Month: May 2014

Adam Withnall,The Independent | May 30, 2014

Officials on Thursday confirmed what we have feared for some time — that a relatively tiny search zone in the southern Indian Ocean is not the final resting place of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

From an underwater mission covering 850 sq km (320 sq mile) where acoustic “pings” were heard, the area being searched has now been extended to around a 60,000 sq km (23,100 sq mile) zone based on satellite data which remains disputed in some quarters.

The Australia-led search control team estimate it could be August — next year — before this region has been covered, and hopes of finding the Boeing 777’s flight recorders are becoming increasingly dim.

With so much uncertainty surrounding the circumstances of MH370’s bizarre disappearance, it has become rich territory for aviation experts, bloggers and conspiracy theorists alike.

Here we round up 13 of the most prominent theories as to where the plane ended up, and what went wrong in the first place. Continue reading “13 theories of what happened to Flight MH370”

by Muzliza Mustafa
The Malaysian Insider
May 30, 2014

Family members of crew on board flight MH370 have hit out at the Malaysia Airlines union for calling for another body to deal with efforts and issues regarding the missing jetliner.

Jacquita Gonzales, wife of inflight supervisor Patrick Francis Gomes who was one of the 12 crew on flight MH370, said she was disheartened by the statement made by the Malaysian Airlines System Employees Union (Maseu), a union representing 8,000 of MAS’s 13,500 employees.

“I was upset and I broke down when I read the article. The phrase where he said to put us aside and allow other entity to look after our interest just brought us back to March 8.”

Mohd Jabbarullah Abd Kadir, executive secretary of Maseu, yesterday in a statement said MAS had handled the flight MH370 tragedy in the “best” possible way, adding that the loss-making airlines needs to move forward to ensure it stays afloat.

He also reiterated call for several top management figures in MAS to resign “with dignity”, saying that the union feels that the company has to focus on restoring its image and fortunes.

But, Gonzales said that MAS’s rebuilding should not be at the expense of caring for its employees. Continue reading “Families of MH370 crew rap MAS union for ‘disowning’ them”

— Fui K. Soong
The Malay Mail Online
May 30, 2014

Driving through the main thoroughfare of Teluk Intan is hardly pleasant as traffic jams are seen as a curse of development in small towns. However, of late, this monotony is interspersed with sultry posters of Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud, the DAP candidate. And you can’t help but wonder how the Opposition always gets to pick these yummy-looking princes and princesses of politics to parade their diamonds for them.

In contrast with the dreariness of the old establishment posters that almost always feature leaders lined up like pastry layers according to their seniority in the government or party — federal, state, candidate, or, party president, deputy president followed by the candidate. Sometimes, the size of the photo will indicate the said protocol is in accordance. No guesses who always gets the biggest photo on the posters!

While the BN candidate is always the last and smallest, nowhere in Dyana Sofya’s poster screams Lim Kit Siang or Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim or Datuk Nik Aziz. Her posters literally say, I am my own woman. And that message alone is no doubt a real hit with the younger voters.

According to Centre for Strategic Engagement (CENSE) survey, 42.1 per cent of the respondents among Teluk Intan’s registered voters think she has the qualities of being a good MP and that she is politically ambitious. Although, another good 40 per cent don’t really know her but there are no abhorrence or maliciousness towards her either. Continue reading “Teluk Intan’s diamond in the rough”

by Looi Sue-Chern
The Malaysian Insider
May 30, 2014

If the country’s first prime minister was still alive today, he would curse everybody because of the lack of leadership that has led to the present state of the nation, a former finance minister said today.

Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, also known as Ku Li, said the late Tunku Abdul Rahman would have been very upset with what people are saying and doing as this was counter to everything he believed in.

“He would curse everybody. (What is happening) completely counters what he advocated. He wanted peace.

“He was a man of peace and he nurtured harmony and he liked people to help one another no matter what racial, religious or cultural backgrounds they have. That was Tunku,” Ku Li told reporters in Penang today. Continue reading “If Tunku was still alive, he’d curse everyone for the state of the nation, says Ku Li”

By Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud | MalayMailOnline
May 29, 2014

To the good people of Teluk Intan,

It has been an exhausting but exhilarating two weeks since I was nominated by my party to be the candidate for the Teluk Intan by-election. I have experienced more in the last two weeks than any time in my 27 years of age.

Suddenly, I became the centre of attention of UMNO Ministers who could not resist taking digs at my looks. Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan asked voters not to support me just because I put on “lipstick”. Datuk Zahid Hamidi remarked that I am “not so pretty in person”. Datuk Ahmad Maslan stressed that even his wife, or Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman’s, would win if it were a beauty contest.

My looks and appearance are not important at all in this very important by-election. I did not sign up with DAP to take part in beauty pageants. I call upon the voters of Teluk Intan to judge me for my ideals, my principles and my dreams for a better Malaysia. I want to win this election not because of my appearance, but because of my ability to make a difference in the Malaysian political landscape in the highest legislative institution of the country.

My opponents have attacked me viciously behind nameless blogs aligned to Barisan Nasional (BN), as well as anonymous leaflets denigrating me with fake pictures and spurious allegations of my moral ethics. During the visits to some evening markets, there were UMNO bullies who heckled, disrupted and attempted to block the campaign trail. Continue reading “Open letter to the people of Teluk Intan”

By Gayatri Unsworth | The Malaysian Insider
MAY 30, 2014

Just a little over a year ago, Malaysia stood quivering at the prospects of a new dawn. Millions thronged to the polling booths, to have their fingers stained with special ink that was about as ineffectual as Ridhuan Tee’s sense of logic.

Anyhow, this not-so-indelible ink, which we paid a fortune for by the way, because as a country we are so exceedingly wealthy that we can afford to spend gazillions on things which don’t really work such as non-sinking submarines and 1Malaysia campaigns, was only the first in a very long list of vexations to come out of last year’s general election.

Though a record number of Malaysians turned up to give the Election Commission the finger (I only meant for the applying of the ink of course) and to make our downtrodden voices audible, our collective despondency was no match for a system so skewed, that I’m really beginning to suspect that somewhere along the way, we simply got terribly confused and started mistakenly spelling D-E-M-O-C-R-A-C-Y for D-I-C-T-A-T-O-R-S-H-I-P.

And truth be told, that would be perfectly understandable, considering our stellar record as far as English language education goes. Continue reading “Vote for Mah? Uhmmm no!”

(Media Statement in Teluk Intan on Friday, 30th May 2014)

The Gerakan President and Barisan Nasional candidate for Teluk Intan by-election, Datuk Mah Siew Keong, hit the nail on the head yesterday when he described the Teluk Intan by-election as the dirtiest in Teluk Intan.

He is right except that it is UMNO/BN “hired guns” who are responsible for making the Teluk Intan by-election the dirtiest in history.

In fact, Mah must accept responsibility for this deplorable state of affairs as all the dirt of lies, falsehoods, personal attacks and character assassination especially on the DAP/PR candidate Dyana Sofya emanate from the UMNO/BN quarter, and it is just not acceptable for Mak to disclaim responsibility or pretend ignorance about such a major political and electoral scam.

When asked by reporters, Mah has struck a pose of ignorance and innocence, claiming ignorance of the various election promises made by UMNO Ministers and Deputy Ministers (which are violations of the election laws) or the massive vote-buying whether through money or the free distribution of hampers.

But how long can Mah keep this stance of ignorance when he should bear responsibility for the entire UMNO/BN by-election campaign as the candidate, instead of pretending innocence on the ground that he did not hear or was not present when Umno Ministers and Deputy Ministers violate the election laws making promises to induce voters to vote for him tomorrow. Continue reading “UMNO/BN pulling out all the stops to launch the dirtiest last 24 hours of a by-election campaign in Teluk Intan”

Oleh Hasbullah Awang Chik
The Malaysian Insider
May 30, 2014

Menjelang tempoh berkempen yang akan tamat tepat jam 12 tengah malam ini, pelbagai risalah ditaburkan di sekitar bandar Teluk Intan bagi memburuk-burukkan parti DAP dan calonnya Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud.

Ketua Parlimen DAP, Lim Kit Siang mengakui apa yang dikatakan calon Barisan Nasional (BN) Datuk Mah Siew Keong mengenai kempen di Teluk Intan paling kotor itu benar tetapi ia bukanlah angkara DAP atau Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

“Kita lihat dalam tempoh 24 jam pelbagai risalah dibanjiri di Teluk Intan dengan pelbagai bahasa, fitnah, dusta dan pembohongan. Antara fitnah yang dilemparkan adalah agenda tersirat DAP jika diberikan kuasa menerusi kemenangan Dyana, mengatur strategi mengusir keluar orang Melayu.

“Siapa yang mahu bertanggungjawab? DAP, Pakatan atau Umno BN? Mah boleh kata dia tak tahu. Semua pun tak tahu. Politik seksis, serangan hamper, politik wang, serangan politik Umno. Semua tak tahu. Ini pun dia tak tahu,” katanya pada sidang media di Pusat Operasi DAP di Teluk Intan, hari ini. Continue reading “DAP dakwa risalah fitnah bertaburan di Teluk Intan”

by Joshua Teh Honguan
fz.com
May 29, 2014

THE response to the nomination of Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud for the vacant Teluk Intan parliamentary seat has shone an uncomfortable light upon our society and the way in which we view women.

The smear campaign, the cat calls, wolf whistles, labels of ‘pretty face’, ‘cheap candy’, and ‘puppet’ are symptomatic of the deep running sexism prevalent in Malaysian politics and society as a whole.

In objectifying women and refusing to perceive a woman as something more than a pretty face, we disregard her intellectual capability and personal worth. As long as we continue to judge women solely on their looks, we will never be able to embrace their true value.

The uncouth reaction towards Dyana Sofya coupled with an inability or refusal to see beyond her appearance does her a disservice as an individual and as a political candidate. Worse, it exposes a backward collective mindset that we should be ashamed of. Continue reading “LETTER: Smear campaign against Dyana Sofya exposes backward collective mindset”

Clive Irving
The Daily Beast
05.29.14

Australia called off the search Thursday, implying the stunning news the sounds heard in the Indian Ocean were not from the black boxes.

Expectations that the remains of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 would be found soon have been dashed. The Australian leaders of the operation have announced the end of the search of an area extending over 329 square miles of the Indian Ocean about 1,000 miles northwest of Perth, Australia. “The area can now be discounted as the final resting place of MH370,” the Australian Joint Agency Coordination Centre said Thursday.

Early in April this area was said to be the most-promising target for the search. The Australian vessel Ocean Shield, tracking along a 205-mile arc, reported detecting four separate sets of ping signals believed to be coming from the missing Boeing 777’s flight recorders. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said “We are confident that we know the position of the black box flight recorder to within some kilometers.”

The Australians did not confirm Thursday, in so many words, what CNN first reported, that a U.S. Navy official has said that the pings were not, in fact, from Flight 370’s recorders—although that is implicit in Australia’s statement announcing the end of the search in that area. CNN quoted Michael Dean, the Navy’s deputy director of ocean engineering, saying of the pings that “our best theory at this point is that they were likely some sound produced by the ship…or within the electronics of the Towed Pinger Locator.” Continue reading “Awful but True: Pings Were Not From Malaysia Airlines Flight 370”

(Media Statement in Teluk Intan on Thursday, May 29, 2014)

The 10-day Teluk Intan by-election campaign since Nomination Day on May 19 has produced many firsts in the history of by-elections in Malaysia – like the most sexist attacks, most political bloopers including blatant political gangsterism against a woman candidate, most lies and calumnies and the most number of UMNO Ministers and deputy Ministers to appear at a by-election not contested by an UMNO candidate.

The baseless, vicious and slanderous attacks on the DAP/PR candidate Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud were just gross and simply unimaginable, highlighting the total lack of chilvary of male political leaders in UMNO/BN but also the pettiness of women UMNO/BN political leaders who also indulged in such personal attacks on Dyana, and the failure and cowardice of all women UMNO/BN politicians who dare not raise a single protest against such sexist attacks on Dyana.

From the dastardly posting of fake swim-suit photogragh of Dyana (actually of Filipino actress Pauleen Luna) first on social media and then distributed in the Malay kampongs including a mosque in the constituency; the “lip-stick” fantasy of UMNO Housing Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan; the puerile attacks by the Home Minister, Datuk Zahid Hamidi; the boast by the Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan that his wife or the wife of Deputy Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman would win in a beauty contest against Dyana; Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir’s obsession with Dyana’s different clothes; the UMNO/BN leadership have been stripped completely naked as belonging to a shockingly low-class political genre.

Neither the UMNO/BN leadership nor the BN candidate for Teluk Intan, Datuk Mah Siew Keong, wanted to engage Dyana in a debate on the national political issues highlighted in her manifesto, as they only wanted to unleash a systematic and unethical campaign of character assassination and personal attacks to break her political will and fighting spirit, hoping that she will fly the “white flag” of surrender even before polling day of May 31. Continue reading “Teluk Intan by-election has created many firsts – most sexist attacks, most bloopers, most lies and calumnies and most number of UMNO Ministers and Deputy Ministers to appear for a candidate who is not from UMNO”

MAY 29, 2014 | TMI

Almost three months after flight MH370 went missing, there is still no sign of what happened to the plane which was carrying 239 people on a routine flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

When ping signals were detected in the Indian Ocean in April, hopes rose that they were emanating from the aircraft’s black box flight recorders, and the search intensified in their vicinity.

Yet a sophisticated mini-sub searching the ocean floor near the sounds has found no sign of the plane and some experts now believe they did not come from the jet.

Here are answers to some key questions:

Q: Are the ‘pings’ from MH370?

A: It cannot be ruled out, but international consensus is now that the series of acoustic transmissions at the heart of the Indian Ocean search did not come from MH370’s black box, according to a senior US Navy official. Continue reading “Answers to key questions on the MH370 mystery”

(Media Statement in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, 29th May 2014)

Three reports today on the missing MH 370 Boeing 777, entering into its 82nd today, have completely shot into smithereens the authority and credibility of the Malaysian government, which have never fallen to such a low depth internationally in our nation’s 57-year history.

The three reports today are:

1. CNN report entitled “Four pings no longer believed from MH370’s black box, says US official”;

2. Wall Street Journal (WSJ) write-up that the raw satellite data and other documents released by Malaysian and Australian authorities in a 45-page official report on MH 370 lacks details on explaining where the plane could have gone down.

3. The statement today by the Australian authorities whose retired Australian air marshal Angus Houston heads the Joint Agency Co-ordination Centre (JACC) responsible for the largest and longest multi-national air, sea and sub-sea search for MH 370, declaring they are ending the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines aircraft in the southern Indian Ocean as they have come to the conclusion after deepsea hunts using a drone submersible have not been able to detect any trace of aircraft debris in more than 850 square kilometres of the ocean floor in the area. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has accordingly advised that the search in the vicinity of the acoustic detections can now be considered complete and in its professional judgment, the area can now be discounted as the final resting place of MH 370.

These three reports are at odds with the announcement by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, at a sudden 10 pm media conference on March 24 that MH 370 “ended its journey” in the southern Indian Ocean, an announcement which I had described in Parliament the next day as an attempt to bring about “a closure without closure” to the families and relatives of the 239 passengers and crew members – as not a single piece of wreckage or debris had been found, which continued to be the case for the next 66 days. Continue reading “Credibility of Malaysian government at stake if Najib does not present White Paper on MH370 disaster followed by full-scale parliamentary debate on June 9”

(Media Statement in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, 29th May 2014)

I have no doubt that my old friend, Tan Sri Sabbaruddin Chik would have voted for Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud as Member of Parliament for Teluk Intan if he is a voter in the Teluk Intan by-election on Saturday, May 31, as there are no signs that the present UMNO/Barisan Nastional (BN) have the political will either for reform or to launch an all-out war against corruption, cronyism and abuses of power to win over the young generation of Malaysians.

Sabbaruddin has just been sacked as Bank Rakyat Chairman by the Minister for Domestic Trade, Co-operative and Consumerism Datuk Seri Hasan Malek because Sabbarruddin and the bank’s board of directors refused to comply with the Minister’s directive to approve the settlement of a RM32 million loan without calculation of any interest, but on a 120 post-dated cheques to be cashed in by the bank over a 10-year period.

Today, Sabbaruddin warned that Barisan will lose Putrajaya in the 14th general election (GE14) if young voters remain unimpressed with the coalition and its handling of issues such as corruption and transparency.

He said the younger generation was no longer stupid, and Umno and BN were in for an unprecedented nightmare should Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his administration carry on without any meaningful reforms. Continue reading “Former UMNO Minister and just sacked Bank Rakyat chairman Sabbaruddin Chik would have voted for Dyana Sofya if he is a voter in Teluk Intan as there are no signs that Umno/BN have the political will either for reform or to launch an all-out war against corruption and abuses of power and win over young Malaysians”

YourSay
Malaysiakini
May 29, 2014

YOURSAY ‘Gerakan, don’t push your luck too far. It may backfire on you.’

Gerakan calls Dyana ‘liar’ on Perkasa issue

Basically: You are running for election, Mah Siew Keong, so whatever BN does in your campaign is your business. Unless you are saying you are not in charge. Which is evident, and we have always known that.

And that means even if you do get elected and is given a ministership, you will still not be in charge. That would be simply a waste of the Teluk Intan seat.

As for Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud, if she wanted to measure up to Mah’s ‘experience’ and worth, she’ll need to add some ‘longkangs’ and buildings into her manifesto.

I guess she’s too new and naive to think cost of living and good governance matters to voters. Continue reading “Liar – Gerakan pot calling DAP kettle black”

Iskandar Dzulkarnain | May 29, 2014
Free Malaysia Today

In this satirical piece, the writer nails home some home truths in a humourous way.

COMMENT

Dyana SofyaThe antics of Umno Youth who seemed to act like organised thugs in the storming of the Penang State Assembly should not be blamed on Umno and BN for no apparent reason.

Neither should they be blamed for the manifestation of unmitigated gangsterism, racism, hooliganism, foul language, threats, destruction of property, the baying for blood, sexism, fake photographs, rowdiness and mob violence by motorbike gangs plaguing the current Teluk Intan by-election campaign.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has issued a statement that BN does not condone violence or sabotage. Umno is very neutral since it not contesting any seats and therefore have no reason whatsoever to cause any ruckus. More likely the outbreak of violence should be attributed to Independents or sympathetic BN supporters.

Unlike DAP who wants to conquer every seat, Umno is more ‘inclusive’ to allow other coalition parties and even Independents a fighting chance to contest.
Is it a wonder why more and more NGO’s, Independents and other mosquito parties are starting to support BN? Continue reading “Beware of Princess Dyana”

The Malay Mail Online
MAY 29, 2014

KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 — Raw satellite data and other documents released by Malaysian and Australian authorities failed to explain key assumptions investigators used to establish search zones in the Indian Ocean for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, the Wall Street Journal has reported.

The report comes as a US Navy official said on CNN that the four acoustic pings at the centre of the search for the missing plane which disappeared on March 8, are no longer believed to be from the aircraft’s black boxes.

“We do not understand the report. We need an expert to explain it to us,” said Sahril Shaari, a cousin of Muhammad Razahan Zamani, who was on the flight, told the Wall Street Journal.

Released earlier this week, the 45 pages of satellite data were provided to the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) by satellite firm Inmarsat.

The WSJ report pointed out that there were some glaring omissions. Continue reading “WSJ: MH370 report lacks details in explaining where plane could have gone down”

Aerie Rahman
The Malay Mail Online
MAY 29, 2014

MAY 29 — It seems that nothing can stop Dyana Sofya’s meteoric rise. The cynic could cast aspersions that she is merely a DAP token. After all, the DAP is a predominantly Chinese party which has been trying to shake off this description.

The DAP needs to widen its support base in order to hold real power and not rely on the atavistic PAS or the fractious PKR. Dyana is Malay, young and from the affirmative action university, UiTM. It all fits the bill for the cosmetic change that DAP appears to desire.

But look deeper and one can see that Dyana’s story is something that most post-NEP Malaysians can relate to and identify with. And that makes her worth more tokens than one can spend at Genting. Continue reading “Malaysia is ready for Dyana”

— Bob Teoh
The Malay Mail Online
MAY 29, 2014

MAY 29 — In many ways the Teluk Intan by-election is a dry run for the next general elections due as early as three years from now or even sooner. The tipping point probably depends on how well social media is used to engage the electorate. This will re-define politics where the electoral demographics is shifting to a more youthful and social media savvy profile.

Malcolm Gladwell, author of the non-fiction best seller “Tipping point – How little things can make a big difference (2000),” points out that one dramatic moment when everything can change all at once is called the Tipping Point. His says there are three characteristics for this to happen, one, contagiousness; two, the fact that little causes can have big effects; and three, that change happens not gradually but at one dramatic moment.

Social media featured prominently in the 2008 general elections (GE12). There was no tipping point to bring about a regime change. But the ruling coalition lost its crucial two-third majority in parliament that has allowed it to amend the constitution at will since independence. Barisan Nasional (BN) also lost five states out of 13 -Penang, Selangor, Perak, Kedah and Kelantan. It eventually recovered Perak under questionable circumstances. Nonetheless, BN’s loss was unprecedented and the cutting edge was undoubtedly the social media campaign engaged by both the opposition coalition and civil society groups that were seeking a regime change.

Its popular vote was reduced to such a level that the then incumbent Prime Minister Pak Lah was forced put of office rather ungracefully by factional infighting within Umno, the dominant party in the coalition. In came the new Prime Minister Najib Razak only with a party mandate.

Najib had declared that GE13 would be the country’s first “social media elections.” Barisan Nasional lost the popular vote but managed to win 133 or 60 percent of the parliamentary seats under a highly skewed electoral system. Continue reading “Social media driving Teluk Intan polls”

Ahmad Fadli KC
Malaysiakini
May 28, 2014

TELUK INTAN With the clock ticking down for polling day on Saturday, it was supposed to be a feather in BN’s cap: scores of DAP members would cross over to the ruling coalition.

Or so the media was told.

But what transpired in Teluk Intan late last night was something different from the script.

And some DAP members were bewildered when they found out the real reason behind the event.

One such person was 46-year-old taxi driver S Shantini.

Not being informed about the purpose of the event, Shantini was shocked when it was announced that she was one of 150 former DAP members who now support BN. Continue reading “Bizarre twists at DAP members joining BN bash”