DAP: Remove IPP subsidies first
Posted by Kit in Economics, Energy, Najib Razak on Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 1:07 pm
By Yow Hong Chieh | May 18, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 – The Najib administration should first cut billion-ringgit subsidies for independent power producers (IPPs) rather than burden the people with subsidy cuts on essential items, DAP has said.
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the government would only spur inflation by removing the diesel super subsidy before cutting “big opium” gas subsidies worth RM19 billion for IPPs and commercial power sectors.
“Remove the big opium of gas subsidies that can save tens of billions of ringgit annually before dealing with the opiate for the masses that only save hundreds of millions of ringgit,” he said in a statement today.
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10 days in May (15)
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, nation building on Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 11:40 am
Tweets @limkitsiang:-
Will Cabinet 2day endorse Najib’s call 4Global Movement of Moderates n launch Msian Movement of Moderates? Or is it only 4int publicity?
1st agenda of Msian Movement of Moderates: Save Msia from Utusan “Christian Msia” extremism/bigotry by rallying moderates from all faiths
How many BNMinisters qualified 2join MsianMovementofModerates (MMoM)?Hw mny BNMinisters r extremists,genuine moderates or just opportunists?
Will Hishamuddin qualify 2b member of MMoM w his Keris-wielding, support of cow-head stomping n condoning Utusan “Christian Msia” bogey?
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1Care outpatient scheme – middlemen didahulukan?
Joint letter by Drs Ong, Haniffah & Palaniappan | Apr 19, 11
Malaysiakini
The government is introducing a new financing scheme for primary care (1Care for 1Malaysia) by forming a private company/corporation to act as an insurance company and managed-care organisation (MCO). We believe this company will:
i) collect funds from all working adults and employers
ii) pay for all primary care expenses ie. for outpatient visit, test and medication at both private and government clinics
In theory this scheme will save consumers from having to pay out-of-pocket for their primary care and thus protect them from excessive healthcare expenses. In reality the new company may become a middle man profiting from patients and their caregivers, with the result that healthcare costs go up, standard of treatment may drop and the public is burdened with a new healthcare tax.
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Case for English-medium schools
By Lan Boon Leong | May 17, 2011
The Sun
THE United Nations in its various declarations and conventions has continually affirmed the universal rights of minorities, including indigenous people, to an education where the medium of instruction is their mother tongue.
Mother tongue is usually narrowly defined as the language of one’s ethnic group. A wider definition of mother tongue, according to the Oxford dictionary for example, is the language that one first learns to speak as a child – in other words, one’s first language. In this broader sense, a person could have more than one mother tongue and the ethnic language may not even be a mother tongue.
Our present education system caters for minorities but only those whose mother tongue is either Mandarin or Tamil through national-type schools.
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Many wrongs won’t make Ibrahim right
Comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers
‘Why then the moment someone mentioned the volume of azans, the ISA was quickly used against Selangor exco Teresa Kok?’
Nazri: No action against Ibrahim Ali
Phoenix Star 88: I always thought de facto law minister Mohamad Nazri Abdul Aziz was one of the better leaders in Umno, but now it seems that even he has started to go with the flow.
If a Christian leader had used the word ‘crusade’ in response to the controversial article in Utusan Malaysia, he would likely be detained under the ISA and people will be hopping mad as if it’s the end of the world.
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Moderation? Clean up our backyard first
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, nation building on Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 10:18 am
Comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers
‘The nation is crying out for firm action and we get more sweet-smelling words. The only thing moderate about Najib are his words.’
Moderation is the way forward, says Najib
Loyal Malaysian: Malaysia is “synonymous with moderation, inclusiveness and good governance”, said PM Najib Razak.
I beg to differ. You can fool some of the people some of the time but you cannot fool thinking Malaysians. Moderation? Your government forbid Christians from using the word ‘Allah’, claiming it is exclusively for Malaysia’s Muslims.
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The ancient covenant and punishment
Posted by Kit in nation building on Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 10:07 am
By Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz | May 18, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
MAY 18 — One of the most cherished cultural codes of conduct of the Malays is the saying “pantang Melayu derhaka!” In English, it can loosely be translated to mean, the people shall never be disloyal to the king.
The term disloyal is used in a most general import. The common man never trespasses the king in any way and form; never shall he insult the king in mind, never speak evil and more so does not commit trespass of the person upon the king. The term treason is also a close description.
Strange as this may sound, the origins of this injunction which sadly has been presented one-sidedly, sprung from the sexual drives of one mythical king. Sex therefore has always been a mainstay in Malay politics right to the present day. So I actually find it bemusing to discover that the preoccupation of our country, especially among the Malays, has, since the past recent decade, been the topic of sex.
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Preaching moderation globally, practising it locally
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, nation building on Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 10:03 am
The Malaysian Insider | May 17, 2011
MAY 17 — Perhaps it is really the Malaysian thing. Go abroad and we are all Malaysians, we live together, play together and tell everyone that we are a multi-racial, multi-religious muhibbah country.
Then we come back home and argue with each other, go the extreme length and then cite sensitivities to stop the argument as we nurse ill-feelings towards each other.
So, it’s no surprise that Datuk Seri Najib Razak went to Oxford University and promoted his idea of a coalition of moderates and inter-civilisational understanding.
Well and good.
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Toleransi politik yang sudah luntur
Oleh Aspan Alias | May 18, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
18 MEI — Kerana terlalu banyak politiking kita lupa kepada asas politik yang sebenarnya. Kesungguhan dalam politik sudah tiada bagi kita orang Melayu. kita melebihkan tumpuan kepada politiking; siapa yang menang dan siapa yang kalah, siapa yang berkuasa dan siapa yang tidak berkuasa. Politik yang asasi, iaitu politik yang membawa penyatuan secara jujur sudah tiada. Politik dan kuasa adalah empunya orang yang berkuasa.
Apabila kita menjadi ahli sesebuah parti matlamatnya ialah untuk menyatukan pemikiran dia antara ahli-ahli dan jika ada perbezaan kita “co-exist” dalam parameter toleransi yang luas. Diawal zaman kemerdekaan negara dahulu pemimpin-pemimpin kita dari berbilang kaum telah meletakan asas kerjasama di antara parti yang di asaskan kepada kaum-kaum di negara ini. Orang Melayu dengan Umnonya, orang Cina dengan MCAnya dan India dengan MICnya.
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Pakatan faults BN for subsidy ‘opium’ addiction
Posted by Kit in Economics, Najib Razak on Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 9:58 am
By Clara Chooi | May 18, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers have blamed Barisan Nasional (BN) for failing to address the country’s addiction to subsidies with alternatives, rebuking Datuk Seri Najib Razak for transferring the “opium’ to cronies.
They said escalating cost of living and stagnant wages have made Malaysians dependent on subsidies, warning that any sudden removal would bankrupt people instead of encouraging competition and wiping out market distortions.
The PR lawmakers suggested the Najib administration take a more holistic approach to cut its burgeoning subsidy bill through a total restructuring of the system by reducing subsidies to corporate giants instead of to the poor, implementing a minimum wage council to boost salaries, and providing better public transportation system to reduce dependency on vehicle ownership and fuel consumption.
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Nazri opens floodgates to religious hatred
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Law & Order, Religion, UMNO on Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 9:07 am
Malaysiakini
May 18, 11
‘Does it mean we can all now make seditious and insensitive remarks without any repercussions? This has gone out of line.’
Nazri: No action against Ibrahim Ali
Roberts: De facto law minister Mohamad Nazri Abdul Aziz misses the point. Yes, it is true that hundreds of irresponsible bloggers of all colour and creed have made sensitive comments to hurt and inflame other communities. But they are individuals.
Perkasa is a registered organisation and Malay daily Utusan Malaysia is a licensed newspaper. Can they act in the same wanton abandon as irresponsible bloggers and tweeters?
Rape is rampant in Malaysia – do we want to condone it by saying that it is the norm? Corruption is rampant – shall we then legalise it? Drug addiction is widespread, shall we let it be and say it is the norm? Crime is widespread these days – shall we do nothing about it?
There will always be irresponsible individuals, but when institutions like Perkasa and a national daily act recklessly, then our society will really go down the drain, for these institutions represent our collective conscience and morality. Read the rest of this entry »
Nazri: No action against Ibrahim Ali
By S Pathmawathy | May 17, 11
Malaysiakini
No action can be taken against Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali over his warnings of violence against the Christian community as such remarks are now a Malaysian norm, said de facto law minister Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz.
No matter how unsettling such remarks are, Malaysians therefore “need to live” and “be mature” in dealing with such characters as Ibrahim and his ilk since social platforms and media such as Twitter and blogs have allowed statements such as Ibrahim’s to proliferate beyond the government’s ability to proscribe – or punish – them, he added
“It’s difficult to take action against Ibrahim now with the existence of Twitter and blogs … because we cannot be selective in our prosecution,” he told Malaysiakini when contacted today.
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10 Days in May (14)
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Islam, Najib Razak, nation building, Religion on Tuesday, 17 May 2011, 6:13 pm
Tweets @limkitsiang:-
The coalition of the moderates and inter-civilisational understanding – by Najib Razak ( Speech Oxford Islamic Centre) http://bit.ly/ky8PGo
All BN Ministers understand Najib’s Oxford speech 2excoriate extremism n be vanguard of moderation? Then Y condone Utusan rabid extremism?
Cabinet meeting tmr shld declare guided by Najib’s Oxon sp 2take stern action agnst Utusan 4its seditious/treasonous “Christian Msia” bogey
Cabinet failed n shd apologise 2nation: “we cannot allow this moment 2b overtaken by extremists w those who shout loudest gaining d most”
According 2Najib test – how many extremists/genuine moderates in Cabinet? Is every Minister prepared 2declare whether extremist or moderate? Read the rest of this entry »
The coalition of the moderates and inter-civilisational understanding
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Islam, Najib Razak, nation building, Religion on Tuesday, 17 May 2011, 5:34 pm
Najib Razak
The Malaysian Insider
May 17, 2011
MAY 17 — Let me first thank the Rt Hon Jack Straw for his kind words of introduction; Dr Farhan Nizami, a respected scholar, whom I have known for many years; and all of the representatives from the academia, business and diplomatic communities who are present here today.
I am immensely pleased to join you as a guest of Oxford University, where earlier this afternoon I had the chance to meet some very talented young students and to visit the future OCIS building, an inspirational environment, which blends Islamic and Malay traditions with your own rich Oxford heritage.
It is an enormous honour to be here in the renowned Sheldonian Theatre, which has echoed with the words of so many luminaries over the years. Every year, dozens of Malaysians travel to Oxford to study, finding a home away from home in the Oxford University Malaysia Club. The Khazanah-OCIS Merdeka Scholarship, established in 2006 to mark the 50th anniversary of Malaysian independence, has boosted the numbers.
And with the Malaysian Securities Commission and OCIS now collaborating on the study of emerging issues in Islamic finance, the bonds between our two countries will be further strengthened. Read the rest of this entry »
RON95 price to be reviewed in June
Malaysiakini
May 17, 11
Come next month, the government will review prices of all petroleum products, including the RON95 petrol, before deciding to retain them or otherwise, Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today.
He said the price review to be conducted by the ministry and other agencies such as the Finance Ministry and the Performance Management & Delivery Unit (Pemandu) would determine whether prices would be maintained or increased, depending on the government’s subsidies. Read the rest of this entry »
In the name of God
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Islam, nation building, Religion on Tuesday, 17 May 2011, 4:42 pm
Free Malaysia Today
May 17, 2011
The Christian story will not easily go away. Christians will always be on the crosshairs of religious bigots and unscrupulous politicians.
The country is still seething over the so-called “Christian plot”. At one stage, the rage threatened to get out of control. The issue burst on the national stage with such sudden force that all were caught up in a whirlwind of emotion and passion.The spectre of another bloodletting loomed, evoking the dark days of May 13. It had all the makings of a religious strife which echoed ancient animosity and hatred. Christians and Muslims appeared to be heading on a collision course, with dire consequences seen for the Christian minority. For the Muslim majority, it is like a call to a holy war because the “infidels” had reportedly insulted the pre-eminent position of Islam. Even the government, elected to protect its citizens, seemed ready to throw its weight on the side of bigotry and fanaticism. A small country built on the toil and sweat of all races is about to go up in flames because intolerance, irrationality and arrogance got the upperhand. Read the rest of this entry »
BN condones violence?
Posted by Kit in Mariam Mokhtar, Politics on Tuesday, 17 May 2011, 4:31 pm
Mariam Mokhtar | May 16, 11
Malaysiakini
Does Umno consider the life of a three-year-old fair-game in the war for political power? When will Umno take seriously the threat to kidnap MP Nurul Izzah Anwar’s three-year-old daughter?
Are Umno politicians so politically immature and morally corrupt? Perhaps Umno’s propaganda machine considers a defenceless child is just a pawn to use to gain political advantage.
Umno vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was sceptical of the threat to kidnap Nurul’s child. He believed it was “just an opposition ploy to gain sympathy”.
Perhaps, if his child were to face similar threats, Zahid, who is also Defence Minister, would not mind if we were to tell him that he should ‘grin and bear it.’
Few will forget Zahid’s embarrassing back-tracking over his statements which alluded to the loyalties of the non-Malays in the armed forces. He wasn’t such a brave man when he faced the nation’s wrath. Read the rest of this entry »
DAP: Let’s fight Ibrahim Ali together
Posted by Kit in DAP, nation building on Tuesday, 17 May 2011, 1:19 pm
By Clara Chooi | May 17, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 — The DAP today invited all “non-Umno” members in Barisan Nasional (BN) to cast aside their political beliefs and unite with their opposition foes to fight one common enemy together — Datuk Ibrahim Ali.
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, in lambasting the government’s failure to reprimand the Perkasa president for waging a crusade against the Christians, said it was time for all Malaysians to unite against extremism, regardless of their political beliefs.
“Only if we cleanse hatred from our heart and fill our soul with love can we find peace, balance and harmony with our lives and with each other. For this reason, DAP calls on all Malaysians to stand up for peace and harmony by uniting against extremists and harmony that wants to see Malaysia burn with hatred and violence.
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Breeding Brainiacs: Tiger Mums in New Zealand
3News.co.nz | SUN, 15 MAY 2011 7:30P.M.
What makes Asian kids so astonishingly brainy? Is it because their parents push them so hard? And if so, should we do the same?
Look at the top stream in school or university, the students receiving the top academic awards, and you can’t help but notice – the faces are likely to be Asian. What makes the Chinese, Taiwanese and Koreans so successful, or to put it another way, what makes Pakeha, Maori and Polynesians much less successful?
The answer you’ll often hear is hard work.
A work ethic instilled by the parents. And more often than not, by the mums…. Tiger Mums.
Paula Penfold talks to the pupils known by their classmates as ‘brainiacs’ to find out why they are top of the class.
The celebration of Buddhist life
By Stanley Koh | May 17, 2011
Free Malaysia Today
Millions across the globe irrespective of race and nationality celebrate Wesak Day today (May 17) in commemoration of Gautama Buddha, popularly known as the “Awakened, or Enlightened, One”, whose renunciation is unprecedented in history.
Born as a prince whose family name is Gautama, Siddhartha lived in Northern India in the 6th century BC, and had all the trappings of a royal and luxurious life. He renounced everything in search of the Truth.
At age of 29, Siddhartha slipped out of the palace after bidding farewell to his wife and son who were asleep. He then roamed the worldly wilderness for six years before attaining spiritual enlightenment.
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