Day: February 23, 2013

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 23, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 – Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan questioned today the motive behind the recent private screening of “Tanda Putera” to Malay FELDA settlers here, saying this meant the movie was likely racist portrayal of the bloody May 1969 riots.

On February 18, over 3,000 settlers from the Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) programme were shown a surprise preview of the controversial film in what the opposition has alleged was an attempt to “brainwash” them against voting for Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in Election 2013.

“My issue with Tanda Putera is why did they want to show it only to FELDA settlers.

“Show it to all of us. Let us all judge and believe me we will judge it… why only let a select few of people watch it? That shows what the issue is about,” the former Bar Council president said at a forum on racism held at the Civil Servants Golf Club here. Continue reading “FELDA screening of ‘Tanda Putera’ proves movie racist, Ambiga says”

The Lahad Datu government stand-off with some 150 Sulu intruders is getting curioser and curioser.

Today, the Home Minister Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein said that the Home Ministry has left it to Wisma Putra to decide on the Philippine government’s request of an extension on the deportation of a group of intruders in Lahad Datuk but such an extension “should not be too long, as the ministry will not compromise on matters which could potentially threaten the sovereignty of the nation”.

Clearly, the Home Minister is not on the same wavelength as the overwhelming majority of Sabahans and Malaysians who are one in feeling that the sovereignty and security of the nation had been compromised right from the beginning of the intrusion of and standoff with the 150 Sulu militias into Sabah territory at Kampong Tanduo in Felda Sahabat, Lahad Datu since February 9.

Just on the issue whether the nation’s sovereignty and security had been threatened by the intrusion and standoff with the so-called Royal Sulu Sultanate Army, the overwhelming majority of Malaysians have proven that they are more patriotic and nationalistic than the Home Minister himself.

In fact, the question more and more Malaysians are asking is why Hishammuddin is passing the buck to Wisma Putra instead of to the Defence Ministry? Continue reading “Lahad Datu stand-off with some 150 Sulu intruders getting curioser and curioser – why is Hishammuddin passing the buck to Wisma Putra and not to the Defence Ministry?”

By Mariam Mokhtar | February 22, 2013
Free Malaysia Today

As we approach the 13th general election (GE13), Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s interpretation of “1Malaysia” gets more bizarre.

To herald in the Year of the Snake, Najib made the surprise announcement that the Chinese would be treated to a special performance by the Korean entertainer Psy. Earlier this week, after much delay and heavy censorship, the Indians were finally allowed to view the film, “Vishwaroopam”.

The Malay masses, always on the wrong end of the stick when it comes to Umno’s largesse, were forced to view the Umno propaganda film “Tanda Putera”.

Psy’s performance allegedly cost RM3 million for a mere 12 minutes. The ban on Vishwaroopam caused promoters to suffer significant financial losses. Much of the box-office takings were diverted to pirated DVDs which were openly sold throughout Malaysia.

“Tanda Putera” cost RM4.8 million and is funded by the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) and the Multimedia Development Corporation (Mdec) – in other words, the taxpayer.
Continue reading “Chinese see Psy, Malays see May 13 film”

By Mat Zain Ibrahim | 11:29AM Feb 23, 2013
Malaysiakini

COMMENT Until today, there is not one honourable person who is prepared to take the responsibility for the lapse of security that resulted in the Lahad Datu standoff. Surely there must have been someone put in charge of the area, but has neglected his responsibilities.

If Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is serious about protecting the sovereignty, security and safety of our country and the citizens, he would have caught hold of one or two of the ground commanders and relieved them of their command.

Only then will the rakyat believe that the PM is not only in control but that he is on top of the situation and has his priorities right.

Since nothing of that sort is happening, we can only expect that, eventually, the blame will go to the lowest ranking soldiers, who will be accused of sleeping on the job and for failing to wake up their superiors. And also the constables who have failed to gather the intelligence before the intrusion for actions to be taken before the invaders landed.

This was the position taken by our Najib himself, when he was interviewed at length by reporters from on July 9, 2000, after the Sauk incident.
Continue reading “Who’s taking responsibility for Lahad Datu standoff?”

Yesterday, the three-day-old business news portal KiniBiz carried the report “Syed Mokhtar eyes Malaysia Airlines” by Jose Barrock, reporting that Syed Mokhtar Albukhary is proposing to the federal government to take over national investment arm, Khazanah Nasional Berhad’s 69.3 per cent equity interest in Malaysia Airlines which includes as part of the deal a long-term fuel subsidy by the government for as many as 60 years.

Malaysians await the full disclosure of this latest development in the byzantine government-corporate nexus, with a “source close to Syed Mokhtar” denying that there is such a proposal to take over MAS with “two separate sources” confirming that such a deal is being contemplated.

This report has, however, brought to the fore as priority issues in the impending 13th General Elections public concerns about good governance in Malaysia whether about past financial scandals arising from privatisation as a whole and specifically about the ailing national airline; Syed Mokhtar’s far-flung business empire and his mega-debts creating genuine fears whether they will require a massive bailout using taxpayers’ money and the history of corruption, cronyism and abuses of power in the long list of bailouts of Umnoputras at the public expense in the past few decades.

The 13th General Elections is the most appropriate time to revisit these issues of public concern about accountability, transparency and good governance.
Continue reading “47-Day Countdown to 13GE – Royal Commission of Inquiry into the RM100 billion losses from financial scandals in the 22-year Mahathir premiership”

By Pak Sako | Thursday, 21 February 2013 11:34
CPIASIA

Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad claimed last week that Malaysia’s current debt level is “healthy” compared with Greece’s.

But the debt-to-GDP percentage Mahathir relied on tells next to nothing about the full extent of Malaysia’s debts; the nature of these debts; or what can happen next.

The real devil lies in the details, namely:

(i) the trend in the debt level.

How has it changed in the recent past? Is there momentum in a certain direction? The federal government’s debt had doubled in just four years from 2007 and 2012. Will it stop growing, or will the trend and absolute totals continue their upward rise?

In the last decade, our finance ministers have repeatedly pledged to reduce the budget deficits. This has not happened. Instead, deficits have ballooned and the federal government’s debt has mounted.

(ii) the causes of debt.

For what are the borrowings and for whom? Are these borrowings for worthwhile investments that benefit the public? Are these liabilities being used to cover government operating costs or to prop up failing crony companies or the stock market? Is the use of costly loans for projects with low or no rates of return justified?

Almost a trillion ringgit was recently whisked out of the country in the form of illegal outflows. This is capital flight. It is conclusive evidence that our economy is ‘leaking out’ wealth.
Continue reading “Investigate Malaysia’s debts now”