Hishammuddin denies demanding China Press editor’s resignation
By Clara Chooi | The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 – Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein today denied accusations by the Opposition that his ministry had threatened the China Press chief editor with suspension if the latter did not resign.
He said that the accusation, made by DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang in Parliament, was just the Opposition’s ploy to gain political mileage by sensationalising “common procedures”.
“No it is not true (the allegations). From what I know is that what happened with China Press was no different from the others (media publications) like Star and Al-Islam. What we did was merely to send them a show-cause letter and asked them for an explanation,” he said.
China Press was hauled up by the ministry after reporting on Saturday that Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan had submitted his resignation letter to the Prime Minister and the Home Minister.
The IGP’s term of office expires in September.
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Towards A Developed Malaysia (Last of Six Parts)
Posted by Kit in Bakri Musa, globalisation on Tuesday, 16 March 2010, 4:31 pm
By M. Bakri Musa
[Presented at the Third Annual Alif Ba Ta Forum, “1Malaysia Towards Vision 2020,” Rochester Institute of Technology, NY, December 5, 2009, organized by Kelab UMNO NY-NJ. The presentation can be viewed at www.youtube.com (search under “Bakri Musa RIT”) or through this link]
Part Six of Six: Q&A Con’td
Q 10: Can you give us examples of successful countries we can emulate? In one of your books you suggest South Korea, but it is so far ahead to make it a valid model for us.
MBM: Did you know that in the 1950s the Philippines was sending foreign aid workers to South Korea? How the world has changed! Today it is the Philippines that is an economic basket case. That is precisely my point; countries can change quickly, for better or worse. To re-emphasize, if you do not strive to reach Montreal, you would quickly slide back to Tijuana. Standing still is not an option.
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Open debate on New Economic Model (NEM)
Posted by Kit in Dr. Chen Man Hin, Economics on Sunday, 14 March 2010, 2:28 pm
By Dr Chen Man Hin, DAP life adviser
CALL FOR AN OPEN DEBATE ON THE NEW ECONOMIC MODEL AS IT IS A POLICY THAT WILL IMPACT ON THE ECONOMIC WELL BEING OF THE PEOPLE, AND AS SUCH THEY SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO DISCUSS AND DEBATE ON THE NEW ECONOMIC MODEL BEFORE IT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED.
This is absolutely necessary as the New Economic Policy was pushed through parliament in 1971 without a full discussion by the people. Only the cabinet and government under the then prime minister were privy to the details, and it was rushed through parliament.
Implemented from 1971 until today, the aim was to restructure society, to rescue the Malays from poverty and to give them access to all strata of the economy.
Today, admittedly there are more middle class Malays, but the vast majority of them still live in grinding poverty, and many others still live below the poverty line where families subsist on RM1,500 a month.
The wealth which was supposed to be transferred to the Malay poor was hijacked midway by Umno cronies. They have become rich beyond their wildest dreams.
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Why is Hishammuddin breathing down the neck of the media threatening “all hell to break loose” when all that is needed is a correction for any incorrect report about resignation of Musa Hassan as IGP?
The Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein is breathing fire and brimstone, threatening “all hell to break loose”, demanding an explanation from China Press for its report that the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan had tendered his resignation letter.
Warning China Press not to publish reports which are not true, Hishammuddin said he had instructed the Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Mahmood Adam to ask the newspaper editor to explain the report.
Why is Hishammuddin breathing down the neck of the media threatening “all hell to break loose” when all that is needed in the relevant case is a correction for any incorrect report about the resignation of Musa Hassan as IGP?
Is the stability and strength of security in the country and in particular the Malaysian police force so brittle and fragile that a report like that of China Press today could seriously compromised or jeopardized them?
In fact, Hishammuddin should know that if the China Press report is true that Musa has resigned as Inspector-General of Police, there would be joy and jubilation not only among loyal and patriotic Malaysians who have always put national interests above self, but also among top police officers as well as the rank-and-file.
This is why – Read the rest of this entry »
The 200 top SPM students should all be given full pre-university and university scholarships to usher in a new era of meritocracy
Posted by Kit in Education, Muhyiddin Yassin on Saturday, 13 March 2010, 1:31 pm
Yesterday, the Education Ministry released the Top 10 students and the Top 10 Schools for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2009 – with only two students and three schools coming from the 20 High Performance Schools announced by the Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in January this year.
But why just announce the Top 10 students and the Top 10 Schools for last year’s SPM?
I call on Muhyiddin, who is also Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Human Resources, to announce the top 200 students for SPM last year and the Top 100 Schools for SPM 2009 as well.
It will be interesting to know whether all High Performance Schools announced by Muhyiddin come within the Top 100 Schools for SPM 2009.
However, what is more important is that the government should usher a new era of meritocracy by awarding full scholarships for both pre-university and university, whether local or foreign, studies to the top 200 top SPM students, regardless of race, religion or region.
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Four MCA Ministers and seven deputy ministers should take collective official leave for next fortnight to concentrate on their party tussle in the run-up to the fresh MCA party elections on March 28
Yesterday, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak called for a solution to the MCA crisis so that the party can emerge as a credible force to represent the Chinese community and country.
MCA has become a pale shadow from the days of its founding fathers led by Tun Tan Cheng Lock more than half a century ago, when MCA could be said to be on an equal footing with Umno in the Alliance.
Today, MCA has been reduced to such a pathetic status that despite having four Ministers and seven Deputy Ministers, MCA does not even have the weight and leverage in the Barisan Nasional of an outsider and Johnny-come-lately organization like Perkasa and Ibrahim Ali!
When Umno proposed at the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council meeting last month to scrap the rule of unanimity and to amend the BN constitution to allow direct membership of NGOs, individuals and other political parties, MCA leaders dare not even object although they know that their status in Barisan Nasional will be reduced to that of Ibrahim Ali or even lower, whether Perkasa is eventually admitted into the BN or not.
The “Three Kingdoms” battle in MCA has nothing to do with the rights. Interests and future whether of the Chinese community or the Malaysian nation but the political stakes of the different MCA factions.
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Barisan talks up chances ahead of Sarawak polls
by Leslie Lau, Executive Editor | The Malaysian Insider
KUCHING, March 13 — Sarawak’s Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri George Chan (picture) is confident of a near clean-sweep for the state’s Barisan Nasional (BN) amid growing talk of impending state elections, as the ruling coalition seeks a major boost ahead of the next general elections.
He told The Malaysian Insider earlier this week that national Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders like Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the DAP’s Lim Kit Siang have little traction in the state.
“Even at Anwar’s height Pakatan lost Batang Ai to BN in big numbers,” he said in reference to the by-election last year won easily by BN.
State elections must be called by May 2011, but speculation is rife that it will be held this year in what could be a barometer of how voters in the state will swing in national elections.
With voter support in peninsular Malaysia still appearing to be evenly split between BN and Pakatan Rakyat (PR), Sarawak, and Sabah have become strategic states in the fight for federal power.
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MCA’s harakiri and its repercussions on the Chinese
MCA is an ineffective political force in part because it has long played only a marginal role in the previous Malaysia Plans — implemented by the Umno-aligned, Malay dominated civil service — that have shaped socio-economic development in the country.
The Malaysian public, especially the Chinese, must be wondering if MCA can ever get its house in order so that it can attend to the important affairs of state, especially the economy.
Besides the economy which affects the wellbeing of all households in one way or another, there are many other issues that should occupy the time and attention of the party.
Rising religious tensions; increasing intolerance of Islamic zealots; growth of rightwing Malay NGOs and extremism; lack of education opportunities for young Chinese and other Malaysians – the list is formidable. Many of these issues have implications not only for the Chinese but for the whole country.
The Najib administration’s New Economic Model (NEM) is being touted as the way forward. Do the MCA leaders know or even care what is in the model?
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Was Anwar’s sacking 11 years ago lawful?
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Judiciary, NH Chan on Friday, 12 March 2010, 1:25 pm
By NH Chan
MARCH 12 — On Tuesday March 9, 2010 the Sun reports:
Federal Court: Anwar’s sacking from cabinet lawful
Putrajaya: The sacking of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as deputy prime minister and finance minister 11 years ago was lawful, the Federal Court ruled yesterday.
Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Alauddin Mohd Sheriff and Federal Court judges Datuk Wira Mohd Ghazali Mohd Yusof and Datul Abdull Hamid Embong unanimously dismissed Anwar’s final appeal for a declaration that his dismissal from his cabinet posts in September 2, 1998 was unconstitutional.
Alauddin held that the then prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, had the authority under the Federal Constitution to sack his cabinet minister.
He said, the King, as a constitutional monarch, was required to act in accordance with the advice of the prime minister.
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Top 10 students and Top 10 schools in SPM 2009 a slap-in-the face to Muhyiddin’s list of High Performance Schools
Posted by Kit in Education, Muhyiddin Yassin on Friday, 12 March 2010, 11:22 am
The list of Top 10 students and Top 10 schools in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2009 is a slap-in-the-face to Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for his list of High-Performance Schools (HPS) announced at the end of January.
The two SPM 2009 lists have validated the criticisms leveled against Muhyiddin’s HPS list, that it is an insult not only to students and teachers from Sarawak and Sabah but also to their counterparts in Peninsular Malaysia when none of their schools was selected.
Congratulations to Gladys Tan Yee Kim of SMK Green Road, Kuching, the top SPM student in the country in SPM 2009 scoring 10A+s as well as the other nine SPM top scorers.
Gladys Tan has vindicated the honour and quest for excellence of Sarawakians by topping the national list.
However, out of the Top 10 SPM students, only two were from Muhyiddin’s list of HPS, namely second top scorer Grace Kiew Sze-Ern from SMK(P) Sri Aman, Petaling Jaya and fifth top scorer Syamilah Mahali from Kolej Tunku Kurshiah, Seremban.
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Najib has forgotten his first promise as PM that “The era where the government knows best is over”
Posted by Kit in Local Goverment, Najib Razak on Thursday, 11 March 2010, 2:32 pm
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has forgotten his first promise as Prime Minister in April last year that “The era where the government knows best is over” when he gave an instinctive “No” to the proposal by the Penang Chief Minister and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng for the restoration of local government elections even without referring to his Cabinet.
This is most irresponsible on the Prime Minister’s part. The important issue of restoration of local government elections deserve more serious response from the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the government.
In fact, one prominent article in a current magazine which belongs to the Umno stable of media publications, has the lead article: “Getting Local Councils to Deliver” and posing the question: “A recent survey showed that local councils are a big letdown to rate payers. Will having local council elections, or better, yet, the Government Transformation Plan, help?”
Najib’s instant and summary rejection of the idea of local government elections could be interpreted as the Prime Minister having little confidence or even having utter contempt for the Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha and the KPI Minister, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon who is supposed to spearhead the 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme (GTP) Roadmap.
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Is Hishammuddin involving police in greater political harassment of PR leaders when he should be asking the police to single-mindedly fight crime to make Malaysia a safe country?
When DAP Penang State Assemblyman for Komtar, Ng Wei Aik, lodged a police report against the Second Finance Minister Datuk Husni Hanadzlah for uttering racially inflammatory remarks on Tuesday, there was an immediate response from the Federal CID director Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Mohd Zinin who was in Penang at the time.
Bakri asked at a news conference: “Do you want the police to fight crime or investigate political matters?”
The answer is clear and unequivocal, the first task of the police is to fight crime and to ensure that Malaysians, investors and tourists feel safe from crime and are liberated from the fear of crime – two major failures of the Malaysian police in the past decade.
Despite the establishment of a Royal Police Commission and its recommendations in 2005 to create an efficient, incorruptible, professional world-class police service in Malaysia, crime index in the country has continued to mount until the sixth Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak had to admit that it is one of the six priority challenges of his administration.
Despite all the publicity of KPI (key performance index) and NKRAs (National Key Result Areas) in fighting crime in the past year, the police has yet to break the back of the problem of high crime rate and prevalent fear of crime among Malaysians, tourists and investors – the very definition of an unsafe country!
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Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #5
Posted by Kit in Bakri Musa, globalisation on Thursday, 11 March 2010, 11:39 am
By M Baki Musa
Introduction and Overview
The Outline
This book has two parts. The first, “Perspectives on Development,” begins with the chapter exploring why some societies progress while others regress. The chapter following recaps the lessons of past societies that successfully overcame their stagnant conditions and then went on a trajectory of progress. The examples I choose are early Islam, the European Reformation, and the Meiji Restoration. The chapter after that covers three contemporary model states: two are positive examples—the “Asian tiger” (South Korea) and the “Celtic tiger” (Ireland) – while the third is a negative one, Argentina. I conclude this first part with a chapter on globalization, the prevailing and dominant force shaping the world today.
Globalization is now a reality. While there are many imperfections and inequities with the system, nonetheless for small nations like Malaysia it is best not to dwell on them. Suffice that Malaysia should concentrate on avoiding and minimizing the pitfalls, and on better preparing her citizens to face this new reality and its associated challenges. Once Malaysia is a full and active participant in globalization, then it will be in a better position to improve the system. Until then it would be presumptuous for Malaysians to presume to preach to the larger world. Besides, there are greater minds elsewhere now addressing the many inequities and translocations associated with globalization. Read the rest of this entry »
Judges Can Fly – in the face of Rule 137 of the Federal Court Rules! (Part 1)
By NH Chan
A thorough and critical consideration of the Federal Court’s inconsistent and dishonest approach to Rule 137 of the Rules of the Federal Court 1995 in 2 parts. This part considers the recent Federal Court decision dismissing Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s application to review a previous Federal Court decision dismissing his application for disclosure of documents for his second sodomy trial.
Devastating and shocking news.
The headline of the online news portal Malaysiakini declared:
Anwar fails to get Federal Court to review its decision
Feb 25, 2010
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Judges Can Fly – in the face of Rule 137 of the Federal Court Rules! (Part 2)
By NH Chan
A thorough and critical consideration of the Federal Court’s inconsistent and dishonest approach to Rule 137 of the Rules of the Federal Court 1995 as it relates to section 51 and 51A of the Criminal Procedure Code and the Federal Court decisions in Adorna Properties v Kobchai Sosothikul [2006] 1 MLJ 417 and Asean Security Paper Mills Sdn Bhd v Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance (Malaysia) Bhd [2008] 5 AMR 377. This is the concluding part.
The two misguided decisions are Adorna Properties v Kobchai Sosothikul [2006] 1 MLJ 417 and Asean Security Paper Mills Sdn Bhd v Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance (Malaysia) Bhd [2008] 5 AMR 377. Practicing lawyers will tell you that not too long ago the Federal Court have been exercising their inherent powers to right a wrong which is to prevent injustice as envisaged in Rule 137.
In the case of Adorna Properties Sdn Bhd v Kobchai Sosothikul [2006] 1 MLJ 417 (PS Gill and Rahmah Hussein FCJJ and Richard Malanjum JCA, as he was then) Mr. Kobchai Sosothikul – who was substituted for his late mother Mrs. Boonsom Boonyanit – applied under rule 137 of the Federal Court Rules 1955 to review the Federal Court’s decision in Adorna Properties v Boonsom Boonyanit. PS Gill FCJ (who delivered the judgment of the court) dismissed the application for review. He said:
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Perkasa – rebirth of a demon
By AB Sulaiman Malaysiakini
The birth of Malay NGO Perkasa is obviously causing a stir in the Malaysian social, intellectual and political landscape.
It has declared intention of acting as a “shield against those who question Malay rights, the royalty and Islam”, according to its founding head and Independent MP Ibrahim Ali.
The target and philosophy is thereby made clear – to protect and promote the sanctity of Islam, the martabat (dignity and honour) of the Malay people, and the spirit of nationalism. This falls under the ideology and banner of untuk agama, bangsa dan negara (for religion, race and nation).
But hasn’t the same philosophy and ideology been used by the Malay leadership in governing the country ever since Independence in 1957? Wasn’t it adopted in the interests of ketuanan Melayu (KM) after the launch of the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1970?
Charge N H Chan for contempt or resign, CJ?
Posted by Kit in Judiciary, Martin Jalleh on Wednesday, 10 March 2010, 5:50 pm
By Martin Jalleh
The integrity of the judiciary has been badly mauled by a legal lion who does not mince his words no matter how high or mighty a judge thinks he is. He has called a spade a spade and certain members of the judiciary an “incompetent” and even an “idiotic” bunch!
All the Chief Justice (CJ) and the judges in the Palace of Justice have managed to do is remain mum, mute and mumble amongst themselves as N H Chan methodically makes them out for who they really are and the mockery they have made of the law!
The respected, renowned and retired Justice N H Chan is very frustrated, fed-up and furious at how the judiciary which he had served so faithfully has been reduced to a farce run by those who are legal and intellectual frauds or what he has called “imposters”!
With each passing compromised judgment N H Chan unhesitatingly hits out at judges with an increasingly sharper sting. He leaves no stone unturned, no errant judge uncovered. They can “no longer mask their hyperbole judgments with unintelligible garbage”.
“Fools on the bench”
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Sabah DAP’s KDM chief minister promise questioned
By Joe Fernandez | Malaysiakini
A Sabah DAP ‘carrot’ that a non-Muslim KadazanDusunMurut (KDM) will be the chief minister in Kota Kinabalu – should Pakatan Rakyat form the state government – has revealed the division in the opposition alliance on the issue.
Sabah DAP vice-chairperson Edward Ewol Mujie had given the assurance, in urging Sahahans to vote for Pakatan in the next election.
However, former Sabah PKR deputy chief Daniel John Jambun pointed out that Pakatan component parties are currently led by non-KDM.
“So, how is a KDM, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, going to be chief minister if Pakatan wins the elections?” he asked.
jeffrey kitingan sabah 310508Daniel also reminded Edward that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim had been adamantly against Jeffrey Gapari Kitingan (left) becoming the Sabah PKR chief.
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Najib will have no time for affairs of state as Prime Minister if he spends 10 hours a day on Facebook
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak on Wednesday, 10 March 2010, 9:16 am
Even before a full year, the Najib premiership is more than fraying at the edges – showing a serious schizophrenic personality.
The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak proclaims the slogan and vision of 1Malaysia. Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, however invokes a different image – a divided Many Malaysia!
I was struck by this schizophrenic Najib premiership when I read the Malaysiakini news report just now that ”Najib will respond to ‘good suggestions’ in Facebook”.
Speaking to some 500 civil servants and community leaders at a briefing organized by the Kelantan Federal Development Department, the Prime Minister’s political secretary Shahlan Ismail said the Prime Minister would respond to all constructive opinions submitted by the people in the country via the Facebook.
He said between 100 and 200 messages were received each day with various suggestions and opinions and some of them were used as a guide by the Prime Minister.
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The indomitable spirit of several thousands who stood under heavy rain to hear Pakatan Rakyat leaders in Semboyan Halilintar ke Putrajaya ceramah perdana potent sign that the goal of Putrajaya is within reach
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Pakatan Rakyat, Post-2008 general election, Twitter on Wednesday, 10 March 2010, 8:50 am
I thought the crowd of thousands for this Semboyan Halilintar ke Putrajaya ceramah perdana in Seremban to commemorate the second anniversary of March 8, 2008 political tsunami would dissolve away when the full blasts of the rain came, but the indomitable spirit of several thousands who stood their ground despite heavy rain is a potent sign that the Pakatan Rakyat goal of Putrajaya in the next general election is within reach.
In recent weeks, Umno/Barisan especially through their owned and controlled mainstream media (msm) had tried to paint a picture of Pakatan Rakyat in disarray if not in disintegration, focusing particularly on Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) which has been reduced to 26 from 30 MPs two years ago.
Firstly, Umno/BN tried to foment trouble in Pakatan Rakyat saying that I should be Parliamentary Opposition Leader as the DAP with 28 MPs has now more MPs than PKR. Thanks but no, as DAP has decided that Anwar Ibrahim is the Parliamentary Opposition Leader heading the Pakatan Rakyat in Parliament until he becomes the new Prime Minister when Pakatan Rakyat captures Putrajaya in the next general elections.
Secondly, the Umno/BN launched a psychological warfare against PKR and Pakatan Rakyat because of the PKR cleansing process resulting in the reduction, whether by defection or expulsion, of its parliamentary strength.
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