Archive for September, 2017
DAP supports Islamisation based on Constitution which promotes a nation-building process based on tolerance and mutual respect in a plural society and not one which engenders bigotry, hatred and extremism
I was attracted to a commentary by the former ASEAN secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan, a Thai Muslim who is former Thai foreign minister, who was in Kuala Lumpur yesterday for a regional conference entitled “State of Democracy in Southeast Asia: Achievements, Challenges, Prospects”.
Surin said right up to the 80s, Islamisation used to be a good word where people integrated Islamic values and norms into every aspect of their life including in education, work and economic development.
However, now he said the meaning has taken a turn to becoming more restricted, less tolerant and complicating the efforts in governing a diverse country like Malaysia and other countries in the Islamic world.
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Pakatan Harapan parties must be prepared for three-cornered electoral tests in the 14GE, including in Selangor, and start explaining to PAS members why a vote for PAS is a vote for UMNO
Today’s 14th general election preparations meeting for DAP Johor in Batu Pahat may be the last pre-election meeting as we do not know when the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak will dissolve Parliament, followed by the dissolution of the various State Assemblies, leading to the 14th General Elections – whether on his return from his shameful and humiliating visit to the White House and US President Trump on Sept. 12 in his capacity as a “kleptocrat” and “MO1”; or after Najib’s 2018 Budget presentation in Parliament on Oct 27; or the beginning of next year by May when the puasa month for Muslims next year begins.
Be that as it may, the 13th Parliament is already in the final fifth year and three months, and the dilly-dallying about dissolution of Parliament and the calling of the 14th General Election stem from the weakness and not from the strength of Najib and UMNO/BN government.
Pakatan Harapan parties must seize the political initiative and momentum sparked off by the seismic political milestone on July 14 when the four Pakatan Harapan parties of DAP, PKR, Amanah and Pribumi Bersatu decided to put their differences aside and get their act together, announcing the structure, logo and new leadership line-up of Pakatan Harapan.
There is no doubt that the July 14 decision of Pakatan Harapan reignited the hopes and expectations of the people, regardless of race, religion or region, on the possibility, however how difficult, of political changes in the country.
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Najib is maker of biggest fake news in Malaysia that the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB scandal does not exist and a sheer figment of imagination
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Financial Scandals, Najib Razak on Sunday, 3 September 2017
Malaysians should not be surprised that the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Paul Low yesterday expressed sympathy with US President Donald Trump with regard to the proliferation of “fake news” on the social media in the US, giving another example to the saying “Birds of the same feather flock together”.
This is because the maker of the biggest fake news in Malaysia is none other than the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, himself – in his pretence in the last two years that the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB scandal does not exist and a sheer figment of the imagination.
The former Cabinet Minister and current UMNO Information Chief, Tan Sri Annuar Musa, want Malaysians to believe that the Bank Negara’s forex loses a quarter of a century ago were real while 1MDB losses are only on paper.
I am still waiting for Annuar’s response whether 1MDB’s payment of some US$350 million to IPIC a day before the August 31 deadline was “just only on paper” and another one of the fake transactions by 1MDB.
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Restrictive education against spirit of Islam, says ex-Asean chief
Minderjeet Kaur | September 2, 2017
Free Malaysia Today
Former Asean secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan says until the 80s, Islamisation meant good Islamic values but now it has turned to mean more restrictions, less tolerance.
KUALA LUMPUR: The former secretary-general of Asean, Surin Pitsuwan said a restrictive and limited form of education was generating a shallow mindset among Muslims.
“There is an emphasis on the fundamentalist message that it has to be interpreted in one way and no other way.
“I don’t think that is the spirit of Islam. The spirit of Islam is to allow individuals with his or her own intelligence to be able to make judgements on some of the issues with the spirit of Islam in mind.”
He said when it is interpreted so literally, which is the fundamentalist approach, there is a tendency to limit mindset, and limit space in interaction with the world.
“The world is a diverse space. Everyone is a minority in the globalised world. We are not living on the planet alone. If our way is the only way exclusive of the rest, then that will turn us into an island.
“An island of insecurity and lacking confidence in interacting with the world,” Surin told FMT. Read the rest of this entry »
Corruption is a word and subject Najib conspicuously omitted in his many speeches, statements and messages during the 60th Merdeka anniversary celebrations although it has become one of the four apocalypses of Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Corruption, General, Najib Razak on Saturday, 2 September 2017
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has said many things in his speeches, statements and messages during the 60th Merdeka Anniversary celebrations, but one word and subject which Najib has conspicuously omitted is corruption, especially grand corruption or the abuse of high-level power that benefits the few at the expense of the many and causes serious and widespread harm to individuals and society.
This was a most conspicuous omission as corruption has become one of the four apocalypses of Malaysia, giving the country the infamy and ignominy of a global kleptocracy in the last two years under his premiership and Najib.
Najib was the only head of government who backed out in the last-minute from delivering a key-note opening address at the 16th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) Conference in Putrajaya in September 2015 on the theme: “Ending Impunity: People. Integrity. Action.” because Najib was fully aware that Malaysia had become a kleptocracy.
In ten days’ time, Najib would have the dubious honour of being the first government leader in the world who have been branded as a “kleptocrat” by the US Government through the US Department of Justice (DOJ) under the US Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative to pay homage to the US President Donald Trump.
Should Malaysians regard this Najib-Trump meeting in the White House on Sept. 12 as an honour to Malaysia or a national shame and disgrace to Malaysia, as for the last two years, Najib had done nothing to clear or cleanse himself of the US DOJ charge that he is a “kleptocrat” as “MO1” as well as to get the US government to concede that Malaysia has not become a kleptocracy under Najib? Read the rest of this entry »
Chinese flood Johor in Malaysia to invest in US$100b ‘eco city’ billed as the ‘next Shenzhen’
Posted by Kit in Johor Bahru, Johore on Friday, 1 September 2017
BY SYLVAIN OURBIS
South China Morning Post
1 SEP 2017
Lured by its proximity to Singapore, investors from China are making a beeline for southern Malaysia, where an ambitious US$100 billion real-estate development called Forest City is changing the face of the landscape
The moment I set foot in the immigration building, I am approached by two customs officers in army fatigues, buzzing walkie-talkies strapped at the shoulder. Before I start worrying about what’s in my backpack, they address me in a friendly, almost conspiratorial tone. My jaws unclench as I realise the object of their concern – the queue. It’s long. Frighteningly so.
I am at the Tuas checkpoint, on the southern side of the Malaysia-Singapore border, waiting to leave the Lion City for a visit to the state of Johor. It’s Friday afternoon, probably the worst time of the week for such an undertaking, but the queues have been made significantly worse of late by an overwhelming number of tourists from China crossing the Johor Strait.
“We’re not really prepared for such waves of people,” says one of the officers. The immigration building is modern and spacious, with several counters open, but looking at the queues, I understand what he means. “We’ll let you out through this other lane, you’ll just have to swipe your passport at the machine,” he continues, sotto voce, pointing at an empty lane reserved for Singaporean citizens.
I feel like I’m being smuggled out, and I can’t help blushing when I look again at those desperate faces sulking their way through never-ending lines. One swipe, and I’m out of Singapore. Read the rest of this entry »
We must re-ignite hope among Malaysians to get out of the prevailing sense of hopelessness by stating the truth and not resort to UMNO/BN tactics of lies, fake news and false information
Posted by Kit in DAP, Elections, Johor Bahru, Johore, Pakatan Harapan on Friday, 1 September 2017
I told a news conference at Taman Mutiara Rini in Gelang Patah on Tuesday two things about the forthcoming general elections:
Firstly, that from the general election results in 2004, 2008 and 2013, UMNO/BN is likely to lose Johor Baru as the sole capital won by UMNO/BN candidates, losing two if not all the three parliamentary constituencies in the Johore capital, namely Tebrau, Pasir Gudang and Johor Baru; and
Secondly, that DAP is keen to contest in one of the three Johor Baru parliamentary constituencies, even the most difficult one of Johor Baru parliamentary constituency, but that the final decision will be made by the Pakatan Harapan leadership.
In the last two days, I had declined questions by the media to discuss critical responses to my statement as I do not want to involve in any public polemics on the matter.
However lies, fake news and false information whether from UMNO/BN or any other quarter cannot be left unchallenged. Read the rest of this entry »
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