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When Umno types prevaricate

— Othman Wahab
The Malaysian Insider
May 23, 2012

MAY 23 — This is what Umno politicians do when they get caught out: they huff and puff, spin some yarn and blow smoke all over the place.

Several months ago when websites reported that the government had instructed the Umno lawyer Hafarizam Harun (the same chap with the RM2.2 billion highway project with former Umno lawyer Tun Zaki Azmi) to seek an out-of-court settlement on Tajudin Ramli’s massive RM589 million debt to Danaharta, Nazri Aziz denied any such endeavour.

The de facto Law Minister dismissed all such reports. And then it happened, there was a secretive out-of-court settlement where the man associated with the fall of the national icon got a sweet deal.

Till today, no one knows whether he paid anything or if he received a free pass but the fact that the government has not been willing to disclose the terms of the settlement suggests he got a great deal.

After all, Tajuddin had enough ammunition to sink Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Umno. Continue reading “When Umno types prevaricate”

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Lim Guan Eng was only eight years old in 1969 but he has been accused in the “dirtiest” pre-election campaign in country’s history of being responsible for May 13 riots in Kuala Lumpur as DAPSY leader at the time

Two days ago, former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad warned in Kedah that Malays would lose political power in the country if UMNO is defeated in the next general elections.

This is a lie, for if UMNO is defeated in the next general elections, UMNO would be replaced in Putrajaya not by DAP but by the Pakatan Rakyat coalition comprising PKR, PAS and DAP which is committed to a common policy framework to uphold the cardinal features of the Malaysian Constitution, including defending the role and responsibility of the institution of Constitutional Monarchy; Islam as the religion of the Federation while other religions can be practiced in peace and harmony in any part of the country; the position of the Malay language as the National Language while protecting and strengthening the use of mother tongue languages for all races; and the special position of the Malays and the indigenous peoples including Sabah and Sarawak and the legitimate interests of other races.

Mahathir knows that his warning that if UMNO is defeated, the Malays would lose political power was totally untrue and baseless – which was why Mahathir had campaigned actively for the defeat of UMNO led by former Prime Minister and UMNO President, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in the 2008 general elections.

In fact, if it was true as alleged by some UMNO leaders that 47 out of 191 UMNO divisions were sabotaged during the last general election, a lot of thanks must go to Mahathir.

But what should interest all Malaysians is what made Mahathir to issue such a catastrophic and irresponsible prognosis about the next general election to arouse fear among the Malays? Continue reading “Lim Guan Eng was only eight years old in 1969 but he has been accused in the “dirtiest” pre-election campaign in country’s history of being responsible for May 13 riots in Kuala Lumpur as DAPSY leader at the time”

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When pseudo-Malays seek control

By Mariam Mokhtar | 4:49PM May 21, 2012
Malaysiakini

Umno believes that it represents all the Malays. It doesn’t. Millions of Malays have rejected Umno and without Malay support, Umno will become extinct. Bersih has awoken the Malays and therefore Bersih is Umno’s biggest threat.

The Bersih 3.0 rally forced the worst out of the Umno Malays last week: there were supposedly Malay traders who offered free burgers despite bitterly complaining about loss of income; ex-soldiers flashing their flabby posteriors, making us glad they had left the service; a senior police officer who mocked the law by condoning protests opposite private homes; a defence minister who believes he is above the law and has probably planned his escape in a submarine which cannot submerge, and a formerly ‘respected’ senator who resigned from his party and now tells us to accept corrupt politicians.
Continue reading “When pseudo-Malays seek control”

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Malaysia General Election: Will there be a 13 GE?

by Richard Loh
Tuesday, May 22, 2012

I had posted an article in 2010 that He will win solidly if GE 13 is called any month within that year and I still hold my believe till the eve of Bersih 3.0. Even with His statement of ‘crushed bodies & lost lives’ and rumors that His special team reporting to Him that He may lose the 13 GE, I still believe He will win solidly.

But everything seems to fall into place post Bersih 3.0 indicating that He is indeed fearful of losing the 13 GE.

Surveys after surveys giving the same results that His popularity is gaining traction and many voters are returning to His stable. This is true but what we understand is that most surveys were carried out via telephone. I still accept the results and reading from political expert opinion I believe He will win solidly and that is up till the eve of Bersih 3.0 Continue reading “Malaysia General Election: Will there be a 13 GE?”

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Truth Will Out in Suhakam Inquiry

by Kee Thuan Chye
Malaysian Digest
Tuesday, 22 May 2012

We have witnessed much madness and asininity displayed in the aftermath of the Bersih 3.0 rally of April 28, especially exemplified in the laughable antics of anti-Bersih groups, such as hawkers’ group Ikhlas, the army veterans who shook their buttocks in front of Bersih chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasen’s home, and the Kuala Lumpur Petty Traders Action Council.

Some of it can also be seen in the comments on the rally made by government leaders, including Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim’s incredulous declaration that only 22,270 people took part in it. But most risible of all is the Government’s appointment of ex-Inspector General of Police Hanif Omar as chairperson of the so-called independent panel to investigate the violence that occurred on April 28.

So it is with considerable relief that we now welcome the decision of the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) to conduct its own public inquiry into the violence when earlier it had said it would wait for the Government’s panel. Suhakam decided to go ahead because the panel has yet to come out with its terms of reference, and also because it has received numerous complaints from the public about the police brutality committed during the rally.

This is a show of good sense amidst the show of puerile emotionalism by the anti-Bersih groups and anti-Bersih ministers. It restores faith in the belief that rationality still rules okay in our current tragicomic state. Continue reading “Truth Will Out in Suhakam Inquiry”