31 December 2008

2008 - year of the political tsunami..........

The drubbing that the long-time ruling Barisan Nasional received at the hands of the Opposition on March 8 is still very much the story of the year. There is a chance it may also be the story of the decade, and probably it is going to be a major landmark in the country’s political history. As alluded to by many analysts, it has fragmented Malaysian politics. And the two-thirds majority that the BN had been brandishing for 50 years as a totem of its "divine right" to rule may not be within the grasp of any ruling group for a long time to come.

March 8 has certainly changed many things and shaken many old assumptions and perceptions to their very foundations. The voters too have realised the power they have and are not about to be taken for granted any more. It has put out to pasture many old cows once considered as sacred and installed new values once thought unacceptable. Because of it nothing is likely going to be the same again.

In fact it is because of it that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is stepping down, rather unprecedentedly, a year after winning a new mandate, albeit a slimmer one, and after only about five years in office. Perhaps in his memoirs he will attempt to explain why, after winning the biggest mandate in the country’s history in 2004, he was given a such a stinging rebuke four years later which emboldened his own party men to publicly demand his resignation. Perhaps he will also explain why he called the elections one year ahead of schedule and when his popularity was at a low ebb following the massive street demonstrations three months earlier and the anger that they generated was still smouldering.

In the many analyses written by all kinds of mavens and pundits – academicians, journalists, think-tankers and just plain observers – two considerations seem to stand out as reasons for the early polls: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the prospect of a deteriorating economy. Some of the writers tried to present an honest and objective analysis but others made no attempt to conceal their sense of jubilance that the once mighty national ruling coalition was snubbed as it had never been snubbed before. Thus, some noticeably wrote with a vengeance. Few highlighted the fact that the results took almost every one by surprise. But the hyperboles they used to describe what happened were as if the BN was already wiped out, erased.

Elsewhere in the world such results would be welcomed with fireworks, street-dancing and all forms of merry-making instead of the gloom that shrouded the BN camp in the early hours of March 9. It
was only eight seats away from winning two-thirds of the seats in the Parliament and lost only five – Penang, Kedah, Perak, Selangor and Kelantan – of the thirteen state governments.

Perlis is now a BN island in the north while the southern states seemed to have thumbed their noses at the efforts of the PKR-DAP-PAS combine, now a loose Pakatan Rakyat coalition. Seemingly unfazed were Sabah and Sarawak whose total seats now keep the BN from collapsing altogether at the federal level. But then so used was BN to the magic two-thirds majority for almost half a century that it became its own benchmark of victory. Thus, it is not hard to see why for the BN March 8 was a disastrous outing.

The opposition parties – for decades almost despairing of ever denting the BN carapace – also saw the results as a rout for the ruling coalition and used all kinds of hyperboles to describe them.

"It’s a tsunami," exulted DAP strongman Lim Kit Siang.


It is obvious, as pointed out by the numerous analysts, the BN had squandered the massive mandate and the goodwill the voters had given it in 2004. In fact some said it was the huge mandate that did it: make the government arrogant and complacent.

The early euphoria generated by such musical soundbites as "work with me and not for me" and "I am the prime minister of all Malaysians" soon dissipated as the government’s credibility was called into question a year later over what it promised to do but did not do. And then came such scandals as the V.K. Lingam video clip and the Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu murder and rumours and blogs of other scandals including those involving people in high places. To erode the government’s credibility even further was the perception that it was "closing one eye" to corrupt practices in the public sector. And then came the disgust and anger. If there is one icon to represent this arrogance and total disregard for the feeling of others, including members of non-Malay BN parties like the MCA and Gerakan, it is the waving of the kris at the Umno general assembly in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and the accompanying battle cry of "ketuanan Melayu".

Indeed the opposition parties used posters of the arm waving the kris to great effect in many non-Malay constituencies to whip up anti-BN sentiments among the voters. In many campaign speeches it symbolised a rejection of multi-culturalism and an imposition of Malay dominance. Repeated often by opposition party campaigners was an Umno leader’s statement that it did not matter if the non-Malays did not vote for the BN because the Malays who formed about 60% of the population would.

A number of analysts also mentioned the hesitant, improperly managed and uninstitutionalised openness of Abdullah’s administration which allowed issues to be discussed and debated in public but were st
opped when they seemed to threaten and to undermine public order. For whatever it is worth the openness allowed hitherto sensitive issues to be publicly aired but by stopping discussion when things were getting out of hand the government was seen as unreasonable and unfair and succumbing to pressures exerted by only one section of the society.

For instance, discussions on the idea of an Inter-Faith Commission (IFC) were initially encouraged by the government until protests by a coalition of thirteen Muslim NGOs ended it. The same group of NGOs also scuttled public discussions on problems related to conversion and apostasy sponsored by the civil society group which called itself Article 11. And it was the problems related to conversion and the government’s seeming paralysis and indecision over them that allowed Hindraf’s influence to eclipse that of the MIC, a BN component, among the Indian voters.Some analysts also credited the voters, influenced and egged on by such organisations as Bersih, with a new found boldness and willingness to experiment. The result was Umno won only 78 seats of the 117 it contested, the MCA 15 out of 40, MIC three out of nine and Gerakan two out of 12.

For the first time the opposition parties, mounting a coordinated campaign and exploiting all the issues at hand, managed to win a total of 82 seats among them in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat – PKR 31, DAP 28, PAS 23 and Independent one. Also, as the BN is discovering, the old formula of keeping the parties together no longer seems acceptable. The so-called BN framework is ridiculed, Umno’s hectoring is openly criticised and its insistence that certain issues are not to be publicly discussed has been ignored.

Such was the loosening of the "framework" – probably Abdullah is an inept coalition manager –
that in the recent party election campaigns of the partners and the on-going Umno elections, much of the debates that raged during the run-up to March 8 are revisited. Such are the anger and frustration expressed that a few parties have openly stated that they are reviewing their participation in the coalition. One small Sabah party has already left.

But many BN leaders are hopeful that after the dusts of March 8 have settled, the anger burning itself out and sanity prevailed their parties will coalesced even stronger but on a new framework. If Abdullah had called an early election simply to keep Anwar out of parliament he must have discovered that it was a mistake. Because he was not a candidate Anwar was free to move all over the country to appeal to voters to "vote for anything as long as it is not the BN". And he is now the Parliamentary Opposition Leader. Abdullah may be right on the economy though. - Zainol Ahmad


source:theSun

To many UMNO/BN diehards the event of March 08 is only a temporary set back and they believe that eventually the rakyat will return to vote for them in droves in 2013. The only drawback is that UMNO/BN are still being lead by the same old dinosaurs that are supposed to be extinct.

To the opposition, they had been enthrusted by the rakyat to bring about changes. The 5 Pakatan Rakyat gomen is a test to see whether they really "cakap serupa bikin". To the leaders of Pakatan Rakyat, the rakyat had faith in you when they voted you in. So proof yourself a worthy choice of the rakyat.

To the rakyat, they have the final say as to whom will they support, UMNO/BN or the opposition Pakatan Rakyat. But if the current Pakatan Rakyat's leader behaves like their UMNO/BN conterparts then it wont be suprise, if another political tsunami strikes come 2013.

To my dear Pakatan Rakyat's "Yang Berhormat- Yang Berhormat" please do not betray our thrust...............

Read here, here and here.

cheers.

30 December 2008

The Prince who waited 40 years to be proclaimed Yamtuan Besar negeri 9.........


Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, 60, has been proclaimed the new Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan. Undang Luak Sungai Ujong Datuk Klana Petra Datuk Mubarak Dohak made the proclamation at Istana Besar Seri Menanti at 3.45pm today.

The proclamation of the 11th Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan was made following the death on Saturday of Tuanku Ja’afar Tuanku Abdul Rahman, the uncle of Tuanku Muhriz. The appointment of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar was made according to the Adat Perpatih of Negri Sembilan.

Tuanku Muhriz was appointed as the new Yang di-Pertuan Besar from among the Putera Yang Empat (the Four Princes) in accordance with the state constitution in a simple ceremony. The other princes – Tunku Laxamana Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Ja’afar, Tunku Muda of Serting Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja’afar and Tunku Panglima Besar Tunku Nazaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar – were also present.

Yesterday, the four undangs (ruling chiefs), namely Undang Luak Sungai Ujong, Undang Luak Johol, Undang Luak Jelebu and Undang Luak Rembau, together with the Tunku Besar of Tampin, held a conference behind closed doors to elect the new Yang di-Pertuan Besar.

Born on Jan 14, 1948, Tuanku Muhriz received his early education at Sekolah Menengah King George V, Seremban, and continued at Aldenhem School, United Kingdom. He obtained his LLB from the University College of Wales in Aberystwyth, United Kingdom. Tuanku Muhriz, is the only son among the six children of the late Tuanku Munawir Tuanku Abdul Rahman with his consort Tunku Ampuan Durah Tuanku Besar Burhanuddin.

Tuanku Muhriz is married to Tengku Datuk Aishah Rohani Tengku Besar Mahmud of Terengganu and they have three children – Tunku Ali Redhauddin, 31, Tunku Zain Al-’Abidin, 26, and Tunku Alif Hussein Saifuddin Al-Amin, 23.

In 1967, Tuanku Ja’afar, who was Tuanku Muhriz’s uncle, was elected by the undangs as the 10th Yang di-Pertuan Besar over him because of his youth after his father, Tuanku Munawir Tuanku Abdul Rahman, passed away. Tuanku Muhriz is a businessman and a director of Bangkok Bank.

source– Bernama

Daulat Tuanku.........

Read more here, here and here.

cheers.

28 December 2008

Salam Maal Hijrah...................


untuk

muslimin dan muslimat

serta pengunjung budiman.



wasalam


Add Image

Need Anwar entertain Samy Velloo...............

MIC president S.Samy Vellu has asked Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim to state his stand on the issue of PAS' intention to introduce hudud laws (Islamic penal code) or risk massive protests, especially from the Indian community.

He said Anwar, who is also the PKR de facto leader, should not remain silent on the matter.

"He should explain his stand and that of the party he represents (PKR) so that the people, especially the non-Muslims who supported the opposition, will be able to evaluate and come to a decision on whether to continue to support the opposition," he said in a statement today.

Samy Vellu said in the last March 8 general election, many Indians had carried PAS flags "but is this how PAS and other opposition parties reward them."

source:malaysiakini

In his column,No Hold Barred, Raja Perta wrote,"PAS needs about 150 seats in Parliament to change Malaysia from a Secular state into an Islamic state. But when they contest only 60 seats, even if they win all the 60 seats they contest it will still be only 60 seats. And they can’t win all the seats they contest." "Anyway, PAS has 23 seats in Parliament. Umno has 66. Even if you add Umno Sabah into the equation, Umno’s seats will come to only 79. 23 plus 66 equals 89. Add the 13 Umno Sabah seats and it still comes to only 102. 102 of 222 comes to less than 50% because 50% of 222 is 111." "The Malays know that 23 plus 79 equals 102. And the Malays know that 50% of 222 is 111."

Mathematically, its difficult for PAS to implement hudud even if they come to power. PAS will never get UMNO's support. So,why the fuss? Samy Velloo should first ask UMNO why is UMNO still focussing on that issue?

Samy Velloo should also think about his future in MIC . The electorates of Sungai Siput had already kicked him out. The signal is clear. While his contemporaries like Mahathir,Liong Sik & Kheng Yik are enjoying their retirement, Samy Velloo still wants to cling on to power and be MIC chief.

Samy Velloo should first get some lesson on hudud from UMNO's ulamaks before he says anything about it. To make it plain,Tuan Guru Nik Aziz asked,"kenapa hukum gantung yang dibawa oleh penjajah itu tidak di pertikaikan malahan hukum Allah pula yang di kecam?"

As for Anwar,he has other more important agenda to attend to, rather than wasting his time addressing this old issue.

Read here.

cheers.

27 December 2008

PPSMI: Gapena Beri Gomen Tempoh Sehingga 31 Disember........

Mungkin tindakan daripada GAPENA ini agak terlewat,namun sekurang-kurangnya sekarang ini baru depa sedar bahawa PPSMI ini adalah satu dasar yang sememangnya gagal dari mula ianya dilaksanakan dan bertentangan dengan perlembagaan negara.

Tidak ada satu teori pun yang mengatakankan bahawa kaedah mengajar Sains dan Matematik dalam bahasa Inggeris boleh menyebabkan murid-murid berjaya menguasai BI dengan baik. Hanya Mahathir seorang saja yang pikiaq macam itu.

Malah sebelum ada PPSMI keputusan Sains dan Matematik di kalangan pelajar-pelajar luar bandar adalah teruk.

PPSMI ini hanya semata-mata gimmik Mahathir hendak memperkayakan kroni-kroni serta menonjolkan egonya saja.......

cheers.

26 December 2008

P.36 KT - 'Ang Pau' RM300 dari gomen untuk umpan pengundi Cina......

Pengundi Cina diingatkan agar tidak termakan 'umpan' dana khas kerajaan Persekutuan yang kini mula diagihkan sebagai 'Ang Pau' oleh pemimpin kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN) Terengganu. Pengerusi DAP cawangan Kuala Terengganu, Ng Chai Hing berkata pembahagian duit 'Ang Pau' yang digunakan dari peruntukkan dana khas sedang giat diagih-agihkan kepada penduduk di Bandar Kuala Terengganu.

Katanya, pemberian tersebut berselindung atas nama sempena Tahun Baru Cina diagih-agihkan kepada penduduk berketurunan tionghua.

"Saya harap rakyat terutama pengundi kaum tionghua yang akan terlibat dengan Pilihan Raya Kecil P.36 Kuala Terengganu ini tidak termakan umpan dana khas RM300 seorang itu.

"Duit 'Ang Pau' dana khas itu boleh ambil sebab bukan duit peribadi pemimpin MCA-BN tetapi itu memang duit rakyat yang diambil dari royalty.

"Saya harap rakyat boleh ambil duit sahaja tetapi undi dalam Pilihan Raya Kecil pada 17 Januari 2009 depan kita (pengundi) tidak gadai hanya kerana 'habuan' RM300 sahaja," jelasnya kepada Harakahdaily, hari ini.

Beliau yakin para pengundi dan rakyat di Terengganu ini terutama kaum tionghua sudah matang berpolitik serta dapat mengikut arus perubahan tsunami politik seluruh negara. Kata Ng, pemberian dana khas (Ang pau) itu sememangnya patut diberikan kepada semua rakyat yang layak dan bukan di kalangan pengikut serta penyokong MCA dan kerajaan BN sahaja.

"Orang (BN) bagi duit ambil, orang bagi kain pakai, orang bagi gula kacau, tetapi tiba masa mengundi kita (rakyat) tolak BN undi PAS," ujarnya mengambil kata-kata Mursyidul Am PAS, Tuan Guru Dato' Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

Menurutnya, masyarakat Cina di Kuala Terengganu ini tidak mendapat pembelaan yang baik meski pun mempunyai seorang wakil rakyat dari kalangan parti MCA.

Katanya, pelbagai masalah gagal diselesaikan oleh kerajaan BN termasuk kesesakan jalan di Bandar, kekurangan parkir kereta, longkang tersumbat, banjir kilat dan pembangunan tidak seimbang.

source: harakah daily

Depa buat macam duit bapa depa............

cheers.

25 December 2008

Selamat Hari Natal.................


Ho! Ho! Ho!

Selamat Hari Natal dan Tahun Baru

聖誕快樂 新年快樂 [圣诞快乐 新年快乐]
(shèngdàn kuàilè xīnnián kuàilè)

Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal

สุขสันต์วันคริสต์มาส และสวัสดีปีใหม่
(souksaan wan Christmas sawatdii pimaï)

メリークリスマス (merī kurisumasu)





cheers.

24 December 2008

MP Gobalakrishnan denied entry into Sarawak.........

A PKR parliamentarian has been denied entry into Sarawak by immigration officers at the Kuching International airport. According to N Gobalakrishnan, who is MP for Padang Serai, the incident happened at around 5.30pm and he believed that it was politically motivated.

"The moment I reached the airport, immigration officers told me that I am not allowed to enter due to instructions from the state government," he told Malaysiakini.

"The immigration officer gave me a notice which reads 'Tuan bukan rakyat Sarawak, tidak berhak untuk masuk ke Sarawak tanpa permit atau pas Akta Imigresen 1959-1963' (You are not a citizen of Sarawak and are not eligible to enter Sarawak without a permit or immigration pass).

When contacted, Gobalakrishnan said he was still at the airport's immigration office waiting to board a flight back to Kuala Lumpur at 7.25pm. However, he later refused to board the flight and vowed to stay put at the airport.

Sarawak PKR state assemblyperson Dominique Ng subsequently went to the airport to negotiate with immigration officials. He told them that under the federal constitution,the state government had no right to stop a parliamentarian entering Sarawak.

However, Gobalakrishnan boarded an AirAsia flight back to Kuala Lumpur at 9.50pm.

Barred for criticising chief minister Taib

Ng, a trained lawyer, told Malaysiakini that Gobalakrishnan had instructed to file a suit in the Sarawak court to challenge the entry ban. Gobalakrishnan was headed to Sarawak to attend a 'party programme'.

According to the MP, he was barred because he had defended a fellow parliamentarian who questioned the role of a company belonging to the state government in the Dewan Rakyat last week. The MP also vowed to raise the issue of him being barred at the next parliament sitting.

However, no official response could be obtained regarding the incident.

PKR has upped its campaign in Sarawak, with its de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim claiming that the opposition is on track to dethrone the state Barisan Nasional-led by Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud in the next state elections.

Anwar has also called on opposition parliamentarians to visit the state on a regular basis to touch base with the people there. However, Taib has dismissed the possibility of Sarawak falling into the hands of the opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat.

source:malaysiakini

Isnt Sarawak part of Malaysia? Wow...CM Taib Mahmud got more power than the king la........

Baca sini.

cheers.

Altantuya murder: Karpal filed application to force an appeal........

Lawyer Karpal Singh, acting on behalf of Altantuya Shaariibuu's family, today filed an application at the Shah Alam High Court to compel the prosecution to appeal against the acquittal of political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda.

Karpal also filed another application for an extension of time to allow the prosecution to file the appeal.

Karpal's applications today followed the decision not to appeal against the acquittal of Abdul Razak at the end of the prosecution case.

Shah Alam High Court judge Mohd Zaki Md Yasin acquitted Abdul Razak on Oct 31 on the grounds that the prosecution had failed to prove a case against him.

He was charged with abetting two police officers with the 2006 murder of his former lover Altantuya, whose body was blown up with explosives in a jungle clearing.

He could have faced the death penalty by hanging if found guilty.

The two others - chief inspector Azilah Hadri, 32 and corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 37 - from the elite Special Action Force (UTK) which guards the prime minister and deputy prime minister - were however asked to enter their defence to the charge of murder.

source:malaysiakini

Make sure those involved in Altantuya's murder case will have restless nights forever and lets send them to hell........

Read here.

cheers.

23 December 2008

Prelude to the Kuala Terengganu by-election.............

All Year Five pupils in Terengganu will be given broadband-enabled laptop computers under the state’s electronic textbook or e-book programme. State Education, Higher Education, Human Resource, Science and Technology Committee chairman Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman said some 25,000 pupils are expected to get the computers in phases.

With the computers and broadband connection, he said the pupils would gain access to archives or other vital resources. Ahmad Razif said the first batch of 150 students here would receive their e-books in the first week of January.

For the first batch, the laptop computers would be procured from Taiwan and distributed by Intel Electronic, he said.
Ahmad Razif said all students would get their e-books by April next year. He added that Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka would help install the required programs for the computers.
The state government is expected to spend RM30mil for the procurement of the computers.

source: the Star

Why Terengganu only,what about pupils from other states? Whats more intresting....why std 5 pupils only? And why now, just a couple of weeks before the Kuala Terengganu by-election........ I suppose Najibs & the electorates of Kuala Terengganu knows the reason why.............

Btw. Keputusan peperiksaan Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) bagi tahun 2008 akan diumumkan pada hari Isnin 30 Disember 2008. Semua calon peperiksaan ini boleh mengambil keputusan mereka di sekolah masing-masing pada hari yang sama mulai pukul 10 pagi.

Ketua Pengarah Pelajaran, Datuk Alimuddin Mohd. Dom, juga akan mengumumkan analisis keputusan PMR 2008 pada hari yang sama di Putrajaya. Seramai 472,060 calon berdaftar di seluruh negara telah menduduki peperiksaan PMR yang berlangsung dari 13 hingga 17 Oktober lalu.



Sementara menunggu pilihanraya kecil Kuala Terengganu, kenapa tidak kita entertain diri kita dengan mainan...."mari kita baling kasut kat Bush". You cuba berapa kalikah you can knock on Bush's head. Click di sini.

cheers.

21 December 2008

"aku bukan musuh harta"...........

Lagu "Aku Bukan Musuh Harta" nyanyian kumpulan Kopratasa yang liriknya adalah nukilan bekas Mufti Perlis,Dr. Asri Zainal Abidin telah diharamkan oleh RTM. Bekas Mufti Perlis, Dr Asri Zainul Abidin, kesal dengan tindakan Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) mengharamkan penyiaran lagu tersebut.

Dr.Asri berkata, tiada sebab RTM mengharamkan lagu berkenaan kerana liriknya untuk memberi kesedaran kepada semua pihak membasmi kemungkaran.

“Sepatutnya lirik lagu itu dialu-alukan bagi kerajaan membanteras rasuah dan penyalahgunaan kuasa.

Mungkin menterinya Ahmad Shabery Cheek perasan yang senikata lagu tersebut banyak menyindir penyamun-penyamun yang ada......

Baca sini dan sini.

cheers.

20 December 2008

Najib: IJN - Sime Darby deal put on hold........

Conglomerate Sime Darby Bhd's deal to acquire a 51% equity in Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) has been postponed until an indepth review has been undertaken by the relevant ministries, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced here today.

Najib, who is also Finance Minister, told a press conference that the ministries which would undertake the review include the Ministries of Finance and Health as well as the Economic Planning Unit.

IJN is operated by IJN Holdings Sdn Bhd, which is wholly-owned by the Ministry of Finance.

Just yesterday, Sime Darby said that the government had in principle given the nod for it to acquire the controlling stake in IJN Holdings.

Najib said even if the acquisition takes place, the governemnt would not sacrifice its social responsibility to the people.

"If IJN was passed on to Sime Darby, it means that the government's contribution for surgical operations will continue," he said.

Najib said the government has given its approval in principle to Sime Darby to acquire IJN with the condition that IJN's social responsibility would not be sidelined.

He also said that the review would take several months.

However, Najib said that the time factor was not important. "What was important was that the decision would benefit the people and make IJN a renowned heart centre in the world.

source:Bernama

Why the sudden change of heart? Is it because of the Kuala Terengganu by-election? At least BN has one issue less to answer.

My hunch is to let the deal be postponed until after the by-election. If BN wins the deal is ON but if BN is defeated then the deal will be OFF.

So people.........if you want IJN to be the hospital for the "rakyat", lets make sure PAS wins the by-election on 17 January 2009.........

Read here and here.

cheers.

19 December 2008

IJN lombong emas Sime Darby Bhd yang baru.............

Kerajaan mahu jaminan daripada Sime Darby Bhd, yang berminat membeli kepentingan dalam IJN Holdings Sdn Bhd, supaya meneruskan khidmat pusat perubatan jantung terkenal itu kepada golongan berpendapatan rendah.

"Sekiranya jaminan itu dapat diberikan oleh pihak yang nak mengambil alih, maka mungkin pandangan kita terhadap pengambilalihan ini tidak begitu keras sangat.

"Ini juga bergantung kepada banyak syaratsyarat lain," kata Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi pada sidang media di Parlimen, hari ini.

Jelas beliau, terdapat beberapa pihak yang tidak bersetuju terhadap cadangan Sime Darby untuk membeli kepentingan dalam IJN, yang dimiliki 99.99 peratus oleh Kementerian Kewangan.

"Andaian mereka sekiranya pusat itu dijadikan milik swasta, bayaran perubatan akan menjadi lebih tinggi dan tidak akan dapat dinikmati oleh golongan tersebut," katanya.

Sime Darby dilaporkan telah mengemukakan cadangan kepada kerajaan untuk memperoleh pegangan dalam syarikat yang mengendalikan Institut Jantung Negara itu yang kini merupakan pusat perubatan jantung utama di rantau ini.

KOMEN MENTERI KEWANGAN

Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak pula berkata, kerajaan tidak menghalang hasrat Sime Darby Bhd untuk menguasai pegangan dalam IJN tetapi konglomerat itu perlu memberi jaminan akan mengutamakan golongan miskin.

"Kita kini dalam proses memuktamadkan perkara ini bersamasama Kementerian Kesihatan walaupun pada dasarnya kita tidak membantah cadangan itu," katanya selepas mempengerusikan Mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Kabinet Mengenai AIDS di Parlimen di sini.

Najib yang juga Menteri Kewangan berkata, Sime Darby perlu menyatakan komitmennya bahawa perhatian kepada golongan miskin tidak akan dikurangkan sekiranya IJN akan berpindah kepada Sime Darby.

"Apa sahaja kedudukan IJN, program sosial perlu diberikan keutamaan," kata beliau semasa mengulas isu berkenaan.

KOMEN MENTERI KESIHATAN

Menteri Kesihatan Datuk Liow Tiong Lai berkata, modus operandi dan objektif IJN akan kekal sebagai pusat jantung yang berkhidmat untuk rakyat walaupun ia diambilalih pada masa akan datanKatanya, hasrat Sime Darby untuk menguasai pegangan dalam IJN Holdings Sdn Bhd, yang mengendalikan IJN, masih pada peringkat perbincangan.

"Modus operandi yang sedia ada tetap akan dikekalkan jika hasrat syarikat korporat itu (Sime Darby) untuk menguasai pegangan dalam IJN tercapai," katanya kepada pemberita selepas melawat dua pesakit yang menghidap "Dilated Cardiomyopathy" di IJN di sini hari ini.

Liow berkata, kerajaan akan terus memberi bantuan kepada 80 peratus pesakit kerajaan yang dirawat di IJN walaupun organisasi lain mengambil alih IJN.

"IJN mempunyai 80 peratus pesakit daripada kerajaan termasuk pesakitpesakit miskin, mereka dihantar oleh kerajaan dan kos rawatannya ditanggung oleh kerajaan.

"Oleh itu IJN tidak boleh mengenakan bayaran yang lebih tinggi daripada apa yang ditetapkan oleh kerajaan jika diambi lalih organisasi lain," katanya.

Liow berkata, Sime Darby harus mempunyai komitmen yang tinggi terhadap tanggungjawab sosial jika ingin mengambil alih IJN.

"Sime Darby atau siapapun yang ingin mengambil alih IJN perlu mempunyai komitmen yang penuh terhadap tanggungjawab sosial dan perlu meneruskan komitmen itu serta menjaga kesejahteraan orang ramai yang memerlukan bantuannya," katanya.

Beliau berkata, cadangan yang dihantar Sime Darby masih dikaji pada peringkat Kementerian Kewangan dan Unit Perancangan Ekonomi.

KOMEN MCA

MCA berharap agar IJN tidak diswastakan kerana ia selama ini sedikit sebanyak membantu meningkatkan imej kerajaan dan membantu rakyat yang tidak berkemampuan. Timbalan Presiden MCA, Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek berkata, institusi kerajaan itu banyak mengharumkan nama kerajaan.

"Kita berharap IJN tidak diswastakan. Ini bukan soal wang dan ringgit. Ini soal tanggungjawab kerajaan untuk memastikan dapat memberikan perkhidmatan dengan bayaran yang mampu dibayar oleh rakyat.

"Dalam konteks ini IJN sudah mencapai kejayaan cemerlang dan sedikit sebanyak meningkatkan imej kerajaan sebagai kerajaan yang bertanggungjawab di mana duit tidak boleh membelinya (imej itu)," katanya kepada pemberita di Wisma MCA di sini.

Beliau yang juga bekas Menteri Kesihatan berkata, banyak projek yang diswastakan di negara ini mengakibatkan bayaran yang meningkat dan beliau tidak melihat manamana projek yang diswastakan bayarannya menurun. Dr. Chua berkata, aspek kedua yang penting ialah sama ada penswastaan boleh menjamin kecekapan dan keberkesanan khidmat yang diberikan.

"Sudah tentu apabila bayaran meningkat ia akan membebankan rakyat (berpendapatan rendah)," katanya.

source:mStar online

In the first place pasai apa gomen nak serah bulat-bulat IJN ini kepada Sime Darby Bhd.? Apakah gomen tak sedar tentang prestasi penglibatan Sime Darby Bhd dalam industri perbankkan dan permotoran yang menemui kegagalan?

Setelah melihat kejayaan beberapa pusat perubatan swasta, maka Sime Darby cuba nak ambil kesempatan ini untuk melibatkan diri dalam bidang healthcare pula. Pooooorah!!!

Why is Najib making a stupid statement,"kerajaan tidak menghalang hasrat Sime Darby Bhd untuk menguasai pegangan dalam IJN tetapi konglomerat itu perlu memberi jaminan akan mengutamakan golongan miskin". Pastikah Sime Darby Bhd boleh beri jaminan tersebut buat selama-lamanya? Mungkin setahun dua Sime Darby akan patuh kepada syarat tersebut. Sebagai sebuah badan koperat Sime Darby sudah tentu mahu meraih keuntungan besar.

Aku akur dengan pandangan KM Pulau Pinang Lim Guan Eng….." there was nothing wrong if the government considered generating revenue from the IJN or tried to run the institute like a private enterprise. The main thing was that the specialist hospital must remain under the government control ..… the public would want a medical centre ‘that is filled with love’ and ‘should continue to be a centre with a heart for the people."

Aku juga bersetuju dengan pandangan Dr.Chua Sooi Lek bahawa dalam hal ini tak mungkin mana-mana projek yang diswastakan bayarannya akan menurun, lihat saja dalam penswastaan lebuhraya, pengangkutan awam, pos, tenaga, air dsbnya...........

Read here, here, here and here.

cheers.

18 December 2008

Shoes for Bush - the ultimate insult...........

President George Bush was pelted with shoes by a journalist and called a dog on his stop-off in Iraq. He didn't seem too bothered by it. Why? coz he's a dog and deserves more than that!!

An Egyptian man said on Wednesday he was offering his 20-year-old daughter in marriage to Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi, who threw his shoes at U.S. President George W. Bush in Baghdad on Sunday,

The daughter, Amal Saad Gumaa, said she agreed with the idea. "This is something that would honour me. I would like to live in Iraq, especially if I were attached to this hero," she told Reuters by telephone.

Zaidi's gesture has struck a chord across the Arab world, where President Bush is widely despised for invading Iraq in 2003 and for his support for Israel.

Also,many people are bidding for Muntazer al-Zaidi's "wonder" shoes and bidding starts at US 1 million dollar.

However if you guys think throwing shoe is the ultimate insult, how do you term this behaviour...........



cheers.

17 December 2008

Berbasikal ramai-ramai pun salah..........

Polis akan mengambil tindakan terhadap anggota Parlimen Sungai Siput, Dr. D. Jeyakumar kerana menyalahgunakan kanak-kanak dalam kempen "Berbasikal Untuk Perubahan" anjuran kumpulan tidak berdaftar, Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (JERIT) di Rawang malam semalam. Ketua Polis Selangor, Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar berkata mereka yang berusia 18 tahun ke bawah ditakrifkan sebagai kanak-kanak mengikut Akta Kanak-kanak 2001 dan Dr. Jeyakumar akan diambil tindakan mengikut Seksyen 32 akta yang sama kerana menyalahgunakan kanak-kanak dalam perhimpunan haram itu.

Sementara itu dalam satu kenyataan hari ini, Jerit mendakwa Khalid 'berbohong dan telah mengelirukan' rakyat mengenai situasi sebenarnya.Semalam, ekoran penahanan kira-kira 50 penunggang basikal di Rawang, Khalid memberitahu pihak media bahawa 28 daripada mereka didapati berusia di bawah 18 tahun.Khalid dilaporkan berkata, polis bertindak menahan kumpulan berbasikal itu bagi menyelamatkan kanak-kanak tersebut daripada dianiaya dan disalahgunakan oleh pihak yang tidak bertanggungjawab.

Kalaulah benar polis bertindak bagi menyelamatkan kanak-kanak tersebut, sila jelaskan sikap dan perlakuan terhadap kanak-kanak tersebut seperti yang dijelaskan oleh Jerit di bawah ini.

Jerit said that all the under-aged cyclists had parental consent to take part in the cycling campaign.

"The children actually refused to say anything to the police officers as they did not want to cooperate with the police as they are being detained illegally.

"The children were also questioned by police whether they were paid to do this. What was the police trying to show with these kind of questions?" asked the movement.

The police had failed to provide the children with shelter from rain last night while they were kept at the Rawang police station. "And when they (the children) tried to find shelter, the Light Strike Force threatened and intimidated them.

"They were not given food until 11pm at night and that too only after so much of pressure," added the Jerit statement.

Jerit also said that Khalid had failed to mention that the children were arrested without the presence of any officers from the Welfare Department.

"Children are not supposed be kept overnight in the police station, but the police kept them there the whole night. How is that for breaking laws?" questioned Jerit.

Jerit said that it strongly condemned Khalid's actions, which were deemed to be inhumane and in violation of the rights of the cyclists.

"His statement about saving the children does not fit as he caused a lot of agony and mental torture for the cyclists," it added.

source:malaysiakini

Mereka berseronok-seronok berbasikal dari utara ke selatan Semenanjung secara beramai pun salahkah? Lainlah ceritanya kalau depa bawa bersama-sama senapang,parang,tombak,bom tangan dan pelancar roket.................

Baca di sini dan sini.

cheers.

16 December 2008

Muhammad Mohd.Taib says ketuanan Melayu is just a catchpharese & does not exist.........

Umno information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib says ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) is just a catchphrase, and does not exist in real life. He said the crux of the matter is not in the phrase itself but whether the Malays and other bumiputras can make use of what they have learnt and make contributions to the society.

"As long as the Malays/bumiputras can give their best to strive forward and show outstanding results in business and service sectors, or even when working for others, they have succeeded."

Muhammad Taib, who is rural and regional development minister, said this during an interview with Sin Chew Daily carried today, when asked to comment on the much-debated topic. He said ketuanan Melayu was a phrase coined by some people for purposes best known to themselves. He reminded those who talked about ketuanan Melayu the whole day, or write and sing about it that at the end of the day it is meaningless no matter how much many times they shout "ketuanan Melayu" if they do nothing to better themselves.

On the fear many people have about the phrase "ketuanan Melayu" as they see it as a symbol of Malay dominance over the other races in the country, Muhammad Taib said it (ketuanan Malayu) has been misinterpreted. He felt that the so-called "Malay dominance" has nothing to do with ketuanan Melayu or the other races being sub-servant to the Malays.

"If a kampung has only one clinic which is owned by a Malay, and people of all races seek treatment at the clinic, then the Malays have dominance in that kampung.

"Likewise, if the Chinese are the sole provider of (certain) services in an area, and other races patronise their shops, then the Chinese enjoy dominance in that particular area."

Muhammad Taib said what should be noted is that Malays do not have the the vast knowledge and capability to to compete with others, and whatever talk about ketuanan Melayu and Malay dominance is irrelevant. He admitted that in the past Umno had indeed dominated the Barisan Nasional (BN) but the so-called dominance was used to allow non-Malay candidates to be fielded by Barisan in Malay-majority constituencies and use its influence to urge the Malay voters to accept non-Malay candidates.

However, he said, the situation has changed lately, and Malay-majority seats that were once considered safe (for BN) are no longer so, as people's mindsets have changed, and on top of that, Indian voters are largely unhappy with the government.

On the requests made by Chinese on education and equality, Muhammad Taib felt that they are not unreasonable as they are only trying to defend their rights. However, he said they must look at the situation while bringing up their requests, as certain things said at the wrong time would offend others.

source & graphic: theSun

But UMNO used this catchphrase to get away with what they wants.........

cheers.

15 December 2008

Muhammad Mohd.Taib kata parti pembangkang jangan bertindak sebagai "polis".......

Muhammad Mohd. Taib : Penyokong parti pembangkang diingatkan supaya tidak bertindak sebagai "polis" semasa pilihan raya kecil Parlimen Kuala Terengganu(KT) 17 Januari depan, bagi mengelak kejadian yang tidak diingini.

Tumpang Sekole(TS) : Pesan ini juga patut ditujukan kepada UMNO dan sekutunya serta agensi-agensi lain termasuk polis,SPR,FRU,polis simpanan kerana kata orang tepuk sebelah tangan tak akan berbunyi...orang putih kata it takes two to tango.... Tok Mat ooi.....

Muhammad Mohd. Taib : "Menjaga keselamatan adalah kerja polis."Jangan ada mana-mana pihak yang menahan bas, buat sekatan jalan raya dan pandai-pandai menggunakan cara yang tidak sepatutnya,"

TS : Betoi kata hang tok Mat ooi bahawa kerja polis untuk menjaga keselamatan. Tapi yang aku sangsi ni keselamatan sapa yang depa(polis) dok jaga? Dulu-dulu,nampaknya polis lebih banyak dok jaga keselamatan pemimpin-pemimpin UMNO. Bila pembangkang buat ceramah depa hantaq mai FRU berlori-lori,berpakaian lengkap dengan cota,senjata dsbnya; macamlah orang kampung yang mai nak dengaq ceramah itu bawa senjata untuk berperang, walhal yang mai tu ada yang seluaq dalam pun tak pakai....

Pasai tahan bas pula,dah tahu yang dok mai dengan berpuluh-puluh bas tu adalah hantu-hantu UMNO belaka dan polis buat "dont know" saja,maka menjadi tanggungjawab rakyat/pengundi KT menahan mereka.

Muhammad Mohd. Taib : "Mereka tahan bas, geledah dan sebagainya.""Mereka gunakan taktik ini untuk menakutkan pengundi," katanya.

TS : Nak tanya Tok Mat,"in the first place",betoikah yang tiba berduyun-duyun dengan bas persiaran itu benar-benar pengundi yang berdaftar bagi parlimen KT? Kalau ya,pasai apa dalam kes di Marang dulu,ada beberapa bas penuh dengan orang India,Siam dan Bangala? Bila mereka ini menjadi pengundi berdaftar di situ?

Muhammad Mohd. Taib : Rakyat sepatutnya diberikan hak untuk menunaikan tanggungjawab mereka,katanya,"Asas ini telah ada di negara kita, malah di Terengganu sendiri."Jadi jangan sampai pihak tertentu terutama pembangkang mewujudkan perkara-perkara lain dalam fikiran rakyat kerana sebenarnya kita sudah mempunyai asas yang baik,"

TS : Memang rakyat diberikan hak untuk mengundi,tetapi biarlah yang berhak mengundi itu adalah pengundi berdaftar KT bukan yang mai daripada Selangor atau Pahang atau Kelantan atau pendatang haram yang diimport masuk berduyun semasa hari mengundi,konon-kononnya mereka tu penyokong BN,
Pooooooorah..............

Baca sini, sini dan sini.

cheers.

14 December 2008

Kuala Terengganu - wang royalti atau rasuah politik......

Kemenangan Barisan Nasional (BN) pada pilihan raya kecil Parlimen Kuala Terengganu pada 17 Jan depan amat penting sebagai bukti untuk menunjukkan kebangkitan parti itu selepas kekalahan BN dalam pilihan raya kecil Parlimen Permatang Pauh, Ogos lepas.Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak menyifatkan kemenangan di Kuala Terengganu kelak sebagai sesuatu yang amat penting untuk masa depan Umno.

source : Bernama



Gambar di atas dengan terang menunjukkan budaya rasuah yang kerap diamalkan oleh UMNO. Amalan budaya rasuah bukan setakat berlaku semasa pemilihan ketua cawangan,bahagian dan pemilihan jawatan-jawatan tertinggi UMNO malah semasa bila diadakan pilihanraya umum dan pilihanraya kecil. Wang royalti yang diserahkan itu bukan datang daripada UMNO atau diut UMNO, ngapa natang-natang ni tersengih-sengih cam beruk dapat bunga?

Bagaimana UMNO berjanji projek berbilion-bilion ringgit ketika pilihanraya kecil Permatang Pauh demikian jugalah perangai yang ditunjukkan dalam pilihanraya kecil Kuala Terengganu nanti. Sebelum apa-apa lagi dah tayang cek besar untuk nak bagi tahu yang wang ehsan yang bertukar jadi royalti diserah kembali kepada Terengganu. Bukankah kes royalti ini masih berada dalam mahkamah? Kalau tak berlakulah pilihanraya kecil Kuala Terengganu ini, adakah wang royalti tersebut akan diberikan?

Dalam keadaan ekonomi negara yang meruncing, apakah Petronas mempunyai dana yang cukup untuk menyerahkan kembali wang royalti ini? Atau ia adalah semata-mata satu gimik politik murahan UMNO untuk memancing undi? Kalaulah ditakdirkan UMNO kalah dalam pilihanraya kecil ini nanti apakah wang royalti itu akan diserahkan atau ditarik balik atau ditangguhkan sehingga tahun 2013?

Kepada rakyat Kuala Terengganu,penerimaan wang royalti secara tiba-tiba adalah satu rahmat kurniaan Allah, namun kuasa mengudi adalah di tangan anda.Ingat wang royalti itu adalah wang rakyat dan bukan wang UMNO.

Sama-samalah kita gagalkan misi Najib dan kuburkan UMNO. Sama-sama kita pilih calon pembangkang dalam pilihanraya kecil nanti...........

Baca sini dan sini.

cheers.

13 December 2008

Bukit Antarabangsa - "when politics and business mix, the results can only be disastrous",says victim.......

Ungku Farid Ungku Abdul, 54, who bought his house 16 years ago, claimed that he had found out too late about ‘irregularities’ in the development projects in Bukit Antarabangsa. State forestry officials had allegedly told him a few days ago that his house (above) stands on de-gazetted forest reserve, and that whole of what is now Bukit Antarabangsa was once a water catchment area.

A furious Ungku Farid Ungku Abdul,did not hesitate in identifying the cause - and culprits - of last Saturday’s landslide in Bukit Antarabangsa.

“We are victims of the corruption in Malaysia,” alleged Farid (above), a businessman, whose house was one of the 14 destroyed in the incident.

The family’s Indonesian helper, 33-year old Suaenah of Tegal, Java, was one of four people who died that day. The family of five has taken shelter at the De Palma hotel in Kuala Lumpur since the morning of Dec 6. Farid said that the incident has confirmed his view that, when politics and business mix, the results can only be disastrous.

“The developers go all out with their ‘predatory’ marketing to sell their projects. This must have been with the approval of state authorities,” he said.

“And if the state authorities had approved these hillside projects, they must have known the consequences of such development.

“So why didn't they tell us the risks? You cannot expect home buyers to hire engineering experts to ensure that their houses are safe! We need them to tell us!”

While bitter about these and other unanswered questions, Farid said he is now considerably more rational - and politically inclined - compared to before the landslide. Unlike other residents who have signaled intent to sue the authorities, Farid said he can only afford to raise his questions and demands before the public. However, he also said it is within his capacity to try and prevent similar incidents.

Among his first steps will be to ensure that politicians - like those who approved the development projects in Bukit Antarabangsa - are not placed in decision making positions. Asked what this means in concrete terms, Farid said he would start by campaigning against UMNO in the upcoming Kuala Terengganu by-election by telling voters the dangers of keeping the party in power.

“The occurrence has been grievous to all of us, but there’s nothing more I can do to get our life back as it was before the landslide,” he said.

“We fell victim to the incestuous relationship of our politicians and businessmen. This is not a ‘natural’ disaster as they claim, because it was human failings that caused it. The least I can do is ensure that (other) Malaysians do not suffer as we have.”

He also referred to the difficulties faced by more than 1,500 residents after the landslide. They could not leave their homes, as the sole access road to their houses and apartments was blocked.

“Why was there only one access road in the first place? How could the local authorities approve development projects with only one access road?

“Why are they talking about access roads and bridges only now? Is it because access roads and bridges would have cost the developers money, so they put off building these?”

Farid further questioned if environmental impact assessment studies had been carried out, given that several different projects have been, and are still being carried out, in Bukit Antarabangsa,

“Why are they going about these projects in bits and pieces? Did they or didn’t they have an overall plan for the whole area?”

“From this incident, we have found that common sense had been in suspension, the role of greed was prominent, and there was a complete lack of ethics on the part of business interests and politicians. Where were the regulators in all of this?”

source:malaysiakini

Well....I think it takes two to tango.............

cheers.

12 December 2008

Cannot correct what's already ‘Correct,Correct,Correct”...........

The High Court here today ruled that the Royal Commission of Inquiry's findings implicating six individuals in the controversial "Lingam video clip" cannot be challenged. Justice Datuk Abdul Kadir Musa made the ruling when refusing leave to five of the six to seek a review of the commission's findings.

He accepted the preliminary objection raised by senior federal counsel Azizah Nawawi, for the commission, that the findings were not reviewable on the grounds that they were not a pronouncement of a decision and thereby did not affect the rights of the individuals or their obligations. Abdul Kadir said the findings of the commission remained as "findings" and could not be construed as a decision to which an individual was entitled to seek a judicial review to quash the findings under Order 53 Rule 2 (4) of the Rules of the High Court.

He said the commission did not make a decision. Instead, it only conveyed its findings in a report and submitted it (a report) to the King on May 9, which was later transmitted to the government, which decided to make the report available to the public on May 20.

"Until May 19, 2008, nothing was known about the aforesaid findings of the royal commission as contained in the report. None of the said five commissioners ever made known their said findings either to any or all the five individuals or to the public," he said.

Abdul Kadir said whatever happened after the commission had submitted its report to the King was entirely beyond its (the commission's) control.

The five-member panel of commissioners, in their report, had found the video clip showing senior lawyer Datuk V.K.Lingam in a telephone conversation with former chief justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim over judicial appointment to be authentic.

The commission also recommended that appropriate course of action be taken against six individuals -- Lingam, tycoon Tan Sri Vincent Tan, Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and two former chief justices Ahmad Fairuz and Tun Mohd Eusoff Chin -- for misconduct. It found that there was sufficient evidence to investigate the six men for offences under the Sedition Act, Official Secrets Act, the Penal Code and the Legal Profession Act 1976. Except for Mahathir, the other five filed for leave for a judicial review in an attempt to quash the inquiry's finding.

The commissioners -- chairman Tan Sri Haidar Mohd Noor, former chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Amar Steve Shim Lip Kiong, retired Court of Appeal judge Datuk Mahadev Shankar, former solicitor-general Puan Sri Zaitun Zawiyah Puteh and Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Kim -- sat for 17 days to inquire into the 14-minute video clip and concluded its work Feb 15 this year.

Abdul Kadir also held that although it could not be denied that the five individuals were adversely affected in its natural sense by the commission's findings, they were nevertheless not so adversely affected within the context of Order 53 Rule 2 (4) of the Rules of High Court. He disagreed with their proposition that the commission's findings were reviewable based on the New Zealand common law which construed "findings" as a decision within the ambit of Order 53.

The Malaysian courts should not import common law from other countries where the provisions of Malaysia's laws were different, he said, adding that if one wanted to import the interpretation of New Zealand's Judicature Amendment Act 1977 into Malaysian law, there must first be changes made to the Malaysian Acts. Ahmad Fairuz and Eusoff Chin are appealing against the decision while the other three indicated that they may consider to appeal.

source:BERNAMA

The Lingam video clip was proven to be very detrimental to the gomen and as a result the gomen lost 5 states, got almost wipe out in Wilayah Persekutuan KL and denied its 2/3 majority in Parliament in the 2008 general election. So whats next for those implicated in the Lingam video clip, who are UMNO big wigs and their trusted cronies.........

cheers.

Gomen spends RM6 mil Pat Lah's house..............

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi revealed that the government forks out RM6 million a year for rental and maintenance works for his official residence, Seri Perdana, in Putrajaya. According to a parliamentary written reply, RM4,149,000 is paid as rental to Putrajaya Holdings while the remaining RM1,896,616 is spent for maintenance works.

The government is also paying RM3.4 million (RM2,273,888 for rental and RM1,129,992 for maintenance) for Seri Satria, the deputy premier’s official residence. The reply stated that rentals is paid on a quarterly basis to Putrajaya Holdings, which is the master developer of the federal administrative capital.

source:malaysiakini

The gomen spend at least RM9,400,000 per annum on housing just 2 Ministers ie. the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister according to this malaysiakini article above.

So between the two of them, the nation has to fork out almost RM783,000 each month. Don't you think that's a ludicrously high amount to splurge on housing? I suppose the money is paid to Putrajaya Holdings that is owned by the gomen and which is not making any profits.

The gomen has to allocate funds to them to operate gomen owned properties, otherwise they will not be able to maintain and operate all the white elephants in Putrajaya. There are many gomen buildings in KL, so why must move to Putrajaya? Now do you all get an idea when Najib tell us to "Change your Lifestyle".

And here(picture on your right) is where Kelantan's Menteri Besar Tuan Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat dwells.............

Get my point............

Read here.

cheers.

JAC will lead to problems says former CJ...........

The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC), the Bill of which was tabled for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday, will lead to problems where the appointments of the Chief Justice and president of the Appeals Court is concerned, said newly-retired Chief Justice Tun Abdul Hamid Mohamad.

He said problems would arise as among members of the commission would be those in line for the two posts.

"I just want to draw the attention of the Members of Parliament (MPs) in raising this so that they will give it careful thought before making their decision," he told Bernama here today.

"Under the provisions of the Bill, the JAC is empowered to appoint the Chief Justice (CJ), Appeals Court president, Appeals Court judges, Federal Court judges, Chief Judge of Malaya, Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak and High Court judges.

"It is also noted the JAC comprises of nine members, including five senior judges, four of whom are the most senior in the country."

He also referred to Clause 5 of the Bill which provides for the JAC to be made up of nine members comprising the CJ as the chairman, Appeals Court president, Chief Judge of Malaya, Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, a Federal Court judge and four eminent persons appointed by the Prime Minister.

According to Clause 21 of the Bill, the JAC is entrusted with the responsiblity to select suitable and capable candidates as judges of the higher courts. Candidates must meet several criteria, including being persons of high moral values and integrity, besides judicial capability.

Abdul Hamid said according to the provisions of the Bill, appointments for judicial commissioners, High Court judges, Appeals Court judges, Federal Court judges, Chief Judge of Malaya and Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak should not pose a problem, but it need not be the case where the CJ and Appeals Court president are concerned.

"In making the choice for Appeals Court president, the Chief Judge of Malaya, Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak and the Federal Court judge, who are members of the JAC, have a stake in the matter. This means they will have to abstain from participating in the proceedings.

"And as the Bill states that a minimum quorum of seven members must be met in making these appointments, it might be very difficult to meet this requirement.

"It becomes more complicated when it comes to appointing the CJ. The Appeals Court president, Chief Judge of Malaya and Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak have a stake in the matter and as such, they will have to abstain in the selection process. Again the minimum seven persons quorum requirement cannot be met," said Abdul Hamid, who retired in October.

Should the CJ be unable to be present when the selection meeting is held, he said the meeting would have to be carried out without him, the Appeals Court president, Chief Judge of Malaya and Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak.

"This will have two consequences, first the quorum cannot be attained. Secondly it means for appointments at the lower rungs, there will be a full quoru, including the four senior most judges but when it comes to the top judge, these four senior judges will not be able to partake in the meeting.

"It also means when it comes to appointing the CJ, the meeting will only be attended by a federal court judge and four non-judges who are appointed by the Prime Minister.

"Is this the real purpose of the Bill? I am just bringing it up so that the MPs can ponder about it," he stressed.

Asked about his view on the setting up of the JAC, Abdul Hamid declined to comment saying it was a policy matter that came under the purview of Parliament. The JAC was mooted to reform the Judiciary for greater transparency and integrity in the administration of justice in the country.

source:theSun

Read here, here and here.

cheers.

11 December 2008

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) Bills for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat.....

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today tabled the anticipated Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) Bills for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat, in a race to fulfill an agenda that he had set for himself before the power transition in March.

He told the House the two bills’ second and third reading will be done in this meeting which will be adjourned on Dec 18. The short time to get them passed as law has got some MPs grumbling as they need to quickly get feedback from stakeholders for the debate before the vote.

On how long it will take for the bills to be passed, he said it will depend on the Speaker to allocate time for the second and third reading.

“If they (the MPs) are really focused, just speak what is necessary… I think we can get the bills passed by the end of the year.”

On rumours that some Barisan Nasional MPs are not supportive of the bills, Abdullah said: “There is no such thing and I have not heard about my MPs not supportive (of the bills).”

Highlights of the MACC Bill:

a.The MACC will be headed by a Chief Commissioner (CC), who will be appointed by the King on the advice of the prime minister. He will have the powers of a Deputy Public Prosecutor "as authorised by the Public Prosecutor".

b. The CC is effectively answerable to Parliament, as he has to table an annual report on the MACC's activities to an oversight committee called the Special Committee on Corruption, which is made up of seven members appointed by the King from both houses of Parliament, for a three-year term.

c. The MACC will be advised by an eight-member Anti-Corruption Advisory Board, who will be appointed by the King. The CC is among the eight.

d. A Complaints Committee comprising five members appointed by the relevant minister in charge of the Commission will also be set up. It will monitor the MACC's handling of complaints of misconduct which is non criminal in nature against MACC officers, and identify weaknesses in the work procedures of the MACC which might lead to complaints and make recommendations

e. The Bill will greatly expand the jurisdiction now given to the Anti-Corruption Agency. It will allow for investigations against public bodies, which includes the Federal and State governments, any local or statutory authority, any government department, service or undertaking, any registered society, any sports body registered under the Sports Development Act, trade unions, co-operative societies, companies and subsidiary companies.

f. MACC senior officers (rank of Commissioner or above) can inspect and make copies of the bank accounts of any individual, inspect the safe deposit boxes in banks and to seize any document or item inspected

g. Empowers a Judge of the High Court to order a lawyer to disclose information in respect of any transaction or dealing relating to any property which is liable for seizure

h. Empowers an MACC officer to require a person under probe to give a sworn statement identifying all properties owned by him. He can also require any relative or associate of that person to give such information as well. The definition of "relative" is wide, including lineal ascendant or descendant of the person, or his/her spouse and siblings.

i. All offences under the proposed Act are seizable, which means any person under probe can be arrested.

j. Penalties under the present Act have not been enhanced. However, the 14-day minimum jail sentence under the ACA Act has been removed. This can have the effect of increasing the success rate in prosecution.

source:theSun

Is Pat Lah serious? He slept for almost 5 years........Read this,this and this.

cheers.

10 December 2008

TV3 - YB Azmin Ali jadi sasaran seorang penduduk...........

Semalam TV3 telah menyiarkan kelakuan seorang penduduk bernama Tumiran Mohd Kasdi marah-marah pada YB Azmin Ali. Sambil dia mengamuk dan marah-marah sempat pula dia perli RELA dan ASKAR yang tak mahu tolong bini dia angkat kotak. Dia mendakwa petugas hanya duduk makan kat khemah saja.

Aku simpati kepada mangsa-mangsa tragedi di Bukit Antarabangsa, tetapi aku meluat dan tak tahan tengok tingkahlaku sijalud seekor ini yang berlagak berlebih-lebihan, seolah-olah dia seorang saja mangsa tragedi tersebut.

Mentang-mentang dia kaya duduk dalam banglo berjuta-juta ringgit harganya tapi budi bahasanya lebih teruk daripada penyamun-penyamun UMNO. Mungkin dia ini penyamun UMNO kot? Kenapa tidak upah mat bangla atau indon untuk jadi tukang angkut?

Nasib baik YB.Azmin Ali penyabar orangnya,kalau peristewa ini berlakaku depan YB Pasir Salak atau YB Kinabatangan sudah lama berlaku perang besar.

Apa motif TV3 tunjuk footage ini? Nak jadi jaguhkah?

Pooooooooooorah............

cheers.

Anwar suggest gomen undertakes an “open, independent and thorough investigation"............

Anwar Ibrahim today questioned the necessity to prepare a geo-technical report on the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide when a similar 15-year-old Highland Towers report has been on the ftable for all to follow. Instead he suggested that the federal government carries out an “open, independent and thorough investigation” to unearth the reason behind last Saturday’s tragedy, which took place near the location of Highland Towers.

He said the comprehensive geo-technical report on the 1993 Highland Towers incident had covered all areas, including drainage system and soil erosion. It made a number of recommendations for preventive and remedial measures to avert similar incidents in future.

Anwar, then the deputy prime minister, was in charge of the search-and-rescue and relief operations during the Highland Towers catastrophe in which one of the two apartment blocks collapsed following a landslide, killing 48 people.

Acknowledging that it was a sad episode for Malaysians, he pointed out the report also mentions the court rulings made as a result of a legal wrangle between the survivors and the authorities and developer, in which local councils were given immunity.

“It was a comprehensive report that should have formed the basis of all future hillside projects. However, 15 years later, we face the same problem. Why is it that rules spelt out are not followed?” he said, speaking to the press in Permatang Pauh, Seberang Perai.

“Why do we a need another report? We've already had one for the past 15 years."

Anwar did not mince his words when taking a swipe at the previous Selangor government for "negligence" in Bukit Antarabangsa, which has resulted in the loss of lives and damaged to property.

“The state authorities are responsible and accountable for such projects. The previous state government has definitely failed to protect public interests,” said the PKR de facto leader.

He pointed out that current Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim had 90 hillside project proposals to approve when he took office in March.

“Most projects have to be approved because of their legal implications,” he lamented.

Who approved the project?

Anwar wants an investigation to probe the causes of the latest landslide, including whether there has been malpractice and negligence when the project was approved and constructed some 15 years ago.

“The public is entitled to know whether the project was approved according to rules, who approved it and whether corrupt practices were involved,” he said.

He was critical of the usual closed-door probe carried out by the government into such incidents. The investigating team would submit a report to the minister who, in turn, tables it to the cabinet for deliberations. He criticised the federal government for attempting to play the blame game and trying to sweep unanswered issues on the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide under the carpet.

“This is the problem in our system - avert the core issues and (engage in a) massive cover up. It’s not going to solve the problem at all,” he added.

In the latest development, rescuers have this evening found a decomposed body, believed to be missing Sri Lankan maid Lourdes Mary. However, it was later discovered to be the carcass of a dog.

source:malaysiakini

Well,the gomen never lesson their lesson, even the Ligam's video tape report is still being moved around from one department to another....................

cheers.