Najib losing battle for 1Malaysia when a rational and level-headed Umno leader like Second Finance Minister Husni could make a racist remark when he is under influence of Penang UMNO
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, nation building on Monday, 8 March 2010, 1:06 pm
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is fighting a losing battle for his 1Malaysia slogan and concept when a rational and level-headed Umno leader like the Second Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Husni Mohd Hanadzlah could make a racist remark when he is under the influence of Penang Umno.
DAP MP for Jelutong Jeff Ooi has asked Husni to apologise for making a racist remark at a dinner organized by the Penang Malay Chamber of Commerce on Friday, where he said: “Kalau orang Cina di Pulau Pinang buli kita, kita lawan balik orang Cina”.
Husni’s racist remark was reported in the evening edition of the Penang papers on Saturday night but it was taken out in the morning editions of the Sunday papers.
Although this racist Husni remark has been denied, it had been caught on tape.
I am very surprised as DAP MPs have always found Husni as a very rational, level-headed and reasonable Deputy Minister and since Najib’s elevation as Prime Minister last April, as Second Finance Minister, and we find it most shocking that he could have uttered such a racially-laden statement, which runs counter to what Najib’s 1Malaysia represents.
The question all Malaysians must ponder is why a usually rational, level-headed and reasonable Umno leader who is very moderate in his views could make such a racist remark completely of his character?
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Towards A Developed Malaysia – Part 5
Posted by Kit in Bakri Musa on Monday, 8 March 2010, 9:30 am
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 Five of Six: Q&A Con’td:
Q 4: How can we unite Malaysians when we have these separate school systems?
MBM: The underpinning of the national school policy, as articulated in the Razak Report of 1956, was that if young Malaysians were to learn the same language, read the same books, study the same history, then we would all idolize the same heroes and subscribe to the same values. With a common base and shared goals, national unity would be that more readily achievable.
It was not an unreasonable assumption. Tun Razak’s national schools were a definite improvement over the then existing vernacular schools. At least Malaysians now know more about Tunku Abdul Rahman than Nehru or Chiang Kai Shek, and can speak the national language, an achievement that should not be belittled.
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Dr. Chen – the indefatigable Malaysian warrior for justice and democracy
Posted by Kit in DAP, Dr. Chen Man Hin on Monday, 8 March 2010, 9:26 am
Kit Siang: Pakatan to win big if Anwar is jailed
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Pakatan Rakyat on Sunday, 7 March 2010, 8:49 pm
By Neville Spykerman | The Malaysian Insider
SHAH ALAM, March 7 — Veteran opposition leader Lim Kit Siang today predicted the Pakatan Rakyat will have an easier time at the next general election if the government jails Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for sodomy.
“If he is jailed, our motto will be free Anwar, vote PR!” said the DAP stalwart during the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Convention.
Anwar, the de factor PKR and PR leader, is facing his second sodomy charge in more than a decade after he was sacked as deputy prime minister and later jailed for sodomy and corruption offences.
The next election is not due until 2013 but pundits expect Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to call for snap polls after the Sarawak state elections, which are due by July 2011.
The Ipoh Timor MP said the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government was courting trouble by continuing their persecution of the Opposition Leader, who has denied the sodomy charge and called it a political conspiracy.
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Cabinet on Wednesday should give “green light” for legislative action to allow state governments like Penang to restore local government elections
Posted by Kit in Local Goverment, Penang Government on Sunday, 7 March 2010, 1:07 pm
The Penang State Executive Council has made a historic decision to restore local government elections for Penang which was suspended 45 years on 1st March 1965 because of Indonesian Confrontation which ended in the latter part of 1966.
If elections to the two Municipal Councils of Penang, the Municipal Council of Penang Island (MPPP) and the Municipal Council of Seberang Prai (MPSP) are held at this time, it would be doubly meaningful because the last local council elections in Malaysia was held half a century ago in 1961.
In fact, there would be a triple significance as the first-ever elections held in the country was for the Municipal Council of George Town on Dec. 1, 1951 – marking the 60th anniversary commemoration of the start of the nation’s electoral history.
Following the historic decision of the Penang State Government to restore the third vote, with the Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng writing to the Election Commission to conduct local government elections for the two municipalities in Penang, the Cabinet on Wednesday should give the “green light” for legislative action to be taken to allow state governments like Penang to restore local government elections.
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Kit Siang’s ‘biggest losers’ jibe riles Sabahans
Joe Fernandez | Malaysiakini
DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang has distressed BN leaders in Sabah no end with his Feb 28 statement in Kota Kinabalu that the KadazanDusunMuruts (KDMs) – the largest indigenous group in the state – are the biggest losers under the ruling coalition.
The reverberations are still echoing throughout the state and is likely to haunt BN in the run-up to the next general election.
Lim had also linked the biggest losers tag with the continued ban on the book, ‘Peter Mojuntin Golden Son of the Kadazan’, by former Malacca DAP leader Bernard Sta Maria. He has since initiated an online campaign to get the ban on the book lifted.
The book is about Sabah’s leader Mojuntin, who died in the plane crash together with a number of other top leaders including the state’s first chief minister Fuad Stephens in 1976.
Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman, a Pathan-Dusun, castigated Lim in no uncertain terms for being irresponsible. He was particularly upset that Lim pointed out that Umno had held the CM’s post for 11 of the last 16 years, the Chinese for four years and the KDM for only nine months.
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Cops crash DAP party
Sentul OCPD ACP Zakaria Pagan up on stage to declare the party over. – Picture by Choo Choy May
By Clara Chooi | The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 — Police put a stop to a dinner and ceramah organised by the Kepong DAP here tonight.
The function, which features star speakers from Pakatan Rakyat like Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang and Datuk Husam Musa, was called to an abrupt halt at 10pm when the police raided the premises.
About 1,500 people in attendance booed loudly when Sentul OCPD ACP Zakaria Pagan took to the stage and announced that the ceramah was cancelled.
He justified the action by pointing out that the function’s permit was only to organise a dinner and not a ceramah with political speeches.
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Bumburing Calls On Health Ministry To Expedite Upgrading Work On Tuaran Hospital
TUARAN, March 5 (Bernama) — Former Sabah deputy chief minister Datuk Wilfred Bumburing has called on the Health Ministry to expedite the upgrading of the Tuaran hospital to cater for the health care needs of about 120,000 people living in the area.
He said the hospital was in dire need of upgrading and it was sad that a hospital for a large district like Tuaran, with a population of 120,000, had no bed at all.
“I was also told that the hospital had been downgraded to a clinic in the past. In my speech in Parliment last year to debate the 2010 budget I have outlined all the reasons and rationale as to why the construction of the hospital is most urgently needed,” he told reporters here on Friday.
However the member of Parliment for Tuaran denied DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang’s recent allegation that the BN government had not done anything to develop Tuaran.
Bumburing said the Health Ministry had assured him that the second phase construction of the hospital would start this year.
“While appreciating Kit Siang’s concern, I have to mention that we in the Barisan Nasional have carried our duty and responsibility in bringing up to the relevant authorities matters that are of urgent public interest,” he said.
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MCA dignity and humiliation plumbing new historic lows
Most pitiable and tragic to see MCA dignity and humiliation plumbing new historic lows in its 61-year history in the past 24 hours.
Whether the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will attend the 56th MCA Annual General Meeting scheduled for Sunday became the most strategic gambit in the MCA “Three Kingdom” power tussle when the Ong remnants in the rump MCA Central Committee after the resignation of two-thirds of its membership from the Chua and Liow factions insisted on proceeding with Sunday’s MCA AGM.
The spokesman for the “Ong” MCA faction announced after the rump MCA Central Committee meeting last evening that Najib would attend which was contradicted soon after by spokesmen from the “Liow” and “Chua” MCA factions that Najib would not attend!
As if it is not shameful and humiliating enough that Sunday’s 56th MCA AGM is being aborted in less than 72 hours of its scheduled meeting by directive and pressure from outside the MCA!
It would be understandable if the MCA “Three Kingdom” power tussle is over which faction could better champion the proclaimed objectives of the party or the proper implementation of announced government programmes like Najib’s 1Malaysia concept.
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AG’s Acumen for Asinine Answers
Posted by Kit in Martin Jalleh on Friday, 5 March 2010, 6:38 pm
By Martin Jalleh
Attorney-General (AG) Abdul Gani Patail want us to believe that he is committed to ensuring that the rule of law is upheld in Bolehland. In his address to members of the Judiciary and the Bar entitled “Opening of the Legal Year 2010”, on 16 Jan., he declared:
“(I)t cannot be over emphasized that the concept of justice is grounded on the basic principles of equality, fairness, and rule of law. The AGC (AG’s Chambers) is committed to promoting the rule of law and ensuring justice be given to all people whatever their race, religion or class.
“AGC in carrying out its duties is well aware of the maxim ‘justice should not only be done, but should manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done’, and hence the explanations issued by AGC from time to time on cases handled by it so that the public would not have misconceptions of biasness.”
Such purported profound and passionate zeal for the rule of law by the AG turns into mere political BN propaganda when one applies it to his pathetic excuses for not pressing charges against the two reporters of the Al-Islam magazine who had committed a most sacrilegious act against the Catholic community.
Gani’s Gall
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First time in 56-year MCA history – fresh party leadership elections decided by external remote control
Who was the mastermind of the decision yesterday to halt the 56th MCA Annual General Meeting to be held in less than 72 hours on Sunday, 7th March 2010?
Not MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat though he subsequently claimed that he was the first to call for fresh party polls.
His first comment that his supporters had “expected this long-anticipated development” is the most eloquent admission that he was completely taken by surprise by Chua’s announcement – which was why the Bernama report of Chua’s shock announcement was preceded less than two hours earlier by Ong’s special interview as MCA President on the occasion of Sunday’s 56th MCA AGM, which is as good as spiked!
Not the second MCA Three-Kingdom challenger, MCA Vice Chairman Liow Tiong Lai – though the Liow faction must be very relieved that finally MCA party leadership elections are being held.
If not Ong and Liow, was Chua the mastermind of the move?
Nobody believes that Chua would dare, or to use the Chinese description “have the leopard’s bile”, to abort the 56th MCA AGM to be officially opened by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak in less than 72 hours without any “green light” from above.
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Abdul Gani’s decision not to press charges against Al-Islam reporters without extracting public apology indefensible and dangerous precedent inimical to 1Malaysia concept
Posted by Kit in Law & Order, Religion on Friday, 5 March 2010, 12:39 pm
The decision of the Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail not to press charges against the two Al-Islam journalists who desecrated a sacred Catholic ritual without extracting a public apology is indefensible and a dangerous precedent inimical to the 1Malaysia concept of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
I can understand the disappointment of Kuala Lumpur Archbishop Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam over Gani’s decision to drop the case against Al-Islam reporters without any public apology.
Gani said the desecration of the communion wafer by the two Al-Islam reporters at the St. Anthony’s Church in Jalan Robertson near Puduraya, Kuala Lumpur last May was “an act of ignorance, not malice” and that they might have hurt people’s feelings but he was satisfied that they did not intend to offend anyone.
The Attorney-General would not be able to convince the community hurt by the act of desecration with such a lame excuse – what more, without any apology from the perpetrators to show remorse for the religious desecration which must be regarded as an act of heinous insensitivity completely unacceptable in Najib’s 1Malaysia.
Gani said: “In view of the circumstances at that particular time, and in the interests of justice, peace and harmony, I decided not to press charges against them.
He said he had made similar decisions in previous cases involving other religions.
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@ “The Smiling Warrior – Kit Siang” comedy
limkitsiang: At Actors Studio Lot 10 4latest “Kit Siang” Fair game
about 2 hours ago
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Are the Kadazan natives the big losers in Sabah?
My visit to Sabah last week has stirred a hornet’s nest.
Today, a Sabah daily – Daily Express – carried a report with the headline “IDS boss dismisses Kit Siang’s claim as nonsense – Many KDMs hold key posts” to respond to me, which is reproduced below:
Najib cannot find real comfort in PKR’s agonizing self-cleansing process when his 1Malaysia concept and Barisan Nasional are in such tatters
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, Pakatan Rakyat, UMNO on Thursday, 4 March 2010, 11:55 am
UMNO and Barisan Nasional leaders are fully exploiting the present turmoil in Pakatan Rakyat caused by the PKR’s agonizing self-cleansing process but the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak cannot find real comfort when his 1Malaysia slogan and concept – in less than a year – and the Barisan Nasional are in such tatters.
Only in today’s Sin Chew Daily, the Gerakan youth leader Lim Si Ping said that this is the best time for Gerakan to pull out of Barisan Nasional and that it is only by leaving Barisan that Gerakan can restore its dignity.
If Pakatan Rakyat is tottering on its last legs as pictured by the mainstream media (msm) in the past few days, such a thought would not have occurred to the Gerakan youth leader!
Nanyang Siang Pau today reported that the Prime Minister has issued an ultimatum to the three MCA warring factions to “ceasefire” within this month because of an imminent Cabinet reshuffle in April, leading to the latest speculation that the newest permutation in the “Three Kingdom” MCA battle will see a Chua-Liow vs Ong realignment.
It is not only the lesser Barisan Nasional parties who are chronically afflicted with fatal schisms like MIC and PPP, even the UMNO “Big Brother” is seriously fractured, with Najib’s authority weakening, instead of strengthening, by the day.
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Of crossing overs and cultural cancer
Posted by Kit in Azly Rahman, Pakatan Rakyat on Thursday, 4 March 2010, 9:00 am
By Azly Rahman
Should I cross over for those millions of ringgits?
That is a two million ringgit question.
How much does one get for ‘crossing over’ these days? I do not know. But if there are millions of ringgit involved, this nation will continue to rot as corrupt politicians continue switching allegiances, getting appointments to good positions, and making horrifying decisions for you and your children.
We must destroy this culture and heal anew.
We were convinced things will be better after the elections. We were sure that the revolution was going to benefit the masses and no party hopping would occur.
We are wrong. Things are getting more complex, in a complex time of rising prices.
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Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #4
Posted by Kit in Bakri Musa, globalisation on Thursday, 4 March 2010, 8:58 am
By M Bakri Musa
Introduction and Overview
A Discussion on Causation
The numerous theories to explain why some societies develop and prosper while others languish and stagnate revolve around three broad themes: biology, geography, and culture. The first two factors are immutable; there is nothing that can be done to change a nation’s biological heritage or its geographical attributes. Culture on the other hand can and does change.
The popularity of the various theories varies with time. The prevailing view often coincides with the beliefs held by members of the dominant societies of the day. During the heyday of imperialism, biology took center stage. The Europeans, being the most advanced nations, easily believed that they were favored by nature and endowed with the most desirable characteristics: God’s perfection personified. The “White Man’s burden” mentality (they considered themselves divinely chosen to lead others) was a reflection of this belief in their inherent superiority.
Later, with the discovery of the importance of natural resources and trade, geographical attributes and strategic locations became popular explanations. The current favorite revolves around culture. That is, there is something in the cultures of the various societies that either predispose (or cause) them to develop; or conversely, impede their progress. In effect, culture is destiny. Economists emphasize the crucial role of institutions (an aspect of culture) in development; the backwardness of many Third World countries is caused largely by to their lack of effective and honest institutions.
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Open letter to Pakatan members
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Pakatan Rakyat on Wednesday, 3 March 2010, 7:41 pm
Letter by Emmanuel Joseph
Dear friends,
We cannot let them win. We cannot let hopelessness and despair triumph over justice and truth. We cannot succumb to helplessness and self-pity. And most importantly, we cannot self-destruct.
It is convenient and most tempting to raise a finger and point out PKR as the weak link in the PR chain, to blame all that is happening today on Anwar Ibrahim. After all they clung on stubbornly to their allocated seats and placed postmen and washouts to contest instead of giving way to PAS’ or DAP’s more qualified, loyal candidates.
But in more ways than one, it was also PKR and its leader Anwar Ibrahim that has raised Pakatan to the level it is now. PKR helped smooth things out between conservative DAP and hardline PAS in the shaky first few weeks, and subsequently PKR played the role as a stabilising force in Pakatan, grounding the ideals of both its partners, and allowing PAS and DAP to cement their ties to the current warm levels.
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An open letter to defecting PKR MPs
Posted by Kit in Letters, Pakatan Rakyat on Wednesday, 3 March 2010, 2:31 pm
Open Letter By Shamsuddin Kamal
Assalamu Alaykum and peace to all,
Three PKR MPs have so far quit the party and turned independent, meaning turned BN MPs anyway, you have that right, but also the people who elected you have some rights. All of you left the party upon which you were elected and singled out one reason: no faith in leadership. Some even said they want to go back to Umno (either directly or indirectly) because of bangsa dan agama. Well, dear MPs, most Malaysians know why you are leaving and these are the reasons:
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UMNO is behind the spate of defections to hurt Anwar Ibrahim and whoever it finds that has a weak heart, it snatches him/her away to play along.
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UMNO wants to humiliate Anwar Ibrahim and whoever it finds has a wicked heart, it beckons him so that he/she will play along.
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UMNO wants to salvage whatever that’s remaining of its credibility and does so by playing the racial card and it brings alone anyone who can’t see beyond its devilish tactics and so far it has gotten few.
Why have the sons of the second and third Prime Ministers turned their backs on their father’s joint legacy on 5% oil royalty to the states?
Posted by Kit in Mahathir, Najib Razak, Oil, Razaleigh Hamzah, UMNO on Wednesday, 3 March 2010, 12:34 pm
End-game to the silencing of Umno veteran leader Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah or his expulsion from Umno.
This is the import and intent of the gag order announced by Umno vice president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein on Umno members on the Kelantan oil royalty issue which could affect the party’s image.
It is no more a question of who and what is historically right or wrong but who has the present power to impose his views on the country at the moment, right or wrong.
What the second and third Prime Ministers, Tun Razak and Tun Hussein Onn, intended some 35 years ago, as ordering Razaleigh as the first Petronas Chairman “to design the Petroleum Development Act in such a way that the Malay heartland states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Johor and especially his beloved Pahang, would benefit directly from offshore oil beyond 3 nautical miles through the mechanism of 5 per cent cash payments made directly to the state consolidated fund” (Razaleigh’s statement) do not matter today.
Even Razak’s categorical and unequivocal commitment in Parliament on Nov. 12, 1975 in reply to my parliamentary question that “Under the agreement, each state will receive 5 per cent of the value of petroleum found and extracted from each of the states, whether onshore or offshore, that is sold by Petronas or agencies or contractors” is now regarded as utterly of no consequence or value.
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