Fatal mistake for Pakatan Rakyat parties to assume that the Kajang by-election is a walkover with Anwar as candidate
Posted by Kit in Kajang by-election, MCA on Saturday, 22 February 2014, 10:35 am
The Prime Minister and the Barisan Nasional Chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak said yesterday that the Barisan Nasional (BN) is going into the Kajang by-election as the underdog but pledges to work doubly hard to ensure the best possible outcome.
It will be a fatal mistake for Pakatan Rakyat parties to assume that the Kajang by-election is a walkover with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the candidate.
It is imperative that the Pakatan Rakyat parties of PKR, PAS and DAP speak with one voice and act as one unit not only to secure victory for Anwar in the by-election on March 23, but with a convincing majority greater than the majority won in the 13th general elections on May 5, 2013.
Every vote in the Kajang by-election must be fought and won and not taken for granted. Read the rest of this entry »
Putrajaya clamps down on dissent, transfers anti-assessment system teacher
by Lee Shi-Ian
The Malaysian Insider
February 22, 2014
The man behind the teacher pressure group’s planned protest today against the student-based assessment (SBA) has been given a 24-hour notice of transfer to a rural school in Pahang in what is seen as Putrajaya’s clampdown on dissent by civil servants.
Despite the sudden transfer notification, teacher Mohd Nor Izzat Mohd Johari, 29, who is the Suara Guru-Masyarakat Malaysia (SGMM) working group chief, refused to be cowed and said the protest would go ahead as planned.
The group planned to gather at the Bandar Baru Bangi mosque prior to the rally.
Nor Izzat, who has been called “Guru Setahun Jagung” (greenhorn teacher) by the ministry for being a vocal critic of the SBA, said his transfer was proof that the Education Ministry was exercising its powers over him.
He told The Malaysian Insider that his good friend and colleague, Mohd Zulkefli Seman, who teaches at the same school in Jerantut, Pahang, also received a transfer letter yesterday morning.
Nor Izzat said Zulkefli was not a SGMM member, but had accompanied him to meet with Education Minister II Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh last year. Read the rest of this entry »
Anwar Ibrahim has to be put away; otherwise, Umno is doomed!
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Judiciary, UMNO on Saturday, 22 February 2014, 7:56 am
by P Ramakrishnan
Aliran
21 February 2014
What is important in any hearing is fairness to the accused. But certain judges don’t seem to be very bothered about this principle, says P Ramakrishnan.
The survival of Umno in the forthcoming GE14 is hanging by a thread. By all counts, it may be the end of the road for the party that has dominated Malaysian politics for more than half a century.
Umno is aware of this. And that is why it is desperately trying to put Anwar Ibrahim away to save its skin. A free Anwar will sound the death-knell for Umno.
Politically it may not succeed in its attempt to do away with Anwar because his influence is wide and far-reaching. He is seen by the majority of Malaysians as the only hope of toppling Umno from its power base – which will pave the way for an alternative government.
All the lies that Umno has concocted against Anwar have not made any impact on the people. This approach has been tried since 1998 – to tarnish his reputation and smear his image – but every attempt failed miserably. People have wised up to the tricks and manipulations resorted to by Umno at every opportunity and during elections, but such ploys have had no effect to benefit Umno.
Moreover, the people are aware that Umno is no longer the sole mouth-piece for the Malays. Pas and Keadilan are equally capable of representing the Malays far more effectively when compared to Umno. To add to their headache, the Malays are even turning to the DAP and supporting their candidates. Clearly, it is a losing battle for Umno. Read the rest of this entry »
When the Opposition starts serving up déjà vu
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Kajang by-election, Selangor on Saturday, 22 February 2014, 7:51 am
Erna Mahyuni
The Malay Mail Online
February 19, 2014
FEB 19 — Wouldn’t want to be a PKR supporter right now. The “Who gets to be Selangor MB” game is getting pretty old and rather symptomatic of the prevailing malady permeating our country — having the wrong priorities.
Umno’s culture of selfishness and infighting with poison pen letters and hidden knives in the dark is well-documented. But to see the same culture of factionalism and infighting in PKR makes you wonder if the party is just a rebadged Umno. Same crap, same people (stop recruiting ex-Umno people already, Anwar) but just a different party name.
I can’t comment on the merits of Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim versus Azmin Ali versus Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim because I frankly do not give a rat’s behind.
What is certain is that it is entirely possible for Pakatan Rakyat to lose Selangor, without even waiting for the next general election. Read the rest of this entry »
Time to just let MAS crash
Posted by Kit in Corporate, Corruption, Finance on Saturday, 22 February 2014, 5:53 am
– Koon Yew Yin
The Malaysian Insider
February 20, 2014
MAS has just reported a fourth consecutive quarter of losses with a net loss of RM343 million for this last quarter.
For the full financial year 2013, the net loss amounted to RM1.2 billion, compared with a net loss of RM433 in FY12.
The question is whether this eye-popping loss will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
In the past, there have been incorrigible cheerleaders for the airline, regularly claiming that the company is in recovery mode and will soon return to profitability.
This time, even the most optimistic experts have given up. Read the rest of this entry »
Islam At A Crossroad in Malaysia
by Din Merican
February 8, 2014
I am writing this as I contemplate the fate of our country while resting after being involved in a nasty accident last week. I feel very sorry that my wife’s car. Dr Kamsiah’s black beauty is now a total wreck and we are not sure how long the adjusters will assess the loss as a total loss or whether it has to be repaired.
I hope the insurance company and its adjusters would be kind to my wife and I by not prolonging the painful process of making an insurance claim. The positive thing from that accident was that the driver of the other car, a non-Muslim Chinese and I, a Malay Muslim, did not have a quarrel. We resolved matters in the manner that accidents are resolved. We showed care and compassion for each other to ensure that neither of us suffered grievous bodily injury. We were civil despite our different race and religion even in those tense moments. We behaved as how civil people behave. We behaved like we are one people, like true Malaysians.
What was heartening also was that I received an immediate message from my young friend, Lawyer Rosli Dahlan, who heard about the accident although he was away. He was so concerned to make sure that we were not injured and made prayers for me from Makkah. Apparently, he was in Jeddah for a meeting and entered Makkah to perform umrah and made doa’ (prayers) for our safety.
To Rosli, I say thank you. At my ripe age, doa from well wishers are very meaningful. Alhamdulillah, I am safe in one piece although I was pretty jolted when the airbag exploded. I pray to Allah that the driver and passengers of the other vehicle will also recover as I have. Read the rest of this entry »
More useful and urgent for IGP Khalid to form a special division to stamp out reckless incitement of racial and religious animosities and hatred to cause racial and religious strife than to set up a department on SOP compliance
On Monday, the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar announced that the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) is to set up a new department, to be known as the Integrity and Standard Compliance Department, to improve Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) compliance, including disciplinary procedures for police personnel.
The new department is expected to be fully operational in two months and would be led by a director with the rank of commissioner.
Khalid said the setting up of the department has been approved in principle and the police are in the midst of discussing with the Public Services Department on the recruitment of staff.
He said that with the department in place, the police hoped to improve the SOP compliance in all aspects of assignment, including disciplinary procedures for police personnel. Prior to this, disciplinary matters and procedures for police personnel were managed by the Management Department.
The proposed new Integrity and Standard Compliance Department has been subjected to severe, valid and pertinent criticism by the chief of the anti-crime group, MyWatch, R. Sanjeevan, who said the new department would only result in overlapping duties and a further waste of public funds for the hiring of new staff or the promotion of existing officers, when what the PDRM needs is not a new department to check its officers on SOP compliance but a total revamp of its existing set-up to improve crime-fighting efforts.
Sanjeevan contends that all matters involving police integrity and procedure compliance can be handled by PDRM’s existing Management Department, which already handles disciplinary breaches. Read the rest of this entry »
NUCC’s Samsudin Osman vs Perkasa’s Ibrahim Ali a battle of “patriots vs traitors” for moderates to save Malaysia from extremists who want to foment racial chaos and religious conflagration?
Posted by Kit in nation building, Perkasa on Thursday, 20 February 2014, 8:10 pm
At the forum on “Legacy of Tunku Abdul Rahman” at New Era College in Kajang on 10th February 2014, I called on all moderates and patriots in Malaysia, whether in Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat or those outside the two political coalitions to unite and isolate extremists and traitors of the country who want to foment racial chaos and religious conflagration through incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension.
I said that I believe that the overwhelming majority of Malaysians, whether in DAP, PKR or PAS in Pakatan Rakyat, or in Umno, MCA, Gerakan, MIC and the other component parties in Barisan Nasional, or outside the two political coalitions, do not want another May 13 riots in the country as they want, like Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman, love, peace, harmony, solidarity and prosperity to prevail in Malaysia.
But all the moderates in Malaysia, whether Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat or outside the two political coalitions, must act to unite and isolate extremists and traitors of the country who want to foment racial chaos and religious conflagration through the incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension – or they will lose by default and allow the irresponsible and reckless few to hijack the national agenda which can only lead to ruination and sent the country down the abyss of a failed state.
Read the rest of this entry »
IGP should stop talking tough and start acting swiftly against irresponsible and reckless elements who want to cause racial and religious disharmony and strife through incessant incitement of racial and religious animosities and hatred
Posted by Kit in Law & Order, Police, Politics, Religion on Thursday, 20 February 2014, 8:00 pm
Enough of the Inspector-General, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar talking tough as he should start acting swiftly against irresponsible and reckless elements who want to cause racial and religious disharmony and strife through incessant incitement of racial and religious animosities and hatred.
Why is Khalid talking about the use of any law, including Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), inciting racial tension when the police has not even sent investigation papers to the Attorney-General’s Chambers to arrest and for charges to be laid against those responsible for the self-styled “Council of Islamic NGOs’ “chicken and slap” demonstration in Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 6 where a slew offences had been committed including criminal intimidation, sedition, incitement of violence against a woman, incitement of violence against a Member of Parliament, incitement of another May 13 riots?
For more than three weeks, not a single person had been able to step forward to point out where DAP National Vice Chairperson and MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok’s “Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014” video is anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Rulers, although I said I would ask Teresa Kok to withdraw and apologise for the video if there is such evidence.
Read the rest of this entry »
Islam, freedom and salvation
Posted by Kit in Islam, Zairil Khir Johari on Thursday, 20 February 2014, 6:47 am
Zairil Khir Johari
The Malaysian Insider
February 19, 2014
Islam and freedom are two inseparable concepts, though one may not arrive at this conclusion based on the behaviour of many Muslims worldwide, particularly those claiming to carry the torch for the religion.
When the Prophet Muhammad introduced Islam in the 7th century, he not only brought with him a new deen (faith), but also through it delivered fundamental moral and social reform to the Arabian society. As it were, Islam brought light to end the darkness of slavery, female infanticide and social injustice.
At its height of glory during the Islamic Golden Age from the 8th to the 13th century, the Arab-Muslim world transformed from a warring, largely illiterate society to one characterised by major intellectual advancement in culture, mathematics, life sciences and philosophy.
It was an era of inclusiveness, symbolised by the establishment of the Baitul-Hikmat, or House of Wisdom, in Baghdad, where scholars both Muslim and non-Muslim converged to exchange and produce knowledge. Inspired by the call to ijtihad (independent reasoning), the goal was always to expand and include, and not to retreat and exclude. Read the rest of this entry »
How pathetic, now MCA must get its candidature to be cleared not only by UMNO but even by Perkasa!
Again the MCA newspaper The Star has blacked out my second reply to the daily MCA political offensive against me in the run-up to the Kajang by-election which is still 32 days away.
On Monday, the “7-11” political party, MCA, launched its political offensive against me, using a lowly MCA flunkey in a report entitled “MCA dares Kit Siang to explain why he is afraid of directly offending UMNO”.
I gave a 15-paragraph reply but not a word came out in the Star.
Yesterday, another MCA lackey was used to launch a second attack on me, entitled “Stop picking on MCA, Lim told”.
I issued a 24-paragraph reply. Of course it did not see the light of day in the MCA Star. Read the rest of this entry »
What is IGP doing and where is the rule of law when merchants of hate could openly threaten “volcanic eruption” with the intensification of their campaign of hate?
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Police, Teresa Kok on Wednesday, 19 February 2014, 12:30 pm
The question Malaysians are asking today is where is the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar and where is the rule of law in Malaysia when merchants of hate could openly threaten “volcanic eruption” with intensification of their campaign of hate to incite racial and religious animosities, hatred, conflict and tension in the country.
The merchants of hate, who had been escalating the racial and religious tensions in the country in the past several months with an incessant incitement of racial and religious animosities, hatred and conflict have delivered a very clear message that they would not cease and desist from their nefarious and treacherous designs to cause racial chaos and religious conflagration in the country.
This clear message was delivered in the interview with The Malaysian Insider (TMI) by two spokesmen of the self-styled “Council of Islamic NGOs” which staged the Feb. 6 demonstration in Kuala Lumpur offering RM1,200 (now raised to RM2,000) for anyone who slap DAP National Vice Chairperson and MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok for the “Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014” video and the “chicken-slaughtering and blood smearing” on images of DAP and Pakatan Rakyat leaders. Read the rest of this entry »
They slaughtered, but I dissect Teresa’s video
Posted by Kit in Mahathir, Teresa Kok on Wednesday, 19 February 2014, 9:27 am
Stephen Ng
Malaysiakini
18th Feb 2014
Public figures will be subject to public ridicule and satire, whether they like it or not, unless they choose to be out of the public domain like Malaysia’s fifth prime minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
We all know Bill Clinton was impeached, and was forced to step down as the president of America because of the sex scandal. Even Barack Obama is not spared from political satire.
Cartoonists have rightfully poked fun at the politicians for ridiculous things that were said, and unless you are Mao Zedong, you have to live with public cynicism for what you say in public even years after you have kicked the bucket. Read the rest of this entry »
On the eve of the Teachers’ Spring?
Posted by Kit in Azly Rahman, Education on Wednesday, 19 February 2014, 7:02 am
Azly Rahman
Malaysiakini
Feb 14, 2014
“School-based assessment”, “Data-driven decision-making”, “Professional Learning Communities”, “Systems-based schooling”, “Authentic-based assessment”.
All these are nice words for Malaysian schools to have but alien to teachers driven to death by administrative work to even understand let alone enculturalise scientific thinking in teaching and learning and in managing student progress.
We have a society with scientific buzz-word and sloganism governing, but not yet a society whose members value scientific and rational thinking. That is why we have tribal practices in schools, of:
*Magic pills administered for students taking tests;
*Magic and miracle water drank to increase intelligence;
*Strange sounding pills sold to enhance brain power;
*Teachers punishing students to eat grass, asking them to go back to where they belong, and all kinds of methods used to punish children not skilled in memorising facts that will become obsolete.
Onederfully wanton NGOs
Posted by Kit in Mariam Mokhtar, Teresa Kok on Wednesday, 19 February 2014, 6:38 am
Mariam Mokhtar
Malaysiakini
Feb 17, 2014
Ironically, Teresa Kok’s ‘Onederful Malaysia’ film, has managed to ‘unite’ Malaysians, in a perverse way. The characters in her satirical video speak Chinese, and the clip has both Chinese and English subtitles. Incredibly, non-Chinese people, ranging from the mighty Mahathir Mohamad to nondescript Malay NGOs, have watched this video. Teresa has managed to engage Malaysians, in true ‘1Malaysia’ fashion.
Credit must be given to the Malay/Muslim NGOs. They have generated interest in Teresa’s video and exposed the hidden, serious messages, to a much larger audience than if they had not publicised the video.
The Malay/Muslim NGOs know that they are above censure and can expose whomsoever they wish. No mainstream media would dare expose the profligacy of a certain spouse of a prime minister of a South-East Asian nation. The last paper to publish her alleged extravagance had its fingers singed, when the paper’s printing permit was revoked.
Abdul Rani Kulup, the chairperson of the Martabat Jalinan Muhibbah Malaysia (MJMM) is the first person to publicly state that he thinks that Mrs Jit, in Teresa’s video, is Najib Abdul Razak’s spouse, the self-styled ‘First Lady’ Rosmah Mansor. It would be interesting to learn his basis for this assumption.
Abdul Rani is either very foolish or a very brave man. Perhaps, he has a personal grudge against Najib and is providing ammunition to the faction within Umno Baru which is trying to bring Najib down. Read the rest of this entry »
The enemy of the people
Posted by Kit in nation building, Sabah, UMNO on Tuesday, 18 February 2014, 9:57 pm
– Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
February 18, 2014
I will come back to the Kajang topic soon. It is now becoming more interesting as Zaid Ibrahim is entering the race.
At the moment, I want to share some thoughts on a topic that has been at the back of my mind for some time.
It is Umno’s perversion of the idea of nationalism and the “Umnonisation” of Islam. The danger is this. If left unchecked, Umno will confer upon itself the right as final arbiter on who is a Malaysian or not Malaysian and eventually who is Islamic, less Islamic and so forth. In a bizarre twist, Umno has totally outflanked PAS in portraying itself as the religious zealots bent on “talibanisation” of Muslims in Malaysia and eventually over all Malaysians.
We are all in danger. The country is crumbling under a fainéant leader. His madmen are on the loose. Umno’s nationalism. Read the rest of this entry »
With a ‘Supporter’ Like Zaid, Pakatan Needs No Enemies
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Kajang by-election on Tuesday, 18 February 2014, 9:30 pm
By Kee Thuan Chye
Yahoo! News
18 Feb 2014
What the hell is Zaid Ibrahim doing? He claims, in a Q&A with theSun, that he’s a Pakatan Rakyat supporter and yet he has declared his intention to stand in the upcoming Kajang by-election against Pakatan’s de facto leader, Anwar Ibrahim.
This is downright contradictory. It also gives the impression that he might be trying to settle an old score with Anwar’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), and even Anwar himself.
Many of us would remember that in 2010, while he himself was a member of PKR, Zaid publicly criticised the party and sullied its image. He displayed his egotism by brazenly calling on Anwar to step down as PKR’s leader and offering himself as successor. “I’ll be a good leader,” he boasted. But the party didn’t entertain him and he quit, with much bile and fanfare, to start his own mosquito party, Kita (Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air).
He didn’t last long as Kita’s chief, quitting less than two years after he had founded it. During that time, he had a falling-out with his fellow party leaders and even announced disbanding the party but later changed his mind. This prompted his party chiefs to declare that they wanted him out. Read the rest of this entry »
Liow Tiong Lai vows to “bury” Anwar in Kajang – does he dare to contest in Kajang to carry out Anwar’s burial?
Posted by Kit in MCA, Teresa Kok on Tuesday, 18 February 2014, 3:41 pm
Yesterday the newspaper of the Malaysian “7-11” political party, MCA, launched its political offensive for the Kajang by-election and carried a report entitled “MCA dares Kit Siang to explain why he is afraid of directly offending UMNO”.
I gave a 15-paragraph reply but not a word came out in the Star today.
Instead, there was a second attack on me, entitled “Stop picking on MCA, Lim told”. Will a single word of my reply to this second attack on me appear in the newspaper of the “7-11” political party?
We will know tomorrow.
This is my reply today:
The second MCA attack on me as part of its Kajang by-election pre-campaign offensive has reinforced what I said yesterday, that the Liow-Wee MCA leadership is probably the worst in the 65-year MCA history as they orchestrate political statements and moves even the least honourable past MCA leaders would not do. Read the rest of this entry »
IGP Khalid must heed the NUCC call for swift action against those inciting racial and religious animosities and hatred to destroy Malaysia’s inter-racial and inter-religious harmony like Utusan and “Council of Islamic NGOs”
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, nation building, Police, Teresa Kok on Tuesday, 18 February 2014, 3:31 pm
The Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said yesterday that the Attorney-General’s Chambers has returned the police investigation papers on DAP National Vice Chairman and Member of Parliament for Seputeh Teresa Kok’s “Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014” video to the police to refine their investigation.
What is surprising is why despite nation-wide and international criticism, the IGP still allows the police to practise double standards as no police action and investigations have yet been made against the group of self-styled “Council of Islamic NGOs” who committed a slew of offences when they staged a demonstration in Kuala Lumpur the previous Thursday on 6th February including criminal intimidation, sedition incitement of violence against a woman, incitement of violence against a Member of Parliament, incitement of another May 13 riots, when they offered RM1,200 to anyone who slaps Teresa Kok and slaughtered four chicken and smeared blood on images of DAP and Pakatan Rakyat leaders.
How can the IGP and the police be so indifferent to the slew of crimes committed by the “Council of Islamic NGOs” if they are the true upholders of law and order and protector of public peace in Malaysia? Read the rest of this entry »
Liow-Wee MCA leadership probably the worst in 65-year MCA history orchestrating political statements and moves even the least honorable past MCA leaders would not do
The Liow-Wee MCA leadership which had been in control of the “7-11” party for the past two months is probably the worst in terms of lack of principles and convictions in the 65-year MCA history, orchestrating political statements and moves even the least honorable past MCA leaders would not do.
Today, the MCA newspaper Star carried a big story entitled “MCA dares Kit Siang to explain fear of confronting UMNO” stating that “MCA wants DAP to publicly explain why he is afraid of directly offending UMNO” over the DAP National Vice Chairperson and MP for Teresa Kok’s controversial “Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014” video – which thanks to groups like UMNO, MCA and Gerakan making a hue and cry has received over 650,000 hits on YouTube in less than three weeks.
Instead of personally making charges against me, the Liow-Wee leadership got a lowly flunky to issue the statement so that both Liow Tiong Lai and Wee Ka Siong can disclaim responsibility for the lies, innuendos and insinuations in the statement.
What a pathetic Liow-Wee MCA national leadership who only dare to throw stones from being curtain and stupid enough to believe that their involvement could be kept secret. Read the rest of this entry »
