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Wee Ka Siong has finally asked the right question although he is still quite blur about the answer – that MCA cannot say “No” to UMNO because of the latter’s hegemony in Barisan Nasional while DAP and PAS can say “No” to each other as Pakatan Rakyat is a coalition of equals

MCA Deputy President, Datuk Dr. Wee Ka Siong has finally asked the right question although he is still quite blur about the answer.
Yesterday, Wee posed the question to me why I dare not say “No” to PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang but want MCA to say “No” to UMNO on the issue of hudud.

The answer which Wee is too blind to see or accept is that MCA cannot say “No” to UMNO because of UMNO’s hegemony in Barisan Nasional while DAP and PAS can say “No” to each other as Pakatan Rakyat is a coalition of equals.

Wee must belong to the infinitesimally small group of Malaysian politicians who do not know that the DAP has said “No” to Hadi and the PAS leaders about implementation of hudud as it is against the secular Malaysian Constitution and inappropriate for a modern, multi-racial and multi-religious nation like Malaysia.

This is why hudud is not part of the Pakatan Rakyat agenda or common policy platform, and is only the policy programme of PAS and which could undermine or even destroy the Pakatan Rakyat coalition if this agenda is pursued in utter disregard of the sensitivities, principles and objectives of the other Pakatan Rakyat parties. Continue reading “Wee Ka Siong has finally asked the right question although he is still quite blur about the answer – that MCA cannot say “No” to UMNO because of the latter’s hegemony in Barisan Nasional while DAP and PAS can say “No” to each other as Pakatan Rakyat is a coalition of equals”

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PAS penentu masa depan Pakatan Rakyat?

Wan Hamidi Hamid
The Malaysian Insider
April 30, 2014

Sejak penubuhannya pada 1951, PAS tidak pernah putus asa dalam perjuangan politiknya. Ramai pemimpinnya menjadi mangsa kezaliman pemerintah Perikatan dan kemudiannya Barisan Nasional.

Namun, selepas setiap ketika kezaliman dan kekejaman dirasai, seolah-olah ada pemimpin PAS yang lupa dengan apa yang pimpinan Umno lakukan terhadap parti mereka.

Tetapi ramai lagi ahli-ahli PAS yang tidak lupa dengan kelicikan politik Umno. Continue reading “PAS penentu masa depan Pakatan Rakyat?”

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Karpal’s last thoughts on hudud, sedition act and ties in Pakatan

The Malaysian Insider
APRIL 29, 2014
LATEST UPDATE: APRIL 29, 2014 04:59 PM

In one of his last interviews before his sudden death in an auto accident on April 17, Karpal Singh spoke to DAP mouthpiece The Rocket on matters close to his heart and his political struggle, including the hudud, the Sedition Act that he was charged with, and inter-party relations with PAS and PKR.

Karpal’s (pic) interview, which is available on The Rocket’s website and its April edition, is reproduced with permission.

Q: You have been frank about issues close to your heart and never hold back in taking a strong stand on issues that other DAP leaders don’t dare to vocalise. Why?

I have been elected by my constituents and it is my duty as an elected member of parliament to speak the views of the people. As long as one abides by the law and is in line with democratic principles under which we operate, no leader should be afraid to air his views.

It would be a sad day for DAP if we hold back just so we don’t get into trouble. It won’t be in the interest of the party or the country. I articulate certain things and issues that are close to the hearts of the people I represent, not just a party stance per se. Of course the party stance is also in line with the constitution.
Continue reading “Karpal’s last thoughts on hudud, sedition act and ties in Pakatan”

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Is MCA president Liong Tiong Lai prepared to declare that MCA will not return to BN Cabinet unless Najib gives assurance that the secular Malaysian Constitution will be upheld including no hudud laws and the retraction of Mahathir’s “929” declaration that Malaysia is an Islamic State?

I am quite amused by the ferocious statement by the MCA deputy secretary-general Datuk Wee Jeck Seng demanding that DAP “kick out” Lim Guan Eng and myself “for agreeing with hudud” and as “payback” for going back on our promises.

Amused because I could still remember vividly that Jeck Seng was initially dropped as a candidate for Tanjong Piai parliamentary seat in Johore in the 13th General Elections last year, and overnight the MCA and Barisan Nasional flags and symbols not only disappeared from Pontian area, DAP received feelers that he was prepared to contest on a DAP ticket in Tanjong Piai as he did not fancy contesting in the Johor State Assembly constituency of Pekan Nenas to which he was assigned.

DAP would have no truck with such a political opportunist but Jeck Seng got back the Tanjong Piai parliamentary seat after his supporters kicked up quite a furore against the decision of the then MCA President, Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek.

With such an “outstanding” political background, whatever Jeck Seng says needed to taken with more than a pinch of salt and no one is surprised that his statement yesterday was built on a great lie – that DAP leaders have agreed to the implementation of hudud.

Sin Chew Daily had reported in a box in the past few days what it described as the three-point agreement of the Pakatan Rakyat Leadership Council on hudud on Sept. 28, 2011, which is not a very correct version or translation (particularly Point 1) of the PR Leadership Joint Statement signed by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on behalf of PKR, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang on behalf of PAS and myself on behalf of DAP, as the relevant two paragraphs were as follows: Continue reading “Is MCA president Liong Tiong Lai prepared to declare that MCA will not return to BN Cabinet unless Najib gives assurance that the secular Malaysian Constitution will be upheld including no hudud laws and the retraction of Mahathir’s “929” declaration that Malaysia is an Islamic State?”

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Moratorium call on statements by Pakatan Rakyat leaders on latest hudud controversy to refer issue to Majlis Pimpinan Pakatan Rakyat for decision

(Media Statement in Gelang Patah on Sunday, 27th April 2014)

For the first time in six years after the “political tsunami” of the 12GE in March 2008, the overly-paid strategists, plotters and schemers of UMNO/BN must be feeling on top of the world and rubbing their hands with glee for they have finally vindicated their existence and colossal expenditures.

They believe that they have struck gold and have finally succeeded in putting in place their formula to ensure the end of the political threat posed by Pakatan Rakyat and the return to Putrajaya of UMNO and BN in the 14GE by the perpetuation of the political and power structure of Umno/BN even in the years after 2020.

Three days ago, the Deputy Mentri Besar of Kelantan, Datuk Nik Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah publicly said that DAP and PKR should stay off the hudud bill controversy on the ground that “they have no right to interfere” in the PAS agenda to implement hudud in Kelantan.

He said that in the common policy framework signed among Pakatan Rakyat component parties on September 28, 2011, PAS only agreed to not impose on its long-standing objective for Malaysia to be recognised as an Islamic State.

He said the agreement is limited at the national level but in the context of Kelantan it is different because hudud was enacted way back in 1993, before the opposition pact was realised. Continue reading “Moratorium call on statements by Pakatan Rakyat leaders on latest hudud controversy to refer issue to Majlis Pimpinan Pakatan Rakyat for decision”

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If hudud had been a hot controversial issue in the 13GE, Barisan Nasional would not only have regained two-thirds parliamentary majority to redelineate electoral constituencies at will, Pakatan Rakyat might have lost Selangor and Johore would have reverted as invincible BN “fixed-deposit” state

If hudud had been a hot controversial issue in the 13th General Elections on May 5, 2013, the Barisan Nasional would not only have regained its two-thirds parliamentary majority to redelineate electoral constituencies at will, Pakatan Rakyat might have lost Selangor apart from Kedah and Johore would have reverted as an invincible Barisan Nasional “fixed-deposit” state.

The hudud issue has never been and will never be a vote winner for PAS based on past electoral evidence.

PAS and PKR won all 8 parliamentary seats and 28 out of 32 state seats in Terengganu in the 1999 GE / GE10 because of the backlash against UMNO arising from Anwar’s arrest and the Reformasi movement.

But despite passing the state hudud enactment in 2001, PAS and PKR only managed to retain 1 out of 8 parliament seats and 4 out of 28 state seats in the 2004 GE / GE11.

Furthermore, PAS and PKR won 4 out of 8 parliament and 15 out of 32 state seats in GE13 in Terengganu without campaigning explicitly to implement hudud in the state.

In fact, according to the ‘5 Janji Awal Manifesto PAS Terengganu’ and ‘5 Lagi Manifesto PRU13’ for GE13, the issue of hudud was not even mentioned. The failure to mention hudud in the state manifesto did not cause PAS to lose any ground in Terengganu.
Continue reading “If hudud had been a hot controversial issue in the 13GE, Barisan Nasional would not only have regained two-thirds parliamentary majority to redelineate electoral constituencies at will, Pakatan Rakyat might have lost Selangor and Johore would have reverted as invincible BN “fixed-deposit” state”

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Kajang polls reflect positively on Pakatan

By Ong Kian Ming | 7:50AM Mar 26, 2014
Malaysiakini

ANALYSIS To the casual political observer, two facts from the recent Kajang by-election would have stood out.

Firstly, the turnout decreased from 88 percent in GE13 to 72 percent. Secondly, the majority of victory decreased from 6,824 in GE13 to 5,379 – a drop of 1,445 votes.

On the surface, these results may seem like a negative reflection on Pakatan Rakyat’s and specifically PKR’s campaign as part of the ‘Kajang Move’. But a more careful analysis of the results reveals important findings that are positive for Pakatan, moving forward.

Pakatan increased its popular vote from 56.8 percent to 59.7 percent, a 2.9 percent increase. While this increase may not seem significant, one has to take into account that the lower turnout most likely decreased Pakatan’s popular vote.

Most of those who did not vote for a variety of reasons – did not return from outstation, it was the start of the school holidays, and thought that the outcome was already decided – would have been Pakatan voters, especially the younger voters whose turnout decreased more than the older voters (more on this later).

Secondly, Pakatan won in 14 out of 16 polling stations (not including postal and early votes) in the by-election compared with 12 out of 16 polling stations in GE13.
Continue reading “Kajang polls reflect positively on Pakatan”

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Manifesto vs Moneyfesto in Kajang

– Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
March 22, 2014

Last night, I attended the launching of Reformasi 2 at Kajang stadium. The stadium was filled to the brim. It was a huge crowd. As usual, this morning, after waking up with arithmetitis, mainstream media will downplay the size of the huge crowd. Maybe 232 attended.

There were so many speakers. So we ended up mostly making rallying calls. The political platform has been explained widely throughout the campaign period.
That Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail shall go on to win this by-election is just a formality. The question is how big will her majority be.

How big will depend on the voter turnout. I believe the voter turnout will not be as large as it was during the general election in May 2013. Be that as it may, Wan Azizah’s majority will be bigger than that one obtained by CC Lee.

The non-Malays will come out in big numbers to vote Wan Azizah. They are motivated by one reason only. The Umno people can challenge them to explain their conduct and ask once again what the Chinese want, that will be an irrelevant question. The question will be simply ignored. The basic desire and motivation is just to see BN get its butt kicked. They don’t like BN and its a subjective choice. Nothing much to explain.

Malays, on the other hand, complicate their own decision making and will be motivated by multiple considerations. They face a tougher decision but their difficulty is caused by mixed emotions. The Malays who did not vote Pakatan the last time because they didn’t want to vote a CC Lee, will come out to vote this time. They will vote Wan Azizah. Continue reading “Manifesto vs Moneyfesto in Kajang”

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After Anwar and Karpal, who’s next?

P Ramakrishnan
Free Malaysia Today
March 12, 2014

There seems to be a trend now to get rid of Pakatan leaders through the court process so that Umno can remain in power.

COMMENT

Malaysian courts have brought infamy to the justice system. The way justice has been dished out is nothing short of disgraceful and dishonourable.

What Karpal Singh did following the undemocratic overthrow of the duly elected Perak Pakatan Rakyat government was to express an opinion based on the Federal Constitution. The provision in the constitution provided for this opinion to be expressed.

At no time did Karpal Singh question His Royal Highness, the Sultan of Perak. At no time was Karpal offensive in expressing this opinion. No insult was meant.

The Sultan’s authority was not challenged. Karpal was not disrespectful to the royal personage.

The prevailing situation then needed a professional legal opinion on what had transpired. And Karpal Singh merely gave his professional legal opinion honestly, without fear or favour.

This is expected of an elected member of parliament and an experienced lawyer. Karpal was discharging his duty and responsibility by commenting on a matter of public interest.

It is a great national tragedy that the court is unable to differentiate an honest opinion from crass and gross verbal onslaught crudely expressed without any respect to the royal personage.

In Karpal Singh’s case, this is clearly a travesty of justice which is most unfair and undeserved. Continue reading “After Anwar and Karpal, who’s next?”

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Anwar will miss the June meeting of Parliament if he is jailed in two months, which means Permatang Pauh by-election will have to be held in June or July

If Anwar Ibrahim is right in his winding-up speech at the Pakatan Rakyat 5th Convention in Shah Alam yesterday that he might be imprisoned within two months, it would mean another “rush to judgment” to dispose of Anwar’s Federal Court appeal to uphold his five-year jail conviction by the Court of Appeal on Friday.

This is because Anwar would have exhausted his legal remedies and once his 5-year jail conviction is upheld by the Federal Court in two months, Anwar will have to start his second jail incarceration.

It would also mean that Anwar will not be able to attend the June meeting of Parliament, and the forthcoming parliamentary meeting beginning tomorrow will be Anwar’s last parliamentary meeting.

Furthermore, it would also mean that Anwar would be disqualified as MP and the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election would have to be held in June or July. Continue reading “Anwar will miss the June meeting of Parliament if he is jailed in two months, which means Permatang Pauh by-election will have to be held in June or July”

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Anwar’s body can be jailed but the spirit and soul of the Pakatan Rakyat for a new Malaysia of freedom, justice, good governance and prosperity for all Malaysians cannot be imprisoned

This 5th Pakatan Rakyat Convention is to be an ordinary annual convention. But it has become a historic one.

This is because this PR Convention in Shah Alam must send out a clear and unmistakable message to the powers-that-be that they can jail the body of Anwar Ibrahim but they cannot imprison the spirit and soul of Pakatan Rakyat for a new Malaysia of freedom, justice, good governance and prosperity for all Malaysians!

Selangor Speaker Hannah Yeoh could not have put it better when she said in her speech this morning that when the powers-that-be first persecuted and imprisoned Anwar Ibrahim after sacking him from Umno 16 years ago, Anwar was a leader of the Malays.

Today, in the second-round of persecution and imprisonment of Anwar Ibrahim, Anwar has become the leader of Malaysians.

This is the measure of the transformation that Anwar has wrought in the past 16 years (compared to the fake “transformations” of the Najib administration), and there can be no better outcome of today’s convention than for all Pakatan Rakyat leaders, members and supporters, whether PKR, PAS or DAP to resolve to follow Anwar’s example to become Malaysians fighting for the welfare and interests of all Malaysians. Continue reading “Anwar’s body can be jailed but the spirit and soul of the Pakatan Rakyat for a new Malaysia of freedom, justice, good governance and prosperity for all Malaysians cannot be imprisoned”

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Winners, losers and others in Sodomy II

BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
March 07, 2014

Barisan Nasional (BN) got what it wanted. Datuk Seri Najib Razak got what he wanted. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad got what he wanted. Tun Daim Zainuddin got what he wanted.

Heck, any Umno politician will be celebrating today. The man who could have ended it all for Umno is back where they want him to be – in jail.

And this time, the keys will be thrown away, finally ending the political career of a man who has withstood 15 years of sledgehammer treatment from his political opponents, BN.

Here are some initial thoughts from today’s court decision. Continue reading “Winners, losers and others in Sodomy II”

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Imperative that PR and component parties demonstrate an unprecedented unity, resolve and commitment to score a historic victory in Kajang by-election especially as UMNO/BN plotting to sabotage Anwar’s candidature on March 11

This morning I was in Kajang together with the PKR National Vice Chairman MP Nurul Izzah and the PAS election director MP Dr. Hatta Ramli to launch the DAP operations centre for the Kajang by-election on March 23.

It is imperative that Pakatan Rakyat and the component parties, whether PKR, PAS or DAP demonstrate an unprecedented unity, resolve and commitment to score a resounding and historic victory in Kajang by-election for two reasons:

· *Firstly, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is the Pakatan Rakyat candidate for the Kajang by-election, which must be fought as an important PR milestone to Putrajaya in the 14th General Elections which must be held by 2018 but which could be held in 2016 or 2017; and

· *Secondly, there is a serious UMNO/BN plot afoot to sabotage Anwar’s candidature for the Kajang by-election on March 11.

This is why I spoke up three days ago with the reminder that “A House divided cannot stand” and that Anwar’s real enemies in Kajang by-election are not independents, MCA or even UMNO, but PR/PKR internal feuds and infighting. Continue reading “Imperative that PR and component parties demonstrate an unprecedented unity, resolve and commitment to score a historic victory in Kajang by-election especially as UMNO/BN plotting to sabotage Anwar’s candidature on March 11”

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House divided cannot stand – Anwar’s real enemies in Kajang by-election are not independents, MCA or even UMNO but PR/PKR internal feuds and infighting

It is now one full month since the announcement by the Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be the Pakatan Rakyat candidate in the Kajang by-election which will be held in three weeks’ time on March 23, 2014.

In the past 31 days, political temperatures and election fervor had steadily mounted, with a whole slate of issues, national, state and local, being canvassed.

The Kajang by-election promises to be the “by-election of the century” in Malaysia, deciding not only on who will be the elected representative of the Selangor state assembly seat of Kajang, the political leadership in Selangor but most important of all, the political configuration of the federal centre of power in Putrajaya in the immediate future.

The by-election on March 23 will not only determine the future of Kajang and Selangor, but the future of Malaysia and her 30 million people – not only for 2014 but for the coming years and decades.

All the three Pakatan Rakyat parties of PKR, PAS and DAP must be fully united and inspired by the common goal of creating a new Malaysia where all her citizenry, regardless of race, religion or region, are united with one common vision for an united, harmonious, free, democratic, just, competitive, progressive and prosperous Malaysia. Continue reading “House divided cannot stand – Anwar’s real enemies in Kajang by-election are not independents, MCA or even UMNO but PR/PKR internal feuds and infighting”

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Is Najib and Cabinet really seriously about national reconciliation and national consensus rising above partisan differences to end national drift and loss of leadership and direction?

I have addressed three Open Letters to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the Cabinet before three Cabinet meetings in January last month urging the end of national drift and loss of leadership and direction in the past nine months since the 13th general elections last May.

I also appealed to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to accept the olive branch offered by the Pakatan Rakyat leadership “to love and save Malaysia” by preserving and promoting national unity, harmony and tolerance in the country and to ensure that no nefarious and treacherous plot to cause racial chaos and religious conflagration could succeed in Malaysia.

After the January 29 Cabinet meeting, Najib announced a Cabinet green light for a Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat Leaders’ Summit on national reconciliation and national consensus, claiming that he had first mooted the idea of national reconciliation after the last general election but various parties were not responsive to his appeals to come together.

For the past six months, Pakatan Rakyat leaders have been urging for Barisan Nastional/Pakatan Rakyat talks on national reconciliation and national consensus in view of the unprecedented slew of major national crises faced by the country, including the quintuplet of national crisis covering nation building and national unity, economic, educational, security and anti-corruption. The PR leadership never proposed the idea of “national unity” government. Continue reading “Is Najib and Cabinet really seriously about national reconciliation and national consensus rising above partisan differences to end national drift and loss of leadership and direction?”

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Call on all moderates in Malaysia, whether BN or PR, to unite and isolate extremists and traitors of the country who want to foment racial chaos and religious conflagration through incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension

We are gathered here tonight on the 111th birth anniversary of Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman, to discuss the legacy of the founder Prime Minister of the country.

Tunku had always wanted to be remembered as the “happiest Prime Minister” of a multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural Malaysia, but if he is alive today, he would probably be the saddest person in the country.

For the past nine months since the 13th general elections in May last year, the country has been afflicted by a quintuplet of national crisis the magnitude of which had never been experienced by the country in over half a decade of nationhood – nation building and national unity; economic as reflected in the unchecked rise in prices and the increasing hardships of the low-income groups; educational with the unchecked decline in educational standards; security in terms of the safety of Malaysian citizens, investors and visitors; and good governance particularly in the losing war against corruption.

Never before has the country been more polarised both racial and religious as in the past nine months – because of a combination of two factors, a rudderless and directionless administration of Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and a systematic and relentless campaign by an irresponsible and reckless group who are prepared to destabilise the country by ceaseless incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension to create the conditions for another May 13 racial riots.

I believe that the overwhelming majority of Malaysians, whether in DAP, PKR or PAS in Pakatan Rakyat, or in Umno, MCA, Gerakan, MIC and the other component parties in Barisan Nasional, do not want another May 13 riots in the country as they want, like Tunku Abdul Rahman, love, peace, harmony and prosperity to prevail in Malaysia. Continue reading “Call on all moderates in Malaysia, whether BN or PR, to unite and isolate extremists and traitors of the country who want to foment racial chaos and religious conflagration through incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension”

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From the Kajang by-election to the bigger picture, Anwar tells all

by Sheridan Mahavera and Mohd Farhan Darwis
The Malaysian Insider
February 04, 2014

PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is no stranger to controversy. This time, it concerns his party’s attempts to get him elected as a state lawmaker in Selangor by triggering a by-election in the Kajang state seat. Anwar sat down with The Malaysian Insider to reply to criticisms the plan has generated and to tell the public why PKR feels it is justified, despite spending public funds on another electoral exercise.

Q: Let’s start with the background on the Kajang by-election. What was the motif behind this? It was a big surprise to your allies in Pakatan, even people in PKR did not know about it. Is it worth all this negative publicity?

A: It has been brewing for some time and we have to take into consideration the importance of Selangor, despite the fact that it was well managed and it was given a good and impressive mandate in the last general election.

As a major strategic consideration, we see that Selangor is under tremendous pressure and incessant attack by Umno and BN, including exploiting race and religious sentiments. We therefore feel, together with economic management, that there needs to be political leadership that is effective enough to mobilise and stop these excesses on behalf of the Malays and non-Malays in the state. Enough is enough.

This requires additional force and political clout, and a very strong message. To us it’s consistent with our statement on the national consensus that we cannot allow a small minority to hijack the national agenda and carry out threats to any citizen or group in the name of religion and race.

They are not nationalists; they don’t protect the interest of poor Malays, who are the vast majority of Malays, just the rich cronies. Or portray Islamic ethics well. Look at the manner it is played up and the character of those who profess to have religious leanings. No consideration of basic ethics or morality in the manner they display their arrogance and high handedness in dealing with issues.

We have a major problem in Selangor. This issue of race and religion shows the abdication of the Prime Minister and the government. They are either ignoring this or dismissing this or passing the buck to the state.

Second, economic problems. Inflation and spiralling prices are having a major impact and ramification to the state. It is close to Kuala Lumpur. Folks face hardship.

I think it is time we move to make Selangor a model and convey this strong message of how you govern politically and economically, and this will play when we wrest control of Putrajaya. Continue reading “From the Kajang by-election to the bigger picture, Anwar tells all”

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Anwar Ibrahim in Kajang state seat is good for Malaysia

By Augustine Anthony
4.1.2014

When Dato’ Sri Anwar Ibrahim’s decision to run for the now vacant Kajang state seat in Selangor was announced by Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, the current Mentri Besar of Selangor, the extent of criticism against Anwar Ibrahim, PKR and Pakatan Rakyat as a whole ranged from thumbs down and negative to downright hostility.

The looks on the ordinary and mostly educated middle class people whenever this issue was raised was one of disgust.

You cannot defend the indefensible and, in this case Anwar Ibrahim’s candidacy for the Kajang state seat, is the general feeling. A betrayal of voters’ hopes, aspirations and confidence is no small matter and such an act must bear the full brunt of the nation’s backlash.

But there was an unusual landscape during the announcement by Khalid Ibrahim. Not as picturesque as anyone would have expected and not quite like the time during the 13th General Elections and the accompanying euphoria whenever opposition candidates names were announced.

Amidst the gloom, there sits “THE” towering figure in the Malaysian politics. His appearance cleverly hides the depth of his experience, knowledge and understanding of the Malaysian political, social, as well as matters of national policies. The honourable Lim Kit Siang sits on the right side of Anwar Ibrahim while Khalid Ibrahim sits on the left side of the Opposition Leader. That caught my attention.

From the time of my childhood days I have admired Lim Kit Siang. He is a Malaysian success story and richly deserving too. A success story imagined, engineered and achieved not by sheer luck but by unrelenting pursuit and single mindedness of the goal ahead. Continue reading “Anwar Ibrahim in Kajang state seat is good for Malaysia”

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Anwar’s bumpy road to Kajang a reminder of Umno’s shenanigans

NEWS ANALYSIS BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
February 02, 2014

In the throes of Malaysians debating the correctness of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim contesting the Kajang state seat, comes a stark reminder that evil resides in Umno.

Umno and its so-called non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have started their campaign to block Anwar from reaching out to voters – the sure sign of how worried they remain of a politician they themselves have tagged as a has-been.

From Perlis down to Johor, every trick in the book has been employed against the opposition. At times, the royal households are used, sometimes the religious authorities are co-opted.

Often, laws are bent to suit the whims and fancies of Umno.

So it seems to be the case in Kajang where Anwar was barred from giving the tazkirah (a short speech before the Friday sermon) at the Impian Saujana mosque in Kajang on orders from the Selangor Islamic Affairs Council (Mais). Continue reading “Anwar’s bumpy road to Kajang a reminder of Umno’s shenanigans”

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Zainuddin’s infantile but dangerous gambit to racialise Kajang by-election is utterly irresponsible and cause of worsening racial polarization in Malaysia

Former Cabinet Minister Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin is up to his mischief of communal politicking again.

He said in his blog that the Chinese community has a “golden opportunity” to regain the trust of the Malays in the wake of the so-called “Chinese Tsunami” of Election 2013.

He said: “The Kajang by-election is not the chance for Malays to repay the ‘Chinese Tsunami’ but must be seen as a golden opportunity for the Chinese community to overturn Malay views that the Chinese can no longer be trusted as political allies.

He said that “it is undeniable that this trust was broken by the ‘Chinese Tsunami”.

Zainuddin said a BN victory would also serve as a platform to rebuild Chinese-Malay co-operation that will benefit racial harmony, boost the economy and stabilise the political climate in the country.

Zainuddin’s infantile but dangerous gambit to racialise Kajang by-election by describing it as a golden opportunity for Chinese to regain the trust of Malays in the wake of so-called “Chinese Tsunami” is utterly irresponsible and it is prevalence of such racist attitudes in the corridors of power which is the cause of worsening racial polarization in Malaysia.

It is most deplorable that while the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak had used his 2013 New Year’s Message to try to clarify his unfortunate and inappropriate term of “Chinese Tsunami” on the night of the 13GE, which was downright racist, against his 1Malaysia signature policy and contrary to his talk of “national reconciliation”, Zainuddin wants to resurrect the spectre of “Chinese Tsunami” to racialise politics in Malaysia. Continue reading “Zainuddin’s infantile but dangerous gambit to racialise Kajang by-election is utterly irresponsible and cause of worsening racial polarization in Malaysia”