Archive for June 17th, 2011

Mengangkat martabat Dayak

Komentar Roketkini
17 June 2011 | Roketkini

17 JUN – Hampir 100,000 warga Malaysia keturunan Dayak dari Sarawak terpaksa meninggalkan negeri untuk mencari kerja di Semenanjung. Keadaan menyedihkan itu berlaku kerana kerajaan negeri Barisan Nasional Sarawak gagal menyediakan peluang pekerjaan yang secukupnya.

Daripada jumlah 2.4 juta penduduk Sarawak, separuh daripadanya adalah dari kalangan masyarakat Dayak yang merangkumi Iban, Bidayuh, Kelabit, Kenyah, Penan, Kayan, Punan, Ngaju, Lun Bawang, Sihan dan suku-suku kaum lain.

Malah, kerajaan negeri pimpinan Tan Sri Adul Taib Mahmud mahu anak-anak negeri yang masih berada di kampung supaya bersaing dengan buruh asing di lading-ladang kelapa sawit yang hanya menawarkan gaji RM12 sehari. Read the rest of this entry »

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MCA Youth turns down Umno Youth’s rally invite

By Kow Gah Chie
Jun 17, 11 | MalaysiaKini

MCA Youth has turned down its Umno counterpart’s invitation to join them in the July 9 street rally in the belief that such activities would be detrimental to the national economy.

MCA Youth chief Wee Ka Siong said at a press conference at the MCA headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today that though the movement disagrees with groups intention, it still respects their views. Read the rest of this entry »

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Penang aims to emulate Hong Kong’s openness

By Shannon Teoh
June 17, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — Lim Guan Eng said today Penang will “learn more” from Hong Kong in embracing change and openly engaging regional neighbours.

The Penang chief minister told foreign correspondents in Hong Kong that the two “small states… have so much in common,” sharing a joint appreciation of open discussion and successfully putting “ourselves on the map internationally.”

“Here in Hong Kong, when the 1997 turnover happened, you embraced a new future. In 2008, in Penang and other Pakatan Rakyat-run (PR) governments, we also embraced the future and continue to do so,” he said, comparing the transfer of Hong Kong’s sovereignty from Britain to China with the March 2008 election in Malaysia when PR won five states. Read the rest of this entry »

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Face the upshot if you rally, Hisham warns KJ

By Kuek Ser Kuang Keng
Jun 17, 11 | MalaysiaKini

Home Minister and former Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussein warned his successor Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar that the latter will have to face the consequences if he insists on calling for a march on July 9.

“It doesn’t matter that I’m a former youth chief or not, the (Umno) Youth will have to face whatever the consequences of the action as I had to when I was the Youth head,” he told the media in Putrajaya today, adding “Because it is against the law.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Thumbing nose at Hisham, Khairy says march goes on

By Shannon Teoh
June 17, 201 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — Khairy Jamaluddin said today that Umno Youth will still march on July 9, in defiance of Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein’s warning that police will act against the illegal gathering.

The Umno Youth chief said that his predecessor “can warn us all he wants” but “Pemuda will continue come what may.”

“My Pemuda and I are ready to face whatever consequences. This is a new Malaysia. We have a right to assembly guaranteed by the constitution. Umno Youth will be marching on 9 July. And that’s that,” he told The Malaysian Insider. Read the rest of this entry »

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On Facebook, protest grows against Yen Yen

By Clara Chooi
June 17, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — A spontaneous Facebook campaign started by critics of Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen has drawn the support of nearly 90,000 Malaysians, almost a triple of those who follow her ministry’s official page.

The campaign kicked off on Tuesday evening, shortly after it was revealed that the ministry had spent a whopping RM1.8 million to manage its Facebook accounts. Read the rest of this entry »

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Facebook fiasco earns Yen Yen Cabinet colleagues’ ire

By Clara Chooi
June 17, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — Already facing growing public discontent, Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen was confronted with a hostile Cabinet today when she tried to explain her ministry’s controversial RM1.8 million outlay on six Facebook pages and was even told by some colleagues not to waste their time.

The Malaysian Insider understands several ministers also insisted against announcing that Cabinet had officially accepted Ng’s explanation, preferring instead to say they had taken note of it. Read the rest of this entry »

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Malaysia’s ‘stupidity’ sizzles Internet

By Casey Lee
June 17, 2011 | Free Malaysia Today

KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia, it seems, is fast becoming the purveyor of laughs on the worldwide web.

On the heels of the Obedient Wives Club which aimed to turn ‘good wives into first class whores’, there’s now the Malaysian government spending RM1.8 million (US$590,000) on six Facebook, which incidentally is free, applications.

The Internet application (app) developer world is abuzz with humour and bewildement at the ‘stupidity’ of the move. Read the rest of this entry »

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Behave or face consequence, opposition reps warned

By Joseph Tawie
June 17, 2011 | Free Malaysia Today

KUCHING: The 16 elected representives forming Sarawak’s opposition front will not have much room to manoeuvre themselves in the inaugural 10th State Legislative Assembly sitting begining Monday given the warnings issued by Barian Nasional leaders in recent days.

One can only assume that despite public declarations of ‘confidence’, the ruling coalition is somewhat rattled by the heavy presence of the artilery-filled opposition in the August house. Read the rest of this entry »

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Ambiga: Our rally will be peaceful

By S Rutra
June 17, 2011 | Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: Bersih 2.0 chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan is looking at a win-win situation.

She will be writing to the Kuala Lumpur police chief on how they can work together in making the July 9 rally a peaceful one.

“We understand their job and at the same time we would like to explain to them why we are holding the rally,” Ambiga told FMT.

She said the organisers of the rally strongly believe that it can be conducted in very peaceful and responsible manner. Read the rest of this entry »

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Himpunan Bersih 2.0 canggah nilai Islam, dakwa YDP Yadim

Oleh Syed Mu’az Syed Putra
June 17, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, 17 Jun — Yang Dipertua Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Yadim) Datuk Aziz Jamaludin Mhd Tahir mendakwa Himpunan Bersih 2.0 pada 9 Julai ini bertentangan dengan nilai dan etika Islam.

Selain itu menurut beliau, perhimpunan aman anjuran Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih) merupakan satu helah untuk mengheret rakyat ke dalam kancah politik yang lebih besar.
Read the rest of this entry »

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Speaker bars ‘question’ on Taib-linked property

By Joseph Tawie
June 17, 2011 | Free Malaysia Today

KUCHING: The Sarawak legislative assembly Speaker has rejected a request by a newly elected representative for details of a proposed development by Monarda Sdn Bhd, in the BDC Kuching district area.

Monarda is owned by Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s son and daughters.

Padungan assemblyman Wong King Wei said he received a letter from the Speaker’s office informing him that his written question on the matter, which was submitted for the next week assembly’s sitting, has been rejected. The assembly sits from June 20-23. Read the rest of this entry »

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Why the rift?

By Nitya Kamalanathan
June 16, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JUNE 16 — I am currently a PhD student in the United Kingdom, my first time in England. When people ask me about Malaysia, I beam, telling them how wonderful our country is and our food!

Oh that is my favourite topic of discussion. We come from a country bursting with flavour, warmth, culture and diversity all of which have been the building blocks of the country.

The three representing races of Malaysia each have rich traditions and cultures, which have blended together to produce a Malaysian culture of which I am proud to say I am part. Read the rest of this entry »

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Kartunis Utusan, rogol dan zina

By Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin
June 16, 2011 | THe Malaysian Insider

16 JUN — Saya tidak pasti, apakah kartunis Utusan itu hendak menghina Islam atau hendak menghina pihak tertentu. Jika dia bertujuan menghina Islam, dilakukan pula dalam keadaan yang sedar akal fikirannya, maka dia terkeluar daripada Islam. Namun, jika dia bertujuan mengkritik salah faham sesetengah pihak mengenai perbezaan hukum zina dan rogol, maka itu tidak merosakkan imannya, bahkan satu sumbangan membetulkan fahaman yang salah. Adapun jika dia bertujuan membohongi fakta yang dimaksudkan oleh seseorang, sehingga menimbulkan salah sangka, maka dia berdosa besar.

Persoalan yang timbul; apakah jika seseorang wanita membuat aduan kepada mahkamah syariah bahawa dia dirogol maka mahkamah syariat akan menyatakan: awak mesti mendatangkan empat orang saksi, jika tidak awak disebat 80 rotan? Adakah di dunia ini empat orang saksi yang soleh sanggup membiarkan seorang wanita dirogol di hadapan mereka? Read the rest of this entry »

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Loke says Yen Yen’s answers unsatisfactory

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
June 17, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — The DAP’s Anthony Loke today accused Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen of not answering why six Facebook pages cost RM1.8 million.

“This is unsatisfactory. She has not yet explained what exactly is integrated social media campaigning…what is the scope of social media? Facebook and Twitter? If it’s not a website, what is the money for? Advertisements? Where?” the DAP socialist youth chief (Dapsy) told The Malaysian Insider.

The Tourism Minister said yesterday she did not contradict a detailed account of the costs, and that the sum of money was for an “integrated social media campaign.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Putrajaya overrules Prasarana, takes pricier LRT extension deal

By Jahabar Sadiq
Editor
June 17, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — A Finance Ministry committee has ignored the city’s light rail transit (LRT) operator’s recommendation for the Kelana Jaya line extension project by awarding it to a company whose project price of RM890 million is almost 50 per cent higher than that of the lowest bid.

The Malaysian Insider understands the committee decision was made on Wednesday to hand the electro-mechanical system project to the Hartasuma Sdn Bhd-Bombardier joint-venture, which is already facing a heavy penalty for late delivery of the RM1.2 billion 35 four-car sets to Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd. Read the rest of this entry »

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‘Golden opportunity to make a stand on war crimes lost’

By Tarani Palani
June 16, 2011 | Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: Parliament lost a ‘golden opportunity’ to enhance its standing in the international community when a motion to discuss Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir’s visit to Malaysia was rejected, said an opposition MP.

Ipoh Barat MP, M Kulasegaran said it would have given MPs an opportunity to show “displeasure at world leaders who abuse their citizens and have scant respect for the rule of law”.

Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes in the war-torn western Sudanese region of Darfur, where about 300,000 people have died since 2003. Read the rest of this entry »

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‘The file-sharers are not the villains’

Malaysiakini Your Say | Jun 16, 11

‘We live in an age where the Recording Industry Association of Malaysia and its ilk, with their immense wealth, monopolise mainstream airwaves and distribution channels, driven by a desire to market rather than nurture creativity.’

Recording industry lauds ban on file-sharers

Nick C: As a member of the creative industry in Malaysia, I would like to state for the record that if there is any activity or organisation that has “highly destructive effects on the local music industry”, it is none other than the Recording Industry Malaysia and it’s efforts at suffocating online content.

Indeed, we now live in an age where RIM and its ilk, with their immense wealth, monopolise mainstream airwaves and distribution channels, driven by a desire to market rather than nurture creativity.
Read the rest of this entry »

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Don’t expect nude squat probe to be transparent

Malaysiakini Your Say | Jun 17, 11

‘The gov’t expects the public to believe that they would carry out a fair and transparent probe? Since when have they been known to do that?’

Special board to probe ‘nude squat’ claims

L Joy: The Immigration Department is to set up a special board to investigate the nude squat? They and the government expect the public and Singapore to believe that they would carry out a fair and transparent probe?

Since when have they been known to do that? Could they state just one case in the history of the Immigration Department? Name any ministry or department, for that matter, that has made a finding against its own self?

Just using the word ‘special’ does not make the investigation transparent and fair.
Read the rest of this entry »

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A cyberwar waged by an army of Julian Assanges

Malaysiakini Your Say | Jun 17, 11

‘It’s great that the government has a taste of how it was like when Malaysiakini was attacked prior to Sarawak election.’

At least 41 websites hacked, says MCMC

Patriot: The truth cannot be hidden no matter how one tries to suppress it or prevent access to it. Malaysians who access the Internet are mostly those who have the capability of making their own judgements on what is right or fabricated, destructive or educational, etc.

Malaysians who surf the Internet today have intellectual capacity on par with their Western and advanced Asian counterparts. Third World governments and their depraved leaders are always fearful of their hidden skeletons in the closets being exposed and thus try to suppress anything that may even have an inkling of their wrongdoings.
Read the rest of this entry »

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