DAP blames Putrajaya for scholarship mess
By Debra Chong | May 20, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — Lim Guan Eng blamed Putrajaya today for the annual uproar over public scholarship awards and urged a full investigation into the education saga which he claims is draining Malaysia of home-grown talent.
The Penang chief minister was responding to the recent idea floated by Education Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong as a stop-gap move to resolve the recurring problem.
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I am an unwanted step-child
Posted by Kit in Brain drain on Friday, 20 May 2011, 5:46 pm
By Henry T. | May 20, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
MAY 20 — I am a Malaysian Chinese and please notice that I did not mention Chinese Malaysian as I feel that one should be a Malaysian first and a Chinese second. I love Malaysia and as a kid I had wonderful memories growing up in Penang. When I was 19, I went to Singapore for my university education as my Bahasa grade was not good enough to qualify for local university entrance.
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Major shortcomings in current History teaching
CPI Asia | 20 May 2011
Introduction by CPI
Under the Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Menengah (KBSM), the History textbooks used in secondary schools are written by the Education Ministry and published by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
The authors for the present KBSM History series are Ahmad Fawzi Mohd Hassan, Mohd Fo’ad Sakdan, Azami Man, Masariah Mispari, Johara Abdul Wahab, Ridzuan Hasan, Ramlah Adam, Abdul Hakim Samuri, Muslimin Fadzil, Nik Hassan Shuhaimi Nik Abdul Rahman, Mohd Yusof Ibrahim, Muhammad Bukhari Ahmad, Rosnanaini Sulaiman, Ramlah Adam, Shakila Parween Yacob, Abdul Hakim Samuri and Muslimin Fadzil.
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DAP wants advance voting open to scrutiny
By Shannon Teoh | May 20, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — DAP said today that political parties should also be allowed to monitor the new advance voting process for the police and military to ensure that there is no cheating.
Secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said that while it welcomed the abolishment of postal votes, there would be “no difference in ensuring a free, fair, neutral and independent election if political parties still do not have full access during the voting process.”
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Perkasa: Najib ‘listened’ to our MRT requests
By Clara Chooi | May 20, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — Perkasa praised Datuk Seri Najib Razak today, saying it was the prime minister who influenced Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB) to relax its criteria for contracts under the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project.
The party’s economic director, Dr Zubir Harun, told The Malaysian Insider that Najib had “listened” to concerns raised recently by Malay rights groups on how Bumiputera contractors were being excluded from opportunities in the multibillion ringgit rail project.
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10 days in May (21)
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, Perkasa on Friday, 20 May 2011, 3:01 pm
Tweets @limkitsiang:-
Bout of bad luck 4Najib? His Oxon speech on moderation fell flat after demo by Utusan extremists they ruled roost w “Christian Msia” bogey
Najib’s trip 2NewYork 2sell Msia as investment haven sabotaged when Msia fell 6 places in 2011 World Competitive Rankings from 10 to 16
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The General Election is in July, folks!
By Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad | May 20, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
MAY 20 — I wish I didn’t have to say this but better safe than sorry, so I’m going to say it anyway. I honestly hope I’m completely wrong but my sixth sense is telling me that I’m right again.
Yes, despite whatever the prime minister has said, is saying, and will be saying, about the date of the 13th General Election (GE), I dare say that it’s all meant to coax and delude us into believing that it’s not going to be a snap poll.
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Bishop hails ex-cop’s exoneration of Christians
By Terence Netto | May 20, 11
Malaysiakini
Catholic Bishop Dr Paul Tan Chee Ing said he found “greatly heartening” the comments made by former Kuala Lumpur CID chief Mat Zain Ibrahim in a letter to Prime Minister Najib Razak that described Utusan Malaysia’s reports of a Christian plot to usurp Islam’s special status as “artificial” in nature.
The Jesuit-trained prelate who is bishop of the Melaka-Johor diocese and concurrently president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia, said:
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A few good men in Umno is needed
By Wong Mun Chee
Without pandering into the state of the present day UMNO, I really don’t care if UMNO wins or Pakatan wins but in fairness for all Malaysians, our elected representatives should ensure policies and governance implemented is able to ensure just and fair treatment for all Malaysian irrespective of their origin.
We had fair and wise leaders in UMNO’s yeterdayyears like Onn Jaafar, TAR, Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, Tun Abdul Razak & Tun Hussain Onn yet what we face with the current bred UMNO of leaders are a neocolonialism of non Muslim Malaysians courtesy of Dr Mahathir. As for the PAKATAN faction who seems to enjoy their limited power seems all divided as preference is again their game plan to emulate UMNO.
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10 days in May (20)
Posted by Kit in Teoh Beng Hock on Friday, 20 May 2011, 11:43 am
Tweets @limkitsiang:-
TBH RCI should have terms of reference expanded 2include what Najib promised 22/7/09 – full public scrutiny of MACC investigation methods
This was bcos of many allegations of torture/physical violence perpetrated by MACC officers http://bit.ly/yr4Br Did MACC lobyy agnst this?
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Incite (verb) – to stir up or provoke violence
Comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers
‘It is true that the standard of English has fallen to a new low – when you have a leader like H’ng who doesn’t understand the meaning of ‘incite’.’
Guan Eng accused of inciting Buddhists
Swipenter: “Even though Christians, and not Buddhists, are targeted by Umno and Utusan Malaysia this time, what is there to stop Buddhists and Hindus from being the next targets in the future?” said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
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Nazri: Free speech for all, even Ibrahim Ali
By Clara Chooi | May 20, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — Standing by his decision not to haul up Datuk Ibrahim Ali for threatening a “crusade” on Christians, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz has pledged the same treatment for all similar transgressions in the future.
“It is not just the opposition politicians but also those in the Barisan Nasional (BN). In fact, anybody at all… bloggers and so on,” he told The Malaysian Insider when contacted.
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10 days in May (19)
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Najib Razak, nation building on Friday, 20 May 2011, 8:56 am
Tweets @limkitsiang:-
May7 Utusan “ChristianMsia” bogey – 2wks: no iota of proof; no word of remorse; no punitive action by authorities. Will Najib act on return?
Deputy IGP Khalid promised top priority 4investigations into Utusan “Christian Msia” bogey. Shd then take days not weeks or even months!
Sad. No moderate in BN cabinet who dare 2speak up agnst seditious/treasonous Utusan extremism. How then can Najib’s GMoM call take off?
1st building block of Najib’s GMoM (GlobalMovementofModerates) must be MMoM (MsianMovementofModerates). BN Ministers qualify 2be in MMoM?
Parliament (meet 13-28 June) shld officially support Najib’s call 4GMoM by convening MMoM. Test 4MMoM membership- censure Utusan extremism! Read the rest of this entry »
Prasarana eases tender conditions
Posted by Kit in Good Governance on Friday, 20 May 2011, 8:04 am
By Yow Hong Chieh
The Malaysian Insider
May 19, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 — Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd appears to have caved in to pressure from Malay rights groups today when it revised pre-qualification criteria for several construction packages for the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT).
The project owner said contractors who wish to tender for elevated civil works, stations and depots work construction packages will be allowed to form joint ventures (JV) or consortiums among local companies starting from tomorrow.
“Prasarana has always been sensitive to all constructive views for our projects and the stand is reflected again in this decision, which was made purely based on the need to get more contractors to participate and the need to make the bidding for the KVMRT project more competitive,” the company said in a statement today. Read the rest of this entry »
Lynas Review Panel must be reformed
Posted by Kit in environment on Friday, 20 May 2011, 5:53 am
SM Mohamed Idris
The Malaysian Insider
May 18, 2011
MAY 18 — On 14 May, the Minister for the International Trade and Industry (MITI), Datuk Seri Mustapha Mohammed announced the independent panel to review the proposed Lynas rare earth processing plant in Gebeng, Pahang.
Since the review involves environmental and public health and radiation safety issues, concerning a hazardous facility, it does not fall under the jurisdiction of the MITI.
We are thus puzzled why MITI was charged with announcing the review panel members, bearing in mind that a preliminary environmental impact assessment was submitted to the Department of Environment (DoE) in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in 2008.
We are also puzzled as to why an independent Malaysian authority was not responsible for the appointments of each of the nine members of the review panel. A more suitable and impartial body like the DoE should have helmed the selection process instead of the Atomic Energy Licensing Board which as it turns out, delegated the entire responsibility to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA’s main interest is to promote nuclear energy and its related activities worldwide. Whereas the DoE was set up to protect the environment and promote environmentally sustainable activities. Read the rest of this entry »
Opium and walking stick
Lim Sue Goan
The Malaysian Insider
May 19, 2011
MAY 19 — For the very first time, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak described the fuel subsidy as opium. His remarks were shocking as the people have been enjoying subsidies over the past few decades and would it mean that they have taken opium for decades?
Long-term opium use would cause irreversible damage to health and even death. The Chinese used to be called “The Sick Man of East Asia” during the Qing Dynasty as opium taking was a trend at that time.
If subsidies are opium to the national economy, the country must then first go through a painful process of rehabilitation before it can recover. And whether it would succeed, it all depends on the people’s determination. Read the rest of this entry »
Teoh inquiry: A-G seeks to defer hearing of revision application
Posted by Kit in Teoh Beng Hock on Friday, 20 May 2011, 5:32 am
The Star online
Thursday May 19, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR: Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail has written to the Shah Alam High Court seeking to defer the hearing date of his revision application over the open verdict delivered by the Coroner’s Court following its inquest into the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock.
The Shah Alam High Court is scheduled to hear the revision application on May 23.
The A-G wants Justice Datuk Wira Mohtarudin Baki, who will be hearing the application, to defer hearing date until the Commission of Inquiry investigating Teoh’s death makes its conclusions.
The commission had announced that a report of its findings will be handed over to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on June 24. Read the rest of this entry »
The future of the Arab uprisings
Posted by Kit in Middle East/Africa on Thursday, 19 May 2011, 11:25 pm
Joseph Massad 18 May 2011
AlJazeera
The US, with its allies, has already begun plans to subvert the Arab Spring to save its own regional hegemony.
A specter is haunting the Arab world – the specter of democratic revolution. All the powers of the old Arab world have entered into a holy alliance with each other and the United States to exorcise this specter: king and sultan, emir and president, neoliberals and zionists.
While Marx and Engels used similar words in 1848 in reference to European regimes and the impending communist revolutions that were defeated in the Europe of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, there is much hope in the Arab world that these words would apply more successfully to the ongoing democratic Arab uprisings. Read the rest of this entry »
News portal Merdeka Review sends SOS for funds
Malaysiakini | May 19, 11
Independent Chinese news portal Merdeka Review is facing closure at the end of this month as their funders, who have hitherto remained anonymous, have suddenly decided to pull out.
In a statement today, the news portal appealed for public donations and investors to meet its RM60,000 monthly expenditure.
“You decide whether we can stay on by donating to us now!” read the urgent statement.
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Implications of GTP on ETP-2: Government facilitation
By Dr. Daphne Loke | May 18, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
May 18 — This article concerns the numerous private sector projects proposed for development and have been left to languish indefinitely in the hands of government departments at the proposal stage.
I remember applying for an IPTS license many years ago. The department concerned displayed on a notice board the list of applications which could not be processed due to lack of certain documents still pending from the applicant. Each applicant was provided with a complete checklist of documents required and a process flowchart for this activity.
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