Counting of the by-election result proceeding. From all indications, Anwar Ibrahim’s majority will be more than Wan Azizah’s majority in March 8 general election, which was 13,398 votes.
A Merdeka upside down?
by Azly Rahman
“Our Nation, Malaysia is dedicated to: Achieving a greater unity for all her people; maintaining a democratic way of life; creating a just society in which the wealth of the nation shall be equitably distributed; ensuring a liberal approach to her rich and diverse cultural tradition, and building a progressive society which shall be oriented to modern science and technology.
We, the people of Malaysia, pledge our united efforts to attain these ends, guided by these principles:
• Belief in God
• Loyalty to King and Country
• Upholding the Constitution
• Sovereignty of the Law, and
• Good Behaviour and Morality”
– From the Rukunegara, circa 1970
The words above constructed and proclaimed in 1970, after the bloody riots of May 13, 1969, contain internal contradictions if we are to analyse them today.
As we approach Aug 31, our independence or Merdeka Day, we read the following stories: Continue reading “A Merdeka upside down?”
No smooth 2009 Budget presentation if Anwar is not sworn in as MP to become Opposition Leader
A spate of news reports quoting the Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia as saying that the oath-taking ceremony to swear in the winner of the Permatang Pauh by-election today would most likely be held in mid-October and that he did not see any urgency to “fix a quick date” has raised eye-brows all round and thrown up a flurry of questions.
There can be no doubt that if the Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Arif Shah Omar wins the Permatang Pauh by-election, he would definitely be sworn in as MP in Parliament this week, latest by Thursday if not tomorrow itself – so that it could be used by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as a much-needed confidence-booster after the devastation suffered by the Barisan Nasional in the March 8 “political tsunami” relegating the Barisan Nasional to the Opposition benches in five states – Penang, Selangor, Perak, Kedah and Kelantan – and depriving for the first time in Malaysian history of its two-thirds parliamentary majority.
I believe nobody in Malaysia doubts that if Arif could win the Permatang Pauh by-election today, he would be sworn in as MP in Parliament tomorrow or latest by Thursday.
Why then should the position be any different if Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is re-elected as MP for the constituency and storms back to Parliament with a historic majority?
Abdullah, the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak who had spearheaded the Barisan Nasional Permatang Pauh by-election campaign to be a 4Ds campaign – the dirtiest and the most disgraceful, dishonourable and divisive election strategy – and other Barisan Nasional leaders may not want to see Anwar return to Parliament in triumph to take his seat as the Parliamentary Opposition Leader exactly opposite Abdullah for 2009 Budget presentation on Friday, but this is not for them but for the voters of Permatang Puah to decide today! Continue reading “No smooth 2009 Budget presentation if Anwar is not sworn in as MP to become Opposition Leader”
One Bangsa – 50 years on?
Letters
by Jeff Lim
Man on the Street
I am 51 years of age, Malaysian, a self made businessman, married with 3 adult children and living in Penang. I am just a down to earth man on the street earning a decent living and community service is part of my life. If there is RM50 to give away now. There are many individuals and families who would need it desperately just to get a square meal and get by a few days.
It saddens me to see disparity amongst the races and politicians fighting pitching against themselves and within themselves. This country is a mad house. A truly Malaysia context should be fighting for all Malaysians and energy and time should be use to address other priority issues.
The wealth indicators are often used to display the racial social standing status in terms of success and wealth. Chinese have much to be proud of. They could be better if not for the brain drain and political agendas. The others have only grievances to complain about one after another, simply because their living skills to help themselves is seriously lacking.
Yes, we lack true leadership in shaping the country. Singapore, our neighbour has forever been used as an exemplary example. Irrespective of who you are, be it a Malay, Chinese, Indian, whatever colour, meritocracy is the ONLY way of life. Nothing must stand in the way, nor politics nor religion nor corruption. In the days of P.Ramlee, we were all just one. Why must it be different now. Continue reading “One Bangsa – 50 years on?”
Permatang Pauh voters – tryst with destiny
Polling for the Permatang Pauh by-election has just started.
This a tryst with destiny for the voters of Permatang Pauh. They have the opportunity to make history for themselves, 27 million Malaysians and future generations for a new Malaysia.
Let the Permatang Pauh by-election mark the rise of a pioneer generation of Bangsa Malaysia to herald the beginning of the new politics of Bangsa Malaysia to liberate Malaysians from the divisive and negative politics of race and graft of the Barisan Nasional.
In the past 10 days, UMNO and Barisan Nasional leaders pulled out all the stops to conduct the dirtiest, most disgusting and dishonourable election campaign in the 51-year history of nation, breaking all election laws against money politic and violating all moral and ethical principles of a clean and honest election campaign.
As I said in two eve-of-polling ceramahs last night, there is no doubt of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim being re-elected as MP for Permatang Pauh and his return to Parliament after an absence of a decade.
The only question is Anwar’s majority. I will not be satisfied unless it is an even bigger majority than Datuk Seri Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s 13,398-vote majority in the March 8 “political tsunami” – to trigger a mini political tsunami in Malaysia by itself!
Let us be a witness to PP’s tryst with destiny.
American-Style Crony Capitalism
by M. Bakri Musa
(www.bakrimusa.com)
Beware of lecturing others; you may have to learn that same lesson. And sooner than you may think!
In 1983 when the Soviets shot down a Korean Airline 747 jet, there was outrage especially in America, and rightly so. How could those Russians be so barbaric? How could they not recognize a jumbo jet on a clear moonlit night? Barely five years later, an American missile cruiser shot down Iran Air Flight 655 on a clear morning, also killing hundreds of innocent passengers.
As an aside, the Soviet general who ordered the shooting was disgraced while the American commander was honored upon his retirement.
In 1997 with an economic contagion destroying much of Asia’s recently-gained prosperity, the ‘Washington consensus’ demanded, as the price for its much-needed assistance, greater transparency, end of crony capitalism, and “shock therapy” to wean citizens off subsidies.
A decade later, with America reeling from its humongous sub-prime mortgage mess that threatens its (and the global) financial edifice, there is little indication that America is willing to learn the very lessons it dogmatically preached earlier to Asia and the world. Continue reading “American-Style Crony Capitalism”
Tunku Aziz – new DAP National Vice Chairman
Welcome Tunku Aziz into the DAP
Tunku Aziz, Malaysia’s most famous crusader for integrity and transparency, has been appointed a DAP national vice chairman.
Tunku is a Malaysian par excellence with an impressive c.v. and glittering public service record.
He was formerly vice chairman of Transparency International and founder President of the Kuala Lumpur Society for Transparency and Integrity, the Malaysian Chapter of Transparency International.
He was also formerly Bank Negara adviser, Group Director of Sime Darby and Director of Commonwealth Secretariat.
Tunku is one of the ten members co-opted by the Central Executive Commitee (CEC) this morning.
The other nine co-opted CEC members are:
Teo Nie Ching – MP for Serdang;
Vincent Wu Him Ven
Thomas Su Keong Siong – Perak State Exco
Leong Ngah Ngah – SA for Triang
Liew Chin Tong – MP for Bukit Bendera
Jeff Ooi – MP for Jelutong
Ronnie Liu – Selangor State Exco
P. Gunasegaren – SA for Senawang
Hiew King Cheu – MP for Kota Kinabalu
Continue reading “Tunku Aziz – new DAP National Vice Chairman”
Surprised to be topping party polls
Bridget Welsh asked me last night whether I had ever topped party polls before. Not that I could recollect.
Was actually surprised that I came in first in the DAP’s triennial Central Executive Committee (CEC) election at the DAP Congress in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
I had expected to be somewhere down the list, not as bad as in the previous CEC election in 2004, but not leading it.
As Party Secretary-General and later Party Chairman, I had at times to take unpopular decisions in the interests of the party as the challenge as party leader was not to win a popularity contest but to do what was right for the party and the political struggle for a Malaysian Malaysia, even it meant stepping on toes in the party.
For that reason, I had expected to be trailing in party polls and not be topping them.
I had not been focussing very much on the likely outcome of the CEC polls yesterday and was pleasantly surprised that I had topped the list. This must be the result of stepping less on party toes as I am no more actively involved in the day-to-day executive duties of the party in the past four years when I was no more party secretary-general or chairman.
I thank all party delegates for the support. It definitely makes it more difficult to think of a retirement mode.
The newly-elected DAP CEC will meet shortly this morning before resumption of the party congress to elect the new party leadership as well as to co-opt new CEC members.
There is likely to be a “surprise” announcement at the resumption of the CEC congress. Continue reading “Surprised to be topping party polls”
A week to 51st Merdeka anniversary – completely devoid of National Day enthusiasm
A week to go for the 51st Merdeka anniversary on 31st August.
Never before is the country so devoid of National Day enthusiasm.
This the point I tried to make during question time in Parliament on Wednesday but it ended up in a pandemonium. (video)
The Sun report on the parliamentary proceeding as follows:
Continue reading “A week to 51st Merdeka anniversary – completely devoid of National Day enthusiasm”
Fifth police raid of RPK’s house – Malaysia lurching towards police state?
It is most deplorable that the police today raided the house of blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin – for the fifth time!
This time the raid is in connection with the statutory declaration made by a Burmese doctor from Hospital Pusrawi, Dr. Mohamed Osman Abdul Hamid, on August 1 standing by his medical report which ruled out that Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan had been sodomised.
Saiful was examined by Osman before he lodged a police report on June 28 claiming that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim had sodomised him.
In his statutory declaration, the doctor claimed that he had fled the country with his family following several visits by the police.
Malaysiakini, which broke the story of the fifth police raid on RPK’s house today, reported: Continue reading “Fifth police raid of RPK’s house – Malaysia lurching towards police state?”
ACA – extraordinarily efficient against PR but terribly incompetent against BN
This morning, DAP MP for Kota Kinabalu Dr. Hiew King Cheu, accompanied by DAP’s sole Sabah State Assemblyman, Jimmy Wong Sze Phin (Sri Tanjong) and Sabah DAP leader Edward Mujie was at the Dang Wangi police station to lodge a police report to demand that the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) investigate the allegation which had appeared in the press and the Internet about a Hong Kong seizure of RM16 million cash meant for the Umno Permatang Pauh by-election campaign. DAP MP for Segambut Lim Lip Eng and I were also present to witness Hiew lodging the police report.
In the past few days, the Internet had been abuzz with the news and report that Michael Chia, a confidante of the Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Musa Aman had been arrested at the Hong Kong International Airport on August 14 for alleged money trafficking and laundering with Singapore currency worth RM16 million before boarding a flight bound for Kuala Lumpur.
Although Musa has denied that he had any political or financial connection with Michael Chia, why is the ACA so silent on this issue.
The ACA had been extraordinarily efficient in arresting two Perak Exco members from Pakatan Rakyat and four others in connection with a RM180 million housing project in Seri Iskandar which the Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin has said did not exist.
As far as the DAP and Pakatan Rakyat are concerned, the corrupt whether from Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat, must face the full weight of the law. Continue reading “ACA – extraordinarily efficient against PR but terribly incompetent against BN”
ANWAR – THE ONE LEADER THE PEOPLE TRUST
by Dr. Chen Man Hin
Despite intensive propaganda by the government and Umno publicity machines against Anwar Ibrahim, the people still trust him. This is shown by the polls taken by Merdeka Centre research which indicate that only 11% of those polled believe the allegation that Anwar sodomised Saiful. An overwhelming 89% prefer to trust Anwar – that even 76% of Malays polled do not believe the government propaganda about Anwar
When news about allegations of sodomy against Anwar were spread in the international print and electronic media, there was shock and dismay.
Condoleeza Rice, US secretary of state, a Canadian ex-prime minister, former World Bank president, former IMF president, Gus Dur ex president of Indonesia, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch – all expressed dismay and disbelief. Continue reading “ANWAR – THE ONE LEADER THE PEOPLE TRUST”
Pakatan Rakyat “Cabinet” – mischief-makers at work
A Pakatan Rakyat “Cabinet” list was mysteriously circulated to parliamentary reporters yesterday and I was asked whether there is any basis to it.
It is utter bunkum as the Pakatan Rakyat leaders had never discussed any such Cabinet line-up.
It is in fact the second so-called Pakatan Rakyat “Cabinet” line-up concocted by Barisan Nasional mischief-makers.
Malaysiakini has carried a story on it, viz:
Bogus Pakatan ‘shadow’ cabinet list appears
Syed Jaymal Zahiid
Aug 21, 08 6:50pmA bogus list – purportedly the ‘new’ cabinet line-up to be unveiled by the Pakatan Rakyat alliance should they succeed in forming a new government – is being distributed in Parliament.
The origin of the list, which features PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister and finance minister, is unknown.
However, Pakatan MPs said it is not from them. Continue reading “Pakatan Rakyat “Cabinet” – mischief-makers at work”
MALAYSIAN SPIRIT WINS OLYMPIC BADMINTON MEDAL FOR MALAYSIA
By Dr. Chen Man Hin
The whole nation is happy and proud that Lee Chong Wei battled his way in the Beijing Olympics and won a silver medal in badminton.
He has won honour and glory for Malaysia, and though we are a small country, we have people like Lee Chong Wei to strive hard and win a medal despite intense competition from bigger countries.
We must not forget that behind every athlete’s success, there is the guiding hand of the coach. The man behind Lee Chong Wei’s success is Misbun Sidek, the national badminton coach. Continue reading “MALAYSIAN SPIRIT WINS OLYMPIC BADMINTON MEDAL FOR MALAYSIA”
Home Minister very at home with his ignorance
by Martin Jalleh
Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar believes it is his prerogative and position to preach to the Catholic community in Bolehland on what they should and should not believe in.
“Religion and politics should not mix”– he pontificates. This is ludicrous especially coming from a Minister whose political party’s interpretation of its own religion has politicised almost everything in Bolehland.
The Home Minister hops on the bandwagon of the horde of “little mullah napoleons” (LMNs) in the country to dominate, dictate, decide and even define what non-Muslims can and cannot discuss, deliberate on, and display in print.
He joins the LMNs in his ministry in hounding The Herald. He says he was not aware of the instructions by his Ministry to decide whether to suspend or revoke The Herald’s publication permit, yet he decides to threaten the publication. Continue reading “Home Minister very at home with his ignorance”
Lee Chong Wei – pity to become PP by-election “fodder’
Congrats to Lee Chong Wei as Olympics badminton silver medalist.
I watched his finals match with Lin Dan and was rooting for him to win the first Olympics gold for Malaysia, but it was not to be.
He visited Parliament yesterday and would be honoured in a special ceremony in Penang tonight where he would be presented with a cheque for RM300,000 and a monthly pension of RM3,000.
Chong Wei is a national hero for all Malaysians.
It will be great pity if this national status is diminished by making him a “fodder” in the Permatang Pauh by-election – as indicated by the New Straits Times Dewan Dispatches article “Lee Chong Wei becomes Permatang Pauh fodder”.
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MARA is progress not fascism
by Azly Rahman
Mara means “to advance (forward)”. It is the opposite of “retreat” and the declaration of defeat. It does not mean Undur.
Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) must live up to its name. So must its younger brother Maktab Rendah Sains MARA. It is in the interest of the public to suggest good ideas for reform – and to advance.
In my lifetime I have been affiliated with both organisations. I taught in the former institution and I was schooled in the latter. Whether a product of historical accident or not, I am proud of my experiences in both. There is a reason for things to happen. I came from a poor family and was given the chance to have an education I wish many more Malaysians, my parents included.
But I wish to share my view on this troubling phenomenon that is plaguing a certain segment of the Malays. My argument will be largely linguistic.
What is the Malay view of the recent protest of UiTM student – of those young “men-in-black” whose are mourning and calling for the death of reason and rationality and for critical sensibility?
I think Malays in general are angry at the protesters. I think they are embarrassed that those few thousands of Malay students were displaying their ignorance of what Universiti Mara means. Continue reading “MARA is progress not fascism”
Anwar Sodomy II – internationalising Malaysia’s Misrule of Law?
I had wanted to ask the Foreign Minister, Datuk Dr. Rais Yatim the following supplementary question in Parliament this morning:
“Are you aware that by taking Anwar’s Sodomy II selective prosecution to the United Nations by way of a letter of protest to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at American interference in Malaysian domestic affairs as well as organising a series of ‘information sessions’ overseas, you are only internationalising Malaysia’s ‘misrule of law’ which you had so eloquently and devastatingly criticised in your book ‘Freedom under Executive Power’, exposing the nation to greater mockery in the global arena as we will only be able to depend on rogue states like Myanmar, Zimbabwe and Sudan for sympathy and support for the following reasons:
(i) deterioration of the rule of law in the past decade since the publication of the book, as evident from disturbing developments in the system of justice in the country, such as
(a) the selective prosecution of Anwar on Sodomy II under Section 377B of the Penal Code on consensual sodomy when the complainant Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan had alleged that he had been raped, which should have come under Section 377C on sodomy rape;
(b) why Saiful was not similarly charged under Section 377B on consensual sodomy;
and
© the insistence by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that Anwar should also swear on the Quran like Saiful, making Malaysia an international laughing stock as to whether we have a Prime Minister who understands and upholds the system of justice in the country; Continue reading “Anwar Sodomy II – internationalising Malaysia’s Misrule of Law?”
Gerakan somersault and Tsu Koon in sackcloth
After dropping a bombshell proposing that Gerakan quit the Barisan Nasional as UMNO had not learnt from the lessons of the March 8 “political tsunami” in continuing with its racist and communal politicking, Gerakan Wanita chief and deputy information minister Datuk Tan Lian Ho has done a somersault.
She was front-page Chinese newspaper headline banner news yesterday but within hours, she backtracked and clarified that the “quit BN’ call was not her suggestion but that of some Gerakan delegates.
Never mind that she had said yesterday that she was prepared to risk her post as deputy minister for speaking up, the question is why the somersault?
Backing her call yesterday, Gerakan national vice chairman and Perak Gerakan chief Datuk Chan Ko Youn said 80 per cent of the Gerakan delegates in Perak support the “quit BN’ call.
Gerakan Youth leaders have also told the press that at least half of the Gerakan Youth members support the party leaving the Barisan Nasional. Continue reading “Gerakan somersault and Tsu Koon in sackcloth”
An Open Letter to UiTM Vice Chancellor
by Dr. Chen Man Hin
AN OPEN LETTER TO UiTM VICE CHANCELLOR , DATUK SERI PROF IBRAHIM ABU SHAH
UiTM VICE CHANCELLOR SHOULD THANK MB KHALID FOR GIVING HONEST, SINCERE ADVICE TO IMPROVE STANDARDS.
The whole country is aware that the standards of institutions of higher studies are quite low when compared to international universities in developed countries.
Thousands graduate every year, but not all can find jobs because prospective employers are not impressed by the quality of the graduates, and they are passed over. Not many have the qualification to go for post-graduate studies.
If it is any comfort to UiTM vice chancellor, well established universities like Universiti Malaya, UKM, USM have also been found wanting by world ranking bodies like the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
In an examination of the world ranking of Malaysian universities by Times Higher Education Supplement Top Universities 2007, Universiti Malaya was ranked 246 and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) ranked 364.
In the academic ranking of World Universities 2008 by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, not a single Malaysian university achieved ranking among the survey of 503 universities. Continue reading “An Open Letter to UiTM Vice Chancellor”