Same old, same old when Umno talks about “ekonomi Melayu”
by Sheridan Mahavera
The Malaysian Insider
December 07, 2013
The preamble to the resolution on economics at this year’s Umno general assembly stated that it would be different from the previous years.
Yet after former second finance minister Datuk Seri Awang Adek Hussein finished his speech, the journalists who’ve covered past assemblies rolled their eyes, as they tried to dig out what was new.
Much of Awang Adek’s seven-point speech was about demands for quotas, loans and openings in the government machinery and government-linked companies (GLCs) for Bumiputeras. That is, Malay entrepreneurs’ demands that are always expressed whenever the Umno grassroots meet to talk about the future of the Malay economy.
The main difference this time was that all of them seized on the new statistic provided by their president – Bumiputeras made up 67% of the population – to press their case for even more aid to reach that ideal target of 30% Bumiputera ownership of wealth in the country.
It’s a familiar ritual: Umno tells the government that more loans need to be given and more contracts are needed to develop Malay small and medium enterprises.
Failure to do so would make the Malays “slaves in their own lands” to “foreign races” which is a code word for non-Bumiputera Chinese (and sometimes Indians). Read the rest of this entry »
Plundering in the guise of protecting the Malays
NEWS ANALYSIS BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
December 07, 2013
When Umno started out in 1946, it united many Malay groups and organisations in the pursuit of Merdeka, an independent Malaya which later formed Malaysia with Sabah and Sarawak.
It fought for the race, religion and rulers. And it ruled Malaysia with its allies, MCA and MIC, and later expanded that to Barisan Nasional in the aftermath of the May 1969 race riots.
Its mission never changed and every annual gathering was focused on race and religion. But now, that is being used to profit the few rather than the many.
This year’s assembly is no different, especially at a time of rising costs and shrinking surplus in the country. Malaysians are told to tighten their belts as assessment rates and electricity tariffs go up. Soon, toll rates will be raised while a consumption tax comes into effect in April 2015.
But over at the Putra World Trade Centre where Umno has its annual general assembly, it appears to be more like a gathering of Ali Baba and the 40 thieves as delegate after delegate speak about the economy and the need to reward only those who supported BN and Umno in the 13th General Election. Read the rest of this entry »
Muhyiddin cannot continue to be dumbstruck by 2012 PISA results five days ago but must speak up on responses by Education Ministry
Posted by Kit in Education, Muhyiddin Yassin on Saturday, 7 December 2013, 3:21 pm
The Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin cannot continue to be dumbstruck by the 2012 PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) results five days ago but must speak up on the responses by the Education Ministry.
Malaysia should at least learn from England which has swung into immediate action, announcing the creation of 30 elite maths centres across the country after the 2012 PISA results which find that UK schoolchildren are up to three years behind their peers in the top-performing countries in Asia.
Under the new UK plan, secondary school teachers will provide expert tuition to primary pupils as part of government reforms designed to address serious failing in maths. Read the rest of this entry »
Power tariff – the last straw that broke the camel’s back?
Liew Chin Tong
Malaysiakini
Dec 6, 2013
MP SPEAKS
The spate of new taxes and price hikes, the latest being the electricity tariff hike, have caused me to doubt whether the government under Najib Abdul Razak has any idea about the macroeconomic risks that Malaysia faces.
Against the backdrop of an uncertain global economy and the likeliness of the quantitative easing tapering, domestic demand is crucial in sustaining the Malaysian economy. Yet the spate of new taxes and price hikes will produce an opposite result: the further decline of domestic demand.
Will the electricity tariff increase become the last straw on the camel’s back that will see the Malaysian economy collapsing due to the confluence of several domestic and global factors?
The electricity tariff will be increased by an average of about 14.89 percent for Peninsular Malaysia, and by about 17 percent for Sabah and Labuan from next year.
The average electricity tariff in Peninsular Malaysia will be up 4.99 sen per kWh or 14.89 percent from the current average rate of 33.54 sen/kWh to 38.53 sen/kWh.
For Sabah and Labuan, the average tariff will be up 5 sen per kWh or 16.9 percent from current average rate of 29.52 sen per kWh to 34.52 sen per kWh. Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia ruling party tightens embrace of Islam to gain support
By Stuart Grudgings
10:42 p.m. CST, December 5, 2013
Chicago Tribune
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 (Reuters) – Malaysia’s ruling party, stung by an election setback in May, is burnishing its Islamic credentials, aiming to gain ground among majority ethnic Malay voters in a move that could heighten concern over growing religious intolerance in the multi-racial Southeast Asian country.
The coalition led by the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) suffered its worst election result, hurt by the desertion of ethnic Chinese voters and many urban dwellers, including Muslim Malays, its traditional bedrock of support.
Ahead of the party’s annual general assembly this week, Prime Minister Najib Razak shored up his support by making concessions to the party’s conservative wing, rolling back his previous liberal social reforms, boosting steps to favour ethnic Malays economically and stressing UMNO’s role as a protector of the Islamic faith.
That has enabled him to push forward with unpopular economic steps to tackle the country’s chronic fiscal deficit, most recently the announcement of a 15 percent rise in electricity tariffs from January.
Read the rest of this entry »
Triple woes for Malaysia in the 2012 PISA international student assessment for mathematics, science and reading
Posted by Kit in Education, Muhyiddin Yassin on Friday, 6 December 2013, 11:00 am
If only Malaysia had made slight progress in all the three subjects of mathematics, science and reading in the 2012 PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) as compared to the previous PISA test in 2010, the Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin would have highlighted the issue in his speech when opening the annual general meetings of Umno Youth, Wanita and Puteri on Tuesday night (the PISA results were released earlier the same day) as evidence that Malaysia was progressing towards a world-class education system under his leadership.
But the 2012 PISA results were more grounds for despondency rather than celebration, and this is why Muhyiddin was conspicuously silent about the PISA results – unlike his Singapore counterpart, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat who said on the same day the PISA results were released that he was “very happy that Singapore’s 15-year-olds had done “very, very well” in 2012 PISA, as the Singapore students ranked second in mathematics and third in science and reading in the global assessment taken by about 510,000 15-year-old students in 65 countries and regions.
The Thai Education Minister, Chaturon Chaisang was upbeat with the results of the Thai students scoring 441 in reading, 427 in mathematics and 444 in science (beating Malaysia in all three subjects), saying that the Thai ranking demonstrated the country’s potential and could attract investment.
Malaysia has more than enough reasons to rue the 2012 PISA, as the country has proclaimed that it aspired to be in the top third of the countries in the world in terms of performance in international assessments, as measured by outcomes in the PISA or Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) by 2021. Read the rest of this entry »
Tiga keadaan mendukacitakan untuk Malaysia dalam penilaian pelajar antarabangsa PISA 2012 bagi subjek matematik, sains dan bacaan
Posted by Kit in Education, Muhyiddin Yassin on Monday, 9 December 2013, 6:22 pm
Sekiranya pencapaian Malaysia dalam tiga subjek matematik, sains, dan bacaan dalam PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) 2012 adalah sedikit lebih baik daripada ujian PISA 2010, sudah tentu Timbalan Perdana Menteri merangkap Menteri Pendidikan Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin akan menyebut perkara tersebut dalam ucapannya sewaktu pembukaan mesyuarat agung tahunan Pemuda, Wanita, dan Puteri Umno pada malam Selasa lalu (keputusan PISA keluar awal hari yang sama) sebagai bukti bahawa Malaysia sedang bangkit untuk menghasilkan sebuah sistem pendidikan bertaraf dunia di bawah kepimpinannya.
Tetapi keputusan PISA 2012 lebih sesuai dijadikan sebab untuk bermuram daripada bersuka ria. Kerana itulah Muhyiddin membisu tentang keputusan PISA – tidak seperti rakan sejawatannya dari Singapura, Menteri Pendidikan Heng Swee Keat yang menyebut pada hari keputusan PISA diumumkan bahawa beliau amat gembira remaja berusia 15 tahun di Singapura telah mencatatkan pencapaian yang “amat, amat baik” dalam PISA 2012, memandangkan pelajar Singapura ditempatkan pada tangga kedua dalam matematik, ketiga dalam sains dan bacaan dalam ujian penilaian global yang melibatkan 510,100 pelajar berusia 15 tahun dari 65 buah negara dan wilayah.
Menteri Pendidikan Thai, Chaturon Chaisang ceria apabila pelajar Thai mencatatkan skor 441 dalam bacaan, 427 dalam matematik dan 444 dalam sains (mengatasi Malaysian dalam ketiga-tiga subjek itu). Menurut beliau, pencapaian pelajar-pelajar Thai membayangkan potensi negara itu dan mampu menarik masuk pelaburan.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tweets on UMNO General Assembly
Tweets on UMNO General Assembly:
1. Najib to Malays: Where would you be without Umno? – Ram Anand (Mkini) http://goo.gl/xTrPu4
2. At Umno assembly, calls for ‘1 Melayu’ to replace ‘1 Malaysia’ – by Syed Jaymal Zahiid (MMO) http://goo.gl/bCeiE2
3. Don’t worry if people call us racists, says Umno youth member – by Muzliza Mustafa (TMI) http://goo.gl/lJ4rZM Read the rest of this entry »
The “non-fulfillment” of the Malaysian agreement: Who is to blame?
Posted by Kit in Constitution, Sabah, Sarawak on Wednesday, 4 December 2013, 7:04 pm
– Arnold Puyok
The Malaysian Insider
December 04, 2013
In 1963, Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaya formed what is now called Malaysia. But the forming of Malaysia was not without challenges. In terms of population demography, Sabah and Sarawak were more culturally heterogeneous than Peninsular Malaya.
Sabah and Sarawak were also economically under-developed. Due to Sabah and Sarawak’s distinctive characters, they were allowed to make specific demands as part of a deal before their incorporation into Malaysia.
These demands were known as the 20-point memorandum for Sabah and 18-point memorandum for Sarawak. Both memorandums were later used as a guide by the Cobbold Commission to ascertain the views of Sabahans and Sarawakians about Malaysia.
The demands were later discussed in the Inter-Governmental Committee before their incorporation into the Federal Constitution. At the London talks in July 1963, Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Federation of Malaya, North Borneo (Sabah), Sarawak and Singapore agreed to sign the Malaysia Agreement.
The signing of the agreement was significant because it paved the way for the enactment of the Malaysia Act (Act No. 26 of 1963) which sealed the formation of Malaysia. With the enactment of the Malaysia Act, the Federal Constitution took over from the Malayan Constitution as a new “document of destiny” for Malaysia. The rights and privileges for Sabah and Sarawak are clearly stated in the Federal Constitution (Articles 161, 161A, 161B, 161E). Read the rest of this entry »
Property re-valuation – not done for 21 years?
Posted by Kit in Local Goverment, Parliament on Wednesday, 4 December 2013, 5:59 pm
by Joseph Tan
(Letter to DAP MP for Segambut, Lim Lip Eng)
I am one of your constituents in TTDI
I like to bring to your attention some facts to dispute the lies perpetrated by the Minister and Mayor regarding above subject.
The only justification offered by the authorities for this unreasonable increase is that the property values have not been revised since 21 years ago. Since I have records to cover the past 21 years, I will share the actual history for everyone’s awareness. This will demonstrate with facts, the blatant lies being told.
Here are my records since I moved into my property:- Read the rest of this entry »
Instead of being in top 30 of TI CPI in 2020, Malaysia faces risk of being overtaken by China and even Indonesia in both TI CPI ranking and score
Posted by Kit in Corruption on Wednesday, 4 December 2013, 2:52 pm
The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and CEO of Performance Management Delivery Unit (Pemandu) Datuk Seri Idris Jala is ecstatic about Malaysia’s rise from 54 to 53 in Transparency International’s (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI) this year, declaring that Pemandu is aiming for the country to be in the top 30 by 2020.
Yes, Malaysia’s TI CPI ranking this year has improved by one step, placed 53 out of 177 countries compared to last year’s 54th ranking, while the TI CPI score has improved to 50/100 compared to last year’s 49/100.
However, the ineluctable fact is that for the fifth consecutive year, the Najib premiership (2009-2013) has registered a lower TI CPI ranking than under the two previous Prime Ministers, Tun Mahathir and Tun Abdullah.
This is illustrated by the following chart on TI CPI 1995-2013:
| Prime Minister | Best ranking | Best score | Worst ranking | Worst score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mahathir | 23(1995) | 5.32/10 (1996) | 37 (2003) | 4.8/10 (2000) |
| Abdullah | 39(2004) | 5.1/10 (2005/7/8) | 47 (2008) | 5/10 (2004/6) |
| Najib | 53 (2013) | 50/100 (2013) | 60 (2011) | 4.3/10 (2011) |
In a sense, the TI CPI 2013 is a vindication of Mahathir’s boast two days ago that corruption is worse now than during his 22 years as Prime Minister (although Abdullah can also make the same boast about his five-year premiership).
Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia berdepan kemungkinan untuk gagal mencapai sasaran mengisi tangga 30 teratas dalam CPI TI pada tahun 2020 dan malah dipintas oleh Cina dan malahan Indonesia dari segi kedudukan dan skor dalam CPI TI
Posted by Kit in Corruption on Monday, 9 December 2013, 6:13 pm
Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan CEO Unit Pengurusan Prestasi (Pemandu) Datuk Seri Idris Jala girang apabila Malaysia mendaki dari tangga ke 54 ke tangga ke 53 dalam Indeks Persepsi Rasuah (CPI) Transparency International (TI) tahun ini lalu mengisytiharkan bahawa Pemandu mensasarkan untuk memasuki senarai 30 teratas menjelang tahun 2020.
Ya, kedudukan Malaysia dalam CPI TI tahun ini meningkat satu anak tangga menempati kedudukan ke-53 dari 177 negara berbanding tangga ke-54 tahun lalu, manakala skor CPI TI negara ini semakin baik pada 50/100 mata berbanding 49/100 mata untuk tahun lalu.
Bagaimanapun, satu hakikat yang tidak dapat dinafikan ialah bahawa untuk tahun kelima berturut-turut di bawah kepimpinan Najib (2009-2013), Malaysia mengisi kedudukan lebih bawah dalam CPI TI berbanding di zaman Tun Mahathir dan Tun Abdullah.
Perkara berkenaan boleh dilihat dalam carta berkenaan CPI TI di bawah (1995-2013):
| Perdana Menteri | Kedudukan terbaik | Skor terbaik | Kedudukan paling buruk | Skor paling rendah |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mahathir | 23(1995) | 5.32/10 (1996) | 37 (2003) | 4.8/10 (2000) |
| Abdullah | 39(2004) | 5.1/10 (2005/7/8) | 47 (2008) | 5/10 (2004/6) |
| Najib | 53 (2013) | 50/100 (2013) | 60 (2011) | 4.3/10 (2011) |
Dari satu sudut, CPI TI 2013 mengesahkan kenyataan Mahathir dua hari lalu yang menyebut rasuah kini semakin teruk berbanding ketika beliau menjadi Perdana Menteri selama 22 tahun (walaupun Abdullah juga boleh menyebut perkara yang sama bagi kepimpinan beliau selama lima tahun).
Bagaimanapun, Mahathir telah mengabaikan satu lagi hakikat – Malaysia mula terjerumus ke dalam rasuah sejak kepimpian beliau, memandangkan di bawah tiga Perdana Menteri pertama, iaitu Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak, dan Tun Hussein Onn, rasuah bukan masalah besar dan terkawal.
Malah, sehingga tahun tujuh puluhan, skandal terbesar di Parlimen adalah skandal Bank Rakyat, berjumlah RM65 juta, yang saya bahaskan di Parlimen pada tahun 1979.
Sejak tahun lapan puluhan, rasuah dan skandal kewangan lebih parah, melihatkan jumlah jauh lebih besar, misalnya skandal RM2.5 bilion Bumiputra Malaysia Finance (BMF), RM600 juta skandal pembelian timah Maminco, RM1.5 bilion skandal Co-operative Finance, sehingga kepada skandal pertukaran wang asing Bank Negara yang melibatkan wang sejumlah RM30 bilion serta skandal RM11 bilion Perwaja di tahun 90an. Terkini, kita menyaksikan skandal berbilion ringgit Scorpene dan pemerolehan keperluan pertahanan serta skandal RM12.5 bilion Zon Perdagangan Bebas Pelabuhan Klang.
Akar rasuah – politik wang dalam parti-parti kerajaan – tidak dipangkas dan malah semakin merebak seperti dianggarkan oleh orang dalam Umno yang menyebut bahawa untuk memenangi kerusi Naib Presiden Umno, diperlukan lebih RM10 juta, manakala untuk memenangi kerusi majlis tertinggi Umno, diperlukan lebih sejuta ringgit.
Politik wang besar-besaran juga turut berlaku dalam pemilihan parti MCA dan MIC – sehinggakan Presiden MCA menerima perkara ini sebagai satu hakikat dalam pemilihan parti apabila beliau menasihatkan perwakilan MCA dalam pemilihan parti MCA yang bakal menjelang untuk mengambil sikap seperti para pengundi dalam PRU13, iaitu “Ambil wang; jangan beri undi” (seperti yang dipaparkan terang-terangan dalam judul laporan sebuah akhbar Cina).
Meneliti kedudukan dan skor untuk 177 buah negara dalam CPI TI 2013 serta rekod selama 19 tahun CPI TI (1995-2013), tiada sebab dan tiada asas untuk sesiapa percaya bahawa sasaran Malaysia untuk memasuki senarai 30 teratas dalam CPI TI pada tahun 2020 adalah sasaran yang realistik atau mampu dicapai.
Malah, menjelang tahun 2020, Malaysia mungkin dipintas oleh Cina dan Indonesia dari segi kedudukan dan skor CPI TI. Dalam CPI TI pertama pada tahun 1995, Malaysia ditempatkan di tangga ke 23 dari 41 buah negara, dengan skor 5.28 dari 10, manakala Cina dan Indonesia ditempatkan di tangga dua terakhir, dengan skor CPI masing-masing 2.16 dan 1.94 dari 10 (pada peratusan 90 terbawah bagi skor CPI).
Jika Malaysia hendak menduduki tangga 30 teratas dalam CPI tahun 2020, kita perlu mencapai peratusan 35 teratas skor CPI dan bukan hanya 50/100, memandangkan skor lima buah negara yang berada di tangga ke 26 hingga 30 teratas dalam CPI TI 2013 adalah 69/100 bagi Austria UAE, 68/100 Estonia Qatar dan 64/100 Botswana.
Bagaimanapun, sejak 19 tahun lalu, Malaysia tergolong dalam salah sebuah negara yang kedudukan dan skornya dalam CPI TI merosot, malah telah dipintas oleh negara-negara yang mendapat kedudukan dan skor CPI lebih rendah pada tahun 1995, dan kini berdepan kemungkinan dipintas oleh negara-negara yang berada di kedudukan terbawah dalam CPI pada tahun 1995, iaitu Cina dan Indonesia.
Sebagai contoh, Malaysia berada pada kedudukan ke 23, dengan skor CPI 5.28/10 pada tahun 1995, di depan Taiwan (kedudukan ke 25, skor 5.08), Sepanyol (kedudukan ke 26, skor 4.35), Korea Selatan (kedudukan 27, skor 4.29), Hungary (kedudukan 28, skor 4.12), dan Turki (kedudukan 29, skor 4.10). Tetapi untukCPI TI 2013, Malaysia berada di bawah Taiwan (kedudukan 36, skor 61), Spain (kedudukan 40, skor 59), South Korea (kedudukan 46, skor 55), Hungary (kedudukan 47, skor 54) dan diekori rapat oleh Turki (kedudukan 53, skor 50).
Tidak seperi Malaysia yang mencapai peratusan skor lebih rendah sejak 19 tahun yang lalu, iaitu 5.28/10 pada tahun 1995 kepada 50/100 pada tahun 2013, semua negara Asia yang lain memperbaiki peratusan skor sejak 19 tahun yang lalu, misalnya Thailand dari 2.79/100 kepada 35/100; India dari 2.78/10 kepada 36/100; Philippines dari 2.77/10 kepada 36/100; Pakistan dari 2.25/10 kepada 28/100; China dari 2.16/10 kepada 40/100 dan Indonesia dari 1.94/10 kepada 32/100.
Rakyat Malaysia perlu bimbang kerana berdasarkan trend ini, Malaysia mungkin dipintas oleh Indonesia dan Cina sebelum tahun 2020 dari segi kedudukan dan skor CPI TI, melainkan Malaysia segera bertindak dan menunjukkan keseriusannya membasmi rasuah.
Bagaimana Malaysia hendak menjaga air mukanya jika dunia melihat Malaysia lebih rasuah daripada Indonesia dan Cina sebelum berakhir dekad ini?
Apakah ini nasib yang menanti Malaysia dari segi kedudukan dan skor CPI TI sebelum tahun 2020?
IGP’s Xmas hit – You better watch out
Posted by Kit in Mariam Mokhtar, Police on Tuesday, 3 December 2013, 10:57 am
Mariam Mokhtar
Malaysiakini
Dec 2, 2013
I am on the waiting-list for membership of the exclusive ‘Sedition Club Uniting Malaysians’, (SCUM) which has several distinguished members like Adam Adli, Haris Ibrahim, Tian Chua, Tamrin Ghafar, Safwan Anang and Zunar. I don’t think many people know the criteria which makes one eligible for membership.
Who would have realised that a well-meaning article ‘One Idealogy, Two Reactions’ about the need to be compassionate to Malaysians, regardless of their political leanings or social background, would have upset the inspector-general of police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar?
Does Khalid suffer from an inferiority complex or was he under extreme pressure to explain his involvement in the Lahad Datu debacle?
More importantly, he wanted to divert attention from the terrible handling of the Siti Aishah Abdul Wahab story, by the Malaysian government and himself. They probably thought they would capitalise on the story of Aishah’s enslavement. Read the rest of this entry »
IGP, What is Seditious in Mariam’s Article?
Posted by Kit in Kee Thuan Chye, Mariam Mokhtar, Police on Monday, 2 December 2013, 6:26 pm
By Kee Thuan Chye
news.malaysia.msn.com
2nd December 2013
I cannot see a fellow writer being threatened by someone in public authority for what she writes and not stand up for her. I’m therefore saying that the recent warning issued by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to political commentator Mariam Mokhtar against writing articles that could be deemed seditious is highly unwarranted and deserves to be censured.
Now, if the IGP was giving her friendly advice in saying she should not write articles that were seditious, he might have good cause to do so. Even if the articles she has written so far have not proven to be so. But that does not seem to be the tone and tenor of what he said a few days ago.
What makes his remark deserving of censure is what he added: “She had better watch out or we will go after her.” That comes across, undoubtedly, like a threat. And it’s inappropriate coming from someone like the IGP. Read the rest of this entry »
One ideology, two reactions
Posted by Kit in Mariam Mokhtar, Police on Monday, 2 December 2013, 6:17 pm
Mariam Mokhtar | November 29, 2013
Free Malaysia Today
Malaysians must wonder why Aishah is considered safe but Chin Peng’s ashes are deemed a national threat
COMMENT
Two people with a shared ideology – communism. Both Malaysians, both radicals. Both have spent the past 30 years living outside Malaysia. Both were educated locally, one at the Methodist run Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) in Perak, the other at the Tengku Khursiah College in Negri Sembilan.
One became a leader albeit of a banned organisation and disappeared into the Malayan jungle, whilst the other disappeared into the back-streets of London into oblivion.
The two people are a Chinese man, 88-year-old Chin Peng who died in Bangkok last September and a Malay woman 69-year-old Siti Aishah Abdul Wahab who with her two comrades staged a daring escape from her alleged captors on Oct 25.
Aishah and the other women had been kept as “slaves” in a collective by a couple – an Indian and a Tanzanian for the past 30 years.
Chin Peng rose up the ranks to become the leader of the Malayan Communist Party (MCP) when he was only 23-years-old. Aishah was a very promising, intelligent woman who secured a Commonwealth scholarship to study at the London School of Economics (LSE) when she was 24-years-old. Read the rest of this entry »
DAP working the ground to realise Pakatan’s Sabah, Sarawak dreams
by Sheridan Mahavera
The Malaysian Insider
December 02, 2013
Instead of handing out flyers, holding ceramah and spewing propaganda against the ruling Barisan Nasional, DAP is now trying a different tack to win the hearts and minds of voters in rural Sabah and Sarawak.
It is on a building spree. Not highways or electricity grids. But small water systems, (kindergartens and micro-hydro projects) that help improve the lives of remote villages somehow overlooked by BN.
The new venture, called Impian Sabah and Impian Sarawak respectively, aims to break the psychological hold BN has over rural Sabah and Sarawak folk. It is an approach to show that DAP or any opposition party is not the demon that it is made out to be.
By making a real difference in the lives of rural Sabahans and Sarawakians, said DAP assemblyperson for Kapayan Edwin @ Jack Bosi, the party hoped to convince them that it was a party of action and not rhetoric. Read the rest of this entry »
Illegitimacy of elections since 1984
Posted by Kit in Constitution, Elections, Mahathir on Monday, 2 December 2013, 9:34 am
by Ravinder Singh
The Malaysian Insider
December 2, 2013
DEC 2 — In his speech at the 26th convocation of Universiti Utara Malaysia His Royal Highness the Yang Di Pertuan Agung expressed his concern about people challenging the laws of the country, including the Federal Constitution. He is reported to have said “The people should always respect and uphold the law.”
In the light of the Agung’s advise, where does the admission or confession of the former Election Commission chief Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, that the three redelineation exercises he did were done in such a way to ensure Malays retained political power and that he did so “in a proper way, not illegally”, stand?
I don’t think the Agung means that anyone is above the law or exempted from the law. Abdul Rashid’s claim that he did the redelineation in a proper way is a lie. What he did was illegal as it breached the 13th schedule of the Constitution.
The three delineation exercises were carried out in 1984, 1994 and 2003. As these were carried out in violation of the direction of law as contained in schedule 13 of the Constitution, it follows that all the seven (7) General Elections since 1984, i.e. in 1986, 1990, 1995, 1999, 2004, 2008 and 2013 which were conducted based on the three unconstitutional delineation exercises, are also unlawful and as such void.
In other words, although the BN won all those elections, they were not won with clean hands and the governments were formed unconstitutionally. But do any of those who won by playing foul games, as the referee (the EC) had put obstacles, even great obstacles in the path of the opposing teams, feel shame? The obstacles were the huge disparities in the number of voters in the different constituencies where the value of a vote in an opposition supporting area was reduced to a mere 10 per cent or even less compared to a vote in a BN supporting area. A numbers game according to Abdul Rashid. Read the rest of this entry »
Mahathir should end his game of mischief in trying to demonise Pakatan Rakyat parties and incite racial hatred and conflict
The Malaysian Insider today reported a column in Utusan Malaysia by Tun Dr. Mahathir showing that the former Prime Minister is still up to his game of mischief to demonise Pakatan Rakyat parties and incite racial hatred and conflict in the country.
Mahathir said PAS will never lead Malaysia and even if Pakatan Rakyat captures Putrajaya it will be a junior partner and a DAP puppet.
Before the 13GE, DAP was accused of being a PAS puppet among the Chinese and non-Malay voters while PAS was accused of being a DAP puppet among Malay voters.
It would appear that UMNO/BN leaders and propagandists want Malaysian voters to believe that DAP is puppet to PAS, while PAS is puppet to DAP – thinking that Malaysians can be easily fooled into believing that DAP could be puppet to PAS and PAS puppet to DAP!
This is of course utter nonsense, for DAP is no puppet of PAS just as PAS is no puppet of DAP. Just because UMNO can make the other Barisan Nasional parties its puppet does not mean that this is the operating principle in Pakatan Rakyat as well.
Read the rest of this entry »
Rashid has virtually confirmed that previous constituency redelineation exercises violated the “one man, one vote, one value” principle and establishing that the Election Commission totally lacks transparency, credibility, integrity and professionalism
The nation must thank Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, the one man with the most experience as Secretary and Chairman of the Election Commission who managed not only six of 13 general elections but responsible for three of the four constituency redelineations in Malaysia, for admitting that the Election Commission has never lived up to its constitutional responsibility of being an independent and non-partisan body but was only an appendage of UMNO/Barisan Nasional to ensure their perpetual hold to political power.
Rashid’s joining of Perkasa is shocking enough, but this is nothing compared to his virtual confession that he had been responsible for the gerrymandering of the parliamentary and state assembly constituencies in three of the four constituency redelineations in the nation’s history.
Justifying his joining Perkasa, Rashid said that power was a numbers game and he could ensure that the Malays remain in power as this was the agenda of three constituency redelineation exercises conducted during his time with the Election Commission.
Rashid has not only confirmed, but become the most notable witness, of the fact that previous constituency redelineations were gerrymandering exercises which violated the “one man, one vote, one value” principle and establishing that the Election Commission totally lacks transparency, credibility, integrity and professionalism.
But these “gerrymandering” exercises were not to ensure that the Malays remain in power but to ensure that UMNO/BN remain in power as they were also directed against Malays not in Umno.
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Reform of the civil service: The NUCC is its last hope
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, nation building, public service on Friday, 29 November 2013, 12:13 pm
– Koon Yew Yin
The Malaysian Insider
November 29, 2013
To say that the newly established National Unity Consultative Council has been greeted with a big yawn by the public is too kind. Feedback so far especially over the uncensored internet has ranged from scepticism – “a political wayang” to the dismissive – “a waste of taxpayers’ money and time” and “expect NUCC to go the way of the 1Malaysia slogan”.
One reader has already predicted that “it will soon be known as the ‘No Use Consultative Council (NUCC)’”.
Part of the reason for the criticism is that among the group appointed to forge a new direction in national unity are some well-known apple polishers who have risen to where they are because of their prowess in flattering the Barisan Nasional.
On the bright side, those appointed could have been much worse – think of what outcome we will have if the Government had appointed Riduan Tee or Awang Selamat.
Another problem is the restricted terms of reference set up for the Council which can discuss only four subject areas – laws, the federal constitution, values and programmes. Why this limitation if not to prevent discussion of sensitive areas is the obvious conclusion to reach. Read the rest of this entry »
12-Point Strategy as Blueprint for Pakatan Rakyat to capture federal power in Putrajaya in 14GE
Posted by Kit in Constitution, Elections, Pakatan Rakyat, Sabah, Sarawak on Friday, 29 November 2013, 8:45 am
Yesterday, I posed the question whether Pakatan Rakyat could rise to the challenge to decide the political future not only of Sabah and Sarawak but the whole of Malaysia in the 14GE.
In my media statements in the past four days, I had illustrated with facts and figures that the three Pakatan Rakyat parties of DAP, PKR and PAS had achieved their best parliamentary and state assembly election results not only in peninsular Malaysia but also in Sabah and Sarawak – at one time helming five State Governments in Kelantan, Penang, Selangor, Kedah and Perak – during their tripartite co-operation in the 1999, 2008 and 2013 General Elections.
Today, in the last of a five-part series, I wish to present the following 12-point strategy for Pakatan Rakyat as a blueprint for capturing federal power in Putrajaya in the 14th General Elections.
1. Full and immediate commitment by all three Pakatan Rakyat parties of DAP, PKR and PAS, whether at national, state or local level, to enhance public support in next four years for Pakatan Rakyat’s quest for federal power in Putrajaya in 14GE. Read the rest of this entry »
Strategi 12 Mata sebagai Pelan Induk untuk Pakatan Rakyat menawan Putrajaya dalam PRU14
Posted by Kit in Constitution, Elections, Pakatan Rakyat, Sabah, Sarawak on Monday, 9 December 2013, 5:54 pm
Kelmarin, saya telah mengemukakan soalan sama ada Pakatan Rakyat sanggup bangkit untuk menyahut cabaran bagi menentukan masa depan bukan saja Sabah dan Sarawak, malah Malaysia secara keseluruhan dalam PRU14.
Dalam kenyataan media saya sejak empat hari lalu, saya telah menjelaskan menerusi fakta dan angka bahawa ketiga-tiga parti Pakatan Rakyat DAP, PKR, dan PAS telah mencapai keputusan terbaik di peringkat parlimen dan negeri di Semenanjung, Sabah, dan Sarawak – dan untuk suatu tempoh berjaya menguasai lima negeri, iaitu Kelantan, Pulau Pinang, Selangor, Kedah dan Perak – menerusi kerjasama ketiga-tiga parti itu dalam Pilihanraya Umum tahun 1999, 2008 dan 2013.
Hari ini, saya ingin membentangkan strategi 12 mata berikut untuk Pakatan Rakyat sebagai pelan induk untuk membentuk kerajaan persekutuan dan menawan Putrajaya dalam Pilihanraya Umum ke-14. Read the rest of this entry »
DAP MP: Gerrymandering protected Umno, not Malays
Posted by Kit in Constitution, Elections, Pakatan Rakyat, PAS, UMNO on Thursday, 28 November 2013, 1:25 pm
By Zurairi AR
The Malay Mail Online
November 28, 2013
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 — After an admission of gerrymandering by a former Election Commission (EC) chief, a DAP MP today claimed that past re-delineation exercises were only aimed at protecting the interests of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) rather than the Malay community.
According to Serdang MP Dr Ong Kian Ming, the EC would have added more seats in Malay-majority states Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu if it really was protecting the Malay interest as claimed by Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman earlier this week.
“If Tan Sri Abdul Rashid wanted to maintain Malay political dominance, why was it that no parliamentary seats were added to the Malay majority states of Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu in the 2003 delineation exercise?,” Ong said in a statement here.
“The reason for the non-addition of parliament seats in these three states is simple …The BN was fearful that if more seats were added in these states, it would benefit the opposition, specifically PAS.” Read the rest of this entry »
