False news on TV1
Media Statement by Tony Pua, DAP National PublicitySecretary and Member of Parliament for Petaling Jaya Utara in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, 28 August 2011
Rais Yatim must take responsibility for the most despicable piece ofincendiary false news reporting on national TV and ensure that thoseresponsible for it are sacked immediately.
TV1 last nite reported in its 8pm prime-time newson the existence of “Murtads in Malaysia & Singapore” Facebookgroup. What is most despicable andsickening is TV1 highlighting the alleged association of DAP leaders such asTan Kok Wai, Charles Santiago, Dr Boo Cheng Hau, Ean Yong Hian Wah with theGroup. TV1 even placed the spotlight onthe chairman of Parti Socialis Malaysia (PSM) and ADUN for Kota Damansara DrNasir Hashim insinuating the betrayal of his own faith. Read the rest of this entry »
Master the English language to be world class
By Hussaini Abdul Karim
August 27, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider
AUG 27 — It is very pleasing and most delightful to the ears to hear many non-Malay Malaysians, both young and old (except maybe some of the older ones) speaking and writing in perfect Bahasa Malaysia, some without even a hint of an accent whatsoever, in the case of the former.
The country’s New Education Policy to switch from English to Bahasa Malaysia introduced and implemented in the early 70s must have done wonders. With the introduction of new laws, rules and regulations, the policy makers have found a very effective way to teach the national language which is now widely used and accepted throughout the country at every level including in the home. Read the rest of this entry »
Letter to Tan Sri William Cheng by Idris Jala
August 27, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider
AUG 27 — Pemandu is arguing that a report by The Malaysian Insider, “Pemandu admits land acquisition only way to recoup MRT cost”, is misleading.
In public interest, The Malaysian Insider is publishing the letter by Datuk Seri Idris Jala on which the report was based, and asking Malaysians to read it and let us know what you think.
****************************************************************
YBhg Tan Sri,
I refer to your letter entitled “Unfair Rail plus Property Model for MRT Development” dated August 8m 2011. YBhg Tan Sri has raised some concerns regarding the rail and property model including the acquisition of the Jalan Sultan shoplots. Read the rest of this entry »
DAP mahu rakyat buat perubahan
Posted by Kit in DAP, Tunku Abdul Aziz on Saturday, 27 August 2011, 1:48 pm
– Muda Mohd. Noor
Free Malaysia Today
August 27, 2011
PETALING JAYA: Naib Presiden DAP Tunku Aziz Ibrahim menyeru rakyat di negara ini melakukan perubahan kerana kerajaan Barisan Nasional sudah lama sangat memerintah negara ini.
“Sudah tiba masanya rakyat melakukan perubahan kerana selama 54 tahun itu kerajaan yang ada tidak pernah berubah atau melakukan reformasi,” katanya ketika ditemui FMT pada majlis iftar Ramadhan anjuran parti itu di ibu negara kelmarin.
Ujar beliau, “saya percaya perubahan yang akan berlaku nanti (dalam pilihan raya umum ke 13) merupakan satu perubahan yang sangat bermakna kepada rakyat.” Read the rest of this entry »
Penyakit Umno: Penyakit dalaman
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, UMNO on Saturday, 27 August 2011, 1:38 pm
— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Aug 26, 2011
26 OGOS — Jika kita timbang-timbang saudara harus percaya bahawa Najib Razak merupakan Perdana Menteri dan Pengerusi Barisan Nasional yang paling banyak masalah yang kian hari kian bertambah tanpa sedikit pun tanda-tanda ia akan berkurangan.
Oleh kerana terlalu banyak masalah yang di hadapinya tanpa sebarang penyelesaiannya maka Najib tiada pilihan selain dari mengakui bahawa beliau sedang menghadapi krisis kepimpinan yang amat serius dalam sejarah kepimpinan negara kita sejak merdeka.
Sesungguhnya Najib tidak sepatutnya menghadapi masalah ini kerana beliau mempunyai Ahli Majlis Teringgi Umno yang sepatutnya membantu beliau. Dalam keadaan sekaranglah sepatutnya mereka-mereka yang ada di dalam Majlis Tertinggi Umno serta Ahli-Ahli Jemaah Kabinet mereka bersama-sama memikul tanggungjawab dalam erti kata “tanggungjawab bersama”.
Begitulah masalahnya di dalam Umno kerana hanya Perdana Menteri akan menerima kredit atau bertanggungjawab bersendirian jika masalah melanda. Dalam keadaan sekarang nampaknya tidak ada yang bersama-sama memberikan dukongan kepada Perdana Menteri yang telah melantik beliau ke dalam Kabinet serta menjadi “team” beliau di dalam Majlis Tertinggi parti. Read the rest of this entry »
Singapore University of Technology and Design
Christopher Magee Interview: Impressions of Singapore
by John Lounsbury
21 August 2011
Introduction: Christopher L. Magee, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, recently concluded an assignment in residence in Singapore. Prof. Magee has agreed to share interesting aspects of that assignment with Global Economic Intersection readers, by way of an interview by Managing Editor John Lounsbury, which follows.
Question 1: What was the nature of your assignment in Singapore?
Prof. Magee: The government of Singapore is launching a new university, the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), that is scheduled to take in its first freshman class in April, 2012. MIT and Zhejiang University (China) are collaborating with Singapore to organize the new university.
Question 2: That sounds exciting. How many people get the opportunity to do this sort of thing – I mean organize a major university from the ground up?
Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia’s Slowing Performance
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Economics, Najib Razak, NEM on Friday, 26 August 2011, 6:40 pm
by Greg Lopez
Asia Sentinel
25 August 2011
There are strong institutional reasons for the lagging performance against its regional neighbors
In the 70 years since World War II ended, East Asian economies, including Malaysia, appear to have largely got performance right. Malaysia was also one of 13 countries identified by the Commission on Growth and Development in its 2008 Growth Report to have recorded average growth of more than 7 percent per year for 25 years or more. Malaysia achieved this spectacular performance from 1967 to 1997.
However, since the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997 and1998, Malaysia’s economic performance when compared to previous decades has been lackluster and most macroeconomic indicators are trending downwards. This was confirmed by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak himself in the publication on March 30, 2010 of the New Economic Model – Part 1. This was a very brave move but a necessary one by the premier as he acknowledged publicly the failures of Malaysia’s current economic model in order to demonstrate urgency for reforms. Read the rest of this entry »
MRT Jalan Sultan land acquisition – who is telling the truth: Chua Soi Lek, Hamid Albar or Idris Jala?
“Flip flop in a matter of days” has become the byword for the present Najib government, whether on its mishandling of the Bersih 2.0 peacefull rally for free and fair elections on July 9 or the parliamentary select committee on electoral reforms.
There is now the latest addition to the Najib government’s “Flip Flop List” – the controversy over the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT) land acquisition of Jalan Sultan properties.
Only three days ago, the MCA President Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek had announced that the government had backtracked from its decision to acquire the land and 31 buildings around Jalan Sultan in Kuala Lumpur to make way for the MRT mega project.
Chua said that after discussion with Land Public Transport Commission (SPAN) chairperson Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, “an understanding and agreement” had been reached whereby as a “compromise”, the government will only acquire the strata title for the property 100 feet below ground required for the MRT tunnel, while the buildings, many of which are nearly a hundred years old, and land above ground will remain in the current owners’ hands.
Read the rest of this entry »
Pemandu admits land acquisition only way to recoup MRT cost
By Yow Hong Chieh
The Malaysian Insider
Aug 26, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 — Putrajaya’s powerful efficiency unit has admitted that the Najib administration needs to acquire and develop land along the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) route as it cannot afford the multi-billion ringgit project otherwise.
In a letter sighted by The Malaysian Insider, Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) chief executive Datuk Seri Idris Jala told Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Malaysia (ACCCIM) president Tan Sri William Cheng that the government was pursuing a “rail-and-property” model as it would not be able to recover the cost of the first line between Sungai Buloh and Kajang through fares alone.
“For the government to manage the project efficiently and sustainably, fare box revenue will not be sufficient to finance the high capex and opex for the MRT network,” Idris said in the letter dated August 23, written in response to Cheng’s queries about the acquisition of Jalan Sultan land.
“Increasing the fares is not an option as the government wants to act responsibly by providing the rakyat with an affordable means of transport. Instead, the government is adopting a prudent approach towards a sustainable financial model for the MRT through a modified rail-plus-property model.” Read the rest of this entry »
Not rising to the bait
by Zeffri Yusof
The Malaysian Insider
Aug 25, 2011
AUG 25 — Every time religious issues come up in public discourse for a sustained period of time, I can’t help but feel it’s all just misdirection.
No, not in any conspiracy theory-sense; more of an escapist break from the hard truths that have to be dealt with in the here and now. Not in an afterlife.
Truths like our quite severe brain-drain situation. Truths like how our lower- and middle-income families are dealing with unprecedented inflation. Truths like the US and EU economies’ impact on ours.
Too bad for us Malaysians, race and religion still hold sway and continue to polarise the majority of us. More sinisterly, it makes us take our eyes off the ball. Read the rest of this entry »
Asri: Janda Muslim ditahan Jais tak murtad, rujuk gereja kerana ‘desakan hidup’
Oleh G. Manimaran
The Malaysian Insider
Aug 25, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, 25 Ogos — Salah seorang daripada 12 hadirin beragama Islam pada majlis makan malam di sebuah gereja yang diserbu Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (Jais) awal bulan ini menegaskan, dia tidak pernah murtad.
Sebaliknya, dia seorang janda mendapatkan bantuan dihulurkan dengan ikhlas oleh gereja ekoran “desakan hidup.”
Gereja Methodist Damansara Utara diserbu Jais pada malam 3 Ogos lalu ketika mengadakan majlis makan malam muhibah anjuran pertubuhan bukan kerajaan Harapan Komuniti.
Dalam pengakuan kepada bekas mufti Perlis Prof Madya Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, wanita tersebut dipetik berkata semasa pihak berkuasa agama membuat penyiasatan ke atas gereja berkenaan pada 3 Ogos lalu, dia berada bersama dengan sejumlah orang Islam yang lain yang senasib dengannya. Read the rest of this entry »
Sentimen perkauman membuat BN tidak relevan
— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Aug 25, 2011
25 OGOS — Mengenengahkan isu perkauman memang sudah menjadi isu basi bagi generasi yang muda. Generasi muda sudah menganggapnya sebagai isu lapuk yang hanya di gunakan oleh pihak yang desperado untuk terus menunggangi rakyat untuk kepentingan kuasa yang berlandaskan kepada pemikiran sempit setengah pihak.
Sebenarnya jika seseorang itu mempunyai pemikiran yang tenang tanpa di saluti oleh pemikiran sempit politik, isu perkauman amat menjemukan kerana itu bukanlah isu pratikal lagi dalam kehidupan rakyat Malaysia yang cintakan keamanan.
Oleh itu telah mula kita nampak jelas tanda-tanda yang menunjukan yang rakyat sudah tidak mahu lagi menerima pihak-pihak yang menggendangkan isu perkauman kerana isu itu hanya akan membuatkan mereka tidak tenang untuk hidup dalam masyarakat majmuk yang merupakan realiti kehidupan di Malaysia ini.
Rakyat sudah mula menggorak langkah untuk menghindarkan dari isu perkauman ini menjadi lebih menebal di kalangan berbagai kaum di negara ini. Dalam masa yang terdekat ini sudah ada kecenderungan yang orang Melayu untuk menyertai DAP yang sekarang ini di dominasi oleh kaum Cina dan PAS yang bukan sebuah parti perkauman. Read the rest of this entry »
Election Commission must spell out what are the electoral reforms based on Bersih 2.0’s Eight Demands which could be implemented immediately without waiting for PSC
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Elections, Najib Razak, Parliament on Thursday, 25 August 2011, 2:50 pm
The announcement by the Election Commission Chairman Tan Sri Aziz Yusof that all Malaysian registered voters residing overseas will soon be able to vote via post has reinforced the case that there are electoral reforms proposed in Bersih 2.0’s Eight Demands which could be implemented immediately, whether by way of new election by-laws or necessary legislative amendments for the Oct. 3 meeting of Parliament, without waiting for any parliamentary select committee.
The Election Commission must therefore spell out, clearly and unequivocally with no “ifs” and “buts”, what are the electoral reforms based on the Bersih 2.0 Eight Demands which could be implemented immediately without waiting for any parliamentary select committee and in time for the forthcoming general elections.
The demand that all Malaysian citizens living abroad should be able to exercise their right to vote is one of several reforms proposed by Bersih 2.0 on “postal ballot” reform. The question is why the Election Commission is still sitting on the other proposals for postal ballot reform. Read the rest of this entry »
MCA founder’s granddaughter lauds Guan Eng’s policies in Penang
Posted by Kit in Lim Guan Eng, MCA on Thursday, 25 August 2011, 1:03 pm
The Malaysian Insider
Aug 25, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — Lim Guan Eng received praise from an unexpected source today when the granddaughter of the MCA’s first president and daughter of the country’s longest-serving finance minister said the Penang chief minister should be given his due for the state’s prudent management of public funds.
Tan Siok Choo, the daughter of Tun Tan Siew Sin and granddaughter of Tun Sir Tan Cheng Lock — both of whom were former MCA presidents — told BFM radio this morning that it was good that Lim had shown what could be done by eliminating waste and implementing open tenders.
“For my father… he was always very particular that government funds should be looked after like your own funds. I think it is in a way, currently, very good that Lim Guan Eng (picture), Chief Minister of Penang, has shown what can be done if you eliminate waste and if you have an open tender.
“The fact that he has been able to run Penang without much contribution from the federal government and yet turn in, yet attract one of the highest rates of investment, I think speaks for itself. Read the rest of this entry »
Religious Obstacles To Malay Economic Development
Posted by Kit in Bakri Musa, Islam on Thursday, 25 August 2011, 12:33 pm
By M. Bakri Musa
Ramadan is a month for reflection. As we reflect we cannot avoid the depressing reality that the Muslim world is overrepresented in all categories of underdevelopment. The pat and often cited reason is the inherent incompatibility of Islam to modern development. When such an explanation is offered by non-Muslims, they can barely conceal their smugness. When asserted by a Muslim, he or she would immediately be dismissed as not fully comprehending the faith, or worse, condemned as an apostate.
Such an “explanation,” its certitude not withstanding, is about as useful as someone telling you, when asked why he is in the hospital, “I am sick.” And if you are still not convinced or betray any doubts, would quickly add, “Very sick!” Not very helpful! If however, the answer were to be, “My bowels are not working,” or, “I have difficulty breathing,” we would then be that much closer to identifying the problem, and thus its remedy.
This Islam-is-the-problem explanation does not even describe the symptom, much less the disease. If indeed there is something inherently deficient with Islam, it still would not explain why the faith thrived during its first four centuries, or why its adherents are increasing and becoming more devout today. And if Islamic practices are deficient, then what and where exactly are those deficiencies so we could address them.
Read the rest of this entry »
Money, money, money
Posted by Kit in Elections, Najib Razak on Wednesday, 24 August 2011, 8:33 pm
— The Malaysian Insider
Aug 24, 2011
AUG 24 — When all else fails; when policies flounder; when rumbling from within grows louder; when the reform agenda stutters in the face of resistance from interest groups, throw money around in the hope of hushing up the protestations.
This strategy was used by Tun Abdullah Badawi after his fitness to lead Malaysia was questioned by Tun Dr Mahathir Muhammad and after his early promise of reforming the country dissipated into flip-flops, missteps and pandering to his party’s demands.
He increased the salary of civil servants and even put cash in the pocket of Malaysians through a one-off RM600 payment.
Underlying this move was the view that even though the ground had soured on him considerably by 2007, putting money into the hands of Malaysians would make them put their bitterness aside and vote him in again.
We know how that strategy played out. Read the rest of this entry »
Najib must guarantee reforms before polls, says Pakatan
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Elections, Najib Razak, Pakatan Rakyat, Parliament on Wednesday, 24 August 2011, 8:25 pm
By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Aug 24, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — The federal opposition has demanded a guarantee from Datuk Seri Najib Razak that the Election Commission (EC) will carry out electoral reforms before a general election is called.
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) said today that the prime minister’s insistence that the timing of polls was not bound to a parliamentary select committee on electoral improvements raised doubts over whether “he means business.”
However, with just six weeks to go before the polls panel is to be formed by Dewan Rakyat, the opposition pact said it has not decided if a failure to offer such an assurance will see PR decline to join what Barisan Nasional (BN) hopes will be a bipartisan committee.
“There is no decision to boycott but we have made it abundantly clear that the onus is on the government to show good faith.
“The EC must take immediate action and there must be an assurance from the prime minister that he means business … that elections will only be held after the EC has taken measures recommended by the select committee,” Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told reporters after a PR leadership meeting. Read the rest of this entry »
BN pushing the panic button
Posted by Kit in Elections, Najib Razak, Pakatan Rakyat on Wednesday, 24 August 2011, 8:16 pm
— Douglas Tan
The Malaysian Insider
Aug 24, 2011
AUG 24 — What a flurry in government giving we are seeing these days!
Bonuses, dividends, loans, grants and scholarships and now doled out like candy by Umno, MCA and the like to the masses and their constituents. Acting more like NGOs or charities, the Barisan Nasional component parties have engaged on a charm offensive by handing out our money back to us, and trying to discredit the Opposition.
It really got going when our Prime Minister announced that the government half month Hari Raya bonuses for all civil servants, which would cost in excess of RM1 billion to taxpayers, despite reduced subsidies and mounting budget deficits. Read the rest of this entry »
GE-13: BN wins landslide victory
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Elections, Mariam Mokhtar on Wednesday, 24 August 2011, 9:16 am
Mariam Mokhtar | Aug 22, 11
Malaysiakini
Only an optimist would believe that their vote would sweep Umno from power in GE-13. Why bother with a sham election and waste resources going through the motions of an election, where the outcome has already been decided in advance? The headlines will proudly boast: “BN wins. Najib scores a landslide victory, in a massive 103 percent turnout”.
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak wants GE-13 before electoral reforms. In a functioning democracy, the rakyat has a choice. The fundamental difference is that we are denied that choice.
We distrust our electoral processes despite Najib’s assurance about the parliamentary select committee (PSC) on electoral reforms. Will Umno/BN leave office gracefully?
At the 61st Umno general assembly Najib declared: “Even if our bodies are crushed and our lives lost, brothers and sisters, whatever happens, we must defend Putrajaya”. Read the rest of this entry »
BN govt should state what are the 8 demands of Bersih 2.0 which could be implemented before Parliament meets on Oct 3
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Elections, Parliament on Tuesday, 23 August 2011, 2:19 pm
The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz pressed most of the right buttons about public demands about electoral reforms when he announced without naming Bersih 2.0 that the parliamentary select committee on electoral reforms will base its framework on Bersih 2.0’s eight-point demands, viz:
1. Cleaning up the electoral roll
2. Reforming postal or advance voting
3. Use of indelible ink versus the EC’s proposal of a biometric system
4. Extending the campaign period to 21 days
5. Free and fair access to media
6. Strengthening the credibility of the EC
7. Ending vote-buying
8. Ending dirty politics
But on the most vital issue of a firm and unequivocal government commitment that the electoral reforms will be implemented before Parliament is dissolved to make way for the 13th general election, Nazri could offer no assurance except to say lamely: “That is not my problem…I don’t know when the election will be held.” Read the rest of this entry »
