Day: March 7, 2013

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s stand of unconditional surrender for the Sulu militants deserves the support of all Malaysians.

There is neither basis nor merit in the call for ceasefire or the unilateral ceasefire by the Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, after eight police commandoes had been slain and some of their corpses treated in the most harrowing and bestial manner after they had fallen as national heroes in the cause of national duty to protect national sovereignty and the security of the state and people.

All Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region or political affiliation, are united as one in giving full endorsement to all necessary measures by the government and the security forces to end the month-long battle against Sulu militants.

All Malaysians support the online petition by the group identified as “Concerned Citizens of Sabah” that Sabahans want to “remain Malaysians”.

DAP fully endorses the sentiments in the online petition that while Sabah has a “shared history” with its neighbours, “the people of Sabah are not politically beholden to these historical ties”. Continue reading “Najib’s stand of unconditional surrender for the Sulu militants deserves the support of all Malaysians”

In the last two days, I visited three parliamentary constituencies in south Johore, Johore Baru, Kulai and Gelang Patah, attending seven functions and they all gave me confidence that the wind of change is blowing strong and hard from Johore in the run-up to the 13th General Elections.

In the 2008 general elections, the 308 “political tsunami” came down from the north in Malaysia, winning for Pakatan Rakyat the states of Penang, Kedah, Perak (which was subsequently “stolen” back by UMNO/Barisan Nasional through undemocratic and unconstitutional means) Selangor and Kelantan.

The political tsunami in 2008 faltered in Negri Sembilan or Pakatan Rakyat would have won another state government that year.

After my two-day visit to south Johore visiting Taman Pelangi, Taman Sentosa, Plentong, Gelang Patah, Senai, Bandar Seri Alam and Johor Jaya, and attending two major DAP UBAH Dream Truck ceramahs drawing unprecedented crowds, I feel hopeful that in the 13th General Elections, a bigger “political tsunami” is in store and will emanate from the south in Johore Baru and Johore to radiate to all parts of Malaysia and take the political change started in 2008 to even greater heights.

After his political disaster of the RM3.5 million invitation to the South Korean K-Pop superstar Psy to Penang on the second day of the Chinese New Year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak flew next day to south Johore to seek political solace and consolation.

Najib emerged from a closed-door meeting with Johor Umno and BN on Feb. 12 declaring confidence in Johor remaining a BN bastion in the next general elections. Continue reading “Pakatan Rakyat to focus on 15 Parliamentary seats in Johore in 13GE to end Johor’s “fixed deposit state” status for UMNO/Barisan Nasional and to pave the way for PR to Putrajaya”

There is a whole-page advert in the New Straits Times today on “Conversation with the PM” with the invitation: “Do you have any questions on current issues for the Prime Minister” and the announcement:

“Please email your questions to q&[email protected] by March 8, 2013. Dato’ Sri Najib Razak will appear ‘live’ on a special TV programme to be broadcast soon, where he will answer some of your questions ahead of the 13th General Election”.

I have three top questions for Najib on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the 12th Parliament on March 8, 2013, which witnessed the “308 political tsunami” of the 12th General Elections, viz:

Question 1: Caretaker government. Does Najib accept the concept and the conventions of a caretaker government limited to day-to-day administration of government on expiry of Parliament’s tenure, most notably between the dissolution of Parliament and the formation of a new government after a general elections?

This question is particularly pertinent in the case of Najib, who is going down in Malaysian history as the longest unelected Prime Minister on probation without a mandate of his own from the electorate – for nearly four full years!

Is Najib prepared to respect and abide by the Caretaker Government Conventions and best practices in other functioning parliamentary democracies, including:

• No major policy decisions by the Caretaker Government except on urgent matters and then only after formal consultation with the Opposition.
• No Significant appointments of major public officials, except in an acting or for short-term durations.
• No major contracts or undertakings during the caretaker period. If it is not possible to defer the commitment until after the caretaker period, for legal, commercial or other reasons, there would be consultation with the Opposition to ensure that contracts include clauses providing for termination in the event of an incoming government not wishing to proceed. Similar provisions cover tendering.
• No international negotiations and visits.
• No public service involvement in election activities with the public service adopting a neutral stance while continuing to advise the Government.

Continue reading “35-Day Countdown to 13GE – Three top questions for Najib in “Conversation with the PM”: caretaker PM, National Integrity Pledge and failures of Transformation policies.”

Jeswan Kaur | March 7, 2013
Free Malaysia Today
March 7, 2013

Lives have been lost in Lahad Datu all because the prime minister failed to uphold his responsibility of keeping the country and its people safe and secure.

COMMENT

After eight policemen died at the hands of intruders in Lahad Datu, the prime minister has come to his senses and declared that he has to defend Malaysia’s dignity and sovereignty.

This knee-jerk reaction from Najib Tun Razak in an attempt to do some damage-control has not appeased the rakyat; it has instead raised their hackles.

The Lahad Datu drama has raised a host of questions, all of which point to the federal government’s failure in averting bloodshed.

More precisely, the Lahad Datu debacle has revealed that Najib lacks perspicacity in preventing a crisis and this is a major cause for concern for the country and her people.

On March 1, armed intruders from the so-called Sulu army fired at policemen on duty in Lahad Datu, killing two of them and another six officers in Semporna the following day.

Najib was reported to have said that following the armed intrusion in Lahad Datu on Feb 12, the government adopted the approach of resolving the issue without bloodshed.

The unwise call by Najib today holds him accountable for the deaths of the eight policemen.

Had Barisan Nasional leaders been “on their toes” instead of prancing about for public sympathy and votes to secure a win in the general election, the Lahad Datu tragedy could have been avoided.

It is baffling that Najib decided to take a soft approach to the intrusion when the intruders themselves came armed to kill. Continue reading “Najib owes the rakyat answers”

P Gunasegaram
Malaysiakini
4:25PM Mar 6, 2013

QUESTION TIME The way the entire Lahad Datu intrusion/ insurgency/invasion – or whatever else one may want to call it – has been handled raises grave doubts over Malaysia’s ability to defend itself without fear or favour against anyone who infringes upon its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

That it has allowed itself to be lulled into such a state of complacency and lack of urgency, and seems to have totally underestimated the enemy is quite astonishing. And when it moved in after much foot-dragging it had nothing but embarrassment to show for it.

How could the authorities responsible for security have allowed the situation to balloon into such a serious violation of Malaysia?

And how could Malaysia have continued to allow a claim on part of its territory to go on for such a long time, even appearing to cuddle up to those making those claims?

Remember, this is the country, perhaps the first in the world, to have successfully contained and eventually beaten back the sustained armed communist insurrection and then faced down a confrontation from its big-brother neighbour Indonesia in 1965.

Have we gone slack in the intervening years and have we begun to severely underestimate the many threats of terrorist groups in this region? Are we fully capable of dealing with a sudden armed incursion into our country? Continue reading “Can Malaysia defend itself?”