Day: October 14, 2012

— The Malaysian Insider
Oct 14, 2012

OCT 14 — There are many out there who fear the Islamist PAS working together with the secular DAP. To the point that PAS is seen as abandoning its Islamist roots while DAP is accused of either being very Christian or trying to help PAS implement an Islamic state.

That didn’t work in 1999 when both parties worked together in the Barisan Alternatif that floundered over the Islamic state concept. In Election 2008, they agreed not to contest against each other and PKR, and their success led to the formation of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

Among those in the happy group then was Datuk Dr Hasan Ali. Well, he isn’t there now after being sacked last January by PAS. Continue reading “Hasan Ali’s umbrage over PAS-DAP ties”

There continues to be widespread disbelief and questions galore about the highly-publicized exoneration of Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman of corruption in connection with the seizure of S$16 million (RM40 million) cash and arrest of Sabah businessman Michael Chia at the Hong Kong International Airport on August 14, 2008 for money trafficking and laundering before boarding a flight bound for Kuala Lumpur.

It was earlier reported that Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) found that the money was earmarked for Musa and were part of more funds being deposited into a Swiss bank account containing US$30 million allegedly being held in trust for the Sabah Chief Minister by a lawyer.

If what the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said in his parliamentary reply is true, that investigation papers submitted to the Attorney-General by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) show that the RM40 million a Sabah businessman was caught with in trying to smuggle into Malaysia from Hong Kong were political contributions to the state Umno and not for Chief Minister Musa Aman and that “no element of corruption was proven”, two immediate questions arise:

1. Why did the MACC submit investigation papers to the Attorney-General for decision when “no element of corruption was proven”; and

2. Why has the MACC taken more than four years to discover that it has no case of corruption against Musa Aman? Continue reading “Can MACC recover from the disastrous setback of being exposed as among the most inept and incompetent anti-corruption agencies in the world?”

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
October 14, 2012

Okt 14 — Rasa tidak terdaya untuk membaca dan mengulas tentang isu-isu yang mengelilingi politik negara. Seperti mana yang saya sebut selalu kebanyakan isu yang ditimbulkan ialah isu rasuah yang besar yang berlaku dalam pentadbiran kerajaan yang dipimpin UMNO kini. Saya tetap akan terus menerus bercakap tentang rasuah ini kerana rasuah adalah kerja yang sangat hina dan ia boleh menjahanamkan sebuah negara. Sebelum ia menjahanamkan negara elok rakyat bertindak dengan kesatuan yang kuat kerana perasuah ini bukan mudah untuk dihapuskan.

Usaha menghapuskan rasuah ini memerlukan kerjasama yang rapat di antara semua pihak dan rakyat keseluruhannya kerana kehancuran terhadap negara itu akan pasti sampai jika rasuah yang keterlaluan ini tidak dibendung. Perjuangan ini merupakan perjuangan yang panjang dan memakan masa yang lama, tetapi langkah permulaan wajar berlaku sekarang kerana jika usaha ini ditangguh-tangguhkan ia akan menjadi barah yang susah untuk dikawal.

Perjuangan melawan rasuah ini memerlukan permuafakatan yang jitu dari rakyat semua kaum dan juga dari parti-parti politik serta setiap individu-individu yang sedar tentang bahayanya rasuah ini dibendung. Maka samada terdaya atau pun tidak, kita harus ke depan dan memerangi rasuah ini habis-habisan melalui cara yang halal dan dibenarkan oleh perundangan negara kita.

Banyak pihak telah membuat teguran dan desakan untuk pimpinan sekarang ini melakukan pembersihan terhadap rasuah ini kerana UMNO merupakan parti yang memimpin negara kita. Namun semua desakan itu tidak pergi ke mana, malahan rasuah berkembang dengan begitu menjolok mata sehinggakan kita semua tidak tahan lagi untuk bersabar. Continue reading “Jangan was-was, lakukanlah perubahan”

– Hussaini Abdul Karim
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 13, 2012

OCT 13 – It is only natural for parents to demand the best for their children. More so now that parents of the noughties are generally better informed, more knowledgeable and are more educated when compared to those of the 80’s, 70’s, 60’s or earlier.

Likewise, the government of Malaysia also demands the best from its people, the best of everything.

Therefore, it is only logical if the government provides the best in order for them to get the best. Our country is blessed with abundant natural resources, a stable economy, peace, prosperity and harmony, among others. The better the people (human capital) the better our country will be in terms of progress, economy and development. The provision of quality education and if accompanied by the necessary and complete infrastructure combined with having good teachers and trainers, will ensure us a continuous supply of the right human capital. So, providing quality education should be made a priority in any country to produce the best people. That includes our country Malaysia.

Parents send their children to schools not just because the laws require them to do so and they also do not send their children to schools just for the sake of sending them to schools. I am referring to the larger majority. Most parents, if not all, want their children to get a decent education and to go as high as possible, up to university level for a first degree, if not further. Continue reading “A re-look at the Malaysia Education Blueprint”