Archive for November, 2020

Let Veveonah Mosibin be Malaysia’s Greta Thunberg to inspire youths in Malaysia and the world to spearhead change to eliminate digital poverty — time to empower the millennials in Malaysia

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

I had suggested that the Federal and Sabah state governments should set up a task force headed by Veveonah Mosibin to immediately conduct a survey in Sabah to ensure that having to spend 24 hours on a tree top or causing the collapse of suspension bridge in the Sabah interior for youths to get better Internet access for their education would be a thing of the past.

I said Malaysia will make world news if the RM81.5 million earmarked for revival of the propaganda unit known as the Special Affairs Department (JASA) in the 2021 Budget is switched to fund the Federal-State Government Task Force headed by 18-year-old Veveonah Mosibin to resolve the kinks in Internet access in all the remote kampungs in Sabah interior to facilitate online education during the Covid-19 epidemic. Read the rest of this entry »

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Is the MACC satisfied with the Global Corruption Barometer Asia 2020 findings that 71% of Malaysians think that government corruption is a big problem while 39% of Malaysians think corruption has increased in the previous 12 months?

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

Transparency International released its Global Corruption Barometer Asia 2020 four days ago, but there has been thunderous silence from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on its findings.

Is the MACC satisfied with the Global Corruption Barometer Asia 2020 findings that: Read the rest of this entry »

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Malaysia will make world news if the RM81.5 million earmarked for revival of JASA is switched to fund a Federal-State Government Task Force headed by 18-year-old Veveonah Mosibin to resolve the kinks in Internet access in Sabah interior to facilitate online education during the Covid-19 epidemic

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

In June, 18-year old lass from Kampung Sapatalang, Pitas, Veveonah Mosibin had to spend 24 hours on a tree-top to get better Internet connectivity to sit for an online examination.

On Monday night, a rickety suspension bridge in Kampung Gusi, Ranau, collapsed when eight students crowded on it as it was one of the few spots in the kampong with better Internet access, and a 16-year-old girl broke her bones in her thigh and shin and while a boy suffered spinal injuries, while the rest reported light injuries. Read the rest of this entry »

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Federal and Sabah state governments should immediately launch a two-week state-wide survey headed by Veveonah Mosibin to ensure that accidents like the collapse of the suspension bridge at Kampung Gusi, Ranau causing student injuries because it was the only spot to gain internet access would not recur in Sabah

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

We have not learnt from the Veveonah Mosibin Incident, where the 18-year-old lass from Pitas had to spend 24 hours on a tree-top to gain Internet connectivity to sit for an online examination, although the Youtube of her experience had so far netted 855,231 views.

Now, less than six months later, eight students between 15 and 18 years old in Kampoung Gusi in Sabah’s interior district of Ranau were badly injured when the suspension bridge which was the few spots at night in their village to gain internet access gave way. Read the rest of this entry »

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I welcome the storm of protest over the 2021 Budget vote in Parliament yesterday as it is surest sign that the quest for a New Malaysia is still very much alive

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I welcome the storm of protest over the 2021 Budget vote in Parliament yesterday as it is the surest sign that the quest for a New Malaysia is still very much alive. I see the protests in a very positive light.

Even my former political secretary, Dyana Sofya, protested as well as other DAP leaders, including the DAP Malacca Ayer Keroh Assemblyman Kerk Chee Yee and the Selangor Subang Jaya State Assemblywoman Michelle Ng.
Read the rest of this entry »

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Malaysian Parliament must act on Global Corruption Barometer for Asia 2020 released by Transparency International yesterday which reported that more Malaysians regard their MPs as corrupt as compared to the people of seven other Asian countries – Bangladesh, Taiwan, Myanmar, Philippines, China, Cambodia and Vietnam

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

The Malaysian Parliament must act on Global Corruption Barometer for Asia 2020 released by Transparency International yesterday which reported that more Malaysians regard their MPs as corrupt as compared to the people of seven other Asian countries – Bangladesh, Taiwan, Myanmar, Philippines, China, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Transparency International reported that 36% of Malaysians surveyed think that Members of Parliament are corrupt, as compared to 18% in Bangladesh, 17% in Taiwan, 14% in Myanmar, 12% in the Philippines, 11% in China, 6% for both Cambodia and Vietnam. Read the rest of this entry »

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Will the 2021 Budget be rejected tomorrow and will Muhyiddin be toppled becoming the shortest Prime Minister in Malaysian history?

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

Tomorrow is supposed to be the D-Day for two questions: Will the 2021 Budget be rejected tomorrow and will Muhyiddin Yassin be toppled becoming the shortest Prime Minister in Malaysian history.

It is uncertain whether there will be a vote on the second reading of the 2021 Budget tomorrow as there is talk that the vote, scheduled for tomorrow may be delayed till the following week.

Be that as it may, powerful political forces have been released over the voting on the 2021 Budget, as evidenced by the most extraordinary joint statement by Ministers and Deputy Ministers declaring full support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin’s leadership until fresh general election can be held because of the Covid-19 epidemic. Read the rest of this entry »

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Malaysia overtook Singapore with more Covid-19 cases two days earlier than I had expected and is heading to overtake China before Parliament ends mid-December by current trajectories

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

Malaysia has overtaken Singapore with more cumulative total of Covid-19 cases two days earlier than I had expected, and is heading to overtake China before Parliament ends in mid-December by current trajectories.

Malaysia is now ranked No.83 in the world among countries with the biggest cumulative total of 58,847 Covid-19 cases while Singapore is ranked No. 84 with 58,183 cases as its cumulative total.
Read the rest of this entry »

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Adham Baba should tell Parliament on Thursday why the Health Ministry is ignoring WHO advice for an “all-of-government” and “whole-of-society” response and approach in the Covid-19 epidemic to the extent that the 7,000 GPs felt sidelined

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

The Health Minister, Adham Baba should tell Parliament in his winding-up speech on the 2021 Budget on Thursday why the Health Ministry is ignoring the World Health Organisation (WHO) advice to all governments to adopt an “all-of-government” and “whole-of-society” response and approach in the Covid-19 epidemic to the extent that the 7,000 general practitioners in the country felt sidelined.

For instance the WHO Regional Director South-East Asia, Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh said in April: “A more comprehensive approach is needed with communities at the center of our response. Most importantly, communities need to be engaged and empowered to take appropriate decisions and measures. The onus must be on each one. At this stage, everyone needs to contribute to minimize health as well as socio-economic impact of the pandemic.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Will Saifuddin Abdullah come clean in Parliament during the winding-up tomorrow to admit that the 2018 ICERD fiasco was solely his own making when he was Foreign Minister in Pakatan Harapan Government and that DAP knew nothing about the proposed ICERD ratification although DAP was the target of demonization for being anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Royalty?

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

Saifuddin Abdulah will reply in the 2021 Ministerial winding-up tomorrow in Parliament as Minister for Communications and Multimedia.

Will he come clean tomorrow to admit that the 2018 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) fiasco was solely his own making when he was Foreign Minister in Pakatan Harapan Government and that DAP knew nothing about the proposed ICERD ratification although DAP was the target of demonization for being anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Royalty? Read the rest of this entry »

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Adham Baba should explain in Parliament why the government has failed to incorporate private health care after 11 months in the fight against Covid-19 epidemic with the sector’s capabilities under-utilised

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

The Health Minister, Adham Baba should explain in Parliament during the Ministerial winding-up stage of the 2021 Budget debate why the government has failed to incorporate private health care after 11 months in the fight against Covid-19 epidemic with the sector’s capabilities under-utilised.

This has caused the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president Dr. Subramaniam Muniandy to stress that the government health facilities should not be taking on this battle on its own as private healthcare is an important component in the country’s overall healthcare system and can add strength in managing the Covid-19 epidemic. Read the rest of this entry »

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Will UMNO MPs split into two factions with one voting against the 2021 Budget and toppling the Muhyiddin government?

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

Political pundits and cognoscentis are following closely the political scenario to see whether the 38 UMNO Members of Parliament will split into two factions, with one faction voting against the 2021 Budget during the Second Reading on Thursday and toppling the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government of Muhyiddin Yassin.

The views of one faction were articulated by the former Prime Minister, Najib Razak in his maiden speech as the new Chairman of the Barisan Nasional (BN) Backbenchers’ Club expressing conditional support for next year’s Budget. Read the rest of this entry »

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Muhyiddin should have asked Parliament for a consensus to amend the relevant laws to suspend Batu Sapi by-election in view of Covid-19 epidemic instead of asking the Yang di Pertuan Agong to declare an emergency in Batu Sapi to suspend the by-election

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

The Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, should have asked Parliament for a consensus to amend the relevant laws to suspend the Batu Sapi parliamentary by-election on Dec. 5 in view of Covid-19 pandemic instead of asking the Yang di Pertuan Agong to declare an emergency in Batu Sapi to suspend the by-election.

The Election Commission announced the nomination and polling dates for the Batu Sapi by-election on 13th October, which means that the Muhyiddin government had 41 days to ask Parliament to amend the Constitution and the relevant election laws to suspend the Batu Sapi parliamentary by-election before Nomination on Nov. 23 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Read the rest of this entry »

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Has Malaysia lost control over the third wave of the Covid-19 Pandemic?

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

Malaysia registered the second highest daily increase of Covid-19 cases yesterday – 1,290 new cases and four deaths to reach a cumulative total of 51,680 Covid-19 cases and 326 deaths.

If Covid-18 infection increases at the daily average of the past week, i.e. 1,127 cases a day, we are likely to overtake China by the end of the year as a country with more number of Covid-19 infections.

Today, China is placed No. 65th country with 86,381 Covid-19 cases, far behind eleven countries which have passed the million mark of Covid-19 cases, led by United States with over 12 million cases, India second with over 9 million cases, Brazil third with nearly six million cases, France fourth and Russia fifth with each country over two million cases. Read the rest of this entry »

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Emir Research’s finding that the Chinese favour UMNO over DAP is indeed ridiculously silly and laughable but more interesting and noteworthy is the finding that UMNO receives more than double the support of the Chinese than MCA

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

Emir Research’s finding that the Chinese favour UMNO over DAP is indeed ridiculously silly and laughable but more interesting and noteworthy is the finding that UMNO receives more than double the support of the Chinese than the MCA.

Where does this leave MCA?

Crumbs and scraps? Read the rest of this entry »

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Parliament should invoke Standing Order 77(1)(d) for the Public Accounts Committee to investigate the 1MDB scandal where both Najib and Jho Low can testify

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

For the past month, Malaysia had been haunted by the 1MDB financial scandal – with Goldman Sachs pleading guilty in the United States to violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in the 1MDB scandal, “a massive global scheme to loot billions dollars” from Malaysians, and the 2021 Budget debate in the Dewan Rakyat where the former Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak soiled and stained Parliament for 90 minutes when he spoke as Barisan Nasional Backbenchers’ Club Chairman without explaining his role as “Malaysian Official 1 (MO1)” which plunged the country into unprecedented infamy, ignominy and iniquity.

Najib was convicted on July 28 in the first of a series of 1MDB-related charges of corruption, money-laundering and abuse of power and sentenced to 12 years’ jail and RM210 million fine.
Read the rest of this entry »

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Health Minister should not be downplaying the seriousness of the surge of Covid-19 cases when Malaysia likely to overtake China, formerly the top No. 1 country in the world with most number of Covid-19 infections at the start of the pandemic, if Malaysia is unable to reduce the four-digit daily increase of Covid-19 cases

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

Instead of helping to resolve the crisis of confidence in the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic by appearing as a guest on Radio Television Malaysia’s Selamat Pagi Malaysia talk show yesterday, the Health Minister Dr. Adham Baba had done the opposite.

He said that the current Covid-19 recovery rate was higher than the first two waves – quoting the statistics of recovery and discharge rate of 73.4 per cent out of 48,520 case tally, while there were 12,601 active cases. Read the rest of this entry »

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Will Muhyiddin remain as Prime Minister next Thursday on 26th November 2020?

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

Will Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin remain as the eighth Prime Minister of Malaysia next Thursday on 26th November or will he become the shortest Prime Minister in the history of Malaysia?

He will not be Prime Minister next Thursday if the 2021 Budget is defeated in the second reading vote in Parliament, expected on Wednesday 25th November 2020.

Yet he does not seem to be doing anything to ensure that the 2021 Budget is passed although the Opposition Members of Parliament are mindful of the advice of the Yang di Pertuan Agong and the Malay Rulers that in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Malaysians must show unprecedented unity to get the 2021 Budget passed. Read the rest of this entry »

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Education and Higher Education Ministries should try to keep the schools and universities open during the Covid-19 pandemic, taking into account the need to reduce the spread of Covid-19, and not to close them down as an automatic reflex

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

The Education and Higher Education Ministries should try to keep the schools and universities open during the Covid-19 pandemic, taking into account the need to reduce the spread of Covid-19, and not to close them down as an automatic reflex.

This is why the announcement by the Minister of Education, Dr. Ridzi Jidin on the closure of all schools from Nov. 9, even in states where there are no Covid-19 red zones, had been met with mixed reactions.
Read the rest of this entry »

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Can Tengku Zafrul’s 2021 Budget survive in ten days’ time?

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Can the Finance Minister, Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz’s 2021 budget survive in ten days’ time?

Parliament is now at the level of policy debate on the second reading of the 2020 budget, which is to conclude with the backbenchers’ speeches on Thursday followed by replies by the Ministers, with the Finance Minister expected on November 25 to be the last speaker winding up the Budget 2021 debate.

There will then be a vote on the second reading of the 2021 Budget. Read the rest of this entry »

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