Archive for October 10th, 2008
Black Friday – Najib should present revised 2009 budget on Monday
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Economics, Najib Razak on Friday, 10 October 2008
Today is Black Friday. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index plunged 34.88 points or 3.6 per cent to close at 934.01, falling to its lowest level since July 2006.
We are feeling the effects of the world financial meltdown as the United States Government’s US$700 billion (RM2.5 trillion) bailout has failed to inspire confidence that it is sufficient to avert a looming world economic depression.
But this is not the only bad news for Malaysia, which has been aplenty lately particularly our deteriorating national competitiveness.
Yesterday, for instance, it was announced that for the second consecutive year, not a single Malaysian university has succeeded to get listed in the 2008 THES-QS World Top 200 Universities while a fortnight ago, Malaysia’s ranking on the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index 2008 plunged 10 places to No. 47 in 2008 from No. 37 five years ago in 2003 when Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi became Prime Minister.
What disturb Malaysians is that the Barisan Nasional government is totally at sea and unprepared to face the looming world financial crisis, as the Ministers and BN leaders are too preoccupied fighting for survival in their respective political parties to be able to plan out a strategy to save the Malaysian economy from the world financial meltdown. Read the rest of this entry »
Police should stop harassing Hindraft/RPK supporters over PM’s Hari Raya Open House
Posted by Kit in Hindraf, Police, Raja Petra Kamaruddin on Friday, 10 October 2008
Police are taking things too far in initiating investigations against two groups over their presence at the Prime Minister-cum-Cabinet Hari Raya Open House last Wednesday – the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) members and “I’m with RPK” supporters who had turned up at the Open House with T-shirts bearing the theme of their cause.
Four Hindraf members, K Shanti, wife of Hindraf leader-in-exile P Waythamoorthy, Hindraf information chief S Jayathas, Selangor coordinator K Tamilselvam and national events coordinator R Kannan have been served with written notice under Section 111 of the Criminal Procedure Code to report to the Dang Wangi district police headquarters on Tuesday to give their statements for illegal assembly under Section 27 (5) of the Police Act, as well as trespass under Section 447 of the Penal Code.
Three persons, lawyer-blogger Haris Ibrahim, lawyer Amarjit Sidhu and blogger P. Surind Raj are required to report to the police in connection with their “I’m with RPK” demonstration at the PWTC Hari Raya Open House.
Are the Umno leaders and Police seriously suggesting that the allegedly 200,000 people who visited the Prime Minister-cum-Cabinet Open House, particularly who went with more than five in number, could be investigated by the police for illegal assembly and trespass? Read the rest of this entry »
Abdullah forewarned – avoid valedictory judicial scandal with new Chief Justice Zaki Azmi
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Judiciary on Friday, 10 October 2008
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi reiterated yesterday that he would concentrate on five initiatives he wanted to see through in his final five months in office, viz: to table three bills in Parliament to strengthen:
(i) the judiciary; and
(ii) the anti-corruption enforcement;
(iii) increase the effectiveness and integrity of enforcement agencies;
(iv) to enlarge the social safety net to ensure aid to all who needed it; and
(v) to hold a Barisan Nasional convention to improve inter-racial and inter-religious relations.
Abdullah must be realistic enough to know that the overwhelming majority of Malaysians are skeptical that he could accomplish any meaningful institutional reform in his last five months in office when he was helpless and impotent in the past five years.
The outgoing Prime Minister does not have the luxury of time – as he could be put to the test whether he has found the resolve to implement reforms he promised two days ago in a matter of a week, particularly on judicial reform. Read the rest of this entry »
The cries of Sabahans
[Received the following email:
“Dear YB Lim,
“Kindly please assist to post the article below on your blog, this is written by one of my friends from Sandakan, it reflects the true situation we are facing in Sabah, and East Malaysia, do hope it can be done. I wish to remain anonymous.”
I read it and felt very ashamed as a Malaysian that after 45 years of Malaysia, there is still such an ocean of ignorance among West Malaysians about Sabah and Sarawak.
Barisan Nasional is not prepared to create a truly Malaysian nation where Sabahans and Sarawakians can fully feel that they are an integral part of the nation.
This is why BN has become quite irrelevant, not only to Sabahans and Sarawakians but to all Malaysian communities, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazan-Dusun-Muruts, Ibans, Orang Aslis.
Let Malaysians join hands as one people despite the obstacles and baggages of BN.- Kit]
As 916 (September the 16th) – the day where the change of Federal Government is rumoured could happen. I suddenly have the urge to say a few words for my beloved hometown and state – Sabah, the Land below the Wind.
I am not very good in writing, but I will try my best, to let our voices be heard throughout the world.
Many people assume that we Sabahans are a proud bunch of people, hence the name “Proud Sabahans”; I do admit, Sabahans generally do have a biased perceptions towards West Malaysians, me myself included. Although Sabah is the poorest state amongst all the 13 states in Malaysia, it’s not the fault of the peninsular people. (It’s the fault of the Federal Government), but the lack of understanding of West Malaysians towards us – East Malaysians, makes me feel ashamed of myself.
Because they – West Malaysians, they never really encountered what we as East Malaysians faced, nor do they understand the distresses we are in.
This is the story of one country, two different encounters, as fate would have it. Read the rest of this entry »
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