Back in 2006-2007, in his effort to unseat Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad openly and publicly chided the PM for not building the "Crooked Bridge".
The bridge, of course, has to be built crooked because it was going to be only half a bridge on the Malaysian side since Singapore does not agree to a bridge on their side of the Causeway. A straight bridge would be too short and therefore too low while if you want it built high it has to be longer, which means also meandering or crooked.
But why, in the first place, does Malaysia need the bridge to replace the Causeway and why does Singapore resist it?
If the Causeway is maintained ships will not be able to sail through the Johor Straits while a bridge would allow for it. So Johor’s ports would benefit from the bridge.
This also means the bridge will help Malaysia’s economy grow while it would have the reverse affect on Singapore.
In short, the bridge will improve Malaysia’s import-export trade while it will take away the business from Singapore. So Malaysia will boom while Singapore’s business will decline. And this is why Singapore opposes the bridge and also why Malaysia needs the bridge.
It all boils down to business rivalry between Singapore and Malaysia. Singapore will resist any move to boost Malaysia’s trade because this would rob Singapore of that trade. So anything in Malaysia’s favour would be against the interest of Singapore.
Johor can be the alternative to Singapore, argued Dr Mahathir. In fact, Johor can outgrow Singapore. But for that to happen the bridge first needs to be built. And that is why Dr Mahathir insists that the bridge be built and if the prime minister does not also agree then he must be ousted and replaced. – tmi
Mahathir bimbang M'sia jadi negara polis...
Dalam video YouTube dimuat naik oleh penulis blog yang mewawancaranya pada Jumaat, Mahathir berkata tangkapan wartawan daripada The Edge Media Group bukan cara betul untuk menggunakan kuasa.
Dalam video 40 saat ini yang disunting itu, tidak memuatkan bahagian awal dan akhirnya.Bagaimanapun, Mahathir kelihatan merujuk kepada Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Mahathir berkata walaupun perkara itu dinafikan, beliau berharap Malaysia tidak menjadi negara polis yang menangkap orang sesuka hati, sehinggakan majistret juga tidak bersetuju dan enggan membenarkan reman.
Pada 30 Mac lalu, tiga penagrang The Malaysian Insider (TMI), portal bawah The Edge Media Group, ditahan berhubung laporan menyebut Majlis Raja-raja Melayu menolak hudud.
Mereka ditahan semalaman dan dibebaskan selepas polis gagal mendapat perintah reman daripada majistret.
Pengarah Eksekutif TMI Jahabar Sadiq dan penerbit The Edge Ho Kay Tat ditahan pada hari berikutnya.
Portal itu meminta maaf tetapi membangkitkan perkara sama dilakukan media arus perdana yang mempunyai kaitan dengan kerajaan, tetapi tidak berdepan tindakan.
Tangkapan wartawan itu mengundang kritikan keras kumpulan media yang berpendapat tindakan itu berlebih-lebihan dan mengganggu kebebasan media. - mk
Dr M fears Malaysia turning into a police state...
In a video uploaded on the blog Apanama today, the former prime minister said there was no need for police to nab editors and top executives from The Edge Media Group, which owns The Malaysian Insider (TMI).
"When I heard of the arrests of these reporters for saying... something so-called seditious... I don't think that is the right way to use your power," he said, referring to the arrest of five – one from The Edge Media Group's CEO and four others from TMI by police in late March for sedition.
"Of course, you can say it is not him, it is the police, but we don't want to become a police state," he said.
The five were detained to facilitate investigations into a report published on March 25 which said the Conference of Rulers had rejected a proposal to amend a federal law that would pave the way for hudud to be enforced in Kelantan.
The Keeper of the Rulers' Seal lodged a police report on March 26 to deny that the Conference of Rulers had discussed the matter, adding that it had never issued any statement on hudud in Kelantan.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, however, had defended the controversial Sedition Act, saying that the use of the act was a preventive measure.
Najib reportedly said there was no reason for the government to apologise for using it, despite international criticism against the colonial-era law.
He had also reminded Malaysians not to belittle the efforts of the police force in ensuring public safety.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, when wrapping up the debate on amendments to the Sedition Act 1948 in Parliament last week, had assured that there would be no abuse of power in enforcing the amended act.
He added that cases would only be brought to court once the Attorney-General (A-G) had 90% proof in any case and that was why not all who were arrested and investigated by the police were subsequently charged in court.
On concern that the definitions of seditious acts and “seditious tendencies” in the law were vague and open to abuse by the authorities, Zahid said the definition of “seditious tendencies” was spelled out in the act. – tmi
Bukan pasai jambatan bengkok...
1. Saya sedar saya keseorangan. Tetapi jika saya juga berasa bertanggungjawab kepada rakyat salahkah. Apabila duit rakyat hilang dan ini tersembunyi dari rakyat salahkah kalau saya tanya.
2. Saya fikir jika diadakan soal jawab melalui T.V tentulah kerana ingin beritahu rakyat, bukan saya sahaja.
3. Hakikatnya wang 1MDB ada dimana masih tidak dijawab, kata Dato Sri Najib wang itu tidak ada di Cayman Islands. Tetapi dulu mengaku ada di Cayman Islands dan sudah dibawa balik.
4. Rakyat jadi lebih keliru. Jika tidak ada di Cayman Islands, ada dimana? Daripada mana datang wang yang separuh dibawa balik dahulu dan separuh dibawa balik untuk disimpan di Singapura.
5. Kenapa perlu simpan duit yang bukan dari Cayman Islands dan tidak diguna untuk bayar faedah dua billion. Kenapa kerajaan membuat standing credit sebanyak 900 million.
6. Berkenaan Altantuya, saya hanya bertanya siapa yang memberi arahan kepada Sirul yang dikena hukum bunuh. Saya tidak tuduh Najib. Biasanya anggota polis atau tentera tidak tembak mati sesiapa melainkan diserang atau di arah. Ini soal nyawa manusia. Kalau salah, bunuhlah Sirul. Tetapi kalau menjalankan tugas, menurut perintah tidak adil lah jika Sirul dibunuh.
7. Ramai orang datang jumpa saya. Jika keluarga Sirul nak jumpa, saya jumpa. Ini bukan soal lapan tahun dahulu. Ini soal nak gantung anak orang ini hari ini.
8. Rakyat tidak tanya. Tetapi ramai tanya saya. Saya tak dapat jawab. Saya tanya orang yang boleh jawab.
9. Banyaklah lagi soalan saya yang tidak dijawab. Sebaliknya, tindakan saya ini kononnya kerana jambatan bengkok tidak dibina.
10. Jika kerana jambatan bengkok yang saya marah, saya patut tuntut perletakan Najib sebelum PRU 13. Sebaliknya saya berkempen untuk kemenangan Najib. Kepimpinan Najib di Selangor tidak berkesan.
11. Sokongan dari kumpulan-kumpulan tertentu tidak bermakna mereka sokong 1MDB. Mereka takut. Ada yang tanya saya berkenaan dengan 1MDB dan minta saya buat sesuatu. Sekarang ada ugutan terhadap sesiapa yang tidak menyatakan sokongan kepada Najib.
12. Teringat saya kepada ribuan orang yang dibawa berhimpun dan disuruh angkat sepanduk “I love PM” dan menyanyi “I M 4 U”. Tetapi dalam PRU 13 kalah. - chedet
I know I'm alone, says Mahathir...
However, the octogenarian claimed that his actions stem from the feeling of being responsible to the people.
"I know I am alone. But I feel responsible to the people, is that wrong? When the people's money goes missing and is hidden from them, is it wrong for me to ask?
"Where is the money for 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB)? This is still unanswered," he added in his latest blog posting.
Mahathir said certain quarters who expressed support for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak do not endorse 1MDB.
"They are afraid. Some have asked me about 1MDB and asked me to do something," he added.
Meanwhile, the former premier also denied that his criticism against Najib was related to the abandoned "crooked bridge" project.
"If I were angry over the crooked bridge, I would have asked Najib to resign before the general election in 2013.
"Instead, I campaigned for him," he said.
Taking a dig at the 'I Love PM' slogan, Mahathir said such gimmicks did not translate into votes in the last general election.
"I remember the thousands who gathered and were told to carry signs saying 'I love PM' and sing 'I M 4 U'. But they lost in GE13," he added.
BN won the 13th general election with 133 seats, but lost the popular vote, winning only 47 percent.
A week after enduring a barrage of criticism from Mahathir, Najib appeared in a pre-recorded interview on TV3 to address some of the allegations.
He revealed that he had met Mahathir several times in the past, alluding that their ongoing spat was the result of his refusal to revive the crooked bridge project. - mk
Tak semua pesara bersama Najib...
Najib bagaimanapun berkata, beliau yakin sebahagian besar "suara" pesara kerajaan masih bersama pentadbirannya, meskipun terdapat sejumlah kecil mereka yang "masuk angin."
"Sebab itu kita bersama dalam kumpulan kecil ini, dalam satu kelompok masyarakat kita, kelompok kerajaan ini amat besar, yang kita iktiraf.
"Tambah lagi tiap-tiap tahun yang bersara seramai 21,000. Kalau kita hitung penjawat awam yang berkhidmat hari ini, 1.61 juta, saiz perkhidmatan awam hari ini, kumpulan yang amat besar. Ia mampu menentukan hala tuju masa depan negara kita," kata Najib ketika berucap merasmikan Yayasan Pesara Kerajaan Malaysia, dan mesyuarat agung tahunan ke-4 Kelab Umno Pesara Kanan Kerajaan Malaysia di Putrajaya, hari ini.
"Saya lagi suka tuan-tuan cari saya daripada cari orang lain."
Ahli Parlimen Pekan itu turut menyuarakan keyakinan, sekiranya dengan jumlah besar pesara penjawat awam itu menyokong kerajaan, sudah pasti kerajaan hari ini akan menjadi sangat kuat.
"Saya kira kalau kumpulan ini, pesara dan mereka yang berkhidmat bersama-sama berdiri teguh dengan kerajaan, InsyaAllah kita akan jadi lebih kuat.
"Walaupun saya tahu nak dapat 100% dalam demokrasi sukar, sebab ada pesara masuk tiket lain, yang sudah masuk angin ada, tapi sebahagian besarnya penyokong setia kerajaan," kata Najib.
Pentadbiran Najib kini berdepan kritikan daripada Dr Mahathir susulan beberapa isu, termasuk syarikat pelaburan strategik milik Kementerian Kewangan, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), isu membabitkan kes pembunuhan warga Mongolia, Altantuyaa Shaariibu, serta beberapa isu lain.
Sementara itu, Pengerusi Yayasan Pesara Kerajaan Malaysia, Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat dalam ucapannya menyeru agar ahli-ahli yayasan berkenaan terus memberikan sokongan padu kepada kerajaan yang dipimpin Najib.
"Semua pesara seluruh negara, kita ada 750,000 orang, bolehkah beri sokongan kepada Najib?" katanya, dan dijawab "Boleh!" daripada sekitar 1,000 pesara yang hadir.
Aseh berkata, selain data-data umum, yayasan berkenaan turut mengetahui dengan tepat lokasi pengundian setiap pesara berkenaan.
"Kita tahu juga pesara mengundi di mana, jadi jangan kita terima sahaja tapi tak memberi.
"Kita perlu terus beri sokongan padu kepada kepimpinan lain, kalau kita beri sokongan sampai pilihan raya umum akan datang, kebajikan kita sampai sepanjang masa akan terpeliharalah," katanya.
Aseh berkata, dalam pertemuannya bersama Najib penghujung tahun lalu juga bersetuju memberikan bantuan dana permulaan sebanyak RM5 juta kepada yayasan berkenaan bagi menjalankan program mereka. – tmi
Not all pensioners show support for PM at launch...
"Can everyone stand up?" Aseh said, repeating the word 'boleh' three times.
However, not all stood up or raised their hands to express support for Najib, who has come under intense criticism from former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
In his speech later, the prime minister acknowledged that there were those who did not support him."Thank you for the expression of support just now. Even though I know to get 100 percent support in a democracy is hard.
"Because there are pensioners who 'masuk tiket lain' (support other parties)," he said to laughter from the audience.
"But the majority are loyal supporters (of BN)," Najib added to applause.
Stand behind the govt
Meanwhile, commenting on the 750,000 pensioners, Najib said the number plus the 1.6 million current civil servants is sizeable but it can determine the country's future.
"Current civil servants, including the pensioners, if they stand behind the government unwaveringly, God willing, we will be a stronger government," he said to applause.
Najib later said that the country has the best pension system which is proven by the number of applicants for positions in the civil service.
"For a position as an administrative and diplomatic officer, there are only 300 positions but those who applied and worth to be considered for are 70,000 applicants.
"If the scheme is not good, I don't think that many people would apply to become a PTD officer or other civil service positions," he said.
Meanwhile, Najib said he preferred that civil servants turn to the government for assistance, instead of other quarters.
"I prefer it if you look for me rather than look for someone else," he said, expressing hope that the launch of the foundation would create a more warm relationship between the government and the pensioners. - mk
cheers.
No comments:
Post a Comment