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Guan Eng: royal commission on IPPs, PPAs

Malaysiakini
Jun 12, 11

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has challenged the BN-led foreign government to set up a royal commission of inquiry into the issue of independent power producers and the related matter of power purchase agreements (PPA).

In this way, all PPAs and other PPAs would be disclosed and it could be determined once and for all whether the government has been equitable in its energy subsidy cuts for end consumers while maintaining lopsided arrangements with the IPPs that supply power to utility firm TNB, said Lim.

Lim, who is also Penang chief minister, was echoing an earlier statement by Umno stalwart Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah that an RCI should be set up to review TNB’s contracts with the 26 IPPs currently producing about 60 percent of the TNB’s energy supply.

“The RCI would determine how severely the lopsided deals are burdening consumers with the rise in electricity tariffs and introduce measures to either reduce or remove this huge financial burden on the people,” said Lim in a statement today. Continue reading “Guan Eng: royal commission on IPPs, PPAs”

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Cabinet forms panel to study power deals

The Malaysian Insider
Jun 12, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 — Following growing calls for power purchasing agreements to be reviewed, Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah today announced that a Cabinet committee has been formed to evaluate the matter.

“The committee will study various aspects (of power supply) and not just the [independent power producers] problem… among them (production) costs and (requirements for) the future because there are IPPs whose concession is due to end in 2014 and 2015,” Ahmad Husni was quoted by Bernama Online today.

The second finance minister also stressed that the committee will take a birds-eye view of subsidies and not be focussed primarily with the power deals or the producers.

“We have not been given any deadline for submitting the report, but what must be stressed here is that it will give priority to the interests of the people,” he said.

It remains to be seen if the committee will be enough to assuage lawmakers calling for a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to probe the lopsided power deals between Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and the IPPs. Continue reading “Cabinet forms panel to study power deals”

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Soi Lek’s impossible dream

by Thomas Lee Seng Hock

MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has appealed to the Chinese to review their perception of the party and reevaluate its past and present contributions, especially on matters affecting the community.

In an apparent desperate endeavour to try to redeem whatever remains of the party’s credibility, integrity and authenticity among the Chinese, Chua claims indirectly that the community has never rejected the party, but just went uncontrollably overboard in voting for a strong opposition in the last general election.

In an interview with Malaysiakini on Wednesday 8 June 2011, Chua claims that the Chinese want some representatives in the government to articulate their frustrations, and also want a strong opposition to keep a check on the government, but “sometimes, when they do this balancing act, they go haywire.” Continue reading “Soi Lek’s impossible dream”

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Orang Melayu tak sejahil sangkaan UMNO

– oleh Muhammad Zir
Roketkini
10 June 2011

10 JUN – UMNO menganggap orang Melayu kurang cerdik dan mudah dicucuk hidung. Matlamat UMNO menyerang DAP adalah untuk menimbulkan kebencian orang Melayu terhadap DAP, dan seterus supaya menolak Pakatan. Ini adalah pakej UMNO mengajak Melayu membenci DAP, dan ia diulas untuk membuktikan UMNO sendiri tahu yang para pemimpinnya banyak omong kosong dan terlalu bergantung kepada fitnah.

Mengapa orang Melayu tidak ramai menyertai DAP?

Kerana UMNO berjaya menfitnah sejak zaman-berzaman, mereka memberi persepsi buruk terhadap DAP dengan mengaitkan hal perkauman, agama dan ideologi komunis. Hakikatnya, semua dakwaan itu palsu dan UMNO sendiri pun tahu yang ia palsu. Semua fitnah ini telah dibuktikan tidak relevan dan salah sama sekali. Komunis tidak mengiktiraf Perlembagaan Persekutuan tetapi DAP menjunjung Perlembagaan dan segala isinya. Ideologi DAP adalah demokrasi social yang ditolak dan ditentang oleh komunis. Dalam UMNO, pernah ada pemimpin ditahan di bawah ISA kerana dituduh komunis. Bagaimana UMNO boleh menyamakan kuda dengan basikal?

Apakah benar DAP parti berbilang bangsa dan Melayu boleh menjadi pemimpin dalam DAP?

UMNO menerusi ejen-ejen seperti Utusan dan Perkasa melukis gambaran pada fikiran orang Melayu bahawa mereka hanya akan menjadi kuda tunggangan orang-orang Cina dalam DAP. Hakikatnya, untuk menjadi pemimpin yang baik dalam mana-mana organisasi, setiap individu perlu mempunyai kualiti dalam semua segi. Kualiti hanya akan wujud sekiranya organisasi itu mempunyai jumlah kuantiti yang mencukupi. Tanpa kuantiti, sukar untuk memilih kualiti yang terbaik di kalangannya. Sifir ini dengan mudah menjelaskan, mengapa orang Melayu belum ada yang menjadi pemimpin besar dalam DAP, kerana jumlahnya masih sedikit. Senario ini juga adalah kesan dari kempen UMNO BN menakut-nakutkan orang Melayu kepada DAP, hingga jumlah ahli Melayu dalam DAP belum ramai. Kini, masa depan kita pasti akan berubah.

Pada masa yang sama, perlu ditanya: MCA itu kuda tunggangan UMNO atau UMNO kuda tunggangan MCA? Continue reading “Orang Melayu tak sejahil sangkaan UMNO”

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Perkauman sempit Utusan: Said Zahari

Oleh Amaluddin Zhafir
10 June 2011 | Roketkini.com

“Kenapa tidak? Kalau ramai orang Melayu dalam DAP, boleh jadi calon DAP, itu bermakna satu perkembangan dalam kesedaran politik orang Melayu.”

Kata-kata di atas dilontar penuh semangat oleh tokoh wartawan Said Zahari ketika saya bertandang ke rumahnya di Subang Jaya semalam (9 Jun).

Pertama kali ketika menjejak ke ‘kubu’ beliau – yang dipenuhi dengan ratusan buku di rak-rak – Said Zahari atau terkenal dengan panggilan Pak Said yang sudah berusia 83 tahun sedang merenung luar dari jendela biliknya. Continue reading “Perkauman sempit Utusan: Said Zahari”

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Mahu wujudkan negara berkebajikan? Langkah mayat ‘politik perkauman’ dulu

By Amaluddin Zhafir

Roketkini.com
8 June 2011

8 JUN – Entah apa yang dimaksudkan bekas Perdana Menteri Malaysia bila beliau menulis bahawa pertandingan jarang menghasilkan keputusan “menang-menang,” dengan semua yang bertanding berjaya.

Apa yang jelas, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad dalam blognya merujuk kepada muktamar PAS lepas yang mana menurut pandangannya, ada yang menang dan ada yang kalah.

Kenyataannya itu ada asasnya. Tetapi melihat kepada tuduhannya yang mengatakan Pengerusi DAP Karpal Singh berjaya menggugurkan matlamat PAS untuk menubuhkan negara Islam, nampaknya kenyataan tersebut agak dangkal yang datang daripada seorang tokoh besar. Continue reading “Mahu wujudkan negara berkebajikan? Langkah mayat ‘politik perkauman’ dulu”

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There’s nothing to stop us from being Malaysian first

By Deborah Loh
6 June 2011 | The NutGraph

THE vocal and articulate Lim Kit Siang many of us know in Parliament, through his blog and from news reports, is reticent when it comes to talking about himself. The veteran politician is slow to reveal what makes him tick or where he draws his ideals and inspirations from. Yet, Lim himself has been called an inspiration by many and is cited as the reason they joined the DAP.

What comes through however, even during a brief interview, is Lim’s unwavering devotion to change things for the better. This was Lim’s passion even as a teenager, when he published a school magazine with his friends where they would often write articles questioning the status quo.

Freedom of expression is one human right Lim has never wasted. Exercising it got him detained without trial twice under the Internal Security Act (ISA); in 1969 for 18 months and in 1987 for 17 months. He was also charged with breaching the Official Secrets Act for exposing corruption in a government arms deal. Continue reading “There’s nothing to stop us from being Malaysian first”

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Ahli Melayu terus sokong DAP, sanggah putar belit media

In Roketkini
6 June 2011

PUCHONG, 6 JUN – Laporan akhbar Sinar Harian dan Utusan Malaysia yang mendakwa kononnya 64 ahli Melayu DAP keluar parti untuk menyertai UMNO adalah tidak benar sama sekali.

“Bagaimana boleh mereka kata 64 ahli keluar parti sedangkan ahli-ahli DAP yang ada di Lembah Kinrara hanya 60 orang sahaja,” kata Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Kinrara Teresa Kok.

Beliau yang juga Setiausaha Organisasi Kebangsaaan DAP kesal dan hairan dengan mainan media yang melaporkan fakta salah.

“Kita akan menemui kesemua 60 ahli DAP di kawasan ini untuk mengetahui sama ada mereka benar-benar mahu keluar parti atau masih kekal dengan DAP,” katanya pada sidang media di sini hari ini.

Sementara itu, Pengerusi DAP Cawangan Lembah Kinrara Azhar Shapawi berkata hanya beberapa ahli sahaja yang mengikut bekas pengerusi cawangan Harun Abdul Wahab yang menyertai UMNO. Continue reading “Ahli Melayu terus sokong DAP, sanggah putar belit media”

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Meniarap (planking) membantah kenaikan kadar elektrik

By Roketkini
4 June 2011

MUAR, 4 JUN – Marah dengan kenaikan kadar elektrik? Geram kerana harga barang juga akan turut naik? Bengang tapi tak pasti apa nak buat?

Apa kata tindakan kerajaan Barisan Nasional itu dibantah dengan mengambil gambar aksi “planking” atau meniarap di kawasan umum (asalkan bukan di tengah jalan raya yang sesak atau di litar perlumbaan Sepang sewaktu motosikal atau kereta sedang laju bersaing) dan dihantar ke laman sosial maya Facebook?

Juga pastikan apabila mengambil gambar aksi planking itu, ia tidak menghalang lalu lintas atau mengganggu ketenteraman awam. Planking yang merupakan aksi meniarap dengan merapatkan kedua-dua tangan dan lengan di sisi badan di tempat awam adalah fenomena bantahan biasa di seluruh dunia sejak sedekad lalu. Continue reading “Meniarap (planking) membantah kenaikan kadar elektrik”

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Through my aging eyes: Kaamatan – A Blend of Politics and Culture

By Dr Edwin Bosi
DAP Sabah State Secretary
Borneo Post
1.6.11

If my recollection is right the planting season used to be from February to May of each year. I remember the meticulous preparation from clearing a plot of land for the nursery to transplanting and harvesting. Each family had a fenced-up plot where every bit of herbage was removed, and using a sharpened pole my mom would plunge it into the ground, making sure the small holes thus created were in a neat roll. Then the best quality padi grains were placed into the tiny holes and buried by racking the soil at the surface. Up on the trees, little “pipit” or brownish sparrows were waiting to salvage whatever grains were found scattered on the plot. The size of the plot depends on the acreage of ones padi field.

The seedlings upon reaching about a foot tall were ready for transplanting onto the field. While the seeds grew the padi land was prepared by ploughing with the assistance of an obedient and trained buffaloes. The bunds were repaired and made strong enough to hold the water. The soil was then broken or harrowed before the seedlings were transplanted. Usually there were few people involved in the planting in unison using a short small sharpened wood to make the holes in the soil and then sticking the seedlings into them. The job was executed by stepping backward to ensure a straight line was achieved. If I can recall the planting distant between two seedlings was about 18 inches. Continue reading “Through my aging eyes: Kaamatan – A Blend of Politics and Culture”

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DAP: IPP deals bleed consumers, fuel tariff hikes

Malaysiakini
May 31, 11

The DAP has hit out at the federal government for raising the electricity tariff but without first restructuring the lucrative independent power producers (IPP) sector.

Currently, IPPs are charging Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) high prices despite facing relatively low production costs, DAP publicity chief Tony Pua said in a statement today.

“And the key reason for this is the unfair power purchase agreements (PPA) which result in ridiculously high levels of electricity reserve margins.

“According to TNB, our reserve margin was 54.6 percent in 2008 and 52.6 percent in 2010, which is double that of Thailand and Java, Indonesia, at 25.4 percent and 26 percent respectively.

“The net effect is TNB is forced to purchase electricity it does not need from the IPPs, resulting in inflated costs for TNB and correspondingly inflated profits for the IPPs,” Pua (right) said. Continue reading “DAP: IPP deals bleed consumers, fuel tariff hikes”

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Pua dares gov’t to declassify IPP contracts

Regina Lee | May 28, 11
Malaysiakini

The DAP has challenged the BN-led federal government to declassify the Independent Power Producer (IPP) agreements amidst the massive subsidy cutting exercise in the country.

The party’s publicity secretary and Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua said that this should be done to “justify the government’s refusal to restructure these wildly unfair contracts which allow them to make astronomical returns at the expense of the people”. Continue reading “Pua dares gov’t to declassify IPP contracts”

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Understanding the bonds that make a nation

Ronald Benjamin
The Malaysian Insider
May 27, 2011

MAY 27 — An article in The Malaysian Insider about the Democratic Action Party (DAP) reaching out to the Malays through its newly created online portal caught my attention. It made me reflect on a fundamental question of nation building in the Malaysian context: What would actually bond multi-ethnic Malaysia and how would such a bond be created?

There are indeed fundamental principles and endeavours that would bridge the ethnic divide in this country and transcend ethno-religious politicking and the constant political debates between the conservatives and liberals.

The first thing that political parties in Malaysia should do if they intend to cross boundaries of ethnic acceptance is that they have to understand the bond that holds human beings together. It is vital to understand the history, religion, language and culture of a nation and take steps to acknowledge that reality through the political dialogue of understanding and action. Continue reading “Understanding the bonds that make a nation”

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Di antara Gerakan dan DAP

By Wan Hamidi | May 27, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

27 MEI — Ada sebuah parti politik yang hampir semua pemimpin dan anggotanya adalah dari kaum Cina walau pun ia menegaskan perjuangannya untuk semua kaum. Matlamatnya ialah mewujudkan Malaysia yang bersatu, mengamalkan keadilan sosial dan bersifat sekular.

Ia juga mahu mewujudkan masyarakat yang mempunyai hak dan peluang saksama untuk semua walau pun bersetuju bahawa bantuan harus diberikan kepada mereka yang memerlukan tetapi tidak boleh berasaskan kaum.
Continue reading “Di antara Gerakan dan DAP”

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DAP: Opposition pressure forced Putrajaya to postpone subsidy cuts

By Clara Chooi | May 26, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — The DAP triumphed today in Putrajaya’s postponement of fuel and gas subsidy cuts, claiming it was largely due to opposition pressure that forced the government to back down.

It however warned that the celebration would likely be short-lived, predicting that the cuts would be imposed after snap elections.
Continue reading “DAP: Opposition pressure forced Putrajaya to postpone subsidy cuts”

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Muhyiddin is shaping up to be the worst DPM and Umno Deputy President in history – completely no class or standard!

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is shaping up to be the worst Deputy Prime Minister and Umno Deputy President in history.

I would not yet say that he is destined to be the nation’s worst Education Minister although he is undoubtedly leading the pack in a more competitive field.

I had thought that the “creative conspiracy” by the Defence Minister and Umno vice president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi where he allegedly “exposes DAP’s plan to name Malay candidates in general election” takes the cake for being the most silly political statement of the year.

But I was wrong, for within 48 hours, Muhyiddin dislodged Zahid in making the silliest political statement of the year! Continue reading “Muhyiddin is shaping up to be the worst DPM and Umno Deputy President in history – completely no class or standard!”

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Muhyiddin ingatkan orang Melayu jangan terpedaya helah DAP

Muhyiddin Tells Malays Not Be Hoodwinked by DAP
Bernama

MUAR, 24 MAY, 2011: Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today reminded the Malays not to fall for the tricks of the DAP which is said to be planning to field Malay candidates in the next general election (GE).

Muhyiddin, who is also Umno deputy president, said it was just an attempt by the DAP to hoodwink the Malays when in reality it was a chauvinistic party which had never cared about the wellbeing of the Malays.
Continue reading “Muhyiddin ingatkan orang Melayu jangan terpedaya helah DAP”

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Istimewa sangatkah Roketkini?

Oleh Aspan Alias | 24 May 2011
Roketkini

24 MEI – Saya mengucapkan selamat maju jaya kepada Roketkini yang sedang melangkah setapak lagi dalam usaha membetulkan persepsi yang sebenarnya tentang DAP sebuah parti halal yang dibenarkan menjalankan kegiatan mengikut undang-undang negara kita. Roketkini akan berusaha untuk memberikan gambaran sebenar tentang DAP dan tidak payah mendengar pandangan dari pihak lain.
Continue reading “Istimewa sangatkah Roketkini?”

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DAP launches Malay portal Roketkini

By S Pathmawathy | May 24, 11
Malaysiakini

In an attempt to bolster its image as an all inclusive party and shed its Chinese-centric tag, DAP launched its Malay-language web-portal, Roketkini, today.

The portal, which focuses on daily news and analysis, is particularly aimed at drawing support from the Malay electorate, often described as being antagonistic toward the DAP.
Continue reading “DAP launches Malay portal Roketkini”