and mobilising the mainstream media and Barisan Nasional cybertroopers, to create the impression that the majority report of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on electoral reform complies with seven of the eight Bersih 2.0 Demands for clean, free and fair elections when in actual fact, only one is being implemented.

The only one of the eight Bersih 2.0 Demands which is being implemented is Bersih 2.0 Demand 3 on “Use of Indelible ink” while the other seven Bersih 2.0 Demands are either given partial and unsatisfactory responses, or mere lip-service and meaningless recognition or outright rejection as in Bersih 2.0 Demand 4 on “Minimum 21 days campaign period”.

The eight Bersih 2.0 Demands that motivated 50,000 Malaysians transcending race, religion and region to support the historic July 9, 2011 Bersih 2.0 rally were:

  1. Clean the electoral roll

  2. Reform postal ballot

  3. Use of indelible ink

  4. Minimum 21 days campaign period

  5. Free and fair access to media

  6. Strengthen public institutions

  7. Stop corruption

  8. Stop dirty politics

The best example of the failure of the PSC majority report to address the core demand for a clean, free and fair election is Bersih 2.0 Demand 1 on “Clean the electoral roll”, which states: Continue reading “Massive deception and propaganda campaign afoot that PSC majority report complies with seven of eight Bersih 2.0 demands when only one is being implemented”

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A transformed country, but an untransformed Parliament

— The Malaysian Insider
Apr 04, 2012

APRIL 4 — On the day Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak celebrated three years in office with the satisfaction of a plan in progress, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia showed the shallowness of the transformation towards a developed nation by 2020.

Najib can be proud of achievements under the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) and Government Transformation Programme (GTP), but in terms of a Political Transformation Programme (PTP), he can follow other Malaysians and frown at the tyranny of power shown by the Speaker yesterday.

Pandikar Amin dismissed the requests for a debate on a minority report from opposition members who wanted to add to the final report from the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on Electoral Reforms. And he tried to chase them out of the House for disputing his decision to disallow the debate.

Why the fear of a debate on a minority report? The entire report has all the recommendations and the discussion to reform the electoral process in Malaysia. So, why not a report that details the arguments for recommendations that did not make its way to the final report? Continue reading “A transformed country, but an untransformed Parliament”

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Bersih 2.0: PSC report fails in five key areas

Malaysiakini
Apr 3, 2012

Election reforms pressure group Bersih 2.0 is disappointed that the parliamentary select committee (PSC) on electoral reform has failed to address five key issues.

The five issues, Bersih 2.0 said, are:

1.Manipulation of the electoral roll;
2.The citizenship-for-votes scam in peninsula Malaysia;
3.Enforcement of the Election Offences Act 1954 and enhancing the definition of election offences;
4.A plan to stop ‘dirty politics’; and
5.Inviting international observers.

In view of this, the Bersih 2.0 steering committee said it was “highly likely” that electoral fraud and other irregularities will continue unabated. Continue reading “Bersih 2.0: PSC report fails in five key areas”

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Bersih 2.0’s point-by-point responses

Malaysiakini
Apr 3, 2012

Election reforms pressure group Bersih 2.0 is not satisfied with the parliamentary select committee (PSC) final report and have scrutinised all 22 of the latter’s recommendations.

Bersih 2.0, who organised the mass rally on July 9 last year, is one of the main factors attributed the Najib administration’s decision to establish the PSC.

Below is Bersih 2.0’s comments, edited for brevity and clarity, on all 22 recommendations:

1. Voters residing overseas

The proposal to allow voters residing overseas to cast their ballots should be implemented immediately without any conditions. The condition set by the PSC for voters to return periodically to qualify to vote from overseas is unconstitutional.

There is no need for further study on carrying out overseas voting as proposals have been submitted and it will only delay implementation. Provisions exist to allow overseas registration of voters.

Civil society organisations will implement overseas voting on the Election Commission’s behalf if resourced financially. Continue reading “Bersih 2.0’s point-by-point responses”

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Parliament debate on PSC report on electoral reform – most disgraceful episode and worst blot on Malaysian Parliament in nation’s 55 years

What happened today is the most disgraceful episode and worst blot on the Malaysian Parliament in the nation’s 55 year history.

It all stemmed from the mistake made by the Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin who had rejected an amendment motion by the three Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Members of Parliament on the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on electoral reform, Loke Siew Fook (Rasah), Mohamed Azmin (Gombak) and Dr. Mohd Hatta (Kuala Krai) seeking to incorporate a minority report into the PSC final report tabled in Parliament yesterday.

After the PSC Chairman Datuk Maximus Ongkili moved the motion on the PSC report after question time, Loke stood up to object to the Speaker’s rejection in chambers of the amendment motion by the three PR MPs.

Pandikar quoted Parliamentary precedents from New Zealand and the United Kingdom and said there is no such thing as a “minority report”. Continue reading “Parliament debate on PSC report on electoral reform – most disgraceful episode and worst blot on Malaysian Parliament in nation’s 55 years”

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Pakatan declares polls reform panel a failure

By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 02, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, April 2 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) representatives in the government-mooted parliamentary select committee (PSC) on electoral reforms complained today the panel had failed to meet its objectives, despite six months of heated discussions and at least six public hearings.

The members, Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak), Hatta Ramli (PAS-Kuala Krai) and Anthony Loke (DAP-Rasah), told a press conference here that the bipartisan panel had fallen short of expectations as it had completely neglected to address “fundamental issues” surrounding concerns over the country’s election system.

Key among these, said Azmin, was the call to clean up the current voter registry, which civil society groups and PR leaders have alleged are fraught with discrepancies.

The trio said today they have filed a motion notice with the Dewan Rakyat Speaker’s office under Standing Order 30(1) calling for amendments to be made to the PSC’s final report. Continue reading “Pakatan declares polls reform panel a failure”

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Reforming Education Part Two: Fixing Kampong Schools

M. Bakri Musa
Second of Six Parts: The Challenge of Providing Teachers

In Part One I discussed measures to increase the English fluency of kampong pupils, key to enhancing their employability and self-confidence. These include increasing the hours for English instruction, introducing immersion classes as with our earlier Special Malay and Remove Classes, and even bringing back colonial-era English schools to the kampongs. This section focuses on the special challenges of attracting teachers, specifically to teach English, and on improving kampong schools.

Attracting Teachers

Malaysia has a deep reservoir of English-speaking teachers trained under the old all-English system. They are now all retired, but given sufficient incentives they could be readily enticed to teach in our rural schools. Right now there are only half-hearted attempts at attracting them, with the efforts left to local headmasters. These headmasters, brought up under the existing system, are only too aware of their own limitations in English. They are not about to be welcoming of or risk having their own inadequacies exposed by these hitherto senior English-fluent teachers; hence the failure of the current policy.
Continue reading “Reforming Education Part Two: Fixing Kampong Schools”

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Support for NEP coming from ‘captive minds’, says Ku Li

By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 01, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 — Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah resumed his attack on the New Economic Policy (NEP) today, stating that “captive minds” continue to support it despite Malaysia moving further from its objective of redistributing wealth through pro-Bumiputera policies.

The Umno veteran said there has been “no intellectual inquiry” into why “despite many years of implementing the NEP, inequitable distribution of income continues to plague the people” as “we have become incapable of devising an analytical method independent of current stereotypes about Malays, Chinese, Indians and others.”

Ku Li today said, “…The NEP…has produced results that are diametrically opposed to the original intention of bridging the gap between the haves and the have-nots.” — file pic
“If the doctor keeps on prescribing the same medicine which produces opposite results, then something must be wrong with the doctor, and something more serious must be wrong with the patient who keeps on trusting the same doctor.

“Our thinking is based completely on a racial world view when it comes to matters of politics, education, economics, planning, and so forth. Needless to say, we promote a racial world view that thrives on the policy of divide and rule,” the Kelantan prince said at a book launch in Ipoh this morning.

Tengku Razaleigh, popularly known as Ku Li, had in February said “as a former finance minister, let me emphasise that it was never the intention of the NEP to create an incubated class of Malay capitalists.” Continue reading “Support for NEP coming from ‘captive minds’, says Ku Li”

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Cadangan PR untuk memansuhkan PTPTN wajar mendapat sokongan

by Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 31, 2012

31 MAC — PTPTN wajar dimansuhkan dan saya bersetuju dengan cadangan Pakatan Rakyat(PR) untuk menghapuskannya jika PR diberikan mandat oleh rakyat dalam pilihanraya kali ini. Saya telah menulis isu pembiayaan pelajaran ini banyak kali kerana isu pelajaran dan pendidikan adalah isu teras dalam pembangunan negara. Pendidikan selalunya percuma di negara-negara maju.

Janganlah kita mengaku yang negara kita adalah negara maju dan rakyat yang berpendapatan tinggi tidak lama lagi tetapi kita tidak nampak tanda-tanda hasrat yang dilaungkan oleh PM Najib itu akan tercapai seratus tahun lagi. Takkanlah dengan memberikan wang ehsan RM500 baru-baru ini telah menjadikan negara kita rakyat yang berpendapatan tinggi.

Di kesebelasan negara-negara Scandinavia pelajaran adalah percuma. Di Germany juga percuma dan di Perancis dan banyak lagi negara-negara lain yang memberikan pendidikan dan pelajaran percuma sehingga peringkat tertinggi. Di negara-negara tersebut tidak ada nampak pemimpin politiknya pergi ke kawasan masing-masing menabur wang 500 euro dan sebagainya. Mereka tidak pun sibuk mendabik dada yang mereka telah memberikan sedikit kelegaan kepada rakyat mereka. Continue reading “Cadangan PR untuk memansuhkan PTPTN wajar mendapat sokongan”