Perak Pakatan demands explanation over highway contract
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Good Governance, Judiciary on Tuesday, 21 February 2012, 3:45 pm
By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 21, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 21 — Perak Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders cried foul today over the award of a lucrative RM2.2 billion highway contract to companies linked to former Chief Justice Tun Zaki Azmi and Umno lawyer Datuk Hafarizam Harun, two key figures in the Perak constitutional crisis of 2009.
They demanded both men and the Najib administration explain the award and yesterday’s allegation by controversial blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin that the deal was Barisan Nasional’s (BN) gift for their help in toppling PR in the northern state.
“(Prime Minister Datuk Seri) Najib Razak and the Works Ministry must come out to refute this allegation with proof that they carried out an open tender process and the award was based on the firms’ proper qualifications, track record and expertise in the field.
“As an MP and the former mentri besar of Perak, I demand an explanation from the authorities… failing which, this allegation would hold true,” PAS’s Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin told The Malaysian Insider. Read the rest of this entry »
Najib has completely demolished MCA lie that “A vote for DAP is a vote for PAS” when he decided to be a Chua Soi Lek clone with his own warning to Malay voters that “A vote for PAS is a vote for DAP”
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, DAP, MCA, Najib Razak, Pakatan Rakyat, PAS, UMNO on Tuesday, 21 February 2012, 3:18 pm
I am still intrigued what were the considerations behind the decision of the Prime Minister and UMNO President, Datuk Seri Najib Razak on Sunday to be a Chua Soi Lek clone, adopting the MCA President’s sophistry to warn Malays that “A vote for PAS is a vote for DAP” implying most falsely, irresponsibly and mischievously that DAP has an anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Malay Rulers agenda.
Is it beyond the political comprehension of Najib and his political strategists that the first consequence of Najib adopting the Chua Soi Lek sophistry is to completely demolish the MCA’s No. 1 political weapon against the DAP – falsely warning the Chinese voters that “A vote for DAP is a vote for PAS” resulting in an Islamic state and hudud Islamic laws? Read the rest of this entry »
The emasculation of our judiciary
— Art Harun
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 21, 2012
FEB 21 — In any Westminster-styled democracy, a country’s administration consists of three main machinations, namely, the Legislative, the Executive and the Judiciary. The Legislative makes laws. The Executive runs the country. Lastly, but by no means the least, the Judiciary adjudicates disputes and determines them.
The Judiciary does not only adjudicate disputes amongst private citizens but also, more importantly, disputes between the citizens and the Executive (the government). In a branch of law called “administrative law”, the Judiciary inherently has the power to issue four kinds of orders against the Executive. These are traditional judicial powers which are paramount towards ensuring that rules of law are complied with not only by the people but also by the Executive.
Firstly, the Court may issue a certiorari order to quash any decision of the Executive. Secondly, an order of prohibition may be issued to restrain the Executive from doing any act. These two orders are usually issued if the act complained of is illegal, improper or made without power (ultra vires). Thirdly, the Court may issue an order of mandamus to compel the Executive to do certain act.
Fourthly, and perhaps most importantly, a writ of habeas corpus, may be issued by the Court to compel the government to produce and free anybody who is improperly detained.
These are the traditional powers of the Judiciary. They exist for hundreds of years and have throughout the years been refined in order to keep up with the demands of modern governance. Read the rest of this entry »
Of press prostitutes and cowed media
Comment
by Thomas Lee Seng Hock
Perhaps the most despicable matter that has come out of the great debate between DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and MCA president Chua Soi Lek on Saturday 18 February 2012 is the contemptible lie by a mercenary spin writer of a mainstream English daily that Guan Eng demanded another debate presumably to repair damaged over his scarred image for losing to Soi Lek.
The claim by such a contemptuous writer is certainly deliberately made to run down Guan Eng and present him in bad light among the general public, since it has been known, and even agreed to by Soi Lek a few days prior to the great debate, that Guan Eng wanted a second round to be held for the benefit of the non-Mandarin speaking public since the first debate was in Mandarin.
Furthermore, the paper this mercenary writer writes for has acknowledged and published a brief admission of its error in reporting a statement attributed to Guan Eng that claimed he said “We do not agree the prime minister must always be a Malay because we want the people to decide.” Yet, he repeated the erroneous statement in his comment, either deliberately to perpetually spread the lie, or is an ignorant fool who doesn’t know what is really happening.
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has expressed indignation at DAP national election publicity bureau chief Hew Kuan Yau for likening journalists to prostitutes, and demanded that he apologise for the derogatory comment.
Although, I understand the NUJ feeling on the matter, I cannot help but have to agree with Hew’s statement that there are journalists who will sell their principles and souls for material gains. The above mercenary spin writer is a good example. Read the rest of this entry »
Budaya samseng: Itulah dalil jelas nak kehilangan kuasa
— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 20, 2012
20 FEB — Hari ini saya mendengar apa yang berlaku di Semberong, Johor malam tadi. Mengikut laporan, kereta ketua pembangkang, Anwar Ibrahim, telah dibaling dengan berbagai-bagai objek pada 11.30 malam tadi dan ini merupakan satu budaya yang sedang terbentuk didalam Umno, iaitu budaya samseng. Budaya memaki hamun dalam Umno sudah meningkat kepada budaya samseng pula.
Tidak perlu seseorang itu untuk memihak kepada mana-mana pihak tetapi jika benar perkara ini berlaku, maka sahlah Umno sedang membentuk satu budaya samseng, sebagai satu lagi kaedah untuk menakut-nakutkan orang ramai dari menyokong pihak yang menentang Barisan Nasional.
Kelakuan kumpulan yang mengganggu program pihak PR ini adalah satu tindakan yang telah keluar jauh dari moral politik apatah lagi yang melakukan perkara yang tidak bertamaddun ini adalah di kalangan pemuda Melayu.
Tindakan mereka ini dibiarkan sahaja oleh pihak penguatkuasa undang-undang, iaitu pihak polis kita. Politik ini adalah perang psikoloji bukannya peperangan terbuka seperti peperangan tentera diantara dua negara yang bersengketa. Read the rest of this entry »
BN political chicanery, mendacity and bankruptcy of first order with CSL warning Chinese voters “A vote for DAP is a vote for PAS” while Najib warning Malay voters “A vote for PAS is a vote for DAP”
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, MCA, Najib Razak, Pakatan Rakyat, UMNO on Monday, 20 February 2012, 3:23 pm
This is a disgraceful episode Malaysians must never forget, especially in the forthcoming 13th General Elections which holds out the possibility for the first time in the 54-year history of our nation of effecting a change of government at the national level.
The message of the MCA President Datuk Seri Chua Soil Lek in his debate with DAP Secretary-General and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng on Saturday 18th February 2011 was his canard to Chinese voters warning that “A vote for DAP is a vote for PAS” resulting in an Islamic state and hudud Islamic laws.
Barely 24 hours later yesterday, the Prime Minister and UMNO President Datuk Seri Najib Razak decided to emulate the MCA President’s political chicanery and mendacity, producing his duly modified canard to Malay voters warning that “A vote for PAS is a vote for DAP” resulting in a “anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Malay Rulers” future for Malaysia – and which can only mean no Islamic State and no hudud Islamic laws!
Imagine the sheer political insanity of a Barisan Nasional campaign where MCA warns Chinese voters that “A vote for DAP is a vote for PAS” in the sense that DAP will just be a stooge of PAS while UMNO warns Malay voters that “A vote for PAS is a vote for DAP” in the sense that PAS will be a puppet of DAP!
And horror of horrors, Barisan Nasional leaders do not see the sheer illogicality, insanity and even idiocy of such a campaign line! Read the rest of this entry »
Seeking lessons from the star-studded debate
By Dr Mustafa K. Anuar | February 20, 2012
The Malaysian Insider
FEB 20 — Saturday’s much-hyped debate, “Chinese at a crossroads: Is the two-party system becoming a two-race system?”, between Democratic Action Party (DAP) Secretary-General (and also Penang Chief Minister) Lim Guan Eng and Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) President Dr Chua Soi Lek captured the attention and imagination of many concerned Malaysians and predictably made it to the front page of the MCA-owned Sunday Star.
Starting from the front-page story, headlined “Raising the bar”, the Sunday paper took the readers through to the inside pages, particularly pages 6, 8, 10 and 12, with everything that to do with the debate.
This ranged from news reports to interviews with individuals who had intensely watched the debate to commentaries by the paper’s usual columnists. The common thread that tied these items together was generally a positive slant towards the MCA president, i.e. the purported protagonist, which is really not news at all to mainstream media-weary Malaysians.
Read the rest of this entry »
DAP and the PAS Islamic agenda
Comment by THOMAS LEE SENG HOCK
One of the most contentious issues that MCA president Chua Soi Lek raised at last weekend’s great debate is the so-called call PAS Islamic agenda, and the alleged failure of his opponent DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng to make a public stand on the matter.
Soi Lek and his MCA have been harping on this PAS issue consistently, persistently, and tediously since early 2011, trying to score political points rhetorically to undermine the credibility of Guan Eng and the DAP, using in particular the party-owned newspaper The Star in his unrelenting determined campaign against the DAP.
But does Soi Lek truly understand what the whole matter of the Islamic agenda is all about?
PAS, like any other political party all over the world is founded on a political idealogy, in its case the Islamic theocratic idealogy. The raison d’être for the founding of PAS is the promotion, advancement and establishment of an Islamic theocratic society. Without this mandate, PAS has no legitimate purpose to continue its existence.
Read the rest of this entry »
The case of not leading by example
Posted by Kit in Law & Order on Monday, 20 February 2012, 10:10 am
By Zakiah Hanum | February 20, 2012
The Malaysian Insider
FEB 20 — I was driving down the coastal road yesterday when I saw an army van ahead of me. The driver was in his fatigues, puffing away at the wheel.
While it may not be offence for people to smoke while driving, I find it unbecoming for a soldier on duty to do so. Fastidious you may think, but there is more as the said soldier drove through the red traffic light.
This type of errant behaviour amongst our uniformed personnel is not altogether unfamiliar, albeit this is the first time I have witnessed an army personnel flout the law. I have seen the police break traffic rules many times. I have also observed bad-manners and crass behaviour in local police officers on several occasions.
Read the rest of this entry »
Grounding Those High-Flying Kampong Boys
Posted by Kit in Bakri Musa on Monday, 20 February 2012, 10:04 am
As I reflect on the many sordid scandals that have blighted Malaysia over the years, I am struck by one sobering observation. That is, the principal players are Malays like me, and of my vintage.
There are exceptions, of course. The mega-ringgit Port Klang Free Zone Development is one. Then there was the Malaysian Chinese Association’s Deposit Taking Cooperative debacle of the mid 1980s. So as not to slight the Indian community, there was the equally ugly affair of MAIKA, the investment arm of the Malaysian Indian Congress.
In East Malaysia there was the Chief Minister of Sabah, one Osu Bin Haji Sukam, who skipped on his multimillion-pound gambling debt incurred in a London casino. His Haji father would roll over in his grave on that one. On a far grander scale with respect to sheer avarice and outrageous obscenity would be the still-to-be-fully-accounted glutton of another chief minister, this one of Sarawak. Purists may argue that these two characters are not Melayu tulen (“pure” Malays), so I will not focus on them.
Read the rest of this entry »
1 Care: Show us the mathematics
— John Teo
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 19, 2012
FEB 19 — 1 Care for 1 Malaysia sounds like a very good slogan but behind this impressive slogan and all the controversies, rhetoric, claims and counter claims lies a very big and fundamental question of where is the funding of such a massive overhaul of our healthcare system going to come from?
We know that the basic principle of part-government and part-public funding underlies this concept and the reason behind this shift of funding policy is the ever-escalating health costs which the government cannot continue to provide funding for indefinitely.
Let me quote two very important facts. 1) According to the 2012 Budget that was announced by our prime minister, the allocation for health totals RM1.8 billion, which is equivalent to 3.7 per cent of the total budget. There were other ministries that have higher budget, notable ones being the Ministry of Defence.
The World Health Organisation recommends that at least five to six per cent of a total budget be allocated to health. Many other countries allocate up to seven to eight per cent. Malaysia is way below that mark. Read the rest of this entry »
The 1 Malaysia charade has ended
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, MCA, Najib Razak, UMNO on Sunday, 19 February 2012, 11:13 pm
— Ali Kadir
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 19, 2012
FEB 19 — Today is the day that the charade of 1 Malaysia has finally come to an end. Thank you, Najib Razak for finally showing some honesty and playing the race card and in doing so, burying the notion that you actually were supportive of a country where race and religion were becoming less important.
It is a fact of life that we discover much about ourselves, our friends and our leaders when the going gets tough and challenges abound.
So it is with Najib today. It is a fair conclusion that with the National Feedlot Centre scandal, the civil service salary fiasco and continuing antipathy towards Umno, he is feeling some pressure with the general elections coming up. In this type of back-against-the-wall situation, I would have hoped that Najib would have resisted the temptation to play the race and religious cards. Read the rest of this entry »
Do you know how to write the word ‘shame’?
Posted by Kit in Corruption, MCA on Sunday, 19 February 2012, 11:05 pm
— May Chee Chook Ying
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 19, 2012
FEB 19 — Read that CSL took a swipe at OTK by saying that he, the latter, can’t lead and that was why he was toppled in a year. On the contrary, he, OTK, was toppled because he exposed corruption and that to me, is the sorriest thing MCA has done to itself!
Not too long ago when CSL was vilified left and right for his “indiscretion” I remember telling my husband that everyone should just forgive him (after all, he admitted his transgression) and let him be. I wasn’t condoning his act but I believe in second chances and more than that, I felt sorry for his wife and family for the pain they must have been going through. I remember, then, I wasn’t too happy that OTK did not seem to be able to forgive him. On hindsight, OTK maybe, knew a lot, lot more. Read the rest of this entry »
Debat CSL vs LGE: MCA tunjukkan lagi sikap chauvinisnya
— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 19, 2012
19 FEB — Perdebatan diantara Lim Guan Eng (LGE) dan Chua Soi Lek (CSL) semalam menampakkan sikap dan pandangan MCA dan Presidennya yang ‘flip-flop’. Pandangan Soi Lek jelas menunjukkan lidah bercabang-cabang diantara parti terbesar dalam BN, Umno dan MCA. Saya tidak tahu mengapa CSL memberanikan diri untuk berdebat dengan topik sistem dua parti atau sistem dua bangsa dengan Setiausaha Agong DAP itu. Dari awal lagi saya telah menelah yang MCA akan gagal untuk meyakinkan orang ramai yang parti itu adalah sebuah parti yang hampir hilang seluruh kerdibilitinya dimata rakyat ramai.
Kita boleh mempelajari beberapa perkara dalam perbahasan ini. Pertamanya ia menunjukkan yang MCA lah yang anti Islam dengan menjadikan perhubungan baik di antara PAS dan DAP sebagai isu besar dalam perdebatan itu. Bagi MCA, PAS itu adalah parti Islam dan kerjasama DAP dengan PAS itu hanya akan menjadikan DAP sebagai keldai politik PAS untuk kepentingan PAS dan Islamnya.
Dengan kenyataan CSL itu maka hilanglah isu DAP anti Melayu dan Islam itu kerana MCA menganggapnya sebagai satu perkara yang tidak sepatutnya berlaku. Bagi MCA ia mahukan DAP menolak PAS kerana PAS adalah parti Islam yang didominasi oleh orang Melayu Islam. MCA tidak selesa melihat kerjasama DAP dengan parti Islam ini dan ia menunjukkan yang anti Melayu dan anti Islam itu adalah MCA. MCA masih tidak menyedari yang isu rasis dan agama ini adalah isu yang tidak lagi laku kepada generasi sekarang ini.
Umno pula selalu menyatakan tentang isu ini bertentangan dengan pandangan MCA. Oleh kerana permainan politik yang dianggap tidak bijak Umno sebaliknya menuduh PAS diperguna oleh DAP pula. Ini menunjukkan yang parti-parti komponen dalam BN masih mahukan cara mengekalkan kuasa dengan memecah belahkan kerjasama yang terjalin diantara parti-parti dalam pakatan itu. Read the rest of this entry »
Debate idea set to bloom
Posted by Kit in DAP, Lim Guan Eng, MCA, Pakatan Rakyat, UMNO on Sunday, 19 February 2012, 5:08 pm
Terence Netto | Feb 19, 2012
Malaysiakini
COMMENT
The topic for the debate did not matter; in any case, it was too vague for the speakers to make much sense of it.
The moderator was not up to the task; in any case, allowing questions from antagonistic members of rival parties was an invitation to dishevelment.
Nevertheless, the speakers got off the hits they must have been honing all week; in any event, this was whole point of the exercise.
In sum, the principle of debate and of its utility between leaders of contending political parties came off well from the Dr Chua Soi Lek versus Lim Guan Eng televised clash yesterday.
Score one for the fledgling idea which may well come to be called the ‘Great Malaysian Electoral Debates’. Read the rest of this entry »
MCA’s achievements
By Tan Teck Huat | February 19, 2012
The Malaysian Insider
FEB 19 — I think it is time everyone gave the MCA some recognition for their achievements and what they have done for Malaysians.
So here is the roll call of high achievers in MCA:
Tan Koon Swan: in 1986, he was sentenced to two years’ jail by the Singapore High Court for criminal breach of trust relating to the collapse of Pan Electric Industries.
Ling Liong Sik: former party president and long-time minister has been charged with cheating and misleading the government in the Port Klang Free Zone scandal.
Read the rest of this entry »
BN Corruption – CSL’s public admission in debate with LGE
Posted by Kit in Corruption, MCA on Sunday, 19 February 2012, 2:23 pm
Tweets @limkitsiang:
1:19 AM – 19 Feb 12
MCA CSL said shocked allgtn 30% “rebate” demanded by Kedah PR ADUN from st govt allctn as they happen in BN! MCA confession BN corrupt!
1:32 AM – 19 Feb 12
Any MCA Minister/leader dare 2repudiate CSL’s confession tt BN corrupt in MP/ADUN constituency allocations?
1:44 AM – 19 Feb 12
If allegations 30% “rebate” agnst PR ADUN true, take action agnst them. But is CSL going 2lodge corruption reports agnst corrupt BN reps?
Comments on Open letter to Chua Soi Lek
boh-liao on Sunday, 19 February 2012 – 1:01 am
Ha, ha, it’s interesting dat during d debate, CSL ADMITTED dat BN always MAKAN SUAP, JIAK LUI, ACCEPTS BRIBE “我以為这是国陣罷了哦” Read the rest of this entry »
Dr M ‘assaulted’ judicial independence, says Bar Council
By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 19, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 — The Bar Council has accused Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad of stripping the judiciary of its independence, saying the former prime minister “assaulted” the institution with “Machiavellian ruthlessness” during his tenure.
Council president Lim Chee Wee said the 1988 amendment to Article 121 of the Federal Constitution had effectively tampered with the judiciary’s independence, forcing the courts to be subservient to the executive arm of government.
“The Malaysian Bar has consistently held the view that Dr Mahathir Mohamed had with Machiavellian ruthlessness assaulted the once great Malaysian judicial institution.
“First with this amendment, then the sacking and suspension of the Lord President and Supreme Court Judges and later the appointment of three different Chief Justices, whose reputation the Bar holds in low regard,” he told The Malaysian Insider in an emailed statement. Read the rest of this entry »
Sabahans entitled to a clear and unequivocal answer why Najib has not announced the formation of RCI on illegal immigrants in Sabah
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, Parliament, Sabah on Saturday, 18 February 2012, 3:30 pm
I am most disappointed that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has ended his two-day visit to Sabah without making the widely-touted announcement on the formation of a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants in Sabah.
Sabahans and Malaysians have been given to understand that the Cabinet had approved the establishment of a RCI on illegal immigrants in Sabah and that Najib would be making the announcement during his Sabah visit this week.
Sabahans and Malaysians are entitled to know why Najib has failed “deliver” on this issue during his Sabah trip and whether the claim of certain Sabah Ministers that the Cabinet had made a final decision on the establishment of a RCI on illegal immigrants in Sabah is mere “hot air” without any basis grounded on facts or whether this is another example of the Cabinet being subordinate and subservient to the dictates of UMNO hegemony? Read the rest of this entry »
Open letter to Chua Soi Lek
— Tota
Malaysian Insider
Feb 17, 2012
FEB 17 — Soi Lek, hold your silence, apologise to the Chinese Malaysian community and repent.
You always claim that the MCA is the defender of “Chinese rights” and that the party has done a great deal for the community. Your party’s record shows otherwise. The MCA has been in the Alliance/BN since independence, but politically and economically the position of Chinese Malaysians has nose-dived because the MCA representatives in the Cabinet and state governments have behaved like political eunuchs. Their behaviour shows how successfully emasculated the MCA is. Read the rest of this entry »
