Failure of BN to honor points engraved in the Keningau Oath Stone
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to revisit the historic Keningau Oath Stone together with Dato Seri’ Wilfred Bumburing, the MP for Tuaran who had recently left the BN and aligned himself with the opposition. The Oath Stone was erected as a reminder of the guarantee of the Federal Government to honor the 20 point agreement made with Sabah before the formation of Malaysia. Almost 48 years later, it is evident from the DAP Sabah initiated Janji Ditepati Public Hearings, that the three main points engraved in the Keningau Oath Stone – guaranteeing freedom of religion, upholding land autonomy and protecting native customs and traditions – have been cast aside by the BN government.
Sabahans from all walks of life and backgrounds in Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, Ranau, Tenom and Keningau have voiced out clearly and loudly, with their personal testimonies, that the rights of the Sabahans have not been upheld but have instead been abused and ignored in contravention to the spirit of the Keningau Oath Stone.
No less than Tan Sri Simon Sipaun, the former Sabah state secretary, has expressed doubt in the empty slogan that is Janji Ditepati when he said, during the Kota Kinabalu public hearing, that ‘the government is very long on eye catching slogans but very short on delivery’ akin to ‘lots of thunder and lightning but without the rain appearing.’ He is particularly well placed in making the statement that the BN government does not have the political will to solve the problem of ‘Pendatang Asing Tanpa Asing’ (PATI) as evidenced by successive half hearted and failed attempts over the past 25 years. One particularly egregious example of an empty promise was that made by Musa Aman, Chief Minister of Sabah, in 2006, to solve the problem of the illegal immigrants in Pulau Gaya which to date remains far from being solved. Read the rest of this entry »
A different Merdeka this year
Posted by Kit in Bridget Welsh on Thursday, 6 September 2012, 9:34 am
By Bridget Welsh
Sep 6, 2012 | Malaysiakini
Malaysians celebrated 55 years of independence on Aug 31. Most did so the usual Malaysian way – with family and friends, along with good food and great friendship.
Despite high levels of political anxiety, angst and uncertainty, there is much to celebrate. Malaysia is a great country, with a proud history and warm wonderful people.
I celebrated the event in Ipoh, where Perakians showed me the fine hospitality of good cheer and company. It is clearly evident that Malaysia’s finest assets are its people.
Najib and Muhyiddin at a rally to celebrate country’s 55th Independence Day in Bukit Jalil StadiumThis year’s Merdeka was markedly different, however. The event became highly politicised, as both sides of the political divide used the occasion to woo supporters. The use of government resources for logos, songs and political slogans and politicking during the official celebration with Umno-like political speeches does not reflect well on the governing coalition. Read the rest of this entry »
Najib’s big dilemma: When to call the polls?
Posted by Kit in Bridget Welsh on Thursday, 6 September 2012, 9:20 am
By Bridget Welsh
Sep 5, 2012 | Malaysiakini
Pundits continue to speculate on the election timing, with views ranging from Prime Minister Najib Razak making a surprise announcement to speculation that he will go the full term.
One thing is certain: The polls have to be held before the end of June next year. The person who appears most reluctant to hold the polls is Najib himself. He is now Malaysia’s longest serving prime minister without his own electoral mandate.
The pressure to call the polls and deliver a comfortable majority remains intense. Najib’s predecessor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, was forced to resign when he failed to win two-thirds of the parliamentary seats in the 2008 GE.
Based on fieldwork and polling, of the 222 seats up for grabs, 84 percent of them are “competitive” – and with the BN and the opposition having about the same number of “safe seats”. Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia Day, RCIII, Oil Royalty – BN’s half-hearted promises
5/9/2012: Lim Kit Siang and Wilfred Bumburing at the Keningau “Batu Sumpah” site – a reminder of the unfulfilled promise of honoring the 20 Points
Tweets @limkitsiang:
Sep 05, 11:55am
Sabah DAP’s “Janji Ditepati” Public Hearing in Tenom starts with Janji Diketepikan when police banned use of speaker system. Who is afraid?
Sep 05, 12:00pm
Najib said Umno/BN govt want 2make Msians “happy” but by forcing police 2disallow use of speaker system Umno/BN have made Tenom ppl unhappy
Sep 05, 12:10pm
Despite unreasonable undemocratic block @ Umno/BN behest, SabahDAP’s “Janji Ditepatikan” PublicHearing b4 capacity crowd Tenom great success
Sep 05, 12:19pm
Informed Tenom Public Hearing of my 1st twt 2Najib n my 5pt Open Cyber Msg 2four Sabah Ministers 2raise issue of RCIIISabah @ 2day’s Cabinet
Sep 05, 4:15pm
Full house @ Sabah DAP “Janji Ditepati” Public Hearing in Keningau. Sp guest speaker Wilfred Bumburing Tuaran MP who explained Y he quit BN
Sep 05, 4:32pm
B4 public hearing, I again visited Keningau “Batu Sumpah” with JimmyWong EdwinBosi Wilfred Bumburing MonggohOrow on religion land customs
Sep 05, 4:56pm
Gave 3 instances DAP PR have forced Umno/BN 2follow though half-hearted: 1) make 16/9 national public holiday although only since 2010 (1)
Sep 05, 5:01pm
2) RCIII Sabah though TOR unsatisfactory. No sign political will 2resolve issue “once n 4 all” with RCIII still in sleepmode after 7mths (2)
Sep 05, 5:07pm
3) Raise 5% oil royalty to 20%. Until lately Sabah CM opposed saying illogical 2increase royalty but now cos of PR pressure has changed tune (3)
RCI on Illegal Immigrants in Sabah – another example of yet another broken promise by the BN?
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, Sabah on Wednesday, 5 September 2012, 11:06 am
DAP Sabah kicked off a series of Janji Ditepati public hearings starting in Kota Kinabalu on Monday to seek feedback from the people of Sabah and see if the promises made by the BN during its 49 year rule have indeed been fulfilled or if the government’s Merdeka slogan is yet another in a long series of broken promises by the BN to the people of Sabah.
The last time a series of such public hearings were held was in 1962 when the Commission of Enquiry for North Borneo and Sarawak (better known as the Cobbold Commission) sought public feedback in Sabah and Sarawak for a period of 2 ½ months. Indeed, the Cobbold Commission, which was appointed in January 1962, took five months to complete and was submitted to the British on the 21st of June 1962. The final report was released on the 1st of August, 1962. The Commission was chaired by the former Governor of the Bank of England, Lord Cameron Cobbold, with a four member Commission namely Wong Pow Nee, Chief Minister of Penang, Mohammed Ghazali Shafie, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaya, Anthony Abell, former Governor of Sarawak and David Watherston, former Chief Secretary of Malaya.
In contrast, it took Najib 6 months to announce the members of the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Illegal Immigrants in Sabah and to come up with the Terms of Reference. And even the Terms of Reference may have been delayed further if not for the departure of two prominent BN Members of Parliament from Sabah. Three weeks later, concerned Sabahans are still waiting for any signs of life that the RCI has started work. Read the rest of this entry »
LKS sends 1st tweet to Najib and Open Cyber Message to Sabah Ministers
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, Sabah on Wednesday, 5 September 2012, 9:57 am
Tweets @limkitsiang:
Sep 05, 7:43am
@NajibRazak 1st time twt PM 4Cabinet agenda 2day include Y RCIII Sabah x started work 7mths after Cabinet decision – mana “Janji Ditepati”?
Sep 05, 8:03am
Open Cyber Msg 2SabahMinisters -PTI top issue @ DAPSabah “Janji Ditepati” PublicHearings in KK Ranau Donggongon.Do raise in Cabinet 2day (1)
Sep 05, 8:08am
Esp Y instrument of apptmt x yet issued 2RCI members 3weeks after PM’s announcement; whether/when RCIII Sabah will hold public hearings (2)
Sep 05, 8:16am
Y RCIII Sabah still in sleepmode 7months after Cabinet decision 2set it up when Cobbold Commission 1962 completed its work in 5mths? (3)
Sep 05, 8:21am
Urge Sabah Ministers Bernard Maximus Shafie Anifah 2raise RCIII Sabah issue in Cabinet 2day – followup 2my 1st twt 2PM on same issue. (4)
Sep 05, 8:25am
Sabah Ministers shd make post-Cabinet stmts 2day 2answer many questions on RCIII Sabah. Also Sabah Ministers shd all have twitter a/cs (5)
Read the rest of this entry »
Second Open Letter to Soi Lek
By Kee Thuan Chye | Tuesday, 04 September 2012 13:07
Malaysian Digest
Dear Soi Lek,
I last wrote an open letter to you that was published in this same website on Jan 12, 2011.
In it, you may recall, I said that being a highly educated person with the ability to think, you should consider renouncing race-based politics for the good of the nation.
I also wondered if the MCA still had any dignity left for continuing to be a part of Barisan Nasional (BN).
Since then, you have said or done nothing to indicate that you will change.
Read the rest of this entry »
‘Janji Ditepati’ Public hearings in Sabah successful kickoff in Kota Kinabalu
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, Sabah on Tuesday, 4 September 2012, 11:13 am
Tweets @limkitsiang:
Sep 03, 7:16pm
In KotaKinabalu 4kickoff of Sabah DAP “Janji Ditepati” 1st round of Public Hearings 2hear public views whether Sabahans agree with BN theme
Sep 03, 8:40pm
Congrats SabahDAP 4organising “Janji Ditepati” Public Hearing State tour as “substitute” 4RCI on 49yrs of Sabah in Msia proposed by DAP b4
Sep 03, 8:45pm
TanSri Simon Sipaun, whom I had proposed as RCI Chmn, speaking. He said Sabah is now Darul PTI as ilegals have long outnumbered Sabahans
Sep 03, 8:50pm
Simon speak abt poverty in when this shld not happen as Sabah very rich state with oil n other resources. Estimate poverty rate >30% inSabah
Read the rest of this entry »
Sabahans be thankful (3)
Posted by Kit in Martin Jalleh, Sabah on Tuesday, 4 September 2012, 10:55 am
By Martin Jalleh
Sabahans be thankful (2)
Posted by Kit in Martin Jalleh, Sabah on Tuesday, 4 September 2012, 10:49 am
By Martin Jalleh
Sabahans be thankful!
Posted by Kit in Martin Jalleh, Sabah on Tuesday, 4 September 2012, 10:44 am
By Martin Jalleh
Najib’s Nervous and Nauseating
Posted by Kit in Martin Jalleh, Najib Razak on Tuesday, 4 September 2012, 10:19 am
By Martin Jalleh
1MDB’s RM2.3b acquisition of Genting Sanyen – Questions
By Sentinel
Several months ago, 1MDB had won the bid to acquire Tanjong Energy from Ananda Krishnan for a consideration in excess of RM 8 billion. One weekend in August, rumours swirled regarding a new major acquisition by 1MDB in the power sector.
The “rumours” became reality when an announcement by Bursa said that 1MDB had agreed to acquire a unit of Genting Energy for RM 2.3 billion. That unit of Genting Energy was Genting Sanyen, one of the first generation IPPs with a capacity of 720MW and which came into operation in 1995. The power purchase agreement (PPA) with TNB will expire in 2016. Separately, Genting made a parallel announcement regarding the divestment, adding that it will book a extraordinary gain of RM 1.9 billion from the sale.
Any person with some commercial sense will realise that the book value of the Genting asset in question is only RM 400 million. The PPA has 4 more years to run, after which the asset will be worth nothing more than scrap metal. Even if TNB decides to extend the term of the PPA, it will be on TNB’s terms, and not on Genting’s terms because the alternative to Genting is scrap value of the plant. So why would 1MDB pay RM 2.3 billion for the asset ? Can it recover the RM 2.3 billion in the 4 years remaining of the PPA? Read the rest of this entry »
Cocky BN needs to repent
Jeswan Kaur | September 3, 2012
Free Malaysia Today
Before fingers are pointed at Pakatan for doing a bad job, it will do BN good to take a good look at itself and realise how how bad a track record it has.
COMMENT
Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the country’s former longest-serving prime minister, wants the rakyat to vote for Barisan Nasional come the 13th general election. His reason is that the federal government under the Barisan Nasional was all ears and had changed many laws and policies to bring a better future for the people.
Thanks but no thanks, Mahathir; had BN been listening, there would have been no reason for the “Bersih” saga to take place.
If all was well at the polls, the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections or Bersih, would not have taken to the streets, not one or twice but thrice.
And did the BN government listen then? No!
Why then must the rakyat vote BN back into power, if all BN does is to “monopolise” its existence and hoodwink the people into believing that it cares? Read the rest of this entry »
Choosing sides
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Elections, UMNO on Monday, 3 September 2012, 11:20 am
— Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Sep 03, 2012
SEPT 3 —Malaysians will indeed have to choose. Stand on the side of the oppressors or the oppressed. Support the deceiver or the deceived. Support the corrupt and endorse the looting and the pillage of this country. All done in the name of Agama, Bangsa dan Negara. Everything is justifiable because the perpetrators are Malays and forgetting the victims are in the majority also Malays. Pardon the government in shortchanging the FELDA settlers, giving them a measly 2.5 per cent of the FGVH shares while the bulk of the shares are hijacked by people who have no connection at all with FELDA. Pardon Umno because even though it allocates 2.5 per cent to settlers and 3 per cent to FELDA employees, all is done in the name of the Malays.
Ignore the fact that the LCCT is going to cost close to RM6 billion instead of RM500 million if facilities for a low-cost airline are built northwards of the current KLIA instead of agreeing that the facilities be built on soft ground as proposed by the MAB? Are people in the MAB making hay while the sun shines?
We keep quiet because it’s done by the current government which fights for Agama, Bangsa dan Negara.
Then, does that mean the agama of Umno endorses corruption, pillage and looting? Does that also mean that bangsa permits Umno to do all the transgressions? And does that mean agama and bangsa of the Malays excuse the murder of a Mongolian because she is after all just a prostitute? And finally because it is done in the name and on behalf of negara which Umno claims absolute ownership of, all of the above are excusable?
The recent spate of advertisements where various people say I chose Malaysia and I choose to vote are nothing more than the vilest self-serving propaganda. They are also self-congratulating. They seem to suggest that those who support the government choose to show the support through the voting process and those who do not appear to be shown as people who want to change government through undemocratic means. Read the rest of this entry »
‘Janji Demokrasi’ the Real Merdeka Event
Posted by Kit in Elections, Hishammuddin, Kee Thuan Chye, Najib Razak, nation building on Monday, 3 September 2012, 1:00 am
By Kee Thuan Chye
Malaysiakini
Sept 2, 2012
The occasion could not have been better chosen or timed: The eve of the country’s 55th Merdeka anniversary, two hours before countdown.
The venue could not have been more appropriate: Dataran Merdeka,where the countdown to Merdeka is held every year to commemorate the very first countdown to independence in 1957.
The theme could not have been more telling: ‘JanjiDemokrasi’, a response to the Government’s Merdeka theme, ‘Janji Ditepati’. Sasterawan Negara (National Laureate) A.Samad Said to read his impassioned poem with its powerful ending:
Kita laungkan jerit senyaringnya: “Janji Demokrasi!”
sehingglah janji itu turut menjeritnya sendiri!
(We cry with all our hearts: “The promise of democracy!”
until the promise itself joins in and cries out togetherwith us!)
Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein predicted few people would turn up. But, as usual, he was wrong. They came by the thousands – some counted tens of thousands – dressed in yellow, as requested by the organisers. Read the rest of this entry »
Dataran gathering gave me new hope
Posted by Kit in nation building on Monday, 3 September 2012, 12:44 am
By Christine SK Lai
Free Malaysia Today
September 2, 2012
I have started questioning, and what I see in my beloved land saddens me.
COMMENT
Why on earth would thousands of people come out of their homes to join thousands of other strangers on the streets, risking possible arrest in an assembly declared illegal?
Why would many still dress up in yellow, knowing full well this would immediately ‘mark’ them out as easy targets amongst the crowd, should provocation break out?
I am talking about the ordinary Malays, Chinese, Indians and others, some coming from out-of-state, who spilled over Dataran Merdeka and its surrounding areas on Aug 30, 2012, from 10pm onwards.
There was no colourful parade to cheer, no fiery VIP ‘leaders’ making ‘ra-ra-ra’ rousing speeches, no big-time performance to be entertained by, and hey, no free food! No one paid them anything to come. Many probably had to battle after-work traffic jams to turn up.
Many, like us, would also have suffered the darn inconvenience of having to go on a merry-go-round chase, rushing to catch the last LRT home after the event (we were told as we tried to board at Pasar Seni that only Masjid Jamek was open). Read the rest of this entry »
Stop political corruption: Stop party-hopping
Posted by Kit in Elections, Parliament, Politics on Monday, 3 September 2012, 12:28 am
by P Ramakrishnan
Aliran
2 September 2012
What must not be tolerated is the betrayal of voters who had cast their votes in favour of a candidate who then decides to party-hop after winning, says P Ramakrishnan in supporting anti-party-hopping legislation.
It isdifficult to justify why anyone would want to oppose an anti-party-hopping legislation that holds out hope for morality in politics. Any sane person should welcome this move so that elected representatives who betray their electors cannot go scot-free. These renegades cannot ignore the mandate of the voters who elected them.
The proposed legislation by the Penang State government does not prevent anyonefrom leaving their current party. They are free to go and join any party and associate themselves with whatever party they choose to keep company. There isno law to prevent them from jumping ship!
All that an anti-party-hopping legislation seeks to do is to force a by-election so that the voters who had been betrayed could be given the opportunity to decide once again whether they still want renegades or defectors to continue as their elected representatives. Those who initially elected the renegades must have the right to decide whether they still want them as their elected representative. Read the rest of this entry »
BN’s amateur politicking
Posted by Kit in Elections, Najib Razak, nation building on Monday, 3 September 2012, 12:02 am
— Lokman Zahid
The Malaysian Insider
Sep 02, 2012
SEPT 2 — Malaysia celebrated its 55th Merdeka Day two days ago but its politicians remain mired in a childish mindset that is best left at the kampung level. Come on, aren’t we supposed to be marching towards a developed nation status by 2020?
So why do we still have issues about a long-forgotten flag or that there are attempts to make Malaysia a republic? Who even remembers the flag and who in their right mind think that Malaysia can ever be a republic except the siege-mentality and scare-mongering of the folks in Barisan Nasional (BN).
The sad fact is that on the occasion of the 55th independence day anniversary celebrations, Najib Razak as prime minister had the opportunity to unite the country and speak like a statesman, the same way that Lee Hsien Loong did on August 9 at the National Day Rally in Singapore.
The Singapore Prime Minister cautioned Singaporeans against xenophobia and becoming lazy Singaporeans. After all, that tiny red dot south of the border is almost already the world’s richest country by per capita. He did not warn those who voted for the Opposition in the last elections, unlike our dear Najib.
In contrast, the BN government used this year’s National Day to divide the people, urging Malaysians to protect their “independence” from the Opposition. What kind of government does that? One that is bankrupt of ideas. Read the rest of this entry »
Internet blackout day: Politicisation of online activism?
Posted by Kit in IT, Media, Najib Razak on Sunday, 2 September 2012, 6:06 pm
— Damien D. Cheong and Yeap Su Yin
The Malaysian Insider
Sep 02, 2012
SEPT 2 — An internet blackout day was declared in Malaysia on 14 August 2012.
This was in protest against Section 114A of the recently-amended Evidence Act, which enables the authorities to act firmly against individuals who post defamatory, inflammatory and/or seditious content on the Internet.
The law not only holds the user/blogger potentially accountable for the offending post(s) but also any individual or organisation connected to the objectionable website or blog such as a person who: owns, administers or edits the website; is registered with the network service provider; and is in custody or control of the computer at the time the offence was committed.
These new amendments have alarmed many netizens and civil society groups because of the legislation’s wide scope and the heavy onus placed on the accused to prove his or her innocence. Many individuals have interpreted these amendments as an attempt by the Malaysian government to stifle internet freedom. The Stop 114A campaign was spearheaded by the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), a civil society group, but it soon attracted support from several prominent civil society organisations, bloggers and opposition parties.
In the wake of Internet Blackout Day, the Najib administration promised to re-evaluate Section 114A, with the prime minister assuring the public that ‘Whatever we do, we must put the people first’. While this outcome may be interpreted as a success for online activism in Malaysia, the question this raises is whether such online activism can truly create an impact on its own or whether it needs support from opposition parties and political notables to do so. Read the rest of this entry »
