MGG.Pillai - a champion on free and unmolested journalistic freedom....

How I wished to see MGG.Pillai had lived on to see the aftermath of the March 8th 2008, 12th. General Election. I think Mr.Pillai would be the first person to post a thought-provoking missals on the net to celebrates the opposition success.

In one of MGG.Pillai commentary view he wrote, "In Malaysia, a middle class man united the people against the government. But the sacked deputy prime minister, Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, could not do it alone. The government, then led by Tun Mahathir Mohamed, could not contain the demonstrations that resulted and used force to break them up. But the middle class leaders went back when Tun Mahathir resigned. UMNO under Pak Lah, who took over, got the biggest majority ever in the general elections of 2004. Datuk Seri Anwar and his men now is not sure he will see the support of those days".

"What frightens the National Front and its component parties, including UMNO, is that the races in this country are being organised by the middle class away from the National Front. There is already talk of the National Front parties moving away from UMNO should it lead a losing coalition. I am now able to talk with members of the government party whether they would be in it should it lose the next elections. In the past, I would have been shown the door. A revolution is taking place in Malaysia, but it is not violent or public. The middle class, up to now the first beneficiaries of the government's largesse, is now not sure it is to their benefit if it supported the government. On that will depend the future of the National Front, and politics in this country". (The National Front has no hope if it cannot retain the support of the middle class - 13/4/2006)

He predicted right and it was the middle class that changed our political landscape that paved the way for opposition success in the 12th General Election. Wilayah Persekutuan, for example, where the middle class folks forms the bulk of its electorate - made up mainly of civil servant,business class, corporate leaders etc,etc.,with a multi-racial background, saw the emergence of Pakatan Rakyat, a cooperation between the three parties,namely PKR,PAS and DAP bagging 10 out 11 seats. If not for the postal votes, the 11th seat of Setiawangsa too will also be swept away by the opposition surged.

If Mr.Pillai was still around, I yearn that to see how he sees politics unfolding in our nation today, notably with the Lingam video tape episode, the on-going Altantuya's murder case ,the Chua Sooi Lek's sex scandal, Najib's billion dollar arms deals, the murky Balkis Selangor controversy etc, etc, and wonder what will his comments be? Remember, nobody quite writes like MGG. Pillai.

He was one of the greatest believers that Anwar Ibrahim would one day return to the political arena, and how right he was. It will be only a matter of time that we will see Anwar sitting face-face with Pat Lah or probably assuming Pat Lah's role.

I had never met Mr.Pillai before, though I used to adore his writings from way back in the 70's and 80's. However, we do exchange notes via emails occasionally. In one of his email he invited me over a cup of teh tarik in Brickfields but I couldnt make it. I really regretted for missing that golden opportunity, to meet such a great man called MGG.Pillai.

This is the second anniversary of MGG.Pillai’s passing away. His lost was greatly felt by both his friends,foes and the cyber communities alike. I was never a writer before, but was inspired by MGG.Pillai's idealism, beliefs, a hero on free and unmolested journalistic freedom and his style of expression of the oppressed had captivated me.

Thanks MGG.Pillai, I missed you, my dear friend, rest in peace and you were always on my mind.....

And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing who to cling to
When the rain set in
And I would have liked to have known you
But I was just a kid
Your candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did

(from Elton John's "Candle In The Wind")

cheers.

Anwar 'back' in parliament

12th Parliament,the King,PM and Anwar.......

He is back......

Anwar Ibrahim,was present at the opening of the 12th Parliament session today,in his capacity as the spouse to Parliamentary Opposition Leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh). Read here.

This is the first time Anwar was in the house in a decade’s time after his unceremonious sacking from the government in 1998 as the deputy prime minister.

Anwar, who is enjoying something of a political comeback, told reporters in Parliament that "there is no turning back" in his political life. "It has began. It is a new beginning. Now that I am here, there is no turning back," he said.

The BN coalition has ruled Malaysia for more than half a century since the former colony gained independence from Britain in 1957, but the March results were its worst poll showing in 39 years. BN lost its 2/3 majority in Parliament,while the Pakatan Rakyat,that consists of PKR, PAS and DAP made an impressive berakthrough by winning 82 seats between them.

The disastrous March polls has led to calls from within UMNO for Pat Lah to step down. Read here. Probably,Pat Lah will survive the onslaught from within UMNO and here is why I think Ku Li will fail in his quest for UMNO's top post.

The King shows the way.....

In his opening address at the 12th Parliament,Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin expressed his regret over the abuse of subsidies by certain quarters by hoarding essential goods and also smuggling them out of the country to make huge profits for themselves.

The king said the government must continue with plans to fight corruption and adopt measures that will promote transparency and accountability.

"The economic growth which has been enjoyed all the while will not be meaningful if corruption and abuse of power continues to happen," he said. Read here and here.

While the beleaguered PM.....

Tuanku Mizan also said that he wanted the government to ensure that its five regional economic development corridors will benefit all the people. This,was because the economic development projects were not confined to specific areas but covered the whole country, and had the potential to create more than 12 million jobs in various sectors. Remember that Mr. PM......

But just barely 3 months after the 12th general election,Pat Lah have already warned orang Tanjung that the 2nd bridge project will be delayed,the PORR and monorail projects will be scrapped due to financial constraints and nothing is clear about the Penang Global City Center. However, Lim Guan Eng has added another twist on the monorail project. Read here.

Eh! nak percaya cakap siapa ya..........

cheers.

The AN WAR that keeps Pat Lah and BN guessing.....

If you think that Anwar is bullshitting about his ability to court BN Sabah and Sarawak MPs to crossover and join Pakatan Rakyat and overthrow the current gomen of Pat Lah, you better think twice.

Ku Li said that he had a chance encounter with Anwar Ibrahim recently. Ku Li said,"I was on the same plane with him (Anwar) and I asked him 'How confident he was that he will form the next government?'. "He smiled and said "I'm very confident" the 71-year-old veteran said.

Ku Li, explained that the opposition's repeated boasts to the media about taking over is not far-fetched at all.” All it takes is 30 members to make the switch and we will have a new federal government," he said. He said many of the MPs were once strong supporters of Anwar Ibrahim and maintained close contact with him. Read here.

The ongoing defection talks has placed BN on a defensive mood, with Najib saying recently that the ruling coalition will not simply dismiss the threat.Read here.

What further transpired between Ku Li and Anwar is anyone's guess. Probably, Ku Li might have discussed how he could help Anwar to garner enough MPs other than from Sabah and Sarawak to jump ship and take over from Pat Lah. Read here.

For some reason or other, Ku Li can never win UMNO's top post this December, unless with divine intervention. To secure 60 nominations in Pat Lah's backyard is something that's impossible for Ku Li to attain. Ku Li's age factor is another obstacle that might hinders his ambition. UMNO stalwarts would rather go for a much younger candidate. We must also not forget that, Najib, Mahyuddin, Hishamuddin and Ali Rustam are also keen to be in the race.

Anwar is wedging a psychological warfare against BN and each time Anwar opens his mouth, there will obviously be an immediate respond from BN leaders. This is a clear indication that Pat Lah and his BN goons are expressing concern as shivers runs right down their spine.

However, this will not happen in the next couple of months, until Anwar enters Parliament, when and why, only Anwar knows the answer. Anwar also had set a time frame for this to happen. The BN MPs who are waiting to switch knows fully well that they will not jump the ship until and only Anwar's leadership is ascertain.

Anwar has promised that under the Pakatan Rakyat gomen, Sabah and Sarawak will receive an additional boost in petroleum royalties from the current 5% to 20% now. An additional cabinet posts is another form of incentive. This would seem attractive to both Sabah and Sarawak state gomen since there is the perception that the federal gomen is taking more from these states than what it can give back in return.

The situation is extremely complex,rickety and volatile, but one thing is certain, Anwar is in control and he is making all the right moves much to chagrin of his political foes......

Breaking News.......

No official invitation for Azizah, Anwar - Fauwaz Abdul Aziz

While other law makers and their spouses were issued official invitations to attend the opening of the 12th Parliament session by the King Mizan Zainal Abidin tomorrow, Opposition Leader Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (Permatang Pauh-PKR) was not.All she got was a letter. Even then, her husband and de facto PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim was not asked to attend.

“I would like to ask why,” said Wan Azizah today in a press conference held after the swearing-in ceremony of the 222 Members of Parliament today.

The King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin is scheduled to open the 12th Parliament tomorrow and deliver the royal address.

“We feel disappointed when informed that the Opposition Leader was not invited officially for the opening of Parliament session by the king tomorrow. Only a letter was issued, and her husband was not invited,” said PKR vice-president Mohd Azmin Ali at the press conference.

Azmin, who is PKR MP for Gombak, said the issue has been referred to Parliament secretariat.

“All Members of Parliament received official invitation cards with the (Parliament) emblem and the name of the Member of Parliament together with the wife or husband.

“But in the context of the Opposition Leader, she was only given a letter and her husband was not invited. This has become a question as to why it happened to the Opposition Leader,” he added.

PKR won the most parliamentary seats of Pakatan Rakyat parties when its candidates won 31 parliamentary contests. DAP and PAS won 28 and 23 seats, respectively.- Malaysiakini

cheers.

Balkis - antara perbuatan hasrat dengki dan kerja amal.....

The Sun di bawah tajuk "RM10 million gone in 3 days" telah mendedahkan bagaimana Zaharah Kechik,isteri bekas MB Selangor,Khir Toyo telah berusaha membubarkan Badan Amal dan Kebajikan Isteri Selangor (Balkis) dan memindahkan wang sejumlah 10 juta, duit badan tersebut(Balkis) kepada Bakti.

Menurut the Sun,"According to documents sighted by theSun, Datin Seri Zaharah Kechik, the wife of former mentri besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo had on March 11 convened an extraordinary general meeting of the committee to dissolve Balkis and close its bank accounts. The following day, the accounts were closed, with the money transferred to another account and then to Bakti – the federal Organisation of Wives of Ministers which Balkis is affiliated to."

Sebaliknya Zaharah Kechik dalam satu kenyataan mempertahankan tindakannya sambil berkata bahawa dia berhak berbuat demikian kerana ketika itu suaminya,Khir Toyo masih lagi seorang 'caretaker' Mentri Besar Selangor.

Majlis Peguam pula berpendapat bahawa tindakan Zaharah Kecik itu ibarat satu perbuatan pecah amanah. Kerajaan Selangor pula akan mendapatkan nasihat peguamnya dan akan mengambil tindakan sekiranya berlaku pecah amanah.

Sementara itu,Jabatan Pendaftaran Pertubuhan mengarahkan cawangannya di Selangor menghantar laporan terperinci mengenai perlembagaan Pertubuhan Badan Amal dan Kebajikan Isteri-Isteri Wakil Rakyat Selangor (Balkis) serta menyiasat dakwaan penyelewengan dalam pertubuhan itu.

Bukankah peranan 'caretaker' government itu hanya sekadar menjaga sementara apa saja harta yang ada dan tidak berhak mengarah mana-mana pihak melakukan sesuka hati.

Sebagai contoh, kalaulah BN tewas dalam pilihanraya bulan Mac lalu di peringkat Persekutuan, bolehkah Md.Nor Yaakop, sebagai Menteri Kewangan ke-2 membubarkan Kementerian Kewangan dan memindahkan RM100 bilion dari tabung simpanan negara ke akaun kerajaan negeri Sabah yang masih dibawah pemerintahan BN.........

Bukankah itu mencuri atau pecah amanah namanya?

cheers.

Raba - Bekas menteri beri keterangan kpd. polis....

Polis sudah memanggil seorang bekas menteri untuk memberi keterangan berhubung dakwaan beliau mencabul kehormatan seorang pembantu penyelia di sebuah hotel di sini pada 14 April lalu.

Ketua Polis Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Muhammad Sabtu Osman, berkata bekas menteri bergelar “Datuk Seri” itu dipanggil memberi keterangan pada 11 pagi ini.

“Polis akan meneruskan siasatan mengikut prosedur biasa walaupun mangsa menggugurkan dakwaan terhadap bekas menteri itu,” katanya ketika dihubungi di sini.

Beliau berkata sebaik selesai laporan, kertas siasatan akan dihantar kepada Jabatan Peguam Negara untuk tindakan lanjut. Pada Jumaat lalu, wanita berusia 30-an itu membuat laporan di Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah Brickfields berhubung dakwaan itu tetapi dua hari kemudian menarik balik laporannya. — petikan dari Bernama.

------------------------------------

Lazimnya dalam kes-kes high profile sebegini, pihak Peguam Negara akan tutup fail, kerana mereka tak mahu gomen tanggung malu. Lain pula ceritanya,kalau orang yang melakukan itu berasal dari parti pembangkang. Habis semua media massa akan menjadikan berita utama dan akan dijaja selama 40 hari dan 40 malam. Tetapi bila orang depa yang buat,cepat cari jalan nak tutup. Sipompuan yang diraba itu pula kenapa pula kenapa dia tarik balik repot polisnya? Adakah dia disogok atau digertak oleh samseng-samseng bekas menteri tersebut?

Kalau sipompuan itu tak disogok sudah tentu kes ini akan lekat, loyarnya pun hebat orangnya. Mungkin sipompuan itu telah ditawarkan ganjaran yang lumayan, sudah tentu macam-macam boleh jadi. Macam cerita kes rogol budak di bawah umur bekas Ketua Menteri Melaka dulu. Lawan punya lawan,akhirnya perogol bebas,yang kena rogol pula dapat ganjaran yang lumayan, yang buat repot, Lim Guan Eng,pula yang masuk penjara 2 tahun.

cheers.

Balkis - RM10m gone in 3 days.......

The following piece is the headline of today's the Sun.......

RM10m gone in 3 days -R. Nadeswaran and Terence Fernandez

Three days after their husbands lost power to rule Selangor, the wives got into the act – plotting to dissolve a welfare body and remove almost RM10 million from its bank accounts. But their attempts have been thwarted by Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim who wrote to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to question the validity of the decision to dissolve the Association of Wives of State Assemblymen and Members of Parliament in Selangor (Balkis). It is learnt that Abdul Khalid has ordered a thorough investigation and audit into the affairs of the association which was set up in 1985 to undertake welfare work.

According to documents sighted by theSun, Datin Seri Zaharah Kechik, the wife of former mentri besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo had on March 11 convened an extraordinary general meeting of the committee to dissolve Balkis and close its bank accounts. The following day, the accounts were closed, with the money transferred to another account and then to Bakti – the federal Organisation of Wives of Ministers which Balkis is affiliated to.

On March 13, the former exco members of Balkis issued a notice of dissolution to the ROS, which included amending the constitution of Balkis and establishing a new organisation – Balkis-BN, is among the names suggested.

“This was to prevent the Balkis premises (Kompleks Wawasan Balkis - KWB) and the association itself from being taken over by the new state government,” said an insider.

“Once this was done, then the money will be transferred back to the new organisation,” the insider added.

However, the ROS in a letter stated that Balkis' application for dissolution was incomplete and gave it 30 days to furnish additional information. The constitution of Balkis states that the mentri besar's wife should be the president. Sources in the state government argue that since Mohamad Khir is no longer MB, Zaharah is no longer the president and has no power whatsoever to dissolve the association or liquidate its funds. Incidentally, the constitution also states that the organisation must remain apolitical.

Legal experts say by right, following the events of March 8, the exco headed by Zaharah should have convened an emergency meeting to discuss the handing over of Balkis to a new exco – with the new president being Abdul Khalid’s wife Puan Sri Salbiah Tunut.

Bakti, meanwhile, according to minutes of a recent meeting it held, had under advice of a sitting judge received the RM9.9 million from Balkis, which it has placed in a fixed deposit. The money would then be transferred back to the new organisation set up by the former Balkis members.

Bakti would also take over a Special Education Project involving millions of ringgit until the “new” Balkis is formed. This is clearly goes against Balkis’ constitution which states that in the event of a dissolution, all monies must be transferred to the government or a similar fund, with the approval of the Inland Revenue Board director-general.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that Abdul Khalid had in his letter to the ROS on Wednesday (April 23) said of the amount in Balkis’ accounts, about RM850,000 was donated by state government companies – Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd which gave RM268,862 last year and Perbadanan Kemajuan Negri Selangor (PKNS) which contributed RM590,379.50 between 2006 and 2007.
It is understood that Abdul Khalid is also investigating the transfer of 43,560sq ft of land in Section 7, Shah Alam, which the state government had in 2002 offered to Balkis at a nominal cost of RM250,000 (RM5.74/sq ft) for the setting up of a shelter home for women that cost RM5 million. - the Sun,25 April 08.

For more on the issue read here.

----------------

Balkis stands for - Badan Amal Kebajikan Isteri Isteri Wakil Rakyat Selangor - Its President is Datin Seri Zaharah Kechik, the wife of former mentri besar Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo. A random check on its website www.balkis.org.my draws blank..gone...kaput.

The above pictures is part of Balkis-Selangor's "Majlis makan malam isteri-isteri wakil rakyat 3 Ogos 2007"

I thought only the husbands(wakil rakyat) are smart ass but never knew their isteri-isteri are cunning too,where money is concern.......

cheers.

Kes raba - bekas Menteri akan terus disiasat polis...

Polis akan teruskan siasatan mereka berhubung dengan kes raba buntut oleh seorang bekas Menteri, walaupun mangsa tersebut telah menarik balik laporan polisnya. Baca di sini.

Agendadaily, melaporkan walaupun cerita yang disebarkan memperincikan kejadian tersebut tetapi kalangan mereka yang berada di tempat kejadian tidak dapat memberikan gambaran jelas tentang apa yang berlaku. Menurut mereka termasuk bekas pegawai menteri berkenaan, mereka tidak mendengar suara perempuan yang menjerit atau kekecohan seperti yang digambarkan. Malah menurut seorang yang rapat dengan bekas menteri tersebut, ketika kejadian bukan sahaja teman rapat bekas menteri itu hadir tetapi salah seorang ahli keluarga Perdana Menteri ada bersama dengan bekas menteri itu.

Ahli keluarga PM mempunyai janji temu dengan bekas menteri berkenaan di hotel tersebut. Sehubungan itu, apabila keluar berita yang mendakwa bekas menteri itu mencabul, ia sesuatu yang amat mengejutkan mereka. “Bukan sahaja kita tidak melihat sebarang kejadian tetapi difahamkan laporan polis itu dibuat oleh seorang lelaki yang mendakwa teman kepada wanita pelayan berkenaan,” ujar sumber itu lagi.

Mengulas lanjut sumber itu memberitahu, bekas menteri berkenaan bersama-sama bekas pegawai dan tetamunya berada di Kelab Havana hotel berkenaan dan tempat tersebut adalah tempat terbuka. Berdasarkan keadaan tempat berkenaan, ia adalah tempat awam serta terbuka dan dengan itu, adalah mustahil jika bekas menteri itu melakukan pencabulan dan ia tidak disedari atau dilihat oleh mereka yang berada di situ.

Ditanya apakah tindakan lanjut yang akan diambil oleh bekas menteri berkenaan, sumber itu memberitahu, difahamkan bekas menteri itu tidak menolak kemungkinan akan membuat laporan polis terhadap pihak yang berkaitan yang membuat tuduhan tersebut.

Mengikut peguam Karpal Singh,seseorang yang telah membuat laporan polis tidak boleh sesuka hatinya menarik balik laporan tersebut.Mengikut Karpal "The police have to investigate the woman's report despite withdrawal of same by her. If the allegations against the ex-minister, as set out in the police report, are true, then the police have no alternative but to take action,". Karpal said this was a serious offence under Section 354 of the Penal Code, which carried imprisonment of up to 10 years or fine or whipping or with two of such punishments.

Persoalannya,kalaulah laporan polis itu sahih,apa tindakan seterusnya akan dilakukan oleh pihak polis? Lazimnya bila kes-kes yang melibatkan jerung besar seperti ini, laporan itu akan diserahkan kepada Peguam Negara dan failnya akan ditutup........allahu a'alam

Siapakah ahli keluarga PM yang bercadang bertemu bekas Menteri di Havana Club,Meridian Hotel itu........

cheers.

Face to face with Saifudin Nasution Ismail.....

Winning hearts, minds -SHARON KAM - (from the Sun)

Machang MP Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, 45, is no stranger to politics. He is a former Lunas state assemblyman and was a strong advocate for the release of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the late 90s. The former Umno Youth secretary tells SHARON KAM why Anwar remains a formidable force in Malaysian politics.

What are your personal expectations of this Parliament?

Parliament should be a place where debates which are responsible, which are of quality, where you do not simply throw accusations at others, debates which are fresh with ideas, which are articulate and sharp in their arguments, are carried out. Parliament is a platform for MPs to use the opportunity to propose ideas which benefit the nation. That is my expectation of Parliament in terms of how debates should be carried out.

As for Parliament as an institution, I want to see a parliament which is free and independent and not influenced by the executive arm. Today, in our country, we have a minister who is said to be in charge of parliamentary affairs. There is no such thing as a minister from the executive branch controlling or monitoring Parliament. The person in charge should be the Speaker with his administrative team. The running and affairs of Parliament should be independent.

What is happening today, it seems, is the Speaker is answerable to the minister. How do we explain the fact that we have a minister in charge of Parliament? What is the role of that minister? Making statements and announcements on Bills, deciding on the sitting arrangements in Parliament, hey it is not your job, man!

So I want to see an independent parliament which is in line with the principles of democracy. If this was not the situation previously, we have to start now because now is the beginning of a new era.

What do you think are the expectations of the people towards Parliament?

I think the people’s expectation is reflected in the extraordinary results of the general election. For the first time in the history of the country, we have denied the ruling coalition a two-thirds majority. The people no longer want to see Parliament acting like a rubber stamp where Bills are not debated in depth or in a mature way, where Bills are passed in a hurry by the executive arm. So the people want to see Parliament actually become an institution which can reflect their aspirations. What is their aspiration?

That Parliament acts as a place for creating laws which can address all the issues affecting them, such as the commitment of the government in combating corruption, in upholding good governance ... seeing ministers themselves being present to answer questions. They also want to see quality debates and arguments.

What are the issues you are personally passionate about and would like to bring up in Parliament?

Close to my heart are issues related to good governance, accountability and an effective delivery system, so I will focus on issues which are related to the country’s resources, for example, oil and oil revenue. I’ve just finished reading a book on oil revenue management laws which talks about something called the windfall tax, a tax on the profits of oil conglomerates as a result of the rise in oil prices. The government can impose a tax on a certain percentage of their profits. And the amount collected will be used for the benefit of the people.

I will also raise issues on food and agriculture. The policy of the government currently is to give priority to agriculture, yet we still face food shortage. So we need to find out the real problem. Another issue is on equitable distribution of wealth, regardless of race or religion. Of course I will also bring up local issues which affect my constituency.

It has been a long time since we have seen so many non-BN MPs. How is that beneficial?

The more the merrier-lah. We know that with 82 Opposition MPs this time around, we will have quality, considering their backgrounds. They are professionals – doctors, lawyers, engineers, NGO activists and grassroot leaders, so definitely, obviously, that will benefit Parliament. With their large presence, it gives the people the chance to start making a comparison on how they have lost out because the BN MPs have held court for so long. At the end of the day, I believe the people will say "if only we had voted in the Opposition MPs earlier".

Some of the non-BN MPs come from activist backgrounds and were involved in street protests and demonstrations, so how should they behave in Parliament? How should an MP behave in Parliament?

The Parliament that we know is the one where we see people hurling insults at each other, some using sexist and racist remarks, which were uncalled for. Parliamentarians should behave themselves because if they do not do so, they will not be fulfilling the basic criteria of a leader, what more a legislator.

It has to start with someone who practises a healthy lifestyle, a person with integrity, a person who has clarity of mind, who holds good intentions, without prejudices, because only a good and upright person can translate his character into good behaviour. Good behaviour has to come naturally; if you are a person who is aggressive, you cannot act as though you are not because sooner or later, your true colours will show.

How does an MP strike a balance between party interest and the interest of the people?

An MP is said to be representing the interest of the party when he carries the idealism of the party and the party’s struggle. That is his or her commitment and responsibility as long as he is an MP from a certain party. But when it comes to people’s interest, it is much broader and varied. The interest of the party can be measured first of all from the aspect of welfare and needs. The people want an MP who is concerned and empathetic towards their problems.

How we balance the two would require discipline, self-commitment, proactiveness and if he sees that there is a conflict between the two, he must see the people’s interest is everything and must come first before party interest.

I think this was quite clear in the last parliament session where there was a conflict between these two interests, for example, over Cameron Highlands MP K. Devamany’s statement on the Hindraf rally and Teluk Kemang MP Datuk S. Sothinathan’s suspension over the issue of the status of medical qualifications from India.

We also saw it happen to Datuk Shahrir Samad and a few other MPs, we saw that the practice in BN is to impose a policy where party is everything, don’t cross the line ... don’t you ever try to challenge it. It is rigid.

For us, it is different. For us, interest of the people is more important. If we lose our popularity because of that, let it be. At the end of the day, it is the people (who count). That is the philosophy I would like to carry.

Is it important for MPs from both sides to show a united front or decide on something in a collective voice? How can they achieve that?

We have proposed a coalition called Pakatan Rakyat. It is a baby we have just delivered and the coalition is formed based on common issues. We are aware of the differences in ideology but that will not be a hindrance to us working together.

I am optimistic. When I am asked whether it is important for non-BN MPs to show a collective voice, I will say it is not only important but extremely important.

The message from the people to us is that they want us to sit together – PAS, DAP and PKR – "look, you have differences but the fact that we voted you to be the government in five states, the message to you is that please, put aside your differences in opinion and sentiments ...

"Our priority now is to see that you are united in checking the BN government. You may have differences on questions such as Islamic state or welfare state or others, but at this particular moment, we want to see a united front which is critical in capturing the imagination of the people." It is a prerequisite for the Pakatan Rakyat to move up to a higher and more convincing level.

The PR platform is becoming a consultative council which meets regularly two, three times a month, more often than the BN supreme council. The "supreme council" of the PR, or Council of Elders, meets twice a month, not twice a year so the more we meet, the more we understand each other. So we are now in the process of achieving that collective voice.

Many people say that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is the head of the Opposition MPs and if PR were to take over the Federal Government, he would be the pime minister. How influential will he be in this Parliament?

Anwar, whether he is in front or at the back, Anwar himself is an institution. He is not just a person, or a personality. Today, it is not complete to comment on the political landscape or the political direction of the country if you do not include the Anwar factor. You will not receive full marks when you talk about Malaysian politics if you do not touch on Anwar, so that explains how influential he is.

Today, the BN leaders have to swallow their words. Datuk Seri Najib (Razak) had said before the election that PKR was a party which had lost its relevance while Datuk Seri Nazri said it would lose and lose heavily. Tun Dr Mahathir said Anwar was a non-factor.

After the election, the denial syndrome has evaporated, except for Mahathir who said "Anwar is not that popular, it is only that people dislike the BN". That is Mahathir, the unrepentant leader, so just ignore him. We have no time to entertain him. He is no more in power.

The Anwar factor and its influence is very obvious. During the post-mortem of the election by Umno and BN, I was made to understand that they frankly admitted that Anwar is a factor not only in the losses of the states but also at the federal level.

One thing unique in the PR is that as early as 1999, all the Opposition leaders had agreed that if we received the mandate at that time, Anwar would be the candidate for PM. That decision remains even now. When Anwar was in prison, the Opposition leaders had already decided that he is the potential PM. What more now when he has been released and freed entirely on April 14.

I think the mistake the PM made this time is to call for election before Anwar is free for politics because he could not tie up Anwar’s feet and he went everywhere and covered the whole country from Perlis to Sabah. If Anwar was allowed to contest, he would be tied up in one area where he is standing for election, so I think Pak Lah misread this.

We are optimistic about this, time is on our side, we are not in a hurry, as Anwar said, and we believe Anwar’s influence is a real and significant one and not just a perception.

- (courtesy of the Sun2Surf, 24 April 2008)

cheers.

Orang yang bernama Anwar Ibrahim ini............

"BISA" SEORANG BERNAMA ANWAR - ARIFFUDDIN ISHAK

SEORANG pembaca mStar, Lia Shiela, pernah menulis, 'Anugerah Pelakon Terbaik' milik Datuk Seri Anwar setelah membaca laporan yang bekas Timbalan Menteri Malaysia itu ditahan selama 30 minit di lapangan terbang Kuala Lumpur seperti yang dilaporkan di dalam laman web Malaysiakini pada bulan Disember tahun lepas.

Kononnya, laporan itu tidak berasas sama sekali dan cuba mempropagandakan keadaan semasa yang sedang berlaku ketika itu. Kata Lia, 'lakonan' Anwar yang diibaratkan sebagai hero Bollywood itu sengaja dilakukan untuk meniupkan lagi api semangat penyokong beliau yang sememangnya ekstremis dan tidak tahu mengikut peraturan undang-undang yang ditetapkan.

Namun empat bulan selepas pendapat itu disiarkan, ahli politik yang selalu melaungkan dirinya sebagai pejuang rakyat dan pejuang reformasi telah memeranjatkan ramai pihak apabila dengan mudah memberi kemenangan besar pada Pakatan Rakyat di Pilihan Raya 12 pada 8 Mac.

Malah undian yang dijalankan oleh pihak mStar on-line ....'Adakah 'come-back' Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim memberi impak besar kepada senario politik negara?' jawapan yang diterima di luar jangkaan kerana 86.8% berkata Ya, 8.2% berkata Tidak dan hanya 5% Tidak pasti.

KEMENANGAN PAKATAN RAKYAT KERANA ANWAR?

Satu kemenangan yang begitu manis sekali bagi pihak lawan. Mengikut percaturan Anwar yang sememangnya seorang 'strategis' semuanya kerana satu pakatan yang bersepadu dari semua komponen baik DAP, Pas mahupun Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). Di saat pihak Barisan Nasional cuba meneruskan propagandanya, Anwar dalam senyap telah membuat banyak komplot dan pakatan untuk menumbangkan parti pemerintah. Telahan yang dibuat oleh bekas 'orang kuat' PKR, Dr Chandra Muzaffar bahawa undi simpati tidak lagi berpihak kepada PKR kerana Anwar sudah bebas dari 'sangkar besi' juga meleset.

Malah beliau kini 'terbang' bebas bagi meneruskan misi utamanya iaitu menggulingkan kerajaan. Buktinya, pihak pembangkang memenangi 82 kerusi Parlimen, pencapaian yang terbaik pernah dicipta dalam mana-mana pilihan raya.Jika di pilihan raya umum 2004 PKR hanya memiliki satu kerusi Parlimen, hari ini ia merupakan parti pembangkang yang mempunyai kerusi terbanyak di Dewan Rakyat. Malah, isteri dan anak Anwar, Nurul Izzah kini sedang bersiap sedia ke Parlimen. Pada akhir tahun 2006, Anwar pernah mengumumkan yang beliau akan bertanding dalam pilihan raya umum ke-12, yang telah diadakan baru-baru ini. Walaupun impiannya tidak menjadi kenyataan, mimpi indahnya telah direalisasikan oleh rakan-rakannya yang bersungguh-sungguh ingin menyaksikan Barisan Nasional tumbang.

Ketika isteri beliau Datin Seri Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail yang juga bertindak sebagai Presidan PKR membuat kenyataan yang beliau akan mengosongkan kerusi Parlimen Permatang Pauh dalam suku kedua tahun ini bagi memberi laluan kepada Anwar kembali ke Parlimen, ramai masih tertanya-tanya, adakah mungkin perkara ini akan berlaku? Wan Azizah menyandang kerusi Presiden sejak kali pertama bertanding pada tahun 1999 dan sebelum itu ia dimenangi Anwar ketika berada dalam UMNO. Rencana seterusnya baca di sini.

AFP pula melaporkan, Anwar meramalkan beliau akan menjadi perdana menteri "dalam tempoh tiga tahun ini". Katanya, tiada jangka masa jelas tentang tarikh beliau akan menjadi perdana menteri tetapi meramalkan tempohnya "tidak sampai tiga tahun lagi". "(Tetapi) saya bukannya tergesa-gesa," katanya kepada agensi berita antarabangsa itu.

Menurut beliau beberapa ahli parlimen BN di Sabah telah membuat keputusan untuk menyertai Pakatan Rakyat dan sedang menunggu masa yang sesuai, selewat-lewatnya 31 Ogos depan. "Apa yang menahan mereka ialah pengaturan masa. Ahli-ahli parlimen ini belum pun mengangkat sumpah di parlimen (lagi). Kami bukanlah tergesa-gesa," katanya kepada pemberita di Kota Kinabalu dalam lawatan ke negeri itu, hari ini.

Walaupun parti-parti komponen BN di Sabah dan Sarawak telah membuat penafiannya namun lawatan Anwar ke Sabah dasn Sarawak telah memanaskan lagi cakap-cakap tentang isu lompat parti yang dimulakan daripada kenyataan beliau sejak kemenangan besar PKR,DAP dan PAS pada 8 Mac.

Kemungkinan ini boleh berlaku, jika prestasi Pat Lah kian menurun. Permintaan ahli-ahli UMNO daripada beberapa buah negeri untuk Pat Lah menyediakan jadual peralihan kuasa memberi impak yang besar terhadap kewibawaan Pat Lah. Sungguhpun Pat Lah cuba mahkotakan manifesto pilihanraya 2004nya(bukan 2008), seperti memulihkan sistem kehakiman, badan pencegah rasuah, dsbnya., bukankah ini sudah terlewat?

Pat Lah seharus bertindak dari dulu lagi, semasa dia mengambil alih kuasa daripada Mahathir,tetapi dia tidak berbuat demikian kerana penasihat-penasihat tingkat 4 JPM serta menantu dan anaknya melarang Pat Lah dari melakukannya. Ini membolehkan anak pinaknya serta kroni-kroninya memporak perandakan khazanah negara.

Anwar tidak seharus tunggu sehingga hari merdeka untuk jadi PM. Saya rasa dengan beberapa wakil rakyat UMNO yang ada sekarang,yang sudah bosan dengan sandiwara Pat Lah/Najib sanggup tukaq kapai bila-bila masa saja. Baca di sini, sini dan sini.

cheers.

Kes bekas Menteri raba - wanita tarik balik laporan polis....

Agendadaily melaporkan bahawa wanita yang mendakwa dicabul oleh bekas menteri, jam 7.00 petang Rabu, telah menarik balik laporan polis yang dibuatnya pada 17 April 2008 yang lalu. Difahamkan, wanita itu berbuat demikian kerana wujudnya salah faham berhubung dengan 'gurauan' bekas menteri berkenaan.

Sumber-sumber yang layak dipercayai memberitahu Agendadaily, wanita berkenaan juga mengakui pada ketika 'guruan' itu berlaku dia dalam keadaan 'bad mood'. Sumber itu juga memberitahu, pejabat Peguam Negara akan mengeluarkan kenyataan rasmi berhubung dengan kes tersebut dalam waktu yang terdekat.

Berita sebelum ini... Ini kisah daripada mereka yang rapat dengan bekas Menteri yang didakwa mencabul. Walaupun cerita-cerita yang disebarkan memperincikan kejadian tersebut tetapi kalangan mereka yang berada di tempat kejadian tidak dapat memberikan gambaran jelas tentang apa yang berlaku. Menurut mereka termasuk bekas pegawai menteri berkenaan, mereka tidak mendengar suara perempuan yang menjerit atau kekecohan seperti yang digambarkan.

Sementara itu, bekas Menteri yang dikatakan meraba punggung wanita(pelayan) di Havana Club,Hotel Meridian dijangka pulang hari ini. Memandangkan bahawa wanita tersebut dikatakan telah menarik balik laporan polis, soalnya sama ada polis akan menyoal siasat bekas Menteri itu...allahu a'alam. Apa yang jelas kita akan tidak tahu siapakah sebenarnya bekas Menteri tersebut?

Moral of the story, kalu yang terkena itu jerung besaq,depa akan buat apa saja asalkan jerung besaq itu terlepas. Entahlah dalam percaturan ini berapa juta RM yang berpindah tangan? Mungkin wanita tersebut sedang dalam perjalanan ke Bali untuk beristerehat menikmati kekayaan yang baru diperolehi....Wallahu 'alam bissawab.

cheers.

Lee Kah Choon tukaq kapai.......

Lee Kah Choon mengambil keputusan untuk bertindak keluar dari Gerakan ekoran kontroversi yang tercetus selepas beliau menerima jawatan dalam pentadbiran kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat di Pulau Pinang.

"Memandangkan, pucuk pimpinan Gerakan tidak boleh menerima keputusan saya (menerima jawatan tersebut), maka saya percaya langkah terbaik bagi saya ialah untuk menarik diri sepenuhnya daripada politik parti," katanya dalam satu kenyataan hari ini.

Lee Kah Choon memulakan tugasnya sebagai pengarah Perbadanan Pembangunan Pulau Pinang (PDC) dan pengerusi jawatankuasa eksekutif InvestPenang.Dia juga telah melepaskan semua jawatan dalam Gerakan pada 31 Mac ekoran kekalahan teruk Gerakan pada pilihanraya umum lalu.

Apa lagi nak nak tunggu,wahai ahli-ahli Gerakan semua,mari ramai "tukaq kapai" dan join Pakatan Rakyat. Nak tunggu Koh Tsu Khoon,Toh Kim Woon,Wong Mun Hoe,Teng Hock Nan,Chia Kwang Chye,Teng Chang Yeow dan lain-lain melompat ramai-ramai...

cheers.

Bekas Menteri mencabul - Polis dok siasat ......

Polis sedang menyiasat dakwaan seorang bekas menteri melakukan jenayah seksual di sebuah hotel bertaraf lima bintang berdekatan stesen Sentral Kuala Lumpur baru-baru ini. Ketua Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Kuala Lumpur SAC II Ku Chin Wah berkata laporan itu dibuat oleh seorang wanita yang berumur 30-an di ibu pejabat polis daerah Brickfields pada Jumaat lalu.

Dalam kejadian pada 14 April lalu, mangsa yang juga pekerja di hotel tersebut dikatakan bertemu dengan bekas menteri tersebut sebelum mendakwa dicabul, katanya kepada pemberita selepas menghadiri majlis dialog Kelab Rotary bersama Ketua Polis Kuala Lumpur di ibu pejabat polis kontinjen (IPK) Kuala Lumpur hari ini.

Menurut laporan Bernama, Ku yang enggan mengulas lanjut mengenai kes itu berkata bekas menteri itu kini berada di luar negara dan pihaknya akan menyiasat dakwaan tersebut. Beliau turut menegaskan, polis akan menjalankan siasatan tersebut secara adil tanpa mengira status pihak yang didakwa.

Beliau berkata, pihaknya akan memanggil bekas menteri terbabit untuk siasatan sebaik beliau kembali ke tanahair. Ku berkata kes itu disiasat mengikut Seksyen 354 Kanun Keseksaan iaitu kesalahan mencabul kehormatan. Jika sabit kesalahan, ahli politik itu boleh dijatuhkan hukuman penjara maksimum 10 tahun atau denda atau sebat atau mana-mana daripada dua hukuman itu. - petikan Malaysiakini

TV3,semalam telah melaporkan kenyataan polis yang akan menyiasat seorang ahli politik yang dikatakan cuba mencabuli seorang pelayan berusia 30-an. Berita itu tidak menyebut tokoh politik itu sebagai bekas menteri dan hanya menyebut ahli politik itu menang dalam pilihan raya lalu tetapi tidak dilantik semula menjadi menteri. Mengikut TV3 lagi laporan terhadap bekas menteri tersebut dibuat pada 14 April lalu setelah empat hari kejadian. Baca di sini,dan sini.

Bekas menteri.....berjambang......MP dipilih semula baru-baru ini ....tidak dilantik menjadi untuk menteri......orang Pahang.....

Siapa ya? however, everyone is innocent until proven guilty.........

cheers.

Rustam A Sani - Al Fatihah.....

Penulis,penganalisi politik dan rakan blogger terkenal Rustam A. Sani 63 tahun meninggal dunia di rumahnya sekitar jam 3.00 pagi tadi kerana diserang penyakit jantung. Beliau juga seorang blogger yang aktif. Salah satu blog beliau "Suaraku" dan blog Siasahdaily telah memuatkan tulisan terakhir beliau berjudul "Mahathir lagi: Bilakah semua ini akan reda?" Baca sini dan sini.

Anak kepada ,allahyarham Ahmad Boestaman, seorang tokoh politik tanah air yang terkemuka Rustam memperoleh ijazah pertamanya dari Universiti Malaya, dan kemudiannya melanjutkan pelajaran di University of Reading, University of Kent at Canterbury (UK) dan Yale University (AS).

Beliau merupakan seorang penulis yang prolifik, sama ada dalam bahasa Malaysia ataupun Inggeris – dan tulisannya meliputi pelbagai bidang seperti politik, isu-isu sosial, sejarah, budaya, statistik dan sastera. Selain itu, beliau juga telah menghasilkan terjemahan karya-karya sastera dan bukan sastera (dari Inggeris ke bahasa Malaysia dan sebaliknya).

Rustam A. Sani dianggap antara ‘cendekiawan awam’ yang penting di Malaysia. Beliau merupakan seorang ahli akademik, penulis kolum dan penyair – selain terlibat dalam pelbagai kegiatan politik, sosial dan sastera. Sebagai ahli akademik dan penganalisis, beliau pernah bertugas di Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Malaya dan ISIS Malaysia.

Antologi puisinya – Riak-riak Kecil (1977) – diterbitkan oleh Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. Pada tahun 1988/89 beliau telah dianugerahkan ‘Hadiah Sastera Negara’ dalam kategori esei dan kritik sastera. Dalam bidang politik, beliau pernah memegang jawatan Timbalan Presiden, Parti Rakyat Malaysia.

Dua buah buku terbaru hasil penulisan Allahyarham yang bertajuk "Special Roots of the Malay Left" dan "Fail Nation" sepatutnya dirasmikan oleh Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim pada 26 April ini di Seminar Hall, Perpustakaan Raja Tun Uda (The Selangor Public Library), Persiaran Bandaraya, Shah Alam.

Jomo, K. S. (Editor), in his book, Reinventing Malaysia: Reflections on Its Past and Future, best describe Rustam A Sani as, “arguably Malaysia’s leading public intellectual". He is an academician, a newspaper columnist and a poet, besides being involved in a multitude of political, social and literary activities.In politics, he was formerly the Deputy President of Parti Rakyat Malaysia, which have since merged with the Parti Keadilan Nasional to form the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (People’s Justice Party). Read here, and here.

His blogsites.....

Blog asal | Original blog: Suara Rakyat:VoxPopuli
Blog keluarga lama | Original family blog (Old postings)
Blog keluarga | Family blog: Taulan dan Keluarga
Blog pandangan dan pendapat | Op-ed blog: Suaraku
Tulisan lama | Past writings of Rustam Sani
Tulisan semasa | Current writings of Rustam Sani

Marilah kita bersama-sama sedekahkan Al-Fatihah buat Sdr. Rustam A Sani. Moga-moga roh beliau dicucuri rahmat.

Al-Fatihah.

Bullet train scrapped, 2nd Penang bridge delayed.....

Pat Lah said the construction of the 2nd.Penang Bridge will be delayed following problems getting the allocated land, the best design and increasing building costs.The building of the 24km bridge linking Batu Kawan in Seberang Perai south and Batu Maung on the island has been receiving criticisms from various parties for its delay.

"Several matters have delayed its construction. Firstly, in getting the land that had been allocated for building the bridge. "Secondly, there is a need to ensure that the given design is the most suitable and also the issue of cost where there may be changes due to increased prices," he told reporters.

The original agreement between UEM Group Bhd and its consortium partner China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) has been extended for nine months to provide more negotiation time for them to reach an agreement that will be same with the original deal.UEM had given the guarantee that the construction of the 2nd Penang Bridge will be smooth and it will be completed as scheduled in 2011.

On another note,gomen has put a stop on YTL’s RM10 billion bullet train project to Singapore. The Economic Planning Unit has decided that the project is not viable nor is it critical for the country. Critics say that Malaysia does not need another expensive infrastructure project and note that it will impact on the KLIA’s position as a hub, with many Malaysians travelling to Changi to take advantage of better connectivity.

The gomen believes,that the project will not be financially viable and that the gomen funds will be needed to subsidise the project or even bail out the project if it failed. Speculation was rife that the government may have to guarantee a subsidy of RM1 billion a year for a period of time. There was also the fear from the Johore gomen that a bullet train from KL to Singapore could have an adverse impact on Iskandar Malaysia project.

As for the bullet train project, is the country ready for such project and how many Malaysians are gonna benefit from it? Just like the Monsoon Cup,the ordinary rakyat can just only watch, while the rich and famous makes the headlines.

Issues like land acquisition,structural design and building cost has plagued the bridge construction process. The longer it takes to complete,the costlier it will be. Maybe its another of BN's political ploy to use it to win votes for the next GE.

The gomen is said to re-examining several other projects under the 9M Plan, is it due to financial constrains or just because it couldnt cope with the political setback they suffered in the 12th GE......

cheers.

Batalkan saja Monsoon Cup.....

Bila PAS tawan Terengganu dalam tahun 1999, Mahathir telah menukar wang royalti 5 peratus kepada Dana Khas Kerajaan Persekutuan (DKKP) atau lebih popular disebut "wang ehsan". Pada mulanya wang ehsan disalurkan melalui ketua-ketua Bahagian UMNO. Penyaluran sebegini tidak memberi kesan kepada rakyat Terengganu kerana sebahagian besar wang ehsan itu hilang kerana masuk poket orang-orang tertentu. Pokonya kenapa 5 peratus saja kenapa tidak lebih seperti Sabah dan Sarawak perolehi?

Dalam pilihanraya umum 2004, Idris Jusoh, selepas merampas kembali Terengganu, dia telah menarik balik tindakan saman yang difailkan oleh kerajaan PAS. Namun usaha itu tidak berjaya.

Kini MB Ahmad Said dilaporkan berkata, sejak DKKP diperkenalkan, semua projek yang menggunakan dana itu disalurkan terus kepada kementerian yang melaksanakannya tanpa merujuk kerajaan negeri menyebabkan banyak projek yang dilaksanakan gagal memberi kesan besar akibat tidak mengambil kira keperluan rakyat. Apakah tidaknya,macam mana gomen 3 beranak itu nak kawal wang royalti kalau diberi terus kepada gomen Terengganu. Dengan kawalan itu wang royalti itu boleh menjadi sumber rezki percuma kepada mereka keliling pinggang Pat Lah.

Tambahnya lagi, "Buat jalan dalam hutan dengan kos hingga RM50 juta hingga RM60 juta. Kita hanya mengetahui tentang projek itu apabila ia mempunyai masalah seperti tanah ditarik balik dan sebagainya.

"Ini yang menjadi masalah... sebab terlalu banyak pihak yang menguruskan wang royalti kerana ia adalah wang ehsan. Mereka menggunakan wang kita, jadi apabila kementerian yang buat ia adalah berasaskan kepentingan kementerian semata-mata tanpa mengambil kira perasaan dan kehendak rakyat Terengganu."Ini menimbulkan masalah kepada kerajaan negeri",ujar Ahmad Said.

Apa yang Ahmad Said tidak ceritakan ialah siapakah yang memegang DKKP ini dan bagaimana orang tersebut mengagih-agihkannya kepada mereka yang rapat dengan Pat Lah dan mereka itulah yang menikmati faedah wang ehsan tersebut bukan rakyat jelata. Pesta Monsoon Cup,Mesjid Kristal,Taman Tamaddun Islam adalah di antara projek-projek mega yang ushakan dengan menggunakan wang royalti minyak atau wang ehsan walaupun proses mahkamah belum selesai. Projek-projek ini dibina dengan kos yang amat tinggi dan faham sajalah siapa yang mendapat faedah daripadanya.

RM300 juta setahun dibelanjakan untuk Monsoon Cup yang dikendalikan oleh Patrick Lim, kroni Pat Lah. Rakyat Terengganu hanya menyaksikan pesta Monsoon Cup dilaksanakan tanpa apa-apa manfaat besar bagi mereka. Lebih baik MB Ahmad Said batalkan saja pesta Monsoon Cup ini dan guna wang RM300 juta untuk faedah rakyat jelata.

Wang ehsan yang dilaporkan bernilai 1 billion setiap tahun disalurkan melalui DKKP serta diurus oleh 3 pemain utama dalam gomen Pat Lah 3 beranak + 1. Tak perlu disebutkan siapa mereka kerana rata-rata orang tahu siapakah nagoi-nagoi ini.

Idris Jusoh hanya jadi barua dalam permainan wang ehsan tersebut. Menurut sumber-sumber dalaman ke mana pergi wang ehsan sebanyak RM 3 billion yang masih belum diguna,tak siapa yang tahu? Ada khabar-khabar angin yang mengatakan bahawa sejumlah RM580 juta daripada wang ehsan tersebut kini berada dalam akaun luar negera bekas MB Terengganu itu. Sumber berita ini telah sampai ke pengetahuan Tuanku Sultan.

Mat Said pung kene ingak , Tuanku Sultan merupakang Sultan yang bijok dang menjadi hal-hal rakyat bukang saje dok nenggok aje we….Kalu Mat Said nok jadi lebih gebede dari si-yih dang puok-puok derhake tu ,mung pung kene njar kekgi....mu siasat Mat Said weh.....Wallahu 'alam bissawab!

cheers.

Pat Lah ties down Lajim Hj.Okim so that he doesnt “lompat”……

In February 1994,the Sabah PBS gomen faced the GE and won the elections for the 4th successive time but with a reduced majority, i.e. 25 seats as against the BN's 23 seats. Pairin Kitingan had to wait for more than 36 hours outside the Istana gate before he was sworn in as the Chief Minister because of manoeuvering by BN leaders who could not accept the people's democratic verdict.

The 4th term PBS gomen under Pairin Kitingan lasted only about two weeks before it was forced out of power through undemocratic manoeuverings by the BN. The resignation was caused by defections of a majority of PBS assemblymen to BN parties.Chief among them was Lajim Hj.Okim(pic).

Lajim Hj. Okim,the MP for Beaufort is now being appointed as the Deputy Transport Minister.Lajim Hj.Okim used to be the Sabah Deputy Chief Minister. Lajim Hj.Okim is famous for hopping from one party to another. He was the mastermind behind the downfall of the PBS gomen,that brought UMNO to power in Sabah. Pat Lah was wise enough to bring him over to KL than rather allowing him to stay in Sabah, knowing fully well what this guy can really do. At least for now Pat Lah’s mind will more peaceful.

On another note, Pahang assemblywoman and exco member Maznah Mazlan has been appointed the new Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister. According to a statement from the PM’s Office, Maznah Mazlan, who currently holds the state seat of Muadzam Shah, will be sworn in as senator soon.

Pat Lah seems to lose direction on his cabinet appointments. After all he has 140 MPs in all, while 86 are from Semenanjung Malaysia, the rest are from Sabah and Sarawak. What was Pat Lah thinking when he appointed this state assemblywoman from Pahang to be a Deputy Minister? Though, her appointment is Pat Lah's prerogative, but cant he choose someone from the current batch of BN/UMNO MPs to fill the post?

No wonder UMNO is so fedup with Pat Lah and wants him to leave, sooner the better…….

cheers.

Mahathir's memory lapse is in no way impaired.....

In 1988, Mahathir had convened a special tribunal to try Salleh Abbas on charges of misconduct and for questioning constitutional amendments that seriously eroded the powers of the judiciary.

Salleh Abbas was subsequently sacked. Supreme court judges George Seah and Wan Suleiman,who had ruled that the tribunal was convened unconstitutionally were also sacked after being found guilty of misconduct by another tribunal.While three other judges involved in that episode,Azmi, Eusoffe and Wan Hamzah were suspended too.

The right person to apologise here is Mahathir himself not Pat Lah. Azmi Kamaruddin, one of the supreme court judge who was suspended then said, “Its Mahathir, and not Pat Lah, who should be apologising to the judges. "Why should the present PM apologise? He has done nothing. Mahathir should apologise if he is a gentleman - it is not apologising to the judges but to the country," he added.

On the other hand, Mahathir said many lawyers were angry with him because he had quoted Shakespeare during a cabinet meeting which says, "the first thing we do, we hang the lawyers". He was only joking but they heard of it and believed he meant what he said. The judges also felt unhappy with him. “

Besides, I had criticised the judiciary for disregarding the intention or objectives of the laws formulated by the legislative wing but instead interpret them based on the words used.

Was I committing a crime for saying this? I was merely stating a fact. Can no one comment on the judiciary at all even when they disregard the interest of the country? In many developed countries it is common for the public to criticise the judiciary, Mahathir added.

What's more suprising is that Mahathir's memory that was supposed to be impaired during the Lingam Video inquiry suddenly was able to clearly recall events that took place 10-20 years ago. Suddenly his use of the cants like..."I forgot"... "I cannot recollect"....etc,etc were all gone! What a pleasant recovery…….

Meanwhile, the ex gratia payment announced by the government for six former judges involved in the 1988 judicial crisis is not a form of apology to them, said Najib. "The ex gratia payment does not tantamount to revisiting whatever that has been decided. It is not to be construed as any form of apology but this is our way of addressing some of their personal considerations and some of the personal experiences, hardship that they have gone through. "That is all..so it is to be seen in that light. It should not be construed as anything beyond that,"

The government's move to set up a judicial appointments commission is not aimed at satisfying the wishes of opposition parties, Information Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek said today.

According to him, Pat Lah had long wished for the judiciary to be a strong and independent pillar of government. "As such, the question of fullfilling the wishes of the opposition does not arise."

The two statements coming from two UMNO Ministers just 24 hours after Pat Lah speech on Judicial Reforms at the Bar Council dinner at the JW Marriott Hotel, goes to show how mean and arrogant they can be. In a denial mode, UMNO still believes that what Mahathir did 20 years ago - sacking the 6 judges- still hold fort and UMNO and the gomen is in no mood to apologise.

Ahmad Sabery Cheek must have forgotten that it was the oppositions, including himself, while in Semangat 46, who were fighting for the restoration of the judiciary. Had not for the oppositions these six judges would be a thing of the past. What has UMNO and the gomen done? Nothing... instead they collaborated with a "correct...correct" lawyer to determined the appointment of top judges of the country.

Why cant the gomen just say sorry and restore all the perks that the former judges were entitled to…., it go to show that the gomen is not sincere enough…hanya manis di mulut tapi di hati tidak. Islam mengajar umatnya agar bersedia mengaku dan memohon maaf apabila melakukan kesalahan. Apakah Islam Hadhari Pat Lah tidak mengajar demikian?

Sesungguhnya Allah swt memberikan ganjaran kepada mereka yang bertaubat....

cheers.

When Pat Lah met Wan Azizah.....

An amazing night when many miracles took place - By Debra Chong

KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 — It was an amazing night at the Bar Council dinner at the JW Marriott Hotel in Jalan Bukit Bintang last night. Many miracles happened. To start off, it was quite a sight to see members of the Barisan Nasional and the Pakatan Rakyat seated at the same tables without kicking up a fuss. Namely, the VVIP table where Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi sat together with political arch-nemesis Wan Azizah Ismail and former Lord President Tun Salleh Abas. One had grown too used to see one or the other lunging for the jugular in public (with the exclusion of Salleh), so much so that seeing them actually being amiable to each other and making small talk was disconcerting.

Then there was the Prime Minister's announcement that he was firmly pushing forward with setting up a Judicial Appointments Commission (JDA) despite the strong objections from his own BN fraternity. It was greeted with thunderous applause and hoots of approval from the 600-strong legal eagles. And finally, his recognition and acknowledgement of the government's role that led to the tragic removal of Salleh, Datuk Seri George Seah and Tan Sri Wan Suleiman Pawanteh from office in 1988 and which plunged the judiciary into an age of darkness, so to speak. Pak Lah's humble tone reached out to them and helped make a bitter pill a little easier to swallow. He said he wouldn't apologise, and didn't but the effort and courage it took him to get to where he was last night spoke volumes what he could not speak baldly in words.

As Zaid Ibrahim, the minister in the prime minister's office who had first mooted for a public apology from the government, put it: “(One) can say sorry in other ways.” Better late than never?

The power of that love moved the minds and hearts of the people implicated directly or indirectly, those who suffered the brunt of injustice and those who were collateral damage — the families of the 3 judges rudely removed from office and the other 3 whose good names were besmirched, even though they were later reinstated.

Seah, who is paralysed on his entire right side following a stroke a few years ago, was too ill to make the dinner event. Basil Seah, 39, who came in his father's stead, said: “Personally, I feel it is a step in the right direction, even though it's been 20 years coming. I suppose it's better late than never.

“But his (George's) reaction and mine differ. If I were my father ... if I know my father ... I'd expect only one thing, an apology, a simple apology. But we read in the papers there's not going to be an apology forthcoming, so we were hoping for the next best thing. Now, we'll just wait and see the structure and timing of the goodwill payment. We will not reject the payment,” said the former judge's youngest son. The others, like Seah, thought the prime minister's statement was the next best thing to an actual apology. But for at least 2 Supreme Court judges, Wan Suleiman and Tan Sri Eusoffe Abdoolcader, it was simply too little and too late.

For Siti Nurhayati Mohd Daud, the late Wan Suleiman's wife, it was a very bitter pill to swallow, though swallow she did.

“Although I thank the prime minister, I feel less than satisfied at his decision (not to make a straightforward apology). This is not the end of the story for me. (Without an apology) I don't know, people don't know, that my husband was not guilty. I want my husband's name to be cleared. I feel my husband was innocent. He was an honest judge,” she said.

“Even so, I am thankful that our prime minister cares about us enough (to do this much),” she added.

Wan Suleiman's only child Wan Noor Azli, 25, echoed his mother's sentiments. He recounted how his late father became disillusioned with the judicial system after the incident and, like Salleh, found solace in farming.

“My father was happy to leave the judiciary and said he didn't have to worry about cases anymore,” said Wan Noor Azli, a young legal officer himself who hopes to one day achieve his father's greatness in the judicial field.

For Brenda Lim, 40, and her husband Chow Nai Boon, 47, it awakened very sad memories. Brenda's grandfather Eusoffe was one of the 3 judges who had been suspended but was later reinstated. He died over a decade ago after his wife Haseenah died. Related to Eusoffe on her mother's side (her mother Julie Ong Say Suan is the daughter of Haseenah), it was, to her, justice served too late.

“I wish he was here. He's the main person affected by all this. It's a different case from the others (Salleh and Wan Suleiman) because he was reinstated. It's been 12 years. It should have been solved earlier,” she said, tearing up.

She and Chow remember the year only too well. They were newly married then when the scandal fell on her grandfather. Even so, their memories of Eusoffe were fond; they were very close-knit.

“He was known to be very firm but he was very soft inside. He never mentioned (the details of the judiciary incident) to the rest of the family. He was a very private person, most of the time he kept to himself,” she said.

“He asked everyone to keep mum about this (judicial incident). 'Don't let grandma know about it',” Chow said.

Background story

In March 1988, Salleh, the then Lord President, had written to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on behalf of the judges expressing disappointment with accusations made by then Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad (now Tun) against the judiciary. Two months later, Salleh was suspended; and High Court of Malaya Chief Justice Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Omar was appointed acting Lord President.

Salleh was brought before a tribunal for misconduct. He filed a suit in the High Court and called the tribunal “unconstitutional”. He also applied for an interim stay against the tribunal. Initially, it was denied, until 5 Supreme Court judges convened and granted Salleh an interlocutory order against the tribunal. This order was later reversed.

In August 1988, Salleh was officially removed from his post of Lord President. The five Supreme Court judges who granted Salleh the order: Tan Sri Azmi Kamaruddin, Eusoffe, Tan Sri Wan Hamzah Mohamed Salleh, Wan Suleiman and Seah were suspended. In October, Wan Sulaiman and Seah were sacked while the other 3 judges were reinstated.

This series of events later became known as the judicial crisis of 1988, from which the judiciary has never recovered.- Malaysian Insider

----------------------

Najib today said that no apology was forthcoming for former Lord President Salleh Abas and the five judges affected by the 1988 judicial crisis. "The ex-gratia payment does not tantamount to revisiting whatever that has been decided. It is not to be construed as any form of an apology but this is our way of addressing some of the personal considerations and experiences and hardship they have gone through.

"It should be seen in that light and should not be construed as anything beyond that," said Najib.

Saying sorry is always too difficult for the gomen. However,the Lingam tape episode had thought the gomen a valuable lesson.

Btw. why was not Mahathir invited? I wonder what will he be his comments be......

cheers.