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Politics ruin religion and religion ruins politics

By Ahmad Mustapha Hassan
June 07, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JUNE 7 — The turmoil in the Middle East started off with the uprising in Tunisia to get rid of their corrupt leader, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali. The man, his family and cronies enriched themselves at the expense of the Tunisian people. They built palaces for themselves and cornered businesses to themselves. In the meantime the emerging youths found that with their professional degrees that they possessed, they were left unemployed.

They had to peddle wares, hawking them from makeshift sheds. Even this was forbidden and their trade was smashed by the authorities. One disappointed, dejected and helpless youth committed suicide by torching himself. The ember of revolt was thus lighted.

Tunisia has been a secular state since it achieved its independence and became a republic in 1957. The revolution that took place was not religious in character. It was secular and supported by all citizens irrespective of their religious denominations. Continue reading “Politics ruin religion and religion ruins politics”

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PAS’ welfare state goal is debatable

By Terence Netto
Jun 8, 11 | MalaysiaKini

COMMENT The comments that emanated from Umno on the outcome of the PAS elections last weekend yet again demonstrated that when it comes to a discussion of ideas, their commentary is bereft.

Its crappy tone hit a nadir when Dr Mahathir Mohamad speculated that the person most elated with the results of the PAS elections would be DAP chairperson Karpal Singh.

Trust Mahathir to squeeze the soft underbelly of DAP-PAS relations by dredging up a remark made by Karpal in the prelude to the 1999 general elections – that Malaysia could only become a Islamic state over his dead body – to remind voters of how far PAS had now come in abandoning its Islamic state goal to appease the secularists in DAP.

In a long career politicians are allowed a rash comment or two, provided the person apologises as Karpal did. Continue reading “PAS’ welfare state goal is debatable”

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DAP decries concession for PSD rejects

Jun 7, 11 2 | MalaysiaKini

DAP has urged the federal government to ensure all top Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) scorers are given scholarships to study overseas and grants to study locally in the interest of fair play and rewards based on meritocracy.

In a statement today, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said his party was against the federal government’s decision to compensate top scholars who failed to obtain Public Services Department (PSD) grants to study overseas.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz said yesterday that 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) would be financing the grants for 500 qualified students who did not get PSD scholarships to study locally. Continue reading “DAP decries concession for PSD rejects”

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Anwar stresses ‘twin pillars’ of religious concordat

By Terence Netto
Jun 7, 11 | MalaysiaKini

COMMENT Cynics may scoff but Anwar Ibrahim’s tack with regard to the rights of non-Muslims in Malaysia remains consistent, as the latest meeting between the PKR leadership and representatives of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) indicated.

Some attendees at last night’s meeting in Kuala Lumpur could not help but recall a similar encounter between PKR and MCCBCHST in Petaling Jaya in December 2007 that dealt with the same issues but was held in a less fraught atmosphere than presently prevailing.

Then, matters to do with forced conversions, temple demolitions and the incipient rise of the ‘Allah’ issue brought furrows to non-Muslim brows. Continue reading “Anwar stresses ‘twin pillars’ of religious concordat”

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Kit Siang: Have full-blown RCI into Sarbani’s death

Jun 7, 11 | MalaysiaKini

DAP stalwart and Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang has called on the prime minister and cabinet to override the police and attorney-general’s (AG) call for an inquest into senior customs officer Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed’s death, and replace it with a full-blown royal commission of inquiry (RCI).

Lim (left) said such a move will restore public confidence in national institutions and also in the prime minister and cabinet.

“I have no qualms in admitting that I have reservations about the Teoh Beng Hock RCI, particularly over the conduct and strategy adopted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and its counsel Muhammad Shafie Abdullah who could make the outrageous suggestion that Teoh had committed ‘honour suicide’, but Malaysians are currently being deprived of a more satisfactory option to get to the bottom of Ahmad Sarbani’s death,” he said in a statement. Continue reading “Kit Siang: Have full-blown RCI into Sarbani’s death”

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Asia leads the world’s recovery, but high food and fuel prices threaten gains

By Noeleen Heyzer and Nagesh Kumar
June 07, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JUNE 7 — Asia and the Pacific, more than any other region in the world, will experience greater transformation and change in the coming years, as the region’s economic strength plays a greater role in the global economy and as its population centers struggle to overcome the burdens of poverty, hunger, natural disasters and social inequalities.

The region’s economic growth figures, recently released in the UN ESCAP Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2011, indicate just how powerful Asia’s economy is for the world already.

The Asia-Pacific region recovered strongly in 2010 from the global financial crisis and recession of 2008-09 with the region’s developing economies growing at 8.8 per cent. In 2011, growth in developing economies of the region is forecast to be 7.3 per cent — lower than 2010’s high growth which represented a recovery from the low base of the 2009 recession. Continue reading “Asia leads the world’s recovery, but high food and fuel prices threaten gains”

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The bigger subsidy addicts

By Sakmongkol AK47
June 07, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JUNE 7 — The favourite excuse of CEOs and politicians is always to attribute external factors as the cause of our inconvenience. Consider for example, the increase in electricity tariffs. Its unavoidable says the government because cost elements are increasing. What cost elements — workers’ wages and cost of fuels? What about subsidies going to IPPs? These are the bigger subsidy addicts who deserve the mandatory death sentence.

Many years ago, our country suffered the worse outage in our nation’s history. We were without electricity for many days. Manufacturers lost a lot of money. Industrialists were screaming their heads off and their voices reached Sri Perdana, the abode of the 4th PM then. Continue reading “The bigger subsidy addicts”

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PwC says KL needs revamp to be competitive city

By Lee Wei Lian
June 07, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 7 — The city needs to improve its hard and soft infrastructure to compete with global commerce and culture capitals, says Andrew Chan Yik Hong, PwC Malaysia’ executive director in charge of capital projects and infrastructure.

This comes after PwC released a report (www.pwc.com/cities) this week predicting the trajectory of 26 select cities based on a wide range of criteria such as intellectual capital, transportation, health, economic clout, liveability and lifestyle assets.

Kuala Lumpur did not make the list.

New York topped the list, followed by Toronto, San Francisco, Stockholm and Sydney. Singapore was the top-ranked Asian city, finishing ninth on the list, ahead of Hong Kong (10) and Tokyo (14). Continue reading “PwC says KL needs revamp to be competitive city”

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Sarbaini RCI will renew faith in institutions, says Kit Siang

By Yow Hong Chieh
June 07, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 7 — A royal commission of inquiry (RCI) looking into Customs officer Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamad’s death would restore public confidence in the country’s institutions, Lim Kit Siang has said.

The DAP parliamentary leader said Cabinet should be prepared to override the Attorney-General (A-G) and the police tomorrow as an RCI, like the one established for Teoh Beng Hock, was the only way to determine the cause of Sarbaini’s death.

“The Cabinet’s immediate task is to act boldly and justly into the death of Sarbani. Let the Najib and his Cabinet Ministers not disappoint Malaysians once again tomorrow,” he said in a statement today. Continue reading “Sarbaini RCI will renew faith in institutions, says Kit Siang”

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Mimos – 25 years and going strong

By KJ John
Jun 7, 11 | MalaysiaKini

This series of three columns I will call the 25th anniversary series. Three organisations I have been connected with have celebrated their 25th anniversary this year. First, let me congratulate Mimos Berhad for its 25th anniversary celebrations.

I hear it was a genuine occasion for celebration given the Mimos 2.0 version and their “outputs” in terms of the idea productisation vide patents and IPs registered were on public display. I was not there. I was with the National IT Council (NITC) and Mimos for only eight years between 1996 and 2004, whereas those who were publicly recognised were the original founders; all who go back from the very beginning of Mimos in 1985. Continue reading “Mimos – 25 years and going strong”

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Subsidy flip-flops sign of deeper problems, say economists

June 07, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 7 — Economists perceive the Najib administration as prone to backtracking on policies, with political concerns trumping the need for economic reform.

In a scathing commentary published today by the Singapore Straits Times, the government’s dithering over subsidy cuts for energy and basic consumer goods was criticised by regional economists who are stirring a wider debate over the country’s long-term economic prospects.

The Straits Times said the big question being asked now was whether resource-rich Malaysia had fallen out of step with the global environment. Continue reading “Subsidy flip-flops sign of deeper problems, say economists”

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Cabinet should override Police and Attorney-General to establish RCI into Sarbani’s death to restore public confidence not only in national institutions but also Prime Minister and Cabinet

Cabinet tomorrow should override Police and Attorney-General to establish RCI into Sarbani’s death as in case of Teoh Beng Hock to restore public confidence not only in national institutions but also Prime Minister and Cabinet

The Cabinet tomorrow should override Police and Attorney-General to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry into senior Customs officer Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed’s death as in the case of Teoh Beng Hock to restore public confidence not only in national institutions but also Prime Minister and Cabinet.

I have no qualms in admitting that I have reservations about the Teoh Beng Hock Royal Commission of Inquiry, particularly over the conduct and strategy adopted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and its counsel Shafie who could make the outrageous suggestion of Teoh Beng Hock’s committing “honour suicide”, but Malaysians are currently deprived of a more satisfactory option to get to the bottom of Sarbani’s death. Continue reading “Cabinet should override Police and Attorney-General to establish RCI into Sarbani’s death to restore public confidence not only in national institutions but also Prime Minister and Cabinet”

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DAP insists on overseas scholarships for all SPM aces

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
June 07, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 7- All SPM top scorers should get overseas Public Service Department (PSD) scholarships instead of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) grants if Malaysia wants to retain the country’s human talent, DAP has said.

Putrajaya announced yesterday that 500 special education grants would be disbursed by 1MDB to rejected applicants to study locally. The categories (annual): Scholarships to public universities (RM7,500), scholarships for critical courses in private universities (RM15,000), and grants for non-critical courses (RM7,500). Continue reading “DAP insists on overseas scholarships for all SPM aces”

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Aku Melayu keliru

By Ezlan Mohsen
June 07, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

7 JUN — Aku belia Melayu, rakyat Malaysia. Ibubapa aku dua-dua Melayu, rakyat Malaysia.

Masa aku kecil, ayah aku selalu cakap, bila aku sudah besar nanti, mesti tolong bangsa aku. Tapi dia juga cakap, tolong dengan cara majukan bangsa sendiri, dan jangan jatuhkan orang lain. Tapi bila aku sudah besar, banyak aku tengok pemimpin negara aku cuba nak tolong bangsa aku, tapi mereka sekat peluang bangsa lain. Aku keliru.

Ibubapa aku cakap sekolah itu penting, dan perpaduan juga sangat penting. Bila sudah besar, aku dapat masuk sekolah asrama penuh, ada Melayu, India, dan Cina. Siam pun ada. Aku tiada masalah nak bergaul. Aku jarang dengar pasal masalah perkauman, cuma daripada buku teks sejarah. Tapi bila aku keluar, aku jumpa ramai kawan lain. Bila borak-borak, mereka kata sekolah mereka dipenuhi satu bangsa saja, sama ada Melayu, Cina atau India. Mereka jadi terlalu selesa bergaul dengan bangsa sendiri. Aku keliru lagi. Continue reading “Aku Melayu keliru”

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Utusan bohong lagi, DAP tak campur tangan masjid

In Roketkini
6 June 2011

GEORGETOWN, 6 JUN – Pembohongan terbaru Utusan Malaysia cuba mengaitkan DAP dengan cadangan mengadakan pemilihan bagi jawatankuasa masjid di Pulau Pinang.

Laporan berita Utusan mendakwa kononnya pemilihan itu “dilihat bakal menjerumuskan institusi masjid ke kancah politik kepartian”.

Berita Utusan itu menambah, “jika dilaksanakan sepenuhnya, ‘pilihan raya masjid’ itu yang dijangka bermula pertengahan bulan ini akan menjadikan Pulau Pinang sebagai satu-satunya negeri yang pernah melaksanakan kaedah pemilihan seumpama itu”.

Setiausaha Politik kepada Setiausaha Agung DAP Zairil Khir Johari berkata DAP tidak terlibat sama sekali dengan soal pengurusan masjid di Pulau Pinang yang berada di bawah pentadbiran Majlis Agama Islam Pulau Pinang. Continue reading “Utusan bohong lagi, DAP tak campur tangan masjid”

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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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Respond to Ani’s expose, Najib told

By Teoh El Sen
June 6, 2011 | Free Malaysia Today

PENANG: The DAP has demanded that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak explain why the public must suffer high electricity tariffs when the government could cut its subsidy bill by undoing the so-called “gas subsidy scandal” recently exposed by former Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) chief Ani Arope.

Referring to Ani’s allegation that the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) forced TNB to accept lopsided purchase deals with independent power producers (IPPs) nearly 20 years ago, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said a review of those deals would be “more than sufficient” to reduce the subsidy bill.

“Clearly, there is no justification for Putrajaya to hike electricity tariffs by 7%,” he said.

Ani said in a recent Facebook posting that the EPU bullied TNB into buying electricity from an IPP at 14 sen per kilowatt hour (kWh) despite an existing offer of 12 sen. Continue reading “Respond to Ani’s expose, Najib told”

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Beware of Tahrir Square, Umno

By Patrick Lee
June 6, 2011 | Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang warned Umno to beware of a Malaysian version of the Tahrir Square revolution as witnessed in Egypt.

He said that Umno leaders such as Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and other “wannabes” such as Mukhriz Mahathir were likely to lose out if such an event were to take place.

Tahrir Square or Liberation Square was the epicentre of massive demonstrations by Egyptians who succeeded in removing former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak from power.

“The question Najib has to answer is whether he is really ready and prepared when Tahrir Square comes to Malaysia,” said Lim. Continue reading “Beware of Tahrir Square, Umno”

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As Malaysia’s assets wane, Umno scrambles for wealth control

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
June 06, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 6 — The fight is on for the country’s diminishing resources and assets, and leading the charge to secure rights to projects and land ownership are Umno warlords and politically-connected individuals.

As Malaysia grapples with imminent tariff hikes and a subsidy bill that could double to RM21 billion this year, individuals within the ruling Malay party appear to be wasting little time in demanding that the Najib administration award them immediate rights to government and commercial projects.

This is evident in the current tussle surrounding Umno’s attacks on UDA Holdings Bhd’s sale of prime land in downtown Kuala Lumpur, where despite the agency’s assurance that the sale to Mutiara Goodyear would benefit Bumiputeras, Umno leaders have attacked the agency, saying RM215.5 million deal would hurt Bumiputera interests. Continue reading “As Malaysia’s assets wane, Umno scrambles for wealth control”