Obama tegur Najib,PM Korea berhenti dan Najib bila...

"Masyarakat yg menghormati kedaulatan undang², menghormati kebebasan bersuara, yg menghormati pihak pembangkang untuk membangkang, walaupun mereka menyakitkan hati anda.." - Barack Obama

Najib dan Obama mengadakan sidang media bersama selepas perbincangan dua hala di Putrajaya pagi ini.

Mengulas mengenai hak asasi di Malaysia, Obama berkata: “Malaysia masih perlu berusaha dalam isu hak asasi, seperti juga AS. Saya komited dalam memastikan isu dibangkitkan dalam cara membina”.

Tambahnya, beliau berkongsi pandangan Najib bahawa masyarakat yang menghormati hak sivil akan menjadi lebih berjaya dalam abad ke-21.

Obama diminta menjelaskan mengapa beliau tidak mengulas mengenai sabitan kes Liwat II ke atas Anwar.

“Kenyataan bahawa saya tidak bertemu Anwar tidak menunjukkan kurang peduli,” katanya menurut laporan BBC.

Walau Obama tidak akan membuat pertemuan dengan Anwar, penasihat keselamatan AS Susan Rice dijangka akan bertemu Anwar tidak lama lagi. - f/bk

Najib buat malu di depan Presiden Obama dan diketawakan oleh semua...

Korean PM’s resignation over ferry tragedy a lesson in accountability,but Najib... 

There is no substitute for competency, accountability and transparency. Add integrity and which country’s leaders fit the bill?

Answer: South Korea.

South Korean Prime Minister Chung Hong-won took responsibility and resigned on April 27 over the government’s response to the April 16 Sewol ferry accident where the confirmed death toll stands at 187.

The Sewol ferry sank on a routine trip south from the port of Incheon to the traditional holiday island of Jeju.

“Keeping my post too great a burden on the administration,” a sombre Chung said in a brief announcement.

Chung was booed and someone threw a water bottle at him when he visited grieving parents the day after the disaster. Contrast this with the photo shoot publicity when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his wife visited families of the MH370 passengers and crew.

More than 300 people, most of them students and teachers from one high school on a field trip, have died or are missing and presumed dead. When the incident happened, the children were told to stay put in their cabins, where they waited for further orders.

A school assistant head who organised the trip and managed to save several students until he fainted, and was rescued, committed suicide two days after the tragedy.

Given the culture of taking responsibility for failures, is it any wonder that South Korea has overtaken Japan as the No 1 manufacturer of electronic devices and home appliances?

Even in car manufacturing, shipbuilding and construction, South Korea is of world standard.

Of course, the school assistant head’s action in committing suicide can be considered extreme and should not be encouraged. But Chung’s resignation showed that in the interest of his people and country, he is making way for a more competent leader.

What about Malaysia? Contrast Chung’s resignation over the ferry tragedy to that of MH370.

The search for the MAS Boeing 777, which went missing with 239 people aboard on March 8, has entered Day 51 with its disappearance still very much a mystery.

And Najib, Defence Minister-cum-Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, the air force, immigration, Department of Civil Aviation and MAS heads and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar have made contradicting and erroneous statements on the tragedy.

Has anyone taken responsibility for MH370?

Instead, Malaysian officials have continued to behave like heroes on TV, refusing to answer even simple questions like why MH370’s cargo manifest is “Top Secret”.

All they have been doing is only keeping the whole world updated on the Search and Rescue/Recovery (SAR) operations.

Crucial questions that demand answers are always brushed off with either “investigations are still in progress”, “we do not want to jeopardise police investigations” or “for security reasons …”.

Malaysia used to be the darling of Asian countries, wealthier than many others for being blessed with natural resources and even oil, but where is the country today?

Malaysia is now decades behind South Korea in terms of technology and in managing the country’s economy. Why is this happening?

That’s because for five decades South Korea has been striving and continues to strive to replace its leaders with more responsible and competent ones, adapting to change.

In contrast, Malaysia has been stuck with an incompetent government for decades, and an administration that refuses to adapt to change or try to change for the better.- the antdaily

How much more shame does Najib want...

cheers.

Poooorah... Utusan Malaysia bukan jurucakap rakyat Malaysia...

Utusan Malaysia tidak bercakap bagi pihak rakyat Malaysia...

Presiden Amerika Syarikat (AS) Barack Obama berada di Malaysia hujung minggu ini untuk bertemu beberapa pemimpin serta melawat beberapa tempat, sejak 48 tahun selepas lawatan kali terakhir presiden negara itu ke Malaysia.

Akhbar Umno, Utusan Malaysia berkata rakyat Malaysia lega apabila Obama tidak bertemu Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"Seperti juga di AS, rakyat Malaysia mahukan pemimpin yang bermoral, bersih dan berwibawa, bukannya ikon yang songsang," kata Awang Selamat dalam ruangannya dalam edisi Ahad Mingguan Malaysia hari ini.

Awang Selamat turut menyindir Anwar yang hanya dapat bertemu Penasihat Keselamatan AS Susan Rice dengan mengatakan perjumpaan itu sekadar menepati dasar keterbukaan negara itu.

Kenyataan itu dikeluarkan akhbar sama yang melaporkan sebelum ini CIA berkemungkinan terlibat dalam kehilangan pesawat MH370.

Namun mari kita jelaskan, bukan Utusan mahupun Umno bersuara bagi pihak rakyat Malaysia.

Malah, bukan juga jurucakap Melayu dan juga jika Pilihan Raya 2013 dan Pilihan Raya Kecil Kajang adalah petunjuk.

Mereka juga tidak bercakap bahasa yang sama dengan Obama.

“Saya percaya, tidak kira sama ada kita berasal dari sebuah kampung terpencil atau bandar raya megah, sama ada kita tinggal di Amerika atau di Malaysia, sebagai manusia, kita berkongsi hasrat yang sama – untuk hidup dengan bermaruah dan aman.

“(Kita ingin) mencorakkan masa depan kita sendiri, boleh mencari rezeki dan bekerja keras untuk menyara keluarga. Dan paling penting, mewariskan kepada generasi akan datang sesuatu yang lebih baik daripada apa yang ditinggalkan untuk kita.

"Inilah aspirasi yang melambangkan era baru 'bekerjasama' antara Amerika Syarikat dan Malaysia. Kita mungkin berbeza sebagai negara, rakyat kita mempunyai harapan dan aspirasi sama. Kita mampu membentuk kekuatan antara kedua-dua negara daripada kepelbagaian etnik. Kita mampu membina harapan dari sejarah dan mengimpikan harapan cerah untuk anak-anak kita," kata Obama dalam ucapan di Istana Negara di Kuala Lumpur malam tadi.

Presiden AS itu berkata, Malaysia akan berjaya dengan kepelbagaiannya, sesuatu yang Umno dan lidah rasminya secara sistematik cuba menafikan dan musnahkan sejak tsunami politik pada 2008.

Amat indah apabila pemimpin negara paling berkuasa melawat Malaysia dan menikmati hospitaliti kita.

Namun, ia tidak penting bagi Obama untuk bertemu Anwar atau tidak, kerana presiden AS itu tidak mengundi di sini.

Malah ia melucukan apabila rakyat Malaysia turut berebut untuk bergambar bersama presiden AS itu.

Obama akan menamatkan lawatannya esok, dan ucapannya akan memberikan kesan atau dibuat endah tak endah.

Namun kita rakyat Malaysia kekal di sini, menentang mereka seperti Awang Selamat yang mahu memecah belahkan hubungan kita dan usaha menjadi rakyat Malaysia yang lebih baik. – tmi

Who speaks for Malaysians? Not Utusan, for sure...

United States President Barack Obama is in town this weekend, meeting an entire host of people and visiting places of interest, 48 years after the last American president came to town.

Umno mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia has seen it fit to say that many Malaysians were relieved that United States President Barack Obama had no plans to meet with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"Like the US citizens, Malaysians want a leader who is clean, competent and with morals, and not a perverted icon,” said Awang Selamat, the pseudonym for the Malay language newspaper’s collective editorial voice.

 In the newspaper's weekend edition, Awang Selamat also poured cold water on the opposition leader’s scheduled meeting with United States National Security Adviser Susan Rice, dismissing it as merely to fulfil the superpower nation's openness policy.

This comes from a newspaper that weeks ago suggested that the CIA could have had a hand in the disappearance of flight MH370. What a turnaround weeks later.

But let's be clear about this. Neither Utusan nor Umno speak for Malaysians. They don't speak for Malays either, if the Election 2013 and the Kajang by-election results are any indication.

Heck, they don't even speak the same language as Obama.

my selfie

 "I believe, that whether we come from a remote village or a big city, whether we live in the United States or in Malaysia, we all share basic human aspirations: To live in dignity and peace. To shape our own destiny. To be able to make a living and to work hard and support a family. And most of all, to leave the next generation something better than was left to us.

"These are the aspirations that I believe illuminate a new era of partnership, of 'berkerja sama' between the United States and Malaysia. For while we may be different as nations, our people have similar hopes and similar aspirations. And we can draw strength in both our nations from our ethnic and religious diversity. We can draw hope from our history. And we dream of a brighter future for all of our children," Obama said last night at an official banquet in the Istana Negara, Kuala Lumpur.

The US president said Malaysia would do well to embrace its diversity, something which Umno and its mouthpiece have systematically tried to deny and destroy in the past few years since the political tsunami of 2008.

It is wonderful that the leader of the world's most powerful country is visiting Malaysia and gets to enjoy our famous hospitality.

But it does not matter whether Obama meets or does not meet Anwar because the last time we checked, the US president does not vote here.

In fact, it is hilarious how Malaysians are falling over themselves over the US president and ensuring they are in his photo opportunity moments.

Obama will leave tomorrow, and his words can either take effect or fall on deaf ears. 

But we Malaysians remain here, to fight against those like Awang Selamat who seek to break our unity and effort for a better Malaysia. – tmi

cheers.

Kita bayar tol untuk langsai hutang UMNO...

Kita Bayar Tol Untuk Selamatkan PWTC Dari Di Lelong Bank Bumiputra...

Dr Mahathir dan Daim Zainuddin menjaga dan mentadbir kewangan UMNO, tiba-tiba UMNO telah berhutang dengan banyak sekali. Sehingga PWTC hampir dilelong kerana pinjaman yang diambil UMNO tidak dibayar.

Pada tahun 1988, hutang UMNO kepada bank bagi projek PWTC adalah hampir RM300 juta (Bank Bumiputra) dan RM86 juta (bank lain). Bunga pinjaman sahaja berjumlah RM60k sehari.

Maka, kerajaan pada masa itu yang dipimpin Mahathir telah mengeluarkan tender Projek Lebuhraya Utara Selatan (PLUS). Tender tersebut telah diberikan kepada sebuah syarikat yang hampir bankrap dan telahpun dibuang dari Bursa Saham Singapura. Syarikat tersebut bernama “United Engineers Malaysia (UEM)”.

Rupanya, apabila Samy Vellu ditekan dalam Parlimen, maka Samy telah mendedahkan siapa yang memegang saham dalam UEM. Samy mendedahkan bahawa UEM sebenarnya dipunyai oleh sebuah syarikat bernama “Hatibudi Sdn Bhd”. (Raphael Pura and Stephen Duthie, “Malaysian Court Allows Highway Award: Government Can Give Rich Project to Firm Owned by Ruling Party”, AWSJ, 18 January 1988)

Samy Tol juga memberi pengesahan bahawa Pemegang Amanah dalam Hatibudi ini adalah Mahathir Mohamad, Ghaffar Baba, Daim Zainuddin and Sanusi Junid. Kesemuanya pada masa itu duduk dalam kabinet sebagai Perdana Menteri, Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Menteri Kewangan dan Menteri Pertanian.

Keempat-empat pemegang amanah syarikat UMNO ini adalah juga Ahli Kabinet Malaysia pada masa itu. Dan kabinet yang sama telah membuat keputusan memberi konsesi lebuhraya Utara Selatan kepada UEM yang dipunyai UMNO.

Maka, secara otomatik, rakyat Malaysia keseluruhannya terpaksa membayar tol yang semakin lama semakin tinggi kerana mahu menyelamatkan PWTC dari dilelong.

Tak heranlah apabila Najib Tun Razak sendiri telah mengakui... "In the case of the North South Highway project, it is a means of UMNO solving it’s problems by repaying loans taken for the new UMNO Headquarters building"(Star 29 August 1987)(Di dalam kes Lebuhraya Utara Selatan, ia adalah cara UMNO menyelesaikan masalah membayar balik hutang yang ditanggung UMNO untuk membina bangunan Ibu Pejabat UMNO)

Harus diingat bahawa konsessi yang telah diberi pada UEM ini dirancangkan supaya memberi keuntungan kepada UEM di dalam jumlah RM17 billion mengikut UEM. Tapi mengikut beberapa tokoh pembangkang jumlah konsessi untuk 30 tahun ini mencecah RM54 billion. 

Ini tidak termasuk pinjaman bebas bunga yang diberikan kepada UEM berjumlah RM1.65 billion dari Kerajaan Malaysia sewaktu konsessi ini mula-mula diberikan kepada UEM/UMNO.

Bayangkan, bukan sahaja UMNO dapat membayar hutang mereka kepada Bank Bumiputra untuk menebus bangunan mereka, mereka juga dapat membuat wang yang begitu banyak untuk kegunaan mereka.

Dan siapa yang sakit? Rakyat Malaysia yang sakit. Jadilah kita semua rakyat Malaysia hamba kepada UMNO dan alat mengkayakan beberapa suku sakat pimpinan UMNO - f/bk

Sempena lawatan Obama ke Malaysia...

 TPPA akan menyekat peluang syarikat tempatan dan memberi kelebihan kepada syarikat asing untuk menyertai pasaran tempatan. 

Jika TPPA dilaksanakan ia akan menutup terus pintu rezeki syarikat tempatan, dan akan membuka seluas-luasnya akses perniagaan kepada entiti asing yang mempunyai keupayaan modal dan sokongan lebih baik. 

Yang menjadi tanda tanya kepada MTEM tentang apakah isi yang telah dipersetujui dan bagaimana ia akan dilaksanakan bersama hujah risiko untung rugi yang akan ditangung oleh Malaysia?

"What do you feel like eating today? Come, let's go makan."

For many Malaysians, that question is a way of life and often, the very foundation of a good time.

Thanks to a multicultural wealth of influences ranging from spicy Indian notes to rich Malay fare, Malaysia is a culinary wonderland like no other.

And when guests from foreign lands stop by our shores, we are all too excited to share the many delicious food that the nation has to offer.

On Saturday, the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, will be the first sitting US president to visit Malaysia in 48 years, the last being President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966.

We asked readers on The Star Online's official Facebook page to suggest "must-try" Malaysian culinary experiences for the US President.

Happily, the overwhelming response from our makan buddies ensured that Obama has quite the eat-list to hit… if he has the time! - f/bk

Hello...Hello... Anybody home...? Tak nak komen ke? Syeikhul yang korang mulia-muliakan, Najibul Razak jumpa Obama di Malaysia.

cheers.

Ahli keluarga MH370 tahan kakitangan MAS di Beijing...

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) mengesahkan kakitangannya ditahan di sebuah dewan utama di Lido Hotel di Beijing oleh ahli keluarga penerbangan MH370 semasa mereka melahirkan rasa tidak puas hati untuk mendapatkan butiran berhubung kehilangan pesawat itu, pada 3 petang 24 April.

Dalam satu kenyataan hari ini MAS berkata lebih 200 anggota keluarga meminta seorang pegawai Malaysia hadir memandangkan hanya kakitangan MAS yang hadir semasa sesi taklimat.

"Seramai 10 kakitangan syarikat penerbangan itu kemudian dimaklumkan supaya menunggu di dewan utama sementara sekumpulan 60 ahli keluarga pergi ke kedutaan Malaysia untuk mendapatkan pegawai kerajaan menghadiri taklimat itu.

 "Kumpulan itu kemudian melepaskan kakitangan itu pada 1.44 pagi, 25 April," kata kenyataan itu.

Menurut kenyataan itu lagi dalam satu lagi insiden, penyelia keselamatan MAS, S Kalaichelven diserang seorang ahli keluarga rakyat China semasa bertugas di Lido Hotel di Beijing pada 22 April.

"Kakitangan syarikat penerbangan itu cuba menghentikan tindakan agresif seorang ahli keluarga terbabit yang menuntut akeses kepada sekretariat, apabila dia menendang staf berkenaan di lutut kirinya.

"Mereka yang berada di tempat kejadian dapat meredakan keadaan dan kemudian membawa Kalaichelven ke sekretariat untuk mendapatkan bantuan pertolongan cemas," kata kenyataan itu.

Menurut kenyataan itu, kakitangan terbabit hanya cedera ringan dan MAS membuat laporan polis berikutan insiden itu. – Bernama

Obama temui BERSIH, Majlis Peguam,NGO...

Presiden Amerika Syarikat Barack Obama akan bertemu dengan pemimpin masyarakat sivil Malaysia, termasuk BERSIH, sempena lawatannya ke Malaysia hujung minggu ini.

Malaysiakini difahamkan, turut diundang NGO hak wanita Sisters in Islam (SIS) dan Empower, kumpulan hak pekerja Tenaganita serta NGO Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF)

Wakil sebuah NGO memberitahu Malaysia, kira-kira 10 orang diundang oleh kedutaan AS di Kuala Lumpur untuk pertemuan yang masa dan tempatnya masih belum dinyatakan itu.

“Kami tidak minta tapi kami gembira dengan undangan ini.

"Ia menunjukkan pengiktirafan presiden AS akan keperluan melibatkan diri dengan masyarakat sivil di Malaysia,” kata wakil itu yang enggan namanya disebut.

Turut diundang sama wakil Majlis Peguam dan Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia (Suhakam).

Obama menjadi presiden pertama AS akan melawat Malaysia selepas lawatan terakhir Lyndon B Johnson hampir 50 tahun lalu.

Susan Rice

Dalam pilihan raya tahun lepas, pembangkang di bawah pimpinan Anwar Ibrahim memenangi majoriti undi popular untuk kali pertama tetapi masih gagal mendapat majoriti parlimen. 

Kedutaan Amerika Syarikat tidak segera bertindak balas terhadap permintaan untuk mengulas mengenai mesyuarat itu. 

Aktivis berkata Obama juga akan bertemu wakil-wakil pertubuhan termasuk Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia Malaysia, Majlis Gereja-gereja dan kumpulan Islam yang terkemuka yang sederhana, di antara lain. 

Sifton menyeru Obama untuk bertemu Anwar, yang menghadapi penjara 5 tahun atas tuduhan liwat,kesalahan yang secara meluas menganggap bermotifkan politik. 

Pegawai-pegawai AS telah berkata Obama tidak akan bertemu Anwar, tetapi Penasihat Keselamatan Negara,Susan Rice sebaliknya akan bertemu dengan Anwar. mk/tmi

Najib, cepatlah penjarakan Anwar dan jangan dok lengah2 lagi...

Menjelang rayuannya didengar di Mahkamah Persekutuan yang dijangka dalam tempoh terdekat ini, Anwar Ibrahim membayangkan bahawa beliau mungkin akan dipenjara sekali lagi kes liwat yang dihadapinya. Walaupun mengemukakan 35 hujah untuk menolak keputusan Mahkamah Rayuan yang sebelumnya menjatuhkan hukuman penjara lima tahun kepadanya, beliau tetap merasakan peluangnya untuk bebas adalah tipis.

Selain memberi alasan bahawa beliau tidak mendapat perbicaraan yang adil serta mahkamah yang didapatinya bersikap "bias", Anwar juga kelihatan mengeluh dengan proses mempercepatkan pendengaran kesnya dan tidak memberi pertimbangan budi bicara langsung atas kematian peguam utamanya, Karpal Singh dalam kemalangan jalanraya minggu lalu.

Dengan mereka tetap diminta mengemukakan notis rayuan tidak lewat daripada jam 3 petang Rabu lalu, anak Karpal Singh, Ramkarpal terpaksa bertungkus-lumus dan berjaga sepanjang malam untuk menyiapkan hujah-hujah rayuan di sebalik mereka sedang bersedih dan sibuk dengan upacara persemadian bapanya selang beberapa hari sebelum itu.

Walaupun bakal mendapat bantuan daripada terkenal, Sulaiman Abdullah tetapi berdasarkan perkembangan yang berlaku itu, Anwar tetap merasakan bahawa badan kehakiman bertindak semata-mata atas arahan pemimpin politik yang sedang menggenggam kuasa ketika ini.

Dalam usia 67 tahun dan terdengar juga ura-ura kemungkinan pihak pendakwa turut merayu untuk melanjutkan lagi tempoh hukuman selama 5 tahun yang diterimanya, tidak mustahil penjara adalah destinasi terakhir kehidupan Anwar yang selama ini penuh warna-warni.

Dan sifir politik mudah yang ada dalam pemikiran Perdana Menteri, Najib sendiri barangkali menyetujui bahawa perjalanan politiknya untuk kekal lebih lama di tampuk kuasa turut menjadi lebih selesa jika Anwar dapat dipenjarakan.

Di ketika yang sama, Anwar pula nampaknya lebih bersedia untuk ke penjara kali ini. Beliau yang sering mengungkatkan perkataan " lawan tetap lawan" dan "jangan bicara soal perjuangan jika takut dengan risiko" bukan ssja sudah meninggalkan pesanan kepada pengundinya di Permatang Pauh, minggu lalu dengan mengatakan "ini mungkin pidato saya yang terakhir", malah sempat membakar api perjuangan bahawa semangatnya sama-sekali tidak akan luntur walau ke mana sekalipun beliau dihumbankan.

Memenjara, menganiaya dah menzalimi musuh politik adalah resam di mana-mana jua sudut dunia yang ada pertelingkahan dan perebutan kuasa. Sudah banyak dicatatkan dalam sejarah dunia mereka yang menerima nasib malang itu. Mandela dipenjara, Khomeini dibuang negara dan Aquino malah ditembak mati serta ramai lagi yang sengsara.

Menjelang kemungkinan Anwar dipenjara sekali lagi, bukan saja Reformasi 2.0 dihidupkan kembali untuk mengajak rakyat, khususnya anak-anak muda agar bangkit melakukan perubahan, beberapa pemimpin pembangkang pula memberi bayangan bahawa Najib akan disingkirkan rakyat jika berani berbuat demikian.

Serentak dengan Anwar menuju penjara, laluan lebih sukar untuk masa depan Najib turut diwujudkan dengan mengajak rakyat agar lebih berani bersuara dan bertindak mewujudkan pembaharuan. Kalau pun tidak di jalan-jalanraya, sekurang-kurangnya lebih keberanian di peti undi nanti. Baca seterusnya...

Malaysia Airlines says staff "held" by Chinese families...

Ten Malaysia Airlines staff were held against their will for hours by Chinese relatives of flight MH370 passengers, the airline said on Friday, at a Beijing hotel that has seen increasingly tense confrontations over the missing plane.

The airline employees were "barred from leaving" a ballroom for more than 10 hours on Thursday, and another staff member was kicked in the leg in a confrontation two days earlier, the airline said.

Tempers have repeatedly flared at the Lido Hotel, where Chinese relatives have been put up by the airline since the plane vanished, increasingly lashing out in briefings as Malaysian officials and the flag carrier have been unable to explain the plane's disappearance.

"Malaysia Airlines confirms that its staff were held at the Lido Hotel ballroom in Beijing by the family members of MH370 as the families expressed dissatisfaction in obtaining details of the missing aircraft on 24 April 2014 at 3 pm," it said in a statement released in Kuala Lumpur.

The more than 200 family members were incensed when a Malaysian government official did not come to brief them on Thursday, and the meeting descended into chaos as relatives angrily confronted airline staff.

An airline spokesman told AFP "the main MAS officials were barred from leaving the ballroom" as about 60 family members left for the Malaysian Embassy to demand information from government officials.

"The group finally released the staff at 1.44am, 25 April 2014," the airline's statement said.

The relatives who went to the embassy remained there in an overnight protest, two participants said on Friday.

The carrier also said a Malaysia Airlines security supervisor was "kicked in the left knee" by an "aggressive" Chinese family member at the hotel on Tuesday.

The airline said it had filed a police report on the incident.

About two-thirds of the 239 passengers aboard the missing plane came from China.

Chinese relatives have for weeks complained bitterly about what they call Malaysia's secretive and incompetent handling of the search for the plane, which vanished on March 8.

It disappeared from radar on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing and is believed to have crashed far out in the Indian Ocean.

A multi-national search, however, has failed to find any evidence despite weeks of looking.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said on Friday that his country urges Malaysia to "take seriously" the families' grievances, while urging families to behave in a "rational way".

Dozens of relatives staged a noisy protest last month at the embassy -- apparently sanctioned by Chinese authorities, who cleared streets for their approach -- decrying Malaysian authorities and the national airline as "murderers". - AFP/gn

Obama should speak loudly on rights abuses...

United States President Barack Obama should use his historic April 26-27 visit to Malaysia to speak directly on concerns about the country’s deteriorating human rights situation.

Obama will be the first US president to visit Malaysia since 1966.

I note the statement by  Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, John Sifton: “Malaysia’s claims of being a tolerant and rights-respecting democracy don’t stand up to scrutiny.

“President Obama needs to take up concerns that basic rights are under threat, and that civil society is squeezed between restrictive laws and abusive government implementation.”

In a letter sent to Obama last month, Human Rights Watch urged the president to raise human rights issues during his visit to Kuala Lumpur, and to meet with members of human rights groups, civil society organisations, opposition political party figures and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.

Contrary to images Malaysian leaders try to portray abroad, the government continues to use vague, overboard and outdated laws to prosecute or harass political opponents.

Human Rights Watch notes that parliamentary Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim was recently prosecuted and convicted, for the second time in his political career, under Malaysia’s colonial-era “sodomy” law.

The colonial-era Sedition Act has also been used against other opposition figures, including lawyer and opposition politician Karpal Singh, who died in a car accident on April 17.

Even the recently enacted “reform” legislation, such as the 2012 Peaceful Assembly Act, are being used to prosecute peaceful protesters, such as the rally organisers of protests after the disputed May 2013 elections.

The government invoked another outdated law, the abusive 1966 Societies Act, to declare illegal Comango, a coalition of human rights groups that recently highlighted human rights problems in Malaysia at the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Media companies and outlets also pressured

Also, more recently, the Malaysian government used the Societies Act to prosecute a high-profile Shia Muslim leader.

Malaysian leaders have long used the country’s Printing Presses and Publication Act and the Communications and Multimedia Act to pressure media companies and outlets.

Human Rights Watch also notes that setting up a newspaper in Malaysia still requires approval from the government, and criticising the government can lead the authorities to close down a media company.

The White House indicated in a briefing on April 18, 2014, that Obama would not be meeting with Anwar Ibrahim, thus missing an important opportunity to express disapproval for the politically motivated prosecutions against him.

“President Obama should speak out on Anwar’s case and meet with him while in Kuala Lumpur,” Sifton said. “Neglecting to do so sends a message to the Malaysian government that misuse of the courts for political gain is acceptable to the US.”

Police abuse also remains a serious human rights problem in Malaysia. A recent Human Rights Watch report, “No Answers, No Apology: Police Abuses and Accountability in Malaysia,” found unjustified shootings, mistreatment and deaths in police custody, and excessive use of force to disperse public protests, for which the police are rarely held accountable.

Investigations into police abuse are conducted primarily by the police, who do not act transparently or impartially in their inquiries, and there is no effective independent oversight mechanism to turn to when police investigations invariably falter. The result is heightened public mistrust of the police and the government.

Tolerance of Malaysia’s many minority communities is also under threat. Government leaders routinely denounce ethnic and religious minorities, who face harassment and spurious prosecutions.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people face particular persecution, with government officers banning group events or using offensive and false allegations to undermine their activities.

In 2013, extremist religious groups filed complaints with the police against an LGBT event, deeming it a “deviant sex festival,” forcing the organisers to cancel it. The police in 2011 banned Seksualiti Merdeka, an LGBT gathering and arts festival.

Government religious officials and police also frequently arrest transgender women under state-level syariah (Islamic law) provisions, prohibit cross-dressing. There are also credible reports of abuses occurring during the raids and while the women are in police custody.

Again, as Sifton put it: “President Obama should highlight that LGBT people are entitled to the same rights as everyone else.

“Speaking out on anti-gay persecution in Kuala Lumpur could have a long-lasting impact in Malaysia, both in demonstrating international support for this community under threat, and in setting the tone for a more civil public debate in the country.” - mk

cheers.

Notis 10 hari dibawah Akta PAA tak boleh pakai...

Black 505: Mahkamah gugur pertuduhan Nik Nazmi...

Mahkamah Rayuan hari ini membatalkan pertuduhan terhadap Adun Seri Setia Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad yang didakwa di bawah Akta Perhimpunan Aman kerana tidak memberi polis notis 10 hari ketika menganjurkan Himpunan Blackout di Stadium Kelana Jaya pada Mei tahun lepas.

Ketika membebaskan Nik Nazmi, panel tiga hakim diketuai Hakim Mohd Ariff Mohd Yusof memutuskan Seksyen 9 (1) Akta Perhimpunan Aman (PAA) yang memerlukan rakyat untuk memberikan 10 hari kepada pihak berkuasa sebelum protes sebagai tidak berperlembagaan.

Mahkamah Rayuan memutuskan, polis boleh mengenakan sekatan ke atas himpunan aman tetapi tidak boleh menghukum penganjur atau orang yang berhimpun kerana tidak mematuhinya, lapor The Malaysian Insider.

Hakim Mahkamah Rayuan Datuk Mohd Ariff Md Yusof berkata, apa yang asasnya sah tidak boleh dijadikan asas tindakan jenayah. - harakahdaily

Punishment for 10 days' notice 'unconstitutional'...

The nation's second highest court in a landmark decision today ruled Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 (PAA), which punishes those who do not give 10 days' notice before holding an assembly, to be unconstitutional.

With this, the punishment where the organiser stands to face a fine of RM10,000 is null and void, ruled the Court of Appeal.

In a unanimous decision to strike out the charge against Selangor assembly deputy speaker Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, the three-member panel also declared as acquitted the PKR Youth chief aspirant, who was charged under the PAA.

Nik Nazmi was charged in relation to the Black 505 rally after the last general election in 2013.

The panel was led by Justice Mohd Ariff Mohd Yusof, who said there is nothing in the Act that allows the authorities to declare a peaceful assembly as illegal.

The others on the bench were former Malaysian Bar president Mah Weng Kwai and Hamid Sultan Abu Backer.

Justice Mah, in his written judgment, declared both Section 9 (1) that requires the 10 days' notice and Section 9, ( which is the punishment for notice not given), as unconstitutional.

However, Justice Ariff and Justice Hamid, in their separate judgments, declared that only Section 9(5) was unconstitutional.

“The Section 9(1) requirement of 10 days' notice under the PAA is constitutional, but Section 9(5) that punishes peaceful assembly is unconstitutional,” said Justice Ariff.

“The right to peaceful assembly is guaranteed under Article 10(1) (b) of the Federal Constitution and hence, it cannot be criminalised,” Justice Hamid said in his decision.

“Section 9(5) makes a mockery of the right to freedom of assembly,” said Justice Mah, adding that freedom of assembly outweighs any inconvenience that might be caused by problems following a protest, such as traffic jams.

“There is no rational nexus of giving 10 days' notice with requirement of security, public order and others,.”

Justice Hamid also said that the court is duty-bound to protect fundamental rights and uphold judicial oath.

Other laws sufficient 

Justice Mah ruled that there are sufficient laws to punish offenders who violate or destroy property during a public gathering.

“If there are any problems arising from the assembly, it can be dealt with by other laws,” he said.

“Section 9(5) inconsistently penalises organisers while participants are able to assemble peacefully. Freedoms can only be reasonably restricted but not prohibited,” the judge added.

Nik Nazmi (left), who is also Seri Setia assemblyperson, was represented by N Surendran, Latheefa Koya and Eric Paulsen.

Surendran said never before in the country's 57 years of independence have the courts ruled and upheld the freedom of assembly.

He said the effect of the judgment was that it is illegal for the courts or authorities to impose punishment for not giving the 10 days' notice required by the Act.

“What it means is that it is not a requirement to inform, but the organiser or the people involved can choose to do so.”

“If there is damage to property, there are existing laws in the country to punish the offenders. This is certainly a landmark decision as the courts accepted our submission that Section 9(5) is unconstitutional,” Surandran added.

The judgment will have a telling effect on others facing  the similar charge under Section 9(1) nationwide, especially those who had been charged with organising sBlack 505 rallies in the other states.- mk

Gesaan pecat: MB bidas MP 'mandi kerbau'...

Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim membidas MP Jelutong Jeff Ooi yang mendesak beliau dipecat ekoran krisis air di negeri, dengan menyatakan menteri besar itu tiada kuasa berbuat demikian.

"Saya rasa beliau tidak ada kuasa (desak saya dipecat)," kata Khalid dalam sidang media di Klang bagi menjawab kritikan wakil rakyat DAP itu terhadapnya dalam laman Facebook.

Ditanya sama ada tuntutan Ooi boleh dijustifikasi, Khalid menjawab: "Ini adalah isu kematangan dan kewibawaan seorang pemimpin."

Khalid juga menepis kritikan terbuka itu mempunyai niat mempengaruhi peluangnya dalam pemilihan parti PKR untuk merebut jawatan timbalan presiden.

"Saya tak nak menghubung kaitkan (dengan perkara itu), apabila saya buat (andaian) itu, mungkin saya pula yang membuat fitnah".

Kesal kerana bekalan air di rumahnya sering dicatu, Ooi kelmarin menuntut Khalid dipecat kerana didakwa gagal mengatasi masalah tersebut.

Ooi berkata, masalah itu menyulitkan urusannya hingga terpaksa “mandi kerbau” setiap kali pulang ke kediamannya di Subang Jaya, Selangor.

“Masa Khalid sudah tamat. Pecat orang 'tidak guna' ini," tulisnya. - mk

Khalid: Ooi has no power to demand my sacking...

Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has brushed off DAP's Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi's call for him to be sacked over the water crisis, saying Ooi is powerless to make such a demand.

"I think Ooi does not have power (to demand my sacking)," Khalid told a press conference in Klang when asked to respond to Ooi's outburst on Facebook against him.

Asked whether Ooi's demand was justified, Khalid replied, "This is an issue of maturity and capability of a leader."

Khalid also declined to speculate whether Ooi's (left) open criticism was aimed at influencing his chances at the PKR party election where he is vying for the party deputy president's post.

"I don't want to link them (the two issues), if I do that it might end up with me slandering others instead," he said.

Khalid, who earlier personally met with village chiefs to hear out their problems in a meet-and-greet session, also dismissed claims that he was too occupied with such programmes instead of addressing the water crisis.

“Some people don’t understand management, what else can you do?

“You have to ask (instruct) your people to do it (water contingency plans), I use more than an hour to discuss about water.

“After that I have eight hours left (for other programmes),” he said.

Khalid also responded to PKR Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin (right) who had declared she had a name that could replace the crisis-plagued menteri besar.

“I also have a name to replace YB Zuraida,” he laughingly shot back.

On his campaign in the PKR election, Khalid said he could only campaign during weekends or at night but has managed to cover almost all the states ahead of the May polls.

He added that he was satisfied about his level of support and chances in the election.- mk

 cheers.

"Lebuh Obama" - jangan dok angkat teloq sampai macam tu...

Pembodek Najib mahu sebatang jalan di Putrajaya dinamakan "lebuh Obama"...

Blogger Shahbudin Husin mendakwa salah seorang penasihat Perdana Menteri yang bertaraf menteri dikatakan mahu meletakkan sebatang jalan di Putrajaya dengan nama “Lebuh Obama” sempena lawatan Presiden Amerika Syarikat itu ke Malaysia Sabtu ini.

Katanya, jalan yang dikenalpasti untuk ditukar nama itu ialah salah satu jalan yang menjadi laluan menuju beberapa kementerian dan tidak jauh daripada Masjid Putrajaya.

“Percubaan meletakkan nama Obama ini tidak lain ialah untuk menggembirakan hati Najib yang tentu akan berbunga-bunga hatinya apabila dipuji oleh Presiden Amerika itu nanti,” tulisnya dalam posting terbaru dalam blognya.

Beliau yang juga bekas ahli jawatankuasa Umno Bahagian Wangsa Maju berkata ura-ura pertukaran nama itu telah disampaikan kepada Putrajaya Holding dan turut menjadi perbualan sebilangan kakitangannya dan rata-rata turut tidak bersetuju dengannya.

Menurutnya lagi, kunjungan Obama ini mencatat sejarah kerana kali terakhir seorang Presiden Amerika berkunjung ke negara ini ialah pada tahun 1966 iaitu Lyndon B. Johnson. Berikutan lawatannya itu, sebuah tanah rancangan Felda di Negeri Sembilan kemudiannya telah diberi nama Felda L.B Johnson.

“Oleh kerana Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak dapat membawa Obama ke negara ini hanya dalam tempoh lima tahun berkuasa dan mampu menyaingi Mahathir yang memerintah selama 22 tahun tetapi tiada seorang pun Presiden Amerika yang datang melawat, barangkali penasihat itu merasakan pengabadian namanya pada sebatang jalan di Putrajaya adalah suatu penghormatan yang amat tinggi,” dakwanya.

Shahbudin menambah walaupun mengabadikan nama pemimpin besar dunia yang pernah berkunjung ke negara ini bukanlah suatu isu yang sangat besar sebenarnya tetapi meletakkan nama Obama pada sebatang jalan di pusat pentadbiran kerajaan di Putrajaya tentulah tidak begitu sesuai dan seolah-olah menunjukkan negara mahu berkiblatkan kepada kuasa besar itu.

“Sekali imbas dan nyata, ia dilihat seperti Najib mahu membodek Obama tetapi yang sebenarnya ia adalah percubaan salah seorang penasihat yang ingin membodek, menyenang dan dan menggembirakan hati Perdana Menteri yang diketahuinya begitu taksub kepada pemimpin kuasa besar itu,” dakwanya lagi.

Katanya, bagaimanapun apabila percubaan pertukaran nama jalan itu sampai ke pengetahuan Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, orang yang mewujudkan Putrajaya, beliau telah menyuarakan rasa tidak setujunya atas ura-ura itu kepada pengurusan tertinggi Putrajaya Holding dan mahu imej Putrajaya yang ada dikekalkan.

Sehingga hari ini difahamkan Putrajaya Holding akur dengan nasihat Mahathir itu, dakwanya lagi.

Katanya, namun demikian, sempena kunjungan Obama bermula Sabtu ini, tidak dipastikan sama ada sebatang jalan lain, kampung atau bangunan yang lain akan dinamanakan dengan nama Presiden Amerika itu tetapi yang pastinya Putrajaya tidak berjaya dicemari dengan unsur-unsur pengagungan nama-nama pemimpin luar.

“Segala-galanya kerana Mahathir masih ada dan ramai yang masih segan dengannya. Bagaimana agaknya jika selepas beliau tiada lagi dan pemimpin yang ada beserta penasihatnya terus menerajui negara ini? “ soal Shahbudin.

Menurut beliau, semalam Dr Mahathir menulis di blognya mengenai peranan pembodek dan penasihat kepada seseorang yang berkuasa sehingga menyebabkan kemarahan rakyat dan seterusnya boleh mengakibatkan seseorang pemimpin itu tersingkir daripada takhta kuasa.

“Walaupun beliau menulis secara umum dan tidak menyebut nama mana-mana pemimpin, tetapi jelas difahami bahawa tulisannya itu ditujukan kepada Perdana Menteri yang bukan saja dikelilingi paling ramai penasihat, bahkan juga pembodek yang sentiasa mengiyakan apa saja yang dilakukannya,” dakwa Shahbudin.

Katanya, dalam semua kritikan dan kelemahan yang dikaitkan dengan Najib, selain beliau sendiri tidak mempunyai personaliti yang benar-benar kukuh sebagai pemimpin, peranan penasihat yang berada di di sekelilingnya turut dipersalahkan.

“Walaupun mempunyai paling ramai penasihat, pegawai dan konsultan di sekelilingnya, mereka itu dilihat tidak memberikan nasihat yang betul dan jujur, sebaliknya lebih untuk menyenangkan hati dan menggembirakan Perdana Menteri saja,” katanya.

Sebab itu, ujarnya, bukan saja ekonomi tidak berkembang, hutang bertambah, pembaziran berleluasa, tetapi juga menyebabkan timbulnya pelbagai masalah politik, sosial dan perpaduan yang tidak berkesudahan.- fmt

Anwar: Yes, I'll go to prison again

The Malaysian opposition leader talks about his impending return to jail, political oppression and Obama’s visit.

The Diplomat’s Jarni Blakkarly spoke recently with Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim about the likelihood that he will return to jail, political oppression in Malaysia, and the upcoming visit to Malaysia by U.S. President Barack Obama.

You’ve recently had your prior acquittal on sodomy charges overturned by the courts and been sentenced to five years in jail. As this case has been going back and forth for many years now, how likely do you think it is that you will find yourself behind bars again?

Looking at the names of the judges and the way they expedited the process, they even disallowed me to ask for just a few days to get medical documents. So looking at the judgment I think it is clearly fundamentally flawed, because they did not deal with the facts that were abused. So I think that it is clear that the executive is acting under the instruction of their political masters.

Therefore I’m not too optimistic that I will get a fair hearing and I think that it is a foregone conclusion. Notwithstanding we are of course doing our very best to get the best team of lawyers to expose the whole fiasco in the courts. Since Karpal Singh died in the accident I am now faced also with the problem of getting new lead counsel.

So you do think it is quite likely you will go to jail again?

Yes. In fact colleagues I was with in London for the Al Gore group meeting as well as some friends and Muslim groups in the U.K., all of them without hesitation tried to persuade me to remain in London instead of coming back. They all know and assume that because of the opaque system here and the judiciary that I will go to prison. But I said to them, thank you very much, but I have made my decision, I will continue the fight from within Malaysia.

What do you think will be the political ramifications if you are sent to prison? Would we see Refomasi-like protests on the streets again?

Well the system is still oppressive and there are serious signs of it. It’s not just me and Karpal Signh they are trying to haul to prison, but also a few other MPs, assemblymen, party leaders and protest leaders and I think this trend will continue. Therefore you are giving people hardly any option for recourse. Where do you go if you have a problem? Are you going to go to the courts? You will not get a fair trial. So I think what the authoritarian leaders fail to realize is that there is a limit to what people and the society can endure.

However I think with the ineptitude in dealing with MH370, the international community and the international media are becoming aware of the opaqueness of the system and the failure of governance. So I think we are left with no option but to demand our rights not within the prescribed method of elections that are fraudulent or the courts.

So are you saying that Pakatan will be calling people to the streets if you are sent to jail again?

Well I’m not suggesting that; that is for people to decide. For now we are just organizing a series of meetings to explain what is going on. As you know, even the funeral of Karpal Singh—one of the great opposition leaders and icons—was not reported at all in the mainstream media. And during the final funeral possession not one leader from the ruling party or the government attended, so you can see the tendency to consider opposition leaders as the enemies of the state and I think it is very unhealthy. I can’t predict exactly what will happen. There is also this movement on the first of May for example. There is already this call to protest in opposition to new taxation, fraudulent elections, and the beginning for Reformasi 2.0 will be on the first of May.

Do you think the persecution of politicians like yourself, Karpal Singh prior to his death, Tian Chua and other politicians is strengthening or weakening the positions of Barisan National?

I think that when they become more desperate they become more ruthless and this series of measures is unprecedented. We’ve seen it under Mahathir, we’ve seen it under Abdullah, but under Najib now it has gotten worse. The number of people denied entry to Sabah and Sarawack, even during a by-election, can you believe this? The election commission is just completely muted, when party leaders are denied entry to come and campaign, because they say this is the law, but this is the Election Commission acting like a small government department.

Now for example the number of MPs and State Assemblymen being hauled to court over unlawful assembly and sedition just keeps on increasing. It is also a sign of desperation, when the ruling party becomes weak they will resort to creating this enemy of the state business. I mean I’m for now [not being called] an “American CIA agent” only because Obama’s visiting. So now they are downplaying the American agent thing. In fact the ruling party UMNO’s paper Utusan even inferred that the MH370 is the work of the Americans and the CIA. They have now downplayed that too because of the Obama visit.

Do you think the ongoing infighting within your own party PKR will end after the party elections this coming month or will they continue?

These are democratic elections, there are of course major contenders for all the seats and all the major positions, which is very healthy. Initially in the formative period you have this consensus among the whole team of leadership. Now there are more qualified personnel, they are more critical and the environment is very democratic and I believe we will go through this process. Sure it will be messy and some may feel a bit disheartened but we are going through this, there may be one or two that say goodbye, but the rest will continue. But what is important to see is this huge groundswell of people coming to vote because it is the only party in the country that had one member, one vote.

Isn’t disunity within PKR a worrying sign for the unity of the broader opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition?

I can’t see that, just because there are competing groups and factions vying for the deputy presidency or challenging the incumbent – I don’t read this as a sign of division. We have had problems with the leadership in the state of Selangor in the past and there have been criticisms, but still during the by-elections it went very smoothly and the whole party was together intact during the past month and I don’t foresee any problems. Because this is a democratic party, which is not too familiar here within the ruling establishment, we allow everyone to give their own agenda, speeches, and public meetings. That is not a sign of disunity; that’s a sign of healthy competition in a democratic party.

At the last general election you said that you would stand down if Pakatan lost. Do you have any plans for retirement or will you be leading the coalition in the 14th General Election?

I don’t know; GE 14 is some way to go. For now, I am the leader coordinating the efforts of the opposition. Yes, I did say that in the event we lose the election I would retire, but we won the election, both the popular votes and the seats had there not been this fraudulent Election Commission. Thirty seats would have been won without early voting. Thousands of voters came in five days early and all the ballot boxes were kept under police custody and there was no monitoring by any other people. Then when these votes are being counted eighty percent go to the government. It’s not reflective of any of the constituencies.

So well technically, yes we lost, not that we accepted the result, but we said well we have to move on otherwise there will just be chaos. However this has not been reciprocated by Najib and his administration and their display of arrogance is just excessive. They know the votes we got, and they only blame the ethnic Chinese. Until today all calls for meetings with the prime minister or leaders of the government have been rejected. Can you talk about democracy when the leader of the opposition cannot have one minute of air time on television? Cannot have any meetings with any ministers?

So there are no plans for retirement then?

No, of course, I’ve been going on some time. Just because they are putting me in prison now I can’t announce my retirement. If I retired during the Federal courts deliberation then they would say it is a matter of conceding defeat. I have to then declare that I will fight.

The protests around GE 13 have died down and your move to become Selangor Chief Minister has been blocked by your conviction. Faced with at least another four years now till the next general election, what are the plans for Pakatan?

Well the general mood is not just to be complacent and wait for the next election; we should challenge the corrupt system now. That is why we are having this rally on the first of May and we will continue having rallies. Rallies to question the attempts by the Election Commission to reinforce the strength and dominance of UMNO through the re-delineation of constituencies, which is going to be crudely and clearly favoring the ruling party. 

Also the introduction of the GST, I’ve always seen the GST as a taxation system as transparent and efficient but not when there is so much wastage and so much corruption. Whereby the Attorney  General’s remarks suggest that there is almost close to twenty billion ringgit in leakages, you can’t start by talking about taxes. You should start by talking about wiping out corruption and the amassing of wealth by the UMNO leaders and their cronies. These issues are now being highlighted and we are just focused on the next elections and challenging the authoritarian regime now.

Since your move to become Menteri Besar [Chief Minister] of Selangor has been blocked, what are your plans personally, moving forward?

I’ll continue the same. I’ve never been Menteri Besar. I’ve been out of prison since 2004, I’m still leader of the opposition, I’m still general advisor to Keadilan [PKR],  Azizah [Wan Ismail]  is still the president now. Today I stepped aside, the UMNO leaders they think there is going to be a contest between Anwar and [his wife] Azizah. They get very excited and will drown the country with talk of division between husband and wife. The reason is of course purely legal because UMNO used the judiciary to first deny me a seat at the state elections and now to deny me the post of president in the party. I was prepared to take the risk personally but then they would use the Register of Societies to deregister the party

PKR and Pakatan in general had a very poor showing in East Malaysia at the last election. Why is it that East Malaysians are so hesitant to embrace Pakatan? What if anything will be done differently leading up to Sarawak’s state election next year and further on into GE14?

Well I think the question assumes that everything is clean, that the electoral process is transparent, which it is not. When you’re dealing with the rural heartland, the Dayak, the Bajau and the Kadazans, [they] do not have the alternative media. At least in the urban base we won 90 per cent of the seats, including in Sabah and Sarawak. Primarily because people have the choice and they do not rely on the mainstream media, which is controlled by the government. You’re talking about the rural heartland, they don’t have that alternative. Secondly they are the poorest and most vulnerable and 500 ringgit handouts by the government affects them. But there have been major inroads into Sabah and Sarawak and understand that there has never been that sort of a challenge in the past.

We have leaders that can’t go and campaign, we have had one after the other being denied entry into Sabah and Sarawak. So these curbs are being put in place because they know people are coming to listen. I don’t have a problem gathering crowds in Sabah and Sarawak which means people are now eager, and there is a hunger for information, news and change. But I do concede it is more problematic because we don’t have the alternative media and secondly because the grinding poverty which makes them vulnerable to government power.

It has been reported that U.S. President Barack Obama won’t be meeting with you on his visit to Malaysia later this week. Is this a disappointment? And would you like to see the us become more involved in promoting democracy in Malaysia?

The U.S., Australia and Europe have been harping on about democracy and freedom. My view has been quite well known that there should be a consistent and coherent message. You can’t be like the Australians sending troops to Iraq and Afghanistan and then being completely muted when there are efforts for example to forestall democratic reforms in your own neighborhood. So our expectation of President Obama particularly after the very significant Cairo address is to give a clear, consistent and coherent message. Meeting Anwar is not the issue here but give a clear consistent message—that was our message in meeting with Susan Rice and we will keep sending key prominent party leaders to meet her with that message.

For example in his visit to Burma last year Obama met with Aung San Su Kyi and there was in a way a recognition that she was a leader in waiting and that there are fundamental flaws in the democratic system. Is that what you were hoping to see in Obama’s visit to Malaysia?

Yes of course, because if you are true to your foreign policy objectives then you cannot ignore the expression of 52 per cent of the Malaysian population and pretend that nothing is happening, everything is all right, this is a moderate Muslim country, democracy is at work and everything is all right like some of the Australian leaders express when they come here. This is not something that would be well received by the general public here. But I would say that Susan Rice clarified by her remarks in D.C. some days back said that though they are not meeting [me] there will be some clarity of the message, which means I think they will be true to the consistent position of the United States in promoting democracy and freedom.

Why is it that you think the U.S. have been inconsistent with their message in Malaysia? Do you think it is out of concern for Chinese influence in Malaysia and the region?

I’m not sure of the reason, but of course Obama is obsessed about the TPPA. Najib is quite unique in that he supports virtually every single policy objective or initiative of the U.S. Whether it is sending troops or civilians to support in Afghanistan or Iraq, or the Iranian nuclear program, or the TPP, I think Najib has been consistent in supporting the U.S. line and therefore they see him as a very important major ally and as always they will be willing to close one eye when it comes to political oppression, as of course we have seen in U.S. relations with [former Egyptian President Hosni] Mubarak in the recent past.- the Diplomat

Debris found on Australian beach not from MH370...

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) says it is satisfied debris washed up on a WA beach is not from MH370.

The debris was discovered on a beach 10km east of Augusta and was reported to police.

Measuring 2m x 2m, the item was taken to Bussellton police station where it was photographed.

ATSB chief commissioner Martin Dolan told ABC radio today there is nothing to indicate the item is wreckage from flight MH370.

“We want to pursue every possible lead that will help us find MH370 but sadly this is one that isn’t going to help that search,” Mr Dolan said.

Earlier, Mr Dolan said it appeared to be a piece of sheet metal with rivets.

MH370 search: Debris found on WA beach is 'not part of a Boeing'

He said the debris was “sufficiently interesting for us to take a look at the photographs”, but added that “the more we look at it, the less excited we get”, CNN reported.

The Australian-led Joint Agency Coordination Centre said the photos were being examined “to determine whether further physical analysis is required and if there is any relevance to the search for missing flight MH370”.

However, Malaysian officials appeared puzzled by suggestions any part of the plane could possibly have been found on a WA beach.

Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, the head of Malaysia’s Civil Aviation Department, said the debris had “not been verified yet as a part of the aircraft”.

The debris was found by an unidentified man who told local farmers about it before reporting it to police.

Nine News earlier reported that three objects had washed up, one believed to be the length of a car with “distinct rivets”.

The latest find came as Prime Minister Tony Abbott insisted Australia won’t be abandoning the search even if no wreckage was located during the underwater hunt.

“Australia will not rest until we have done everything we humanely can to get to the bottom of this mystery,” Mr Abbott insisted.

The hunt for the jet has focused on a search area about 1500km north west of Perth after pings believed to be from the plane’s black boxes were detected there.

So far nothing has been found and the air search was suspended yesterday for the second day in a row due to heavy seas and poor visibility.

The Prime Minister said he had “no advice whatsoever” to suggest there is any truth in claims the plane may have landed somewhere.

His words came in response to a report in the New Straits Times quoting sources close to the investigation saying that they were considering revisiting the scenario that the plane had landed at an unknown location.

“Our expert advice is that the aircraft went down somewhere in the Indian Ocean, we have identified a probable impact zone, which is about 700km long, about 80km wide,” Mr Abbott told reporters in Canberra.- adelaidenow.com.au

cheers.