BN has delivered – Record High Household Debts!
Posted by Kit in Martin Jalleh on Saturday, 23 March 2013, 11:08 am
by Martin Jalleh
Walk your talk on corruption, Najib
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Najib Razak, Sarawak on Saturday, 23 March 2013, 9:27 am
Joseph Tawie | March 22, 2013
Free Malaysia Today
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is under tremendous pressure to act against Sarawak’s Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud’s alleged abuses and corruption.
KUCHING: Sarawak opposition DAP has called on Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to “walk his talk” in fighting corruption which was one of his national key result areas (NKRA) launched in 2010.
Reminding Najib, party secretary Chong Chieng Jen said: “It is time for Najib to prove that he walks the talk when it comes to fighting corruption as one of his NKRA.
“If Najib is serious about fighting corruption as one of his NKRAs, he should immediately do the following:
(1) arrest all the personalities mentioned in the Global Witness video clip for investigation;
(2) obtain a full disclosure of the amount of state land being alienated to Taib’s family members’ companies at fractions or even as low as 10% of market prices; and,
3) freeze all bank accounts and assist personalities mentioned in the video clip. Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia’s looming election – Video nasties
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Corruption, Elections, Najib Razak, Sabah on Saturday, 23 March 2013, 8:49 am
Economist
Mar 23rd 2013 | KUALA LUMPUR
– A two-year election campaign nears its climax
WITH a tight election coming up, it is politics as usual in Malaysia—only more so. This month alone has seen the opposition accused of colluding in a foreign invasion of the state of Sabah in Borneo; the death of a private investigator, reviving stories of the grisly murder in 2006 of a beautiful Mongolian woman linked to a friend of the prime minister, Najib Razak; the leader of the opposition, Anwar Ibrahim, denying that he was one of two men appearing in grainy pictures online in an affectionate clinch; and a film shot on hidden cameras that appears to show large-scale corruption in the government of the other Malaysian state in Borneo, Sarawak.
Sailing blithely above the mud and filth that make Malaysian political waters so murky, Mr Najib went on national television on March 19th to deliver the scorecard on the “transformation programme” his government has implemented. He had a good story to tell, of robust economic growth of 5.6% in 2012, poverty virtually eliminated, inequality reduced and 400 legal cases against corruption initiated. And he was able to announce that a scheme to give cash handouts to poorer households will become an annual event.
All should be set fair, you might think, for Mr Najib’s ruling coalition, the Barisan Nasional (BN), to romp home again at the election, as it has done in every ballot since independence in 1957. Mr Najib is expected to dissolve parliament any day now, with the voting to follow in mid-April after a brief official campaign period (the unofficial one has now lasted two years or more). If he does not dissolve parliament, its term will expire at the end of April, and the election must then be held by the end of June.
In fact, the outcome is in doubt, for the first time in Malaysia’s history. Read the rest of this entry »
Salute Kit Siang for going for broke
by Dr Chris Anthony
Malaysiakini
Mar 20, 2013
The decision by Lim Kit Siang, the DAP adviser and veteran opposition leader, comes as no surprise from a politician of his calibre.
This is not the first time he has chosen to take such risks but this is the first time his risk is most significant in changing the political landscape of the country.
His willingness to contest in the high-risk Gelang Patah seat in Johor may well initiate a political tsunami from the south that could result in a win for Pakatan Rakyat for the first time in the history of the nation.
We salute Kit Siang for his boldness to take that risk not many politicians will be willing to undertake. Read the rest of this entry »
Political rivals in a strategic battle
Posted by Kit in DAP, Elections, Najib Razak, Pakatan Rakyat on Saturday, 23 March 2013, 2:22 am
— Lim Sue Goan
The Malaysian Insider
March 22, 2013
MARCH 22 — BN has made an all-out effort to create a feel-good atmosphere but its political strategy is not as flexible as Pakatan Rakyat’s.
Pakatan Rakyat has started to unveil its candidates and display its strength. BN, meanwhile, is still carefully selecting candidates and considering constituency exchanges, causing election campaign activities in some constituencies to now lag behind.
Take the DAP as an example. Some candidates have been decided such as Negri Sembilan DAP chairman and Lobak state assemblymen Anthony Loke, who will be contesting the Chennah state seat, party parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang will contest the Gelang Patah parliamentary seat and Himpunan Hijau chairman Wong Tack will contest the Bentong parliamentary seat.
Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had also announced on Wednesday some PKR parliamentary candidates. His daughter Nurul Izzah will seek re-election in Lembah Pantai and PKR strategic director Mohd Rafizi Ramli will contest the Pandan parliamentary seat. Also, five Sarawak parliamentary candidates have also been decided.
There are also some signs showing the deployment of PAS candidates, including party vice-president Salahuddin Ayub who will be contesting in Johor while former Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin will be contesting the Changkat Jering state seat. Read the rest of this entry »
One Small stride by Kit Siang, One Giant Step nearer to Putrajaya
by Sakmongkol AK47
Thursday, 21 March 2013
The return of Lim Kit Siang to Johor should not matter to UMNO and BN. Why should it cause worry? Isn’t it mathematically impossible for PR to go from 1 seat to 15 parliamentary seats? The Johor Chinese are different. They have an unshakeable allegiance to the state. So the Johor Chinese are by definition, naturally indifferent to what is happening around in the country.
The Chinese are a very practical people says Chua Soi Lek. Soi lek must of course be referring to the Chinese apparent indifference to his sexual escapades. By that reasoning, the Chinese must also be indifferent to whatever stories are said of Anwar Ibrahim and they should be indifferent to Najib’s overextended and boring self-praising assessment of his Alphabet Soup vision. Ah Jib Gor does what Ah Jib Gor does best-tell tall stories mostly about himself.
Being practical they want to know, whether we can establish a good government. Which will practise good governance. Consists of good, selfless and dedicated people. They want to go about making wealth under a government that upholds the rule of law. Which in turn require that the institutions that safeguard the rule and implementation of law be strong and independent and are established on principles of integrity. The Chinese want to live peacefully with the other major races in Malaysia. These are hallmarks of practical people.
I don’t think being practical means, they accept corruption, wheeling and dealing with the powers that be, accepting hegemony from others. If they are like that- that’s not being practical but being sly and acting like hustlers. The ‘thing’ that made the Chinese practical is economic independence. So being practical as in economically independent, the Chinese can exercise wider choices. They will chose to side with PRakyat. That’s practical and acknowledging reality. Read the rest of this entry »
BN has delivered – the Highest Illicit Outflow in Nation’s History!
Posted by Kit in Martin Jalleh on Friday, 22 March 2013, 7:10 pm
by Martin Jalleh
BN has Delivered – the Highest Debt in the Nation’s History!
Posted by Kit in Martin Jalleh on Friday, 22 March 2013, 7:07 pm
by Martin Jalleh
20-Day Countdown to 13GE – Lies, Damn Lies and PEMANDU Statistics
When first we practise to deceive!
Sir Walter Scott, Marmion, Canto vi. Stanza 17.
Scottish author & novelist (1771 – 1832)
Datuk Seri Idris Jala, CEO of PEMANDU has issued a statement stating that growth of Gross National Income (GNI) per capita in US dollars from 2009 to 2012 has been revised down to 41 percent from 49 percent.
He is reported to have said that the revision arose following the adoption of a new accounting method, rather than a deliberate attempt to fudge numbers.
He pointed out that the change in figures was due to the adoption of the latest version of the United Nations System of National Accounting (SNA 2008) in 2012 which had pushed the GNI per capita up for 2009 from US$6700 to US$7059.
He offered other weak and lame reasons defending the method and the numbers put out by PEMANDU.
Little of what he said cuts much ice. The change in numbers makes little difference. The attribution to an adoption of a new method or international standard has little to do with the nature of the numbers.
He has been caught in a gross deception by applying the concept of GNI to project growth in per capita incomes of individuals. GNI is defined by the UN Statistical Division as: Read the rest of this entry »
Kit Siang’s ambition
by Tay Tian Yan
The Malaysian Insider
March 21, 2013
MARCH 21 — DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang has, after all, engaged in politics for half a century. He is indeed a daring veteran politician of Malaysia, just like Lian Po, a prominent military general of Zhao during the Warring States period of China.
Reputable Lian Po was an outstanding general who had fought in battles for decades. He was still ambitious even in his old age.
He was a semi-retired general when he was 70 years old. However, since there was no general to lead the troops to fight against Qin, someone actually suggested Lian Po. The emperor of Zhao frowned and asked: “Is the old Lian Po still able to eat?”
He then sent someone to find it out.
Lian Po knew that the emperor was trying to find out his condition, he thus invited the scout to stay for a meal. He ate a bucket of rice and 10 pounds of meat in front of the scout and gave a horse-riding performance to prove that he was still very strong.
However, the scout was bribed by his political enemy. He told the emperor that Lian Po could still eat, but he went to release himself three times during the meal.
The emperor then thought Lian Po was no longer capable and thus he dared not field him for the battle. Zhao was later defeated by Qin in the Battle of Changping. Read the rest of this entry »
A sure win for Lim Kit Siang?
by Lim Mun Fah
The Malaysian Insider
March 22, 2013
MARCH 22 — Many Pakatan Rakyat supporters were filled with a wild ecstatic happiness and believed that it would be a sure-win battle when Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim made the announcement that DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang will contest in Gelang Patah, Johor. Most members of public also believe that his odds of winning are extremely high.
If we analyse calmly, however, the MCA might not necessarily lose the battle. Nothing is impossible in politics. Moreover, Lim is not God, he has suffered five defeats in his political career over the past nearly half a century, including the Serdang state seat in the 1968 by-election, the Bandar Hilir state seat in 1982, the Tanjung Bungah state seat in 1995, and the Bukit Bendara parliamentary seat, as well as the Kebun Bunga state seat in 1999, plunging his political career into a trough.
There is a certain risk for Lim to contest in Gelang Patah, the MCA’s turf. If we look at the election records of Gelang Patah, the MCA’s Chang See Ten @ Teu Si won the seat with 24,219-vote majority in 1995 and 26,405-vote majority in 1999. In 2004, the MCA’s then fresh candidate Tan Ah Eng achieved a peak by winning the seat with a 31,666-vote majority, and given the anti-ruling party sentiment in 2008, Tan still won the seat with 8,851-vote majority. The record shows that Gelang Patah has been a stronghold of the MCA and it is not that easy to pull it down. Read the rest of this entry »
What about our economic progress?
Posted by Kit in Martin Jalleh on Friday, 22 March 2013, 3:51 pm
by Martin Jalleh
GE13 – Make the Right Choice
Posted by Kit in Kee Thuan Chye on Friday, 22 March 2013, 3:42 pm
By Kee Thuan Chye
from March 2013 issue of Penang Monthly
Voters, you have to decide soon. The 13th general election has to be held at the latest within two months of April 28, when the current government’s term expires. It may even be called next month if Prime Miniser Najib Razak has the gumption for it.
Meanwhile, if you haven’t decided yet which coalition – Barisan Nasional (BN) or Pakatan Rakyat (PR) – should win federal power for the next five years, consider this.
After 55 years of ruling this country, where has BN got us?
The country is more divided than ever. We have been polarised on racial and religious lines for decades, but now we are divided by political leanings as well.
What about our economic progress? Read the rest of this entry »
The Coming Tsunami
by Allan CF Goh
Nobody saw the storm coming,
But it did, with people’s blessing.
Up North, there was a tsunami,
Which united folks, just like me.
It brought renewed hopes to people,
Held high as the highest steeple.
Now the tsunami is spreading;
Johoreans are now expecting,
A new dawning for their belief,
To realize their hope, relief.
Let the wind of change start to blow,
Let our dear nation grow and glow.
Read the rest of this entry »
So what has Najib really transformed, Nazir?
Posted by Kit in Martin Jalleh on Friday, 22 March 2013, 8:20 am
by Martin Jalleh
21-Day Countdown to 13GE – The empty drumbeats from Pemandu (Part 2)
The Pemandu Claims and a Reality Check
The Claim
We used a credible global yardstick – the World Bank’s approach to define our high income target. The World Bank’s current GNI per capita threshold for a high income economy is US$12,476. We factored in the World Bank’s published historical global inflation figure of two per cent until 2020 to arrive at a high-income threshold of US$15,000.
The Facts
Each year on July 1, The World Bank revises the classification of the world’s economies based on estimates of gross national income (GNI) per capita for the previous year…… As of 1 July 2012, the World Bank income classifications by GNI per capita are as follows:
- Low income: $1,025 or less
- Lower middle income: $1,026 to $4,035
- Upper middle income: $4,036 to $12,475
- High income: $12,476 or more
Source: http://search.worldbank.org/all?qterm=COUNTRY%20CLASSIFICATIONS
COMMENT: The calculations are done annually and are not comparable from year to year and cannot therefore be projected. Thus the figure of US$ 15,000 projected by PEMANDU is wholly meaningless.
The numbers cited by the Prime Minister earlier and now repeated in the Report are a fabrication and deviate widely from the GNI per capita numbers for Malaysia published by the World Bank on its web site : http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.CD/countries/MY-4E-XT?display=default Read the rest of this entry »
21-Day Countdown to 13GE – The empty drumbeats from Pemandu (Part 1)
Posted by Kit in Elections, ETP, Najib Razak on Thursday, 21 March 2013, 6:03 pm
The EPT Annual Report for 2012 prepared by PEMANDU and launched by the Prime Minister with great fanfare is nothing more than a public relations effort.
The report has been written and delivered as part of the electioneering effort mounted by a Government that is desperately attempting to convey to a disbelieving electorate a picture of progress and achievements together with promises of attaining the promised land of a High Income country by 2020.
Taken as a whole, the Report is a document that attempts to project illusions, highly massaged selective facts to lull the electorate. The primary objective is to gain a return to power at all costs.
The Report contains glossy charts and graphs and statements that cannot be substantiated.
It fails dismally by not providing a true and candid assessment of the challenges the nation faces because of squandered opportunities for mounting genuine economic reforms particularly needed in view of the uncertainties linked with weaknesses in the global economy that emerged in 2007. Read the rest of this entry »
BN has delivered – A Nation Most Vulnerable to an Economic Storm!
Posted by Kit in Martin Jalleh on Thursday, 21 March 2013, 9:36 am
by Martin Jalleh
22-Day Countdown to 13GE – Najib deserves an “F” in his National Transformation Program (NTP) report card for failing to acknowledge, much less tackle the issues of Corruption, Crime and Education
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Crime, Education, Elections, Najib Razak on Thursday, 21 March 2013, 7:16 am
Najib released his National Transformation Program (NTP) Report Card yesterday evening in his ‘State of the Union’ address that was broadcast live on mainstream media and also online. To no one’s surprise, he gave himself top marks in both the Government Transformation Program (GTP) and the Economic Transformation Program (ETP).
Nearly all of the KPIs set were met, if not surpassed, in each of the National Key Results Areas (NKRAs) and the National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs).
But to borrow a phrase from a popular author, there are ‘lies, damned lies, and KPIs’.
If we compare the stellar achievements of Najib’s report card in just three areas – Corruption, Crime and Education – to reality and also other more credible evidence, we are left with no choice but to give Najib an “F” for his NTP Report Card. Read the rest of this entry »
Scandal-hit PM still sits in office in Shameless Silence!
Posted by Kit in Martin Jalleh on Wednesday, 20 March 2013, 2:38 pm
by Martin Jalleh
