P36 Kuala Terengganu - Mat Sabu boleh...................

Pemergian mengejut Ahli Parlimen Kuala Terengganu ini sewaktu bermain badminton di Institut Aminuddin Baki Genting Highlands pada jam 6.30 petang Jumaat membuka gelanggang kali kedua pilihanraya kecil selepas pilihanraya umum 8 Mac lalu.

Kalau sebelum ini di Permatang Pauh pada 26 Ogos lalu BN berentap dengan PKR... di Kuala Terengganu giliran PAS pula. Bezanya Permatang Pauh adalah kubu kuat Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dan senario dari awal pilihanraya kecil itu sudah nampak memihak kepada PKR tetapi di Kuala Terengganu keadaannya lebih menarik kerana ia dikira 50-50 antara BN dan PAS.

Allahyarham Datuk Razali menang dua kali di kerusi parlimen itu setelah menewaskan Ahli jawatankuasa pusat PAS Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi pada pilihanraya umum 2004 dengan 1,933 undi. Allahyarham dapat 30,994 undi manakala Dr Syed Azman 29,061. Pada pilihanraya umum lalu dalam pertandingan tiga penjuru antara Timbalan Menteri Pelajaran itu dengan Naib Presiden PAS Mohamad Sabu dan mak chik Maimun Yusof yang bertanding atas tiket bebas Allahyarham menang dengan majoriti tipis 648. Datuk Razali dapat 32,582 undi ,Mohamad Sabu 31,934 manakala Maimun 685.

Keputusan kedua-dua pilihanraya umum sudah cukup untuk mengambarkan senario yang mendebarkan bagi BN dan PAS untuk mengharungi pilihanraya kecil kali ini. Menariknya kedua–dua BN dan PAS mempunyai taruhan politik yang amat besar keatas Kuala Terengganu.

Bagi BN setelah tewas di Permatang Pauh ia pasti akan berhempas pulas untuk berusaha mempertahankan Kuala Terengganu. Bagi PAS pula setelah melepas dari berkuasa sepenggal di Terengganu dalam pilihanraya umum 2004 dan hanya berjaya tawan balik satu kerusi Parlimen sahaja iaitu Marang semasa pilihanraya umum 8 Mac lalu... Kuala Terengganu pasti menjadi idaman. Dijangka cabaran terbesar PAS untuk berdepan dengan pilihanraya kecil ini ialah mencari isu untuk menawan pengundi Kuala Terengganu.

Allahyarham Datuk Razali,seorang teknokrat yang tidak banyak diselubungi oleh isu peribadi dan politik untuk dijadikan bahan kempen PAS. Dalam pada itu sebelum ini kebanyakan serangan PAS di negeri itu ditujukan kepada beberapa isu yang melibatkan bekas Menteri Besar Datuk Idris Jusoh.

Sebaliknya Terengganu kini dipimpin oleh Datuk Ahmad Said yang merupakan tokoh pilihan Istana. Secara tidak langsung pilihanraya kecil ini akan menjadi ujian besar pertama bagi Menteri Besar Terengganu yang baru itu. Sejak beliau ambilalih pentabiran belum ada isu besar berbangkit di negeri itu kecuali tidak lama dulu hu ha mengenai cadangan beliau nak tukar kereta rasmi kerajaan negeri dari Proton Perdana V6 ke Mercedes.

Soalan terbesar menjelang pilihanraya kecil itu apakah PAS mampu menyambung gelombang tsunami politik 8 Mac ke Kuala Terengganu. Badai itu dikira tidak sampai ke Terengganu.Selain dari Parlimen Marang,PAS hanya mampu menawan balik empat kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri semasa pilihanraya umum lalu. Dalam pada itu PAS juga kini menghadapi kemelut dalaman.Bukan rahsia lagi parti itu kini sedang dihimpit ‘ perang dingin’ antara puak Erdogan diketuai oleh Datuk Husam Musa yakni yang lebih condong kepada Anwar dengan puak ulama Datuk Seri Hadi Awang yang tidak mahu dicengkam pengaruh Penasihat PKR itu.

Pilihanraya kecil ini juga dijangka akan menjadi medan ‘penilaian’ keatas prestasi kerajaan baru pimpinan PAS di Kedah dan Perak yang diselubungi oleh beberapa isu yang turut dipersoalkan oleh kalangan ahli parti itu sendiri. Di Kedah misalnya ia berdepan dengan kemarahan orangramai mengenai cadangan projek ladang babi moden di Bukit Selambau dan kegairahan Exco Kerajaan Negeri main golf. Di Perak,Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin berdepan dengan dakwaan terlalu mengikut telunjuk DAP dan isu pemberian status hak milik kekal 999 tahun kepada penduduk yang mendiami lot-lot tanah di kampung baru.

Selain itu kegagalan PAS nak terapkan pemerintahan berasaskan pegangan yang digembar gemburkanya selama ini nak wujudkan Negara Islam di negeri-negeri yang baru dikuasainya juga menjadi buah mulut.Ini tidak masuk lagi banyak janji dalam manifesto Pakatan Rakyat yang belum tertunai hingga membangkitkan rasa tidak puashati mereka yang memangkah pembangkang. Bagi BN pula tentunya apakah ia mampu menyekat gelombang itu di Kuala Terengganu.

"Tembak menembak" dalam Wanita UMNO yang menjadi salah satu nadi utama kempen pilihanraya kebelakangan ini, menjelang pemilihan jawatan Ketua Wanita ...juga mencetuskan sedikit kebimbangan.

Melihat dari semua sudut ‘ perang Kuala Terengganu’ ini pastinya amat menarik.

source:agendadaily

Siapakah calon yang akan mewakili kedua-dua buah parti ini nanti menjadi penentu kemenangannya. Bagi aku pilihan terbaik calon PAS adalah Mat Sabu. Mat Sabu seorang yang boleh mengajar wakil-wakil rakyat BN seperti Tajuddin A.Rahman,Bung Mukhtar dan beberapa ekor yang lain tak erti bahasa dan budaya. Namun kekukrangan Mat Sabu ialah dia bukan orang tempatan,namun ini tidak seharusnya menjadi alasan.

Go Mat Sabu go.........................

Baca seterusnya di sini dan sini.

cheers.

Kongress PKR 2008 bermula............

Dr. Syed Hussin Ali, Timbalan President PKR dalam perasmian Kongres Wanita dan Angkatan Muda Parti KeADILan Rakyat 2008 antara lain berkata........

“Mana ada hotel yang berani menyewakan dewannya, kita bersidang di hotel. Akan tetapi dimana tidak ada hotel yang berani atau tidak tahan ugutan dari pihak-pihak tertentu, kita tidak putus harapan. Mujurlah ada tokong Budhis atau sekolah Cina yang berani dan bermurah hati menyewakan dewan mereka”.

“Begitu juga, dulu bendera yang kita kibarkan sempena beberapa kongres yang lalu sering diragut turun oleh pihak penguatkuasa majlis bandaran atas arahan UMNO-BN yang memerintah. Tetapi hari ini kita gembira kerana beribu bendera Parti terus berkibar di sampang bendera negeri dan Jalur Gemilang (the Malaysian Flag) di sepanjang jalan ke mari (to Stadium Melawati)”

“Saya percaya kerajaan PAKATAN tidak akan membalas dendam dengan mengarahkan mana-mana jabatan menurunkan bendera UMNO dan parti-parti sekutunya apabila mereka mengadakan perhimpunan tahunan. Saya yakin pimpinan kerajaan kita tidak berhati kecut seperti para pemimpin kerajaan yang korup dan tidak adil , yang kita ganti.”

Mereka(UMNO) lupa dan menafikan hakikat bahawa selama 50 tahun memerintah, pemimpin Melayu dari UMNO lah yang paling banyak bertanggungjawab merampas hak orang Melayu dan merompak kekayaan negara. Mereka membenarkan sebahagian besar orang Melayu yang miskin dan berpendapatan rendah terus terbiar atau terpinggir”. "Mereka (UMNO) mengbangkitkan bermacam-macam isu di Penang, Perak and Selangor....."

source: blog Din Merican

Peringatan Dr.Syed Husin Ali adalah tepat pada masanya agar, PKR jangan terlalu obses dengan kedudukannya sekarang berbanding dengan masa-masa lalu. PKR juga harus menunaikan janji-
janji pilihanraya dulu untuk menguatkan lagi keyakinkan rakyat terhadap parti tersebut. Jangan pula berlagak macam UMNO, setelah mendapat madu sepahnya dibuang.

Selamat berkongress PKR.........

cheers.

Timbalan Menteri Pelajaran meninggal dunia...........

Timbalan Menteri Pelajaran Datuk Razali Ismail meninggal dunia di Institut Aminuddin Baki, Genting Highlands kira-kira 6.30 petang tadi. Perkara itu disahkan oleh Ketua Pengarah Pelajaran Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom ketika dihubungi Bernama hari ini. Beliau merupakan ahli parlimen Kuala Terengganu selama dua penggal berturut-turut.

Difahamkan Razali, 59, rebah ketika bermain badminton di institut itu.Dalam pilihanraya umum Mac lalu, beliau menewaskan Naib Presiden PAS, Mohamad Sabu dan calon bebas, Maimun Yusuf. Razali menang dengan majoriti tipis 628 undi. Allahyarham mendapat 32,562 undi, manakala Mohamad memperolehi 31,934 undi. Maimun, seorang nenek yang dipercayai calon paling tua, pula mendapat 685 undi.

Allahyarham menghadiri sesi permukiman dua hari bagi pemimpin Umno Terengganu di situ yang bermula hari ini. Razali meninggalkan seorang isteri Datin Nooraini Lob Yusoff dan lima anak. Susulan kematian beliau, pilihanraya kecil akan diadakan dalam tempoh 60 hari bagi kerusi parlimen Kuala Terengganu.

source: malaysiakini

Saya kenal Allahyarham Razali Ismail semasa beliau berkhidmat sebagai pensyarah di Maktab Perguruan dan saya dapati bahawa beliau adalah seorang cendiakawan yang mempunyai lenggok bahasa dan penguasaan bahasa Melayu yang cukup sempurna. Dalam pertemuan kami sering bincang isu-isu pendidikan serta masalah perkembangan bahasa Melayu masa kini.

Soal politik negara juga sering dipertikaikan. Pada mulanya saya fikir allahyarham ini berpihak sebelah kiri, tetapi bila beliau dipilih bertanding dalam pemilu 2004 barulah saya tahu pendirian sebenarnya. Namun, sebagai kawan saya tetap menghormati beliau sebagai seorang ilmuan yang pandai berhujah dan berwacana dengan gaya bahasa yang tersendiri.

Malang sekali, pemergian beliau adalah satu kehilangan besar kepada negara ketika negara sedang meraba-raba menetapkan halatuju dasar pendidikan negara yang masih terumbang ambing.

Salam takziah buat keluarga Allahyarham, moga Allah mencucuri rahmat ke atas rohnya.......

Baca di sini.

Al-Fatihah.

18 years jail for maid abuse............

Housewife Yim Pek Ha was today sentenced to 18 years' jail after she was found guilty by the Sessions Court here of three counts of voluntarily causing grievous hurt to her Indonesian maid four years ago.

Yim, 40, a former air stewardess, was found guilty of causing grievous hurt to Nirmala Bonat, 23, with a hot iron and hot water at Villa Putera, Jalan Tun Ismail here in January, March and April 2004.She was jailed for 18 years on each count but Judge Akhtar Tahir ordered the jail terms to run concurrently from today.

In his judgment, he said the offences, committed several times by Yim were cruel and showed sadistic behaviour which could not be tolerated in the society.

"To do it one time is cruel, more than one time is more cruel. You deserve to serve the jail term consecutively but it will be harsh if I send you (to prison) for 54 years, so the sentence will run concurrently," said Akhtar.

However, he acquitted and discharged Yim of a fourth charge of causing hurt to Nirmala, 23, with a metal cup at the same place on May 17 2004 after ruling that there was a doubt as to whether the injury was caused on that day.The court had heard that Yim had poured hot water on Nirmala and ironed her breasts with hot iron, resulting in serious injuries to her breasts, thighs and back.

The mother of four children burst into tears and was comforted by her husband after the court made the ruling. Amid her sobs she was heard saying:"Why, why is this happening to me?"

Earlier, Akhtar concluded that Yim was the one who had caused the injuries to Nirmala and that the inference by the defence that Nirmala had self-inflicted the injuries was unsustainable and could not be accepted.

"No person in the house saw Nirmala causing injury to herself. It is only a possibility raised up by the defence. I cannot agree that just a person merely knocking her head on a wall can lead to the inference that she can cause several serious injuries to herself.

"I notice that the evidence of the accused started off by stating bad points of Nirmala and there was still underlying anger in her after three years, so I am not suprised if she caused the injuries. She also gave evidence that she had slapped the victim. She is capable of being physical.

"From the evidence tendered, the accused exaggerated the flaws made by Nirmala in doing her house chores. To me that is not a reason to be cruel," said Akhtar.

He also said that Nirmala's full evidence, which was supported by other evidence, showed that she was not telling lies.

In mitigation, Yim's counsel, Jagjit Singh, said he could not mitigate that his client was remorseful as she maintained her innocence. Deputy public prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran replied that the extent of the injuries suffered by Nirmala reflected the cruelty and inhuman nature of the accused.

Yim will serve the jail term from today as her counsel has yet to file an appeal or seek a stay of execution of the sentence.

source:theSun

Only an animal will do such things. There are hundreds more cases of inhumane maid abuses gone unreported. Will this be a lesson to others? The answer is simply NOPE!

To me 18 years jail term is too short, this lady deserves more............

Read here.

cheers.

Markah lulus UPSR untuk 3 subjek - Bahasa Inggeris, Matematik dan Sains hanyalah 20% sahaja??......

"……….keputusan UPSR, cerita nasib Bahasa Melayu dalam situasi pengajaran dan pembelajaran sistem pendidikan negara, nasib mata pelajaran Kesusasteraan Melayu dan Sejarah masih belum selesai meski kita telah menikmati usia kemerdekaan 51 tahun. Hati bertambah rawan mengenang nasib bahasa yang makin terpinggir di negara sendiri dan isu PPSMI yang tak sudah-sudah.

Bagi meneruskan kelangsungan PPSMI, dengar cerita markah lulus UPSR untuk 3 subjek iaitu Bahasa Inggeris, Matematik dan Sains hanyalah 20% sahaja. Apalah akan jadi kepada nasib anak-anak bangsaku ini. Angkara siapakah ini, bangsaku dan bahasaku hampir hancur lebur dan jadi cacamerba. Ke mana lap top dan wang rakyat berbilion ringgit semata-mata untuk PPSMI? Guru-guru masih mengajar menggunakan bahasa Melayu sedangkan mereka dibayar elaun untuk itu."

Demikianlah keluh seorang rakan saya yang diluahkan melalui email saya terima baru-baru ini. Saya tidak mahu persalahkan beliau kerana rasa frustnya terhadap soal bahasa, keputusan UPSR terutama bagi subjek-subjek Bahasa Inggeris(BI),Matematik dan Sains. Walaupun telah diwar-warkan oleh Pak Menteri kita dengan sang kutu-kutunya di Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia bahawa keputusan UPSR bagi 3 subjek-subjek tersebut telah meningkat dan menunjukkan prestasi pencapaian yang baik, namun dari segi realitinya adalah sebaliknya.

Baru-baru ini saya sempat bertemu beberapa orang guru dari beberapa buah SK dan SRJK di luar bandar yang datang bercuti di sini. Bila saya bertanya khabar tentang UPSR dan status PPSMI mereka menggeleng kepala masing-masing. Mereka memaklumkan bahawa keputusan UPSR,
terutamanya bagi subjek Matematik,Sains dan BI adalah indah khabar dari rupa. Sungguhpun bilangan yang lulus dalam subjek ini meningkat tetapi jika diteliti dari segi kualitinya ia tidaklah memberangsangkan.

Ada di antara mereka rasa hairan kenapa tiba-tiba bilangan murid-murid yang mendapat pangkat A dalam Matematik,
Sains dan BI tiba-tiba berkurangan,sedangkan secara purata bilangan yang lulus dalam subjek-subjek tersebut meningkat secara mendadak?

Yang lebih menghairankan ialah murid-murid yang mereka tahu sememangnya tidak boleh lulus dalam ketiga-tiga subjek itu tiba-tiba secara mistri telah lulus dengan memperolehi pangkat C dan ada setengah mendapat pangkat B.

Mungkinkah markah untuk subjek-subjek ini telah dimanipulasikan, sehinggakan markah untuk lulus subjek tersebut diturunkan sehingga 20% seperti mana yang dinyatakan oleh rakan saya di atas ?

Perkara seperti ini tidaklah menghairankan, masakan rekod imigresen Altantuya Shaaribuu boleh dengan tiba-tiba boleh hilang dan terpadam daripada data bank Jabatan Imigresen, inikan pula keputusan peperiksaan UPSR yang dengan mudah boleh dimanipulasikan tanpa pengetahuan sesiapa pun........

Apa kata Pak Menteri Hishamuddin?. Bolehkah dia menjawab misteri ini.......

Over to you sir……..

cheers.

Now Anwar has to do it the patient way.........

After a botched bid to oust the government in September, Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim will likely have to bide his time until elections in 2012-13 before making another bid for power. From watershed elections in March to his triumphant return to parliament after a decade's absence, Anwar dominated the headlines. Even his arrest and trial on fresh sodomy charges failed to thwart his campaign to topple the government by his self-imposed deadline of Sept 16.

Victory seemed within his grasp when the government apparently felt compelled to ship 40 MPs to Taiwan on a 'study trip' in mid-September to prevent them from defecting to Anwar's camp and thus giving him a majority in parliament. The deadline passed. Financial turmoil swept the globe, and with an economic slowdown looming, voters in this Asian country of 27 million people suddenly had more immediate worries than Malaysia's chronic political intrigue.

Now the 61-year-old Anwar, whose People's Justice Party holds its annual convention this weekend, has to explain why he is not addressing the meeting as the new prime minister of Malaysia.'His (Anwar's) strategy of haste that he adopted after March 8 (elections) stopped working after Abdullah was forced to retire,' said Ooi Kee Beng, an analyst at Singapore's Institute of South-east Asian Studies.

'Now, he has to do it the patient way.' Lacklustre Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi essentially derailed Anwar's express train to power by deciding to hand power to his more assured deputy, Najib Razak, earlier than planned.

Affirmative selection

Mr Abdullah's National Front coalition, which has ruled uninterrupted for 51 years, stopped being transfixed by Anwar and started making policies to deal with an economy that is expected to grow by only 1.5 per cent next year from 5.4 per cent this year.

Mr Najib, 55, will take office in March when he becomes president of the United Malays National Organisation, the dominant party in the 13-party National Front. Mr Najib, who is deputy premier and finance minister, has taken the fight to Anwar by linking him to unpopular measures proposed by the International Monetary Fund when Anwar was finance minister during the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, while projecting an aura of economic competence himself.

He has announced some measures to offset lower economic growth, but hasn't raided the treasury to do so, putting US$2 billion (S$3.02 billion) saved from petrol subsidies into pump-priming measures. Mr Najib even stole some of Anwar's thunder by relaxing a requirement that ethnic Malays have to own 30 per cent of companies - one of the affirmative action programmes that aim to uplift Malays who constitute 60 per cent of the population. Anwar's opposition coalition had campaigned for abolition of those programmes in the March elections.

Inflation is falling rapidly from a peak of 8.5 per cent in mid-year and the central bank on Monday unexpectedly cut interest rates for the first time in five years. 'There's a widespread acceptance that Anwar will no longer take over the country,' said an investment analyst at a foreign bank in Singapore. 'Being PM is out of the question right now.' 'Najib is reinforcing his power base. He's the new face of Malaysia,' he said.

Snap elections?

The opposition and some pro-government newspapers have started to push the idea of snap elections soon after Mr Najib takes power in March, saying he would need to win a popular mandate. But Umno's coalition allies are still in disarray after the electoral debacle eight months ago. 'The risk (for snap polls) is very great. It will be suicidal because of the hangover from the March political tsunami,' said political author Yahaya Ismail.

Other analysts said Mr Najib would likely wait for mandatory re-drawing of electoral boundaries in 2012 before calling for polls. The government's current five-year mandate ends in 2013.

One glimmer of hope for Anwar could be polls in the timber- and petroleum-rich state of Sarawak on Borneo island. Sarawak has been a Barisan stronghold since it joined Malaysia in 1963 and may hold state elections as early as next year. Provided Anwar can fend off what he says are politically motivated sodomy charges that are a reprise of the court action that got him jailed in the 1990s, and can keep his fractious three-party coalition together, victory in Sarawak could be another lever to apply pressure to government legislators.

Key to that will be how well the opposition runs the five states it controls. There has already been a backlash in the pro-government media over issues ranging from race relations to dual language street signs. 'The next electoral showdown is the Sarawak election, so it is a given goal for (the opposition coalition) to make an impression there,' analyst Ooi Kee Beng said. 'It will try to open the floodgates so that the 'March 8 tsunami' will flow into east Malaysia as well.

source: Reuters

Well its like playing toto, you buy and you hope for a chance......and with Najib as PM, the chances are so wide open, only its a matter of time.

Sabarlah sikit, do it the patient way, why hurry.................

Read here, here and here.

cheers.

Speaker turned down FDI motion by Anwar.............

An urgent motion by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to debate the decreasing in-flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Dewan Rakyat today was rejected by Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee as it was not an urgent matter.

Anwar moved the motion under Article 18(1) of the Standing Orders because he said Malaysia has suffered a negative net-flow of RM9 billion with RM38 billion outflow in FDI as reported in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) World Investment Report 2008.

Kiandee said the matter had been explained by Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak during the winding-up at committee stage. He also said several MPs like Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak), Dr Dzulkelfy Ahmad (PAS-Kuala Selangor), Nasharudin Md Isa (PAS-Bachok) and Anwar himself had brought it up in their questions and debates.

“So, the issue has already been taken up and tackled by the ministry,” he said.

At a press conference at the parliament lobby later, Anwar said although the report had mentioned an increase in the in-flow of the FDI from RM21 billion in 2006 to RM29 billion last year, a massive outflow of FDI has been occurring since 2005 and it will cause contraction in the economy, a decrease in gross domestic production and an increase in the unemployment rate.

“The Asean region had an increase of 81.9% in the in-flow of the FDI from RM116 billion in 2006 to RM209 billion in 2007 and Malaysia recorded the lowest in-flow with only 13%," he said.

“If the minister only told us that this was because of the global financial crisis, why did the country perform worse than the other (Asean) countries?

“I do not deny the effect of the global financial crisis but I would like to know why Malaysia is doing worse than other Asean countries in FDI?

“If such a phenomenon is not tackled immediately, the country will be left behind in the economic and development race by its neighbouring countries."

Anwar said it was not just a financial crisis but a crisis of confidence to Malaysia because the reports by the World Bank, UBS (an international financial firm) and International Institute of Finance had pointed out that the obstruction of in-flow of FDI into the country was because of its economic policies, including:

a. high requirements and strict regulations, especially in the service sectors;
b. the “mismatch” of training in the vocational schools and universities with the requirements of the industry;
c. high management cost, such as commissions, "which are always linked to corruption”; and
d. lack of transparency in awarding contracts and confidence in the judiciary.

Anwar also said that since the government was reluctant to engage the Opposition for such debate, a bipartisan roundtable meeting or a discussion initiated by the minister should be held to address the issue.

“We have made it quite clear that we are here to engage and assist,” he added.

source:theSun

The current trend of our Dewan Rakyat.......any motion that originates from the opposition will be turned down, no matter how urgent, specific and of public interest. Sometime I wonder whether the speaker has the balls to allow such debates..............

cheers.

Seven arrested at anti-ISA gathering...........

Seven people were arrested by police for defying orders to disperse at an anti-ISA ceramah at a field next to the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) in Pandan Indah late Sunday night.

The gathering of close to 100 people which was organised by the Anti-ISA Movement (GMI) and was supposed to see Pakatan Rakyat leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Ipoh Timur MP Lim Kit Siang as speakers was disrupted when police from the Ampang district police headquarters and members of the Federal Reserve Unit ordered them to disperse about 9.30pm.

When they did not do so, police arrested seven of them who were volunteers tasked to oversee the gathering. Police said the gathering was illegal as the organisers did not have a permit.

As at midnight police were still at the scene and kept watch over the area to ensure members of the group dispersed. Those detained were taken to Pandan Indah police station to have their statements recorded but it was unknown if they would be released soon after.

Meanwhile, Batu MP Tian Chua, who got wind of the incident, told theSun that he was disappointed with the double standard practised by police in dealing with public gatherings.

He said at 11am yesterday, two groups of about 100 people closely linked to Umno had carried out a demonstration close to the Jalan Tun Razak police station near Jalan Ampang on upholding the special rights and privilages of Malays.

"These groups had uttered sensitive slogans which can incite racial hatred and drive a wedge among races but the police just saw them through the gathering for two hours. Why this disparity? They did not have permits too and were doing something which warrants arrest." he said.

Tian Chua said the MPAJ had approved the use of the field for the organisers of the anti-ISA gathering and police should not have interrupted it.

source:theSun

The Fatwa council should also look into the ISA issue and come out with a fatwa,whether ISA is only applicable to opposition party members only,while the gomen and UMNO gets away scott free.

cheers.

Fatwa council - No to yoga for Malaysian muslims.............

The National Fatwa Council has declared that yoga is prohibited in Islam. Sources said the decision was on the basis that yoga involves physical movements, chanting and worshipping.

The issue cropped up late last month when a university lecturer advised Muslims to stop practising yoga for fear that it could deviate their belief. The council then stepped in and said it would issue a fatwa.

Council chairperson Dr Abdul Shukor Husin however, stressed that the fatwa was strictly applicable to Muslims.

"The fatwa (edict) is meant solely for the Muslims to follow. Non-Muslims need not question or debate this because they are free to do whatever they wish. It is the Muslims who have to adhere to this rule," he added.

Apart from the physical movements, the yoga practices contain worshipping and chanting, which were prohibited for Muslims, it said.

"Malaysia is not the only country which has declared yoga as haram in Islam. Singapore and Egypt have come out with the same edict as well."

He said Muslims must be careful to not do things which could erode their faith, adding that the religion strongly advocates "prevention is better than cure".

"There are many other forms of exercise that Muslims can partake in, especially as the religion promotes healthy living and lifestyle. Performing prayers, for example, is a good form of exercise," he said.

Hey what about this........................

Shouldnt the fatwa council ban this...

and this too.......

Read here.

cheers.

Will UMNO protest when Idris Jala's contract is extended....

When the Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim announced the appointment of Mdm.Low Siew Moi as acting general manager of PKNS,UMNO and about 200 PKNS staff members held picket to protest the appointment.The Selangor Malays Residents Action Body held a small demonstration outside the state secretariat building here to protest against the appointment.

Malaysian Airline System Berhad (Mas) managing director, Idris Jalla 's contract that ends on November 30, has been extended by another three years. Idris Jala, who was appointed to the position in 2005, has been tasked to turn around the airline company.

In a statement issued to Bursa Malaysia, Mas said that the contract will take effect from December 1 to November 30 2011.The airline company has been facing huge challenges that have been compounded by the global financial crisis.

Will UMNO goons & those ketuanan Melayu fanatics protest his appointment too? Btw. Idris Jala is not a Muslim.

cheers.

Razak Baginda-"The innocents have become the victim while the liars are running supreme"..........

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has never met murdered Mongolian Altantuya Shariibuu, says his friend Abdul Razak Baginda.

Abdul Razak, who was recently acquitted of abetment in Altantuya’s murder vouched for Najib and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and urged those responsible to stop spreading lies.

“I implore all of you and the public to stop spreading lies about the DPM and his wife. I know Datuk Seri Najib and his wife had never met the deceased, Altantuya.

“So much fitnah has been thrown at the DPM and his wife.

“Those who spread such lies can never produce any authentic evidence because there is none. The truth is the truth and nothing can change the truth,” he told a packed press conference on Thursday.

This is Abdul Razak’s first press conference since his acquittal. He had spent 22 months in jail.

Not wanting to go into the details of the case, Abdul Razak said he had cancelled an earlier scheduled press conference as he was still trying to adjust to life as a free man.

However, he reiterated his innocence and said he had no intention of running away.

“I am innocent. I have been through the system, spent 22 months in jail, and the system has let me out.

“I have no intention of running away. Why should I when I am innocent,” he added.

Abdul Razak plans to go the United Kingdom in the near future to do his doctorate, something he had planned before being imprisoned, he said.

Abdul Razak said he was coming out to tell the truth because “I do not want to allow the liars to prevail.”

Abdul Razak's media statement here.

source : the Star

Say whatever you like Razak Baginda,but the fact that you are an intimate friend of Najib, that stigma will be there for all to see.

Any moron would know that there must be a motive for the killing of the Mongolian girl. You just dont kill people for the sake of killing. Like my fellow bloggers, me too very interested to know the truth.

You said that you are an innocent victim, why dont you swear on the koran as all UMNO cronies, including Najib like to do to prove a point..............

Read here, here and here.


cheers.

Sodomy II review fixed on Feb 5 and 6 2009..............

The Kuala Lumpur High Court today has fixed Feb 5 and 6 to review an earlier decision by the Sessions Court to hear Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy trial in the lower court.The dates were fixed by High Court judge Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah during a case mention this morning, according to Anwar's lawyer Sankara Nair.

"The court will hear the arguments for revision on Feb 5 and 6," Sankara said when contacted.

"The defence this morning has also applied for our client (Anwar) to be excused from court hearings on Feb 5 and 6 because it is a technical argument. The application was granted," the lawyer added.

On Nov 7, Sessions judge SM Komathy Suppiah has decided that the case be heard in her court after finding a certificate to have it transferred to the High Court signed by Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail to be invalid.

Four days later, the prosecution filed an appeal to the High Court and the appeal was initially scheduled to be heard today and tomorrow. However, this has been put off after a defence's application which found today and tomorrow as unsuitable dates for the lawyers. Due to the prosecution's appeal, the sodomy trial will also face a further delay.

The 61-year-old Anwar, who is also Permatang Pauh MP and PKR de facto leader, was charged three months ago with sodomising his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan,23.If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in jail. He is currently out on a RM20,000 personal bond.

In deciding that the case should stay with the Sessions Court, justice Komathy has among others explained that her ruling was based on a promise that AG Abdul Gani will not be involved in the case.

Abdul Gani is still under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Agency following a police report lodged by Anwar about alleged tampering of evidence pertaining to the ‘black eye' incident in 1998.

Following the investigation, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi gave an assurance that the AG will not be involved in Anwar's latest sodomy case to avoid any conflict of interest.

"The case raises a unique situation where it is evident that any involvement by the AG in this case would seriously undermine public confidence in the administration of criminal justice," justice Komathy has said in her ruling on Nov 7.

source: malaysiakini

The defence had challenged the validity of transfer certificate because Abdul Gani was still under investigation by the ACA following a police report lodged by Anwar on alleged falsification of evidence pertaining to the "black eye" incident while Anwar was in police custody in 1998.

Probably the gomen wants the Abdul Gani to be cleared from all these allegations, so that he can play a prominent role in the case..........

cheers.

Karpal gives Zaki seven days to step down.............

DAP chairman Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) says he is in possesion of an audio recording of what what Chief Justice Tan Sri Zaki Azmi said in Kuching, and subsequently reported by the New Straits Times (NST) on Nov 8 under the heading "Stop it now, corrupt court staff warned".

The report quoted Zaki as saying :"It took me six months to be nice, to bribe each and every individual to get back into their good books before our files were being attended to".

Zaki subsequently denied what was reported and a clarification was carried in the NST on Nov 9.

Zaki’s clarification, published in NST on Nov 9, said: "Your reporter must have interpreted what I said, which is during that period, there was corruption in order to get things done at the court registry, as I myself having done it. I have never in my life bribed or received any bribe."

Karpal urged Zaki to step down from the judiciary's top post for making the statement in Kuching, Sarawak on Nov 7.

"Rest assured, there is an audio recording of what Zaki said," said Karpal.

Karpal gave Zaki seven days to step down, failing which he will move a motion against Zaki under Article 127 of the Federal Constitution for having misled the country with his clarification.

He said he was speaking in his capacity as chairman of the parliamentary caucus on the Integrity and Independence of the Judiciary and urged members of the Barisan Nasional backbenchers club to forward the names of those interested in joining the caucus to make it more representative.

source:theSun

Wow......CJ Zaki kena checkmate..........

cheers.

Pempena advanced RM300,000 to one Umi Hafilda .....

Here is an interesting write-up about what's really going on in the Ministry of Tourism.....

Let them rot in jail - R. Nadeswaran aka Citizen Nades

EVERY right-thinking Malaysian should applaud Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman. She has come out in the open and exposed the wrongdoings of people under her purview. She offers no protection for the wrongdoers. On the contrary, she has warned of serious consequences. She has asked the state-owned Pempena Sdn Bhd and its subsidiaries to assess their operations and consider if they should continue.

The minister’s outburst is understandable. Some of these companies operated as if there were no norms or rules to govern them. Some of the people running them considered the companies to be their own fiefdoms and their private bank, drawing monies through dubious means.

They ventured in businesses and deals that were sure losers from the start. Why in the world would a government-owned company get involved in businesses in which it neither has the expertise nor the experience?

Were feasibility studies done before millions of taxpayers’ money was pumped in? Did those who made the decisions ask themselves: Why do we want to get into such businesses when our core business is promoting tourism? Azalina was quoted by the NST as saying: "If they have cheated the government in any way, they will be severely dealt with." This can be no further than the truth. Two audit reports – one done internally and another by PriceWaterhouseCoopers – have revealed the intrigues, the manipulation of funds, fraud, deception and above all, a lack of common sense which a reasonable person is expected to do when he is entrusted with public money.

Instead of acting as people with business acumen, they acted as godfathers and Santa Clauses, dishing out money from a bottomless pit. There were no due diligence tests with supposed partners; there were no checks on current market rates, but what is more damning is their failure to take action to recover monies which is rightfully theirs.

For example, Pempena advanced RM300,000 to one Umi Hafilda (does the name ring a bell?) for a Amir Diab Live in Kuala Lumpur concert. The report says that "Pempena did not even sight the contract between the parties before issuing the cheque" and as expected, the concert did not take place.

The first question to ask is: Why is Pempena paying show promoters? The second question is: How does a concert help promote tourism? Perhaps, they took a leaf out of the Sport Ministry which paid RM17 million for the Champions Youth Cup tournament to "promote tourism" last year. We’ll leave that to rest, at least for the moment.

Back to Umi Hafilda. When the concert did not materialise, she issued three cheques to Pempena – all of them bounced – there was no money in her account. What did Pempena do? Sat with arms folded because those in the know were aware that she was an undischarged bankrupt, one of the report states.

But that’s not all. As Azalina points out, RM11 million went into the taxi business and she also asks: "We need to find out where all the money that was invested went to. The company has failed to pay the hire purchase loan for the taxi instalments."

Absolutely right! For that kind of money, working at a conservative cost of RM100,000, there should be 111 taxis – bought outright without a loan, but records show that all of them were bought via hire purchase. So, where did the money go?

What stands in an empty lot somewhere in the Klang Valley are taxis – repossessed by the bank for not servicing the loan – ready to be auctioned. It’s a standing monument of shame that has been brought on by the companies’ own doing. In the first place, why should it go into the taxi business and compete with commercial operators? It can be understandable if it created a niche market but in this case, it was competing with individuals and companies who had both the know-how and the experience.

That’s not all. The report states that Pempena bought one million shares at RM1 each in a company called SD Corp Sdn Bhd, which had forecast a turnover of RM8 million and a profit of RM100,000 for the first year. But the company ran up a loss of RM2 million. To add insult to injury, Pempena paid RM2.1 million for the shares but the share certificates had yet to be delivered as of July 31.

But more shocking are the claims that minutes of meetings of the board of directors of Pempena had been changed by hidden hands. The internal audit confirms this by saying: "The amendments of the minutes are a serious offence as it involves the appointment of contractors without going through the proper process. No action was taken against those responsible for changing the minutes although it was brought to the attention of the management."

These are some of the startling revelations made by the auditors. The report is a catalogue of shame and it exposes the looting of people’s money carried by a few officials using tourism as a front. It outlines the methodologies used to fraudulently siphon public money into the pockets of individuals. Besides, it highlights payment of monies to people without going through the proper checks. The sad part is that some of these monies cannot be re-couped – some of the recipients are either bankrupt or have been blacklisted by Bank Negara.

No one will disagree with Azalina. She is doing the right thing by exposing the scam committed by people entrusted with public money. They should go to jail for cheating the people. But the inevitable question is: Will the law be allowed to take its course? For that to happen, an official complaint must be made to the police, not the Anti-Corruption Agency because there are no elements of graft – they are simple cases of fraud. But even if a police report is made, will action be taken or will these perpetrators and cheats have some "godfathers" protecting them.

source: theSun

Since the "godfathers" are protecting them,then we can just easily say goodbye to the rakyat's money. For the gomen a token lost "tak apa punya". If they have cheated the gomen, will the be severely dealt with? Your guess is as good as mine...for they are all their people.............

Read here and here.

cheers.

Apakah alasan konkrit membebaskan Razak Baginda........

Mengulas mengenai keputusan pihak pendakwaan yang tidak akan memfailkan notis rayuan terhadap keputusan Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam membebaskan Razak, bapanya, Datuk Abdullah Malim Baginda berkata, beliau bersyukur dengan keputusan tersebut. Ditanya mengenai perasaan Razak berhubung hal itu, beliau hanya berkata: "Alhamdulillah...syukur.Segala-galanya
dah di belakang kita.

Razak Baginda merupakan tertuduh ketiga dalam kes pembunuhan Altantuya dibebaskan 31 Oktober lalu di Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam setelah Hakim Mohd Zaki mendapati tiada kes prima facie bagi Razak untuk menjawab tuduhan.

Timbalan Pendakwa Raya, Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah yang mengetuai barisan pendakwaan kes pembunuhan Altantuya berkata, pihaknya tidak akan memfailkan rayuan atas alasan Hakim Mohd Zaki Md Yasin yang memutuskan kes berkenaan sudah membuat penemuan fakta ketika membebaskan Abdul Razak daripada tuduhan tersebut.

Sementara itu,ahli Parlimen Puchong, Gobind Singh Deo hari ini meminta Jabatan Peguam Negara memberikan alasan yang konkrit berhubung keputusan mereka tidak akan memfailkan notis rayuan terhadap keputusan Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam membebaskan Pengarah Eksekutif Pusat Penyelidikan Strategik Malaysia, Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda pada 31 Oktober lalu daripada tuduhan bersubahat membunuh wanita Mongolia, Altantuya Shariibuu.

Gobind berkata, sepanjang pengetahuannya, ketika Jabatan Peguam Negara mendapat fail kes, mereka dikatakan mempunyai cukup bukti untuk mendakwa Razak yang akhirnya menyebabkan Razak ditahan reman sepanjang perbicaraan.

"Apabila tiba masa pembebasan pada masa ini, tiada alasan konkrit yang diberikan...tiada yang berubah. Jika tiada yang berubah, kami akan tanya kenapa Jabatan Peguam Negara membuat keputusan yang sebaliknya iaitu rayuan tersebut tidak perlu (dilakukan).

"Ini penting kerana kes ini bukan sahaja mendapat perhatian dalam negara malah daripada masyarkat antarabangsa," katanya kepada media di lobi Parlimen, di sini hari ini.

Bagaimanapun, dua lagi terduduh iaitu Cif Inspektor Azilah Hadri, 32, dan Koperal Sirul Azhar Umar, 36, kedua-duanya anggota Unit Tindakan Khas (UTK) diarah supaya membela diri atas tuduhan yang dihadapi dan akan memberikan keterangan secara bersumpah untuk membela diri mereka mulai 15 Januari tahun depan.

source: myStar

Depa(pendawa) tak mahu buat rayuan mungkin atas arahan orang di atas kot....... Btw. gambar anak Altantuya tu mirip sapa ya?

cheers.

Ronnie Liu Charged........

Selangor Executive Councillor Ronnie Liu Tan Khiew, 49, claimed trial at the Petaling Jaya magistrate’s court on Monday to abetment in obstructing a Subang Jaya Municipal Council enforcement officer from carrying out his duty last year.

He is accused of abetting Puchong’s Hotel Chile customers and workers in attempting to stop council official Mohamed Hadzim Zulkapli from discharging his duty on Nov 2 last year.

Magistrate Mohamad Ibrahim Mohammad Ghulam granted him bail of RM3,000 in one surety and set Feb 10 for mention.

Liu, who is a DAP central committee member and the Local Government, Study and Research Committee chairman, was arrested at the state secretariat building in Shah Alam on Wednesday this year and released on a RM2,000 bail on the same day.

Meanwhile, in Parliament on Monday, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said the charge against Liu was “very creative” and the Attorney-General's chambers had to explain why such a charge was rreated.

Lim said it was the first time he had heard of a charge of abetting in obstructing a public officer from carrying out his duty.

"Furthermore, the charge is vague as it does not mention who he allegedly abetted," Lim said.

Lim also took a swipe at the police for taking "too long" to bring the "very serious" case to court considering the incident occurred a year ago.

source:malaysia today

Here is another clear case of "selective investigation" and "selective prosecution" at its best........

cheers.

Anwar- Sarawakians were ready for change.........

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Sarawak, which has 30 members of parliament, holds the key to the formation of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government in the country.

"When Sarawak changes its course, the Barisan Nasional government will collapse," he said at a dinner organised by "Friends of PKR" at the Sibu Trade and Exhibition centre here last night.

He said leaders in the PR coalition like Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang of Pas, Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng of DAP and himself and his wife would continue to meet and hold discussions with BN MPS to get them to cross over.

About 3,000 people were present at the dinner, the biggest so far for a PKR function here.

Those present included PKR vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Jeffery Kitingan, Sarawak DAP leader Wong Ho Leng, former Sri Aman MP Jimmy Donald and Baginda Minda, the former Parti Rakyat Sarawak Balleh branch publicity chief, who caused a furore with his statement accusing the state dominant BN party, the Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, of being a bully.

At the function, Anwar received membership application forms from Gabriel Adit Demong, one of two independent state assemblymen, and from 11,752 individuals from throughout the state.

Anwar said Sarawakians were now ready for change, saying Adit had volunteered to lead a recruitment drive for more members for PR.

"Do not be surprise if what had happened in five peninsula states in the March general elections could happen here," he said, adding that PR was prepared to face the coming state election.

He also claimed that several people from the state had visited him to express their interests to join PKR.

Meanwhile, Adit said a lot of BN members were "waiting in the wing" to join him and that his decision in joining PKR was "the first of many instalments" over the next few months.

source: Bernama

Lets make the change as soon as possible...........

cheers.

Prosecution not appealing Razak's acquittal in Altantuya murder case........

Political analyst Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda, who was acquitted of abetment in the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu, can breathe easy after the prosecution confirmed today that it will not appeal the decision made by the Shah Alam High Court two weeks ago.

Deputy public prosecutor Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah, who is leading the prosecution, said in a statement today that there would be no appeal because the trial judge had made a finding of fact in acquitting Abdul Razak.

"(There will be) no further comments in view that the case is continuing with the defence of Azilah (Hadri) and Sirul (Azhar Umar)," he said.

Justice Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin acquitted and discharged Abdul Razak, 48, without calling for his defence on Oct 31.

Abdul Razak was alleged to have abetted Chief Insp Azilah Hadri, 32, and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 36, who are charged with murdering Altantuya, 28, in Mukim Bukit Raja between 10pm on Oct 19, 2006, and 1am the following day.

The two Special Action Unit operatives are scheduled to enter their defence on Jan 15 next year.

source:Bernama

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

Razak Baginda is a close associate of the DPM, Najib Tun Razak.

No appeal for a murder case, yet in Raja Petra’s habeas corpus case, the appeal is made like lightning.

In Anwar sodomy II, the prosecution is appealling so as the case be transfered to the High court.

Helloooooo...Whats happening....."selective investigation","selective prosecution" and "selective detention"

cheers.

Anwar's trial - another delay..............

Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy trial looks set to be delayed again following an application by the prosecution today for a stay of proceeding pending their application to appeal for the matter to be moved to the High Court.The Sessions Court this morning was to have fixed a date for the trial to be heard before Sessions judge SM Komathy Suppiah.

Last Friday Komathy had dismissed an application by the prosecution to have the case transferred to the High Court. Her ruling was based on her finding that the transfer order signed by Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail was invalid.

"This case raises a unique situation where it is evident that any involvement by the AG in this case would seriously undermine public confidence in the administration of criminal justice," she had said.

However the prosecution had filed an appeal against the decision on Nov 11.This morning the prosecution applied to Komathy not to fix a date pending their appeal against her decision.

Anwar's lawyers have objected the stay application. They have also complained that they have not received several documents from the prosecution as promised last week.Lead prosecutor Yusof Zainal Abiden however gave his undertakings that the documents would be given soon.

Komathy has not decided on the prosecution's application for a stay.

Anwar was charged three months ago with sodomising his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 23.If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in jail. He is currently out on a RM20,000 personal bond.

source- malaysiakini

The desperate prosecutors wants the case to move up to a higher court? They couldnt buy the current judge, but they believe that a change of judge will give them the advantage,including denial of bail for Anwar.

Please, justice Komathy, do not let them fool you........

cheers.

Dr.M : UMNO full of corrupt leaders.................

Dr.Mahathir said,"I lost in my own constituency - for RM200.00 only,they sold me for RM200.00. I was division head for 22 years,prime minister and president of the party and they sold me for RM200."

Dr Mahathir said the only way to clamp down on the scourge in UMNO has to investigate all the names listed in the 900 complaints received and then have them removed from the party.

“They should be thrown in jail. That is a good way to use the Internal Security Act and not against someone writing some nonsense.

“Umno must be cleaned up. If not, they will lose in the next general election,” he said.

cheers.

"Hanky-panky" in Umno deputy president race,says Mahathir..............s

Dr Mahathir Mohamad has raised questions about the credibility of certain candidates contesting the number two post in Umno asking how a candidate with a very bad history had managed to qualify to contest at the last minute.

“There is a lot of hanky-panky. When you know someone with a very bad history is still getting support there is a strong possibility that money politics is involved because, somehow, someone has come from very far behind to keep up.

“At first, in the initial weeks, some people succeeded in garnering enough nominations while others remained at the bottom. Then, suddenly, nominations for these people shot up. Why?” he asked reporters after delivering a keynote address on “Bangsa Malaysia” at the Perdana Leadership Foundation on Wednesday.

There are currently three contenders in the deputy president’s race - Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who is leading the pack with 91 nominations while Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam has 47 and Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib has 46. Muhyiddin was the first to qualify for the race. Candidates need 39 nominations to qualify for the race. Dr Mahathir said of the three candidates, he believed Muhyiddin was the best person for the job.

On money politics, Dr Mahathir said the only way to clamp down on the scourge in Umno was for all the names in the list of 900 complaints to be investigated and then removed from the party completely.

“They should be thrown in jail. That is a good way to use the Internal Security Act against them and not against someone writing some nonsense.

“Umno must be cleaned up. If they don’t, they will lose in the next general elections because the whole country knows that Umno leaders use money to put themselves up there.

“What’s the point of being party president when you are going to lose the elections?” he said.

Dr Mahathir also defended the quota system that was first put in place by him when he was party president, adding that this in itself was a safeguard against money politics.

“It was thought then it would be difficult to bribe 60 divisions. But as you can see, they can bribe 60 divisions and so the quota system has failed,” he said, adding that even if direct elections were put into place, there would still be money politics.

source:theStar

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

Mahathir asked “At first, in the initial weeks, some people succeeded in garnering enough nominations while others remained at the bottom. Then, suddenly, nominations for these people shot up. Why?”

Why? coz these candidates got a lot of money. Do you think Ali Rustam and Mohammad Mohd.Taib are credible leaders? Btw. Muhyuddin Yassin too is no better.

When the transition plan and UMNO elections are over in March,nothing changes.....these corrupted leaders will still be at helm minus poor Pat Lah.............

cheers.

Anti-ISA 15 November vigil back at the Esplanade......

Come and show your support for the campaign “No to ISA” in Penang on 15 Nov.2008 at the Esplanade.

Raja Petra is out. 60 plus Malaysians remain incacerated in Kamunting, Perak and more will join them.

Got to send the right signals to the gomen in power that we have had enough of the scare tactics of the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional (BN) gomen not to cow us into submission.

Venue - the Esplanade
Date - 15 November 2008
Time - 8.00 pm.

JOM PI RAMAI-RAMAI..............

cheers.

Harga nasi kandar turun...poooorah putaq alam..........

Potongan harga sebanyak 10 sen untuk roti canai dan teh tarik dan 20 sen untuk sepinggan nasi kandar memberi peluang kepada Persatuan Pengusaha Restoran Muslim Malaysia (PRESMA) dan Persatuan Pengusaha Restoran India Malaysia (PRIMAs) membantu golongan itu meningkatkan kuasa membeli mereka.

Timbalan Presiden PRIMAS, T. Muthusamy berkata, keputusan menurunkan harga itu dicapai oleh anggota persatuan berikutan keputusan kerajaan menurunkan harga minyak barubaru ini iaitu pada 1 November lepas.

"Walaupun kami dibebankan dengan kenaikan harga minyak pada Jun lalu, namun kami tidak menaikkan harga makanan kami sesuka hati.

Harga bagi roti canai sekarang adalah tertakluk kepada lokasi restoran kerana ada di kalangan anggota persatuan yang menjualnya pada harga antara 70 sen dan RM1.50 sekeping manakala bagi teh tarik pula, 90 sen hingga RM1.50 secawan sementara bagi nasi kandar, rata-ratanya sama iaitu sekitar RM4.50 sepinggan.

Sementara itu, Presiden PRESMA Jamarulkhan Kadir berkata, walaupun pembekal tidak menurunkan harga barangan berikutan kos operasi yang tinggi, namun pihaknya tetap mengekalkan harga seperti biasa.

Beliau berkata, sekiranya beliau dan anggota PRESMA yang lain turut menaikkan harga, mereka akan mengalami kerugian berikutan sasaran awal mereka iaitu golongan pelajar dan yang berpendapatan rendah dan sederhana tidak lagi mengunjungi restoran mereka.

"Kita tetap kekalkan harga barangan walaupun harga minyak naik. Kalau kami naikkan, siapa yang akan datang ke restoran kami. Golongan mewah mungkin sekali-sekala, tetapi yang kerap adalah golongan pelajar dan berpendapatan rendah.

Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad yang merasmikan kempen penurunan harga oleh PRESMA dan PRIMAS berkata, ia adalah satu langkah yang wajar dicontohi oleh pengusaha restoran yang lain.

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

Baru-baru ini aku beli nasi bungkus terdiri daripada nasi dengan ayam seketul daripada sebuah restoran nasi kandar di sini. Dulu bagi bungkusan yang sama aku bayar RM3.80,kemundian naik RM4.10,RM4.40,
RM4.80 dan kini harganya RM5.10.

Bila ditanya kenapa harga nasi bungkus ini kerap sangat naik? Mamak kedai pun jawab barang semua sudah naik. Aku jawab sekarang itu Menteri sudah kasi turun harga minyak,harga-harga barang-barang lain pun sudah mula turun...... Mamak tu jawab,sekarang gaji pekerja sudah naik!

Wow dia pusing kot tu pula........ Yang aku tahu,pekerja-pekerjanya adalah daripada India dan bila aku tanya pekerja betulkah gaji sudah naik, mereka tersenggih dan geleng kepala...........

Pokoknya,depa ni memang putaq kiri kanan........Nampaknya Shariri pun dah kena putaq!!!!

cheers.

The rakyat don’t get to choose their PM but UMNO kingpins does………….

Martin Luther Kings once said “Judge a man by his content of his character but not his colour.” Barack Obama's victory has totally created a new dimension on the meaning of race and color in American politics. They have come a long way to understand the real meaning of equal rights and have finally realized their dreams.

Barack Obama is not black. He is the first mixed-race politician ever to get this far in the onerous and arduously testing American electoral process. Apart from that Colin Powell and Condi Rice, were a few non white Americans that had been trusted with some top jobs in the American administration.

In Malaysia racial harmony is fragile and very superficial. The political landscape itself is based on racial divide.Though the racial based parties works under one umbrella i.e BN; however the real power behind the coalition is UMNO. UMNO has always been the head of BN,based on the number of seats it holds in Parliament. UMNO is PM.

Btw, the appointment of the Prime Minister of Malaysia, by the Yang Di Pertuan Agong , is outlined in Article 43 of the Federal Constitution. Its explicitly mentioned that the person appointed must, in the judgement of the Agong, be "likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House.” By tradition UMNO being the larger share holder in the coalition, normally its president becomes PM after every BN's victory in the general election.

If Barack’s appointment as president is determine by 538 electoral college, rather than the number of popular votes he won, the same goes to Malaysians, while the rakyat don’t get to choose their PM thru general elections, as general elections only determine which party wins the most number of seats in parliament. The winning party will decide who will become PM.

The choice of Malaysia’s PM is determined by the 191 UMNO division nationwide. The UMNO AGM then decides who becomes it's president and by tradition Malaysia's PM. UMNO’s divisional elections are so tainted with corruption and power abuses. There was a suggestion that UMNO should tender its top post to the highest bidder. UMNO should consider such suggestion.

While we wait and watch for the March 09 power transition, Barack Hussein Obama, will be the 44th President of the United States come this January 09, what a way to start…………

cheers.

Anwar can make a good PM says Ramon Navaratnam..........

"Anwar Ibrahim can be a good prime minister"

This statement did not come from an opposition supporter or an Anwar sycophant - it came from a senior citizen, a respected former senior civil servant, a non-politician and a man who loves and cares for his country. It carries more credibility when the man who said it knows Anwar personally and had worked with the Opposition Leader previously.

Ramon Navaratnam, president of Transparency International Malaysia, tells why he thinks Anwar is a good candidate on Mkini tv's 'Uncensored' talk show yesterday.

"Anwar is able, talented and charismatic and possesses the necessary training and experience to take up the post.

"He was a very good finance minister, there were problems with Mahathir (former prime minister) as he had a different approach, different philosophy, and genuine differences on how to handle the 1997 crisis," he told talk show host Francis Paul Siah.

Ramon should know the workings in the Finance Ministry as he spent more than 20 years there and had also served as the ministry's deputy secretary-general. He also said that Anwar was able to spread his message that he was the standard bearer for reforms in the country.

"I think Anwar is a good candidate and in this matter the people must decide. If there is more freedom, I think you will find that there will a tough fight," said Ramon.

Asked for his thoughts of Pakatan Rakyat so far, the 73-year-old ant-graft crusader said the Pakatan coalition led by Anwar might be less corrupt in comparison to Barisan Nasional as it is a newly formed alliance.

"I may be bias. But corruption is such a great evil … the party that is new is less corrupt.

"Umno, MCA and MIC has a tradition and perception that they have been significantly corrupt. Pakatan is new and we can't be sure … but so far it appears to be cleaner and they don't have the money anyway for money politics.

The audacious Ramon Navaratnam, having commended the opposition leader, also described Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak as an equally good choice to be prime minister.

"I have known Najib since he was a young man, he was in the civil service for a little while and I have worked under his father and I have a lot of respect for that family.

"I think he is capable, he is able, he has got talent, he has got grooming and the right background but unfortunately in recent years, rightly or wrongly, he has been under a cloud.

"So although he (Najib) has the ability and potential to be a great leader the perception of him being involved in difficult circumstances that may inhibit him or might upset people’s perception of his capabilities and capacity to lead effectively," said Ramon.

He acknowledged that if Najib is able to resolve all those lingering doubts "he would be able to provide good strong leadership".

Asked to compare whether Anwar or Najib would make a better prime minister, Ramon sated that "both of them have got their strength and weaknesses".

"Najib has a track record and so does Anwar. Both have the advantage and similar experiences in being ministers of finance.

"It is the question of how the people want to regard them, as Anwar also has a cloud over his head.

I do not know what to believe

Asked on the ‘difficult’ question whether he believes Anwar is guilty of his misadventures of the sexual kind, the veteran Ramon calmly replied, “I don’t know what to believe anymore”.

“I understand from friends that such practices have happened in public schools not only here but all around the world.

"Recently I find it difficult to accept it, I mean he is not a young boy or young man and he is mature. I am not sure really how much of it is real or how much of it is rhetoric,” he said.

Ramon said “we can depend on the court to make judgement" but was quick to add that he does not have enough confidence in the judicial system. On the leadership of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Ramon said he remembers the premier to be an honest, straightforward, affable and sincere friend.

"But I'm disappointed and I have told him this but he has his own political judgement, his own sense of destiny and perspective so to speak.

"Maybe his sense of timing went wrong but I wouldn't say he is a failure, I would say he failed us in some aspects but overall don't forget he opened up the system.

"After 22 years of relative suppression and oppression - I don't think you could have this programme, you couldn't have Malaysiakini I think.

"So I think credit must be given where it is due, when a man is down don't stamp on him but my criticism of him is that if he had sincerely introduced the reforms he promoted on him being elected with a tremendous mandate, if he had stepped up the pace I think he would still be able to continue to be prime minister," said Ramon.

"If he had the strong political will and if he is able to resist the clamour of vested narrow interests he can, but I think he must have the will to bulldoze issues involving the improvement of the judiciary, anti-corruption agency, police reform and so many more.

People want change

These things can be done and there is no need for huge human or financial resources and the country can afford those things, he added. Other issues discussed during the talk show included a brief view of the recently introduced 2009 Budget.

"I won't say it is all that bad but I think what the government has done is to take into account the new realities.

"The people want change, the people want better distribution of wealth, more care and more allocations for the poor," said Ramon.

He said although Malaysia has United Nation's development goals, politicians must look beyond and stop comparing Malaysia with third-world countries like Bangladesh, Indonesia and African nations.

"We are on the verge of becoming an industrialed country so we must have higher standards and do more to eradicate poverty and improve the education system," said Ramon.

Citing the words of (newly elected US leader) Barack Obama, he said: "Don't protect the rich and the mighty and the powerful but think of the man in the street". He also stressed that savings in expenditure could be procured by implementing open tenders.

"A high portion of our public expenditure is expended through close tenders or negotiated tenders and that's the easiest way to get people involved in corruption.

Ramon also noted the provision of the New Economic Policy (NEP) which has been sparking flames in the political arena on and off.

"The objective of the NEP is to eradicate poverty regardless of races but it has been skewed. I was one of them who helped to draft NEP and I defend it.

"What went wrong is they ignored and neglected some (aspects) … the privileges only benefit the elite (in the Malay community).

"Poverty is at the highest proportion for the Malays. So what has the Approved Permits done for them? It has created a business class which is fine but very often corrupt and that is how you have money politics in Umno and that's a very serious problem.

This is because it would not only destroy Umno but the whole country, he said.

"We have the indication of approaching a falling state and if we don't watch it, we can fail.

Let's make money

Asked for his opinion why the nation's political leaders are not able to see the problems at hand, Ramon replied, "They can't see because they don't have a long view of life. They are here for one year, two years, four years, eight years … and they say let’s make money.

"I'm sorry to say and it pains me to say this but I belong to a different age group where we didn't have this during (the leadership) of Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Abdul Razak and Hussein Onn.

On Indian-based political parties, Ramon felt that Indian-based parties like MIC, PPP and IPF should be disbanded.

"The next best move is to do away with all race-based parties including MIC.

He also suggested to MIC president S Samy Vellu to retire from the political scene gracefully.

"(Although) I doubt he will (withdraw) I think he is intelligent enough to recognise that the tide is against him … for his own sake I wish he will take this time and move and fade away.

"He will be better remembered rather than having to be pushed out… He is a nice man in many ways but sometimes in a political struggle, you lose your judgement, perspective and perception.

Closing the 36-min interview, Ramon stressed that despite all the problems, Malaysia is still a blessed country and that it should be a shining example to the world.

"Be fair, be transparent, be honest and treat everybody equally," he said.

source: malaysiakini

cheers.

Judge order Anwar's trial be heard in the same court as AG's order is invalid.......

The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today ruled in favour of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and decided that his sodomy trial would be heard in the same court.

Delivering the ruling this afternoon, judge SM Komathy Suppiah had ruled that the transfer order signed by Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail was invalid.

The court fixed next Friday for mention.

The decision will pave the way for the sodomy trial to begin - three months after Anwar claimed trial after being charged with sodomising his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 23. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in jail. He is currently out on a RM20,000 personal bond.

AG's role disputed

In previous arguments on the case transfer, Anwar had objected to the application because the transfer certificate was signed by Abdul Gani.

The defence team's objection was on the basis that the AG should not have played any role in this case as he is being investigated for allegedly having tampered with evidence in Anwar's trials 10 years ago.

The defence has also argued that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had given an assurance that Abdul Gani would not be involved in the case.

source:malaysiakini

Meanwhile controversial blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin was released from his Internal Security Act (ISA) detention at 3.30pm.The editor of the popular Malaysia Today website was brought to the Shah Alam High Court about 30 minutes earlier.

Expressing surprise with the decision, Raja Petra said: "Not many people have challenged the act (ISA) so much and I did not have much high hopes (of being released).

Raja Petra was greeted by his wife Marina Lee Abdullah and two daughters. Some 50 supporters and friends clapped and cheered when the blogger appeared. He later left the courthouse with his family in a red Rolls-Royce.

cheers.