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With protracted and inordinate delays in PAC investigations on 1MDB, would’nt Parliament’s credibility and integrity be undermined if there is no PAC report on 1MDB when Dewan Rakyat adjourns on Dec 3?

Parliamentary and national attention had been focused in the past few days on the debate between DAP PJ Utara MP and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) member Tony Pua and the 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy on the RM50 billion 1MDB scandal and the threat by the Speaker, Tan Sri Padikar Amin Mulia’s of resignation by Monday if the debate is held and televised live by RTM tomorrow on Friday.

Pandikar defended his ruling on the ground that he is upholding the integrity of Parliament.

Wouldn’t Parliament’s credibility and integrity suffer greater damage if there is protracted and inordinate delays in PAC investigations into the 1MDB scandal, particularly if there is no PAC report on the 1MDB scandal when the current meeting of the Dewan Rakyat ends on December 3?

Pandikar asked what was wrong for the proposed debate to be conducted after the PAC had submitted its report to Parliament?

There is nothing wrong, but it would be academic. Continue reading “With protracted and inordinate delays in PAC investigations on 1MDB, would’nt Parliament’s credibility and integrity be undermined if there is no PAC report on 1MDB when Dewan Rakyat adjourns on Dec 3?”

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10 questions I would pose to 1MDB President, Arul Kanda during the “live discussion, talk show or debate”

Tony Pua
DAP MP for PJ Utara
3rd November 2015

1MDB President, Arul Kanda has during his press conference on Saturday, informed Malaysians that “I will meet YB Tony Pua for live discussion, or talk show, or debate, without any condition.”

I would like to announce that the Members of Parliament for Kulai and Serdang, Teo Nie Ching and Dr Ong Kian Ming will be representing me to conduct the necessary discussions with the team from 1MDB to finalise the format and details of the proposed “live discussion, or talk show, or debate” between the 1MDB President, Arul Kanda and myself.

While we wait for the much anticipated face-off, I would like to offer Arul Kanda the heads up, so that he can prepare the necessary answers whether during replies or debate speech. This way, Arul cannot feign ignorance or pretend that the documents were unavailable with him to provide the necessary answers. Therefore, let me disclose here the 10 questions which I will ask during the “live discussion, or talk show, or debate”: Continue reading “10 questions I would pose to 1MDB President, Arul Kanda during the “live discussion, talk show or debate””

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The infusion of the cream of Dayak community into DAP a major and historic development in DAP’s 50 year mission to be an inclusive all-Malaysian political party representing all ethnic groups and regions in Malaysia

The infusion of the cream of Dayak community into DAP at the signing of the DAP Dayak Blueprint ceremony at the Sarawak DAP headquarters in Kuching yesterday marked a major and historic development in DAP’s 50-year mission to be an inclusive all-Malaysian political party representing all ethnic groups and regions in Malaysia.

Right from beginning from our formation half a century ago, DAP founding members and leaders have dedicated themselves to the fulfilment of the Malaysian Dream.

DAP founding leaders and members had pledged to transcend ethnic, religious, cultural, linguistic and socio-economic differences among Malaysians to build a Malaysia where democracy, good governance and socio-economic justice could flourish allowing every Malaysian, regardless of race, religion or region to achieve his or her fullest potential for the collective good and greatness of the nation.

This was why from the beginning of the first DAP general election contest in 1969, DAP had fielded a multi-racial slate of candidates for parliamentary and state assembly seats in Peninsular Malaysia, with Chinese, Malay and Indians elected as Members of Parliament or State Assembly representatives in Peninsula Malaysia.

The DAP is also the first Pan-Malaysian political party, with branches and members not only in Peninsular Malaysia also in Sarawak and Sabah.

In the 2013 General Election, the first DAP Kadazan elected representative was elected to the Sabah State Assembly, and it is our hope that the first DAP Dayak elected representative will be elected to the Sarawak State Assembly in the forthcoming Sarawak state general elections expected to held in the first quarter of next year. Continue reading “The infusion of the cream of Dayak community into DAP a major and historic development in DAP’s 50 year mission to be an inclusive all-Malaysian political party representing all ethnic groups and regions in Malaysia”

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Once docile Sarawak native villagers turning anti-BN activists

by Sheridan Mahavera
The Malaysian Insider
2 November 2015

Iban farmer Jimmy Saban did not care much about politics until the day government men, some of them armed with guns, came to take away the land that’s been in his clan and family for generations.

Saban is one of the growing numbers of unassuming farmers, foragers and peasants who are now anti-Barisan Nasional activists, and whose fervent talks against the Sarawak government could be a factor in the coming state elections.

What distinguishes 61-year-old Saban from the middle-class, urbanised opposition activist is that he is a farmer, just like those he speaks to.

Most importantly, he has seen first-hand how tribes people lose their lands in shady deals by private companies who are often backed by the state authorities.

Saban’s story of how tribal lands are still being unscrupulously taken away counters the narrative that is being churned out by chief minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem’s administration and that of the federal BN. Continue reading “Once docile Sarawak native villagers turning anti-BN activists”

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DAP winning hearts and minds in Sarawak’s remotest areas

by Sheridan Mahavera
The Malaysian Insider
31 October 2015

In the villages of Peninsular Malaysia, the DAP still gets a bad rap, but in an increasing number of out-of-the-way places in Sarawak, the opposition party has been received with open arms.

On September 27, it completed a water supply project for Kampung Long Luping in Lawas, a little Orang Ulu hamlet close to the Indonesian border in central Kalimantan.

This comes just months before the Sarawak state elections, which have to be held on or before September 20, 2016. Continue reading “DAP winning hearts and minds in Sarawak’s remotest areas”

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Mr Speaker, Sir: Nobody buys your story

P. Ramakrishnan
Aliran
1st Nov 2015

On 22 October 2015, the Speaker of Parliament, Pandikar Amin Mulia, claimed that he did not suspend Kit Siang – MPs did. Thinking Malaysians did not believe him. He must have been aware of it. As a result, he returned to the same topic to explain himself further and differently. Nobody believed him in the first instance and therefore there was a need to explain this unconvincing tale twice.

Exactly a week later, on 29 October 2015, he claimed that Parliament punished Kit Siang – not him. This time around he fared no better. Nobody bought his story. He was not only confusing he was also unconvincing!

He can come up with any number of versions to this shameful episode but he will not be absolved from the fact that he played a central role to Kit Siang’s suspension. Continue reading “Mr Speaker, Sir: Nobody buys your story”

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What makes Lim Kit Siang run?

By Kee Thuan Chye
Malaysiakini
30 Oct 2015

‘Defying the Odds’ is an odd book. It can’t seem to decide whether to be a biography of Opposition powerhouse Lim Kit Siang, a showcase for his key speeches and letters or a view of Malaysian politics through Kit Siang’s lenses and from two vantage points, i.e. May 13, 1969, and March 8, 2008, two of the watershed moments of the country’s political history.

In the middle of it is an interview with Kit Siang done by the book’s author, Ooi Kee Beng, but it’s not one that is done specially for this book, which makes its appearance all the more odd. It has been culled from another, an earlier book titled ‘The Right to Differ: A Biographical Sketch of Lim Kit Siang’ (published in 2011), which is a lengthy interview Ooi did with Kit Siang, interspersed with the Kit Siang’s letters, statements and speeches and the same photos as those of the current book.

In the original context, the interview explored and revealed a bit of Kit Siang’s life and much of his political struggle, which would have been apt there, but in ‘Defying the Odds’, it merely repeats many of the facts and issues already presented in this book’s earlier chapters. It makes ‘Defying the Odds’ appear chheong hei (Cantonese, meaning long-winded) saying again what has been said a few times before.

On the whole, the book might have worked better if presented throughout in the narrative mode, which is what Ooi (photo) employs nicely in the first chapter, ‘Heading for Jail’. Continue reading “What makes Lim Kit Siang run?”

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Addressing the transboundary haze problem: Open letter to the Indonesian ambassador

— Lim Guan Eng
Malay Mail Online
October 27, 2015

OCTOBER 27 — Your Excellency Ambassador Herman Prayitno,

We are deeply concerned about the ongoing transboundary haze pollution which has adversely affected the wellbeing and livelihood of millions of people in the region, including Malaysians and Indonesians. We would like to express our deepest sympathy and solidarity with our fellow Indonesians who are suffering much more, living so much closer to the forest fires hotspots.

In Malaysia, as air quality deteriorates, schools are frequently closed and consequently half a million of students are affected. The negative impact on our economy resulting from cancelled outdoor events, falling tourists arrival and overall declining productivity — although difficult to accurately assess at the current moment — are huge and irreversible. Continue reading “Addressing the transboundary haze problem: Open letter to the Indonesian ambassador”

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Mr Speaker, Sir: You are primarily responsible for Kit Siang’s suspension!

P.Ramakrishnan
Aliran
25th Oct 2015

The Speaker, Pandikar Amin Mulia, stated that the MPs, not the Speaker, made the decision to suspend Getang Patah MP Lim Kit Siang from the Dewan Rakyat. His claim is not entirely true. He is trying to extricate himself and convey the impression that he was blameless in this episode. But he had a hand in this unjust suspension.

The Speaker cannot push the blame to others and absolve himself for the suspension of Lim Kit Siang from Parliament. Try as he may, but he cannot escape the fact that he was primarily responsible for this eventuality. He set the ball rolling. The others took the cue from him.

Mr Speaker, Sir, you said, “Please tell Gelang Patah, the next time he comes, he must apologise unconditionally and retract his remarks as he had said that I abused my powers as Speaker. This is an insult of the first degree. If he refuses, a motion will be tabled and he will be suspended if the House passes it.” Continue reading “Mr Speaker, Sir: You are primarily responsible for Kit Siang’s suspension!”

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The Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, the BN MPs – are they fools?

P. Ramakrishnan
Aliran
23rd Oct 2015

The Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and the BN MPs took exception to Lim Kit Siang’s remarks which rightly criticised the lack of seriousness shown in the investigation of the 1MDB scandal.

Consequently, Kit Siang was unfairly suspended without the benefit of defending himself – which went against natural justice.

In all fairness, he should have been referred to the Rights and Privileges Committee under Standing Order 80 for it to probe and establish whether Kit Siang had indeed insulted the Speaker and Parliament. The manner that he was suspended reminded one of Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice, where a pound of flesh was insisted upon, come what may!

On 22 October 2015, Parliament was, as it were, baying for blood and it succeeded in its effort. As a result, Parliament has lost a voice that had always spoken with conviction and conscience, without fear or favour, to raise issues that reflect the concerns of the people. Much input into the budget debate has been denied – which is a pity. Continue reading “The Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, the BN MPs – are they fools?”

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Najib had turned Parliament into a circus with a 90-minute 2016 budget without a single reference to the two mega-scandals in the country’s history – the RM50 billion 1MDB and RM2.6 billion “donation” in Najib’s personal banking accounts

Communications and Multimedia Minister Senator Salleh Said Keruak hit the nail on the head when he said yesterday that Parliament should not be turned into a circus.

However, Salleh would not have the guts and gumption to tell it to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak who is most guilty of turning Parliament into a circus when he delivered a 90-minute 2016 budget without a single reference to the two mega-scandals in the country’s history – the RM50 billion 1MDB and RM2.6 billion “donation” in Najib personal banking accounts in March 2013.

Salleh would not have the guts and gumption to tell Najib not to turn Parliament into a circus or he would have lost his passport of backdoor entry into Parliament!

The placard “Mana RM2.6 billion” (Where is the RM2.6 billion) which opposition MPs displayed in Dewan Rakyat after Najib’s budget speech resonates in the hearts and minds of 30 million Malaysians, even the three million UMNO members, and a few UMNO/BN Members of Parliament as this the topmost question they want answer from Najib’s 2016 Budget speech.

This was the huge elephant in the Dewan Rakyat Chamber which the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, his Cabinet and most of the UMNO/Barisan Nasional MPs refused to see or acknowledge, although the Opposition MPs, the 30 million Malaysians (including the three million UMNO members), and a few UMNO/BN MPs could see clearly before their eyes. Continue reading “Najib had turned Parliament into a circus with a 90-minute 2016 budget without a single reference to the two mega-scandals in the country’s history – the RM50 billion 1MDB and RM2.6 billion “donation” in Najib’s personal banking accounts”

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Kit Siang’s battle is not over yet

— Liew Chin Tong
Malay Mail Online
Thursday October 22, 2015

OCTOBER 22 — Over the course of the last half-century, numerous attempts by the ruling elite to silence Lim Kit Siang had failed. The latest – suspending him from Parliament for half a year – will not silence Kit Siang’s voice for the nation.

On the contrary, 50 years after he started as a political novice with a yet-to-be-registered party then – the Democratic Action Party – Kit Siang is not done yet. The powers-that-be still want to silence him because they know many Malaysians listen to Kit Siang. The people trust Kit Siang more than they do Barisan Nasional.

So, what did Kit Siang do at the Parliament this week? He was merely doing his duty as a Member of Parliament, i.e., to voice his opinions and to state facts. He was commenting on Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin’s role in preventing the Public Accounts Committee to hold its meetings after chairperson Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed was elevated to the government’s frontbench.

The PAC was at the height of investigating the 1MDB scandal with the troubled company’s past and present CEOs were about to appear before the Committee. The hearings never took place. Continue reading “Kit Siang’s battle is not over yet”

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Political myths in Malaysia that must be debunked if Malaysia is to move forward to fulfill our destiny to be a world model of an united, harmonious, moderate and successful plural society

There are several political myths in Malaysia that must be debunked if Malaysia is to move forward to fulfill our destiny to be a world model of an united, harmonious, moderate and successful plural society instead of becoming basket-case of a failed, or even worse, rogue state.

Some of these political myths are:

1. Umno is Malay and Malay is UMNO.

Nothing can be further from the truth as right from the first general election in 1959, UMNO was not the only political party representing the Malays in the country.

Arising from this myth, other myths have been born – the myth that Malay rights and interests are under threat because UMNO is fighting a battle of political survival and that Malay rights and interests will be the first casualty if UMNO is ousted from Putrajaya in the next general election.

Whether Najib is ousted as Prime Minister or UMNO replaced as the leading political party in the government coalition, Malay political power is not threatened as a new Prime Minister will be a Malay and new coalition will be Malay-dominated reflecting Malaysia’s demography. Continue reading “Political myths in Malaysia that must be debunked if Malaysia is to move forward to fulfill our destiny to be a world model of an united, harmonious, moderate and successful plural society”

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After roads and water, Impian Sarawak offers education, medical services

BY SHERIDAN MAHAVERA
The Malaysian Insider
Published: 7 October 2015 9:00 AM

Children entertained by a lion dance during an educamp organised by Impian Sarawak in Kampung Pasir, Miri, on September 23. The project is part of DAP’s community service initiative in the Borneo states. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Seth Akmal, October 7, 2015.

Ros Matius Mian has never seen her four children so impatient to go to school, with the youngest waking up even before the break of dawn to get ready for classes.

But that was the experience of many parents in the squatter colony of Kampung Pasir, 30 minutes from Miri. For about a week, their bleak surroundings were transformed into a riot of screaming kids and colourful pendants because of Impian Sarawak’s education camp.
Continue reading “After roads and water, Impian Sarawak offers education, medical services”

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Najib is sounding the death knell for Global Movement of Moderates if he is not prepared to uphold moderation as represented by Bersih 4 and marginalize extremism as represented by Sept. 16 Red Shirts Rally

The cat is out of the bag – the mission of irresponsible, dishonest and insidious propagandists in the UMNO/BN camp out to twist facts, distort the truth and even tell outright lies and falsehoods to influence public perceptions and events.

This comes from the admission by the UMNO Secretary-General Tengku Adnan yesterday blaming the UMNO-owned Utusan Malaysia for exacerbating the diplomatic flap involving the Chinese ambassador to Malaysia Huang Huikang who, to quote Adnan, went to Petaling Street with good intentions but Utusan Malaysia took Ronnie Liu and Teresa Kok’s blog and “twisted” them into the headlines, and it became a problem!

There would be no kid-glove treatment of Utusan Malaysia if it is not a UMNO-owned publication or the authorities would have descended on it like a ton of bricks, even suspending or cancelling its publication licence for activities prejudicial to racial harmony and national interests.

This highlights the UMNO/BN administration’s hypocrisy and double-standards especially as this is not the first time that Utusan had been guilty of journalistic excesses, abuses and anti-national activities prejudicial to social peace, racial harmony and national unity. Continue reading “Najib is sounding the death knell for Global Movement of Moderates if he is not prepared to uphold moderation as represented by Bersih 4 and marginalize extremism as represented by Sept. 16 Red Shirts Rally”

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When sermons become hate speeches

Syerleena Abdul Rashid
The Malaysian Insider
2 October 2015

During the recent Aidil Adha celebrations, it was reported that the Pahang Mufti Department allowed some very detestable things to be broadcasted.

The sermon aimed at the opposition, in particularly; Malay Muslims who joined DAP by insinuating that they had gone against Islam by joining the political party.

The script stated, “The separation is because they priorities political parties, such as Umno, PAS, PKR and even the new Gerakan Harapan Baru more than Islam.”

“Furthermore, there are Muslims who joined DAP, which is clearly against Islam.”

Therein lays a problem most Malaysians are too afraid to admit: the contentious issue where sermons are being misused as political propaganda and have seemingly swayed from the authenticity of religious teachings. Continue reading “When sermons become hate speeches”

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Pak Samad buat apa di Kuala Kubu Baru 3 hari?

Dinsman
The Malaysian Insider
30 September 2015

Suatu hari Ridzuan memberitahu saya – wakil rakyat Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) di kawasannya, Yang Berhormat Lee Kee Hiong, ingin menjemput Sasterawan Negara A Samad Said atau Pak Samad datang ke Kuala Kubu Baru (KKB) dan tinggal di sana selama 3 hari.

Saya tak bertanya untuk apa atau apa tujuannya. Saya kenal siapa Ridzuan dan siapa Lee Kee Hiong, dan saya juga tahu KKB.

Jadi saya fikir saya tahulah apa tujuan Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) tersebut hendak menjemput Pak Samad menjadi tetamunya di KKB selama 3 hari itu. Continue reading “Pak Samad buat apa di Kuala Kubu Baru 3 hari?”

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Political ‘earthquakes’ that realigned Malaysian politics (Part 1)

— Liew Chin Tong
Malay Mail Online
September 25, 2015

SEPTEMBER 25 — In the wake of an earthquake, tectonic plates will shift and realign. It takes time before gradually stabilising. In the process of seismic shifting, instead of hoping for a more stable surface, it would be better to reflect on the possible changes after the earthquake.

The spectrum of Malaysian politics experienced three great political earthquakes that caused shifting and realignment. After each shaking, the scenario that emerged was a previously unthinkable one. Once the tectonic plates shift, the outcome is a change that will never be the same again.

The first pre-Merdeka pan-Malayan General Election in July 1955 saw the success of the Alliance, using the UMNO-MCA-MIC formula. Continue reading “Political ‘earthquakes’ that realigned Malaysian politics (Part 1)”

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Of Umno Malays and Cina DAP

– Anas Zubedy
The Malaysian Insider
20 September 2015

Ten things to ponder about the terms Umno Malays and Cina DAP.

1. Both terms, Umno Malays and Cina DAP, when used in a malicious way are racist remarks.

2. I know many from both Umno and DAP sides who are not racist and are multi-racial in their outlook.

3. Just because we put Umno in front of the word Malays and DAP before the word Cina, it does not mean we are not being racist when we make nasty racial remarks about them.

4. Many closet racists are those who pretend to only target Umno Malays or Cina DAP when they want to make racist remarks. Continue reading “Of Umno Malays and Cina DAP”