When will petrol pump price revert to RM1.92?
It was only last week that the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Samad said that the price of petrol would revert to the old price of RM1.92 a litre which motorists had enjoyed before the 41% hike in June if the world crude oil price continued to dip to below US$72 a barrel.
At the time (October 10), the crude oil price was around US$88 a barrel.
Over the weekend, the world oil prices closed at a new 14-month low beneath US$70 a barrel, bringing its price to less than half its July record high – dipping to as low as US$68.57 a barrel.
Why hasn’t the petrol pump price reverted back to RM1.92?
Will this be announced tomorrow when Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak release his economic stabilisation plan to prepare Malaysia to face the world’s worst economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s? Read the rest of this entry »
Can Abdullah’s last five months as PM survive the return of Mahathirism?
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, UMNO on Sunday, 19 October 2008, 2:33 pm
“Who is he, asks Abdullah” is the New Sunday Times headline for the report of what it described as “The gloves came off yesterday.”
The New Sunday Times reported from Kota Kinabalu yesterday that the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s “patience finally wore off and he lambasted his predecessor, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad”, viz:
Abdullah said Dr Mahathir was acting as if it was he (Dr Mahathir) who should determine who played what role in the party.
“Who is he? He has left Umno but he still issues orders to members of Umno. The party does not need to take orders from anyone who is no longer a member of the party,” said Abdullah who was here to attend the Hari Malaysia and closing of the Merdeka month celebrations.
“He is trying to create a rift and (incite) anger and hatred. What is wrong with people who work with me? He is trying to teach people to hate one another.”
The Umno president said this in referring to a posting on Dr Mahathir’s blog, calling on Umno to rid itself of all those who supported Abdullah, referring to them as “toadies”.
“Who is he when he is no longer a member of UMNO?”
Abdullah cannot be naïve in not knowing the answer to his own query, although his rhetorical question is meant to convey his frustration, impotence and bitterness than to elicit a real answer. Read the rest of this entry »
Why DAP blamed for Ka Ting’s “Umno is bully in BN” speech?
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, MCA, UMNO on Sunday, 19 October 2008, 10:32 am
Why is the DAP blamed for the outgoing MCA President, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting’s “Umno is bully in Barisan Nasional” speech at the MCA General Assembly opening ceremony yesterday?
Ong’s speech led to denials by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi resulting in newspaper frontpage headlines like “UMNO IS NO BULLY” (New Sunday Times) and “Umno bukan pembuli: PM” (Berita Minggu), who instead blamed the DAP for “stirring up the issue to see the split of the MCA or Gerakan” as well as Hindraf for targetting the MIC.
Abdullah caught everyone by surprise by his bald denial.
He said Umno “is not a ‘bully’ party” or many component parties would have left BN by now, and asked:
Abdullah has forgotten an elementary rule of life – “don’t ask if you don’t want the answer”!
Does he really want the answer to that loaded question of his? Don’t have to ask the Malaysian public. Just ask the MCA, Gerakan and MIC delegates or members through secret ballot whether they think their leaders have been bullied by Umno in Barisan Nasional, and I have no doubt that the answer would be a resounding and thundering “yes’! Read the rest of this entry »
Indians given a Deepavali present by government, yet again
by Jaya
A week prior to Deepavali 2007, can you remember how the Indian community were greeted by their BN leaders? Their adored place of worship, the Padang Jawa Temple in Klang was cruelly demolished. Wonder if it is a decision that the previous Selangor MB regrets? Many Indians believe that it was ‘divine wrath and punishment’ that gave a trashing defeat to BN in the State of Selangor.
Now fast forward to 2008, this year the community got a wonderful present for their Deepavali festival. Our Government has banned and declared Hindraf illegal!!! None can say it better than F E Smith “There is more credit in being abused by fools than praised by rogues .”
One wonders if all this came about because the Big Boys were not happy that Indian families went to PMs open house in their orange Tee-Shirts. The delegation was led by a little 6 year old girl who handed over a greeting card and a teddy bear!!! By Gosh, by a stretch of any imagination, could the Malaysian population consider a little stuffed toy, as a threat to national security?? Read the rest of this entry »
Game’s Up, Gani, Time To Go!
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Court, Martin Jalleh on Saturday, 18 October 2008, 6:02 am
By Martin Jalleh
Lady Justice haunts and hounds Bolehland’s Attorney-General (AG) Abdul Gani Patail over his hidden hand in Anwar Ibrahim’s trials 10 years ago. The skeletons in his cupboard hang out. He can no longer hide behind the skirt of the Executive. The naked truth has caught up with him.
The latest expose on the AG having abused his power to fabricate evidence in Anwar’s trials was made by Lim Kit Siang in Parliament yesterday (Malaysiakini, 15.10.08). The veteran politician likened Gani to a “criminal” and demanded that he “resign immediately”.
Quoting unnamed sources, Kit Siang said that he understands that solicitor-general Idrus Harun had carried out an investigation into the claims (in a police report filed by Anwar) in July and “has concluded that the AG had indeed abused his power to fabricate evidence” against Anwar.
Several days before Kit Siang’s revelation, the public got to hear the startling claims by Mat Zain Ibrahim, a retired senior police officer who probed the infamous “black eye” incident involving Anwar in 1998, on Gani having allegedly tampered with evidence in the case (Malaysiakini, 10.10.08). Read the rest of this entry »
The Poverty of Riches and the Riches of Poverty
Posted by Kit in Farish Noor, PAS on Saturday, 18 October 2008, 6:02 am
By Farish A Noor
As an aside to the academic work I normally do, last week I was given the opportunity to meet with Tuan Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat, the Spiritual Leader (Murshidul Am) of the Malaysian Islamic Party PAS at his office in northern Malaysia.
Despite the frail health of the man and his taxing schedule, we managed to pack in close to two hours worth of interview on tape and this will now be my headache for the next week as all of this information has to be transcribed for publication purposes.
One thing, however, struck me somewhere during the second half of our meeting. I remarked to the Ulama that his home was suprisingly similar to that of Ho Chi Minh’s in Hanoi, Vietnam, and that both he and the revered ‘Uncle Ho’ chose to give up their stately government mansions to live in humble wooden houses.
I also remarked to him that he was using the same cheap, plastic BIC ballpoint pen that I had seen him use when we first met in 1999. This occassioned a laugh and a smile from him, but it struck us both that these observations were far from pedestrian. Read the rest of this entry »
I think, therefore I perish
Posted by Kit in Azly Rahman on Friday, 17 October 2008, 5:24 pm
by Azly Rahman
Cogito ergo, sum
– Rene Descartes
Rene Descartes the 17th century French philosopher and mathematician, in his most famous essay Meditations and A Treatise on Methods proposed the separation of mind and body in our conceptualisation of human nature paving way for the evolution of scientific method in the way we study phenomena.
Sense perception alone is not capable of understanding Nature, thought process separate from the physical entity of the self make understanding Reality complete, according to Descartes.
The ideology of thinking is now known as Cartesian paradigm.
From Cartesian paradigm the idea of falsification and determining of truth-ness of a study evolve, later known as the Scientific Method.
Cogito Ergo Sum, or “I think therefore I exist”, according to Descartes. For the layperson this may mean that it is the independence of thought that determine the nature of existence.
It is through the encouragement of thinking that human existence is celebrated. It is through doubting and dissenting that human beings will be defined as thinking beings. Read the rest of this entry »
Rulers’ Conference special statement – testimony of nation-building in crisis
Posted by Kit in nation building on Friday, 17 October 2008, 4:51 pm
The Conference of Rulers issued a special joint press statement at its 215th meeting in Kuala Terengganu on the social contract as the bedrock of the formation of Malaysia, in particular “on the role of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Malay rulers regarding the special privileges, position, eminence or greatness of the Malay rulers, Islam, Malay as the national language, the special position of the Malays, and genuine interests of the other communities in accordance with the Federal Constitution”.
This is an unprecedented document and is testimony of Malaysian nation-building facing a crisis of confidence after half-a-century of nationhood – in particular after the March 8 “political tsunami” seven months ago.
This was the theme of my 2009 budget speech in Parliament on Tuesday and Wednesday, where I raised many issues on the tsunami of crisis of confidence afflicting Malaysia – affecting the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister-in-waiting, the Attorney-General, the Inspector-General, the judiciary and on a whole spectrum of issues whether on anti-corruption, human rights or nation-building. Read the rest of this entry »
Zaki’s CJ appointment – last nail in coffin of Abdullah’s judicial reform?
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Judiciary on Friday, 17 October 2008, 3:55 pm
When Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi finally bowed down to irresistible pressures in UMNO to scuttle his mid-2010 power transition plan and announced on October 8 that would not defend the post of Umno President, he said he would complete three reforms, including judicial reform, before he steps down as Prime Minister next March.
Is the appointment of Tan Sri Zaki Azmi as the Chief Justice to take over from Tun Abdul Hamid Mohamed, who retires compulsorily tomorrow, the last nail in the coffin of Abdullah’s pledge of judicial reform?
Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, who was appointed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department after the March 8 general election by Abdullah to shepherd the reforms into reality, had implied that the appointment of a new Chief Justice to replace Hamid would be made under the new reform format and regime of a Judicial Appointment Commission. Read the rest of this entry »
Is M orchestrating Abdullah’s earlier exit as PM?
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Najib Razak, UMNO on Friday, 17 October 2008, 1:30 pm
At the DAP Bagan 6,000-People Solidarity Dinner in Penang last night, I said I did not know whether Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will continue to be Prime Minister by next March, although Abdullah has said that he wanted to devote his last five months as Malaysia’s fifth Prime Minister to accomplish some of the reforms which he had failed to honour – in particular, the judiciary, anti-corruption and the police.
I told the dinner crowd that a campaign was afoot inside Umno to force Abdullah to leave the Putrajaya corridors of power earlier than the March deadline.
This pressure has now surfaced publicly with UMNO Vice President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin again playing the “stalking horse” in suggesting a scenario which will see another modification of Abdullah’s original but tattered mid-2010 power transition power and his earlier exit as Prime Minister in December this year.
Muhyiddin’s call is deliberately timed so that it could be endorsed by the Umno divisions holding their meetings this weekend as to create a “popular” momentum which could justify a further UMNO Supreme Council modification of the power transition plan. Read the rest of this entry »
Incitement is not press freedom
Posted by Kit in Media, Teresa Kok on Friday, 17 October 2008, 11:40 am
(Bravo Terence of the Sun, the first journalist to speak up against the irresponsible incitement for a culture of hatred, violence and terrorism in Malaysian politics – Chamil Wariya’s inexcusable, intolerable and unacceptable attack on MP for Seputeh and Selangor Senior Exco Teresa Kok in Chamil’s cerpen Politik baru YB J published in Mingguan Malaysia on Sunday. Terence has given me hope that all is not lost among Malaysian journalists, that there are still many honest and honourable newspaper men and women in the country)
Incitement is not press freedom
The Sun
Friday October 17 2008
by Terence Fernandez
IT IS uncommon for newspapers, media organisations as well as their journalists to criticise one another’s editorial policies or reports. Call it journalistic etiquette if you want.
However, there are the few but significant times when this decorum is disregarded. And this usually occurs when a member of the Fourth Estate breaches the norms and values of responsible journalism and risks bringing acceptable standards of reporting down to the recesses of gutter journalism. Thus when this happens, it is incumbent upon the press fraternity to speak up.
If we don’t do our house-cleaning, we are seen as condoning and even supporting the words and writings of those who use “freedom of the press” and their media tag as a façade to incite, provoke and inflame.
It does not take a heart surgeon to draw parallels between the main character in Chamil Wariya’s short story in Mingguan Malaysia on Sunday to a very real and sitting Member of Parliament. He wrote about a fictional controversial Member of Parliament who meets her end at the hand of an assassin. The events leading to her murder is eye-brow-raising similar to those experienced by the real MP. The similarities are too uncanny not to be deliberate. If anyone denies this, it is just a pitiable and cowardly attempt to hide from the truth.
The story depicts one YB J (Josephine), second term MP for the fictional constituency of Alam Maya and her push for non-race based politics which makes her out to be a chauvinist and racist who is against a certain community. Read the rest of this entry »
Nation building a million times shame, Barisan National!
Posted by Kit in nation building, Parliament on Friday, 17 October 2008, 10:42 am
Crisis of confidence – Anti-corruption
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Corruption, Parliament on Friday, 17 October 2008, 10:40 am
Crisis of confidence – Judiciary
Posted by Kit in Judiciary, Parliament, UMNO on Friday, 17 October 2008, 10:37 am
RCI to clear Najib of swirling allegations – why silence from DPM?
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Najib Razak, Police on Thursday, 16 October 2008, 3:42 pm
Firstly, let me praise the new de facto Law Minister, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz for his prompt seven-hour response to my parliamentary speech on the 2009 budget yesterday on the outcome of investigations into Anwar Ibrahim’s police report against the Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail for fabricating evidence over his “black eye” incident ten years ago.
Nazri’s prompt response should be an example to all Ministers with regard to serious allegations whether made in or outside Parliament if the government is serious about accountability, transparency, integrity and good governance.
I raised many issues in my 2009 budget speech in the past two days which have caused a tsunami of crisis of confidence affecting the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister-in-waiting, the Attorney-General, the Inspector-General, the judiciary on a whole spectrum of issues whether on anti-corruption, human rights or nation-building.
For instance, I had called for the immediate resignation of the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan for failing in his most important task to reduce crime and make Malaysians, investors and tourists feel safe again in the country, and instead, he appeared to be more interested in being a lobbyist or canvasser for mega police projects like the mega police helicopter and the RM4.2 billion wireless digital “E-Police Force Solution”.
I have also given other reasons for my call on Musa Hassan to resign as IGP to allow the Deputy Inspector-General Police to take over in order to boost the service morale of the police rank-and-file. Read the rest of this entry »
Crisis of Confidence – IGP
Posted by Kit in Parliament, Police on Thursday, 16 October 2008, 12:06 pm
Crisis of Confidence – PM in waiting
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, Parliament on Thursday, 16 October 2008, 11:00 am
Crisis of Confidence – PM
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Budget Debate, Parliament on Thursday, 16 October 2008, 10:58 am
Hindraf ban – retrogressive/vindictive hampering nation-building healing process
Posted by Kit in Hindraf, Parliament on Wednesday, 15 October 2008, 7:07 pm
The banning of Hindraf by the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hamid Albar must be deplored in the strongest possible terms.
It is a retrogressive, vindictive and petty step which will hamper the nation-building healing process vital for Malaysians to feel one and united people again.
Instead of reaching out to the Malaysian Indian community to resolve the root political, socio-economic, cultural and religious causes which have made Malaysian Indians an alienated and aggrieved community as the new underclass in the country, ham-fisted measures to ban Hindraf will only aggravate the disaffection among the Indian community.
Coming in his last five months as Prime Minister, the ban on Hindraf is also testimony to the failure of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to take nation-building to a new and more mature level. Read the rest of this entry »
