Pakatan Rakyat attracts new members because of its philosophy not money
Posted by Kit in Dr. Chen Man Hin, Pakatan Rakyat on Thursday, 28 August 2008, 5:23 pm
by Dr. Chen Man Hin
Ex-Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir remarked that Pakatan Rakyat cannot attract Barisan Nasional MPs to join its party with money because they are rich and would not be influenced by bribes.
He is right on the mark as PR is not a party grouping with rich and wealthy leaders and therefore do not have the resources to resort to bribery.
Pakatan Rakyat is attractive because it has an ideology which is a winning formula to bring about reforms and changes for a better Malaysia.
There are many Barisan leaders who are disenchanted with Umno because of its corruption, cronyism and racial policies. These dissatisfied leaders are welcome to join Pakatan Rakyat on their own volition, if they accept PR’s policies of democracy, justice, freedom of religion , rule of law and transparency. Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia Today blocked – MSC Bill of Guarantees Violated
Posted by Kit in Human Rights, IT, Parliament on Thursday, 28 August 2008, 4:42 pm
In my interjection during the debate on the DNA Bill in Parliament this morning, I had raised the blocking of popular website Malaysia Today on the directive of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the violation of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) Bill of Guarantees as “a gift to the world” of no censorship of the Internet by the Malaysian authorities.
I quoted it as the latest example of the rampant abuses of power by the government which explains why there is so little public confidence in the independence, professionalism and impartiality of the various enforcement agencies with the vast powers as proposed in the proposed DNA bill.
Almost all key institutions of the state, whether the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Police, the Anti-Corruption Agency or the judiciary have come under a grave cloud and lost the high respect and public standing they were held by Malaysians in the early years of nationhood.
The MCMC directive to block Malaysia Today and the violation of the MSC Bill of Guarantees must be roundly and unanimously condemned by all right-thinking Malaysians, and the reasons cannot be more eloquently summarised by Jeffrey in another thread: Read the rest of this entry »
How petty can you be, Shabery?
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Parliament on Thursday, 28 August 2008, 2:40 pm
All the newspapers reported on the front pages that Anwar Ibrahim would be sworn in as MP for Permatang Pauh today and that the swearing-in will be telecast live over RTM, which airs the first 30 minutes of the daily parliamentary sittings from 10 am.
It will be no exaggeration to say that since the introduction of the 30-minute parliamentary live telecast by RTM since April, there has never been such greater national interest in the RTM live telecast as this morning to witness the historic return of Anwar to Parliament after a decade-long enforced absence because of political persecution and victimisation.
I did not realise that there was no RTM live telecast of Anwar’s taking his oath as MP until I was asked about it by the press when I came out of the Chamber about an hour later and I received angry reactions by Malaysians who felt “cheated” of the live RTM telecast.
How petty can you be, Information Minister, Datuk Shabry Cheek that you should indulge in such puerile tactics as to veto RTM from proceeding with its live telecast of Anwar’s swearing-in?
Why are the Barisan Nasional Ministers and leaders so afraid of one man that there should be a ministerial directive to veto the live telecast of Anwar taking his oath of office – after the live RTM telecast had been announced and reported in all the newspapers today? Read the rest of this entry »
Anwar takes his seat as Opposition Leader
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Pakatan Rakyat, Parliament on Thursday, 28 August 2008, 10:44 am
Anwar Ibrahim has been sworn in as Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh when Parliament met this morning following his historic win in Tuesday’s by-election.
The Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin welcomed Anwar’s return to Parliament after an enforced absence of a decade and announced his appointment as Parliamentary Opposition Leader with immediate effect.
Like the SAPP MP for Sepanggar, Datuk Eric Majimbun (who asked the first question this morning) and the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, I took the occasion when putting up a supplementary question of Project Mahathir in Sabah to congratulate Anwar’s return to Parliament after being forced out of the highest legislative chamber of the land for a decade following a second political tsunami in the Permatang Pauh by-election.
I also remarked that Anwar’s return to Parliament is taking place at a time when the the Barisan Nasional ship of state is behaving like the Titanic before its unforgettable sinking into the bottom of the sea.
Rise of PP voters as pioneers of Bangsa Malaysia generation shaming Umno, MCA, Gerakan, MIC leaders for their race politics
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, nation building, Pakatan Rakyat, Politics on Wednesday, 27 August 2008, 4:58 pm
The Permatang Pauh by-election and Anwar Ibrahim’s victory is a historic milestone in Malaysian nation-building and political development for three reasons.
It is firstly a ringing endorsement of the March 8 “political tsunami” where Malaysians transcended race, religion and political affiliation to vote as one people to demand an end to the decades of Barisan Nasional misrule, abuses of power, corruption and human rights violations.
It demonstrates that the 12th general election results which saw the establishment of five Pakatan Rakyat state governments and the end of the unbroken two-thirds parliamentary majority of the Barisan Nasional represented the deep-seated aspirations of Malaysians and not a fluke shot or fleeting phenomenon.
Secondly, it is an unmistakable verdict on behalf of 27 million Malaysians at their disappointment with the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, the Cabinet and the Barisan Nasional component parties at their failure in the past six months after the March 8 general election to end the deepening crisis of confidence and restore public trust and faith in the government as well as a censure of Abdullah’s failure to honour his renewed pledges to implement wide-ranging reforms, especially the police, the judiciary and on anti-corruption.
Thirdly, the rise of Permatang Pauh voters as the pioneers of the Bangsa Malaysia generation rejecting and putting to shame Umno, MCA, Gerakan and MIC Ministers and leaders for their dirty, immoral and racist politics in the 10-day by-election campaign.
Until yesterday, there was nothing for Malaysians to celebrate in the forthcoming 51st National Day on August 31. Read the rest of this entry »
Permatang Pauh reinforces message of March 8th
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Pakatan Rakyat on Wednesday, 27 August 2008, 3:16 pm
by Dr. Chen Man Hin
PERMATANG PAUH SENDS A CLEAR CONFIRMATION OF THE MESSAGE FOR CHANGE OF MARCH 8TH GENERAL ELECTIONS, AND IS A STUNNING VICTORY FOR PAKATAN RAKYAT FIRST-EVER ELECTION CAMPAIGN.
Anwar Ibrahim won by a clear majority of 15,671 votes in a constituency representative of the multiracial composition in Malaysia.
It is a very significant victory for the Pakatan Rakyat philosopy of democracy, justice, racial equality, freedom of religion, rule of law and transparency.
It is particularly significant as Malays form 69% of the electorate (41,000) with a good mix of Chinese and other races.
This is particulary galling to UMNO to see that their traditional Malay ground has rejected their policy of ketuanan melayu, corruption and cronysm.
The people of Permatang Pauh have spoken for the people of malaysia. They want change for a new Malaysia where all Malaysians whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, and indigenous races of Kadazans, Ibans, Bidayuhs and others, have an equal and just place under the Malaysian sun. Read the rest of this entry »
FLASH NEWS (3) Official PP result
Posted by Kit in Announcement, Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday, 26 August 2008, 10:01 pm
Anwar 31,195
BN 15,524
Ind 92
Majority 15,671
FLASH NEWS (2)! Anwar’s majority more than Azizah’s
Posted by Kit in Announcement, Anwar Ibrahim, Election on Tuesday, 26 August 2008, 8:05 pm
Permatang Pauh by-election – history in the making. Anwar’s majority should be a few thousands more than azizah’s majority – in the 16,000 region.
[ sys admin – we are moving into strip down mode to cope with the increased load on the server ]
STOP PRESS! Latest! Anwar’s majority more than Azizah’s
Posted by Kit in Announcement, Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday, 26 August 2008, 6:54 pm
Counting of the by-election result proceeding. From all indications, Anwar Ibrahim’s majority will be more than Wan Azizah’s majority in March 8 general election, which was 13,398 votes.
A Merdeka upside down?
Posted by Kit in Azly Rahman on Tuesday, 26 August 2008, 4:59 pm
by Azly Rahman
“Our Nation, Malaysia is dedicated to: Achieving a greater unity for all her people; maintaining a democratic way of life; creating a just society in which the wealth of the nation shall be equitably distributed; ensuring a liberal approach to her rich and diverse cultural tradition, and building a progressive society which shall be oriented to modern science and technology.
We, the people of Malaysia, pledge our united efforts to attain these ends, guided by these principles:
• Belief in God
• Loyalty to King and Country
• Upholding the Constitution
• Sovereignty of the Law, and
• Good Behaviour and Morality”
– From the Rukunegara, circa 1970
The words above constructed and proclaimed in 1970, after the bloody riots of May 13, 1969, contain internal contradictions if we are to analyse them today.
As we approach Aug 31, our independence or Merdeka Day, we read the following stories: Read the rest of this entry »
No smooth 2009 Budget presentation if Anwar is not sworn in as MP to become Opposition Leader
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Parliament on Tuesday, 26 August 2008, 3:40 pm
A spate of news reports quoting the Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia as saying that the oath-taking ceremony to swear in the winner of the Permatang Pauh by-election today would most likely be held in mid-October and that he did not see any urgency to “fix a quick date” has raised eye-brows all round and thrown up a flurry of questions.
There can be no doubt that if the Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Arif Shah Omar wins the Permatang Pauh by-election, he would definitely be sworn in as MP in Parliament this week, latest by Thursday if not tomorrow itself – so that it could be used by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as a much-needed confidence-booster after the devastation suffered by the Barisan Nasional in the March 8 “political tsunami” relegating the Barisan Nasional to the Opposition benches in five states – Penang, Selangor, Perak, Kedah and Kelantan – and depriving for the first time in Malaysian history of its two-thirds parliamentary majority.
I believe nobody in Malaysia doubts that if Arif could win the Permatang Pauh by-election today, he would be sworn in as MP in Parliament tomorrow or latest by Thursday.
Why then should the position be any different if Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is re-elected as MP for the constituency and storms back to Parliament with a historic majority?
Abdullah, the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak who had spearheaded the Barisan Nasional Permatang Pauh by-election campaign to be a 4Ds campaign – the dirtiest and the most disgraceful, dishonourable and divisive election strategy – and other Barisan Nasional leaders may not want to see Anwar return to Parliament in triumph to take his seat as the Parliamentary Opposition Leader exactly opposite Abdullah for 2009 Budget presentation on Friday, but this is not for them but for the voters of Permatang Puah to decide today! Read the rest of this entry »
One Bangsa – 50 years on?
Posted by Kit in Letters, nation building on Tuesday, 26 August 2008, 11:45 am
Letters
by Jeff Lim
Man on the Street
I am 51 years of age, Malaysian, a self made businessman, married with 3 adult children and living in Penang. I am just a down to earth man on the street earning a decent living and community service is part of my life. If there is RM50 to give away now. There are many individuals and families who would need it desperately just to get a square meal and get by a few days.
It saddens me to see disparity amongst the races and politicians fighting pitching against themselves and within themselves. This country is a mad house. A truly Malaysia context should be fighting for all Malaysians and energy and time should be use to address other priority issues.
The wealth indicators are often used to display the racial social standing status in terms of success and wealth. Chinese have much to be proud of. They could be better if not for the brain drain and political agendas. The others have only grievances to complain about one after another, simply because their living skills to help themselves is seriously lacking.
Yes, we lack true leadership in shaping the country. Singapore, our neighbour has forever been used as an exemplary example. Irrespective of who you are, be it a Malay, Chinese, Indian, whatever colour, meritocracy is the ONLY way of life. Nothing must stand in the way, nor politics nor religion nor corruption. In the days of P.Ramlee, we were all just one. Why must it be different now. Read the rest of this entry »
Permatang Pauh voters – tryst with destiny
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday, 26 August 2008, 8:08 am
Polling for the Permatang Pauh by-election has just started.
This a tryst with destiny for the voters of Permatang Pauh. They have the opportunity to make history for themselves, 27 million Malaysians and future generations for a new Malaysia.
Let the Permatang Pauh by-election mark the rise of a pioneer generation of Bangsa Malaysia to herald the beginning of the new politics of Bangsa Malaysia to liberate Malaysians from the divisive and negative politics of race and graft of the Barisan Nasional.
In the past 10 days, UMNO and Barisan Nasional leaders pulled out all the stops to conduct the dirtiest, most disgusting and dishonourable election campaign in the 51-year history of nation, breaking all election laws against money politic and violating all moral and ethical principles of a clean and honest election campaign.
As I said in two eve-of-polling ceramahs last night, there is no doubt of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim being re-elected as MP for Permatang Pauh and his return to Parliament after an absence of a decade.
The only question is Anwar’s majority. I will not be satisfied unless it is an even bigger majority than Datuk Seri Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s 13,398-vote majority in the March 8 “political tsunami” – to trigger a mini political tsunami in Malaysia by itself!
Let us be a witness to PP’s tryst with destiny.
American-Style Crony Capitalism
Posted by Kit in Bakri Musa on Tuesday, 26 August 2008, 2:11 am
by M. Bakri Musa
(www.bakrimusa.com)
Beware of lecturing others; you may have to learn that same lesson. And sooner than you may think!
In 1983 when the Soviets shot down a Korean Airline 747 jet, there was outrage especially in America, and rightly so. How could those Russians be so barbaric? How could they not recognize a jumbo jet on a clear moonlit night? Barely five years later, an American missile cruiser shot down Iran Air Flight 655 on a clear morning, also killing hundreds of innocent passengers.
As an aside, the Soviet general who ordered the shooting was disgraced while the American commander was honored upon his retirement.
In 1997 with an economic contagion destroying much of Asia’s recently-gained prosperity, the ‘Washington consensus’ demanded, as the price for its much-needed assistance, greater transparency, end of crony capitalism, and “shock therapy” to wean citizens off subsidies.
A decade later, with America reeling from its humongous sub-prime mortgage mess that threatens its (and the global) financial edifice, there is little indication that America is willing to learn the very lessons it dogmatically preached earlier to Asia and the world. Read the rest of this entry »
Tunku Aziz – new DAP National Vice Chairman
Welcome Tunku Aziz into the DAP
Tunku Aziz, Malaysia’s most famous crusader for integrity and transparency, has been appointed a DAP national vice chairman.
Tunku is a Malaysian par excellence with an impressive c.v. and glittering public service record.
He was formerly vice chairman of Transparency International and founder President of the Kuala Lumpur Society for Transparency and Integrity, the Malaysian Chapter of Transparency International.
He was also formerly Bank Negara adviser, Group Director of Sime Darby and Director of Commonwealth Secretariat.
Tunku is one of the ten members co-opted by the Central Executive Commitee (CEC) this morning.
The other nine co-opted CEC members are:
Teo Nie Ching – MP for Serdang;
Vincent Wu Him Ven
Thomas Su Keong Siong – Perak State Exco
Leong Ngah Ngah – SA for Triang
Liew Chin Tong – MP for Bukit Bendera
Jeff Ooi – MP for Jelutong
Ronnie Liu – Selangor State Exco
P. Gunasegaren – SA for Senawang
Hiew King Cheu – MP for Kota Kinabalu
Surprised to be topping party polls
Bridget Welsh asked me last night whether I had ever topped party polls before. Not that I could recollect.
Was actually surprised that I came in first in the DAP’s triennial Central Executive Committee (CEC) election at the DAP Congress in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
I had expected to be somewhere down the list, not as bad as in the previous CEC election in 2004, but not leading it.
As Party Secretary-General and later Party Chairman, I had at times to take unpopular decisions in the interests of the party as the challenge as party leader was not to win a popularity contest but to do what was right for the party and the political struggle for a Malaysian Malaysia, even it meant stepping on toes in the party.
For that reason, I had expected to be trailing in party polls and not be topping them.
I had not been focussing very much on the likely outcome of the CEC polls yesterday and was pleasantly surprised that I had topped the list. This must be the result of stepping less on party toes as I am no more actively involved in the day-to-day executive duties of the party in the past four years when I was no more party secretary-general or chairman.
I thank all party delegates for the support. It definitely makes it more difficult to think of a retirement mode.
The newly-elected DAP CEC will meet shortly this morning before resumption of the party congress to elect the new party leadership as well as to co-opt new CEC members.
There is likely to be a “surprise” announcement at the resumption of the CEC congress. Read the rest of this entry »
A week to 51st Merdeka anniversary – completely devoid of National Day enthusiasm
Posted by Kit in Merdeka 50th anniversary, nation building on Friday, 22 August 2008, 5:02 pm
A week to go for the 51st Merdeka anniversary on 31st August.
Never before is the country so devoid of National Day enthusiasm.
This the point I tried to make during question time in Parliament on Wednesday but it ended up in a pandemonium. (video)
The Sun report on the parliamentary proceeding as follows:
Read the rest of this entry »
Fifth police raid of RPK’s house – Malaysia lurching towards police state?
Posted by Kit in Human Rights, Police on Friday, 22 August 2008, 4:44 pm
It is most deplorable that the police today raided the house of blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin – for the fifth time!
This time the raid is in connection with the statutory declaration made by a Burmese doctor from Hospital Pusrawi, Dr. Mohamed Osman Abdul Hamid, on August 1 standing by his medical report which ruled out that Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan had been sodomised.
Saiful was examined by Osman before he lodged a police report on June 28 claiming that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim had sodomised him.
In his statutory declaration, the doctor claimed that he had fled the country with his family following several visits by the police.
Malaysiakini, which broke the story of the fifth police raid on RPK’s house today, reported: Read the rest of this entry »
ACA – extraordinarily efficient against PR but terribly incompetent against BN
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Pakatan Rakyat, Sabah on Friday, 22 August 2008, 3:36 pm
This morning, DAP MP for Kota Kinabalu Dr. Hiew King Cheu, accompanied by DAP’s sole Sabah State Assemblyman, Jimmy Wong Sze Phin (Sri Tanjong) and Sabah DAP leader Edward Mujie was at the Dang Wangi police station to lodge a police report to demand that the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) investigate the allegation which had appeared in the press and the Internet about a Hong Kong seizure of RM16 million cash meant for the Umno Permatang Pauh by-election campaign. DAP MP for Segambut Lim Lip Eng and I were also present to witness Hiew lodging the police report.
In the past few days, the Internet had been abuzz with the news and report that Michael Chia, a confidante of the Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Musa Aman had been arrested at the Hong Kong International Airport on August 14 for alleged money trafficking and laundering with Singapore currency worth RM16 million before boarding a flight bound for Kuala Lumpur.
Although Musa has denied that he had any political or financial connection with Michael Chia, why is the ACA so silent on this issue.
The ACA had been extraordinarily efficient in arresting two Perak Exco members from Pakatan Rakyat and four others in connection with a RM180 million housing project in Seri Iskandar which the Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin has said did not exist.
As far as the DAP and Pakatan Rakyat are concerned, the corrupt whether from Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat, must face the full weight of the law. Read the rest of this entry »
ANWAR – THE ONE LEADER THE PEOPLE TRUST
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Dr. Chen Man Hin on Friday, 22 August 2008, 2:09 pm
by Dr. Chen Man Hin
Despite intensive propaganda by the government and Umno publicity machines against Anwar Ibrahim, the people still trust him. This is shown by the polls taken by Merdeka Centre research which indicate that only 11% of those polled believe the allegation that Anwar sodomised Saiful. An overwhelming 89% prefer to trust Anwar – that even 76% of Malays polled do not believe the government propaganda about Anwar
When news about allegations of sodomy against Anwar were spread in the international print and electronic media, there was shock and dismay.
Condoleeza Rice, US secretary of state, a Canadian ex-prime minister, former World Bank president, former IMF president, Gus Dur ex president of Indonesia, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch – all expressed dismay and disbelief. Read the rest of this entry »
