Orang bukan Islam dengan al-Quran...

Saya tidak kenal secara peribadi Howard Lee, Ahli Parlimen Ipoh Timor dari DAP. Pun begitu pada hemat saya beliau pemimpin muda yang ada masa depan politik cerah kerana dilihat bijak, punya banyak idea bagus dan rajin.Lee juga petah. Ucapannya menarik pada segi kandungan juga persembahan. Bila berucap dalam bahasa Melayu sering juga loghat Perak digunakan. Suke bebenor teman.

Lee sekarang sedang disiasat polis berhubung video memaparkan beliau memetik terjemahan al-Quran yang dimuat naik di media sosial. Siasatan dilancarkan susulan laporan dibuat NGO Jalinan Bersatu Sahabat Perak. Ertinya polis sudah buka kertas siasatan dan menjalankan tugas dengan segera.

Tetapi Menteri Besar Kedah Sanusi Nor selaku panglima perang PAS masih mahu “menggesa” polis menjalankan siasatan ke atas Lee yang beliau anggap melakukan kesalahan “begitu besar” serta “sangat sensitif” buat masa depan negara, seperti dilapor Malaysiakini semalam. Dakwa Sanusi lagi, jika tindakan tidak diambil ke atas Lee, kemarahan akan meningkat dan mungkin mendorong orang ramai turun ke jalan raya. “Jangan sampai rakyat marah dan berhimpun di Kuala Lumpur berjuta juta (orang). Pada masa itu kami pula jadi salah”.

Banyak lagi yang Sanusi katakan yang saya tidak mahu huraikan di sini. Namun rumusannya Sanusi desak polis buat kerja yang polis sudah buat, yakni menyiasat meski pun Sanusi ketika mendesak berkata “terima kasih kepada polis” diikuti gesaan “siasat betul betul”. Pelik tetapi apabila melaporkan kata-kata beliau, “kepelikan” mesti dihadapi. Tak apa. Saya ulangi Sanusi mahu polis siasat Lee ketika polis sudah pun menjalankan siasatan. Adakah beliau mahu “ajar” polis macam mana jalankan tugas?

Adakah kata-kata beliau boleh disifatkan provokasi? Terhadap polis dan juga orang ramai yang beliau dakwa akan “berjuta-juta” turun ke jalan raya di Kuala Lumpur? Apa perlunya Sanusi berkata demikian? Jawapannya bagi saya boleh didapati dengan mengambil kira di mana beliau berkata.

Sanusi berucap pada ceramah di Simpang Pelangai pada malam 23 Sept lalu di depan kira-kira seribu orang. Itu hari kedua kempen rasmi sempena PRK Pelangai. Hari pengundian ditetapkan 7 Okt ini. Pilihan raya kecil diadakan berikutan kematian Allahyarham Johari Harun dari BN pada 17 Ogos lalu. Ertinya Sanusi berkempen menggunakan kes Lee untuk meraih undi. Lebih soal politik daripada soal agama. Pada hari pertama kempen rasmi dijalankan pun Sanusi telah membangkitkan kes Lee semasa berceramah di Felda Kemasul.

Antaranya beliau dilapor berkata “Sekarang tak nampak kesan (tapi) 10 tahun akan datang apek pakai seluar pendek yang mengajar al-Quran di masjid”. Boleh timbul kemarahan dan kebimbangan orang Melayu Islam.Hakikatnya Sanusi dan PAS tangkas mengambil kesempatan dengan timbulnya kes Lee. Cekap. Kena angkat songkok kepada mereka.

Lebai2 Non-Muslim PAS buat tafsiran OK pula!!!

Berbalik soal pokok isu ini. Media melaporkan NGO yang membuat laporan polis terhadap Lee berpandangan pemimpin DAP itu “sengaja menghina Islam” memandangkan beliau bukan beragama Islam tetapi mentafsir ayat al-Quran justeru “menyentuh perkara 3R iaitu membabitkan agama, raja dan kaum”.

Semuanya dikatakan dipersembahkan melalui video. Saya tidak pasti sama ada video lama yang pernah dipertontonkan atau video baharu yang dihasilkan Lee. Apa pun Setiausaha Eksekutif Majlis Ulama Umno Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali berpendapat tidak salah bagi orang bukan Islam berhujah dengan al-Quran sebagaimana huraian alim ulama.

Menurut Khairuddin beliau telah dengar rakaman video seorang Ahli Parlimen bukan beragama Islam yang menyebut tentang ketaatan kepada pemimpin dengan memetik firman Allah. “Tiada yang salah dalam hujahan beliau kerana itulah yang telah dihuraikan oleh para alim ulama Islam tentang kepentingan ketaatan kepada ulil amri dalam Islam.”

Tidak dapat ditentukan sama Kharuddin merujuk video Lee kerana beliau tidak menyebut nama sesiapa selain berkata “video rakaman Ahli Parlimen bukan Islam”. Mungkin atau pasti di kalangan golongan pro Gelombang Hijau mempertikaikan pendapat Khairuddin kerana beliau “dulu PAS kini Umno”.

Maka elok juga diimbas kembali apa yang berlaku pada April 2009. Setiausaha DAP Perak Nga Kor Ming ketika itu berceramah menggunakan ayat al-Quran. Mursyidul Am PAS Nik Aziz Nik Mat menegaskan tindakan itu tidak mempunyai apa apa kesalahan. “Siapa pun nak guna ayat al-Quran patutnya dia guna lama dah. Ini kesan gelombang kebangkitan Islam”, kata Allahyarham Nik Aziz ketika itu. Komennya masih boleh diikuti menerusi YouTube.

Kesimpulan saya ialah apabila orang bukan Islam menggunakan ayat al-Quran ia sepatutnya digalakkan dan jika orang itu silap mestilah ditegur dan diajar cara yang betul. Turut mengulas kes Nga 14 tahun lalu ialah pesuruhjaya PAS Perak ketika itu Ahmad Awang. Kata beliau “kalau salah betulkanlah. Kalau salah baca terus suruh hentikan, bila seseorang itu nak fasih dan nak jadi pandai”. Nasihat yang sentiasa relevan.

Bolehkah istilah “gelombang kebangkitan Islam” yang digunakan Nik Aziz dulu diibaratkan “gelombang hijau” yang dikaitkan dengan kemaraan PAS masa kini? (sekurang-kurangnya bila bercakap mengenai prestasi parti itu pada PRN di enam negeri tidak lama dulu).

Jika boleh PAS seharusnya berbangga Lee menggunakan al-Quran kerana itu “kesan” gelombang dan tidak membuat bising. Tetapi bisinglah yang menjadi pilihan kerana seperti dikatakan tadi ia peluang untuk mendapat sokongan politik. Disamping menyerang balas kerana Lee dalam memetik ayat al-Quran turut mengkritik keras kepimpinan PAS.- Mohsin Abdullah

Nak siasat Lee siasat sama puak PAS yg lagi ramai guna ayat al quran.. Sharifahsalmah7605

Pas ni kalau dipihak depa semua ok. Tapi kalau dipihak org lain, salah belaka - Gooplay5673

Saya ada tonton begitu bannyak video2 dlm cramah2 PAS yg mana banyak bukan muslim baca dan tafsir Al Quran. Ada siapa bising? Siap takbir lagi. Mimpi jumpa nabi berkali2 pulak tu. Jangan nampak salah silap org saja salah sendiri kenapa di diamkan jgan hipokrit.  - GreatMY-rd4vc

Masa DAP bersama PAS seorang pemimpin DAP Nga Kor Meng membaca ayat quran di sokong pula oleh pimpinan lebai di angkat oleh UAI. Bila DAP tidak bersama PAS Hoverd Lee membaca tafsiran al quran sehaja sudaj di caci maki hingga membuat laporan kepada polis. Ini lah sikap dan menteliti PAS. - KarimKarim-wn4rn

Quranic verse saga: Lee apologises 

for Gerakan, PAS wing as well...

DAP lawmaker Howard Lee has apologised for the “inconvenience” caused by his interpretation of a Quranic verse, which has become the subject of a police investigation and courted brickbats from Perikatan Nasional. However, his remark appeared to be peppered with sarcasm since he roped in the PN component party Gerakan and the PAS non-Muslim supporters club as well.

“I take this opportunity to apologise for any inconvenience that this may have caused. “And I also apologise for all of my non-Muslim friends from other parties, Gerakan and other parties as well as those from the PAS non-Muslim supporters wing who have also quoted Quranic verses in the political context,” he told a press conference held at the Ipoh Timor MP community centre in Ipoh, Perak today.

He addressed the press after giving his statement to the police at 2pm today at the Perak contingent police headquarters.The Ipoh Timor MP also denied that he interpreted the Quran, asserting that he had only quoted from it. “I use the term 'quoting' because the accusation is that I was interpreting. I was not interpreting; I was just quoting that verse."

He also said that apart from doing his own research, he consulted with several Islamic experts and ustaz (clerics) on the matter. “I did not interpret it on my own, I quoted the interpretation of that verse that was taught by the wise and the pious. Not only in Islamic matters but all the topics that I want to comment on (but) are not my expertise, I will do my own research first, including talking to the religious people and a few clerics (ustaz),” he clarified.

Lebai2 PAS lidah bercabang...

“I’m also dubious about why Dewan Himpunan Pendukung PAS (DHPP) can quote Quranic verses and even recite them in Arabic, while I only quote the interpretations without reciting them in Arab. “I want to ask if there has been a police report lodged against DHPP as well?”

Speaking at the press conference today, Lee revealed that the apology was made following recommendations by Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, who advised him not to use Quranic verses when discussing politics in the future. “It was not (a piece of advice) from the DAP leadership (for me to apologise). It was Asyraf’s suggestion (for Lee to apologise) to avoid slanderous remarks against me and the religion.”

He also shared Asyraf’s sentiments that PAS had lauded DAP and PKR members for "reading" the Quran when the three parties were part of Pakatan Rakyat. “I’m also dubious about why, in the past, when DAP was in the same coalition with PAS, it was not only allowed to use but encouraged to understand the meaning behind the Quran. “But now, it’s not allowed.” - mk

Be careful engaging PM in 

Parliament - KJ's advice to PN...

Be careful when engaging with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Parliament, former Umno leader Khairy Jamaluddin has “advised” Perikatan Nasional lawmakers. According to Khairy, this is because Anwar is unlike his predecessors, who usually maintained statesman-like behaviour in the august House.

“Here’s an unsolicited advice for PN - the PM now is unlike other PMs. The previous PMs would not engage in shouting matches, they would take a more statesman-like approach to parliamentary affairs.

“PMX (Anwar) is one of the PMs who likes to provoke, true to his street fighter background. “He’s definitely not a statesman in Parliament, so you have to be careful when engaging,” Khairy said in the latest episode of his ‘Keluar Sekejap’ podcast.

He was commenting on the walkout staged by PN lawmakers from the Dewan Rakyat last week during Anwar’s winding-up speech on the 12th Malaysia Plan mid-term review.

The walkout happened after Anwar took a swipe at Radzi Jidin (PN-Putrajaya) for laughing when he was explaining the issue of the discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) granted to Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Elaborating, Khairy said Radzi “fell into Anwar’s trap”, after the latter singled him out during the parliamentary session. “A serious discussion like that (on the DNAA) should have been more civilised. (But you) can’t blame either side as there was provocation from both sides. It’s unfortunate it had to happen like that,” said Khairy.

Podcast co-host Shahril Hamdan concurred, saying Radzi possibly scored an “own goal”, politically, by reacting the way he did in Parliament. “He (Radzi) should have just given a quick witty response and sat down. Then, the focus would have been on PM’s provocation, but now the focus is on Putrajaya’s (Radzi’s) anger and prolonged tirade in Parliament.”

On the DNAA, Khairy said the issue is now in the court of public opinion as most relevant parties, including Anwar, have commented on it. - mk

He was once a arrogant MP and thinks he can do no wrong because he has a godfather. Then he changed to be "stateman" like because he thinks he is PM material and when that wind force drop, he has to change profession. And now that he could not find a good island to anchor, he became a quite good snake oil salesman doing a political analysis. But probably can be a good standup comedian soon like that guy from Ukraine. But not bad then he can start a war with a powerful nation.- Kopi O Kedah

Yes, KJ. You are perfectly right to blame how PMX reacted because if Radzi’s immaturity in Parliament. Parliament is not pasar malam but Radzi taken as such. He himself to blame snd don’t pass the ball to Anwar. Rakyat fully agree with Anwar’s reaction and comment on Radzi. As leader, he should be firmed and if need to reprimand because of monkey action around, he should. Nothing wrong of PMX and no issue of statesmanship at all here. Keep the stupid comment to yourself, KJ.- OrangKucing 5562

Right advice KJ, these PN MP are good at engaging the kampong folks in Kedah, Kelantan, Trengganu and Perlis only. They are definitely not ready with PMX or anyone else inside the parliament in Kuala Lumpur.- P.Ramlee

cheers.

Amanpour - Anwar interview garners praise from analysts...

 

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s performance in an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour has received plaudits from analysts, who commended his adept handling of key issues. 

Azmi Hassan, a senior fellow at the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research, offered a holistic perspective, stating that Anwar responded effectively to various topics raised by Amanpour.  He noted that while the interview may not have a significant impact on the international stage, it likely left a positive impression on the domestic audience. 

“The impact will be more pronounced in domestic politics rather than on the international stage,” he told Scoop. “Making an international impact is challenging for any prime minister, including Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. However, domestically, I believe the majority of us are satisfied with how Anwar handled Amanpour’s ‘aggressive’ interview.”

Azmi praised Anwar’s responses concerning the Swatch Pride watch bans and Malaysia’s bilateral relationship with China and the United States. However, he pointed out that Anwar fell into Amanpour’s “trap” when addressing Premier Li Qiang’s statement on the dispute, as the question appeared designed to provoke a reaction. 

Azmi suggested that Anwar could have framed his response by highlighting that the South China Sea dispute is not a new challenge for Malaysia. “In that context, I hoped Anwar had answered in those terms because the question was meant to provoke us, even though the dispute is nothing new, and we are not taking sides,” he explained. 

Similarly, K.S. Balakrishnan commended Anwar for addressing all key issues with intelligence and providing valid points regarding the need for the United States to take a more proactive role in maintaining its bilateral relationship with Malaysia.  

“Anwar is excellent at promoting Malaysia’s interests globally, especially with the US,” noted the senior academic from Universiti Malaya. During his interview with Amanpour on CNN, Anwar dismissed criticism of his handling of various internal affairs, emphasising that his decisions were in accordance with the country’s laws.  

He expressed similar sentiments when discussing his deputy, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s conditional discharge, and the ban on Swatch’s Pride collection watches featuring LGBTQ+ elements. Nevertheless, the Tambun MP stressed that the action against the watch bans should not lead to the harassment of the LGBTQ+ community, even though public acceptance of it remains low. 

It is worth noting that Anwar had previously been interviewed by Amanpour in 2014 when he was the opposition leader. He was interviewed once again in May 2018, following his royal pardon. 

Senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, Oh Ei Sun, said Anwar is a seasoned international interviewee, having been extensively interviewed since the 1970s, and so this interview “was just another piece of cake for him”.

“As usual, he was able to at once employ his vast command of vocabulary to tackle the tough questions, and turn them into something positive for his positions,” he said. “It could only be said that he gave smart answers which sounded at once palatable and fashionable, such as the emphasis on democracy, or moderation.”

On whether he believes responses affected Malaysia’s international and domestic reputation, Oh said: “it certainly reinforced his already formidable international reputation, but they may not be conservative enough for the increasing number of religiously oriented domestic audiences.”

“The comparable PMs to Anwar in recent years are Mahathir and Najib, who could also handle international audiences well. So Anwar’s eloquence demonstrated the continuity in Malaysia’s international activism,” he said. – scoop.my

The pot calling the kettle black...

Police must properly investigate Ipoh Timor MP Howard Lee for allegedly making his own interpretation of a Quranic verse to avert a repeat of such incident, said Perikatan Nasional election director Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor. If action is not taken, he told a ceramah in Pelangai, Pahang last night, it will further anger Muslims and might lead to them taking to the street.

"In Indonesia, a non-Muslim politician who interpreted a Quranic verse on his own was jailed for two years. But here in Malaysia, police are just starting to investigate (Lee). "Nevertheless, thank you to the police for opening an investigation. (But) you must investigate this case properly.

Last week, Lee, who is a DAP central executive committee member, allegedly made his own interpretation of a Quranic verse on TikTok. Police had since launched an investigation against Lee after receiving reports.

Terasa pelik bila ada pimpinan tertinggi PAS seperti Nusi  yang mempertikai dan membuat provokasi apabila ada bukan dinegara ini yang turut berhujah dengan al-Quran.Malah, dulu ketika PAS bertahaluf dan bekerjasama politik dengan DAP, pemimpin DAP membaca ayat al-Quran di pentas-pentas ceramah PAS dan menjadi kebanggaan PAS pada ketika itu. Usahlah berpolitik seolah Islam hanya milik kita sahaja. Usahlah juga membuat provokasi demi menarik sokongan orang Islam dengan cuba membuat demonstrasi jalanan tetapi menaikkan sentimen kebencian terhadap bukan Islam dinegara ini . Malang sekali dikurun ke 21 kita lihat pemimpin2 yang konon Islam tidak mencerminkan keperibadian sebagai muslim yang boleh dibuat contoh. -  Kamsiah Haider

Who is actually inciting 3R, Lee or Sanusi?Lee was reading and interpreting Surah in AlQuran. PN/Pas politicians are also reading and using AlQuran and Hadith all the time in ceramahs.Lee was merely interpreting based on his little understanding on the surah. Good for him and other non-muslims who are learning. But PN/PAS politicians are making mockery out of the issue and try to instigate - Anonymous

This fellow Sanusi, is out to create racial and religious disharmony among the Malaysian races.This is blatant incitement to violence, since he says thousands will gather in the streets , for what, to go after one person.We all are uncertain as to.the words used by this MP in Ipoh.Let us decent, peace loving Malaysians. going about our daily life , condemn this type of incitement.Let the Police do their duty, in taking action against the MP if indeed he has transgressed the law. - VioletCondor6908

The police should go after Sanusi for instigating the Malays to go to the streets on Howard. No body gets hurt from Howard interpretation. If you ulamas do not agree to the interpretation then say it out. Sanusi has nothing to campaign on except to cause racial friction. This country is going to the dogs with politicians like Sanusi who wants to instigate the kampung folks against the government. - WhiteMoose0037

Msian Muslim will not get angry, they are happy to know that Lee lack of understanding of the Qur'an, is our duty as a Muslim to guide and enlighten him to better understanding. Muslim only very angry with those Muslim politicians wearing a mask to steal the money that supposed to help the poor. - Turnedback

If someone is wrong, correct them. Isn't that what religion teaches? By correcting them you win their respect, not only for yourself, but also for the religion. But when you go for their necks, it contributes to phobia of the religion, and the phobia spreads.So, please do the rightful things - educate those who you think are are ignorant. - Ravinder Singh

cheers.

Malays fighting Malays...

The illusion of Malay Unity...

The political spat between PH and PN may appear to be a disagreement between two coalitions with opposing opinions; PH is multicultural whilst PN is conservative and is comprised of only Malay politicians. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is not about differing policies. What we are witnessing is Malays fighting Malays.

All this while, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has not mislead Malaysians, but it is highly likely that many Malaysians have mis-read Anwar. Anwar has never tried to hide his Islamic credentials, so why should it surprise anyone that some of his policies appear as if he is trying to outdo PAS in being more Islamic? It is widely known that Anwar refuses to spook the Malays.

His GE15 election campaign promised a multicultural Malaysia, but when he led the country as the PM of the Unity Government, many Malaysians were horrified that some of his policies had a distinct religious flavor.

These included the introduction of the Hadith-40 module in schools, the harmonization of  Federal and syariah laws, or the involvement of JAKIM in national policy-making. Harapan’s non-Malay supporters mis-read him. When Anwar promised  multiculturalism, they should not think that he would sacrifice his Islamic ideals or forget his ABIM roots.

His supporters feared the Green Wave taking over the country if Anwar’s Madani administration was not given full support, and they were furious when his critics complained about Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA).

They said, “Do you want PN/PAS in Putrajaya? PAS’ Hadi Awang will be PM.” These supporters ignore both the short- and long-term consequences for Malaysia. How will foreign investors view our legal system? What are we teaching our young about corruption? At what point will they stop making compromises?

Zahid’s DNAA lends credence to the allegation that both Zahid and Anwar had done a deal for the formation of the  Unity Government last November, which probably involved freeing those in the Umno-Baru court cluster.

These critics were furious that Zahid’s trial had been prematurely halted with the DNAA, especially when a prima facie case had been established the year before. His trial should have gone to completion.

A very dangerous precedent has been set with the DNAA. It may not have been the first DNAA, but Malaysians are fed up with the current political, economic and social crises. Instead of dealing with important issues, politicians are merely playing politics.

The country is failing in many areas: in the economy, in food security, in agriculture, in education, in social cohesion, the falling value of the ringgit, the lack of urgency in addressing the cost of living crisis, the black hole of spending in the Ministry of Defense, and the self-inflicted harm to national carrier MAS.

Few of these politicians think about the country. They only think about clinging on to power. For decades, the Malays were brainwashed into thinking that only Umno, PAS, or more recently, Umno-Baru clones like Bersatu, are the only parties which can defend the rights of the Malays and safeguard the interests of Islam.

Like night follows day, it was inevitable that the three Rs — race, religion and royalty — would be used to convince the Malays. It was no longer Malaysian interests, as only Malay interests mattered. Speaking English in schools was seen as unpatriotic. Attending vernacular schools was seen as divisive. Malays received preferential treatment and non-Malays were considered second-class citizens.

Some Malaysians believe that the current political conflict is about the forces of multiculturalism fending off the conservatives.The mainly pro-Harapan supporters strongly believe that only the Madani administration can stop the advance of the extremist PN coalition with its controversial Hadi Awang as the president of PAS and the Malay-first, Malaysian-second Mahiaddin Yassin of Bersatu, from taking over Putrajaya.

Pro-Harapan supporters fear the Green Wave and they will use the argument “the lesser of two evils” to justify wrongdoing, like failing to punish corrupt politicians. So, when will Malaysians finally make a stand against corruption which they know is the ruin of the nation?

Both the ruling and opposition coalitions may tout the line that only they can defend the Malays, but in reality, they are not defending the Malays. They are only out to protect the rice bowl of the Malay elite. From APs to armaments, to allocations for housing, education and government contracts.

However, they will use the reasons that they are protecting the interests of all Malays. That’s not true. The elite and well connected Malays are the main beneficiaries. Foreign leaders talk about national unity, but in Malaysia, many Malay politicians focus on Malay unity only. Not every Malaysian is treated as anak Malaysia. Some are showered with love, many are spoilt, others are brought up as stepchildren and treated cruelly, and a few are shown the door.

For five decades we nurtured many Malay hypocrites who worshiped money and rejected principle and integrity. They do not protect Malay dignity, but only their self-interests. That is why Malays fight other Malays. Malaysia can only move forward with Malaysian unity.- Mariam Mokhtar

cheers.

A 'State-Government 4’ is divisive...

 

While PAS seems excited about the creation of a ‘State-Government 4’ or SG4 uniting the four states run by the Islamic party with former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as adviser, many are expressing their disagreement with these plans.Some are saying it is divisive and will create an entity that will supersede the role and interests of the federal government in these states.

According to Scoop, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Razak Faculty of Technology & Informatics lecturer Associate Prof Mazlan Ali said the formation of this grouping is in opposition to the Federal government. It is a move that will isolate the four states altogether and also jeopardise relations with Putrajaya.

Adding to the intensity of the debate is the role that Mahathir is supposed to play in the SG4. The PAS is saying Dr Mahathir’s extensive experience can help the four states under the auspices of Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the investment sector.

Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said that through the cooperation of the SG4, they can further strengthen the potential that exists in the four states.

“Dr Mahathir also has a good relationship with foreign investors such as Japan, Korea and so on,” Sinar Harian quoted him as saying. He also said that Dr Mahathir ‘ordered’ them to be efficient, otherwise investors could run away.

Meanwhile, netizens remain sceptical about Dr Mahathir’s ability to bring foreign investments into the PAS states.

Twitter users have a different sentiment when it comes to this deal. They are unhappy with the steep division that is ongoing in the country. The general feeling among social media users is that Dr Mahathir should retire from the limelight and let the current generation of leaders sort themselves out.

"With Dr M two times as PM of Malaysia for more than 24 years, these four states are what they are now, just wonder not being PM can he bring developments to them? I am not optimistic at all. What happen to so call PN & with BN having govern Malaysia for about 2.5 years? No ideas?" says Jimmy Leu

Seemingly, users are also blaming the former prime minister for the lack of development in these states. Being the leader of the country for almost a quarter of a century, he wasn’t able to do much for these four PAS states. Furthermore, will it be a strong possibility for him to pull in investments now that he is no longer the prime minister?

Meanwhile, Twitter user The Az Report stated:

"You must be kidding. Kenapa pulak pelabur nak put their trust on an elderly mischiefmaker yang senang-senang letak jawatan sehingga mencetuskan keadaan huru-hara. Pelabur nak pemimpin yang level headed, tak dengki mendengki. Move on lah. Tun punya zaman kegemilangan dah over."

The wounds of the first Pakatan Harapan government collapsing in 2020 are still not healed among Malaysians. Many felt that what Dr Mahathir did was an utter betrayal of the people. – focusmalaysia

Quit the endless Bumiputera congresses...

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to address the bumiputera economic congress in January next year. We have had far too many of these “congresses,” which tells us something of their value or lack of. These congresses serve no purpose other than for the inevitable shrill vocalisations of our community’s frustrations. The same tired themes and ineffective remedies would be regurgitated ad nauseam.

As Anwar will be visiting China next week, learn from that nation’s recent history. In the early years of China-America rapprochement, the United States had sent a low-level delegation to Beijing. To the surprise of the delegates, Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping inserted himself and asked the head of the American delegation to phone President Jimmy Carter with the request to accept about 300 Chinese students into American universities.

Dumbfounded by the unusual request as well as Deng’s unexpected appearance, the leader of the American delegation phoned his immediate superior in Washington, DC, who in turn directed him to call the White House. Imagine Carter being awakened in the wee hours of the morning by a phone call from Beijing, and at the height of the still very frosty Cold War. From a low-ranking official to boot! Nonetheless, Carter acceded to the request as it came from Deng.

Today, thousands of Chinese students study in America so much so that they are now considered a security threat. Meanwhile, China is poised to overtake America economically and in many other spheres.

That is the consequential difference between Deng sending China’s best and brightest to elite American colleges versus Mao Zedong earlier banishing them to rural “re-education” camps. There is a lesson there for Malays. Sending thousands of Malays to Arab countries and introducing “hadith study modules” in national schools are but our equivalent of Mao’s re-education camps.

Instead of addressing at another congress, Anwar should gather the headmasters of residential schools with this directive: Send at least three of your students annually to top Western universities or you would be out of a job. How to achieve this objective would be up to them. 

Likewise, a similar mandate to the vice-chancellors of public universities. Direct their STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) departments as well as that of English, economics, and philosophy to send one doctoral candidate annually to top Western institutions.

How best to achieve this would again be left to the academics. That would be far more productive and funds well spent instead of the current obsession with rankings and publishing in journals. A decade hence when Malaysian judges, prosecutors, and attorneys-general would come out of top law schools, we would see fewer of these DNAA (discharge not amounting to acquittal) cases.

Likewise, when the government’s chief secretaries have doctorates from other than Oklahoma State or New Hampshire State but MBAs from the Harvards, only then would we be spared another One Malaysia Berhad. No guarantee of course, but a good bet. Right now Anwar is blamed for their incompetence. He bears that only in so far as he has not been swift in getting rid of them.

Anwar appreciates the value of quality education. Privileged to have been a visiting faculty fellow at such institutions as Oxford and George Washington, he knows the quality of the discourses and intellectual climate on those campuses.

We spent billions on Malay special privileges with little to show for that. We send thousands to mediocre colleges abroad, an exercise in membajakan lallang (nurturing weeds). Likewise, with Malays pursuing Hang Tuah or revealed knowledge and prophetic traditions. We already have a glut of them.

Reward excellence. Give scholarships to Malays admitted to the top 100 global universities (Britain’s Oxbridge, Canada’s McGills as well as America’s Stanfords and the Ivy League) regardless of the field of study chosen. If they are smart enough to be accepted there, they would be better judges of what is best for them, not pompous local Public Service Department officials.

Also, reward those admitted to the next tier but still prestigious top 200-300 universities by giving them full scholarships but only if they were to pursue STEM, English, economics, and similar much-needed disciplines. Choose any other field and they would get a scholarship only if their parents’ income were below a certain threshold. A sliding scale would be applied above that.

Thus, a poor kampung kid accepted to the University of Minnesota (UM) flagship campus in Minneapolis would get a full scholarship regardless of his or her choice of studies. Get accepted to UM’s Duluth campus, however, and you are on your own. Had we done that back then, Malays would today have been spared the likes of Azmin Ali.

As for those qualified only for Universiti Utara Malaysia, they would get study loans but only if they were to pursue STEM and such disciplines as English. No scholarships, period. Pursue such a policy and within a generation, we would never have any need for another bumiputera congress. - M Bakri Musa

cheers.

❤️Salam Hari Malaysia❤️....

cheers

Endemic corruption is making his life difficult...

 Anwar: Time needed to reform governance and economy,blames previous leaders for 'systemic corruption'...

Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has pledged to reform the country's economy and governance though these "will take time", as he blames the systemic corruption and the public cynicism towards political leaders on previous administrations for enriching themselves and living "exorbitant lifestyles".

In an interview with CNA in Singapore on Wednesday (Sep 13), Mr Anwar said Malaysia cannot continue its "total dependence on obsolete policies" of distributing handouts and subsidies, adding that it is "no longer tenable" for the current economy, as he identified economic reforms in the renewable energy sector.

On improving governance, he stated his determination to ensure Malaysia becomes a "mature, responsible" democracy with clear separation of powers between the executive and judiciary, even as he acknowledged that the recently dropped graft charges against his Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has cast doubt on his anti-corruption agenda.

By focusing on the economy and governance, Mr Anwar expressed confidence that he could win back public support against a "worrying" backdrop of race- and religion-based politics.

"It will take time, because the cynicism is due to the failure of political leaders in the past to prove that leadership must be accountable, and corruption cannot be deemed to be systemic, which is the case in Malaysia," he said in the interview before he gave a speech at the Milken Institute's Asia Summit.

Besides domestic issues, Mr Anwar in his hour-long address also touched on Malaysia's foreign policy amid tensions between China and the United States, and how he is dealing with both countries to seek justice in the multibillion dollar 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case. - CNA

Kerengga gigit teloq...

Yang sebenarnya...

Berita terkini...

Cakap kot lobang juboq...

Soal lain jawab lain...

cheers.

Takkanlah kahwin hari ini, esok dah boleh beranak...

Is Anwar increasingly isolated at the top 

or is he really living his dream as PMX?...

There's a taunt in Malaysian politics, “Takkanlah kahwin hari ini, esok dah boleh beranak” (It’s not as if one gets married today, you can already give birth tomorrow) that has become an insinuation of failure to deliver.

Well, it’s been nine months since Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim became the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia (PMX) which is the normal gestation period for humans. Has PMX delivered on his promises in the run-up to office?

It took him 25 years to graduate from a PM-in-waiting to be where he is today. That’s after being sacked as deputy PM (DPM) in 1998, launching the Reformasi movement – a very public arrest – followed by a black eye meted by the then police chief.

A quarter century of going in and out of prison and endless court cases for a myriad of excruciating charges that put his family, the nation and the world at large in a collective anguish until he was conferred a royal pardon in 2018.

Throughout the 25 years before becoming PMX, Anwar had been interviewed by major international media, did the global lecture circuit, featured in documentaries and even had a biopic movie made on his life.

Coping with power...

But is Anwar living his dream as PMX? Is he everything that his ardent supporters had dreamed of since his Reformasi days? How does one of the world’s most famous “victim of selective political persecution” cope with power? Initially, he seemed to have a hard time transitioning from opposition leader to that of head of government.

A few fumbles such as appointing his daughter, Nurul Izzah, as senior economic and financial advisor and claiming it was not nepotism as she wasn’t being paid has been forgotten after she voluntarily resigned. Other missteps may be less easily forgotten such as his concern over losing elections while using a harsh tone in response to a question from a young student on meritocracy in university admission quota system.

Perhaps PMX sometimes forgets that he is not in campaign mode. During the run-up to the six state elections in August, Anwar was seen and heard in all parts of the country while travelling via government helicopter.

Since then, PMX seems to have toned down the rhetoric and was less visible in the Johor by-elections in the Simpang Jeram (state) and Pulai (parliamentary) held over the weekend (Sept 9), both of which are retained by Pakatan Harapan (PH).

Aftermath of Zahid’s DNAA...

PH voters seemed unaffected by the decision of former attorney-general (AG) Tan Sri Idrus Harun to seek a conditional discharge for DPM Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on his Yayasan Akalbudi case. But DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook has said an explanation from the AG himself would be good “… to restore confidence and convince the public of the country’s judiciary system”.

As it is, there is no way of who is telling the truth or that it is merely the PMX’s word against former attorney-general (AG) Tan Sri Idrus Harun that it was the latter who insisted on seeking a conditional discharge for Zahid before his final day in office.

Amid calls by PKR Youth for a special parliamentary session to discuss Zahid’s DNAA, PMX said that “Parliament is not the appropriate platform for deliberating upon court decisions and ongoing legal cases”. But that should be for the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat to decide – not the PM – according to former Law Minister and Perikatan Nasional (PN) chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan.

Even Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, MUDA’s president and Muar MP, has announced he will pull the party out of the ruling coalition in protest against Zahid’s DNAA – a major upset as the move will deny Anwar a parliamentary majority. The PN Youth wing has further called for a mass show of protest dubbed the Himpunan Gerakan Selamatkan Malaysia (Movement to Save Malaysia) which is reminiscent of Anwar’s own Reformasi protest movement.

PSM and Muda call for debate on Zahid's DNAA

Voices of disappointment...

After 25 years of making campaign promises, could Anwar be feeling isolated and overwhelmed by the demands of being PMX? Did Anwar bite off more than he can chew with the unity government?

Despite the clamour of disapproval with the controversial appointment of Ahmad Zahid as DPM, it was obvious that Anwar needed an ally in his camp (recall that Zahid and Anwar were comrades in UMNO Youth).

As Anwar – with his trusty sidekick Zahid – tries to woo the Malay support that he sorely lacks, will he disappoint supporters from other ethnic groups? Nevertheless, there have been more voices of disappointment with Anwar’s performance as PMX.

Malay language news portal BenarNews reported that Malaysian civil society groups and human rights activists are calling out PMX for breaking campaign promises to review or revoke colonial-era laws in the likes of Sedition Act 1948, the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1994, and the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. Former Malaysian ambassador to South America and Canada Dennis Ignatius has said it many times in social media; “Day by day [Anwar] disappoints and dismays”. –  Niza Shimi 

Even elephant gestation period 

is 22 months, my dear Niza...

Niza Shimi knows it very well that one cannot give birth the next day after the wedding is over. To add to this, Rome was never built in one day, was it? Yet, she is being too naïve to imagine that any government of the day can transform Malaysia into the country that we all dream for in just nine months.

Even with the elephant gestation period of 22 months under former twice premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, we were unable to see much progress. Instead, he quietly gave projects worth hundreds of millions to his own children.

We will wait to hear more of this in the coming court case.It takes time, Ms Niza. Policies need to change. Civil servants need to adjust to the new policies in place. All this takes time – or else – the child will be born pre-mature. Certainly, Niza would not like to see a pre-mature baby being born.

To therefore compare human gestation to the Madani government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PMX) is like saying much more had been achieved during the leadership under two former prime ministers in 33 months with all its Spanish fly and Doraemon jokes.

Give Anwar the full term...

Yet, most of us civilians allowed the duo – Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob – to complete the full term.This was despite the public anger against Perikatan Nasional (PN) which had its beginnings after the Sheraton Move, allegedly spearheaded by both PAS president Tan Sri Hadi Awang and former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali and backed by Muhyiddin and some recalcitrant UMNO leaders.

In fact, people in the likes of Niza should give PMX and his government the full term to do what need to be done since Muhyiddin had turned down the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong’s (YDPA) offer to him to form a unity government with Pakatan Harapan (PH).

Unlike others such as Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang, PMX was in the government for several terms. His final position was as finance minister-cum-deputy prime minister (DPM) when he opposed his then boss Dr Mahathir who wanted to use public funds to bail out his son and the cronies.

Even without watching the biopic movie produced by Zunar now showing on Netflix, Niza would have known from following the news through the years that Anwar would have become the PM. Instead, all sorts of allegations levelled against him were bizarre. If Anwar were a spy for the US, China and Israel all at the same time, he must be a super spy. Yet, there were many who believed in the lies.

For that reason, PMX was bashed up by a former inspector-general of police (IGP), imprisoned twice, and during this time, we saw how jailed former PM Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak committed the biggest scandal in the world in Malaysia. Is that not enough for Niza to stomach? The country is RM1.5 tril in debts but people’s woes – especially those in the B40 income group who are mostly the Bumiputera – were not addressed adequately to lift them up from the poverty cycle.

Even when PAS was in government, both states of Kedah and Kelantan did not receive assistance in terms of allocations to solve the water woes. Now, allocations have been given to all three states, including Sabah. The question now is whether the money is going to be used fully to solve the water woes? Based on record, former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin had handed over a cheque for RM600 mil for Kelantan to solve the water woes. Where did the money go?

I would not go on to respond to Niza’s arguments point-by-point, but suffice for me to point out that PN Youth wing’s Himpunan Gerakan Selamatkan Malaysia (Movement to Save Malaysia) and a number of websites such as BenarNews are nothing new but mere copycats of what had been done in the past. If these people want to go on the streets while people across the country are celebrating Malaysia Day, it is their prerogative. But they will have to face the consequences. – Stephen Ng

How bangsa Johor stops the spread 

of racism and radical Islamist...

Opposition Perikatan Nasional’s “green wave” finally came to a screeching halt in the southern state of Johor. In spite of low voter turnout and controversial acquittal of UMNO president Zahid Hamidi, who is also the deputy prime minister, the people of Johor have decided to return both Pulai parliamentary seat and Simpang Jeram state seat to Pakatan Harapan.

Bad weather contributed to low voter turnout – only 47.33% turnout in Pulai and 60.85% in Simpang Jeram – raising an initial alarm that Pakatan Harapan could lose the seats. Pulai’s turnout in the November 2022 General Election was 70.96%, meaning a drop of voters from 117,303 to 78,453. A third – 38,850 voters (33%) – did not vote this round due to various reasons.

In Pulai, Pakatan Harapan candidate Suhaizan Kayat won with a 18,641-vote majority by polling 48,283 votes against rival Perikatan Nasional’s Zulkifli Jaafar, who managed to capture only 29,642 votes. To save face, the opposition quickly declared victory by claiming it has successfully reduced the late Salahuddin Ayub’s majority of 33,174 votes.

In the Nov 2022 national polls, Salahuddin captured 55.33% or 64,900 votes. Back then, rivals Barisan Nasional polled 31,726 votes (27.05%) and Perikatan Nasional grabbed 20,677 votes (17.63%). Retaining Pulai, Pakatan Harapan has increased its popular votes from 55.33% to 61.55%. Even though the opposition had lost, its votes have also increased from 17.63% to 37.78%.

This means Barisan Nasional, who is now a partner of Pakatan, saw its supporters split for Pakatan and Perikatan – Pakatan’s popular votes increased by 6.22% and Perikatan’s has jumped by 20.15%. Still, the opposition’s gain isn’t significant enough to change the Johor landscape. The result actually mirrors the 2018 General Election, when Salahuddin similarly won 63.81% of the popular votes.

Essentially, for every 6 Johoreans who voted for Pakatan Harapan, only three voted for the rivals. This means about two-thirds majority prefers Pakatan-led Unity Government. Pro-opposition fanatics have claimed that Pakatan’s reduced majority vote (18,641 from 33,174 votes) and Perikatan’s increased votes (20,677 to 29,642 votes) as proof that they have lost with dignity, whatever that means.

Manipulating numbers, instead of looking at the percentage, has been the favourite pastime of the opposition. It’s actually a humiliation that Perikatan could only increase its votes by 9,000 despite its top commander – Kedah Chief Minister Sanusi – bragging that not only the twin by-elections will open the floodgates for the Opposition to break into Johor, but also the green wave will sweep into Singapore.

If the result of “urban” Pulai parliament seat does not convince you that the green wave (derived from Perikatan’s largest coalition party – Parti Islam SeMalaysia or PAS) has failed to breach Johor, perhaps the “semi-rural” Simpang Jeram will. In the Saturday’s polls, Pakatan retained the seat with an increased majority (3,514 from 2,399 votes).

More importantly, the state constituency populated with more rural Malays than Pulai has a higher turnout of 60.85% than last November’s national election (54.72%). Nazri Abdul Rahman of Pakatan Harapan secured 13,484 votes (an increase of 15.6% votes) in Simpang Jeram, defeating Perikatan Nasional’s Dr Mohd Mazri Yahya, who scored 10,330 votes (an increase of 12.47%).

Obviously, there has been a greater swing of rural Malay votes for Pakatan Harapan than Perikatan Nasional, destroying the opposition’s hope and wet dream of fooling the Johor Malay folks with racial bigotry and religious extremism. In short, regardless whether it was a lower turnout (Pulai) or higher turnout (Simpang Jeram), Pakatan has won more than 50% of the votes.

There are three ways to decipher the results. First – the ethnic Chinese voters, most of them working in Singapore and are largely Pakatan Harapan supporters, did not return to vote. This means most of the Malay voters had voted for Pakatan instead of the Opposition. If this is true, it also means that even the conservative Malays in Johor have rejected Perikatan Nasional.

Second – the ethnic Chinese voters came out in droves to vote for Pakatan Harapan, whilst the Malay voters did not bother to vote. But if this is true, it means the Johor Malays were both angry and disillusioned with extremist beliefs and behaviours demonstrated by leaders of Perikatan Nasional. They reject racist bigot Muhyiddin Yassin and religious extremist Hadi Awang.

Third, both Chinese and Malays communities preferred to stay at home instead of voting, leaving the ethnic Indian as kingmaker. Because Pulai and Simpang Jeram are ethnically-mixed seats, non-Malay voters must turn up in full force to balance the dissatisfaction among Malay voters based on last month’s six state election results. However, the low turnout suggests otherwise.

Like it or not, the northern Malays and the southern Malays do not see eye-to-eye about radical Islamist. Johor, thanks to its proximity to neighbouring Singapore, is more progressive, moderate and liberal than Kelantan, Terengganu, Perlis and Kedah. The green wave hits its first roadblock in Negeri Sembilan and has subsided when reaches Johor.

To make matters worse, former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad appears to have jinxed Perikatan Nasional left, right and centre. Fast losing his ability to think strategically and logically, the 98-year-old racist had predicted that the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) will “win big” if elections were to be held in 2022. Of course, UMNO “lost big”, winning only 26 seats.

Mahathir, who lost not only his own stronghold Langkawi but also his deposit, then predicted that Perikatan Nasional will easily win 5-1 in the August’s six state elections. The result was 3-3, where both Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional keep their respective three states. Less than 24 hours before the polling in Pulai and Simpang Jeram, he made another dumb prediction.

The former premier claimed that Johor would be as small as the state of Perlis if Pakatan Harapan were allowed to stay in power and sell land to foreigners. He begged Johor voters to punish the unity government through the ballot box. Hilariously, he told non-Malays not to fear Perikatan Nasional – even though the minorities are being suppressed and bullied.

Bangsa Johor listened to Mahathir’s twisted arguments and happily voted against his advice. But the old man was not the only problem that contributed to the opposition’s defeat. Former backdoor PM Muhyiddin, who is Perikatan Nasional chairman and president of Bersatu (Malaysian United Indigenous Party), unilaterally issued a “political fatwa” that it would be “haram” or sinful to vote for Pakatan Harapan.

Besides pretending to be more pious than “ulamas”, Muhyiddin has even spread lies and fake news that the Anwar-led unity government would redraw the boundaries and reallocate parliamentary seats in a redelineation exercise that will increase the number of federal seats from 222 to 300. Hence, he argued that the opposition must win Pulai federal seat to deny the federal government ruling coalition a two-thirds majority.

Again, Bangsa Johor was not impressed over Muhyiddin’s religious rhetoric. In fact, it was an insult to the intelligence of the Johor people to be compared with insecure Malays in the northern part who have been scammed into believing that the Malays are losing power. His wish to get 90% Malay voters to vote for Perikatan Nasional did not materialize.

Desperate for a state as Bersatu’s power base, Muhyiddin hoped that Johor – his birth state, where he served as chief minister for nine years up to 1995 – would swing. The plan to use Pulai and Simpang Jeram as a referendum to reject the current federal administration has backfired. Rather, Bangsa Johor decided to use the twin by-elections as a referendum to reject Perikatan Nasional. - FT

Syed Saddiq lack of maturity in thinking is becoming evident, as he appears unable to distinguish between principles and the well-being of the nation.Criticizing and insulting those who once aided him, labeling them as lapdogs and hypocrites, reflects a lack of principles and ingratitude.His current actions seem more akin to attempting to exert pressure on the government rather than setting a higher moral standard, making it reminiscent of what Zahid is accused of doing. - Kamsiah Haidar

cheers.