31 May 2008

Will Anwar Ibrahim be PM........

PKR - Anwar Ibrahim will not be PM

Posted by mindspring on May 30, 2008

Despite all the speculation and the on going turmoil in UMNO, the road to the PM’s office still ha a number of obstacles for Mr Anwar Ibrahim. The biggest obstacle is that public perception of him is quite divided.

There are those who say Anwar is no different and will be no different from the UMNO boys of today - after all he was a master at the game as he rose up the ranks in UMNO.


Then there are those who say Prison does change a man and they quote Ghandi and Mandela as examples… Unfortunately in the case of GHANDI and Mandela, prison did not change them but further strengthened their resolve to see independence, liberation and for Mandela the abolishment of apartheid.

In my view, prison has only strengthened Anwar Ibrahim’s resolve. Resolve about what? Resolve to proof that Tun Mahathir was a despot perpetrating cronyism and nepotism. Whilst I think Anwar has got good leadership qualities, I don’t think he will use those qualities for the benefit of the nation but for the benefit of installing his view or concept of how UMNO and BN should be run.

There is just too much “sandiwara” or posturing going on to make the him a trustable and believable candidate, not withstanding that he is an astute and respected politicians. I think Anwar’s prime and only concern is about himself becoming PM and he will use what ever means it takes to achieve that objective, but it does mean that to achieve that he will have to be the president of UMNO.
Just like Mahathir, for Anwar the ends do truly justify the means.

The political and ideological concessions that DAP and PAS will have to make in order to fit into a unified PKR platform are simply too big. The fact that we are not seeing any public discussion of how this loose “PKR coalition” is going to come together under a single party symbol is telling enough. Right now the binding factor between PKR, DAP, and PAS is the common goal of weakening Barisan’s hold - which they have done very well.

But the party lines are still drawn with strong racial undertones… and if PKR’s promise is for a unified Bangsa Malaysia - the the three parties really need to be talking about it now, in public. What does Bangsa Malaysia mean in terms of a national agenda and what is the policy framework for it. It is easy for Anwar to criticise about what is currently wrong with the government and it is easy for him to paint a picture of what an ideal future can look like, but the challenge will be in the details
and for that - we have heard nothing.

At the state level, PAS with Kelantan and Kedah under its belt will seek to consolidate its position, likewise DAP with Penang and Perak while PKR really only has Selangor and the most Parliament seats held by the opposition.

So with this level of wins - the “opposition” is far better of
f collaborating with each other rather than fighting as they all have a common enemy - namely BN.

Should this balance of power change in that either DAP or PAS becomes significantly strong relative to the other at the next elections, think we will see a lot more flexing of muscles and thats where the real ideological conflicts will arise.


Right now, I give high marks to the respective MB’s for demonstrating that the “opposition” controlled states can function and are functioning better that when they were under BN. And if the “opposition” is serious about working under a single flag then they are going to have to demonstrate it in the states first. Right now the mood is toleration, simply because it is needed to show solidarity. However, to step the relation up a few more notches will require compromises and this will be hard to do.


For PKR to really unify - Anwar will have to step down - together with Lim Kit Siang, Karpal Singh, and Nik Aziz and allow the next generation to take over and push the agenda. For now the old guards have done enought to get us to where we need to be. Unlike UMNO, the PKR coalition
, in order to succeed, must show an ability for the old to give way to the young in order for constant renewal to take place.

So, Anwar, thank you for getting us this far. You may not become PM but the outcome of this election is more than what any PM has done for the country.. but now its time for you to find a new face to lead the PKR coalition….
(http://mindacergas.wordpress.com/2008/05/30/pkr-anwar-ibrahim-will-not-be-pm/)


Is Anwar still the same Anwar who was the DPM so many years ago,nobody knows, only he can tell so. The imprisonment may have changed him and his perspectives, but what about his will and determination? Must we argue on that too? Give him a chance to proof who he says he is and we will judge him after he has done his job.

Its normal for people to be vary of Anwar because he was part of the system; the number two man in UMNO, the party that the rakyat despise most.

While Umno and BN supporters are slinging mud at him saying his is corrupted, racist and also anti Malay,PKR supporters and sympathisers literally worship the ground he walks on. Thousands were drawn to his campaigns at the height of the 12th general election last March 2008. Isnt that enough proof that the rakyat supports him?

If it wasnt for Anwar's bargaining skills Pakatan Rakyat wouldnt have denied BN 2/3 majority and caputured 5 states. Anwar was the man of the hour who managed to unify the opposition parties and fought on a single manifesto,"Harapan Baru Untuk Malaysia" and the "Agenda Ekonomi Malaysia"

At 61 Anwar is still considered young to step down. Lets give Anwar and the Pakatan leaders a chance and thats the only way we will know for sure to see if Anwar really do take over the helm and judge his performance then. Till,then lets pray that he has the numbers as he wants us to believe, enough to form the Pakatan Rakyat gomen soon but why wait till September?

We do not need another flip-flop corrupted PM.... over to you Anwar Ibrahim..........

cheers.

30 May 2008

Biarkan Ezam terjun dengan kotak-kotaknya......

Ezam Mohamad Noor, who resigned from opposition stalwart Anwar Ibrahim's party in June 2007, appeared alongside Abdullah to announce he was joining the United Malays National Organization party. Ezam is a former UMNO member who played a crucial role in helping Anwar's wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, establish their People's Justice Party, or PKR. The party was created after Anwar was fired by then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in 1998 and arrested amid allegations of abuse of power. "He (Ezam) wants to come back to UMNO. I accept him," Abdullah told reporters as a smiling Ezam stood next to him. - the China Post 26/5/08.

Kenapa saya berubah? Saya tidak berubah, saya menyokong dasar, bukan parti atau individu, dasar UMNO kini berubah, jadi saya kembali menyokong UMNO dan sudah tentulah menyokong kepimpinan yang berani mengubah dasar tersebut” Demikianlah kata-kata Ezam semasa ditanya mengapa kembali ke pada UMNO. Ezam boleh saja memberi berbagai alasan,namun mungkin itulah pilihan wadah politiknya yang terbaik baginya.

Mungkin ramai telah memberi nasihat kepadanya samada rakan terdekat mahupun kawan-kawan yang jauh. Namun keputusan telah dibuat dan dihadapan kaca TV bersama pemimpin numero uno UMNO mengisytiharkan dirinya sebagai ahli UMNO.

Aku hairan kenapa nak perbesarkan isu Ezam masuk UMNO. PKR wujud bukan kerana seorang pemimpin saja.PKR adalah hak orang ramai. Cuma aku harap PKR jangan jadi macam UMNO bila sudah berkuasa,mula lupa daratan.

Namun ada juga yang berpendapat bahawa Ezam bukan sebenarnya masuk UMNO dalam ertikata sebenarnya,tetapi dipacak dalam UMNO sebagai "trojan horse" Baca di sini.

Di samping Ezam beberapa orang kuat PKR juga berpatah arang, memohon untuk sertai semula UMNO,di antara mereka ialah Anuar Shaari, bekas Ketua PKR Bahagian Permatang Pauh yang juga bekas Setiausaha Sulit Anwar Ibrahim semasa menjawat TPM, Johari Md Yassin,Khairul AnuarRamli,Daud Che Ghani,Nazmi Rosli,Azwan Din dan Abdul Ghani Harun. Mungkin Ezam bersama mereka ini boleh membantu si anak Razak menyelesaikan masalah kes Altantuya yang dok menghantuinya.

Apa dah jadi dengan Roslan Kassim dan rakan-rakan yang lompat masuk UMNO sebelum pemilu 2004 dulu? Berita pun tak ada dan bayang pun tak nampak.

Walaupun Pak Lah senyum menerima Ezam,tetapi ramai dalam UMNO tetap bermasam muka. Baca di sini.

Berikut adalah komen-komen berkaitan dengan isu ini. Baca di sini,sini,sini,sini, sini dan sini.

Apa-apa pun biarkan Ezam dan rakan-rakan terjun dengan labu-labu mereka.

cheers.

29 May 2008

Ramai mangsa gempa bumi China adalah orang Islam....

Gempa di China telah mengorbankan lebih 67,000 nyawa dan menyebabkan lebih lima juta penduduknya hilang tempat tinggal. Tahukah bahawa sebilangan besar daripada mangsa terkorban ini adalah rakyat China beragama Islam.Ia turut mencederakan lebih 362,000 penduduk dan memusnahkan lebih 420,000 rumah.

Sementara itu ratusan masjid dan madrasah musnah atau rosak akibat gempa bumi di Sichuan, China.

Ribuan penduduk Islam di beberapa perkampungan dan kawasan autonomi Islam (kawasan yang mempunyai ramai penduduk Islam) di Bei Chuan, Wen Chuan, Mau Sien dan Ching Chuan, kesemuanya terletak di Sichuan, juga turut terkorban.

Baca berita seterusnya di sini.

Demikianlah kekuasaan Allah. Allah dengan segala firman-Nya:

Dan Dia mengadakan di bumi gunung-ganang yang menetapnya supaya ia tidak menghayun-hayunkan kamu dan Dia mengadakan sungai-sungai serta jalan-jalan lalu lalang, supaya kamu dapat sampai ke matlamat yang kamu tuju. Dan (Dia mengadakan)tanda-tanda panduan jalan dan dengan bintang -bintang (pada waktu malam) mereka dapat mengetahui arah yang hendak dituju.- Surah An-Nahl 15:16

Dan engkau melihat gunung-ganang, engkau menyangkanya tetap membeku, padahal ia bergerak cepat seperti bergeraknya awan; (demikianlah) perbuatan Allah yang telah membuat tiap-tiap sesuatu dengan serapi-rapi dan sebaik-baiknya; sesungguhnya Dia Amat Mendalam PengetahuanNya akan apa yang kamu lakukan. - Surah Al-Naml 88

Marilah sama-sama kita hulur bantuan dan berdoa agar ramai mangsa terselamat.

cheers.

28 May 2008

Nazri kata masalah Anwar dengan Mahathir bukan UMNO........

Pertelingkahan yang berlaku di antara UMNO dan Anwar Ibrahim adalah berpunca dari pemecatan Anwar dari jawatan TPM oleh Mahathir yang ketika itu menjadi Perdana Menteri.Pokoknya,
bukan isu rasuah atau sodomy seperti mana Mahathir mendakwa dalam konspirasi yang didalanginya, tetapi lebih merupakan kegusaran Mahathir kalau-kalau kuasanya dirampas oleh Anwar.

Sekarang Mahathir telah keluar UMNO apakah Anwar akan berpatah balik? Walaupun beberapa orang pemimpin UMNO secara terang-terang menentang kemasukan semula Anwar ke dalam UMNO, namun kemungkinan ini tidak boleh dipandang sepi. Ura-ura ini telah diperkuatkan lagi dengan kenyataan yang dibuat oleh Nazri baru-baru ini. Tambah-tambah lagi ketika kedudukan Pat Lah semakin rapuh. Saksikan video di atas. Is Nazri implying something?

Dalam politik macam-macam boleh berlaku. Siapa sangka yang Ezam bercadang nak balik ke UMNO,ketika Mahathir keluar daripada UMNO. Mungkin esok lusa Mahathir pula isytihar dirinya masuk PAS.....

So in politics dont play...play.....

cheers.

27 May 2008

Rashid mulls mass voter re-registration........

The Election Commission(EC) have proposed re-registering all 10.9 million voters in a mammoth exercise aimed at silencing allegations of fraud and vote-rigging, a report said. EC chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said on Monday the project would take about two years, in time for the next general elections unless a snap poll is triggered by current political turmoil.

'The new registration exercise will be held if the government accepts the proposal. We hope the proposal will be accepted,' he said according to The Star daily. Read here.

Rashid said the existing rolls was a 'thorn in his flesh', after being condemned by the opposition and rights activists who say it is deeply flawed and riddled with phantom voters. Election reform campaigners said ahead of March 8 general elections that almost 9,000 voters born more than 100 years ago - including two reported to be 128 years old - were enrolled to vote.

Do you think by a mass re-registration of voters will solve the problem....the answer is NOPE!! It will create more problems and off course it will be done in favour of the gomen.

By re-registration of eligible voters is just another way to filter off those who voted for opposition. While those who have voted BEnd all along will be maintain,those voted opposition will be chucked out from the rolls.In other words the EC is gonna systematically botch up the database.

The real pain in the arse about the EC is Rashid himself. This stubborn dude in fact has turned the EC into a political party supporting the gomen. But you can’t blame him for being his master's voice, because his appointment was approved by the gomen and the gomen pays him to do the job. So whether he likes it or not he has to kowtow to the gomen. Opposition leaders said before the March polls that they would be the country's 'dirtiest ever' after the EC controversially abandoned a plan to mark voters' fingers with indelible ink.

Remember how Rashid dropped a bombshell by revealing that the cabinet had rejected the use of indelible ink in the March 8 general election on the day Parliament was dissolved. “I have not told the country about this (before) but what happened was that cabinet rejected our proposed law (on indelible ink) on Feb 13 - the day dissolution of Parliament was done,” Eventually the plan was cancelled four days before the March 8 polling day. Read here.

However, according to Pat Lah the cabinet had merely suggested to the EC to not use the indelible ink for the general election. It was not a directive. This shows how the EC and the gomen collaborate hand in hand in their 'wayang kulit' play. Read here.

Nevertheless, the ruling BEnd coalition suffered the worst results in its half-century history, losing five states and a third of parliamentary seats to the opposition. The outcome triggered calls for the resignation of PM Pat Lah, as well as splits within UMNO which commentators say could potentially force Pat Lah out of office or to hold fresh elections.

What has EC being doing all these years,after all, the general election comes once in 5 years. EC should have updated the electoral rolls every year, removing those who died and register new voters. However, instead of doing this, they used the electoral rolls to manipulate and gerrymandering electoral boundaries.

Before Rashid begins the act of re-registering voters,Rashid and the EC might consider how to exorcised the phantom voters and the ghost of "Project M" in Sabah, that haunts on every general election.

Probably Rashid might also consider automatic registration as an eligible voter by 21 years old.

Otherwise, Rahid should step down and let the EC, be an independent body that only is answerable to the king....

cheers.

26 May 2008

Air Asia - Now Everyone Dare To Fly..........

Someone posted this in my mail, got to ask you there....betulkah ni....the message says................

"Air Asia Boasts Of Good Safety Record.......Cheap Fares......Economy Travel.......When U See This, U Will Think Again Abt Flying Air Asia.....The BN Crony's Airline.....With Such Cheap Air Fares, One Would Wonder How They Maintain Their Aircraft, Better Still, Do They Maintain Their Aircraft ?

Interestingly Enough, This Incident Was Never Reported In The News Media.....Would Be Expected If This Involved The Govt......But For An Airline That Serves The Public.....I Wonder Why ???? I Would Rather Spend The Extra And Fly With Malaysia Airlines Or Any Other Normal Carrier.

Pass This On And Let The Malaysian Public Know How Well-Maintained And Good Air Asia Is, Esp With Keeping News Like This Away From The Public....."






Media pun kroni punya,mana mau siar..............

cheers.

25 May 2008

Malaysia lost 0.2km sq of its territory due to the stupidity of SUK .....

Malaysia had officially lost 0.2 km sq of its territory to Singapore coz of the letter below written by a 'bangang' SUK. Thanks to the acting SUK Johore En.Mohamad Sheth bin Saaid for the release letter to Singapore British Consulate in 1953. Read the letter below(click to enlarge)

Malaysia had based its case on the weight of history, and Singapore on acts of sovereignty. Beginning as he did in chronological fashion, Judge Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh revealed that the former had made its case about its original title.

"Malaysia has established to the satisfaction of the court that ... in 1844, this island was under the sovereignty of the Sultan of Johor," he said.However the argument was enough for Malaysia to get Middle Rocks, one of two nearby rocky outcrops that were also under contention, by a count of 15 to one.

But the argument was not strong enough to win the case on Pedra Branca. Sovereignty of Pedra Branca hinged on what happened from 1953 onward, according to the ICJ judgment. Going by correspondence between both countries over Pedra Branca, as well as the actions taken by Singapore on the granite rock and the general lack of response by Malaysia to those actions, the ICJ decided that sovereignty had passed to Singapore.


Rais said that the ICJ’s decision to award sovereignty of Pulau Batu Puteh to Singapore was based on the fact that from 1850 to 1953, Malaysia did not effect any action or grounds which could be accepted as proof os sovereignty. This acts of sovereignty could be in terms of occupation, conducting checks or supervision activities on the disputed island, explained Rais.

Rais said the ICJ also considered a letter writen by the Johor acting state secretary on Sept 21, 1953(above) which stated that “Johore government (did) not claim ownership” of the island.

Meanwhile, Karpal Singh described the loss of Pulau Batu Puteh as “disappointing” and added that Malaysia should accept that it has lost out to Singapore both in “dignity and kind”.

Rais and the gomen can say anything they wants but to us,the ordinary rakyat, rasa MALU......

Read here,here,here, and here.

cheers.

24 May 2008

Rahim Thamby nak jadi naib presiden UMNO....WOW!!!

Bekas KM Melaka Rahim Tamby Chik menawarkan diri sebagai calon bagi merebut satu daripada tiga jawatan naib presiden Umno pada pemilihan parti itu akhir tahun ini.

Rahim Thamby berkata dalam persepsi ahli Umno mahukan perubahan selepas pencapaian buruk BEnd pada pilihan raya umum Mac lalu, Rahim Thamby merasakan masanya sudah sampai bagi dia menawarkan diri membantu mengukuhkan semula parti.
Baca di sini.

Apa..a...a...a....nak jadi naib presiden? kah...kah..kah...

Awat UMNO tak ada orang lainkah.....please.........Calon Mak Cik Fidah atau Nazri tu kan lebih baik...ha!...ha!...ha!..

Dah dapat naib presiden konon-konon boleh jadi TPM...WOW!!! Masa tu kenalah kurung anak pompuan aku di rumah.......

cheers.

23 May 2008

Batu Putih - Malaysia putih mata..........

ICJ rules for S'pore on islet dispute with Malaysia.....

THE International Court of Justice ruled on Friday in favour of Singapore in its 28-year sovereignty dispute with Malaysia over the tiny uninhabited island of Pedra Branca.

Ownership of the island's rocky outcrop- Middle Rocks- was given to Malaysia.

Pedra Branca is considered important for its strategic position and impact on territorial marine boundaries. It lies 7.7 nautical miles off the Malaysian state of Johor.

The dispute came to the fore when Singapore protested in 1980 against a new Malaysian map of its maritime boundaries which claimed the islet for itself.

Years of bilateral talks failed to resolve the matter and the parties agreed to seek the intervention of the UN court. - (Straits Times Singapore,23/5/08).

Hopefully we wont lose sovereignty over the Iskandar Development Region...Pat Lah!!!

cheers.

Mahathir reminds UMNO of the "Anwar factor" lurking.......

Anwar factor lurking on the sidelines says Tun Dr Mahathir - Mergawati Zulfakar.

Former Umno member Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad continues to be defiant against the party leader in this interview in Tokyo. He reminds Umno of the "Anwar factor" lurking on the sidelines.

Q: After your announcement, there is no mass defection of Umno members? Are you disappointed that there is no "tsunami" of Umno members leaving the party?

A: I think it will take time for them to think because to leave the party is a very serious thing, they have been attached to the party for so long. Unless you get rid of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, at the next election I am sure and I have not been too wrong in my predication, Umnno, Barisan Nasional, MCA, MIC Gerakan will be finished. They will be totally irrelevant.

Q: When you say time, how much time do they need to leave the party? Your announcement came before the branch and division meetings start? Is that the deadline you are hoping to see.

A: I know When several members of parliament wanted to have a meeting, Pak lah heard about it and he called them up. Somehow they feel a bit shy to take up the step.People are not given the freedom to voice their true opinion.

Q: One of your sons, Datuk Mokhzani resigned, but Datuk Mukhriz did not, don't you think that your move might have upset some people and they will take it out on Datuk Mukhriz should he go for the Umno youth chief.


A:They can take it out on him (Mukhriz). But I think he is not in Umno just to become Ketua Pemuda, he is in Umno because he has to serve the country and people. If he is thinking of about himself of becoming Ketua Pemuda then of course that is selfishness but he has said clearly that he wants Abdullah to resign as soon as possible. If Abdullah resigns, there should not be any problem (for Mukhriz). Others are afraid to say it. Now they are threatening to take action against him in order to threaten other people from doing what from Mukhriz has don
e.

Q: Umno lawmakers described your move as destablising the government and open up the way for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to form the government.

A: Today the Barisan has been destablised by Abdullah not being able to lead it to victory. Barisan in some cases have become irrelevant. Gerakan has become irrelevant, MIC could not win. All this is due to him. He not only destabilised Umno, he destablised component parties and he destablised Barisan Nasional.

Q: But he led Barisan to win the last general election.


A: He did not win the way he should win, he talked about sweeping clean, he could not even get two thirds majority. All this while except 1969 when Tunku Abdul Rahman has just less than 2/3 majority, all the elections under different leaders achieved 2/3 majority. Even in 1999 when I was quite unpopular because of Anwar, I still achieved 2/3 majority and I did not lose the states, except for Kelantan and Terengganu.

Q: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has said he is prepared to meet you to review your decision to quit. Would you meet him.


A: Yes I will see him but it does not mean that I am going to accept whatever he is going to suggest. I am going to remind him of the role played by his father.

Q: Is there any chance of you meeting Pak Lah.


A: I met him before. It doesnt do anything.

Q: You said recently ago that Najib was not allowed to meet you but the meeting eventually took place.

A: Yes after I said Najib was not allowed, Pak Lah himself said no he did not stop. But Najib himself told me that he was stopped from seeing me, he told other people also.

Q: When you met Najib was there anything achieved because a few days later that you quit Umno.

A: Because I don't see him taking any positive action. Nothing came out of the meeting.

Q: Do you see your move to quit Umno as an opportunity for Anwar to form a government.

A: Anwar may try to seize the opportunity but it is up to Barisan MPs. If they switch over to his side, he can be but I am offering an alternative which is less dangerous for Barisan. Instead of jumping to other party, I am telling them you form your own group which will be the determining force in parliament. If pak lah does not go, then he will be in the minority because these people have already left. Then he has to give up being the Prime Minister. If in that case Anwar wants to come in, this group will give support to Barisan and Barisan with a new leader can still go on to become the government.

Q: With you being outside Umno, you will be irrelevant to Umno.

A: They can consider me irrelevant. It is their funeral, not mine.

Q: By getting Pak Lah to step down, who do you think will be able to take over.

A: Traditionally, it will be Najib, but if Najib does not want and if there are challenges, there will be a struggle between them. If they do that they run the risk of Anwar taking advantage.- (The Star,Friday May 23, 2008).Read here.

Meanwhile political commentator Dr Cheah See Kian says former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's resignation from Umno may hasten Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's ascent to power, indirectly ushering in an Anwar era. He said Mahathir's decision to walk out on Umno and his call on party members to do like-wise is surprising. It is a political quake. He added,"While Mahathir advised Umno members to quit party, he also urged them not to join other political parties, clearly showing that he wants a reshuffle of the party leadership to allow his men to assume power,"

Cheah predicted four likely scenarios as a result of Mahathir's decision:

a. Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi stays on as prime minister and purges Mahathir's men from the party;

b. Abdullah makes concessions and sets a time-frame for him to hand over power to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak. There is the likelihood that vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin might take over the baton from Abdullah, depending on the results of the Umno elections later this year;

c. Under pressure, Abdullah opts to cooperate with Anwar to consolidate his position; and

d. Some Umno elected representatives leave Umno to form a new party and work with Anwar to give the latter control of the federal government.

Cheah said Mahathir does not want Anwar to come back to power, neither does he want Abdullah to carry on as party chief and prime minister, but his decision to quit the party may serve as a catalyst for Anwar to seize power, indirectly precipitating an Anwar era.- (the Sun, 20/5/08). Read here.

In response to Cheah's suggestion......

a. Pat Lah had purged many of Mahathir's supporter prior to the 8th March 2008 general election with the exception a few more here and there. The BN MPs are all Pat Lah's men,except Mukhriz.

b. Pat Lah wants to stay on as PM and UMNO's president until a certain time when the person who replaces him must guarantee that his-son-law will at least be his deputy.

c. This is Pat Lah's last resort,though seems quite unlikely,but in politics anything can happen.

d. Ku Li or Mukhriz can start the ball rolling,but sure enough,UMNO will never accept them later.

As Anwar said, "Yes, we have the numbers." Where does this confidence come from? Not wanting to give too much away, he said it came from reading the mood among the BN backbenchers. As though anticipating the follow-up question, the man who believes he is within kissing distance of becoming prime minister gave an example: Only three or four of Abdullah's diehards — and not 30 or 40 parliamentarians — rush to his defence every time Umno's top leadership comes under attack.

Want more evidence? Well, look no further than what the grand old man of Malaysian politics, Dr Mahathir, said recently.

"Even Mahathir has conceded: Yes, there is a possibility of Anwar taking over. He didn't say it is going to be a turmoil, or a disaster or politically disastrous for the country."

Lets keep a close watch the next couple of months.....

cheers.

22 May 2008

Dr.M keluar UMNO untuk jatuhkan Pat Lah dan halang Anwar jadi PM......

PELUANG TERBUKA BAGI ANWAR? - Darwis Said

KEPUTUSAN Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad meninggalkan Umno memang menggemparkan. Mungkin ia di luar jangkaan ramai. Namun, ia bukan satu kejutan besar bagi saya. Ini memandangkan kecaman demi kecaman yang pernah dilemparkan beliau ke arah Perdana Menteri Malaysia dan Presiden Umno, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, atau 'Pak Lah', sejak beberapa tahun ini. Kecaman itu semakin meluap-luap selepas keputusan lemah Barisan Nasional (BN) dalam pilihan raya 8 Mac lalu.


Para pemerhati politik menyifatkan undangan Dr Mahathir mengajak sama beberapa anggota Umno lain mengikut jejaknya itu sebagai langkah melemahkan lagi kedudukan Pak Lah.

Pengamat politik bebas dan pengarah Eksekutif Institut Pembangunan dan Kajian Sosioekonomi (Sedar) Malaysia, Encik Khoo Kay Peng, dalam laman blognya 'Straight Talk', berkata ia mungkin usaha terakhirnya mendapatkan sokongan ke arah matlamat itu.

Tapi, apakah ia benar-benar berkesan dalam rancangannya 'menggulingkan' Pak Lah dan 'membaharui' Umno - parti komponen terbesar BN? Setakat ini, ada beberapa anggota Umno yang menyatakan kesediaan mereka mengikuti jejak mantan perdana menteri Malaysia itu. Namun, sumber-sumber juga berkata ramai yang menolak cadangannya itu dan berikrar setia kepada Pak Lah.

Timbalan Ketua Jabatan Sains Politik Universiti Nasional Singapura (NUS), Profesor Madya Dr Hussin Mutalib, berkata Dr Mahathir berharap taktik 'berita menggemparkan' mengenai keputusannya untuk berundur daripada Umno boleh memaksa pemimpin dan anggota Umno yang berpihak kepadanya bertindak serius untuk menangani masalah dalaman parti itu, khususnya perihal kedudukan Pak Lah.


Namun, gesaan Dr Mahathir agar Pak Lah meletakkan jawatan sebelum ini 'belum mampu menghasilkan tsunami besar yang boleh menghanyutkan perdana menteri itu ke tepian', kata Encik Khoo. Bagaimanapun, kali ini agak sukar ditentukan kesannya.

'Walaupun Pak Lah kelihatannya cuba mengecilkan isu pengunduran itu, hakikatnya beliau kini menghadapi masalah lebih besar,' kata Dr Hussin.

Saya akur dengan pandangan itu.

Sedang Umno mungkin lebih selesa tanpa Dr Mahathir, masa depan Pak Lah bukan sahaja akan bergantung kepada kekuatan suara dan tindakan penyokong Dr Mahathir dalam Umno.

Ia juga akan bergantung kepada tindak balas Pakatan Rakyat - pakatan campuran tiga parti pembangkang utama Malaysia - dan keupayaan mereka mengambil kesempatan keadaan goyah Umno ketika ini untuk mengorak langkah ke arah pembentukan kerajaan alternatif pimpinan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Kita tunggu September ini.- (Berita Harian,Singapura,21/5/08)
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Mahathir keluar UMNO dengan dua tujuan, pertama, mahu menjatuhkan gomen Pat Lah dan kedua untuk menghalang Anwar menjadi PM.

Dalam blognya Mahathir berkata jika 35 ahli masuk parti lawan, parti BN akan jatuh. Parti lawan akan menang dan akan dirikan gomen. Jika wakil rakyat BN keluar dari BN tetapi tidak masuk parti lawan mereka akan bebas menyokong atau menolak undang-undang atau dasar parti gomen atau usul-usul parti lawan.

Katanya lagi, jika jumlah yang tinggal BN cukup untuk kurangkan penyokong gomen supaya tidak ada majoriti lagi, gomen Pat Lah akan tumbang.

Jelasnya lagi jika BN ganti Pat Lah dengan orang lain yang berani, kumpulan yang keluar dari BN boleh sokong BN semula dan BN akan kembali jadi gomen semula.

Mahathir berkata gomen baru hanya boleh didirikan jika dipersetujui oleh wakil-wakil rakyat yang keluar BN, kerana mereka memiliki cukup undi untuk menentukan BN atau Pakatan Rakyat yang menjadi majoriti dalam Parlimen. Baca di sini.

Soalnya berapa ramai wakil rakyat BN yang sanggup berbuat demikian? Mahathir harus ingat bahawa wakil-wakil rakyat yang dipilih itu adalah pilihan Pat Lah dan beranikah mereka menderhaka kepada bos mereka? Mahathir mungkin lupa,kalau wakil-wakil rakyat BN, yang keluar mungkin mereka tidak dipilih semula sekiranya Pat Lah tetap berkuasa. Malang lagi kalau wakil-wakil rakyat ini 'resign' dan diadakan pula pilihanraya kecil,mereka secara otomatik tidak boleh bertanding untuk 5 tahun akan datang.

Mungkin,tindakan Mahathir itu boleh meraih simpati daripada ahli-ahli UMNO di peringkat akar umbi tetapi tidak berkesan bagi mereka yang menjadi YB sama ada di DUN atau Parlimen.

Sekiranya berlaku peristewa tukar kapal, adalah lebih berfaedah mereka menyertai Pakatan Rakyat daripada duduk mengampu Mahathir. Anak Mahathir,Mukhriz sendiri serta seteru lamanya, Ku Li, enggan mengambil risiko tersebut apatah lagi wakil-wakil rakyat lain? Strategi yang diamalkan Mahathir itu salah dan boleh 'backfire' jika Mahathir salah langkah. Dalam keadaan sekarang sudah tentu BN/UMNO dan Pat Lah akan menggelak daripada mengadakan satu pilihanraya yang baru,kerana UMNO sudah berpecah dari pucuk hingga sampai ke akar umbinya dan untuk memulihnya akan mengambil masa yang lama, atau mungkin tidak boleh dipulih semula.

Anwar perlu pula berhati-hati supaya tidak terperangkap dalam permainan politik Mahathir ini. Walaupun krisis yang berlaku dalam UMNO itu serious,namun UMNO akan mencari jalan untuk menyalahkan pembangkang dan Anwar kerana bermain di atas landasan politik pelbagai kaum hinggakan membelakangkan kepentingan hak istemewa orang-orang Melayu seperti yang termaktub dalam perlembagaan. Kita perlu ingat bahawa BN/UMNO masih berkuasa, ada wang dan masih mengawal media massa untuk menabur propaganda mereka.

UMNO ibarat seekor singa tua yang teruk luka parah, menanti masa untuk mampus tetapi masih berupaya bertindak jika kita tersilap buat perhitungan........

cheers.

Move aside Samy Vellu,Pat Lah found a new ally.....

KS Nallakaruppan president of the Malaysian Indian United Party (MIUP) claimed that Anwar Ibrahim was not telling the truth by claiming that scores of Barisan Nasional parliamentarians will crossover to the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition soon.

Nallakaruppan, who has previously said he had known Anwar personally for 30 years, had a falling out with Anwar after claiming that he was ‘stabbed in the back' by Anwar over the 2007 by-election in Ijok, Selangor as well as the contest for one of PKR's three vice-presidents' posts.

However,Nallakaruppan has found new comfort in none other than our PM, Pat Lah. Nallakaruppan was seen with Pat Lah at Parliament house and said that he was there to give his support to the embattled Abdullah."He is a good leader. That's why I came to (express my) support," he said. "I have to trust my prime minister. I have to love my prime minister." he added.
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Btw. whether Nallakaruppan realise it or not that many of the MIUP are now crossing over to Pakatan Rakyat.

With Samy,Kayveas and a few MIC leaders gone,what choice Pat Lah has? Nallakaruppan pun nalla jugalah........

cheers.

21 May 2008

Dr M determined to get what he wants, everything else is collateral damage....

A LEOPARD never changes its spots.

Nearly 40 years ago as a young Umno rebel, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad went on a tirade against the leadership of Tunku Abdul Rahman. Dr Mahathir cleverly used the race angle, accusing the Tunku of failing to protect and promote the interests of the Malays. He was sacked by Umno, a move which made him a hero with the Malay community. When the Tunku resigned in the aftermath of the May 13, 1969 race riots, his successor Tun Abdul Razak not only brought Dr Mahathir back to the party but also paved the way for him to become Umno president and prime minister in 1981.

Dr Mahathir is now hoping to topple the current Umno president and prime minister by playing the same game — adopting the race angle and hoping to stoke fear and anger among the Malays against Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Just listen to the speeches he has been giving since the March 8 elections, the latest last week in Johor when he said the Malays were losing their grip on power. At a gathering of some 1,000 people, he said: “If we don’t speak up, if we choose to keep quiet, we will lose our rights and the other races will take over.”


On his blog, he recently wrote: “Today, the Malays have lost their political power and the non-Malays no longer respect the Malays and the Malay institutions. All the special rights of the Malays are being challenged and questioned. And the Malays cannot do anything to strengthen their position.”

The fact is power in this country is still very much in the control of the Malays and will remain so and no non-Malay would dare challenge Malay institutions like the royalty. In fact, the last time we checked, the only person who had done anything against the Malay royalty was Dr Mahathir himself when he was the all powerful prime minister who tolerated no challenge to his authority and views. But obviously Dr Mahathir will not let facts get in the way of his fear mongering and his current goal to knock out Abdullah.

Dr Mahathir was hoping that the Umno leadership would sack him like they did in 1969, but Abdullah has learnt from the Tunku. He
didn’t want to make Dr Mahathir a hero or trigger a wave of sympathy for him. Frustrated that Abdullah did not sack him, Dr Mahathir on Monday decided to quit Umno and swore to return only when Abdullah is no longer the leader. He also urged Umno members to follow him.

Throughout his political career, Dr Mahathir is obsessed with only what suits him and will do anything to try and get what he wants. The consequences didn’t matter. Everything and everybody else is collateral damage. Be it the tension that led to May 13, 1969; the political infighting in Umno that ended with the 1987 arrest under the ISA of over 100 people and the sacking of six top judges just as the court was set to hear an Umno appeal case; to the vicious 1998 crackdown on his then deputy and supporters, one common theme stood out — Dr Mahathir had to get what he wanted.

Everything and everybody else is collateral damage. It’s the same with his latest move to resign from Umno and his use of the race card to attack Abdullah’s leadership.

Dr Mahathir doesn’t care if Umno, already reeling from the aftershock of the March 8 elections, plunges into turmoil.

Dr Mahathir doesn’t care that his racist attempts to ignite the anger of the Malays will create unnecessary tension.

Dr Mahathir will resort to anything to get what he wants. Everything and everybody else — including Malaysia and the people of Malaysia — is collateral damage.

He has succeeded in the past. This time, we must not let him get away with it.

Umno and its members must not end up as collateral damage to enable Dr Mahathir to get what he wants. The rakyat and the country must not end up as collateral damage just so that Dr Mahathir can get what he wants. Tun Musa Hitam said on Monday that the era of Mahathirism was over. The people of Malaysia must show in an emphatic way that it is by rejecting Dr Mahathir’s latest stunt and use of the race card. - (The Edge Financial Daily 21/5/08)

cheers.

The letter to Ehud Barak,Isreal Premier that Mahathir denies writing to....

The letter below was supposedly written by Mahathir to the PM of Isreal and is circulating in the internet.(Click on image to enlarge).

However Mahathir in his blog had denied writing such letter. This is what he said......

"Letter" to Prime Minister of Israel

1. There is a letter being circulated purporting to be from me when I was Prime Minister, to Ehud Barak, Prime Minister of Israel congratulating him on his appointment and requesting for the “Clinton Fund”, for “the purpose of withstanding the onslaught of Islamic Fundamentalist in Malaysia”.

2. This letter is not from me or from my office. Firstly, the font used is not the same as the type in all my letters from the Prime Minister’s office.

3. The Malaysian Coat of Arms at the top is not similar to the one on all my letters from the Prime Minister’s office.


4. The address at the side of the Coat of Arms is not the same as on my official paper. Often no address is printed, only “Prime Minister Malaysia” on the top right-hand corner.


5. The contents of the letter is totally different from the one I sent to Ehud Barak. Unfortunately, the Government of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi refuses permission to reproduce my letters to Israeli Prime Ministers condemning them for their oppression of the Palestinians. This action by the Abdullah Government will lend credence to the letter that is being circulated.


6. I deny categorically that the letter which is being circulated with annotation “Sumbangan kakitangan JPM untuk Rakyat Malaysia” originated from me. This is the kind of dirty tricks that my detractors have to resort to because they have found nothing to blacken my name with.- (http://www.chedet.com)

Mahathir did wrote a letter to Ehud Barak,but not the one above. So who was the culprit trying to incriminate him?

Probably the boys at tingkat 4 JPM............

cheers.

Anwar,"We do not intend to do away with the affirmative action principles outlined in the NEP"....

Anwar Ibrahim today gave a glimpse of the policy which will replace the New Economic Policy if his Pakatan Rakyat coalition comes to power in Malaysia. He said that affirmative action will be part of the New Economic Agenda and assured Bumiputeras that their rights will not be compromised. Ostentatious projects will be shelved. Public expenditure will be focused on infrastructure such as transportation, health and education. Rent-seeking activities will be kept at bay.Predatory marketing will be outlawed.

He added,"Our policy is simple and straightforward enough. We do not intend to do away with the affirmative action principles outlined in the NEP, but we will apply t
hem across the board making them available for all races on a needs basis.

"We are committed to building a new system that is just and fair. In this new order, no one will be left behind on account of race or religion." he said.

He asked,"Should we condone the abuses of a policy which make the rich richer and the poor poorer or should we not support a policy that provides equitable assistance to all needy Malaysians?"

The full text of Anwar's speech at CLSA forum in Singapore(20/5/08).

Ladies and Gentleman.

On the eighth of March, with fortitude and conviction the people of Malaysia sent a clear message to the powers that be they would not continue to tolerate a corrupt and incompetent government. With resoluteness hitherto unseen they voted the Barisan Nasional out of office in four states and terminated their stranglehold two-third majority in Parliament. In the final toll, the Pakatan Rakyat, that is, the People’s Alliance, now controls five states accounting for about 60% of the nation’s GDP. Additionally, the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur is almost entirely represented by Pakatan representatives in Parliament. After being in power for five decades, the Barisan Nasional meanwhile is still i
n comatose under this knockout defeat while its dominant and dominating anchor party Umno is in utter turmoil. In this defining moment of Malaysia’s history, the courage and singularity of purpose of the people has been extraordinary. Having suffered the slings and arrows of an outrageous regime that had become very cozy with the culture of corruption, wastage and misuse of power, the people marched headlong into the battlefield and took the bull by the horns.

To my mind, the eighth of March, 2008 is the metaphor for the birth of a new era where the mill stone of race and religion which had been our burden to bear for the last fifty years has finally been shattered. With one stroke of the mighty pen, notwithstanding the overwhelming forces of electoral fraud and collusi
on of the organs of state, the people transformed the political landscape of the nation. This will be a new chapter indeed for Malaysia indeed as it was for Indonesia not too long ago when the waves of reformasi swept the country taking it out of dictatorship to democracy. In a way, it was also for Myanmar though tragically the iron hand of military oppression proved far stronger than the earnest cries for justice and liberty.

A New Economic Agenda has been crafted borne of a long-term strategic vision to develop Malaysia into a prosperous and dynamic society competitive not just in the region, but in the world. We are not talking about knee-jerk reactions or strategies calculated to gain political mileage. This Agenda is a comprehensive programme that we earnestly believe is sustainable in the long run. According to a recent survey, young Malaysians are now open to more multi-racial socio-economic policies as opposed to race-based ones. The general consensus is that affirmative action should be given to the poor and the marginalised regardless of race or religion. Notions of social dominance and racial superiority find no resonance among the people except for those diehards still bigoted over ancient and archaic forms of political ideology. That is why our New Agenda is not purely economic. Its viability depends very much on observing the principles of democracy, socio-economic justice, equal economic opportunities and religious freedom. There is no contradiction in talking about affirmative action while waving the banner of equal opportunity because a level playing field can never be level unless and until the poor and the marginalised are taken out of the vicious cycle.


The broadest platform that forms the bedrock of this New Malaysian Agenda rests on policies formulated to bring maximum benefit to the people across as broad a spectrum as possible in order to uplift the living standards of the ordinary Malaysian. Ostentatious projects will be shelved. Public expenditure will be focused on infrastructure such as transportation, health and education. There is no doubt that we will be pro-business but the New Agenda will redress the social inequities unleashed by the forces of the free market. Rent-seeking activities, for example, must be kept at bay. Predatory marketing will be outlawed. A more comprehensive regulatory structure will be crafted with the bulk of the input from people actually in the business. All this may raise the alarm that this is populist agenda which encroaches upon free market principles. On the contrary, the New Agenda aims at taking Malaysia to the status of a developed nation that is built on the people’s trust with accountability, transparency and good governance.

Let us first of all answer the question: What is Malaysia’s status today? We hear for example politicians talking about how rich Malaysia is compared to some of her neighbours and how we have recovered so well since the Asian financial crisis of 1997. The truth, however, says otherwise: South Korea and Taiwan were much poorer than us in the 1970s but today their per capita income is US$19,200 and US$15,270 respectively. Our per capita income is only US$6,240. And we haven’t begun to talk about Singapore, a city-state of four million inhabitants. At US$30,810, it is five times that of Malaysia’s. The enormous difference becomes all the more glaring if we consider that just 30 years ago, Malaysia was neck-and-neck with Singapore. If we analyse deeper we will realise how even more troubling the numbers are. The per capita income scenario paints only a partial picture. What we don’t see is the gross inequality in income distribution. In 2005, Malaysia registered the most glaring GINI coefficient in Southeast Asia, worse than Indonesia and Thailand. As you know, being the most effective measure of income disparity, at 0.47, Malaysia was number two in Asia losing only to Papua New Guinea.

This is a devastating
indictment of the failure of the New Economic Policy, crafted almost four decades ago. In the area of the urban-rural gap, this policy has also been a complete fiasco. In 1999, income in rural homes was 55% that of urban homes with the highest poverty in mostly Bumiputera majority states such as Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Perlis, Sabah and Sarawak. Of course there has been some development in the country but we do not see anything impressive in the numbers unless we still want to compare ourselves with African countries. Incidentally, Malaysia’s poverty reduction statistics are unreliable because our base rate is unrealistic. By far the most damning case against the NEP is that it has been hijacked by the ruling elite to satisfy their lust for wealth and power. No doubt this was a multi-racial rip-off of the most systematic kind: the leaders of the component parties of the ruling coalition working hand in glove with Umno to deprive the deserving Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans and Kadazans of the benefits that were to be derived from the NEP.

Tender procedures, transparency and independent evaluation in privatisation issues, equity distribution, all these were swept aside in the name of the NEP on the sacred ground that this was all for the benefit of the Bumiputeras. But the numbers stack hard against the hype. Just compare the money spent on scholarships with say the tens of billions expropriated by the select few in equity awards, Approved Permits, contracts to companies controlled by families and cronies, and the billions in profit reaped on account of privatisation projects and schemes. There is also a high economic cost to this gross abuse of the policy. The people have to pay higher costs for energy, water, highway tolls. The people’s protest falls on deaf ears.

The decline in FDI as well as private domestic investment is serious. This collapse has led to serious underperforming by Malaysia in the region. India in the last five years saw its investment/GDP ratio rise from 22% to 34% and Brazil’s ratio shot up from 15% to 27%. Malaysia’s ratio, on the other hand, plunged to 9% last year from 30% in 1996. In terms of FDI over GDP, Malaysia plummeted from 8% to 4% for the same period. This is one of the steepest declines anywhere in the world. What these numbers signify is the plunge in the level of competitiveness and the degree of profitability of companies and there is no reason to imagine things will improve for the better barring a drastic change in circumstances. As a matter of fact, for the World Competitiveness Index for 2007/08, Malaysia dropped two notches from last year’s standing.

Yet the authorities are touting Malaysia’s so-called impressive current account surplus which increased from 8% in 2002 to 14% in 2007. But what it means really is that investments have fallen and hence a decline in the import of capital goods. Even Malaysia’s growth rates for the last five years will show that private consumption is the main driver for the increase. What has not been highlighted, however, is the fact that our economic growth is essentially fuelled by borrowings to such an extent that individual indebtedness is now the highest in the region. Just last year, I spoke about the lessons of the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Once again, the question is: have the Malaysian authorities learned anything?

Malaysia lags behind other emerging economies in spite of a diversified economy with commodities and manufacturing and a relatively good physical infrastructure. Our competitiveness suffers because of the failure to develop and keep innovative human capital. Our brain drain problem is legendary. This reflects foundational weaknesses in our educational infrastructure as well as a policy of mismanaging the vast human resources. The traditional mindset of bolstering the manufacturing sector as a key driver for economic growth must also be changed in an age where information and knowledge provide the bedrock for growth and competitiveness. We suffer also because of the high cost of doing business, a cost which is reflective of the failure to observe the basic standards of good governance and to fulfill the demands of accountability. At the end of the day, these principles will continue to be compromised when those who hold the trust of the people succumb to the temptations of power and fall victim to the cancer of corruption.

The report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the V.K. Lingam scandal has fully vindicated our earnest efforts to expose the corruption that has beset the highest institutions of power. The Malaysian judiciary once touted as one of the best in the world has been severely compromised. Judge fixing, ghost written judgments, horse trading in judicial appointments, these are the symptoms of a judiciary ravaged by executive influence and interference and corruption by the rich and the powerful. We cannot overemphasise the importance of an independent and competent judiciary to realise the objectives of the New Agenda because bereft of such an institution, the rule of law itself hangs in the balance. When justice can be bought and sold, the economic implications are extremely far reaching. Foreign investors want impartial and fair hearings in trade and commercial disputes. The fact that most international contracts executed in the region choose Hong Kong or Singapore rather than Kuala Lumpur as the forum for arbitration speaks volumes about the level of confidence of the international business community in Malaysia’s judiciary.

From one corridor to another, with pledges of billions of ringgit to be poured into infrastructure and other projects, the Federal government is still trying to foist on the people undertakings of such a gargantuan scale that make the mega projects of the previous administration look rather tame. This lavishness in spending is symptomatic of the Barisan’s conventional responses to the economic woes of the nation. They have given supply-side economics a new meaning, predicated on the assumption that the supply of money has n
o limits.

History has already shown what dire consequences such a philosophy can bring. Forged on the anvil of greed and self-interest, these projects can only see the light of day if and only if the main beneficiaries are cronies, family members and conglomerates connected with the ruling elite. Hence, projects which were in the pipeline before the elections suddenly become unviable now that they would be in the States governed by the Pakatan. Perhaps this is the silver lining to the clouds that hang over the Pakatan-controlled states because we want no part in the plundering of the people’s wealth by the Umno-controlled Federal government. They must be held accountable. In spite of these concerns we will honour commitments already made, excepting for gross abuse and corruption, and will seek new ways of engaging with the international investor community under the principle of responsible competitiveness that would encompass conservation, sustainability and fair labour practices.

The New Economic Agenda recognises the multi-ethnic composition of Malaysia and therefor
e is fortified with a policy to foster and nurture a plural and tolerant society. After all, that was the catalyst for the formation of our nation pursuant to a social contract to build a nation that is harmonious, just and fair. That cannot be realised without a New Agenda relevant and just to all. The Bumiputera community is ready for this change because it will continue to be firmly grounded on affirmative action to help the poor and the marginalised. The fear that such an agenda will erode the rights of the Bumiputera is but the consequence of the racist chanting of some Umno leaders who will stand to be the biggest losers in the new agenda. So, fearing the prospect of their corrupt sources of income being reduced if not altogether eliminated they resort to stoking the fires of racist sentiments through the mainstream media controlled by them. Our policy is simple and straightforward enough. We do not intend to do away with the affirmative action principles outlined in the NEP, but we will apply them across the board making them available for all races on a needs basis.

The question is: Should we condone the abuses of a policy which make the rich richer and the poor poorer or should we not support a policy that provides equitable assistance to all needy Malaysians? Again, to the detractors who will continue to distort the new agenda as an anti-Bumiputera policy, let me reiterate that the interests of the Bumiputeras will never be compromised because we are committed to building a new system that is just and fair. In this new order, no one will be left behind on account of race or religion. Unlike the current scheme of things, the New Agenda will put in place mechanisms to ensure that economic aid goes to those who most need it. For example, small traders who form the bulk of the Bumiputera community in business enterprises will therefore be better off than they ever were under the NEP.

Certain detractors have pointed out the road to a more deregulated free market economy will lead to the abandonment of social instruments. We would answer this by saying that we have no intention of abandoning of our electoral promises among which is the promotion of social justice. We advocate no doubt Hayekian free enterprise but we don’t think Adam Smith’s invisible hand will be that responsive to the changing times. Hence, whenever necessary, to paraphrase John Kenneth Galbraith, we temper free market with an appropriate dose of state intervention to rectify the social inequities attendant on the interplay of pure market forces. We don’t think that we need to apologise for advocating a policy on fuel, health care and education which is calculated to ease the burden of the rising cost of living. We call this humane economics. Bearing in mind our diagnosis of the Malaysian economy and the state of our nation, the New Agenda will set in place the drivers that will take the country out of the doldrums to greater heights.

In other words, measures will be in place to ensure that private investment as well as FDI will return with a vengeance. The conditions precedent for Malaysia to regain its status as an attractive destination for investors must include the rule of law, a regulatory framework, and incentives to develop our human capital. At the same time, with the implementation of more prudent macroeconomic management, growth will be stimulated without getting out of hand. The State economies under the control of Pakatan Rakyat will become more robust and vibrant. In spite of the efforts of the Federal government to derail development projects, we are confident that these state economies will be able to forge ahead. The SMEs too will benefit from a policy that recognises the role that they play in an economy that will be increasingly more globalised. Take care of the head and the tail will take care of itself. With transparency and accountability in place, cronyism and corruption will die a natural death thus immediately lowering transaction costs while enhancing improvements in service delivery.

If I may conclude with an apology to Shakespeare: Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by the sun of Pakatan’s New Economic Agenda. Victory lies in courage and conviction to replace the old with the new, the obsolete with the functional. Without this paradigm change, Malaysia will be adrift in an ocean of uncertainty at the risk of being marooned on the island of oblivion. We must take the current when it serves or forever lose our venture.

Thank you.

cheers.

20 May 2008

Tuan Guru Nik Aziz - Democracy has been used to kill democracy in Malaysia.........

Bored with Mahathir & UMNO' s political drama, lets change channel pula, and how about this.....

Mike Millard's Meeting with Tuan Guru Nik Aziz........


Nik Aziz, state chief minister of Kelantan and spiritual leader of the Islamic PAS party, is also a charismatic personality. Mike Millard visits him in his ministerial offices and talks with him about how Islam may be tolerant and yet retain its principles.

Mostly, the people we'd encountered in the two states controlled by Parti Islam SeMalaysia seemed pious, serious about their religion and its principles and devoted to their families. The atmosphere was reminiscent of that in the Mormon-dominated territory of the United States, Utah, southern Wyoming and Idaho. Drinking alcohol was forbidden and almost all the women, with the exception of a few Chinese, wore headscarves and modest robes. It seemed to be a stable and disciplined society, if undeveloped compared with Singapore or even western Malaysia, where the country's business was concentrated.

We arrived at the Kelantan ministerial offices, where Nik Aziz, state chief minister and spiritual leader of PAS, often held court, his translator whispered as he showed me into a large, high-ceilinged room with curtained windows admitting filmy light on handsome brocaded chairs and a couch. Several men in traditional Malay dress with white turbans quietly left, and Aziz remained behind. He was not what I expected, which may have been someone more along the lines of Bashir, the fire-breathing Indonesian cleric. Aziz was a small man, dressed in white with a sash and turban. He had an almost pixie-like quality, a cheerful twinkle in his eye and a sparse goat beard, graying and nearly white, typical of the type that was popular in this part of the world.

The translator, an earnest fellow named Anual Bakri Bin Haron who'd attended university in England, relayed in Bahasa Malaysia my desire to ask direct questions that meant no disrespect, but which I hoped might help explain Islam and the problems of our age to people such as myself who had little understanding. Aziz accepted that.

"What is the political objective of Parti Islam SeMalaysia, and how does it differ from the ruling coalition, Umno?"

"I want to have world peace"

Aziz crinkled into a grin, then laughed loudly and let loose a torrent of words. "That is very easy. I want to have world peace, and by the look of the world, which is dragged down by drugs, usury, wars and so many ugly things, it seems that there is something needed. I believe that what is needed is Islam."

"Can Muslims and non-Muslims live together, or do Muslims need their own Islamic state?"

"When the Prophet came to the world, he lived beside a mosque, and non-Muslims were there also, and they mixed together. In that spirit, Islam was revealed, so you can see that Islam is there for Muslims and non-Muslims. You do not need an Islamic state."

This was surprising and pleasant. "Certain Muslims, such as the Wahhabis of the Arabian peninsula, insist that they must have an Islamic state. What do you think of that?"

"Look at the Prophet and how He lived"

"Please don't refer to the contemporary Islamic societies that live on the earth today. Look directly at the Prophet and how he lived. We need to stick to the two basic sources, the Koran and the Prophet himself."

"That still doesn't tell me of your opinion of those people in this world who do insist on an Islamic state."

"I disagree with this. If I were to hold to this sort of principle, Kelantan could not exist as it does."

"Is it a good thing to implement Islamic law in Kelantan, where there are people besides Malay-Muslims?"

Choice between Hudud and civil law

"When we first adapted Hudud in Kelantan in 1993, we made it clear that it would be up to the people to choose. If you are a non-Muslim and wish to be tried under civil law, it is your choice."

"What is your impression of extremist groups such as al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah?"

"I only listen to the press. How much is true I don't know. Especially in Malaysia, there are always hidden hands controlling things from other places. When the Taliban were in Afghanistan, they controlled the country and were quite popular, but somehow now they are seen as extremists and their image is tarnished. I really don't know."

"Do you favor strong economic development for Malaysia and for Kelantan?"

"Any raw materials provided by Allah are provided for the good of mankind, so there is no reason for me not to see development happen, either in Malaysia or in Kelantan."

"And the tourist industry along the sea, is this something to be encouraged?"

The blind-eyed profit of the capitalist system.

"Why not? Islam urges Muslims to go forth into the world, move around the world and see how beauty is everywhere. You can see this by wandering about. But the problem with the capitalist system is that it looks for profit even at the cost of destruction of various things, and that is why the tourist industry must be controlled. Drinking, sex, sand, sun, all those things they used to talk about, must be kept under control. We see young backpackers from the West who come here for things that they wouldn't do back home."

"What do you think of the United States and its policies? What should it do in these difficult days since the September 11 bombings?"

"It is a tough question. The Soviet Union formerly balanced the United States, but now nobody can balance it. The Arab world has been frustrated with it since America recognized Israel in the late 1940s. America has to settle the Palestinian problem, or you will see bombing after bombing. You can see on all the television networks, Israelis killing Palestinians, killing Muslims, and this is the problem that creates men such as Osama bin Laden."

"Do you think that if the Palestinian problem were solved, Osama would simply go away?"

"If the problem were solved amicably by the Americans, then why should Osama remain? He is a millionaire, he could be living comfortably instead of launching attacks against Americans and hiding out somewhere in the mountains, but he chooses to stay in a cave, and this shows there must be some struggle that Osama is involved in."

"But Osama, like fifteen of the nineteen suicide hijackers, is a Wahhabi who believes in an Islamist state."

"I don't know anything about that."

"What is the future of Islam in Southeast Asia?"

Democracy killing democracy

"Let me concentrate on Malaysia, because what happens here is representative of what happens in Singapore or Indonesia or the Philippines. In Malaysia, you can see the ruling party, Umno, using its powers to stop the Islamic movement through media, TV, halting political rallies and acts passed by parliament that oppose Islamic development. Democracy has been used to kill democracy in Malaysia. You can see how it worked in the case of jailing former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim."

Anwar had once been Prime Minister Mohamad Mahathir's deputy and anointed successor, but when he bucked the chief on policy during the Asian Crisis, Anwar was charged with sodomy and with abusing his office, tried and imprisoned, where he remains today.

"Will Umno be able to stop the Islamic movement in Malaysia?"

"PAS is strong here in Kelantan and Terengganu, but the political forces of Umno always manage to curb our growth. I often think about retiring to live in a kampung and take care of my gardening. Then I look at my political responsibility, and at Umno's policies, and I must be responsible, so I drag my feet along and keep working for our cause."

"Is it more important for the rest of the world to learn to live with Islam, or for Islam to learn to live with the world?"

"Islam has principles, and they are embedded strongly and cannot be challenged. In implementing Islam, there are various techniques, and Islam does not say no to any of them. Take for example, elections. This is a technique of democracy that coincides with Islamic techniques of Shariah, of consultation and the like, so we can accommodate this. Or take for example, tourism. Islam urges the community to travel, to move about, to see places. And you can operate a chalet or a guest house for tourists, but make sure there are no negative things involved, such as drinking, illicit sex and the like."

The principles of Islam

"Can Islam operate with democracy?"

"Islam can definitely operate with democracy, but there are certain things that we cannot tolerate. Take for instance, in some European countries a male can marry with a male, which is legalized by a democratic process. Issues such as this, we cannot accommodate. Islam is based on principles. In times where we can run together with democracy, well, good and fine, but at times when it comes to problems with our principles, then Islam should stay on."

"Perhaps it is a reflection of European culture, to drink wine, for example?"

"Do not tell me that the Europeans don't know that drinking wine is bad for their health."

"What is your opinion of Sufi Islam, which is not so concerned with rules as it is with direct religious experience?" The legalistic Wahhabis despised Sufism, with its mystical leanings, and had long struggled to extinguish it in their strongholds on the Arabian Peninsula.

"Sufism is not so much for rules. The spiritual path is under the guidance of Sufism. If you are stingy or are not thankful for what you have received, then Sufism is the guidance that you may receive under the gurus for this spiritual experience. When you reach a certain level of purity, then we might participate in direct revelation. Through the purification process, through upholding Islamic teachings, we can reach Sufism. I am chief minister now, and I could enjoy great privilege, but I still enjoy living in my small house behind the mosque."

Aziz was clearly a complicated and decent man whose charisma could sweep people along like boats on a friendly tide.

More a tribal leader than a political person

There was something troubling about him too, however. He was a good local chieftain, even a wise leader. It was when Aziz raised his gaze above his people and their land to other, larger realities that he seemed to lose his focus. If Parti Islam SeMalaysia should ever gain power where populations were not heavily Muslim, many of his principles would be called into question. In such an environment, the sound and benign leadership he offered would likely be perceived as something less, and that would be a shame, because he was the real thing, a good man, and that was not a quality to be shunted aside.

He was actually more a tribal leader than a political person, and in that situation religion could be seen as a practical component of social organization. By projecting his religious rulings into a political environment, however, a man such as Aziz could begin to seem arbitrary and even cruel. The pronouncements of religious authorities are not an appropriate substitute for the laws of a multicultural state, and Islam, even as interpreted by a sufi such as Nik Aziz, offered no exception to this.

A few weeks later, the acting president of PAS, Abdul Hadi Awang, said that if the party came to power throughout Malaysia, it would impose Islamic law and a theocratic state. A year later, PAS was soundly defeated in national elections by the Umno coalition of new Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, losing control of Terrenganu state and barely keeping Kelantan, where Nik Aziz retained his position through a recount.

(Mike Millard is an American journalist and author who has lived in Asia for 15 years, currently residing with his family in Singapore after a decade in Japan. His most recent book, "Jihad in Paradise: Islam and Politics in Southeast Asia", from which this article was excerpted and adapted, was published this year by M.E. Sharpe Inc.)

Meanwhile, Kelantan MB Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat yesterday denied an English daily report that he would relinquish his post on returning from performing the umrah next month. He said there was no reason for the media to highlight the matter as he was still in good health and capable of helming the state government.

"The question of me stepping down has never been discussed. I'm still healthy, God willing," he told told reporters after a closed-door meeting with Perak MB Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin at Kota Darulnaim here yesterday.

Nik Aziz Nik Mat had once said that he would retire after the 12th general election, but such talks faded when he was appointed MB for another term when PAS retained power in Kelantan in the March 8 election. A report in the English daily today said talks of the MB resigning was rife and that he would do so after his return from umrah next month.

Nik Aziz said he would be take a leave for the umrah and his deputy, Ahmad Yakob, would be the acting MB. He will leave for Mecca on May 26.

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