Krisis MB Selangor...

Penyelesaian terbaik untuk krisis MB Selangor...

Ramai orang yang mencari perbezaan yang terbaik. Tetapi dari perspektif perlembagaan ia adalah agak mudah: yang terbaik adalah sesuatu yang paling demokratik.

Yang meletakkan kepentingan rakyat di atas segala-galanya. Memandangkan Perlembagaan kita bertujuan untuk melaksanakan cita-cita demokrasi yang agak semula jadi.

Jika kita mengambil contoh "Langkah Kajang" telah mengakibatkan krisis Menteri Besar Selangor telah berlarutan selama kira-kira enam bulan sehingga sekarang. Walaupun PKR telah mencalonkan ADUN Kajang, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail untuk menggantikan penyandang Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

Perkara itu nampaknya masih tidak selesai, terutamanya selepas Presiden Pas, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang mengeluarkan kenyataan mempertahankan Khalid minggu lalu.

Dan perkara itu menjadi lebih rumit apabila Dr Zuhdi Marzuki, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif untuk pusat penyelidikan Pas, menjangkakan meninggalkan parti Pakatan Rakyat untuk bekerjasama dengan Umno-BN. Ini adalah dengan tujuan untuk membentuk kerajaan negeri akan datang.

Ia adalah benar  bahawa Setiausaha Agung Pas Datuk Mustafa Ali telah menjarakkan partinya daripada apa yang dipanggil Zuhdi sebagai analisis senario.

Namun pada hakikatnya, bahawa parti itu telah berkata perkara yang sama berulang kali. Dan ini termasuk Abdul Hadi sendiri.Ini menunjukkan imej ketidaksepakatan dalam kepimpinan Pakatan pada MB seterusnya bagi negeri terkaya di negara ini.

Dan dalam PKR sendiri walaupun keputusan sebulat suara dicapai pada mesyuarat biro politik nama lain telah menjadi buah mulut untuk kerusi panas itu: Dr Idris Ahmad, pakar sakit puan yang kini merupakan ADUN untuk Ijok.

Tidak seperti sistem presiden di mana kerajaan dipilih secara langsung oleh pengundi dalam sistem kita kerajaan dilantik oleh ketua negara. Bahawa walau apa pun hasrat pengundi masih tinggi.

Oleh itu keperluan di pihak ketua negara untuk melantik seseorang yang mendapat sokongan majoriti di dalam pilihan raya. Ini menggariskan prinsip bahawa walaupun kuasa untuk melantik kerajaan adalah mengikut budi bicara di pihak ketua negara ia perlu dilaksanakan dengan cara ia mencerminkan kehendak majoriti.

Ini adalah sebab mengapa Perlembagaan kita - seperti dalam demokrasi Westminster yang lain - yang menetapkan peraturan majoriti dalam proses pelantikan.

Walaupun Idris mungkin lebih diterima ke istana kerana dia puak Bugis dan dia berasal dari Selangor - tidak seperti Wan Azizah yang berasal dari Kedah dan bukan daripada puak itu - apa yang diambil kira dari sudut pandangan Perlembagaan adalah di mana sokongan majoriti ahli parlimen Pakatan di Dewan Undangan Selangor sebenarnya terletak.

Masih tidak jelas jika Wan Azizah mendapat sokongan daripada majoriti ahli parlimen Pakatan. Sehingga kini dia kelihatan mempunyai majoriti PKR dan DAP tetapi ini mungkin tidak cukup untuk membentuk majoriti mudah di dalam 56-anggota dewan.

Dan ditambah dengan kemunculan Idris dan ditambah pula dengan langkah Pas tidak menentu ia lebih berkemungkinan bahawa kita akan melihat “parlimen tergantung" atau seri dalam Dewan Undangan Negeri Selangor.

Apa pun meletakkan satu usul tidak percaya di dalam dewan untuk menyingkirkan Khalid nampaknya tidak menjadi pilihan. Selain daripada keadaan yang tidak menentu di dalam dewan itu juga tidak biasa dalam kebanyakan sistem: parti-parti politik lebih suka pergerakan yang tertutup.

Walau bagaimanapun pilihan yang terakhir tidak berguna apabila Khalid telah berikrar untuk menjalankan, langkah terbarunya yang menandatangani perjanjian air dengan kerajaan persekutuan yang diterajui Umno.

Ia adalah salah satu keputusan yang dibuat olehnya yang telah menimbulkan kemarahan pihak atasan Pakatan.

Apa yang kita lihat sekarang di Selangor adalah keadaan di mana tidak ada seorang  pun majoriti yang jelas dan ini boleh membawa kepada masalah yang serius.

Ini termasuk keadaan yang genting seperti kegagalan di pihak kerajaan negeri untuk mendapatkan bajet yang diluluskan atau bil yang telah ditolak oleh dewan.

Ia juga boleh membawa kepada masalah kesahihan; iaitu kuasa kerajaan negeri untuk menasihati Sultan. Oleh itu ia kini menjadi tanggungjawab Sultan untuk membuat langkah untuk menamatkan ketidaktentuan ini.

Sebagai raja berperlembagaan beliau perlu mempunyai sebuah kerajaan untuk menasihati beliau. Ini, dalam istilah biasa, bermakna negara mesti mempunyai kerajaan untuk menjalankan urusannya.

Dan ia hanya boleh dilakukan oleh ahli-ahli politik yang dipilih boleh dipertanggungjawabkan untuk dewan: istana dan perkhidmatan awam tidak boleh memerintah negeri ini jika yang tidak popular dipilih.

Jika terdapat majoriti yang jelas di dalam dewan maka dia boleh melantik mereka untuk memerintah negeri ini.

Tetapi pilihan ini kini tidak kelihatan berhasil dan oleh itu ia adalah untuk beliau sekarang adalah untuk membubarkan dewan. Ini akan membolehkan pilihan raya negeri di mana rakyat boleh memilih kerajaan yang mereka mahu.

Untuk Perlembagaan berkenaan istana mempunyai dua pilihan: untuk mendesak kepada Khalid untuk membuat permintaan untuk pembubaran atau, jika Khalid enggan berbuat demikian, membubarkan dewan itu sendiri. - Dr Abdul Aziz Bari

6 sebab mengapa Khalid perlu disingkirkan menurut PKR...

PKR menyenaraikan enam sebab mengapa Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim harus disingkirkan dari jawatan menteri besar Selangor, untuk meyakinkan PAS dan DAP calon lebih baik‎ diperlukan untuk memimpin negeri terkaya itu.

Dalam laporan diserahkan kepada pemimpin tertinggi Pakatan Rakyat (PR), PKR mengatakan integriti Khalid dipersoalkan apabila hutang RM66.67 juta menteri besar penggal kedua itu diselesaikan di luar mahkamah, perjanjian tanah meragukan dengan pemaju, projek Lebuh Raya Kidex, perjanjian penstrukturan air dengan Putrajaya, isu berkaitan kenaikan yuran lesen perniagaan, isu pungutan sampah dan jalan berlubang.

Dalam laporan setebal 24 muka surat itu, PKR menyifatkan keputusan penyelesaian luar mahkamah antara Khalid sebagai luar biasa pada ketika pihak Bank Islam mempunyai kes yang kukuh.

"Tindakan Bank Islam tidak meneruskan kes yang bakal dimenanginya untuk mengutip hutang daripada si penghutang satu keputusan luar biasa yang sangat jarang berlaku kepada rakyat biasa," kata laporan itu.

Menurut laporan tersebut, penyelesaian itu juga dicapai di luar pengetahuan peguam Bank Islam iaitu Tetuan Tommy Thomas dan diketahui selepas pihak bank menggugurkan pertuduhan di saat akhir pada Februari 2014.

Laporan itu juga dipetik berkata setiausaha politik Khalid berjumpa dengan tokoh korporat rapat dengan Umno, Tan Sri Rashid Manaf untuk berunding penyelesaian hutangnya.

"Akhirnya setiausaha politik Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim sendiri mengesahkan menteri besar ada beberapa kali berjumpa dengan Tan Sri Rashid Manaf untuk merundingkan penyelesaian hutangnya," laporan tersebut dipetik berkata.

Semalam, Setiausaha Agung PKR Datuk Saifuddin Nasution mendedahkan kerajaan negeri Selangor di bawah pentadbiran Khalid terlibat dalam urus niaga jualan tanah meragukan dengan Ecoworld Berhad, syarikat pemaju yang dipengerusikan Rashid sendiri.

PKR dalam laporan itu juga mendakwa Rashid sebagai tokoh yang rapat dengan Umno, beliau juga bekas peguam kepada Tun Daim Zainuddin yang juga bekas menteri kewangan.

Selain itu, keraguan juga ditimbulkan ketika penyelesaian tersebut dimeterai di mana ia berlaku pada masa sama "Langkah Kajang" diumumkan.

"Sebaik sahaja Langkah Kajang diumumkan, berita mula berlegar berlaku rundingan antara Khalid dengan Bank Islam yang diuruskan Rashid," kata laporan itu.

Laporan tersebut juga mendedahkan beberapa siri isu yang dilihat meragukan pihak PKR seperti rundingan air dan juga rayuan kes Liwat II membabitkan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Khalid menandatangani perjanjian penstrukturan air di antara kerajaan negeri Selangor dan Putrajaya pada 26 Februari dan sehari selepas itu, Pendaftar Mahkamah Rayuan memanggil Anwar untuk memaklumkan pengurusan kes beberapa permohonan rayuan akan didengari pagi itu juga.

Kemudiaannya, Anwar dijatuhi hukuman bersalah pada 7 Mac 2014 dan sekaligus menghilangkan kelayakan untuk bertanding di dalam Pilihan Raya Kecil Kajang.

"Kesemua fakta ini menimbulkan keraguan terhadap integriti Khalid dan mengundang pelbagai spekulasi," kata laporan itu.

PKR juga mendakwa Khalid sehingga hari ini gagal membuat penjelasan mengenai perkara yang dibangkitkan walaupun dinasihatkan.

Alasan kedua yang diberikan PKR adalah membabitkan perjanjian penstrukturan air antara Putrajaya dan kerajaan negeri Selangor, di mana ia didakwa merugikan.

"Beliau tidak menggunakan tekanan awam sebagai salah satu pendekatan untuk mendapatkan persetujuan daripada syarikat pemegang konsesi sedangkan umum mengetahui hubungkait syarikat ini dengan Umno dan Barisan Nasional," kata laporan itu.

PKR mempertikaikan langkah Khalid menggunakan pendekatan korporat (ala board room deals) dalam perjanajian air tersebut.

Alasan ketiga yang diberikan pula apabila Khalid secara terbuka menyokong pembinaan projek Lebuh Raya Kinrara-Damansara (Kidex) walaupun mendapat bantahan banyak pihak.

"Sokongan terbuka Khalid yang enggan memberi ruang kepada pendapat yang menentang juga bertentangan dengan arahan khusus yang dibuat Anwar mengenai pendekatan PKR mengurangkan bebanan rakyat dengan menentang kenaikkan tol," kata laporan itu.

Tiga alasan lain yang menjadi faktor keputusan menyingkir Khalid dipersetujui adalah melibatkan isu jalan berlubang, masalah sampah dan kenaikan lesen perniagaan sebanyak tiga kali ganda.

Khalid yang juga menteri besar dua penggal ketika ini berdepan kemungkinan disingkirkan partinya sendiri.

Malah, PKR sendiri secara terbuka mengumumkan pengganti Khalid dengan meletak presiden parti, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail sebagai calon.

Bagaimanapun, Khalid sehingga hari ini masih berkeras dan menyatakan pendirian enggan berganjak daripada jawatan menteri besar.

Dalam perkembangan terkini, Lembaga Disiplin PKR juga sudah menghantar surat tunjuk sebab kepada Khalid dan perlu menjawab sebelum Jumaat ini. – tmi

6 reasons PKR wants Khalid out

Khalid Ibrahim will lead to the resurgence of UMNO in Selangor...

Seems to me, Anwar Ibrahim has his hands full with Khalid Ibrahim’s obstinacy. Khalid has shown defiance to PKR. Thus far PKR has been treating him with political circumspect and more or less respectfully in view of his stature as MB.

It is Khalid’ conduct that is forcing the hands of PKR to wash its dirty laundry in public. There appears to be no one in PKR who can counsel Khalid on the proper political conduct. That is an impossible task given the nature of Khalid’s own constitution- what can others do, if Khalid thinks he is numero uno even eclipsing Anwar Ibrahim?

It is already an embarrassment to PKR when Khalid decided to seek guidance from PAS. This simply shows that Khalid hasn’t got anyone in the leadership of PKR to whom he can share his sad story. Khalid is isolated. PAS has failed to direct itself to read the situation.

He has to take political refuge with a party composed of men of God. By doing that, isn’t Khalid sending signals to all and sundry that PKR is a party that is not morally fit to pass judgment on him?  He stabs the party already. Khalid typifies the Malay description of the arrogant idiot/bodoh sombong- too clever to be followed, too stupid to be taught.

This should have been a simple internal case of PKR. PAS is bearing the negative consequences because it violates a very basic rule that governs relationship among friends- trust. If PAS cannot trust its partners, it should leave Pakatan.Either PAS does not trust PKR or Hadi does not trust Anwar Ibrahim.

PAS ought to have given trust to PKR believing that PKR is doing what is best for PR’s political agenda. As a result after its meeting this 10th of August, PAS could see itself divided into two camps.

Now, why should PAS risks implosion because of Khalid Ibrahim? PAS is not politically adroit. Its leaders do not have the political skill-sets.

PAS is trapped in some political moves not of their doing. Being the busy body, it has trapped itself because of some petty thinking on the part of its leaders. As a political leader, Haji Hadi has only shown himself to be less able.  

He has allowed himself to be misdirected in this issue- believing that that the removal of Khalid has not been endorsed by formal meetings. I am told that no less that 15 meetings were held supporting the removal of Khalid as MB.

Khalid feigned ignorance simply because he hasn’t attended many of the meetings held by PKR’s political bureau.

Haji Hadi misinformed Tok  Guri Nik Aziz on the process that took place to remove Khalid Ibrahim.

This is not a trivial matter- the removal of a sitting MB who is a member of a particular political party cannot be executed at the spur of the movement. It must have been subjected to some serious and intense deliberations on the part of PKR. PAS ought to have imputed some form of process and steps that must have been taken by PKR leading to its eventual announcement that Khalid is to be replaced. Khalid’s replacement is not the result of some people’s wet dreams.

Let’s be clear here. We are not talking about the leading luminaries of PAS in their religious capacities. We are talking about their political dexterity.

Suppose now UMNO moves a motion in the Selangor state assembly in support of Khalid Ibrahim staying on as MB. How will PAS vote? Will they vote along with UMNO therefore revealing that all the time, PAS covets working with UMNO? If they do, they will lose credibility among their loyal supporters.

How will PAS vote if such a motion were to be moved? If I were UMNO I will do this move just to kill off PAS. Remember UMNO’s agenda is to install itself as the sole voice of the Malays. PAS is their competitor in areas.

PKR has an option. Expel Khalid from PKR. Then he becomes an independent. Let’s see what he does. Since Khalid does not command any majority in the Selangor Assembly, he will be forced to resign. The fact that PKR has not sacked Khalid, should be taken by Khalid if he has any sense of propriety, that PKR is exercising political temperance.

Will he align himself with UMNO and then persuade PAS to go along? UMNO would love that. Once again, PAS is trapped between the devil and the deep blue sea. Once again PAS shows lack of political dexterity.

Khalid Ibrahim will not wilfully join UMNO. The man has no political ambitions. If he does join UMNO, that will only confirm the suspicions that he is a closet UMNO man. He will lose legitimacy and credibility and whatever sense of loyalty that he has accumulated this far, will disappear.

Khalid Ibrahim can of course go before the Sultan to ask for dissolution of the assembly. This means he has no love for the party that nominated him to become MB. He is willing to destroy everything.

If Selangor holds a snap election, does PAS think they can win back all 15 seats? If they work together with UMNO, will UMNO concede 15 seats? UMNO will want to contest in the very areas that PAS won.

UMNO will then realise, that in Selangor, PAS made inroads only because they were part of PR. Once the alliance is broken, PAS will be the most vulnerable.  UMNO will work overtime to ensure PAS wins no more than 5 seats. When that happens, UMNO emerges to claim, it is the sole voice for the Malays.

Khalid Ibrahim will be a main contributor to the resurgence of UMNO in Selangor.Hidup Khalid, Hidup UMNO.- Mohd.Ariff Sabri bin Hj. Abdul Aziz@sakmongkol ak47

Kak Wan for MB...

I’ve only met Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim (TSKI) once. He appeared a very quiet person in private. “Speak only when spoken to” is quite a neat motto to live by – it gets you out of trouble, they say. 

I would have never guessed that TSKI was a quiet person in public. I would expect him to answer allegations against him ethically and righteously – that’s his public persona as we know it. He was quiet, but never shy, I thought.

Nevertheless, he failed to answer when serious questions were posed to him. There is something wrong that these aplenty doubts were left unaddressed. There is something really wrong.

One-man only

Before Selangor entered its second term under TSKI, he was already known to be a player without the team – he played alone in all the positions for the every match. For example, the chapter of the exorbitant raise of elected representatives’ remuneration created an upheaval as the decision was made without the consultation of anyone. As it turns out, TSKI’s pattern of administration is such that he prefers to make the decision before merely “informing” his EXCOs, interest groups, and the public, as formality, I guess. “I got it down”, he implicitly tells you.

Selangor’s water restructuring deals can be criticized by virtue of the crisis in itself, or for TSKI’s behind-closed-doors agreements with the Federal Government, which was once again done without consultation. It was more than once that this pattern repeated, with the most recent one on the 1st of August. Realising the importance of the water restructuring deal and TSKI’s one-man-show behavior, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) even set up a special committee comprising of Tony Pua, Rafizi Ramli, Dr Dzulkefy Ahmad, and lawyer Tommy Thomas, for more accountability and monitoring the water restructuring processes. This committee soon became futile as TSKI never once consulted them.

TSKI was also oblivious over serious issues like the Bible raids, racial and religious tensions all happening in Selangor’s backyard, and several highly questionable projects like Kidex Highway and EcoWorld transactions. I personally find it also doubtful on why the 3rd Klang Bridge, which value nearing RM 200 million, was awarded to Cergas Murni, the same company that was allegedly responsible for the collapse of parts of the 2nd Penang Bridge on June last year. They claimed that it was awarded via an open tender process, but wouldn’t you, like me, have similar doubts on whether there was impropriety and needed at least a clarification?

Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim v Bank Islam

The most doubtful of all, for me, is what happened around TSKI’s court case against Bank Islam. It remains suspicious as to why Bank Islam would withdraw a RM 70 million case against TSKI - when it was conceded to be relatively straightforward for them – after an out-of-court settlement was made between TSKI and the other party. None of the terms of the settlement were made known even to TSKI’s own lawyer, and the supposed involvement of an “Umno fixer” in the settlement produces endless questions to an ordinary, discerning citizen.

TSKI is not a team player. And this continues to hurt PR as the overly authoritarian style of operating the state had no value of democracy thereon. I know the concept of how the separation of state administration and politics is an essential ingredient for greater efficiency in governance, but what use is it if TSKI is not able to communicate his decisions to his party, when his party is also ultimately accountable and answerable for the people who voted them in in the first place?

Kak Wan v TSKI; or Kak Wan v remaining PKR Selangor assemblypersons?

The debate on whether Dr Wan Azizah, or casually referred to as “Kak Wan”, is the most suitable candidate for the next Menteri Besar (MB) is not one of comparison between “Kak Wan vs TSKI”, but one comparing “Kak Wan vs other remaining PKR Selangor assemblypersons”.

This is because pursuant to the highly doubtful integrity of TSKI, it is not a question for PKR, that TSKI must go before Selangor is eventually lost to BN again in the next election if all these problems dragged on. With credible allegations of corruption against TSKI and the many incompetent management of the state, it is best to remove him from the MB post he was appointed to by his party. His refusal to comply that party decision also speaks volume now on his “changed” character, and adds validity to these allegations against him.

Our vote is dedicated to which party we place our confidence in. It is not a vote to choose who will be the MB of our state – there is no such option in the form that we fill to vote. It is the party that we placed our trust in to appoint the person as MB. If the party is unsatisfied with the performance of the MB, it is entirely proper for the party to switch to another assemblyperson for the post, if the party feels appropriate to fulfill the mandate from the people. This also can mean that it does not matter if any of the allegations have differing levels of validity, as the party is entitled to remove the MB it appointed. This is how our system works.

But if we do think it important to compare Kak Wan to TSKI anyway, then against the numerous incompetency and serious allegations against TSKI, Kak Wan seems to be the better choice.

“Selangor MB must come from PKR,” PR agreed

So if that first hurdle is overcome, then the debate evolves around whether Kak Wan is the best among the remaining PKR assemblypersons to take the role of MB.

And it has to come from PKR and PKR only. This is the principled pact made between Pakatan Rakyat, and it is convention (what usually is the case) that the other PR parties will agree to the candidate nominated by the party for the MB post. It was once again reaffirmed in the meeting of presidential councils of PR recently, that it was entirely the prerogative of PKR to nominate its own candidate for MB, and the other parties are ready to comply with that decision.

The most apparent precedent that must be followed by PR is that of PAS’s Kedah MB post before GE13, whereby PKR and DAP agreed with PAS’s nomination of MB, despite many within PKR and DAP were eager to push for a change in PAS’s nomination. This is also true in the case of Penang and Kelantan, where the other 2 parties agreed with the first nomination they place for the MB post.

Hadi Awang’s refusal to accept Kak Wan, albeit not officially yet, is reneging on the principled pact PR has, and he has to realize this. He must respect PKR’s official endorsement of Kak Wan as MB and assent to it, just like how DAP has done so. That is why August 10th’s meeting will decide the fate of PR, as an inability to stay to its pact, there is no use of PR anymore.

I assume, only under extraordinary circumstances - and the dissenting party has to produce good reasons therefore – that a party can disagree with the nomination of the party given prerogative for the selection. The reasons for dissent that we hear from PAS were two: Kak Wan is unsuitable as she was a woman, and/or Kak Wan will be merely a shadow of Anwar Ibrahim and not able to carry out decisions on her own (“puppet”, or nepotism).

I will not even address the first reason, it’s absurd in itself.

The sexism behind “No to Kak Wan”

Nepotism is a form of favourtism given to a person by virtue of being a relative to the one in power. It is convenient for us to make such accusations when in politics we see there are familial relations one has to another in power. However, we must note that nepotism can only be present whenever the beneficiary is one which has no appropriate qualification, and would not have gained that position otherwise.

There is also – similar to the “being a woman” reason – a hidden sexist element to accusations on Kak Wan that she is merely a puppet for her husband. It is sexist because we accuse her for gaining such selections merely by being the wife of Anwar Ibrahim, before ever paying attention to the merits and clout that she possesses as a candidate in her own right.

PAS judges Kak Wan as someone prima facie “less-of” by virtue of her being a woman. It does not make sense that just because her husband is a prominent leader that we are unable to take her on her own merits. It is greatly sexist to say that she is nothing more than the wife of a prominent leader before we acknowledge her achievements. Just because some of her achievements in politics are gained indirectly from the injustices against her husband, it doesn’t negate what she has been.

All these, therefore, yearns the question on whether Kak Wan is the best candidate among the remaining pool of PKR Selangor assemblypersons.

Do we know Kak Wan?

Kak Wan is one of the most academically brilliant politicians we have in the opposition (top student awarded gold from Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland). She has professional experience as a doctor for 14 years, she served as the PKR party president - which people greatly underestimate, where in fact there are many achievements that can be credited to her -   for over 15 years, she won 3 Parliamentary elections and 1 state election, she was the leader of opposition, she was the leader of PR, and possibly one of the female politicians who had stayed in top political positions for a long period of time. 

She is a well-respected female leader in her own right – easily defeating many incompetent male leaders. For the sake of completeness, Kak Wan – unlike TSKI – has been known to be consultative and a listener who is open to opinions. Also, she had not in her political life enunciated or done anything to suggest that she is an incapable and unfit leader. And unlike many of our politicians, Kak Wan is a politician who is clean from any scandals or impropriety.

We are uncomfortable to accept her because we are stigmatized with the experiences where Kak Wan was always only a replacement for her husband when in times of need. However, we must agree that Kak Wan has a proven track record that is above all the other PKR Selangor assemblypersons at the moment. That is perhaps why we hadn’t heard any suggestions on other potential candidates instead of Kak Wan thus far.

Our romanticism with a leader who is a downright masculine male with an outstanding corporate career in accordance our definition of “successful”, must go. Because, if anything to take away from this TSKI debacle at all, TSKI just proves that a corporate giant like him is able to screw up the state administration too.

We unfairly set a high benchmark for Kak Wan to fulfill as an MB because of this romanticism, whereas we just fully trusted TSKI when he had no prior experience as an MB before his first term. The same goes other MBs when there is such a change in our state administration - we just accepted them. Unless you can genuinely show a more qualified candidate than Kak Wan in Selangor assemblypersons from PKR, you might just have a bias against Kak Wan.

NIMBY

Malaysians hate messiness in state and federal administration, I admit. We are easily frustrated and like to use the word “politics” to conclude all unfavourable situations and blame all politically associated people. And we’re also NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard).

Would we prefer the status quo TSKI mess, or prefer to endure this transitional messiness to clean things up? TSKI is from PKR and he has caused the mess. It is imperative that PKR cleans up the mess he has made.

It is not unconstitutional to do what PKR is doing, nor are they circumventing any laws or conventions by doing so. PKR is following the rules of our political system, TSKI isn’t. - James Chai, tmi 

Isreal blown up the head of an innocent young little girl. 

The little girl lost her face and her brain. Died of course...

Apakah bayi ini tiada hak untuk hidup merdeka di tanah airnya sendiri...

cheers.

MCA fobia dengan cat hijau tapi pasai baja 'cap dacing' depa kecut teloq...

Pangsapuri dicat hijau, ada lambang BULAN lagi...

Tindakan mengecat empat daripada 26 blok pangsapuri di Taman Tun Sardon di sini dengan warna dan corak yang menyerupai lambang sebuah parti politik menimbulkan rasa kurang senang penduduk.

Dakwa mereka perbuatan itu boleh menyebabkan penduduk berpecah belah.

“Memang warna itu cantik tapi bila depa (mereka) letak macam lambang parti rasa tidak syok. Lambang parti apa pun tak patut dicat (pada bangunan pangsapuri). Masyarakat boleh berpecah belah pasal politik,” kata Zainab Bee Mohd Yusof, 68, ketika ditemui hari ini. 

Dia yang tinggal di pangsapuri empat tingkat tersebut sejak 1983 berkata tindakan itu juga tidak sesuai kerana sekarang bukan musim pilihan raya.

“Kalau nak cat warna bendera Malaysia tak apalah juga, sebab melambangkan semua masyarakat, tetapi kalau (lambang) parti ni ada yang sokong parti lain, ini yang tak syok,” katanya.

Tinjauan Bernama di situ mendapati Blok AH, AG, AJ dan AK yang dalam proses dicat baharu dengan warna hijau dan putih turut memaparkan bulatan berwarna putih pada bahagian teratas dinding.

Jun lepas, akhbar rasmi kerajaan DAP Pulau Pinang Buletin Mutiara melaporkan Pengerusi Perancangan Bandar, Desa dan Perumahan negeri Jagdeep Singh Deo mengumumkan peruntukan RM1 juta untuk pelaksanaan kerja mengecat melibatkan 26 blok pangsapuri Taman Tun Sardon itu.

Sementara itu, penduduk empat blok berkenaan turut melahirkan kebimbangan terhadap kerja-kerja mengecat yang dilihat mengabaikan aspek keselamatan.

Wakil penduduk Mohamed Ismail Osman, 47, berkata, kerangka besi bertingkat dipasang seminggu sebelum Aidilfitri tetapi proses mengecat fasa kedua taman itu hanya bermula Sabtu lepas.

“Kerangka besi itu hanya diikat menggunakan dawai halus, penyokongnya tidak kukuh. Beberapa kali besi yang panjang lebih sedepa terjatuh…mujur tidak kena orang. Di sini dekat dengan taman permainan ada ramai budak-budak.

“Penduduk juga tidak terima notis awal, mereka cakap pakai mulut saja masa nak mula kerja mengecat. Kami tak sempat nak ubah kenderaan, habis kena tempias cat,” katanya kepada pemberita.

Mohamed Ismail berkata beliau telah memaklumkan perkara itu kepada Jabatan Keselamatan dan Kesihatan Pekerjaan (Dosh) dan kesal kerana pihak kerajaan negeri yang melantik syarikat kontraktor berkenaan tidak memberi respons memuaskan ketika aduan dibuat.

Sementara itu, Pengarah Dosh Pulau Pinang Mohd Anuar Embi ketika dihubungi mengesahkan menerima aduan daripada penduduk pada Jumaat lepas dan berkata pegawainya akan meninjau flat tersebut hari ini.

“Dosh akan siasat dan teliti perkara ini. Jika benar peraturan keselamatan tidak dipatuhi, kami boleh mengarahkan kerja mengecat bangunan berkenaan dihentikan untuk sementara waktu sehingga tindakan lanjut diambil,” katanya. – Bernama

MCA tak complaint pun pasai pemberian baja 'CAP DACING' kepada peladang2, bagi MCA ini ethical kot...

Penang’s move to paint apartments in PAS colours...

If the Penang state government has its way four of the 26 apartment blocks in Taman Tun Sardon, George Town , will be painted in PAS colours and symbol.

This has raised the heckles of MCA Vice President Chew Mei Fun. She says this is unethical and a clear sign of DAP campaigning for PAS.

” Turning housing units into political advertisements will further divide the community.” Chew said in a press statement.

Chew also raised concern over the fact that certain Pakatan leaders “might prevent BN supporters from living in the ‘PAS’ apartments”.

“The RM1million allocation to repaint the apartment blocks, as announced by state Housing exco Jagdeep Singh, are public funds,and using the funds to advertise their political party is unethical and smacks of power abuse.”

“If not stopped, we might see paintings of DAP’s “Rocket” and PKR’s “eye” being painted on public buildings, which the DAP state government will proudly term as “street art” to prevent local authorities from washing it away,” said Chew.- fmt

Edward Chan Wai Thim - Every one will expect the white circle to eventually contain the block number. Only people with preconceived notion or jaded views or just plain want to get some media mileage will think otherwise.

Jonathan Chew  - And all the police stations are painted blue.

Tan YG  - Even painting a building colour Green also catch the attention of a Minister. It's good to be a BN Minister, he has nothing to comment except petty issues. The bigger issue at hand this week is the 480% toll rates increase at the causeway, where are you CMF? Remember, the causeway is not purposely build to catch Singapore drivers but Malaysians use that too. In fact, at least 70% of the users are Malaysians. Don't punish your own citizens as no one can stomach it, can you?

Fresh election in Selangor will see end of Pakatan Rakyat...

Pakatan Rakyat will be destroyed if Selangor has to go through a fresh state-level election.

Penang Institute fellow Wong Chin Huat believes this would be the case, not on grounds that the rakyat will vote for the BN, but rather because most people will not be bothered to vote.

"Then you will also have a third party, who will come and split the votes and as such, you will have BN back in power," Wong (below) said.

He said this at a forum last night on the on-going menteri besar crisis in Selangor, and then went on to cite the 1977 crisis in Kelantan.

In that situation, then Kelantan menteri besar Mohamad Nasir was accused of defying party instructions and despite demands, he had refused to give up his position.

This led to elections being called in the state a year later and it saw Umno winning back Kelantan.

"Just look at Kelantan then. PAS was left with only two seats," Wong pointed out.

Wong had earlier proposed that Pakatan holds a leadership election to solve the ongoing Selangor menteri besar crisis.

‘Give power back to the coalition caucus’

"We should give the power back to the coalition caucus. All 44 Pakatan assemblypersons in Selangor should decide whether Abdul Khalid Ibrahim should stay or not.

"If Khalid is defeated, then he should go. But if he is victorious, then he should stay, since he has the mandate," said Wong, adding that this should be done by secret ballot, so that no one could claim he or she was threatened to vote for a particular person.

He also likened the country's political system (parliamentarianism) to a football match.

"You can't have a lone ranger, and you can't have him kicking the ball the way he wants, right?"

Correcting the misconception that a menteri besar must have committed a crime to be sacked, Wong said a person in the post can even be sacked should he lose the confidence of his colleagues.

Wong also commented on the vote of no confidence, which he said should only be necessary when the party discipline breaks down or the party breaks up.

Law professor Azmi Sharom (below), on the other hand, said a vote of no confidence was necessary if Pakatan decides not to have a leadership election.

However, Azmi stressed that the vote of no confidence must be ascertained on the floor of the legislature and "not in some room in the sultan's palace".

He added: "The sultan should not become like a ball that is used by both parties."

‘Politics viewed as a way to make money’

The Universiti Malaya legal scholar also opined that politicians are reluctant to let go of power when they view politics as a way to make money.

"If you view politics as a money-making thing, you will not let go and will continue to hang on.

"It should be otherwise, because when you are in politics, you should be serving the people," Azmi said.

The chief executive officers of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas), Wan Saiful Wan Jan (below), said it was time for Khalid to step down because his own party had asked him to vacate his post.

"As such, Khalied should abide by the party decision," Wan Saiful said.

On views that PAS and DAP should also have a say on who becomes the next Selangor menteri besar, Wan Saiful said going by the same logic, DAP should have a say on who becomes the Kelantan menteri besar and PKR should have a say on who becomes the chief minister of Penang.

Wan Saiful also hit out at PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang who had expressed support for Khalid to continue as menteri besar.

"It sets a bad precedent - that it is okay to rebel. I don't think he (Hadi) is suitable to be the party president anymore."

However, Wan Saiful admitted that the whole mess was started by PKR itself, by re-appointing Khalid as the head of the Selangor government after the 2013 general election.

He said naming party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to replace Khalid was also not helping matters.

Picking Wan Azizah smacks of nepotism...

"The worse possible candidate is Wan Azizah, for it smacks of nepotism and cronyism. It also shows desperation, as though they don't have any other candidate.

"I do not have a problem with her personally, but I have a problem with the idea that she will not be an independent decision maker,” Wan Saiful said.

As such, he said he was also not surprised why PAS was hesitant to support Khalid's removal.

"PAS is a diverse party. Nevertheless, with the fracturing of the different groups in PAS, the progressives should start thinking about splitting from the conservatives."

However, Wong disagreed with Wan Saiful on the appointment of Wan Azizah, saying that in the process of democratisation, if nepotism was needed to build a stronger party, "so be it".

He also feels strongly that PKR should not destroy Khalid's reputation.

"Why are all the allegations only coming out now? If the allegations are really on issues which affect integrity, then those issues should be pursued even after he steps down," Wong said.

Yesterday, party secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution charged that Khalid's integrity had “become doubtful” following his RM66 million out-of-court loan settlement with Bank Islam. - mk

Pilihanraya baru undang kehancuran Pakatan Rakyat...

Rafizi wants S'gor snap polls in event of MB deadlock 

LIVE DI SINI n SINI

cheers.

New Zealand tanya bila Malaysia nak serah Rizalman...

Bila Malaysia akan serah Rizalman kepada New Zealand...

Akhbar New Zealand Herald pada Ahad mempersoalkan bila kerajaan Malaysia akan menyerahkan Muhammad Rizalman Ismail kepada negara itu untuk diadili selepas menghadapi dakwaan cubaan merogol seorang warganya.

Melalui ruangan pendapat editor, akhbar itu berkata, New Zaland menuntut penjelasan mengapa proses menghantar kembali pegawai waran II itu masih tiada sebarang perkembangan.

"Awal bulan lalu, Malaysia memberikan komitmen untuk mengembalikan Rizalman ke New Zealand dan berkata keadilan perlu ditegakkan.

"Namun, diplomat itu kemudiannya dimasukkan ke hospital tentera bagi menerima rawatan psikiatris dan dibebaskan lebih seminggu lalu. Namun dalam masa terdekat tiada tanda dia akan kembali ke New Zealand," kata akhbar berkenaan.

Kes itu menjadi topik utama media Malaysia dan New Zealand apabila Rizalman pulang ke Malaysia atas imuniti diplomatik walaupun dia ditahan pada 9 Mei atas cubaan merompak dan merogol.

Dia didakwa di mahkamah keesokan harinya.

Pada Ahad 6 Julai, hari Rizalman sepatutnya dihantar pulang, Panglima Angkatan Tentera Tan Sri Zulkefli Mohd Zin berkata tarikhnya masih belum diputuskan kerana keadaan kesihatan mental dan emosinya masih dalam pemerhatian.

Penghantaran pulang Rizalman terpaksa ditangguhkan buat sementara waktu selepas doktor mengarahkan satu lagi ujian psikologi ke atasnya kerana dia kelihatan mengalami masalah mental dan kemurungan.

Akhbar berkenaan berkata, Menteri Luar New Zealand Murray McCully dan pegawainya juga masih tidak memberikan sebarang kenyataan jelas tarikh sebenar Rizalman akan dihantar untuk dibicarakan di Welington.

"Adakah Rizalman kini cuba mendapat ekstradisi?" soal akhbar berkenaan.

Rizalman didakwa menyerang Tania Billingsley, 21, di kediamannya.

Mangsa mendakwa, suspek meninggalkan negara itu di luar kehendaknya dan dia merasakan pihak berkuasa New Zealand tidak bersungguh-sungguh dalam mengendalikan kesnya. – tmi

When will Malaysian sex-assault suspect go on trial, asks NZ daily...

New Zealand daily has questioned the country's foreign affairs minister for keeping mum over the delay in returning a Malaysian defence officer, due to be extradited from Malaysia last month to face charges of burglary and assault.

Mohammed Rizalman Ismail (pic), a Second Warrant officer attached to the Malaysian High Commission, was to be sent back to New Zealand almost a month ago, but the New Zealand Herald said Wellington had been silent on the matter.

"Not only did this not happen but we are no closer to knowing when he will actually stand trial in Wellington.

"Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully and his officials are refusing to shed any light on Rizalman's return," said the paper in its Sunday editorial yesterday.

It questioned how a process which seemed "straightforward has become so involved".

Putrajaya had last month said it would return Rizalman to New Zealand, following the storm created when it was discovered that Malaysia had invoked diplomatic immunity to allow him home.

Rizalman was later admitted to Tuanku Mizan Military Hospital in Kuala Lumpur for psychiatric treatment, and according to the Herald, he was released more than a week ago.

"But it seems now that he will not be back in New Zealand any time soon," the paper added.

It also questioned whether Malaysia was now resisting his extradition.

"Has it changed from the initial placatory attitude to New Zealand?"

Rizalman flew back to Malaysia on May 22 after Wisma Putra invoked diplomatic immunity for him.

The case has dominated headlines in both countries despite his arrest in Wellington on May 9.

Rizalman, a father of three, had allegedly followed 21-year-old Tania Billingsley from a bus stop to her Brooklyn house, before breaking in and undressing himself. The woman fought him off and neighbours went to her aid.

The Herald warned that further delaying Rizalman's day at court was delaying justice to his alleged victim.

"Has neither the government nor the ministry heard the legal maxim that justice delayed is justice denied? As the allegedly injured party, Billingsley has the right to see justice done as soon as possible," it added.

Malaysian lawyers, too, had questioned Putrajaya's rationale in holding back Rizalman for more psychiatric tests, arguing only the trial court in New Zealand can order that the sex-assault suspect to undergo mental evaluation.

They also said Putrajaya was undermining the New Zealand justice system every single day it delayed sending back the 38-year-old soldier to face sexual assault and burglary charges in Wellington.

Lawyer M. Visvanathan said Rizalman must be sent back for a trial as the soldier has been charged with two offences.

"The Kiwis are fair-minded and I am sure he will get a fair trial," he told The Malaysian Insider last month.

According to media reports, Rizalman is undergoing a second round of psychiatric assessments at Tuanku Mizan Military Hospital.

The reports said his mental condition had to be evaluated so that it would hold up in New Zealand courts.

Visvanathan said keeping Rizalman at the hospital was a mockery of the New Zealand court because the findings were of little or no value there.

"Our credibility is at stake by delaying his departure. We are seen as challenging the New Zealand legal and judicial system.”

Another lawyer, S. N. Nair, said Rizalman must be allowed to go through the due process, adding that he was innocent until proven guilty.

"Putrajaya must engage a counsel for Rizalman there who will apply to the court for an expert to determine his mental state.”

He said the report by local doctors was insignificant as Rizalman would be subject to the New Zealand criminal procedure code.

However, lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad said the reports prepared by local doctors could be tendered in a New Zealand court.


"I believe the investigators there will also send Rizalman to a hospital there and a report will be tendered in court," he said.- tmi

MIC bertempik mengenai Ustaz Shahul, tetapi diam berkenaan Zulkifli Noordin. Mengapa...

Ia adalah sesuatu yang buruk apabila kaum dan agama dipermainkan bagi meraih sokongan.

Ini seolah-olah yang berlaku dalam kes "serbuk kari" Ustaz Shahul Hamid(gambar,bawah) yang menghina penganut agama Hindu dan kaum India yang menurutnya adalah usaha, "... untuk menarik perhatian penonton saya".

Sudah tentu rakaman video beliau mengejek Kuil Ular Cina di Pulau Pinang, dewa-dewi Hindu dan agama Hindu dan juga upacaranya yang yang telah dimuat naik ke laman media sosial, telah menimbulkan kemarahan di kalangan orang bukan Islam dan masyarakat Islam.

Di antara yang marah dengannya adalah MIC.

Pada 30 Julai, Pemuda MIC dan beberapa pertubuhan bukan kerajaan yang lain telah menganjurkan protes di Brickfields, bagi menggesa pihak berkuasa mengambil tindakan terhadap Shahul kerana menghina agama Hindu.

Tindakan mempertahankan agama adalah sesuatu yang mulia, tetapi mengapa ia tidak dilakukan setiap kali agama itu dihina?

Bukan ini yang nampaknya dilakukan MIC.

Pada tahun 2013, ahli-ahli pelbagai kumpulan India dilaporkan membantah ahli Perkasa, Datuk Zulkifli Noordin (yang ketika itu merupakan naib presiden kumpulan itu) kerana menghina agama Hindu.

Zulkifli bukan sahaja menggelarkan kaum India Malaysia sebagai "keling", tetapi juga dipaksa meminta maaf pada 1 April 2013 selepas sebuah video yang menyinggung perasaan, di mana beliau menceritakan bagaimana beliau menimbulkan persoalan kepada seorang pedagang India mengapa dewa-dewa Hindu tidak menyelamatkan kedai lelaki itu daripada banjir, tersebar di Internet.

"Saya bertanya kepada peniaga itu kenapa dia tidak meletakkan berhala di hadapan kedainya dan berkata, ‘Ini adalah kedai Tuhan. Tuhan harus menolong. Jika Tuhan anda tidak mampu menghentikan air, apa yang dia boleh buat? Minta dia untuk hentikannya.

Kesucian Sungai Ganges yang dianggap penganut Hindu sebagai suci juga tidak terlepas dari Zulkifli.

"Saya pernah pergi ke Sungai Ganga. Bagaimana anda boleh kata yang ianya suci? Ada bangkai ayam dan ranting-ranting kayu terapung," Zulkifli dilaporkan berkata.

Seolah-olah mengejek penganut Hindu, Zulkifli juga menyifatkan apa yang disifatkan "sikap tergesa-gesa untuk membeli berhala-berhala yang rosak."

"Ramai orang India berebut untuk membeli patung-patung dewa gajah, walaupun yang patah belalainya... Saya bertanya mengapa mereka membeli patung ini, [apabila] belalainya telah rosak. Dia berkata, 'tidak mengapa, kami akan tampalnya semula.' Tuhan-tuhan mereka juga perlu dilekatkan semula," kata beliau.

Tetapi mengapa tidak MIC bersuara atau membantah ini kemudiannya?

Malah, Zulkifli tidak hanya terlepas dengan hanya perlu memohon maaf, beliau juga telah diletakkan sebagai calon Barisan Nasional (BN) menentang calon PAS, Ahli Parlimen Shah Alam Khalid Samad, dan akhirnya telah kalah.

Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak juga dilaporkan memberitahu pengundi bahawa Zulkifli adalah seorang pejuang masyarakat India.

Benarkah begitu? Seorang lelaki yang mencaci penganut dan agama Hindu adalah pejuang kaum India?

Pada tahun 2008, Zulkifli memenangi kerusi Parlimen Bandar Baharu Kulim sebagai calon PKR, tetapi pada tahun 2010 beliau menjadi calon Bebas mesra BN selepas dia dipecat daripada parti kerana mengkritik pemimpin-pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat.

Adakah MIC senyap kerana Zulkifli adalah ahli Perkasa yang merupakan sekutu rapat Umno, dengan kerajaan mengakui ia memberi "beberapa peruntukan" kepada kumpulan pelampau itu?

Adakah mereka membantah Shahul kerana beliau merupakan ahli PAS?

Perbezaan dalam tindak balas kepada dua insiden yang menghina penganut dan agama Hindu ini, menimbulkan persoalan sama ada tunjuk perasaan oleh MIC kali ini disebabkan oleh agenda politik, dan bukannya bagi mempertahankan penganut Hindu dan agama itu.- theantdaily

MIC vocal on Ustaz Shahul but silent on Zulkifli Noordin. Why? 

Airstrike near U.N. school kills 10 mostly children...cuba bayangan jika mereka itu saudara mara anda...

Jadi betullah Malaysia dan Isreal berdagang...

cheers.

Nazri tibai MCA pasai Guan Eng...

Nazri sifatkan MCA tidak relevan selepas dikritik atas sokongan terhadap Guan Eng...

Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz menyifatkan MCA tidak lagi relevan sejak pilihan raya umum (PRU) lalu selepas parti Cina itu mengkritiknya atas sokongan kepada kerajaan Pulau Pinang yang melarang warga asing menjadi tukang masak di warung dan gerai makan.

Menteri Pelancongan dan Kebudayaan itu berkata MCA seharusnya melihat usaha kerajaan negeri Pulau Pinang itu akan membuka lebih banyak peluang pekerjaan kepada warga tempatan.

"Saya tak kisah apa yang mereka katakan. Saya pentingkan rasa makanan peniaga tempatan.

"Bagi saya, kita tidak boleh meminta warga Bangladesh memasak makanan Cina dan mengharapkan rasanya enak kerana ia pasti berbeza dengan apa yang dimasak warga tempatan," katanya.

Justeru itu, Nazri menyokong cadangan Lim walaupun ketua menteri itu berbeza aliran politiknya.

"Bagi saya, Lim benar dalam hal ini kerana apa yang penting pelancong datang ke Malaysia.

"Peniaga warung di Pulau Pinang terkenal dan jika 10 juta pelancong datang ke Pulau Pinang, ia bermakna melawat Malaysia," katanya.

Beliau mengulas kenyataan Setiausaha Agung Pemuda MCA Leong Kim Soon yang menyelar sokongannya terhadap Lim yang melarang warga asing menjadi tukang masak di warung.

MCA berkata sokongan Nazri itu memberi gambaran Putrajaya bersetuju dengan cadangan tersebut.

Nazri berkata kepada The Malaysian Insider bahawa apa yang dikatakan MCA tidak dihiraukannya terutamanya parti itu tidak lagi relevan selepas PRU13.

Beliau turut mempersoalkan mengapa MCA mempolitikkan isu itu dan secara tiba-tiba mengambil berat tentang pekerja asing berbanding pekerja tempatan.

“Apa yang mereka kisahkan kepada pekerja asing?

“Tak peliklah mereka kalah pilihan raya lepas kerana mereka tidak mempunyai arah yang betul,” katanya.

Leong berkata jika pekerja asing dan tempatan dapat menyediakan masakan yang sama rasa dan standardnya, isunya kembali kepada bagaimana menangani pekerja asing itu.

“Biasanya, pekerja asing menyediakan masakan selepas semua bahan disediakan.

“Tiada yang dipanggil sentuhan rahsia apabila bahan dan ramuan semuanya sudah disediakan,” katanya.

Nazri berkata beliau setuju dengan cadangan Lim bagi memelihara rasa masakan jalanan warisan negeri.

Katanya, kerajaan negeri akan berdepan kesukaran mempromosikan warung Pulau Pinang jika warga asing yang menjadi tukang masaknya.

“Ia tidak akan sama. Saya fikir warga tempatan perlu berbangga dengan masakan yang menjadi kemasyhuran Pulau Pinang.

“Rakyat tempatan mesti menyokong memelihara standard, kualiti dan warisan makanan Pulau Pinang,” katanya.

Leong dalam mempersoalkan sokongan Nazri berkata, pengambilan tukang masak warga asing akan dapat mengatasi kekurangan tenaga kerja. – tmi

Nazri lashes MCA on ban on foreign cooks issue...

Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz has blasted the MCA for defending the interest of foreigners and not Malaysians when the party criticised him for supporting the ban on foreign cooks.   

Nazri said he does not care about what MCA says as "the party does not represent the rakyat".   He added that the MCA has "truly lost its direction" as it was not showing concern about Penangites or its local food, which the party should do, instead of speaking out for foreigners. 

"Moreover, they don't have any seats in Penang, they are speaking on behalf of who?" he asked Malaysiakini, when contacted.   He said the trouble with MCA, was that they just want to oppose Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (right), whether he was right or wrong. 

"For me, if Guan Eng is right, I will support," the minister added.   "If they have a problem with Guan Eng, that is not my problem, it is theirs, they have to deal with it," he stressed.   

Protecting Penangites 

Nazri said he was more interested in protecting Penangites who lost their jobs or income due to hawkers hiring foreigners to do the job.   He added he was also very concerned about preserving Penang food's unique tastes which are famous internationally. 

"I am in the cabinet and all of us are concerned about the two million documented foreigners and two million undocumented ones in the country," he said.   

"As for Penang food, before the taste deteriorates further with foreign cooks, it is good that the matter be looked into, and I am only talking about hawkers and not five star hotels or Italian restaurants," he added.   

Nazri also criticised those who described as "xenophobia" the proposal to ban foreign cooks.   

"Please go back to class and learn the real meaning of xenophobia - the word is probably to bombastic for such people," he quipped. 

He was responding to MCA youth secretary general Leong Kim Soon for criticising him for "agreeing" with Guan Eng on the issue, saying it might be for "personal publicity".   

Leong had questioned if Nazri really comprehended that Guan Eng’s proposal would have a real impact on Penang as a foodie’s paradise.   

Leong also pointed out that the online survey taken by the Penang state government to obtain feedback regarding its proposal was "littered with errors".   

"I hope that Nazri can understand that as a tourism minister, his remarks to a large extent, represents the federal government’s position," Leong had said.   

Nazri had fully backed Guan Eng's Penang's proposal to ban foreigners from working as cooks at hawker stalls, in a move to preserve the authenticity of Penang's famous street food.  He made the remark after launching the Georgetown Festival (GTF) 2014 in Penang, according to The Star.   

Guan Eng's proposal had been criticised by well-known chef, Redzuwan Ismail, better known as Chef Wan, who said Malaysia would be a laughing stock if the move was implemented.- mk

1 Malaysia.Indon didahulukan pencapaian entah ke mana...

cheers.

Polis buat 'dont know' saja ketika magsa kemalangan dibalun...

Polis hanya tengok mangsa kemalangan diserang...

ADUN Pandamaran Eric Tan menuntut polis Selangor menjelaskan tindakan pasukan itu yang didakwa gagal bertindak dalam dua kes melibatkan mangsa kemalangan yang didakwa diserang oleh orang ramai di tempat kejadian.

“Beliau (Ketua Polis Selangor Datuk Abdul Samah Mat) mesti memberi penjelasan mengapa polis tidak bertindak.

“Apa rancangan berliau sebagai ketua polis Selangor yang baru untuk memperbaikinya?

“Saya fikir penambahbaikan ini amat diperlukan segera kerana masyarakat menderita setiap hari,” katanya dalam satu sidang media bersama individu yang terlibat dalam kejadian tersebut.

Dalam kes pertama, seorang pemilik syarikat tunda kereta, Ngiam Kee Buh memberitahu sidang media itu berhubung kejadian melibatkan pekerjanya.

Katanya, pekerja itu memberitahunya bahawa tiga orang pegawai polis bertugas di satu pasar Ramadan di berhampiran lokasi kemalangan.

Kemalangan jalan raya itu didakwa melibatkan sebuah Proton Wira yang melanggar tiga buah kenderaan yang diparkir di satu cerun jejambat kerana pemandunya, Lee Keng Long, cuba mengelak sebuah kenderaan dari arah hadapan yang masuk ke lorongnya.

Ngiam mendakwa polis gagal bertindak ketika sekumpulan individu menyerang pemandu tersebut. Anggota berkenaan didakwa hanya memandang kejadian tersebut selepas ditolak ke sisi oleh penyerang tersebut.

Beliau bercakap di sidang media itu keraja pekerjanya itu enggan berbuat demikian untuk menejalskan kejadian yang didakwa berlaku pada dini hari, 26 Julai di Klang, di bulatan Kota Klang.

Kejadian kedua pula berlaku sekitar jam 3.30 pagi keesokan harinya. Seorang individu yang terlibat, Muhammad Hadi Yeop Baharuddin mendakwa beliau diserang oleh lapan orang pelumba motosikal haram selepas melanggar salah seorang daripada anggota kumpulan tersebut dengan keretanya.

Beliau berkata polis masih belum membuat sebarang penahanan walaupun beberapa orang daripada individu yang menyerangnya itu telahpun dikenalpasti oleh individu lain yang cuba menolongnya.

Menurutnya, ada suspek yang dikenalpasti melalui cukai jalan motosikal yang ditemui di lokasi kejadian di Lebuh Raya Selat Kelang.- mk

Cops stood by while accident victim mobbed...

Pandamaran assemblyperson Eric Tan has demanded that the Selangor police explain its “non-functional” force, claiming that it had failed to act in two separate cases where mobs attacked car accident victims.

“He (Selangor police chief Abdul Samah Mat) must give an explanation as to why the police have been non-functioning, or what is the plan as the new Selangor police chief to improve. 

“I think this improvement is needed very urgently because people have suffered day-to-day,” he told a press conference today together with the victims.

In one case, tow car company operator Ngiam Kee Buh told the press that his employee at the scene had told him that there were three police officers stationed at a Ramadan market near the scene of the accident.

It purportedly involved a Proton Wira colliding with three cars parked illegally under a flyover, after its driver Lee Keng Long had tried to avoid a vehicle in front that had suddenly switched into his lane.

The police allegedly failed to act when a mob descended on the driver, but only stood by idly after being shoved aside by the attackers.

“The police tried to break up the fight, but was shoved aside and warned not to interfere, and he just went aside,” Ngiam said, adding that the police were armed and was seen reaching for his gun, but did not pull out the weapon.

He added that his employee has declined to speak publicly on the accident that took place in the wee hours of July 26 in Klang, at the Kota Klang roundabout.

Also present at the press conference was Ngiam’s other employee Lee Chee Wei, who was hospitalised after being supposedly hit with stones and helmets by a group of 40, and the car’s driver Keng Long who was also beaten and robbed. 

According to earlier media reports, Keng Long’s car was later set ablaze by the mob.

Mobbed by mat rempit

In the second case that took place at about 3.30am on July 27, the victim Muhammad Hadi Yeop Baharuddin (above) claimed he was set upon by a group of eight illegal motorcycle racers after one of them crashed into his car.

He said the police have yet to make any arrests although some of his assailants have been identified by other illegal racers who had tried to help him, and through a motorcycle road tax recovered from the scene of the accident at the Selat Klang Highway.

It was found on the motorcycle that crashed into his car, which was apparently abandoned into a ditch by the road.

In addition, he said the stretch of road he was passing through has been notorious for illegal racing and betting for years.

Muhammad Hadi said a group of illegal racers tried to hold back the mob and persuaded them not to start a fight on the eve of Hari Raya, while he struggled to call the police.

He said an emergency telephone operator made three attempts to connect his call to the nearest police station at Bandar Sultan Suleiman, but to no avail.

“They said that they want to connect to the nearest police station, so three times - nothing. Please wait… Please wait (went the operator)…,” he said.

The mob later managed to break through and were armed with sticks and helmets, Muhammad Hadi said, and he was unable to escape because he was surrounded and his car’s front-right wheel was damaged in the accident.

Cops in holiday mood?

To add to the frustration, Muhammad Hadi said he went to the Sungai Kapar police station to lodge a police report over the incident that day and the next two consecutive days, but on each visit was told that the police online systems were down.

When he told them he would lodge a police at another police station, he said a police personnel replied that the system was down for the whole of Malaysia, so he abandoned his plans. 

When he managed to lodge his police report on July 30 and met his investigating officer however, the officer asked why he hadn’t lodged a police report on the day of the incident, appearing unaware of the alleged system failure.

Assemblyperson Tan questioned whether there had indeed been a nationwide failure of the police’s online systems during the Hari Raya holidays, or an excuse to avoid work.

During the press conference, Tan also commented on a video that has been circulating online as an example of the state of the Selangor police.

The video purportedly filmed inside the Selangor police headquarters shows a senior police officer scolding and shouting at his subordinate.

One officer is supposedly a deputy superintendent (DSP) while the other is an assistant superintendent (ASP).

A caption accompanying the video reads, “These incidents happen every day and the officers and rank-and-file are all victims.

“The subordinates are beaten, kicked, and spat upon. When will this end? The cruelty and oppression is killing us every day.”

The veracity of the over one-minute video has yet to be verified.

Tan remarked that the video appeared to be filmed by a member of the police force who has probably lost hope and had made it public in hopes that action could be taken to rectify the situation.

“It goes to show how bad our police is especially in Selangor. There doesn’t seem to be any improvement (since Abdul Samah took office on May 12), but in the meantime they are continuing to deteriorate,” he said. - mk

cheers.

Ustaz serbuk kari minta maaf...

Pendakwah bebas Ustaz Shahul Hamid Seeni Mohd hari ini tampil mengemukakan permohonan maaf dan menafikan niat menghina kaum India atau agama Hindu dalam ceramahnya empat tahun lalu.

Pendakwah daripada Pulau Pinang itu berkata, beliau tidak berniat menyinggung perasaan mana-mana pihak apabila melarang membeli produk Hindu seperti serbuk kari Alagappa's dan Baba's di hadapan penonton.

Beliau dalam ucapannya empat tahun lalu turut mempersendakan patung dewa Hindu yang terletak dihadapan premis kilang Alagappa's di Bukit Mertajam.

"Bukan niat saya untuk menghina dan mencetuskan ketegangan kaum.

"Saya cuma hendak tarik perhatian pendengar," katanya pada sidang media di masjid daerah Seberang Prai Tengah, Pulau Pinang hari ini selepas kenyataannya direkodkan polis.

Shahul menimbulkan kemarahan penganut Hindu apabila rakaman videonya menghina agama terbabit dimuat naik di YouTube.

Semalam, Pemuda MIC dan beberapa badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) mengadakan protes di Brickfields, mendesak pihak berkuasa mengenakan tindakan tegas terhadap Shahul.

Di George Town, Pulau Pinang semalam, 30 wakil MIC, Parti Progresif Penduduk (PPP) dan beberapa NGO India membuat laporan polis, menjadikan 400 jumlah keseluruhan laporan dibuat ke atas Shahul di seluruh negeri.

Pendakwah itu dalam rakaman berkata: "Jika kamu pergi ke kilang Alagappa's dekat Permatang Pauh, kamu tengok dekat pintu gerbang ada kepala tokong terjelir lidah panjang. Tuan-tuan tahu kenapa dia jelir lidah? Pasal mana yang rempah baru tokong kena rasa dulu sebelum jual."

Presiden MIC Datuk Seri G Palanivel dalam kenyataan hari ini juga menyatakan bukan tugas Shahul untuk mengkritik kepercayaan Hindu.

Shahul juga meminta maaf kepada masyarakat beragama Hindu dan rakyat Malaysia dalam akaun Facebook dan menyiarkan video maaf kerana kenyataannya sebelum ini.

Beliau mengulangi dakwaan tidak sedar ceramah yang sudah lama itu direkodkan dan dimuat naik dalam media sosial.

"Sejujurnya saya minta maaf atas kenyataan itu dan mungkin menghina komuniti India beragama Hindu. Saya jamin perkara ini tidak akan berulang... ini kali terkahir," katanya.

Shahul berkata beliau sedar dirinya juga berketurunan India.

"Saya rela berjumpa pemimpin masyarakat India dan menjelaskannya sendiri.

"Saya juga berharap laporan polis yang dibuat terhadap saya ditarik balik dan saya tidak akan dikenakan hukuman.

"Saya harap ada peluang untuk saya perbetulkan keadaan," katanya.

Beliau turut menafikan membuat kenyataan itu atas kapasitinya sebagai ahli PAS.

"Kalau beri ceramah saya buat atas kapasiti sebagai seorang penceramah peribadi bukan ahli PAS. Saya tidak pegang apa-apa jawatan parti.

"Saya tidak faham kenapa hendak dijadikan isu, kenapa hendak kaitkan dengan parti politik," katanya.

Beliau turut mengakui menerima ugutan bunuh melalui panggilan telefon dan Facebook sejak video itu tersebar dan sudah membuat laporan polis mengenainya.

Sebelum itu, Timbalan Pesuruhjaya PAS Pulau Pinang Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa berkata semua rakyat Malaysia perlu bersatu demi mempertahankan keamanan dan keharmonian negara.

Ahli Parlimen Parit Buntar itu berkata, Shahul sudah pun meminta maaf dan isu itu perlu dihentikan segera.

Katanya, isu itu akan menyemai kebencian masyarakat jika terus dimainkan. – tmi

Preacher says sorry for insult to Hindus...

Embattled Islamic preacher Shahul Hamid has publicly apologised, especially to the Indian community, after remarks he made deemed insulting to Hindus were captured on video and spread online.

"I regret making those remarks, especially to the Hindu community and religion. I sincerely and honestly apologise to everyone involved,” Shahul said at a press conference at the Bandar Perda Mosque in Bukit Mertajam today.

"I realise I am also an Indian and I should not insult the Hindu religion. I did not mean to do it, nor did I intend to incite racial sentiments."

Shahul promised he would not repeat his mistake, adding it was the “first and last time” he would utter such remarks.

He said he was willing to meet all top-level Indian community leaders to issue a public apology and he pleaded with the Tamil language press members to publish his apology in big letters.

Accompanying Shahul were Penang PAS deputy commissioner I and Parit Buntar MP Mujahid Yusof Rawa and several state party leaders.

Shahul, who is Penang PAS Tanjong division member, denied making the remarks in his capacity as a PAS member, but said he had been trying to attract the attention of his listeners.

"I am just an independent Islamic lecturer," he said, adding he does not even remember when he became a PAS member.

"I hope no further action will be taken against me," he said.

'Take down video'

He urged those who uploaded the video of his speech, said to have been delivered at a surau in Shah Alam a few years ago, to take it down and to stop spreading the links to the contentious clips.

However, when pressed, he refused to state exactly when the speech was made.

Shahul said he has since received close to 1,000 phone calls and numerous text messages, most of them threatening, with some being death threats.

A car believed to be Shahul’s was also drenched with curry power, but he has denied it was his car.

Shahul also claimed to have given his statement to the Bandar Perda police station, in connection with the more than 400 police reports lodged against him.

His public apology comes after hundreds of people rallied against him in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, yesterday, demanding action be taken against him.

In the video clip of his speech, Shahul can be heard telling the audience not to buy products such as curry powder made from what he deemed “Hindu” companies, such as Alagappa's and Baba's.

"If you go to the Alagappa's factory near Permatang Pauh, you will see a statue (of a goddess) at the entrance, and the tongue is out. Why is the tongue out? Because the goddess must taste all the curry powder before they sell it," he is heard saying in the video clip.

Shahul has also previously apologised in a short clip posted on his Facebook page.

The remarks, he had said then, were made during a closed-door event and he did not expect it to be uploaded online.

Meanwhile Bernama reported that police are investigating Shahul’s remarks under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 233(1) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

It reported that Penang Police chief Abdul Rahim Hanafi confirmed that Shahul was picked up by police and taken to Seberang Perai Tengah district police headquarters in Bandar Perda at 9am, and was subsequently released after having his statement taken. - mk

PAS will be wiped out if Selangor holds snap polls...

If Selangor calls for snap elections, chances are that PAS will be wiped out and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will lose its hold on the state.

DAP Selangor chairman, Tony Pua, said the PR coalition – comprising PKR, PAS and DAP – will suffer “significant losses” should state elections be called but warned PAS would lose the most.

The warning comes following the PAS president’s backing of Khalid Ibrahim to remain as Menteri Besar while Khalid’s party, PKR, wants him replaced with party president Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

“PAS’ insistence on supporting Khalid will lead to snap elections, which will only cause PAS to lose most, if not all, of their hard-won seats. This in all likelihood will hand Selangor back to Umno on a silver platter,” Pua said in a statement today.

He said that since PKR and DAP wanted to replace Khalid while PAS, together with Umno’s support, wanted Khalid to remain, the state assembly would be split down the middle with no clear majority.

“Under such circumstances, Khalid will likely gain the consent of the Sultan of Selangor to hold snap elections.”

PR has 44 seats in the assembly while the opposition Barisan Nasional (BN) has the remaining 12 seats. PAS and DAP each has 15 seats while PKR has 14.

Pua, who is also the Petaling Jaya Utara MP, said that if both PKR and DAP were to suffer a 3% and 10% drop in Malay and non-Malay votes respectively, they would suffer a combined loss of seven seats out of the 30 contested, including Batu Tiga, Ijok, Kota Anggerik, Taman Medan, Port Klang, Kuala Kubu Baru and Sg. Pelek.

“This will leave PKR and DAP with 10 and 13 seats respectively.

“However, even in the most optimistic scenario where there is inconceivably no drop in Malay support for PAS, coupled with only a 15% drop in non-Malay support, the party will lose seven of the 15 seats won in the last general election. 

The most vulnerable seats are Sabak Bernam, Gombak Setia, Dusun Tua, Selat Kelang, Sijangkang, Morib and Tanjong Sepat.”

He said, it was more than likely that non-Malay support for PAS would drop by 25%, given the controversies surrounding PAS, including a leaked WhatsApp message discussing the party leaving the coalition.

This would mean PAS would also lose Taman Templer, Hulu Kelang, Lembah Jaya, Seri Serdang and Paya Jaras, leaving them with only three seats in the state assembly.

“Even these three seats – Chempaka, Bangi and Meru are not safe.  Should Malay votes decline by a mere 5% while non-Malay votes drop 30%, PAS will be completely wiped out in Selangor,” he said.

The biggest winner, Pua said, would be Umno, which will return to power in the state with up to 30 seats in the state assembly should snap elections take place. 

The move to replace Khalid was initiated by PKR following numerous complaints against the two-term MB for running the state unilaterally without consulting PKR as well as the national Pakatan leadership.- fmt

Preacher says sorry for insult to Hindu

Ceritanya begini

cheers.