Zahid must not take Malaysia as a nation of fools even if he can achieve a Cabinet of fools with Ministers obediently accepting his outrageous take about his infamous letter to the FBI
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, Police, Zahid on Friday, 16 January 2015, 6:34 am
I do not believe that the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi suffers from comprehension problems that he could not understand that his letter was not merely intended to clarify that Paul Phua, the alleged gambling kingpin standing trial for illegal gambling in Las Vegas, Nevada was not a member of the 14K triad “in Malaysia”.
I do not believe that Zahid is so unsophisticated as to believe that when his infamous letter to the FBI referred to Phua as having helped the Malaysian government in “projects affecting our national security”, that “we continue to call upon him to assist us from time to time as such, we are eager for him to return to Malaysia” and that Phua’s release would impact on furthering “good international relations between our two countries, especially in the exchange of information”, these statements would be regarded by FBI as superfluous, empty and meaningless verbiage and not meant to influence FBI handling of Phua’s case.
Zahid is being very brazen and blatant in demanding that everybody act as gullible fools to accept his version that his infamous letter to the FBI was merely intended to clarify that Phua was not a member of the 14K triad “in Malaysia” and nothing more.
Zahid claimed yesterday that the Cabinet at its meeting on Wednesday was “satisfied with his explanation on the matter”.
I do not believe that our Cabinet Ministers suffer from comprehension problems either or they will not have risen to their present pinnacle of political power in government.
For reasons best known to themselves, they prefer to appear to be gullible fools but this is no compliment on their political purpose and integrity that they could be cowed into obediently accepting Zahid’s outrageous explanation of his infamous letter to the FBI, knowing in their heart of hearts that Zahid was not speaking the truth. Read the rest of this entry »
Sacked airman says dismissal proves honesty doesn’t pay in Malaysia
by Yiswaree Palansamy
Malay Mail Online
January 15, 2015
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 15 — Former airman Zaidi Ahmad said his discharge from the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) for blowing the whistle on the weaknesses of the indelible ink used in Election 2013 demonstrates that honesty comes with a price here.
On Monday, the Military Court found Zaidi guilty of misconduct for publicly complaining about the inefficacy of the indelible ink used in the 2013 general election, and ordered his dismissal as a major in the RMAF.
“The honest ones are often the ‘criminals’, while liars who betray are the ones who are adulated and given various recognitions,” he told Malay Mail Online in an email interview.
Despite his misgivings over the court martial, Zaid said he accepts the decision with “an open heart”. Read the rest of this entry »
I did what I had to for my country, says airman sacked over indelible ink claim
by Yiswaree Palansamy
The Malay Mail Online
January 15, 2015
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 15 — Despite being discharged from the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) for questioning the integrity of the indelible ink used in Election 2013, former airman Zaidi Ahmad says he has no regrets over his actions.
On Monday, a military court found Zaidi guilty of misconduct for publicly complaining about the inefficacy of the indelible ink used in the general election, bringing an abrupt end to his 26-year career as an air force pilot with the rank of Major.
He was also found guilty for publishing an article without the consent of the Defence Ministry, and revealing the contents of official documents on the indelible ink without authorisation from the Malaysian Armed Forces Council, and was subsequently discharged from duty.
To the authorities, Ahmad may be viewed as a disloyal soldier who was insubordinate, but to the general public, the father of four has been hailed as a true Malaysian hero.
“I did what I had to do for my country and I will continue doing it,” Zaidi told Malay Mail Online in an email interview.
“As a responsible citizen, I must always strive to help the nation and its people to fight for justice and truth, combat lies, misappropriation and corruption,” he said. Read the rest of this entry »
Wolf in sheep’s clothing
Posted by Kit in Judiciary, Malaysian Dream, Mariam Mokhtar on Thursday, 15 January 2015, 6:47 pm
Mariam Mokhtar| January 9, 2015
Free Malaysia Today
The greatest threat to the Malays comes from bigots like Abdul Hamid Mohamad, Umno Baru and extremist Muslim NGOs.
COMMENT
Former Chief Justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad has dishonoured his profession. He is a disappointing role model to Malaysians and a disgrace to his Muslim brethren. Whilst many Malaysians are trying to rebuild their lives after the devastating floods, it appears that Hamid is keen to sow seeds of hatred and create racial disharmony. There must be a reason for Hamid’s racial attack. His reappearance comes just as the nation is questioning the lack of preparedness of the government and the attitude of the ministers in dealing with the flood crisis in Kelantan.
It is perplexing that Hamid’s inflammatory remarks on race and religion continue to escape censure by the authorities. His comments have come at a time when the rakyat is demanding answers to many problems besetting the government.
Is Abdul Hamid colluding with the government to distract the Malaysian public from issues like 1MDB, the Kassim Ahmad trial and the appeal against the acquittal of the two men implicated in Altantuya’s murder? Or is he acting to divert attention away from the negative publicity generated by the flooding?
According to news reports on January 3, Hamid wrote a letter to Utusan Malaysia to voice his support for a PAS-Umno unity government. The greater strength would enable Malays to stem the rise of Chinese political power, he reportedly said. He said Malay loyalties were divided between PAS and Umno Baru, thus giving the Chinese ample opportunity to exploit the political situation.
He said that after the tsunami in Aceh, the provincial government worked together with the central government in Jakarta to rebuild the county. He strongly hinted that Kelantan should emulate Aceh to form the unity government of PAS and Umno-Baru. He said, “Isn’t there a lesson to be learnt from Aceh? Hasn’t the disaster taught them to repent and start prioritising something bigger like religion and race instead of party interests?” Read the rest of this entry »
Razak’s NEP both a success and a failure, says ex-aide Abdullah Ahmad
BY V. ANBALAGAN, ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
Published: 15 January 2015 6:59 AM
The Malaysian Insider
A close confidante of Malaysia’s second prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, has rated the country’s controversial affirmative action-based economic policy created by his boss as both a “great success and great failure”, 45 years after it was first implemented.
Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad, who was Razak’s political secretary, said the New Economic Policy (NEP) had done well to lift the Malays out of poverty and increase the number of Malay professionals in all sectors.
But it has failed in its other objective of eradicating poverty regardless of race, Abdullah, better known as Dollah Kok Lanas, told The Malaysian Insider in an interview as part of a series to commemorate the 39th death anniversary of Razak who died on January 14, 1976.
Abdullah also noted what economists have been telling Putrajaya in recent times, that wealth inequality is no longer between races, but within each race, and in the case of the Malays, concentrated within an elite class.
“Some might argue that the enlarged national economy is indeed being shared across the three main races of the Malaysian society, but (this is) among the 1% or less. I have sympathy with this view.
Read the rest of this entry »
Why BN does not want more Parliament seats
Posted by Kit in Elections, Parliament on Thursday, 15 January 2015, 2:07 pm
By Ong Kian Ming | 11:10AM Jan 13, 2015
Malaysiakini
MP SPEAKS The fact that no new no Parliament seat was added in Sarawak by the Election Commission is a very good indication that the yet-to-be revealed peninsular Malaysia and Sabah delimitation plans will also not include parliamentary seat increases.
With 31 out of 222 seats, Sarawak currently has 14 percent of the total Parliament seats. This figure would be diluted further if parliamentary seats are added in peninsular Malaysia and Sabah but not in Sarawak.
Any Sarawak chief minister would not have agreed to the new Sarawak delimitation plan if there was no assurance from the BN at the national level that no parliament seat will be added in either peninsular Malaysia or Sabah. This way, the current distribution of parliamentary seats and power at the federal can be maintained.
The delay in revealing the new delimitation plans for peninsular Malaysia and Sabah also indicates that a decision has been made to present plans without any increase in Parliament seats.
Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia’s international reputation has been sullied enough by Zahid’s infamous letter to FBI and Najib must step in to clean up the mess or he would be no different from “Nero playing the fiddle while Rome burns”
Posted by Kit in Muhyiddin Yassin, Najib Razak, Police, Zahid on Thursday, 15 January 2015, 8:08 am
On 5th January 2015, I said “The strange case of the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi writing a letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) vouching for the integrity of an alleged gambling kingpin has become ‘curiouser and curiouser’”.
I do not think anyone would have expected that ten days later, this strange case of Zahid’s letter to the FBI and the Zahid-Phua-Shafee-Khalid quadrilateral tangle would become “curiouser, curiouser and even more curiouser”!
There was first the attempted clarification by Zahid claiming that his infamous letter to the FBI vouching for the character of the alleged gambling kingpin Paul Phua Wei Seng – asserting that Phua was a national asset for having helped the Malaysian government on “projects affecting our national security” and pleading for Phua’s release as “we continue to call upon him to assist us from time to time and as such, we are eager for him to return to Malaysia” – was merely to confirm that the “14K triad” did not exist in the country.
As I said at the time, Zahid would have failed his comprehension test in school if he really believed what he said about his infamous letter to the FBI.
Furthermore, all who believed Zahid’s infamous letter to the FBI was merely to confirm that the “14K triad” did not exist in the country would have also failed their comprehension tests in school as well.
In fact, Zahid has raised more questions than answers. Read the rest of this entry »
Razak’s young Turk talks about his mentor
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, nation building, NEP on Thursday, 15 January 2015, 8:04 am
by Md Izwan
The Malaysian Insider
14 January 2015
To commemorate the 39th death anniversary of Malaysia’s second prime minister and “Father of Development” Tun Abdul Razak, The Malaysian Insider is running a series of interviews with his colleagues and close associates who, with Razak, steered Malaysia through the early days of rebuilding following the race riots of May 13, 1969.
Earlier today, we heard from four of Razak’s sons on his legacy and their personal memories of their father.
In this article, former deputy prime minister Tun Musa Hitam speaks about Razak’s leadership style and of his experience working with the man who brought him back to Umno after his expulsion. Musa had been expelled from Umno after the race riots over a fall-out with the then prime minister and Umno president, Tunku Abdul Rahman.
Readmitted to the party by Razak, Musa went on to rise in Umno and also held the post of Minister of Primary Industries in Razak’s cabinet.
Despite the political tension surrounding Tunku’s departure and Razak’s ascension as prime minister, Musa remembers his mentor for his gentleness, patience and consultative approach, coupled with his firmness to see a decision through once it was made. These were values, Musa says, that Razak knew were needed to manage a multireligious and multiracial country like Malaysia.
TMI: What kind of person was Tun Razak to you? As a leader, a friend or a colleague?
Musa: Tun Razak was a national leader in the true sense of the word. He had vision and perception. He understood the priorities of our country on attaining independence. The long term interest of the nation, to him, was a united Malaysian nation based on the principle of unity within diversity. Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysians should remember the first three Prime Ministers, Tunku, Razak and Hussein as under them, there was no question whatsoever that Malaysia is a liberal, democratic, multi-racial, secular state with Islam as the religion of Federation
Posted by Kit in Malaysian Dream, Najib Razak, NaturaL disaster on Thursday, 15 January 2015, 12:41 am
Banker Datuk Seri Nazir Razak, the youngest son of our second Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak, has said that his father would be shocked 39 years after his death – 57 years after Merdeka and 51 years after Malaysia – that race and religion divide Malaysians even more today than during his time.
It is against this sombre backdrop of nation-building after five decades that we are gathered here to remember Tun Razak and his legacy to the country.
Last year, Malaysia was bedevilled by a host of disasters and misfortunes like Read the rest of this entry »
I am not Charlie
By RK Anand | 8:42AM Jan 14, 2015
Malaysiakini
COMMENT In 72 hours, more than a dozen lives were taken and Paris was shrouded in fear.
The catalyst being a satirical weekly that prided itself in the flagellation of all that is considered sacred, not only to Muslims but others as well.
To be honest, I had been unaware of Charlie Hebdo’s existence until two masked gunmen stormed its office and killed its staff during an editorial meeting.
Curious, I browsed the Internet for the caricatures that had spurred the bloodbath. What I discovered left me mortified.
The cartoons were distasteful and disrespectful. I believe that even Voltaire, who is often dragged into the discussion on free speech, would disapprove of them too.
While resorting to protect the sanctity of a faith with bullets instead of debates must be condemned, Charlie Hebdo cannot be placed on a pedestal either.
Liberties must be safeguarded but there must exist a sense of responsibility.
Read the rest of this entry »
In 2015 delimitation, is Najib going for ‘nuclear’?
Posted by Kit in Elections, Parliament, Sarawak on Wednesday, 14 January 2015, 12:11 pm
By Ong Kian Ming | 10:23AM Jan 12, 2015
Malaysiakini
MP SPEAKS The map for the proposed new seats in Sarawak was publicly displayed on Monday, Jan 5, 2015. The timing of this display – before the display of the Sabah and peninsular Malaysia maps – and the proposed changes – 11 proposed new state seats without a single new parliament seat – was unprecedented.
The Sarawak delimitation exercise also points to a more worrying possibility – that Najib will exercise a ‘nuclear’ option for the upcoming peninsular Malaysia and Sabah delimitation exercise.
What exactly is this nuclear option? That no parliament seats would be added in either peninsular Malaysia or Sabah, that state seats would be added only in the states where the BN enjoys a two-thirds majority in the state legislature and boundaries would be redrawn in BN’s favour in states with no additional parliament and state seats.
Read the rest of this entry »
What does ‘moderate’ mean?
Posted by Kit in Malaysian Dream, nation building on Wednesday, 14 January 2015, 11:55 am
By Hafidz Baharom
Free Malaysia Today
January 14, 2015
COMMENT
The writer disagrees with those who say that extremism is not a major Malaysian problem.
I would like to respond to the letter dated January 12 published in The Star entitled “Ethnic divide, not extremism is the problem” signed by 33 high-profile learned Malays from all walks of life . They argued that ethnic divide and not extremism is the major problem facing Malaysia.
I do not deny a growing ethnic divide. I take Shah Alam as an example. The citizenry of Shah Alam has always been majority Malay, yet in my time at primary and secondary school, we still had a large group of non-Malay friends in the classroom. Such is not the case these days.
However, this was not the issue highlighted by the open letter of the 25 retired civil servants to the Prime Minister. Instead, the letter focused on the internal struggle within the Malay community and, in particular, on those using religion as a mere tool to garner support.
In my definition, the fight against extremism is the struggle against those who insist on using the Malay community and Islam to call to behaviour that either is violent, instils fear, or is just plain ridiculous.
In other words, anything beyond moderate is “zalim” or extreme. Read the rest of this entry »
Cabinet should revisit the question why an emergency was not declared for the worst floods catastrophe in living memory, affecting millions of people, evacuated a quarter of a million people, cost 23 lives and caused losses running into billions of ringgit and give assurance an emergency would be declared for future disasters
Posted by Kit in Kelantan, Najib Razak, NaturaL disaster on Wednesday, 14 January 2015, 10:54 am
Malaysians must be very disappointed that despite calls from many quarters, the Barisan Nasional Government had failed to declare a state of emergency, limited in place and time, over the worst floods catastrophe in living memory, affecting millions of people, evacuated a quarter of a million people, cost 23 lives and caused losses running into billions of ringgit.
It even created flood history in Malaysia in knocking out the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak who subsequently claimed that he was also a flood victim – “confining him to bed for days” due to the infection with E. Coli bacteria while visiting flood-affected states.
Actually, Najib was a flood-victim twice over, as he was forced to cut short his vacation in Hawaii earlier, returning to Malaysia on a commercial flight, creating a mystery as to the whereabouts of the government official jet which had flown Najib Hawaii in the first place.
The Cabinet should revisit the question why an emergency was not declared for the worst floods catastrophe in living memory, and the Prime Minister should give an assurance that in future disasters of such magnitude, the Federal Government would not fail in its duty to declare a state of emergency to mobilise the entire national resources, particularly the 150,000-strong armed forces, to render the quickest help and relief to the disaster victims. Read the rest of this entry »
Paris: The world meets and marches in solidarity
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak on Wednesday, 14 January 2015, 8:53 am
Observer
14.1.2015
This is a message addressed to the Prime Minister written more in sorrow than anger. This is a plea.
A somber Sunday. I have just seen the CNN live telecast of the solidarity march.
A million and a half souls came together to condemn the barbaric murders in Paris earlier in week perpetuated by agents of terror associated with radical Islam, a minority of the billion plus followers of Islam.
The march drew leaders from across the globe. The scenes depicted heads of Government from across Europe; there were others from Asia and Africa. There were Muslim leaders – King Abdullah of Jordan; the Prime Minister X of Turkey; PM. Netanyahu of Israel; President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority marched with clasped hands.
The crowds waved flags of many nations – both Christian and Muslim. Islam clerics joined in the denunciation of the terrorists.
The scene portrayed an emotional outpouring of grief and defiance of the murderers who had not differentiated between Christian, Jew, or Muslim as the victims belonged to all three faiths.
As a Malaysian, I was overcome with shame and sadness, as there was no sign that my country was prepared to take a firm stand and join the vast majority in a united stand against those who preach and dispense terror and hate.
There was no Malaysian presence and not a single flag flew to signify that Malaysia was one with the rest of the world in sending a message to the forces of evil that murder and mayhem were not the answer to expressing feelings of being aggrieved. Read the rest of this entry »
My father would be shocked, says Nazir Razak
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, nation building on Wednesday, 14 January 2015, 8:13 am
BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
14 January 2015
The youngest son of Malaysia’s second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak, who died on this day 39 years ago, has called for the setting up of a national consultative council to bring Malaysians together, just as his father did after the 1969 race riots.
Banker Datuk Seri Nazir Razak said this when asked by The Malaysian Insider (TMI) what message his father would convey if he could speak to Malaysians today.
“I think he would say that it is time to set up another national consultative council, like he did in 1970, to discuss critical issues around preserving harmony and fostering unity amongst Malaysians,” says Nazir. “I think he would be shocked that it is 2015 and race and religion divide Malaysians even more today than during his time.”
Nazir was replying to questions posed to him and his other brothers, Johari, Nizam and Nazim about their father as part of a series of articles TMI will be publishing over the next few days to mark the passing of Razak, who died of leukaemia in London in 1976, to the shock of the nation, at the young age of 54. Read the rest of this entry »
Call on Cabinet tomorrow to convene a special Parliamentary meeting end of this month to present a revised 2015 Budget
Posted by Kit in Budget Debate, Finance, Kelantan, Najib Razak, Sabah on Tuesday, 13 January 2015, 4:48 pm
The Cabinet tomorrow should do what it should have done at its last Cabinet meeting for 2014 on Dec. 17 – to convene a Special meeting of Parliament this month to present a revised Budget 2015.
When the Budget 2015 was drawn up, it was based on the oil price assumption of US$100 (RM357) per barrel.
Since the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak presented Budget 2015 on Oct. 25, Brent crude prices had fallen from US$100 to a six year-low of US$47.36.
Oil and gas-related income is a backbone of the Malaysian economy as it currently accounts for 30% of the government’s total revenue.
With the plunge in crude oil prices, the Government is duty-bound to revise the 2015 Budget and seek parliamentary approval for revision of the 2015 Budget.
The Cabinet should decide on convening a Special Parliament before the end of January now that Prime Minister who is also Finance Minsiter has finally conceded today on the need to restructure the 2015 Budget. Read the rest of this entry »
Muhyiddin’s faux pas claiming that extremism had never existed among Muslims in Malaysia is of the same class as Najib’s first praise and glorification of Islamic State terrorism
Posted by Kit in Islamic state, Muhyiddin Yassin, Najib Razak on Tuesday, 13 January 2015, 1:57 pm
The Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyddin Yassin’s faux pas claiming that extremism had never existed among Muslims in Malaysia is of the same class as the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s faux pas giving praise and glorification of Islamic State terrorism last June.
Muhyiddin’s latest faux pas join’s the DPM’s host of infamous “quotes” like “I am Malay first, Malaysian second” and “Malaysian youngsters are receiving better education than children in the United States, Britain and Germany”.
If there are no extremists among Muslims in Malaysia, how come the Bukit Aman Special Counter Terrorism Division had arrested 51 persons suspected of being Malaysian militants.
Furthermore, why have the number of Muslim Malaysians fighting for Islamic State in Syria and Iraq gone up from 39 to 59 since October? Read the rest of this entry »
Buddhist volunteers bring work and cheer in Manek Urai
Posted by Kit in Kelantan, NaturaL disaster on Tuesday, 13 January 2015, 11:03 am
BY ZURAIRI AR
PUBLISHED: JANUARY 13, 2015 07:02 AM
The Malay Mail Online
Volunteers from Penang-based Buddhist Tzu-Chi Merits Society Malaysia help residents of Manek Urai to clean up after the flood. ― Pictures by Yusof Mat Isa
KUALA KRAI, Jan 13 ― After weeks of devastating floods, a palpable air of excitement replaced the forlorn mood at the village of Kg Manek Urai Lama here across the weekend.
Struggling under the burden of a disorganised clean-up after arguably the worst floods to hit the state in decades, the residents had seemingly been at a lost.
Read the rest of this entry »
Singing the praises of Major Zaidi
By Syerleena Abdul Rashid
Free Malaysia Today
January 13, 2015
COMMENT
This MPPP councillor pays tribute to a “true patriot” who was willing to risk it all to expose a broken electoral system and push for political reforms.
Growing up, everybody had a favourite hero. It could have been Superman, Badang or even a Sesame Street character but as we grew older, our tastes in heroes and our perception of qualities that defined heroism changed. We broke away from fiction and began to look at real life for inspiration. We sought intellectual heroes; political leaders, activists, great thinkers or even authors who observed our societal behaviours and witty life anecdotes while transfixing the subtlety of modern life grievances into words and then, on to pages.
Aristotle believed that heroes were “associated with courage and integrity and a disdain for the cramping compromises by means of which the unheroic majority manage their lives. Heroes were capable of something momentous – the defeat of an enemy, the preservation of a political system, the completion of a voyage – which no one else could have accomplished.” In other words, heroes were the embodiment of a superb spirit.
In modern times, heroic figures included martyrs, whistleblowers and good Samaritans. We often associate heroism with grandiose acts of valour, sacrificing or risking one’s life with unabashed gallantry but heroism can also occur less dramatically – one that is engaged voluntarily and conducted as a service to improve social or political stature. It is often initiated out of compassion without any expectations of material gain.
Many of us, have found highly commendable heroic qualities in everyday men and women; Mahatma Gandhi who taught us the power of passive resistance, Karpal Singh who reminded us to be strong and remain principled in life, Adam Adli who introduced us all to a generation of young Malaysians who were not afraid to reclaim ownership of our country and Ambiga Sreenevasan who displayed fortitude and determination to purge corruption from our system. Of course, there are many more heroes… too many to list, in fact. Read the rest of this entry »
When an opinion becomes a criminal matter
Posted by Kit in Human Rights, Islam, Muhyiddin Yassin, Police on Tuesday, 13 January 2015, 9:13 am
COMMENTARY BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
13 January 2015
It took no fewer than 20 policemen to arrest Eric Paulsen last night, just hours after Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin asked for an investigation into the human rights lawyer’s tweet that religious authorities were promoting extremism through Friday prayer sermons.
And it took no less than the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar to use the same Twitter microblogging network to announce Paulsen’s arrest – akin to revealing a major breakthrough in solving crime or arrest of kingpins.
Impressive, to say the least, considering that Paulsen was left unmolested when he lodged a report earlier yesterday over death threats following his tweet, which he had taken down after a barrage of criticism.
There was no move to arrest him then although the IGP had already said there would be a probe into the lawyer’s tweet under the Sedition Act. None. Like clockwork, action was only taken after the DPM commented on the matter.
What is even more impressive is that Paulsen had yet to be remanded for the federal police chief to send off a series of tweets on Paulsen’s opinion about Malaysia’s Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) sermons promoting extremism. Read the rest of this entry »
