Prof Madya Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin menasihatkan ahli politik veteran termasuk Ketua Umum Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim agar bersara dari politik dan memberi laluan kepada pemimpin-pemimpin lain untuk memberi “nafas baru” atas alasan banyak “rentak tari politiknya makin tidak seimbang.”
Menurut beliau lagi, Pakatan Rakyat juga perlu melakukan pembaharuan untuk menjadi pembangkang yang kuat dan berkualiti.
“Di samping menghormati sumbangan, saya rasa Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar, sudah sampai masanya untuk bersara ‘politik’,”. “Sudah banyak rentak tari politiknya yang makin tidak ‘seimbang’,”. "zaman Anwar, makin menyusur pergi". “Saya tidak fikir generasi baru terus bertahan untuk melihat ‘story-design’ politik yang sama,” kata Asri lagi.
PKR ditubuhkan selepas Anwar dimasukkan ke penjara dan dipecat daripada jawatan kerajaan dan Umno. Dan perjuanagn parti tersebut dilihat bersifat peribadi tanpa membawa sebarang pengertian kepada bangsa, agama mahupun negara. Malah menurut beliau, Anwar perlu diberikan peluang untuk berundur dengan aman demi untuk mewujudkan pembangkang yang lebih berkualiti dan berkesan.
“Saya rasa beliau perlu menerima hakikat ini. Demikian setiap kita ada hari datang dan hari pergi. Biarlah kita datang disambut mesra, dan kita pergi diucapkan terima kasih dan hormat, bukan dipaksa keluar”. “Maaf atas pandangan ini, saya tahu sesetengah pembangkang cepat ‘melenting’ jika ada pandangan yang mereka lontarkan tidak dipersetujui. Namun, mereka kena ingat banyak pandangan yang saya tajam terhadap kerajaan, alhamdulillah mereka tidak melenting, sebaliknya berinteraksi dengan baik,” kata Asri lagi.
“Seperti mana Umno memperkatakan keperluan anjakan baru dalam politik mereka, demikian saya fikir pihak pembangkang pun perlu mula memperkatakan hal yang sama. Saya, seperti kebanyakan rakyat marhaen yang hanya ingin melihat kesejahteraan negara berteraskan kerajaan yang amanah dan pembangkang yang berkualiti,” katanya sambil menambah, “sudah banyak diperkatakan, dikritik dan diulas mengenai kerajaan hari ini.”
Oleh itu kata Asri, jangan lupa bahawa pembangkang juga perlu untuk diberikan penilaian tentang peranan mereka yang diberi amanah dalam Parlimen.
“Ini kerana dalam konteks politik kita kualiti kerajaan dan pembangkang menjaga kemaslahatan negara,” katanya.
Malah menurut beliau, negara perlukan politik idea iaitu politik yang berteraskan kebijaksaan dan pemikiran yang bernas dalam memajukan masyarakat dan negara.
“Kita tidak mahu politik sekadar kutuk-mengutuk, maki-memaki dan hina menghina tanpa sebarang cadangan yang membina dan memajukan pemikiran rakyat.
“Kita mahu ahli-ahli politik kita berkualiti sehingga kita rasa mereka layak mewakili kita atas kebolehan kepimpinanan mereka yang berteras ilmu dan budi,” katanya.
Justeru, katanya, politik negara memerlukan watak-watak baru yang bernas, matang dan tangkas.
“Mereka yang disifatkan oleh sarjana politik Islam sebagai mempunyai ‘al-quwwah’ (kemampuan) dan al-amanah (amanah).
“Mereka yang berteraskan politik idea dan nilai, bukan politik duit, atau politik taukeh.
“Maka, semua ahli politik yang merasakan zaman mereka sudah habis, berilah laluan kepada mereka yang baru demi untuk kebaikan rakyat,” katanya sambil menambah, sama ada di pihak pembangkang ataupun kerajaan, hal yang sama mesti dilakukan.
“Ramai pelakon veteran sudah tidak sesuai menjadi ‘hero’ dalam pentas baru politik hari ini.
“Biarlah mereka tersimpan dalam diari sejarah politik kita dengan kadar sumbangan yang telah dibuat.
“Jika Tun Abdullah pun bersara, makin mereka yang ‘sewaktu’ dengannya dalam pembangkang pun perlu bersara. Kata-kata (penganalisis politik) Prof A. Aziz Bari mungkin patut dinilai semula,” katanya.
Dipetik dan disunting dari Bloglistpolitik.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
PAC zooms into the Horror Nine
When the Auditor-General's 2009 report was released early this week, it highlighted the incompetencies and leakages of taxpayers' funds that had somehow seeped through the bureaucratic system.
While Malaysians sat up and read the reports in horror, the Audit Report has also grabbed the attention of the Public Accounts Committee members, who have recently announced that they will be investigating nine cases from it.
They are:
1) The Economic Stimulus Package
Announced in November 2008, it was meant to kick-start the country's economy by “spending to generate money” after the US sub-prime scandal which had escalated into a global financial crisis.
With RM7 billion allocated to it, the auditor-general discovered that part of the funds have been misused, some for luxury items.
RM250 million in funds were allocated to the Defence Ministry for maintenance in military camps and quarters. However, some of it went to buying a home theatre system, a RM10,000 chandelier and two sofa sets amounting to RM26,000.
The construction work from the allocations of the stimulus package were of such poor quality that RM1.27 million worth of projects needed another RM812,828 to rectify or repair.
2) Batu Maung tuna port
The RM243 million project to build and privatise a fully integrated fisheries port specialising in tuna, was agreed upon in 2004.
The Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) and a company called Blindforce Sdn Bhd had formed MITP Sdn Bhd, a 40:60 joint venture company to build the tuna port with RM240 million in bonds, secured through letters of support from the Agriculture Ministry in 2006.
However, the auditor-general reported that LKIM had formed another special purpose vehicle company and then requested MITP to transfer 40 percent of their equity to this other company, breaking the concession agreement.
The Audit Report also uncovered there was a letter of undertaking by LKIM to ensure that MTIP repays almost all of the bonds, going against the concession agreement that the federal government is not obligated to bail out private companies.
3) Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB)
In this project wholly-owned by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MFI), the Audit Report had uncovered that a firm, Rayston Consortium Sdn Bhd - appointed through direct negotiation – was way behind schedule in their work, but was not fired, and that resulted in a RM6.71 million increment in costs.
At the same time, the PPSB readjusted their cost projection of the third phase of construction from RM414.3 million in 2007 to a whopping RM641.13 million in 2008, an increment of 54.8 percent.
The audit team could not verify whether the detailed explanation of the jump was provided by the PPSB board of directors.
Despite that, contractors Konsortium Jamil Ghani Construction Sdn Bhd and Pembinaan Anas Maju Sdn Bhd - appointed through direct negotiation - offered to do the job at RM724.98 million before “compromising” with PPSB at RM682 million.
The auditor-general also reported that there were no comprehensive black and whites to support the project cost.
4) PTPTN loans
The National Higher Education Fund Corporation, aimed at giving out loans to needy students for their higher education at low interest rates, have found themselves in a RM46 billion deficit, with the major contributing factor being defaulters.
The Audit Report also uncovered that RM23 million in loans were disbursed in 2009 to 16,013 students who did not apply for it.
At the same time, more than half of the 103,525 forms received in 2008 and all of the 124,070 forms received in 2009 have not been processed.
5) Health Ministry's haemodialysis programme
In the 2009 Audit Report, the auditor-general found that the Health Ministry's haemodialysis (a process to filter blood especially for those whose kidneys have failed) programme was severely ridden with weaknesses.
“Among the weaknesses found were the patients' long waiting period; equipment and medicines that have been paid for but not received; the lack of enforcement on procurement contracts, resulting in fines not paid; poor management of income and revenue; overpaying NGOs in treatment subsidies; overpaying NGOs for their haemodialysis equipment or paying them even before they start operations as well as paying NGOs not licenced to conduct haemodialysis,” said the report.
Among the irregularities found by the auditor-general were giving out RM296,000 to the Klang Haemodialysis Society for their second premises.
Checks by the audit team have shown that it has not even started operations and that they are not licenced by the Health Ministry.
6) Additional Food Programme for schoolchildren
The recent auditor-general's report has uncovered that food suppliers for the schoolchildren's Additional Food Programme (RMT) have been giving out food that costs a lot less than what has been contracted.
The programme, formed to give poor schoolchildren food to supplement their daily meals, had also seen examples such as kids being fed with only white bread and margarine when they were supposed to get sardine sandwiches, fruits and a drink.
In a straw poll by the audit team to children who are under the RMT programme, it was also shown that nearly 60 percent of them come from families who live in double-storey houses, with cars, satellite TV or cell phones, raising doubt to whether it is the hardcore poor who are benefiting from the programme.
7) Skudai army camp
In 1997, the Defence Ministry had entered into an agreement with Kausar Corporation Sdn Bhd Consortium (KCSB) - a joint venture between Kausar Corporation Sdn and Syarikat Koperasi Angkatan Tentera Malaysia Sdn Bhd - to build a RM256 million “7th Brigade Complex” on government land in Skudai.
In exchange as well, the government had signed a land swap deal to give two plots of government land in Tebrau and Plentong to KCSB to develop as commercial land.
The projected date of completion was 2001, but the construction of the complex project has stalled at 18.3 percent completion since 2002 to this day.
The two plots of land that were been signed off to KCSB have also been sold off to another company, with the government facing a risk of heavy financial losses.
8) The Muadzam Shah Polytechnic Institute in Pahang
The project has changed hands three times since it first started construction in September 2001 with a contract value of RM219 million when each contractor could not deliver the project without delays.
Although slated for completion in September 2003, the project is still not complete to this day and the government has spent RM294.74 million on it, a 34.6 percent increment from the original estimate. This does not include the RM10.55 million in consultancy bills the government has to foot.
On top of that, the government had to spend a total of RM130,000 in rental of space for students since the polytechnic is not ready.
And while the institute was expected to take in 5,000 students annually, the intake is now limited to between 64 and 347 annually.
9) Railway Asset Corporation
Formed in 1992 after Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad was privatised, the Railway Asset Corporation (PAK) was meant to take over all rail assets including plots of land.
But since then, the auditor-general reported that only 30 percent of land has had its ownership transferred to PAK. Before PAK could take ownership of their rightful land, some of which are sitting on prime real estate, the audit team also noted that KTMB had sold off five lots to private developers, causing PAK to lose RM335.32 million (according to 1995 estimates). As a result of the delay in transferring of land titles to PAK, other government agencies have also assumed ownership of the land, building their own facilities without paying rental to PAK.
While Malaysians sat up and read the reports in horror, the Audit Report has also grabbed the attention of the Public Accounts Committee members, who have recently announced that they will be investigating nine cases from it.
They are:
1) The Economic Stimulus Package
Announced in November 2008, it was meant to kick-start the country's economy by “spending to generate money” after the US sub-prime scandal which had escalated into a global financial crisis.
With RM7 billion allocated to it, the auditor-general discovered that part of the funds have been misused, some for luxury items.
RM250 million in funds were allocated to the Defence Ministry for maintenance in military camps and quarters. However, some of it went to buying a home theatre system, a RM10,000 chandelier and two sofa sets amounting to RM26,000.
The construction work from the allocations of the stimulus package were of such poor quality that RM1.27 million worth of projects needed another RM812,828 to rectify or repair.
2) Batu Maung tuna port
The RM243 million project to build and privatise a fully integrated fisheries port specialising in tuna, was agreed upon in 2004.
The Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) and a company called Blindforce Sdn Bhd had formed MITP Sdn Bhd, a 40:60 joint venture company to build the tuna port with RM240 million in bonds, secured through letters of support from the Agriculture Ministry in 2006.
However, the auditor-general reported that LKIM had formed another special purpose vehicle company and then requested MITP to transfer 40 percent of their equity to this other company, breaking the concession agreement.
The Audit Report also uncovered there was a letter of undertaking by LKIM to ensure that MTIP repays almost all of the bonds, going against the concession agreement that the federal government is not obligated to bail out private companies.
3) Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB)
In this project wholly-owned by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MFI), the Audit Report had uncovered that a firm, Rayston Consortium Sdn Bhd - appointed through direct negotiation – was way behind schedule in their work, but was not fired, and that resulted in a RM6.71 million increment in costs.
At the same time, the PPSB readjusted their cost projection of the third phase of construction from RM414.3 million in 2007 to a whopping RM641.13 million in 2008, an increment of 54.8 percent.
The audit team could not verify whether the detailed explanation of the jump was provided by the PPSB board of directors.
Despite that, contractors Konsortium Jamil Ghani Construction Sdn Bhd and Pembinaan Anas Maju Sdn Bhd - appointed through direct negotiation - offered to do the job at RM724.98 million before “compromising” with PPSB at RM682 million.
The auditor-general also reported that there were no comprehensive black and whites to support the project cost.
4) PTPTN loans
The National Higher Education Fund Corporation, aimed at giving out loans to needy students for their higher education at low interest rates, have found themselves in a RM46 billion deficit, with the major contributing factor being defaulters.
The Audit Report also uncovered that RM23 million in loans were disbursed in 2009 to 16,013 students who did not apply for it.
At the same time, more than half of the 103,525 forms received in 2008 and all of the 124,070 forms received in 2009 have not been processed.
5) Health Ministry's haemodialysis programme
In the 2009 Audit Report, the auditor-general found that the Health Ministry's haemodialysis (a process to filter blood especially for those whose kidneys have failed) programme was severely ridden with weaknesses.
“Among the weaknesses found were the patients' long waiting period; equipment and medicines that have been paid for but not received; the lack of enforcement on procurement contracts, resulting in fines not paid; poor management of income and revenue; overpaying NGOs in treatment subsidies; overpaying NGOs for their haemodialysis equipment or paying them even before they start operations as well as paying NGOs not licenced to conduct haemodialysis,” said the report.
Among the irregularities found by the auditor-general were giving out RM296,000 to the Klang Haemodialysis Society for their second premises.
Checks by the audit team have shown that it has not even started operations and that they are not licenced by the Health Ministry.
6) Additional Food Programme for schoolchildren
The recent auditor-general's report has uncovered that food suppliers for the schoolchildren's Additional Food Programme (RMT) have been giving out food that costs a lot less than what has been contracted.
The programme, formed to give poor schoolchildren food to supplement their daily meals, had also seen examples such as kids being fed with only white bread and margarine when they were supposed to get sardine sandwiches, fruits and a drink.
In a straw poll by the audit team to children who are under the RMT programme, it was also shown that nearly 60 percent of them come from families who live in double-storey houses, with cars, satellite TV or cell phones, raising doubt to whether it is the hardcore poor who are benefiting from the programme.
7) Skudai army camp
In 1997, the Defence Ministry had entered into an agreement with Kausar Corporation Sdn Bhd Consortium (KCSB) - a joint venture between Kausar Corporation Sdn and Syarikat Koperasi Angkatan Tentera Malaysia Sdn Bhd - to build a RM256 million “7th Brigade Complex” on government land in Skudai.
In exchange as well, the government had signed a land swap deal to give two plots of government land in Tebrau and Plentong to KCSB to develop as commercial land.
The projected date of completion was 2001, but the construction of the complex project has stalled at 18.3 percent completion since 2002 to this day.
The two plots of land that were been signed off to KCSB have also been sold off to another company, with the government facing a risk of heavy financial losses.
8) The Muadzam Shah Polytechnic Institute in Pahang
The project has changed hands three times since it first started construction in September 2001 with a contract value of RM219 million when each contractor could not deliver the project without delays.
Although slated for completion in September 2003, the project is still not complete to this day and the government has spent RM294.74 million on it, a 34.6 percent increment from the original estimate. This does not include the RM10.55 million in consultancy bills the government has to foot.
On top of that, the government had to spend a total of RM130,000 in rental of space for students since the polytechnic is not ready.
And while the institute was expected to take in 5,000 students annually, the intake is now limited to between 64 and 347 annually.
9) Railway Asset Corporation
Formed in 1992 after Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad was privatised, the Railway Asset Corporation (PAK) was meant to take over all rail assets including plots of land.
But since then, the auditor-general reported that only 30 percent of land has had its ownership transferred to PAK. Before PAK could take ownership of their rightful land, some of which are sitting on prime real estate, the audit team also noted that KTMB had sold off five lots to private developers, causing PAK to lose RM335.32 million (according to 1995 estimates). As a result of the delay in transferring of land titles to PAK, other government agencies have also assumed ownership of the land, building their own facilities without paying rental to PAK.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Najib Ignores Anti-tower Protest Warn
Analysts have warned that dismissing the growing opposition to the proposed 100-storey Warisan Merdeka project on Facebook can erode Barisan Nasional’s (BN) support among the youth in the general election. Nearly 200,000 Malaysians have registered their protest against the RM5 billion Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) skyscraper project on the social networking website amid wide speculation that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak may call for snap polls within the next six months.
The number of fans on the “1M Malaysians Reject 100-storey Mega Tower” page is growing at a breakneck pace — estimated at 1,000 an hour — since it was created anonymously hours after the prime minister announced the new PNB building during his 2011 Budget speech.
“Najib can ignore it but it is to his peril that he ignores the opposition,” political analyst James Chin told The Malaysian Insider.
“It will cost BN votes among the younger ones,” he said, adding that Facebook users tended to be young people.
To date, there are 8,679,160 Facebook users in Malaysia who make up a 33.18 per cent penetration of the country’s population, according to a Facebook statistics website called Facebakers.com. The 18-24 year age group comprises 38 per cent and the 25-34 year age group comprises 33 per cent, totalling 71 per cent of the Malaysian Facebook population. With more than four million eligible but still unregistered Malaysian voters, political parties are racing to get them on the electoral rolls.
Last year, Umno registered the highest number of new voters at 24,818, followed by DAP with 17,756 and PAS with 16,987, according to the Election Commission (EC). The EC has also stated that there are currently 11,381,193 registered voters nation-wide, with 191,970 new voters registered during the second quarter of the year. Chin, a Monash University professor, pointed out that writing off the online protest would cast a bad light on Najib’s image as the prime minister has asked Malaysians for ideas on various matters.
“It’ll look bad like he’s a hypocrite because he asks people for suggestions but doesn’t listen,” he said, noting that Najib also used Facebook to reach out to voters.
On August 24, the prime minister had posted a message on his Facebook page titled “Najib Razak” calling all Malaysians to contribute ideas for the 2011 Budget.
He also claimed on his Facebook page, which has 450,112 fans at last count, that there was a keen online interest in the Warisan Merdeka tower.
“Seeing strong online interest in the proposed Warisan Merdeka. The building will bring great economic benefits to us all. #budget2011,” said Najib on October 20.
Most fans of the anti-Warisan Merdeka page, however, have derided the project as a wasteful initiative, among other things, with some using digital placards from the page’s 165-image collection as their profile pictures. Many “placards” feature messages written on cardboard images calling for alternative uses of RM5 billion, such as: “RM5 billion to help stop child abuse”; “RM5 billion. Improve facilities for the disabled”; “No mega tower! We want world class public transport system!”; and “RM5 billion untuk rakyat di pedalaman (RM5 billion for the rural people)”.
Political analyst Dr Sivamurugan Pandian echoed Chin’s views and said that the government’s failure to further explain the goals of the PNB building project would cost BN at the ballot box.
“If no explanation is given, I think the people would punish them in the next election,” said Sivamurugan, referring to the next general election.
“With the RM5 billion, how will it benefit the masses? It (the government) needs to give further explanation on how the building functions, its use towards physical infrastructure, and whether it will be a tourist attraction,” he added. In his Budget 2011 speech, Najib said the Warisan Merdeka tower was set to be the country’s tallest tower upon its completion in 2015, surpassing even the Petronas Twin Towers.
He also said that the rationale for the skyscraper was similar to that of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, in that it would serve as a symbol of a modern and developed Malaysia. The prime minister also pointed out that the project would have a “multiplier effect” on the economy and help drive it forward, in addition to providing an attractive commercial centre for Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera businesses alike. Sivamurugan, a Universiti Sains Malaysia political science lecturer, further warned that ignoring the Malaysian online demonstration would cause a dip in the government’s popularity.
“If they ignore the 176,000 fans on Facebook, it will become a very unpopular government,” he said.
Political analyst Dr Lim Teck Ghee also told the Najib administration not to take the Facebook protest lightly, pointing out that the page’s ability to garner thousands of fans in a short time indicated the extent of public opposition to the tower.
“If the government thinks that this is a small number, it is badly mistaken. The number of Facebook users in the country is really not that large, and to be able to mobilise so many so quickly says a lot about the extent of opposition to the project,” said Lim.
“The government should regard this as an informal referendum on the issue and can only ignore it at its own peril,” he added.
Despite the Najib administration’s repeated explanations that the project undertaken by government-linked investment corporation PNB would not use government funds, Malaysians on the anti-Warisan Merdeka page have remained sceptical. Umno leaders, however, have downplayed the online protest and stuck to their guns over the planned construction of the tower. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz dismissed opposition to the Warisan Merdeka skyscraper as “presumptuous”.
“Remember when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was prime minister and he had mooted the construction of the Penang Bridge? Back then Anwar was Umno Youth chief, he said no to the bridge and even called it a project mewah (expensive) but today, right now we are looking at building another bridge,” Nazri told The Malaysian Insider.
Nazri said the government would not back down from the construction of the 100-storey tower, claiming that the area around the intended Warisan Merdeka landmark was “underutilised”.
“That area now is underutilised. Right now Kuala Lumpur is short of space... the landmark where Warisan Merdeka will be built is a new area for us to look at. If you look at the areas near KLCC (Kuala Lumpur City Centre), they weren’t touched before, but now the area is expanding. We need the space, the area near Merdeka stadium should not be left undeveloped,” said Nazri.
The minister was confident that once the project was completed it would dispel any “non-believers,” in reference to the growing number of Facebook users who are against the building of the tower.
“If anything happens the government will be responsible. What the PM is doing is correct, we have to spin our economy. Whatever reasons we give now, in 10 years’ time it will not be valid anymore. Malaysia’s economy is growing... what you see today as something wasteful that is if you are only talking about an economy that is not growing. But I can tell you in 10 years’ time, Kuala Lumpur will grow so much, that you will be grateful to say, thank God we thought about Warisan Merdeka,” added Nazri.
Another Umno MP, Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed, echoed Nazri’s remarks, saying that the rising number of the anti-Warisan Merdeka Facebook fans did not mean that the reasons for their opposition were “justified”.
“They are voicing their own opinions here but does that mean they are collectively right? If people have a problem with Warisan Merdeka, they should ask PNB who are building it, we are not using government funds. The reason why it was announced during Budget 2011 was because the PM was excited about it and wanted to talk about it,” said Nur Jazlan.
He downplayed public outrage towards the project, saying that it was “normal” to receive flak for any big-scale project at the preliminary stages.
“But in property development if you have deep pockets and if you wait out the cycle, eventually the market prices will catch up. Where else can you develop land in Kuala Lumpur besides Warisan Merdeka? Development is now moving out of Bukit Bintang towards Brickfields, it’s a part of the natural progression of KL city — from KLCC, Pavillion, Bukit Bintang towards Warisan Merdeka,” said the Pulai MP.
Pakatan Rakyat leaders have derided the grandiose skyscraper project as wasteful and accused Najib of trying to “out-Mahathir” former premier Dr Mahathir, who embarked on a massive development spree after he took power in 1981 by building highways, the Penang Bridge, opening new industrial estates and overseeing the construction of the Petronas Twin Towers, the KL International Airport, the Sepang International Circuit, intra-city train lines, several ports, and the new administrative capital Putrajaya and its neighbouring Cyberjaya, which was central to the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) project.
The 19-acre development area of the Warisan Merdeka mega project — which includes a condominium and a shopping mall — is sited on the car park and land adjacent to Stadium Negara and Stadium Merdeka.
The number of fans on the “1M Malaysians Reject 100-storey Mega Tower” page is growing at a breakneck pace — estimated at 1,000 an hour — since it was created anonymously hours after the prime minister announced the new PNB building during his 2011 Budget speech.
“Najib can ignore it but it is to his peril that he ignores the opposition,” political analyst James Chin told The Malaysian Insider.
“It will cost BN votes among the younger ones,” he said, adding that Facebook users tended to be young people.
To date, there are 8,679,160 Facebook users in Malaysia who make up a 33.18 per cent penetration of the country’s population, according to a Facebook statistics website called Facebakers.com. The 18-24 year age group comprises 38 per cent and the 25-34 year age group comprises 33 per cent, totalling 71 per cent of the Malaysian Facebook population. With more than four million eligible but still unregistered Malaysian voters, political parties are racing to get them on the electoral rolls.
Last year, Umno registered the highest number of new voters at 24,818, followed by DAP with 17,756 and PAS with 16,987, according to the Election Commission (EC). The EC has also stated that there are currently 11,381,193 registered voters nation-wide, with 191,970 new voters registered during the second quarter of the year. Chin, a Monash University professor, pointed out that writing off the online protest would cast a bad light on Najib’s image as the prime minister has asked Malaysians for ideas on various matters.
“It’ll look bad like he’s a hypocrite because he asks people for suggestions but doesn’t listen,” he said, noting that Najib also used Facebook to reach out to voters.
On August 24, the prime minister had posted a message on his Facebook page titled “Najib Razak” calling all Malaysians to contribute ideas for the 2011 Budget.
He also claimed on his Facebook page, which has 450,112 fans at last count, that there was a keen online interest in the Warisan Merdeka tower.
“Seeing strong online interest in the proposed Warisan Merdeka. The building will bring great economic benefits to us all. #budget2011,” said Najib on October 20.
Most fans of the anti-Warisan Merdeka page, however, have derided the project as a wasteful initiative, among other things, with some using digital placards from the page’s 165-image collection as their profile pictures. Many “placards” feature messages written on cardboard images calling for alternative uses of RM5 billion, such as: “RM5 billion to help stop child abuse”; “RM5 billion. Improve facilities for the disabled”; “No mega tower! We want world class public transport system!”; and “RM5 billion untuk rakyat di pedalaman (RM5 billion for the rural people)”.
Political analyst Dr Sivamurugan Pandian echoed Chin’s views and said that the government’s failure to further explain the goals of the PNB building project would cost BN at the ballot box.
“If no explanation is given, I think the people would punish them in the next election,” said Sivamurugan, referring to the next general election.
“With the RM5 billion, how will it benefit the masses? It (the government) needs to give further explanation on how the building functions, its use towards physical infrastructure, and whether it will be a tourist attraction,” he added. In his Budget 2011 speech, Najib said the Warisan Merdeka tower was set to be the country’s tallest tower upon its completion in 2015, surpassing even the Petronas Twin Towers.
He also said that the rationale for the skyscraper was similar to that of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, in that it would serve as a symbol of a modern and developed Malaysia. The prime minister also pointed out that the project would have a “multiplier effect” on the economy and help drive it forward, in addition to providing an attractive commercial centre for Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera businesses alike. Sivamurugan, a Universiti Sains Malaysia political science lecturer, further warned that ignoring the Malaysian online demonstration would cause a dip in the government’s popularity.
“If they ignore the 176,000 fans on Facebook, it will become a very unpopular government,” he said.
Political analyst Dr Lim Teck Ghee also told the Najib administration not to take the Facebook protest lightly, pointing out that the page’s ability to garner thousands of fans in a short time indicated the extent of public opposition to the tower.
“If the government thinks that this is a small number, it is badly mistaken. The number of Facebook users in the country is really not that large, and to be able to mobilise so many so quickly says a lot about the extent of opposition to the project,” said Lim.
“The government should regard this as an informal referendum on the issue and can only ignore it at its own peril,” he added.
Despite the Najib administration’s repeated explanations that the project undertaken by government-linked investment corporation PNB would not use government funds, Malaysians on the anti-Warisan Merdeka page have remained sceptical. Umno leaders, however, have downplayed the online protest and stuck to their guns over the planned construction of the tower. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz dismissed opposition to the Warisan Merdeka skyscraper as “presumptuous”.
“Remember when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was prime minister and he had mooted the construction of the Penang Bridge? Back then Anwar was Umno Youth chief, he said no to the bridge and even called it a project mewah (expensive) but today, right now we are looking at building another bridge,” Nazri told The Malaysian Insider.
Nazri said the government would not back down from the construction of the 100-storey tower, claiming that the area around the intended Warisan Merdeka landmark was “underutilised”.
“That area now is underutilised. Right now Kuala Lumpur is short of space... the landmark where Warisan Merdeka will be built is a new area for us to look at. If you look at the areas near KLCC (Kuala Lumpur City Centre), they weren’t touched before, but now the area is expanding. We need the space, the area near Merdeka stadium should not be left undeveloped,” said Nazri.
The minister was confident that once the project was completed it would dispel any “non-believers,” in reference to the growing number of Facebook users who are against the building of the tower.
“If anything happens the government will be responsible. What the PM is doing is correct, we have to spin our economy. Whatever reasons we give now, in 10 years’ time it will not be valid anymore. Malaysia’s economy is growing... what you see today as something wasteful that is if you are only talking about an economy that is not growing. But I can tell you in 10 years’ time, Kuala Lumpur will grow so much, that you will be grateful to say, thank God we thought about Warisan Merdeka,” added Nazri.
Another Umno MP, Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed, echoed Nazri’s remarks, saying that the rising number of the anti-Warisan Merdeka Facebook fans did not mean that the reasons for their opposition were “justified”.
“They are voicing their own opinions here but does that mean they are collectively right? If people have a problem with Warisan Merdeka, they should ask PNB who are building it, we are not using government funds. The reason why it was announced during Budget 2011 was because the PM was excited about it and wanted to talk about it,” said Nur Jazlan.
He downplayed public outrage towards the project, saying that it was “normal” to receive flak for any big-scale project at the preliminary stages.
“But in property development if you have deep pockets and if you wait out the cycle, eventually the market prices will catch up. Where else can you develop land in Kuala Lumpur besides Warisan Merdeka? Development is now moving out of Bukit Bintang towards Brickfields, it’s a part of the natural progression of KL city — from KLCC, Pavillion, Bukit Bintang towards Warisan Merdeka,” said the Pulai MP.
Pakatan Rakyat leaders have derided the grandiose skyscraper project as wasteful and accused Najib of trying to “out-Mahathir” former premier Dr Mahathir, who embarked on a massive development spree after he took power in 1981 by building highways, the Penang Bridge, opening new industrial estates and overseeing the construction of the Petronas Twin Towers, the KL International Airport, the Sepang International Circuit, intra-city train lines, several ports, and the new administrative capital Putrajaya and its neighbouring Cyberjaya, which was central to the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) project.
The 19-acre development area of the Warisan Merdeka mega project — which includes a condominium and a shopping mall — is sited on the car park and land adjacent to Stadium Negara and Stadium Merdeka.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
China Will Expand Fleet To Patrol Disputed Seas
China has launched a new inspection vessel to strengthen marine patrols and 36 more will be added to boost China's presence in disputed waters, state media said on Wednesday, Oct 27.
Ties between China and Japan, the two biggest Asian economies, tumbled last month after the detention of a Chinese fishing boat captain by the Japanese coast guard after their boats collided near disputed islands in East China Sea.
"This will be highly significant and useful in strengthening China's maritime inspection equipment capacity," Li Lixin, regional director of South China Sea affairs of China's State Oceanic Administration, said of the new vessels, according to Xinhua news agency.
China has about 260 oceanic surveillance vessels, including 200 small coastguard boats, an official in the national ocean administration told Reuters.
Japan has 421 patrol boats and 13 survey ships, a Japanese Coast Guard spokeswoman said, adding not all of these boats are focused on areas that China also claims.
Along with a long-standing dispute over the disputed islands, Japan is worried that China has started holding back shipments of rare earth metals, vital in making electronic goods and auto parts.
China has denied cutting shipments to Japan for political reasons, and says it restricts overall production and exports of rare earths to avoid depleting its reserves and causing harm to the environment.
Ties between China and Japan, the two biggest Asian economies, tumbled last month after the detention of a Chinese fishing boat captain by the Japanese coast guard after their boats collided near disputed islands in East China Sea.
"This will be highly significant and useful in strengthening China's maritime inspection equipment capacity," Li Lixin, regional director of South China Sea affairs of China's State Oceanic Administration, said of the new vessels, according to Xinhua news agency.
China has about 260 oceanic surveillance vessels, including 200 small coastguard boats, an official in the national ocean administration told Reuters.
Japan has 421 patrol boats and 13 survey ships, a Japanese Coast Guard spokeswoman said, adding not all of these boats are focused on areas that China also claims.
Along with a long-standing dispute over the disputed islands, Japan is worried that China has started holding back shipments of rare earth metals, vital in making electronic goods and auto parts.
China has denied cutting shipments to Japan for political reasons, and says it restricts overall production and exports of rare earths to avoid depleting its reserves and causing harm to the environment.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Don't Be Shy To Defend Malay Rights
Umno members should not be timid or reluctant to defend Malay rights which are enshrined in the Federal Constitution, just to care for the feelings of the other communities, said Sabah Umno delegate Datuk Seri Mohd Salleh Tun Said. He said the public must be explained on the special position of the Malays and other Bumiputeras as well as the interest of the other races as stipulated in the Federal Constitution in order to avoid confusion.
"If we are afraid of fighting for our rights in our own country, where else can we do it? The laws are clear, the Constitution is also clear, so what are we waiting for? We should not be shy to fight for the rights of our own community.
Throughout his experience he observed that sometimes in championing issues, the Malays are shy and reticent. They scared that they might hurt other people's feelings. But when the Malays feelings are hurt, does anybody care. Mohd Salleh said Sabah was impressed and proud of Umno president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for his courage in defending Malay rights in light of the issue currently being much talked about and debated by the public.
He also commended Najib's policy speech as he said, the prime minister could clearly interpret Sabah's spirit in joining Umno and Barisan Nasional in the interest of the people and nation.
"We listened intently to the president's speech and we feel that there is honesty in struggling for the lot of the people, for the religion and nation. If that is our struggle, then let's all struggle together."
Mohd Salleh also hoped that Umno leaders would be more aggressive in voicing their views on current issues which were always manipulated by the opposition to create confusion among the public.
"We must not be weak and meek. We have to face them (opposition) and convince the people that we are better than the opposition".
"If we are afraid of fighting for our rights in our own country, where else can we do it? The laws are clear, the Constitution is also clear, so what are we waiting for? We should not be shy to fight for the rights of our own community.
Throughout his experience he observed that sometimes in championing issues, the Malays are shy and reticent. They scared that they might hurt other people's feelings. But when the Malays feelings are hurt, does anybody care. Mohd Salleh said Sabah was impressed and proud of Umno president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for his courage in defending Malay rights in light of the issue currently being much talked about and debated by the public.
He also commended Najib's policy speech as he said, the prime minister could clearly interpret Sabah's spirit in joining Umno and Barisan Nasional in the interest of the people and nation.
"We listened intently to the president's speech and we feel that there is honesty in struggling for the lot of the people, for the religion and nation. If that is our struggle, then let's all struggle together."
Mohd Salleh also hoped that Umno leaders would be more aggressive in voicing their views on current issues which were always manipulated by the opposition to create confusion among the public.
"We must not be weak and meek. We have to face them (opposition) and convince the people that we are better than the opposition".
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Umno Must Continue Pushing For Malay Rights
Umno should be benevolent when pushing for the Malay rights especially in areas that they are lagging behind, said Umno Youth information chief Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican. He said that, although the principle of Umno's struggle was based on justice for all races but the endeavour to defend the Malays rights must take precedence. In supporting a motion of thanks towards Umno, he stressed that equality and fairness do not mean justice but justice will ensure equality and fairness.
Reezal Merican said the actions by certain quarters in raising the question equality and fairness were either due to confusion or in the pursuit of their own agendas. He called on Umno Youth members to show their resolve in fighting traitors who had been spreading lies and deceiving the people.
Reezal Merican said the actions by certain quarters in raising the question equality and fairness were either due to confusion or in the pursuit of their own agendas. He called on Umno Youth members to show their resolve in fighting traitors who had been spreading lies and deceiving the people.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Joke Of The Day
Bob Hill and his new wife Betty were vacationing in Europe, as it happens, near Transylvania. They were driving in a rental car along a rather deserted highway. It was late, and raining very hard. Bob could barely see 20 feet in front of the car.
Suddenly the car skids out of control! Bob attempts to control the car, but to no avail! The car swerves and smashes into a tree. Moments later, Bob shakes his head to clear the fog. Dazed, he looks over at the passenger seat and sees his wife unconscious, with her head bleeding! Despite the rain and unfamiliar countryside, Bob knows he has to carry her to the nearest phone.
Bob carefully picks his wife up and begins trudging down the road. After a short while, he sees a light. He heads towards the light, which is coming from an old, large house. He approaches the door and knocks. A minute passes. A small, hunched man opens the door. Bob immediately blurts, "Hello, my name is Bob Hill, and this is my wife Betty. We've been in a terrible accident, and my wife has been seriously hurt. Can I please use your phone?"
"I'm sorry," replied the hunchback, "but we don't have a phone. My master is a doctor; come in and I will get him!"
Bob brings his wife in. An elegant man comes down the stairs. "I'm afraid my assistant may have misled you. I am not a medical doctor; I am a scientist. However, it is many miles to the nearest clinic, and I have had a basic medical training. I will see what I can do. Igor, bring them down to the laboratory."
With that, Igor picks up Betty and carries her downstairs, with Bob following closely. Igor places Betty on a table in the lab. Bob collapses from exhaustion and his own injuries, so Igor places Bob on an adjoining table. After a brief examination, Igor's master looks worried.
"Things are serious, Igor. Prepare a transfusion." Igor and his master work feverishly, but to no avail. Bob and Betty Hill are no more.
The Hills' deaths upset Igor's master greatly. Wearily, he climbs the steps to his conservatory, which houses his grand piano. For it is here that he has always found solace. He begins to play, and a stirring, almost haunting, melody fills the house.
Meanwhile, Igor is still in the lab tidying up. His eyes catch movement, and he notices the fingers on Betty's hand twitch, keeping time to the haunting piano music. Stunned, he watches as Bob's arm begins to rise, marking the beat! He is further amazed as Betty sits straight up! Unable to contain himself, he dashes up the stairs to the conservatory. He bursts in and shouts to his master: "Master, Master! The Hills are alive with the sound of music!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Suddenly the car skids out of control! Bob attempts to control the car, but to no avail! The car swerves and smashes into a tree. Moments later, Bob shakes his head to clear the fog. Dazed, he looks over at the passenger seat and sees his wife unconscious, with her head bleeding! Despite the rain and unfamiliar countryside, Bob knows he has to carry her to the nearest phone.
Bob carefully picks his wife up and begins trudging down the road. After a short while, he sees a light. He heads towards the light, which is coming from an old, large house. He approaches the door and knocks. A minute passes. A small, hunched man opens the door. Bob immediately blurts, "Hello, my name is Bob Hill, and this is my wife Betty. We've been in a terrible accident, and my wife has been seriously hurt. Can I please use your phone?"
"I'm sorry," replied the hunchback, "but we don't have a phone. My master is a doctor; come in and I will get him!"
Bob brings his wife in. An elegant man comes down the stairs. "I'm afraid my assistant may have misled you. I am not a medical doctor; I am a scientist. However, it is many miles to the nearest clinic, and I have had a basic medical training. I will see what I can do. Igor, bring them down to the laboratory."
With that, Igor picks up Betty and carries her downstairs, with Bob following closely. Igor places Betty on a table in the lab. Bob collapses from exhaustion and his own injuries, so Igor places Bob on an adjoining table. After a brief examination, Igor's master looks worried.
"Things are serious, Igor. Prepare a transfusion." Igor and his master work feverishly, but to no avail. Bob and Betty Hill are no more.
The Hills' deaths upset Igor's master greatly. Wearily, he climbs the steps to his conservatory, which houses his grand piano. For it is here that he has always found solace. He begins to play, and a stirring, almost haunting, melody fills the house.
Meanwhile, Igor is still in the lab tidying up. His eyes catch movement, and he notices the fingers on Betty's hand twitch, keeping time to the haunting piano music. Stunned, he watches as Bob's arm begins to rise, marking the beat! He is further amazed as Betty sits straight up! Unable to contain himself, he dashes up the stairs to the conservatory. He bursts in and shouts to his master: "Master, Master! The Hills are alive with the sound of music!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Malays Now Have A Choice
While the well-choreographed general assembly over the past weekend has restored self-confidence in Umno, the upbeat mood is, however, underscored by uncertainty.
UMNO used to be the fulcrum of power in Malaysia. That’s no longer the case. The once-dominant parti kerajaan is now just one of many players vying for the Malay-Muslim vote.
Contrary to what some senior Umno leaders say, the party’s decline does not mean Malay influence is in decline.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Malay community – its likes and dislikes – dominates Malaysian public life.
As such, Malay concerns remain central to the modus operandi of all three of today’s Malay-majority parties: Umno, PAS and PKR.
If anything, the Malay community – the consumers of politics – has never had so much political power or choice.
Still, last weekend’s general assembly has boosted Umno’s prospects.
This year’s well-choreographed assembly was disciplined and low-key. In short, Umno appears to be regaining its groove: self-confidence is mounting.
Thankfully, party president (and Prime Minister) Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was clear on the need to work with other races and remain internally united.
Umno surrogates are relieved. According to them, the party has completed its internal reforms, which are supposed to prepare Umno for the new political landscape and the upcoming general election.
So far so good. But are these views justified?
It would appear that the present positive sentiment is more a product of Pakatan Rakyat’s woes (especially in the light of PKR’s fractious internal party polls), as well as a sense that Umno and the Barisan Nasional are building up an unstoppable momentum.
How Umno has generated the latter is very interesting.
The emphasis on strategy rather than reform speaks volumes of the party’s ability and willingness for self-renewal.
Briefly then, the party’s momentum narrative is as follows:
It begins with MIC chief Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu’s long-awaited decision to retire in January.
This is followed by the MCA’s own upbeat and seemingly unified general assembly earlier this month.
The Budget comes next.
While many would disagree, Barisan apologists argue that the 2011 Budget has created an economic feel-good factor.
On the one hand, the big-spending package guarantees the loyalty of Umno’s entrepreneur base that requires regular government contracts.
On the other, the Budget’s expansionary approach also promises cash handouts to other traditionally Umno-friendly constituencies such as the civil service.
The icing on the cake are the bold, Mahathir-era type initiatives such as the much criticised Warisan Merdeka.
The project is a calculated gamble because while the public is critical and deeply perplexed by how it will be funded, the Umno faithful are clearly enthralled.
Down the line, we will be presented on Nov 5 with two by-elections, Batu Sapi in Sabah and Galas in Kelantan.
The use of strong local favourite candidates (the widow Datin Linda Tsen and Abdul Aziz Yusoff, respectively) are expected to deliver Barisan victories.
All of this will come together to set the Barisan’s electoral machinery into overdrive.
However, the Sarawak state polls present a potential stumbling block.
While predictions of a Pakatan victory are exaggerated, the Opposition (especially the DAP) will inevitably make inroads.
This would derail Barisan’s push for a quick victory in snap elections.
As such, Sarawak’s election will most probably be timed to coincide with the national polls in order to maintain the positive momentum.
The narrative outlined above is all about boosting confidence.
There can be no mistakes, and setbacks are unacceptable: Batu Sapi and Galas have to be victories.
Samy Vellu must leave in January and the MCA’s leaders must remain united.
However, the upbeat mood is underscored by uncertainty.
The party leadership know they aren’t fully adjusted to the new highly competitive environment.
Umno is riddled with structural weaknesses.
These range from a woeful inability to attract younger talent, thereby hampering regeneration, and its complex and troubling relationship with Perkasa (and former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself).
Furthermore, its reliance on patronage politics is so deeply rooted that Umno is a mere shadow of itself in states where it is in opposition.
All of which leads me to the conclusion that while Umno’s deft strategies may help it retain power, they cannot replace reform in the long-run.
Malaysia is facing a formidable set of challenges. Currency wars, the rise of China, India and Indonesia and shifts in global trade patterns are impacting our future.
If Umno wishes to triumph, it must go beyond mere political campaigning.
The party must show leadership. Umno needs to realise that the real battle is not about racial or religious credentials.
The actual struggle is more about positioning both the Malay community and Malaysia in the new global order and securing a better future for all of us.
Vision is paramount: who has one for Malaysia’s future and who hasn’t. Umno has to show it can rise above its challengers.
Malays now have a choice, and Umno must work harder to be chosen.
UMNO used to be the fulcrum of power in Malaysia. That’s no longer the case. The once-dominant parti kerajaan is now just one of many players vying for the Malay-Muslim vote.
Contrary to what some senior Umno leaders say, the party’s decline does not mean Malay influence is in decline.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Malay community – its likes and dislikes – dominates Malaysian public life.
As such, Malay concerns remain central to the modus operandi of all three of today’s Malay-majority parties: Umno, PAS and PKR.
If anything, the Malay community – the consumers of politics – has never had so much political power or choice.
Still, last weekend’s general assembly has boosted Umno’s prospects.
This year’s well-choreographed assembly was disciplined and low-key. In short, Umno appears to be regaining its groove: self-confidence is mounting.
Thankfully, party president (and Prime Minister) Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was clear on the need to work with other races and remain internally united.
Umno surrogates are relieved. According to them, the party has completed its internal reforms, which are supposed to prepare Umno for the new political landscape and the upcoming general election.
So far so good. But are these views justified?
It would appear that the present positive sentiment is more a product of Pakatan Rakyat’s woes (especially in the light of PKR’s fractious internal party polls), as well as a sense that Umno and the Barisan Nasional are building up an unstoppable momentum.
How Umno has generated the latter is very interesting.
The emphasis on strategy rather than reform speaks volumes of the party’s ability and willingness for self-renewal.
Briefly then, the party’s momentum narrative is as follows:
It begins with MIC chief Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu’s long-awaited decision to retire in January.
This is followed by the MCA’s own upbeat and seemingly unified general assembly earlier this month.
The Budget comes next.
While many would disagree, Barisan apologists argue that the 2011 Budget has created an economic feel-good factor.
On the one hand, the big-spending package guarantees the loyalty of Umno’s entrepreneur base that requires regular government contracts.
On the other, the Budget’s expansionary approach also promises cash handouts to other traditionally Umno-friendly constituencies such as the civil service.
The icing on the cake are the bold, Mahathir-era type initiatives such as the much criticised Warisan Merdeka.
The project is a calculated gamble because while the public is critical and deeply perplexed by how it will be funded, the Umno faithful are clearly enthralled.
Down the line, we will be presented on Nov 5 with two by-elections, Batu Sapi in Sabah and Galas in Kelantan.
The use of strong local favourite candidates (the widow Datin Linda Tsen and Abdul Aziz Yusoff, respectively) are expected to deliver Barisan victories.
All of this will come together to set the Barisan’s electoral machinery into overdrive.
However, the Sarawak state polls present a potential stumbling block.
While predictions of a Pakatan victory are exaggerated, the Opposition (especially the DAP) will inevitably make inroads.
This would derail Barisan’s push for a quick victory in snap elections.
As such, Sarawak’s election will most probably be timed to coincide with the national polls in order to maintain the positive momentum.
The narrative outlined above is all about boosting confidence.
There can be no mistakes, and setbacks are unacceptable: Batu Sapi and Galas have to be victories.
Samy Vellu must leave in January and the MCA’s leaders must remain united.
However, the upbeat mood is underscored by uncertainty.
The party leadership know they aren’t fully adjusted to the new highly competitive environment.
Umno is riddled with structural weaknesses.
These range from a woeful inability to attract younger talent, thereby hampering regeneration, and its complex and troubling relationship with Perkasa (and former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself).
Furthermore, its reliance on patronage politics is so deeply rooted that Umno is a mere shadow of itself in states where it is in opposition.
All of which leads me to the conclusion that while Umno’s deft strategies may help it retain power, they cannot replace reform in the long-run.
Malaysia is facing a formidable set of challenges. Currency wars, the rise of China, India and Indonesia and shifts in global trade patterns are impacting our future.
If Umno wishes to triumph, it must go beyond mere political campaigning.
The party must show leadership. Umno needs to realise that the real battle is not about racial or religious credentials.
The actual struggle is more about positioning both the Malay community and Malaysia in the new global order and securing a better future for all of us.
Vision is paramount: who has one for Malaysia’s future and who hasn’t. Umno has to show it can rise above its challengers.
Malays now have a choice, and Umno must work harder to be chosen.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Joke Of The Day
The following 15 Police Comments were taken from actual police car videos around the country. Count down to #1...
#15 "Relax, the handcuffs are tight because they're new. They'll stretch after you wear them a while."
# 14 "If you take your hands off the car, I'll make your birth certificate a worthless document."
#13 "If you run, you'll only go to jail tired."
#12 "Can you run faster than 1200 feet per second? Because that's the
speed of the bullet that'll be chasing you."
#11 "You don't know how fast you were going? I guess that means I can
write anything I want to on the ticket, huh?"
#10 "Yes, sir, you can talk to the shift supervisor, but I don't think
it will help. Oh, did I mention that I'm the shift supervisor?"
#9 "Warning! You want a warning? O. K., I'm warning you not to do that
again or I'll give you another ticket."
#8 "The answer to this last question will determine whether you are
drunk or not. Was Mickey Mouse a cat or a dog?"
#7 "Fair? You want me to be fair? Listen, fair is a place where you go
to ride on rides, eat cotton candy, and corn dogs and step in monkey poo. "
#6 "Yeah, we have a quota. Two more tickets and my wife gets a toaster oven."
#5 "In God we trust, all others we run through NCIC."
#4 "How big were those 'Just two beers' you say you had?"
#3 "No sir, we don't have quotas anymore. We used to, but now we're allowed to write as many tickets as we can."
#2 "I'm glad to hear that chief (of Police) Hawker is a personal friend
of yours. So you know someone who can post your bail."
The envelope please.....................
AND THE WINNER IS ...
#1 "You didn't think we give pretty women tickets? You're right, we don't. Sign here."
#15 "Relax, the handcuffs are tight because they're new. They'll stretch after you wear them a while."
# 14 "If you take your hands off the car, I'll make your birth certificate a worthless document."
#13 "If you run, you'll only go to jail tired."
#12 "Can you run faster than 1200 feet per second? Because that's the
speed of the bullet that'll be chasing you."
#11 "You don't know how fast you were going? I guess that means I can
write anything I want to on the ticket, huh?"
#10 "Yes, sir, you can talk to the shift supervisor, but I don't think
it will help. Oh, did I mention that I'm the shift supervisor?"
#9 "Warning! You want a warning? O. K., I'm warning you not to do that
again or I'll give you another ticket."
#8 "The answer to this last question will determine whether you are
drunk or not. Was Mickey Mouse a cat or a dog?"
#7 "Fair? You want me to be fair? Listen, fair is a place where you go
to ride on rides, eat cotton candy, and corn dogs and step in monkey poo. "
#6 "Yeah, we have a quota. Two more tickets and my wife gets a toaster oven."
#5 "In God we trust, all others we run through NCIC."
#4 "How big were those 'Just two beers' you say you had?"
#3 "No sir, we don't have quotas anymore. We used to, but now we're allowed to write as many tickets as we can."
#2 "I'm glad to hear that chief (of Police) Hawker is a personal friend
of yours. So you know someone who can post your bail."
The envelope please.....................
AND THE WINNER IS ...
#1 "You didn't think we give pretty women tickets? You're right, we don't. Sign here."
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Joke Of The Day
A kindergarten pupil told his teacher he’d found a cat, but it was dead. “How do you know that the cat was dead?” she asked her pupil.
“Because I pissed in its ear and it didn’t move,” answered the child innocently.
“You did WHAT?! ?” the teacher exclaimed in surprise.
“You know,” explained the boy, “I leaned over and went ‘Pssst!’ and it didn’t move.”
“Because I pissed in its ear and it didn’t move,” answered the child innocently.
“You did WHAT?! ?” the teacher exclaimed in surprise.
“You know,” explained the boy, “I leaned over and went ‘Pssst!’ and it didn’t move.”
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Joke Of The Day
“Doc!” the man yells. I’ve lost my memory!”
“Calm down, sir. When did this happen.”
The man looked at him. “When did what happen?”
“Calm down, sir. When did this happen.”
The man looked at him. “When did what happen?”
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Joke Of The Day
When Ted was putting flowers on his Grandmother's grave he noticed a man, very distraught, in front of a tombstone several yards away. The man was on his knees, hands tightly clasped in front of him, rocking back and forth, head tilted upward to heaven, tears streaming down his cheeks, moaning softly, "Why did you die? Why did you die?" Over and over again.
Ted was overcome with emotion at this sight and went over to the poor man to try and console him. "Why did you die? Why did you die?" bellowed the man again and again. Ted gently put his arm around the man and half whispered to him, "My Grandmother is buried just over there. Is a loved one of yours buried here?"
"No," sniffled the man, "It's my wife's first husband."
Ted was overcome with emotion at this sight and went over to the poor man to try and console him. "Why did you die? Why did you die?" bellowed the man again and again. Ted gently put his arm around the man and half whispered to him, "My Grandmother is buried just over there. Is a loved one of yours buried here?"
"No," sniffled the man, "It's my wife's first husband."
Monday, October 11, 2010
Joke Of The Day
A pilot landed a plane with a rather bumpy landing. As part of his job he was required to stand by the terminal door and say goodbye to the passengers as they exited the airplane. He was afraid that someone might say something about his rather less than perfect landing, but everyone left without saying a word except for one passenger, an elderly lady, she slowly approached the pilot after most passengers had exited the plane and asked, "Did we land? Or were we shot down?"
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Joke Of The Day
All too rarely, airline attendants make an effort to make the in-flight "safety lecture", and their other announcements a bit more entertaining.
Here are some real examples that have been heard or
reported:
1. On a Continental Flight with a very "senior" flight attendant
crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached
cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for
your comfort, and to enhance the appearance of your flight
attendants."
2. On landing the stewardess said, "There may be 50 ways to leave
your lover, but there are only 4 ways out off this airplane."
3. As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Washington
National, a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: "Whoa, big fella.
WHOA!"
4. After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in
Memphis, a flight attendant on a Northwest flight announced, "Please
take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a
landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted."
5. "In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will
descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull
it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you,
secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with
more than one small child, pick your favorite."
Here are some real examples that have been heard or
reported:
1. On a Continental Flight with a very "senior" flight attendant
crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached
cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for
your comfort, and to enhance the appearance of your flight
attendants."
2. On landing the stewardess said, "There may be 50 ways to leave
your lover, but there are only 4 ways out off this airplane."
3. As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Washington
National, a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: "Whoa, big fella.
WHOA!"
4. After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in
Memphis, a flight attendant on a Northwest flight announced, "Please
take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a
landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted."
5. "In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will
descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull
it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you,
secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with
more than one small child, pick your favorite."
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Joke Of The Day
A champion jockey is about to enter an important race on a new horse. The horse's trainer meets him before the race and says,
"All you have to remember with this horse is that every time you approach a jump, you have to shout, "ALLLLEEE OOOP!" really loudly in the horse's ear. Providing you do that, you'll be fine".
The jockey thinks the trainer is mad but promises to shout the command. The race begins and they approach the first hurdle. The jockey ignores the trainer's ridiculous advice and the horse crashes straight through the center of the jump.
They carry on and approach the second hurdle. The jockey, somewhat embarrassed, whispers "Aleeee ooop" in the horse's ear. The same thing happens -- the horse crashes straight through the center of the jump.
At the third hurdle, the jockey thinks, "It's no good, I'll have to do it" and yells, "ALLLEEE OOOP!" really loudly. Sure enough, the horse sails over the jump with no problems. This continues for the rest of the race, but due to the earlier problems the horse only finishes third.
The trainer is fuming and asks the jockey what went wrong. The jockey replies,
"Nothing is wrong with me -- it's this bloody horse. What is he -- deaf or something?"
The trainer replies, "Deaf?? DEAF?? He's not deaf -- he's BLIND!"
"All you have to remember with this horse is that every time you approach a jump, you have to shout, "ALLLLEEE OOOP!" really loudly in the horse's ear. Providing you do that, you'll be fine".
The jockey thinks the trainer is mad but promises to shout the command. The race begins and they approach the first hurdle. The jockey ignores the trainer's ridiculous advice and the horse crashes straight through the center of the jump.
They carry on and approach the second hurdle. The jockey, somewhat embarrassed, whispers "Aleeee ooop" in the horse's ear. The same thing happens -- the horse crashes straight through the center of the jump.
At the third hurdle, the jockey thinks, "It's no good, I'll have to do it" and yells, "ALLLEEE OOOP!" really loudly. Sure enough, the horse sails over the jump with no problems. This continues for the rest of the race, but due to the earlier problems the horse only finishes third.
The trainer is fuming and asks the jockey what went wrong. The jockey replies,
"Nothing is wrong with me -- it's this bloody horse. What is he -- deaf or something?"
The trainer replies, "Deaf?? DEAF?? He's not deaf -- he's BLIND!"
Pakat Baca Artikel 153
Kepada masyarakat Tanah Melayu aka Malaysia, saya ingin menyeru agar tolong baca Artikel 153 yang jelas maksudnya dalam Penubuhan Negara Malaysia, yang mana telah dipersetujui oleh Tun Tan Cheng Lok dan Tun V.T Sambathan.
Constitution of Malaysia
Article 153
(1) It shall be the responsibility of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to safeguard the special position of the Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and the legitimate interests of other communities in accordance with the provisions of this Article.
(2) Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, but subject to the provisions of Article 40 and of this Article, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall exercise his functions under this Constitution and federal law in such manner as may be necessary to safeguard the special provision of the Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and to ensure the reservation for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak of such proportion as he may deem reasonable of positions in the public service (other than the public service of a State) and of scholarships, exhibitions and other similar educational or training privileges or special facilities given or accorded by the Federal Government and, when any permit or licence for the operation of any trade or business is required by federal law, then, subject to the provisions of that law and this Article, of such permits and licences.
(3) The Yang di-Pertuan Agong may, in order to ensure in accordance with Clause (2) the reservation to Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak of positions in the public service and of scholarships, exhibitions and other educational or training privileges or special facilities, give such general directions as may be required for that purpose to any Commission to which Part X applies or to any authority charged with responsibility for the grant of such scholarships, exhibitions or other educational or training privileges or special facilities; and the Commission or authority shall duly comply with the directions.
(4) In exercising his functions under this Constitution and federal law in accordance with Clauses (1) to (3) the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall not deprive any person of any public office held by him or of the continuance of any scholarship, exhibition or other educational or training privileges or special facilities enjoyed by him.
(5) This Article does not derogate from the provisions of Article 136.
(6) Where by existing federal law a permit or licence is required for the operation of any trade or business the Yang di-Pertuan Agong may exercise his functions under that law in such manner, or give such general directions to any authority charged under that law with the grant of such permits or licences, as may be required to ensure the reservation of such proportion of such permits or licences for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong may deem reasonable, and the authority shall duly comply with the directions.
(7) Nothing in this Article shall operate to deprive or authorise the deprivation of any person of any right, privilege, permit or licence accrued to or enjoyed or held by him or to authorised a refusal to renew to any person any such permit or licence or a refusal to grant to the heirs, successors or assigns of a person any permit or licence when the renewal or grant might reasonably be expected in the ordinary course of events.
(.8.) Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, where by any federal law any permit or licence is required for the operation of any trade or business, that law may provide for the reservation of a proportion of such permits or licences for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak; but no such law shall for the purpose of ensuring such a reservation-
(a) deprive or authorise the deprivation of any person of any right, privilege, permit or licence accrued to or enjoyed or held by him;
(b) authorise a refusal to renew to any person any such permit or licence or a refusal to grant to the heirs, successors or assigns of any person any permit or licence when the renewal or grant might in accordance with he other provisions of the law reasonably be expected in the ordinary course of events, or prevent any person from transferring together with his business any transferable licence to operate that business; or
(c) where no permit or licence was previously required for the operation of the trade or business, authorise a refusal to grant a permit or licence to any person for the operation of any trade or business which immediately before the coming into force of the law he had been bona fide carrying on, or authorise a refusal subsequently to renew to any such person any permit or licence, or a refusal to grant to the heirs, successors or assigns of any such person any such permit or licence when the renewal or grant might in accordance with the other provisions of that law reasonably be expected in the ordinary course of events.
(8A) Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, where in any University, College and other educational institution providing education after Malaysian Certificate of Education or its equivalent, the number of places offered by the authority responsible for the management of the University, College or such educational institution to candidates for any course of study is less than the number of candidates qualified for such places, it shall be lawful for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong by virtue of this Article to give such directions to the authority as may be required to ensure the reservation of such proportion of such places for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak as the Yank di-Pertuan Agong may deem reasonable, and the authority shall duly comply with the directions.
(9) Noting in this Article shall empower Parliament to restrict business or trade solely for the purpose of reservations for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak.
(9A) In this Article the expression "natives" in relation to the State of Sabah or Sarawak shall have the meaning assigned to it in Article 161A.
(10) The Constitution of the State of any Ruler may make provision corresponding (with the necessary modifications) to the provisions of this Article.
Constitution of Malaysia
Article 153
(1) It shall be the responsibility of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to safeguard the special position of the Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and the legitimate interests of other communities in accordance with the provisions of this Article.
(2) Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, but subject to the provisions of Article 40 and of this Article, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall exercise his functions under this Constitution and federal law in such manner as may be necessary to safeguard the special provision of the Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and to ensure the reservation for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak of such proportion as he may deem reasonable of positions in the public service (other than the public service of a State) and of scholarships, exhibitions and other similar educational or training privileges or special facilities given or accorded by the Federal Government and, when any permit or licence for the operation of any trade or business is required by federal law, then, subject to the provisions of that law and this Article, of such permits and licences.
(3) The Yang di-Pertuan Agong may, in order to ensure in accordance with Clause (2) the reservation to Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak of positions in the public service and of scholarships, exhibitions and other educational or training privileges or special facilities, give such general directions as may be required for that purpose to any Commission to which Part X applies or to any authority charged with responsibility for the grant of such scholarships, exhibitions or other educational or training privileges or special facilities; and the Commission or authority shall duly comply with the directions.
(4) In exercising his functions under this Constitution and federal law in accordance with Clauses (1) to (3) the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall not deprive any person of any public office held by him or of the continuance of any scholarship, exhibition or other educational or training privileges or special facilities enjoyed by him.
(5) This Article does not derogate from the provisions of Article 136.
(6) Where by existing federal law a permit or licence is required for the operation of any trade or business the Yang di-Pertuan Agong may exercise his functions under that law in such manner, or give such general directions to any authority charged under that law with the grant of such permits or licences, as may be required to ensure the reservation of such proportion of such permits or licences for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong may deem reasonable, and the authority shall duly comply with the directions.
(7) Nothing in this Article shall operate to deprive or authorise the deprivation of any person of any right, privilege, permit or licence accrued to or enjoyed or held by him or to authorised a refusal to renew to any person any such permit or licence or a refusal to grant to the heirs, successors or assigns of a person any permit or licence when the renewal or grant might reasonably be expected in the ordinary course of events.
(.8.) Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, where by any federal law any permit or licence is required for the operation of any trade or business, that law may provide for the reservation of a proportion of such permits or licences for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak; but no such law shall for the purpose of ensuring such a reservation-
(a) deprive or authorise the deprivation of any person of any right, privilege, permit or licence accrued to or enjoyed or held by him;
(b) authorise a refusal to renew to any person any such permit or licence or a refusal to grant to the heirs, successors or assigns of any person any permit or licence when the renewal or grant might in accordance with he other provisions of the law reasonably be expected in the ordinary course of events, or prevent any person from transferring together with his business any transferable licence to operate that business; or
(c) where no permit or licence was previously required for the operation of the trade or business, authorise a refusal to grant a permit or licence to any person for the operation of any trade or business which immediately before the coming into force of the law he had been bona fide carrying on, or authorise a refusal subsequently to renew to any such person any permit or licence, or a refusal to grant to the heirs, successors or assigns of any such person any such permit or licence when the renewal or grant might in accordance with the other provisions of that law reasonably be expected in the ordinary course of events.
(8A) Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, where in any University, College and other educational institution providing education after Malaysian Certificate of Education or its equivalent, the number of places offered by the authority responsible for the management of the University, College or such educational institution to candidates for any course of study is less than the number of candidates qualified for such places, it shall be lawful for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong by virtue of this Article to give such directions to the authority as may be required to ensure the reservation of such proportion of such places for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak as the Yank di-Pertuan Agong may deem reasonable, and the authority shall duly comply with the directions.
(9) Noting in this Article shall empower Parliament to restrict business or trade solely for the purpose of reservations for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak.
(9A) In this Article the expression "natives" in relation to the State of Sabah or Sarawak shall have the meaning assigned to it in Article 161A.
(10) The Constitution of the State of any Ruler may make provision corresponding (with the necessary modifications) to the provisions of this Article.
Pakat Baca Tujuan DEB
Ni ada satu lagi, petikan Dasar Ekonomi Baru DEB yang dirumuskan oleh kerajaan Tun Abdul Razak bertujuan untuk membasmi kemiskinan orang Melayu dan merapatkan jurang ekonomi orang Melayu. Kenapa nak basmikan kemiskinan? Kenapa nak rapatkan jurang ekonomi orang melayu? Lihatlah semula sejarah penjajahan Inggeris di Tanah Melayu dan jurang yang dibina oleh Inggeris terhadap kaum di Tanah Melayu. Betapa Melayu dianak tirikan dihalaman sendiri, kini bila dah Merdeka tentunya Melayu perlu bela anak-anak Melayu yang lain.
Prior to 1970, Malaysia's development policy was primarily aimed at promoting growth with a strong emphasis on the export market. Although the economy grew very rapidly during this period at an annual average of 6.0 per cent, there was insufficient emphasis on distributional aspects, resulting in socio-economic imbalances among the ethnic groups with negative social consequences in the form of a racial riot in 1969. The launching of the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1971 was a watershed in the Malaysian economic policy history. The NEP underscored the importance of achieving socio-economic goals alongside pursuing economic growth objectives as a way of creating harmony and unity in a nation with many ethnic and religious groups. The overriding goal was national unity. To achieve this goal, two major strategies were adopted:
1) To reduce absolute poverty irrespective of race through raising income levels and increasing employment opportunities for all Malaysians; and
2) To restructure society to correct economic imbalances so as to reduce and eventually eliminate the identification of race with economic function.
An equally critical aspect of the NEP was that it was premised upon a rapidly growing economy. Growth was a necessary condition so as to provide increased economic opportunities for the poor and other disadvantaged groups to enable them to move out of poverty and to participate in the mainstream economic activities. In addition, it ensured that distribution did not take place from the reallocation of existing wealth but from expanding and new sources of wealth. The implementation of the strategies to eradicate poverty and restructure the society resulted in a significant improvement in income distribution by 1990. The proportion of households living below the poverty line income declined from 49.3 per cent in 1970 to 16.5 per cent in 1990 and reduced further to 5.1 per cent in 2002.
In terms of corporate equity restructuring, more than two thirds of corporate equity in Malaysia was owned by foreigners in 1970, while the Bumiputeras, the indigenous people who made up two thirds of the people, owned slightly over 2.0 per cent. The NEP set a restructuring target of 30 : 40 : 30, where by 1990, the holdings of the Bumiputeras should reach 30 per cent, other Malaysians 40 per cent and the foreigners 30 per cent, in the context of an expanding economy. In 1990, the Bumiputera share of equity amounted to 20.4 per cent of total corporate equity share and the holdings of other Malaysians reached 46.8 per cent and 25.1 per cent for foreign holdings. Although the Bumiputeras have not achieved the 30 percent equity ownership target by 1990, the progress made by them has been substantial compared to the position in 1970. By 2002, because the total value of corporate equity expanded rapidly, the holdings of all groups increased further in value in absolute terms. Although the share of foreign ownership fell to almost a third, its value increased by over 30 times compared with the position in 1970. Malaysia’s poverty eradication strategy has always focused on human resource development and quality of life improvements. The relevant programmes emphasize more on income-generating projects and not on welfare handouts, except in exceptional cases where direct assistance is provided. This is to ensure self-reliant among the poor to participate mainstream economic activities. Most of the rural development strategies incorporate poverty eradication programmes such as new land and in-situ development; provision of drainage and irrigation infrastructure; provision of agriculture support services; encouraging the development of village/small industries; provision of rural infrastructure including roads, electricity and water; and social services such as health, schools, food supplementary and squatters resettlement.
Societal restructuring programmes generally focus on the following strategies :
1) Direct intervention by Government through the creation of specialized agencies to acquire economic interests and hold in-trust for Bumiputeras until such a time when they are capable of taking over;
2) Introduction of specially designed rules and arrangements, whereby the involvement and participation of Bumiputeras are assisted and facilitated over a period;
3) Provision of concessional fiscal and monetary support as part of the package towards entrepreneurial development;
4) Accelerated programme for education and training;
5) Increasing Bumiputera ownership through privatization projects; and
6) Reduce progressively, through overall economic growth, the imbalances in employment so that employment by sectors and occupational levels would reflect racial composition.
Prior to 1970, Malaysia's development policy was primarily aimed at promoting growth with a strong emphasis on the export market. Although the economy grew very rapidly during this period at an annual average of 6.0 per cent, there was insufficient emphasis on distributional aspects, resulting in socio-economic imbalances among the ethnic groups with negative social consequences in the form of a racial riot in 1969. The launching of the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1971 was a watershed in the Malaysian economic policy history. The NEP underscored the importance of achieving socio-economic goals alongside pursuing economic growth objectives as a way of creating harmony and unity in a nation with many ethnic and religious groups. The overriding goal was national unity. To achieve this goal, two major strategies were adopted:
1) To reduce absolute poverty irrespective of race through raising income levels and increasing employment opportunities for all Malaysians; and
2) To restructure society to correct economic imbalances so as to reduce and eventually eliminate the identification of race with economic function.
An equally critical aspect of the NEP was that it was premised upon a rapidly growing economy. Growth was a necessary condition so as to provide increased economic opportunities for the poor and other disadvantaged groups to enable them to move out of poverty and to participate in the mainstream economic activities. In addition, it ensured that distribution did not take place from the reallocation of existing wealth but from expanding and new sources of wealth. The implementation of the strategies to eradicate poverty and restructure the society resulted in a significant improvement in income distribution by 1990. The proportion of households living below the poverty line income declined from 49.3 per cent in 1970 to 16.5 per cent in 1990 and reduced further to 5.1 per cent in 2002.
In terms of corporate equity restructuring, more than two thirds of corporate equity in Malaysia was owned by foreigners in 1970, while the Bumiputeras, the indigenous people who made up two thirds of the people, owned slightly over 2.0 per cent. The NEP set a restructuring target of 30 : 40 : 30, where by 1990, the holdings of the Bumiputeras should reach 30 per cent, other Malaysians 40 per cent and the foreigners 30 per cent, in the context of an expanding economy. In 1990, the Bumiputera share of equity amounted to 20.4 per cent of total corporate equity share and the holdings of other Malaysians reached 46.8 per cent and 25.1 per cent for foreign holdings. Although the Bumiputeras have not achieved the 30 percent equity ownership target by 1990, the progress made by them has been substantial compared to the position in 1970. By 2002, because the total value of corporate equity expanded rapidly, the holdings of all groups increased further in value in absolute terms. Although the share of foreign ownership fell to almost a third, its value increased by over 30 times compared with the position in 1970. Malaysia’s poverty eradication strategy has always focused on human resource development and quality of life improvements. The relevant programmes emphasize more on income-generating projects and not on welfare handouts, except in exceptional cases where direct assistance is provided. This is to ensure self-reliant among the poor to participate mainstream economic activities. Most of the rural development strategies incorporate poverty eradication programmes such as new land and in-situ development; provision of drainage and irrigation infrastructure; provision of agriculture support services; encouraging the development of village/small industries; provision of rural infrastructure including roads, electricity and water; and social services such as health, schools, food supplementary and squatters resettlement.
Societal restructuring programmes generally focus on the following strategies :
1) Direct intervention by Government through the creation of specialized agencies to acquire economic interests and hold in-trust for Bumiputeras until such a time when they are capable of taking over;
2) Introduction of specially designed rules and arrangements, whereby the involvement and participation of Bumiputeras are assisted and facilitated over a period;
3) Provision of concessional fiscal and monetary support as part of the package towards entrepreneurial development;
4) Accelerated programme for education and training;
5) Increasing Bumiputera ownership through privatization projects; and
6) Reduce progressively, through overall economic growth, the imbalances in employment so that employment by sectors and occupational levels would reflect racial composition.
Friday, October 8, 2010
SIAPA SEBENARNYA RACIST
Dah lama saya nak keluarkan artikel ni, namun saya masih bersabar taku dituduh sebagai RACIST Tahap 1. Tapi bila saya teliti dan kaji sehalus-halusnya dan bila membuat penyelidikan serta siasatan sendiri, saya rasa saya perlu keluarkan artikel ini agar kita orang Melayu, Anak Melayu Jati yang lahir di Tanah Melayu tahu akan kedudukan kita dan menggunakan akal dalam membuat sesuatu penilaian. Saya ingin mengajak semua warga meneliti kes berikut:
1. Assistant Director National Civics Bureau (BTN) - Hamim Husin dikatakan membuat kenyataan berbaur perkauman, dan kesemua pihak pembangkang menyelar beliau denga teruk sekali, he was treat like a first degree murderer. Pemimpin Cina terutamanya pembangkang menyaran agar program BTN juga turut disiasat dan Hamim perlu dibuang kerja.
2. 23 Sept 2010, seminggu sebelum Aidil Fitri. Sekumpulan remaja India telah mengganggu, meraba dan cuba mencabul kehormatan seorang gadis Melayu. Beberapa orang remaja Melayu segera menyelamatkan gadis Melayu yang meminta pertolongan daripada orang ramai. Kejadian berlaku tidak jauh dari sebuah kedai makan di Lunas, Kulim, Kedah. Remaja-remaja India berkenaan bagaimanapun meminta maaf dan berlalu. Bagaimanapun pada pukul 1.45 pagi, tidak kurang 30 buah motosikal yang dibonceng oleh remaja-remaja India muncul semula. Mereka bersenjatakan parang, kayu dan besi. Destinasi mereka adalah ke kedai makan milik seorang lelaki tua Melayu. Apa yang berlaku seterusnya bagaikan sebuah drama Tamil. Dua orang lelaki Melayu yang sudah berusia menjadi mangsa. Salah seorang daripada mereka, putus urat tangan. Seorang lagi menerima 12 jahitan akibat luka di kepala. Beberapa orang kanak-kanak kecil yang berusia 4-6 tahun diterajang oleh samseng-samseng India tersebut.
Kes, walaupun telah diaporkan kepada pihak polis. Hasilnya, daripada lebih 50 orang remaja India yang merusuh, mencedera dan merosakkan harta awam, hanya 4 orang yang berjaya ditangkap dan yang sedihnya dibebaskan selepas dijamin. Apa yang peliknya, sebuah media pun tidak hebohkan berkaitan insiden ini.
3. “Facebook Melayu Babi”, Laman itu menggunakan gambar babi bagi menggantiakn orang Melayu, bukan setakat bangsa Melayu dihina malah agama Islam turut dipersendakan. Kandungan perbincangan juga banyak menyentuh sensitiviti orang Melayu dan banyak sekali penghinaan dilakukan. Pelbagai pihak telah pun membuat laporan polis namun tiada sebarang tangkapan dibuat. Menyediahkan lagi isu ini tidak diperbesar-besarkan oleh pengamal media dan kerajaan.
4. Wee Meng Chee atau Namewee, DAP dan MCA bertalu-talu menyokong dan membela beliau. Cuba kita imbas semula klip-klip video berbaur perkauman yang dihasilkan oleh Namewee, adakah beliau menyokong gagasan 1Malaysia. Kalau betul dia menyokong gagasan 1Malaysia, dia tidak akan membuat klip video seperti itu kerana ia tidak menghormati perasaan orang lain, Melayu khususnya. Namewee juga menghina lagu kebangsaan dan mempersendakan kerajaan menerusi sebuah klip video pada 2007.
5. Dato David Chua yang meminta Hak keistimewaan orang Melayu dihapuskan dibawah dasar penyusunan semula masyarakat walaupun Perkara 153 secara terang-terangan menjelaskan dan memperincikan Hak Keistimewaan Melayu manakala Dasar Ekonomi Baru DEB dirumuskan oleh kerajaan Tun Abdul Razak sebagai serampang dua mata membasmi kemiskinan orang Melayu dan merapatkan jurang ekonomi orang Melayu. Kenapa? Lihatlah semula sejarah penjajahan Inggeris di Tanah Melayu dan jurang yang dibina oleh Inggeris terhadap kaum di Tanah Melayu.
6. Laman blog tilianker.blogspot.commel;alui artikelnya perlaksanaan-hak-keistimewaan-orang melayu, walaupun artiklenya sepintas lalu seolah-olah menyarankan orang Cina agar jangan menyentuh Artikel 153 dan seolah-olah menyokong ilham Najib 1 Malaysia. Namun setelah diteliti secara halus, jelas membuktikan bahawa beliau sebenarnya mempersendakan Melayu dan berupa hasutan. Antara petikannya ialah “Jangan risau. Jangka pendek anda juga perlu bersusah. Jangka panjang tiada ruginya dan mereka yang semakin rugi kalaulah itu yang mereka hendakkan daripada anda semua. Anda semua baka dan zuriat Sun Tzu. Korbankan emas untuk mendapatkan platinium. Itulah strateginya. Atau pinjam pisau untuk membunuh.”
Oleh yang demikian, kalau kita lihat dari fakta-fakta yang diberikan, kita dah boleh agak, siapa sebenarnya yang perlu di tahan, ditangkap, dihukum kerana memulakan segala sentimen. Cuma saya amat sedih, kalau bangsa Melayu yang bangkitkan satu sahaja sentimen, maka mereka akan digelar RACIST, tak sokong 1 Malaysia Najib. Tapi bagaimana pula bila CINA dan INDIA yang buat hal, bangkitkan sesuatu isu, kenapa mereka tak digelar RACIST, kenapa media tak gembar-gemburkan keRACISTsan mereka tu...kenapa takut Projek 1 Malaysia gagal?
Kita kenalah berlaku adil janganlah sampai "Kera di hutan disusukan, anak di kendong mati kebuluran".
Dah lama saya nak keluarkan artikel ni, namun saya masih bersabar taku dituduh sebagai RACIST Tahap 1. Tapi bila saya teliti dan kaji sehalus-halusnya dan bila membuat penyelidikan serta siasatan sendiri, saya rasa saya perlu keluarkan artikel ini agar kita orang Melayu, Anak Melayu Jati yang lahir di Tanah Melayu tahu akan kedudukan kita dan menggunakan akal dalam membuat sesuatu penilaian. Saya ingin mengajak semua warga meneliti kes berikut:
1. Assistant Director National Civics Bureau (BTN) - Hamim Husin dikatakan membuat kenyataan berbaur perkauman, dan kesemua pihak pembangkang menyelar beliau denga teruk sekali, he was treat like a first degree murderer. Pemimpin Cina terutamanya pembangkang menyaran agar program BTN juga turut disiasat dan Hamim perlu dibuang kerja.
2. 23 Sept 2010, seminggu sebelum Aidil Fitri. Sekumpulan remaja India telah mengganggu, meraba dan cuba mencabul kehormatan seorang gadis Melayu. Beberapa orang remaja Melayu segera menyelamatkan gadis Melayu yang meminta pertolongan daripada orang ramai. Kejadian berlaku tidak jauh dari sebuah kedai makan di Lunas, Kulim, Kedah. Remaja-remaja India berkenaan bagaimanapun meminta maaf dan berlalu. Bagaimanapun pada pukul 1.45 pagi, tidak kurang 30 buah motosikal yang dibonceng oleh remaja-remaja India muncul semula. Mereka bersenjatakan parang, kayu dan besi. Destinasi mereka adalah ke kedai makan milik seorang lelaki tua Melayu. Apa yang berlaku seterusnya bagaikan sebuah drama Tamil. Dua orang lelaki Melayu yang sudah berusia menjadi mangsa. Salah seorang daripada mereka, putus urat tangan. Seorang lagi menerima 12 jahitan akibat luka di kepala. Beberapa orang kanak-kanak kecil yang berusia 4-6 tahun diterajang oleh samseng-samseng India tersebut.
Kes, walaupun telah diaporkan kepada pihak polis. Hasilnya, daripada lebih 50 orang remaja India yang merusuh, mencedera dan merosakkan harta awam, hanya 4 orang yang berjaya ditangkap dan yang sedihnya dibebaskan selepas dijamin. Apa yang peliknya, sebuah media pun tidak hebohkan berkaitan insiden ini.
3. “Facebook Melayu Babi”, Laman itu menggunakan gambar babi bagi menggantiakn orang Melayu, bukan setakat bangsa Melayu dihina malah agama Islam turut dipersendakan. Kandungan perbincangan juga banyak menyentuh sensitiviti orang Melayu dan banyak sekali penghinaan dilakukan. Pelbagai pihak telah pun membuat laporan polis namun tiada sebarang tangkapan dibuat. Menyediahkan lagi isu ini tidak diperbesar-besarkan oleh pengamal media dan kerajaan.
4. Wee Meng Chee atau Namewee, DAP dan MCA bertalu-talu menyokong dan membela beliau. Cuba kita imbas semula klip-klip video berbaur perkauman yang dihasilkan oleh Namewee, adakah beliau menyokong gagasan 1Malaysia. Kalau betul dia menyokong gagasan 1Malaysia, dia tidak akan membuat klip video seperti itu kerana ia tidak menghormati perasaan orang lain, Melayu khususnya. Namewee juga menghina lagu kebangsaan dan mempersendakan kerajaan menerusi sebuah klip video pada 2007.
5. Dato David Chua yang meminta Hak keistimewaan orang Melayu dihapuskan dibawah dasar penyusunan semula masyarakat walaupun Perkara 153 secara terang-terangan menjelaskan dan memperincikan Hak Keistimewaan Melayu manakala Dasar Ekonomi Baru DEB dirumuskan oleh kerajaan Tun Abdul Razak sebagai serampang dua mata membasmi kemiskinan orang Melayu dan merapatkan jurang ekonomi orang Melayu. Kenapa? Lihatlah semula sejarah penjajahan Inggeris di Tanah Melayu dan jurang yang dibina oleh Inggeris terhadap kaum di Tanah Melayu.
6. Laman blog tilianker.blogspot.commel;alui artikelnya perlaksanaan-hak-keistimewaan-orang melayu, walaupun artiklenya sepintas lalu seolah-olah menyarankan orang Cina agar jangan menyentuh Artikel 153 dan seolah-olah menyokong ilham Najib 1 Malaysia. Namun setelah diteliti secara halus, jelas membuktikan bahawa beliau sebenarnya mempersendakan Melayu dan berupa hasutan. Antara petikannya ialah “Jangan risau. Jangka pendek anda juga perlu bersusah. Jangka panjang tiada ruginya dan mereka yang semakin rugi kalaulah itu yang mereka hendakkan daripada anda semua. Anda semua baka dan zuriat Sun Tzu. Korbankan emas untuk mendapatkan platinium. Itulah strateginya. Atau pinjam pisau untuk membunuh.”
Oleh yang demikian, kalau kita lihat dari fakta-fakta yang diberikan, kita dah boleh agak, siapa sebenarnya yang perlu di tahan, ditangkap, dihukum kerana memulakan segala sentimen. Cuma saya amat sedih, kalau bangsa Melayu yang bangkitkan satu sahaja sentimen, maka mereka akan digelar RACIST, tak sokong 1 Malaysia Najib. Tapi bagaimana pula bila CINA dan INDIA yang buat hal, bangkitkan sesuatu isu, kenapa mereka tak digelar RACIST, kenapa media tak gembar-gemburkan keRACISTsan mereka tu...kenapa takut Projek 1 Malaysia gagal?
Kita kenalah berlaku adil janganlah sampai "Kera di hutan disusukan, anak di kendong mati kebuluran".
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Asas Perlembagaan Tanah Melayu Yang Wajib Kita Ketahui
Beberapa Perkara Asas Perlembagaan Berkaitan Kedudukan Sri Paduka Baginda Yang Di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA)
Perkara 32 menyatakan Ketua utama bagi Persekutaun ialah YDPA, iaitu seorang raja yang dipilih daripada raja-raja sembilan buah negeri Melayu. Berdasarkan sistem Raja Berpelembagaan, YDPA diberi kuasa memerintah Persekutuan. Namun begitu Perkara 39 dan 40 menyatakan bahawa baginda dikehendaki bertindak atas nasihat jemaah menteri atau seorang menteri yang diberi kuasa dari jemaah menteri.
Perkara 41 pula menyatakan YDPA juga adalah Pemerintah tertinggi Angkatan Tentera Persekutuan, sementara Perkara 42 pula meletakkan baginda mempunyai kusa untuk mengampun dan menangguhkan hukuman terhadap orang yang telah disabitkan oleh mahkamah tentera bagi kesalahan-kesalahan yang dilakukan di dalam Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur.
Perkara 44 meletakkan baginda salah satu daripada tiga komponen badan perundangan Persekutuan, iaitu Parlimen. Perkara 71 pula menyediakan peruntukan bagi menjamin hak sesorang raja sesuatu negeri untuk mewarisi, memegang, menikmati dan menjalankan hak-hak keistemewaan di sisi perlembagaan bagi sesorang raja di dalam negeri itu.
Perkara 153 telah mengamanahkan baginda tanggungjawab untuk memelihara kedudukan istemewa orang-orang Melayu dan bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak dan kepentingan sah kaum lain.
Perkara 122B menjelaskan bahawa kuasa melantik semua hakim Mahkamah Persekutuan dan Mahkamah Tinggi adalah ditangan baginda atas nasihat Perdana Menteri dan setelah berunding dengan Majlis Raja-raja.
Kedudukan Agama Islam
Perkara 3 Perlembagaan menjelaskan bahawa ugama Islam ialah ugama rasmi bagi Persekutuan tetapi agama-agama lain boleh diamalkan dengan bebas (Perkara 11). Namun begitu hak-hak seseorang untuk mengembangkan agama boleh dikawal atau disekat oleh undang-undang negeri, atau undang-undang Persekutuan bagi kes Wilayah Persekutuan, jika pengembangan itu dibuat di kalangan mereka yang telah menganut agama Islam – Perkara 11 (4).
Kedudukan Bahasa Melayu
Perkara 152 (1) menguatkuasakan Bahasa Melayu sebagai Bahasa Kebangsaan Persekutuan. Bahasa ini secara automatisnya menjadi bahasa perantaraan untuk digunakan dalam semua maksud rasmi. Maksud “rasmi” ditakrifkan oleh Perkara 152 (6) dengan makna “apa-apa jua maksud kerajaan sama ada kerajaan Persekutuan atau kerjaan negeri dan termasuklah apa-apa maksud sesuatu pihak berkuasa awam”.
Kedudukan Istimewa Orang Melayu
Perkara 153 Perlembagaan telah memaktubkan Hak Istemewa Orang Melayu dan bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak meliputi :
- perkhidmatan awam : Perkara 153 (2,3 dan 4)
- ekonomi : Perkara 153 (6)
- pelajaran: Perkara 153 (2,3 dan 4)
- Kedudukan Istimewa orang Melayu yang lain termasuklah peruntukan Perkara 89 dan 90 – berhubung dengan tanah rizab Melayu.
Dak ketahuilah rakyat jelata bahawa hak-hak ini tidak boleh dipertikaikan dan ia dilindungi di bawah Akta Hasutan 1948 (Pindaan 1971).
Perkara 32 menyatakan Ketua utama bagi Persekutaun ialah YDPA, iaitu seorang raja yang dipilih daripada raja-raja sembilan buah negeri Melayu. Berdasarkan sistem Raja Berpelembagaan, YDPA diberi kuasa memerintah Persekutuan. Namun begitu Perkara 39 dan 40 menyatakan bahawa baginda dikehendaki bertindak atas nasihat jemaah menteri atau seorang menteri yang diberi kuasa dari jemaah menteri.
Perkara 41 pula menyatakan YDPA juga adalah Pemerintah tertinggi Angkatan Tentera Persekutuan, sementara Perkara 42 pula meletakkan baginda mempunyai kusa untuk mengampun dan menangguhkan hukuman terhadap orang yang telah disabitkan oleh mahkamah tentera bagi kesalahan-kesalahan yang dilakukan di dalam Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur.
Perkara 44 meletakkan baginda salah satu daripada tiga komponen badan perundangan Persekutuan, iaitu Parlimen. Perkara 71 pula menyediakan peruntukan bagi menjamin hak sesorang raja sesuatu negeri untuk mewarisi, memegang, menikmati dan menjalankan hak-hak keistemewaan di sisi perlembagaan bagi sesorang raja di dalam negeri itu.
Perkara 153 telah mengamanahkan baginda tanggungjawab untuk memelihara kedudukan istemewa orang-orang Melayu dan bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak dan kepentingan sah kaum lain.
Perkara 122B menjelaskan bahawa kuasa melantik semua hakim Mahkamah Persekutuan dan Mahkamah Tinggi adalah ditangan baginda atas nasihat Perdana Menteri dan setelah berunding dengan Majlis Raja-raja.
Kedudukan Agama Islam
Perkara 3 Perlembagaan menjelaskan bahawa ugama Islam ialah ugama rasmi bagi Persekutuan tetapi agama-agama lain boleh diamalkan dengan bebas (Perkara 11). Namun begitu hak-hak seseorang untuk mengembangkan agama boleh dikawal atau disekat oleh undang-undang negeri, atau undang-undang Persekutuan bagi kes Wilayah Persekutuan, jika pengembangan itu dibuat di kalangan mereka yang telah menganut agama Islam – Perkara 11 (4).
Kedudukan Bahasa Melayu
Perkara 152 (1) menguatkuasakan Bahasa Melayu sebagai Bahasa Kebangsaan Persekutuan. Bahasa ini secara automatisnya menjadi bahasa perantaraan untuk digunakan dalam semua maksud rasmi. Maksud “rasmi” ditakrifkan oleh Perkara 152 (6) dengan makna “apa-apa jua maksud kerajaan sama ada kerajaan Persekutuan atau kerjaan negeri dan termasuklah apa-apa maksud sesuatu pihak berkuasa awam”.
Kedudukan Istimewa Orang Melayu
Perkara 153 Perlembagaan telah memaktubkan Hak Istemewa Orang Melayu dan bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak meliputi :
- perkhidmatan awam : Perkara 153 (2,3 dan 4)
- ekonomi : Perkara 153 (6)
- pelajaran: Perkara 153 (2,3 dan 4)
- Kedudukan Istimewa orang Melayu yang lain termasuklah peruntukan Perkara 89 dan 90 – berhubung dengan tanah rizab Melayu.
Dak ketahuilah rakyat jelata bahawa hak-hak ini tidak boleh dipertikaikan dan ia dilindungi di bawah Akta Hasutan 1948 (Pindaan 1971).
Cap Ayam Punya Rosmah
Peribahasa dan perumpamaan Bahasa Melayu kalau kita renung dari sudut ilmiah, banyak yang positifnya dan kesemuanya adalah berbentuk nasihat. Teringat saya salah satu daripadanya ialah “dengar guruh dilangit, air ditempayan dicurahkan”, “ibarat menyiram air ke daun keladi”, “yang dikejar tak dapat, yang dikendong berciciran”. Melalui ketiga-tiga peribahasa dan perumpamaan Bahasa Melayu ini saya nak kaitkan dengan satu teladan yang harus kita renungi.
Setiap hari melalui media-media elektronik dan cetak kita akan di sajikan dengan iklan “FIRST LADY SUMMIT” yang akan di adakan pada 11 hingga 13 Oktober nanti dan yang bangsatnya Rosmah Mansor, isteri Perdana Menteri yang akan menganjurkan sidang kemuncak tersebut, tak habis-habis dok tayang muka Rosmah yang senyum dibuat-buat melayan kanak-kanak. Tindakan Rosmah ni bagi saya sukup bangsat, cukup biadap, tidak sopan, kurang hajar dan sanggup membelakangkan kedudukan Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong.
Kalau tak salah saya dulu Rosmah pernah dikritik dan ditegur apabila New York Times pada April lalu menyiarkan iklan ucapan tahniah kepada ‘Rosmah Mansor, Wanita Pertama Malaysia’ kerana menerima anugerah Keamanan dan Harmoni Antarabangsa 2010. Kita ingatkan dia ni jenis manusia berfikiran atas kepala, kita ingatkan dia belajar daripada kesilapan dan tahu meletakkan diri dia di mana. Rupa-rupanya dia buat hal lagi. Kalau kita berkasar karang kita dikatakan melayu biadap, tak mengapa, biar saya yang bercakap dengan Rosmah Mansur. Sya akan beradap sikit kali ni.
Saudari Rosmah Binti Mansur, maaflah saya mengganggu awak sekejap ye. Ni saya nak buat teguran sikit kat awak ni, sebabnya adalah menjadi adab orang Islam kena saling tegur-menegur, dan ianya memang jadi prinsip orang Melayu suka membuat teguran kearah kebaikan. Macam ni Rosmah, kalau awak nak tahu sebenarnya penggunaan istilah ‘WANITA PERTAMA’ aka FIRST LADY dalam Bahas Inggeris, jelas maksudnya dalam Artikel 32, Perlembagaan Negara Malaysia. Tak apalah, kalau Rosmah nak bukak buku tu karang tebal sangat dan kesemuanya dalam Bahasa Inggeris, takut tak faham pulak. Ni saya ada sediakan terjemahan yang telah disahkan oleh Munsyi Dewan Bahasa, Munsyi tu kalau Rosmah nak tahu, mereka ialah Pakar Bahasa Melayu.
Beberapa Perkara Asas Perlembagaan Persekutuan Tanah Melayu dan Kedudukan Sri Paduka baginda Yang Di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA).
1. Perkara 32 menyatakan Ketua Utama bagi Persekutaun ialah YDPA, iaitu seorang raja yang dipilih daripada raja-raja sembilan buah negeri Melayu. Berdasarkan sistem Raja Berpelembagaan, YDPA diberi kuasa memerintah Persekutuan dan bertindak atas nasihat jemaah menteri atau seorang menteri yang diberi kuasa dari jemaah menteri sebagaimana yang diperuntukkan di dalam Perkara 39 dan 40.
Kalau dah Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di Pertuan Agong adalah Ketua Utama Persekutuan Tanah Melayu, maka kompomlah Raja Pemaisuri Agong adalah WANITA PERTAMA Negara. Tidak ada mana-mana Perkara atau Artikel yang menyebut Rosmah atau isteri Perdana Menteri sebagai Wanita Pertama ataupun boleh gila kuasa ganti Wanita Pertama. Hormatilah sikit Perlembagaan Negara. Kalau kita tak berapa arif, kita bacalah, kalau kita tak faham Bahasa Inggeris, kita tanyalah pakarnya untuk terjemahan. Ingat agenda penting yang kamu nak bawa tu ialah tentang pembangunan minda kanak-kanak di masa hadapan, janganlah kamu memutar belitkan fakta sejarah dengan kealpaan kamu pulak. Cap Ayam Punya Rosmah.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
US Willing To Help In South China Sea Code Of Conduct
The United States is willing to help craft a legally binding "code of conduct" to end a territorial dispute between ASEAN members and China that threatens regional stability, its envoy said Monday. US ambassador to Manila Harry Thomas said Washington had a clear interest in ensuring that tensions surrounding overlapping claims to the Spratly islands in the South China were settled peacefully through dialogue. The US government neither don't want to see conflict nor they don't wish to see a war, and they do not take sides to this issue. He said the 10-nation ASEAN should sit down with China and negotiate an enforceable code of conduct to ensure that the vital sea lanes remain free from incidents that could disrupt movement of trade across boundaries. "I think we have to wait for ASEAN and China to agree to sit down and when ASEAN develops its goals and objectives, and if they ask for our assistance in specific items, we would be happy to assist," Thomas said.
Asked whether such a code should be legally binding, he answered: "Of course." The US believes that adopting the code of conduct would "ensure regional stability, freedom of navigation and international commerce," he said. However Thomas was quick to stress that Washington did not wish to engage in a conflict with China, an economic and military powerhouse that has increasingly been flexing its muscles in the region. "We seek no conflict with no nation. We think there should be peace. We think however that the ASEAN code of conduct is an achievable goal with China," he said. China in July showcased its naval might in the South China Sea after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told regional leaders that resolution of the dispute was "pivotal" to regional stability. The Spratlys are a chain of atolls and reefs in the South China Sea that are believed to lie atop large deposits of minerals, including natural gas and oil. The chain is claimed in whole or in part by ASEAN members the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam and by China and its rival Taiwan.
Source AFP.
Asked whether such a code should be legally binding, he answered: "Of course." The US believes that adopting the code of conduct would "ensure regional stability, freedom of navigation and international commerce," he said. However Thomas was quick to stress that Washington did not wish to engage in a conflict with China, an economic and military powerhouse that has increasingly been flexing its muscles in the region. "We seek no conflict with no nation. We think there should be peace. We think however that the ASEAN code of conduct is an achievable goal with China," he said. China in July showcased its naval might in the South China Sea after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told regional leaders that resolution of the dispute was "pivotal" to regional stability. The Spratlys are a chain of atolls and reefs in the South China Sea that are believed to lie atop large deposits of minerals, including natural gas and oil. The chain is claimed in whole or in part by ASEAN members the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam and by China and its rival Taiwan.
Source AFP.
Tak Boleh Tahan Case Appeal
The appeal for the Tak Boleh Tahan (cannot take it anymore) case will be heard in the High Court next Monday, 4 Oct 10. The case involved activists conducting a protest against the escalating prices of basic necessities in March 2008 outside The Singapore Parliament House. The courts convicted the protesters for participating in an assembly and procession without a permit. The defendants will argue that, in the first place, no permit can be obtained because the Ministry of Home Affairs has repeatedly stated that it will not authorise outdoor political activities. This contravenes Artilce 14 of the Constitution which guarantees citizens the right of freedom of speech, assembly and association.
During the trial, District Judge Chia Wee Kiat refused to allow the defendants to argue on this point. The defendants will submit that Judge Chia was wrong. Also, the Consumers’ Association of Singapore (CASE) had held similar protests in 2007 and 2008 outside Parliament House. The police, however, did not take action against the group because they were organised by PAP MPs. Again DJ Chia refused to allow the defendants to question the police witnesses on this point. Under Article 12 of the constitution, citizens are equal, and must be treated equally, under the law. If it is an offence for TBT activists to protest outside Parliament House, it must also be an offence for CASE activitists to do the same.
If the police arrest one group while allowing the other to proceed, they would have contravened the constitution which expressly forbids such discrimination. The defendants will argue that the courts must look into the use of the civil service, in this case the police, by the PAP to promote its activities while disallowing those conducted by its opponents. Such blatant political manipulation must be checked by the courts. Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong recently wrote that, “Good governance, in my lexicon, refers to the institutional rules of procedure and decision-making process of administrative bodies in implementing government policies in accordance with the law…” Monday’s appeal will shine the spotlight on whether good governance is practiced in Singapore.
Source The Temasek Review
During the trial, District Judge Chia Wee Kiat refused to allow the defendants to argue on this point. The defendants will submit that Judge Chia was wrong. Also, the Consumers’ Association of Singapore (CASE) had held similar protests in 2007 and 2008 outside Parliament House. The police, however, did not take action against the group because they were organised by PAP MPs. Again DJ Chia refused to allow the defendants to question the police witnesses on this point. Under Article 12 of the constitution, citizens are equal, and must be treated equally, under the law. If it is an offence for TBT activists to protest outside Parliament House, it must also be an offence for CASE activitists to do the same.
If the police arrest one group while allowing the other to proceed, they would have contravened the constitution which expressly forbids such discrimination. The defendants will argue that the courts must look into the use of the civil service, in this case the police, by the PAP to promote its activities while disallowing those conducted by its opponents. Such blatant political manipulation must be checked by the courts. Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong recently wrote that, “Good governance, in my lexicon, refers to the institutional rules of procedure and decision-making process of administrative bodies in implementing government policies in accordance with the law…” Monday’s appeal will shine the spotlight on whether good governance is practiced in Singapore.
Source The Temasek Review
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Bukan Racist Sekadar Pandangan & Nasihat
Hari ni saya nak skip write-up pasal politik. Saya nak fokuskan terhadap isu social yang wujud di kalangan masyarakat kita. Sebelum tu saya nak declare awal-awal lagi, ini bukanlah isu racist tak racist, tapi sekadar pandangan dan nasihat. Hari ni, kat offis saya kecoh cerita pasal “cikgu marah murid, mak-bapak pergi serang cikgu”, dan yang menjadi masalahnya ialah bapak murid tersebut ialah rakyat Indonesia yang berkahwin dengan rakyat tempatan. Ish..macam tak kena saja bunyinya. Tidak dinafikan, seorang warga Negara asing yang berkahwin dengan warga tempatan, anak mereka akan diberi dua pilihan samada menjadi rakyat Malaysia ataupun menjadi rakyat Negara bapanya dan ianya sejajar dengan enakmen yang telah diperuntukkan seperti berikut dan ianya tidak ada kena mengena dengan konsep Jus Soli yang diperkenalkan di Tanah Melayu pada tahun 1945 semasa di bawah Malayan Union.
Taraf pemastautin tetap bukan hak kepada individu tetapi satu anugerah oleh Kerajaan Malaysia kepada orang asing. Kerajaan mempunyai garis panduan mengenai golongan yang biasanya dipertimbangkan taraf tersebut adalah seperti berikut:
(i) seseorang yang mempunyai kelulusan profesional atau kepakaran yang membolehkannya memberikan perkhidmatan profesional dan kepakarannya kepada negara ini tanpa menjejaskan kepentingan warganegara negara yang sedia ada;
(ii) seseorang yang kemasukannya memberi faedah ekonomi kepada negara ini;
(iii) isteri atau suami yang sah kepada warganegara yang telah tinggal bersama pasangannya di negara ini secara berterusan selama lima tahun atau lebih;
(iv) anak-anak kepada warganegara Malaysia berumur di bawah enam tahun; dan
(v) seseorang yang dibenarkan oleh Menteri Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri masuk ke Malaysia atas dasar belas kasihan.
So, melihat kepada kelebihan berikut mereka yang diberi kelebihan ini sepatutnya merasa bersyukurlah, anak dapat masuk sekolah, boleh belajar sebagaimana kanak-kanak lain, boleh membaca, boleh mengira dan yang penting tidaklah buta huruf. Ini tidak, asal cikgu marah saja, kita mak bapak mula naik angin, kononnya “mana bisa, anak saya ini ngak pernah buat jahat apatah lagi nakal. Saya ngak kira, keselahan cikgu merotan anak saya ngak bisa diampuni.” Kalau kita ni bangsa pendatang, kita kena respect sikitlah dengan negara tuan rumah, cara pentadbiran negara tuan rumah, corak pelajaran negara tuan rumah, adab tertib negara tuan rumah. Bak kata pepatah Orang Melayu Malaysia “masuk kandang kambing mengembek, masuk kandang lembu menguak”, dah cantik dah peribahasa itu. Kalau nak bagi lebih faham lagi bunyi nya begini “kalok kita ini pendatang haram, masuk secara haram, ngak punya apa-apa dokumen, akur saja dong dengan undang-undang di Malaysia. Kalok kita rasa kita ngak bisa turuti kanunnya baik kita pulang aja deh ke Indon, kawini saja orang Indon kita di sana. Usah repot-repot.”
Yang saya tak faham sekali ialah si ibu murid tersebut, dah sah-sah orang Malaysia, bagitahulah suami anda “bang ini Malaysia, corak pentadbiran dan cara belajar di sini tak sama macam kat tempat abang. Lagipun anak kita ni memang nakal bang, keras kepala budak ni, ikut perangai orang Indon kot. Abang kena tahu cikgu-cikgu kat sekolah di Malaysia tu semuanya nak ajar bagi anak kita pandai bang supaya tidak jadi macam abang dan saya terutamanya, bengap sebab kawin ngan bangsa asing.” Ini tidak, mungkin sebab dah bertahun kawin dengan orang Indon, si ibu sendiri dah berfikiran macam orang Indon.
Kata-kata saya ni mungkin agak keras dan berbaur sindiran, tapi nasihat saya ni ikhlas, kalau kita rasa sistem pentadbiran, sistem pelajaran dan undang-undang Malaysia tak bagus dan menyusahkan, saya cadangkan pulanglah balik ke negara asal kita, duduk diam-diam kat sana. Tak payah nak sakitkan kepala dan hati. Kepada si ibu dan anak tadi tolaklah kerakyatan anda yang ada sekarang dan mohonlah untuk menjadi kerakyatan di negara Indon. Sebab sebagai rakyat Melayu Malaysia, saya tidak perlukan orang seperti anda di negara saya. Sebenarnya Malaysia tak jemput anda ke mari, anda yang gatal kaki nak datang sini.
Saya disini nak berkongsi cerita sikit berkaitan beberapa orang kawan rapat saya yang dah menukar Taraf Kewarganegaraan mereka, ada yang di Australia, ada kat UK dan ada kat California. Saya respek mereka (sebab mereka berpelajaran kot), mereka menukar status warganegara mereka sebab kata mereka mereka rasa mereka dah boleh ikut cara hidup kat Malaysia dan mereka lebih suka dengan corak pentadbiran negara baru mereka. Bagi saya mereka bukannya tidak Loyal kepada negara asal, tapi ianya satu yang bijak dan itu hak mereka. Dan mereka kata cuma mereka taklah dapat hak keistimewaan penuh sebagai hak warga asal, ada certain-certain limitation, ye lah bangsa pendatang, kita kenalah faham, tapi mereka happy. So bagi kita rakyat marhein yang sedia ada ni pon saya rasa benda yang sama kita patut buat, kalau kita rasa Malaysia ni tak bagus, kita carilah negara lain yang kita rasa bagus dan hidup kat sana. Apa nak dikecohkan, dunia ni luas.
Don’t Talk Rubbish. Ada Akal Guna.
Sejak hadirnya kedua-dua buah kapal selam malaysia, berbagai desas-desus, berbagai cerita, berbagai dongeng dan tak kurang berbagai tomahan yang kita boleh dengar. Saya tertarik dengan artikel yang disiarkan oleh penulis bestmanword.blogspot.com yang pada pandangan saya cukup padat maklumatnya. Kalau sayalah, nak bercerita lebih detail pasal kapal selam ni mungkin saya tak berapa pandai, nak cerita macamana proses pembelian atau macamana prosedur kapal selam Kd Tun Razak dan Kd Tunku Abdul Rahman nak menyelam sahih saya tak mempunyai pengetahuan. Cuma saya sebagai anak Melayu jati dan anak Malaysia jati, apa yang saya tahu negara saya dah ada kekuatan askar yang cukup kuat, cukup mantap. Negara saya sudah setaraf dengan negara-negara lain, aset-aset pertahanan dan keanggotaan askar Malaysia cukup untuk mempertahankan tanah air yang saya sayangi ini. Walaupun saya tidak mampu untuk menyertai Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (biasalah tak cukup inci), namun darah kepahlawanan Tok Janggut masih mengalir di dalam tubuh saya.
Apa yang saya nak komen disini ialah tentang kita sebagai rakyat Malaysia. Saya nak tanya selain daripada askar, berapa ramaikah diantara kita yang pernah tengok kapal selam? Berapa ramaikah diantara kita yang pernah naik kapal selam? Berapa ramaikah diantara kita yang tahu secara detail berkaitan isi-perut kapal selam? Berapa ramaikah diantara kita yang arif pasal kapal selam? Berapa ramaikah diantara kita yang benar-benar tahu berkaitan perolehan kapal selam? Saya yakin jawapan yang akan kita perolehi ialah “saya pun tak tahu tapi saya dengar...., tapi saya baca......”, kalau inilah jawapannya, baik kita tak payah nak bagi komen yang pedas-pedas, komen yang negatif.
Sedarkah kita betapa kecilnya hati dan perasaan anggota-anggota ATM kita bila kita asyik dok bercakap yang bukan-bukan mengenai mereka. Dimanakah rasa terima kasih kita kepada mereka sebab dengan kewujudan merekalah maka kita boleh tidur lena, kita boleh berniaga, kita boleh hidup senang-lenang. Cuba kita bayangkan kalaulah mereka ni pakat letak senjata, jawabnya huru-haralah negara kita. Merekalah First Line of Defence kita.
Cubalah kita jawab soalan ini selain daripada askar, berapa ramaikah di antara kita yang sanggup menggadai nyawa apabila berlakunya konflik? Berapa ramaikah di antara kita yang sanggup meredah lautan mengawal perairan negara dan bermain dengan ombak besar sampai-muntah-muntah? Berapa ramaikah di antara kita yang sanggup tidur dengan nyamuk, agas, cikenit di dalam hutan? Berapa ramaikah diantara kita yang sanggup terbangkan pesawat malam-malam, pagi-pagi buta semata-mata nak kawal persempadanan negara? Siapa di antara kita yang sanggup gadai nyawa untuk jadi spy-spy, kalau kena tangkap hukumnya bunuh? Saya teramat yakin jawapan yang kita akan perolehi ialah “dah itu kerja mereka..., nak buat macamana itu kerja mereka..ialah, itukan ke kerja mereka, kita pun buat kerja juga..”.
Kepada political masters terutamanya puak pembangkang, fikir-fikir dululah sebelum kalian nak timbulkan sesuatu isu yang melibatkan aspek ketenteraan. Kita dah ada banyak pengalaman dan sejarah telah membuktikan kalau berlaku darurat, orang-orang macam andalah yang pertama sekali angkat kaki lari keluar negara, duduk diam-diam dalam rumah, kunci habis pagar rumah, langsung tak bersuara. Bila dah aman, masing-masing nak tunjuk hero...pigidah...nak buat sesuatu, nak cakap sesuatu guna akal kat atas kepala tu, bukannya kepala lutut. Baik perti pemerintah, baik parti lawan, use your brain and please concern about security matters. Don’t talk rubbish.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Joke Of The Day
An obnoxious drunk stumbles into the front door of a bar and orders a drink, the bartender says,
"No way, buddy, you're too drunk."
A few minutes later, the drunk comes in though the bathroom. Again he slurs, "Give me a drink," and the bartender says, "No, man, I told you last time -- you're too drunk"
Five minutes later the guy comes in though the back door and orders a drink, again the bartender says, "You're too drunk"
The drunk scratches his head and says "Dang, I must be. The last two places said the same thing."
Malaysia Bans Book By Opposition Political Analyst
Where are the freedom of a journalist, an analyst, a strategic thinker when the Malaysia Government banned a book written by Mr Kim Quek. Regardless he is said to be a member of opposition leader’s party, but the issue is the government somehow rather has abuse its power to crack down on dissent. The book’s title “The March to Putrajaya — Malaysia’s New Era is at Hand” is not a SEMBERONO’s book, but the author has done a deep analysis eventhough the content somehow rather criticises the government.
However, Home Ministry Secretary-General Mahmood Adam said the book on the opposition’s rise and government’s shortcomings contained baseless accusations and twisted facts. A human rights group, Suaram, has urged the government to lift the ban and repeal the law.
In my humble opinion, we writers have our own guts and ethics, we are not the authors of love stories, who get the ideas from outerspace. When we wrote something, we did our own analysis, that’s why we jot down our references and bibliographies at the end of our writings. I still remember a word by Dr Mahathir “Malaysia was equipped with first class facilities but driven by the third world mentalities”. Look gentlemen, when somebody comment about you, you have to take it positively and correct it. You loose nothing infact you gain respects. There’s a Malay idioms saying that “Tidak akan hilang bisa ular kalau menyusur akar”.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Hentikan Niat Nak Bawa Sultan Ismail Petra Lari Ke Siam
Terkejut berok saya bila membaca artikel yang terdapat di dalam thekelantaninsider.blogspot dan di dalam kerabubersuara.blogspot yang Sultan Ismail Petra akan dibawa lari Ke Thailand. Melaluinya dikatakan bahawa sumber maklumat yang diperolehi adalah dari sources yang boleh dipercayai, pihak yang tidak bertanggungjawab itu dikatakan akan membawa Sultan Ismail Petra secara bersembunyi keluar dari Kelantan menuju ke Thailand melalui Takbai dan Pattani.
Beberapa persoalan yang wujud dalam aspek ini, satu: sapakah yang cerdik sangat tu? Kedua: Tuanku ada sedara-mara ke kat sana, kalau ada pon Tuanku Permaisuri? Ketiga: Kenapa nak bawak lari ke Siam, Malaysia tak cukup luas ke? Keempat: Sapa Dalang Besar ni?
Apa-apa pon saya malas nak ulas secara terperinci, bukan apa sebab saya rasa semua orang boleh nilaikan sendiri jawapannya, mungkin cara tak sama, tapi yang confirmnya, jawapan yang keluar sama “ si TUUUUUT tu lah dalangnya”.
Pertikaian disini ialah, kenapa nak bawak Tuanku lari, gila ke hapa? Tak kesian ke tengok Ke Bawah Duli Tuanku yang gering, nak berjalan tak boleh, terpaksa berkerusi roda 24 jam. Kat Siam tu 48 jam sehari penuh dengan pergolakan, perang sana-perang sini, tembak sana-tembak sini, bunuh sana-bunuh sini. Sebagai Rakyat Kelantan, Anok Kelate Jati, saya tak izinkan Tuanku diperlakukan begitu. Walaupun Tuanku bukanlah lagi pemerintah Kelantan, namun baginda masih lagi raja yang kami sayangi. Kalau dah pergi ke Siam, kirim salam lah orang nak respek Tuanku sebagai Mantan Sultan. Tambah pula orang-orang Siam ni memang bangsa Perut Hijau, tak boleh nak percaya langsung.
Jadi kepada, TUUUUUT yang cerdik macam POK GETAH tu, tok sahlah dok buat Tuanku macam tu berdosa, tak cium syurga nanti. Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Ismail Petra bukanlah milik peribadi TUUUUUT tetapi Baginda adalah milik Rakyat Kelantan dan Anok-anok Kelate Jati, yang masih tetap mengasihi Baginda seperti dahulu.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Ku Li Perlu Berhati-hati: DUN Galas satu Perangkap
Penamaan Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah untuk bertanding DUN Galas adalah satu perangkap yang cukup bijak UMNO dan dilihat sebagai balas dendam. Tengku sebelum ini pernah mendropkan kerajaan pimpinan berkaitan Isu Royalti Minyak di Kelantan dan menampakkan sokongannya kepada tuntutan Kerajaan Kelantan. Ya lah, nak marah secara terang-terangan tak sedap pulak sedap Tengku merupakan orang lama dalam politik dan tahu segala isi perut pemerintah.
So saya nampak, the only way untuk jatuhkan Tengku ialah dengan meletakkan beliau sebagai calon untuk bertanding di Dun Galas. Pertama, standard Tengku hanyalah untuyk DUN sahaja walaupun beliau bergelar menteri dan keduanya kalau BN kalah mereka akan cakap, “look, even orang Gua Musang pon dah tak nak dengan Tengku Razaleigh”. Saya tak kata saya betul, Cuma saya rasa ini wajib akan berlaku.
Ni satu lagi si KJ (Khairi Jamaluddin), jangan dok masuk campor sangat, elok baru BN nak dapat harapan di Galas, tapi disebabkan KJ, orang langsung tak undi BN. Kalau result pilihanraya nanti BN kalah tipis tak apa lah jugak, saya risau kot disebabkan orang menyampah dengan KJ, penyokong BN Cuma 5-6 orang sahaja. KJ perlu tahu bahawasanya bukan setakat orang luar menyampah dengan dia, tapi 100 peratus orang Kelantan fed-up tengok muka dia.
Oleh sebab itu saya rasa Tengku Razaleigh jangan terima tawaran tersebut, biarlah muka baru yang bertanding. Reputasi kena jaga Tengku.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Suruh Khairi Diam Kalau BN Nak Menang Galas
Kalau kita nak masuk meminang anak dara orang, prosedurnya ialah kita kena hantar spy pergi tengok dulu anak dara tu sapa punya, ok ke tak ok dan segala macam mak-neneklah yang kita nak tahu. Spy tu pulak kenalah Spy yang boleh dipercayai, jangan jenis Spy carik hasil untuk untung sendiri, Spy macam ni kita panggil Spy Mak Cha E. Bila kita dah rasa confident barulah kita hantara orang masuk merisik. Bab ni paling penting sebab orang yang masuk merisik ni selalunya kira orang tengahlah, kita kena make sure yang orang yang masuk merisik ni orang yang tuan rumah tu berkenan, kalau kita hantar orang yang tuan rumah tak berkenan atau mak-mapak serta kaum keturunannya tak berkenan maka al jahanamlah jawabnya. Pakai tak kawinlah anak kita.
Sama kesnya dengan DUN Galas ni, hantarlah orang yang orang Kelantan suka, orang yang orang Galas ke orang Gua Musang ke suka, jangan main bantai saja, dan pastikan suara-suara sumbang jangan berbunyi. Ingat orang Kelantan ni perangai nya pelik sikit, elok budak Mamat tu orang dah berkenan tapi sebab dia berkawan dengan orang yang perangai tak elok (orang Kelantan panggil Budok Tok Tetu Halo) terus tak setuju jadinya. Sebab tu saya cakap suruh si Khairi Jamaluddin tu duduk diam-diam, jangan bercakap banyak. Ni dia yang banyak dok berbunyi, saya berani potong kuku, kalah BN. Tak caya tengoklah. Nak tahu sebabnya, sebab orang Kelantan rata-rata benci tengok muka si Khairi ni.
So dalam aspek ni BN kena pandailah, PM kena bagi AMARAN KERAS pada si Khairi supaya jangan campur tangan, jangan bersuara dalam hal Galas.
Sama kesnya dengan DUN Galas ni, hantarlah orang yang orang Kelantan suka, orang yang orang Galas ke orang Gua Musang ke suka, jangan main bantai saja, dan pastikan suara-suara sumbang jangan berbunyi. Ingat orang Kelantan ni perangai nya pelik sikit, elok budak Mamat tu orang dah berkenan tapi sebab dia berkawan dengan orang yang perangai tak elok (orang Kelantan panggil Budok Tok Tetu Halo) terus tak setuju jadinya. Sebab tu saya cakap suruh si Khairi Jamaluddin tu duduk diam-diam, jangan bercakap banyak. Ni dia yang banyak dok berbunyi, saya berani potong kuku, kalah BN. Tak caya tengoklah. Nak tahu sebabnya, sebab orang Kelantan rata-rata benci tengok muka si Khairi ni.
So dalam aspek ni BN kena pandailah, PM kena bagi AMARAN KERAS pada si Khairi supaya jangan campur tangan, jangan bersuara dalam hal Galas.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Let Us Enhance Our Taqwa
My fellow brothers in Islam, let us enhance our taqwa towards Allah by following all His commandments and abstaining from all that He has forbidden. We have just left the month of Ramadan. A month filled with Allah’s blessings. A month that has trained us to prepare for the coming 11 months. A month that contains the one night which has the benefits of 1000 months. However, what is the effect of Ramadan on us ? Has our deeds truly left an effect during that month ? Has the fast truly train and discipline us ? Or has the last month on left us with the effects of hunger and thirst. For those who have performed their ibadah in full conviction, verily they have gained, as said by Rasulullah saw:
For whosoever has fasted during the month of Ramadan with full conviction, all his past sins will be forgiven.”
Perhaps the last Ramadan has left a lasting effect in some of us such that it has made us sad when we bid farewell to the month and we hoped that we would meet the month again next year. This is because we do not know whether we would meet the month again in future. Dear brothers, now it is time for the month of Syawal. A month of joy and a month of freedom. It is a month of the many blessed months. While we enjoy during this month of Syawal, we should not be unmindful in celebrating the joyous occasion of the Eid. We should not consider that Ramadan is the only month for us to perform ibadah. If in Ramadan we had controlled our tongues from talking or conversing inappropriately, we should continue to do so for the rest of our lives. If in Ramadan we had controlled our eyes from looking at things most despicable, it does not mean that after Ramadan, we could return to our old ways.
Perhaps there are among us who feel that there were many shortcomings done in the last Ramadan. Perhaps the ibadah were not performed perfectly and perhaps missed the opportunity to get the benefits of the 1000 months. Verily Allah SWT offers us the opportunity to His servants. It is up to us to seize the opportunity. In this month, there are many acts which can be performed to complement and continue from our acts in the past month. The complementary Ibadah referred to is the six days fast. It is fasting for six days in the month of Syawal. Whether it is performed continuously or alternately, as long as it is performed in Ramadan, it will be accepted. The fast of 6 days in Syawal has many benefits. Among them, as reported in a hadith which says:
He who fasts in the month of Ramadan followed by 6 days in Syawal, it is as if he has fasted for 1 year."
It means that if you complete the fast of 1 month of Ramadan and continue with 6 days of fasting in Syawal, you will be rewarded with the rewards of someone who has fast for 1 full year. If we analyse that hadith, we can conclude that it corresponds to Allah’s commands in Suratul Al An’am verse 160 which means:
"He that does good will have ten times as much to his credit. He that does evil shall only be recompensed according to His evil. No wrong shall be done unto any of them.”
From this verse, we can see that the 30 days of fasting that we have endured in Ramadan equates to 10 months of fasting! And the 6 days of fasting in Syawal would equate to 2 months. Thus, we will complete 12 months of fasting, which would equate to fasting for 1 whole year! This is explained in another hadith that says:
“Allah will reward every good act ten times over. And so 1 month of good deeds will show the equivalent of 10 months of rewards. And 6 days after Eidl Fitri completes the 1 year.”
Dear brothers, this is the benefit Allah has offered to us for to reap. For those who may have missed the benefits from the previous months, this is an opportunity which you should not miss. The 6 days of fasting in Syawal is like a Rawatib prayer that completes any incomplete prayer. And surely in the course of our fasting in Ramadan there must have been numerous mistakes that we have made. By fasting 6 days in Syawal, it creates an opportunity for us to atone for those mistakes in our fasting.
Let us increase our ibadah in this significant month in Islam. And may our good deeds be rewarded and accepted by Allah s.w.t.
For whosoever has fasted during the month of Ramadan with full conviction, all his past sins will be forgiven.”
Perhaps the last Ramadan has left a lasting effect in some of us such that it has made us sad when we bid farewell to the month and we hoped that we would meet the month again next year. This is because we do not know whether we would meet the month again in future. Dear brothers, now it is time for the month of Syawal. A month of joy and a month of freedom. It is a month of the many blessed months. While we enjoy during this month of Syawal, we should not be unmindful in celebrating the joyous occasion of the Eid. We should not consider that Ramadan is the only month for us to perform ibadah. If in Ramadan we had controlled our tongues from talking or conversing inappropriately, we should continue to do so for the rest of our lives. If in Ramadan we had controlled our eyes from looking at things most despicable, it does not mean that after Ramadan, we could return to our old ways.
Perhaps there are among us who feel that there were many shortcomings done in the last Ramadan. Perhaps the ibadah were not performed perfectly and perhaps missed the opportunity to get the benefits of the 1000 months. Verily Allah SWT offers us the opportunity to His servants. It is up to us to seize the opportunity. In this month, there are many acts which can be performed to complement and continue from our acts in the past month. The complementary Ibadah referred to is the six days fast. It is fasting for six days in the month of Syawal. Whether it is performed continuously or alternately, as long as it is performed in Ramadan, it will be accepted. The fast of 6 days in Syawal has many benefits. Among them, as reported in a hadith which says:
He who fasts in the month of Ramadan followed by 6 days in Syawal, it is as if he has fasted for 1 year."
It means that if you complete the fast of 1 month of Ramadan and continue with 6 days of fasting in Syawal, you will be rewarded with the rewards of someone who has fast for 1 full year. If we analyse that hadith, we can conclude that it corresponds to Allah’s commands in Suratul Al An’am verse 160 which means:
"He that does good will have ten times as much to his credit. He that does evil shall only be recompensed according to His evil. No wrong shall be done unto any of them.”
From this verse, we can see that the 30 days of fasting that we have endured in Ramadan equates to 10 months of fasting! And the 6 days of fasting in Syawal would equate to 2 months. Thus, we will complete 12 months of fasting, which would equate to fasting for 1 whole year! This is explained in another hadith that says:
“Allah will reward every good act ten times over. And so 1 month of good deeds will show the equivalent of 10 months of rewards. And 6 days after Eidl Fitri completes the 1 year.”
Dear brothers, this is the benefit Allah has offered to us for to reap. For those who may have missed the benefits from the previous months, this is an opportunity which you should not miss. The 6 days of fasting in Syawal is like a Rawatib prayer that completes any incomplete prayer. And surely in the course of our fasting in Ramadan there must have been numerous mistakes that we have made. By fasting 6 days in Syawal, it creates an opportunity for us to atone for those mistakes in our fasting.
Let us increase our ibadah in this significant month in Islam. And may our good deeds be rewarded and accepted by Allah s.w.t.
Joke Of The Day
Al Kisah
Alkisahnya.....situasi berlaku di dlm kelas..*cikgu masuk kelas tu pulak hari tu bad mood, so..
Murid : Selamat pagi, Cikgu.
Cikgu : (Menengking) Mengapa selamat pagi sahaja? Petang dan malam awak doakan saya tak selamat?
Murid : Selamat pagi, petang dan malam Cikgu!
Cikgu : Panjang sangat! Tak pernah dibuat oleh orang! Kata selamat sejahtera! Senang dan penuh bermakna.Lagipun ucapan ini meliputi semua masa dan keadaan.
Murid : Selamat sejahtera Cikgu!
Cikgu : Sama-sama, duduk! Dengar sini baik-baik. Hari ini Cikgu nak uji kamu semua tentang perkataan berlawan. Bila Cikgu sebutkan perkataannya, kamu semua mesti menjawab dengan cepat, lawan bagi perkataan-perkataan itu, faham?
Murid : Faham, Cikgu!
Cikgu : Saya tak mahu ada apa-apa gangguan.
Murid : (senyap)
Cikgu : Pandai!
Murid : Bodoh!
Cikgu : Tinggi!
Murid : Rendah!
Cikgu : Jauh!
Murid : Dekat!
Cikgu : Keadilan!
Murid : UMNO!
Cikgu : Salah!
Murid : Betul!
Cikgu : Bodoh!
Murid : Pandai!
Cikgu : Bukan!
Murid : Ya!
Cikgu : Oh Tuhan!
Murid : Oh Hamba!
Cikgu : Dengar ini!
Murid : Dengar itu!
Cikgu : Diam!
Murid : Bising!
Cikgu : Itu bukan pertanyaan, bodoh!
Murid : Ini ialah jawapan, pandai!
Cikgu : Mati aku!
Murid : Hidup kami!
Cikgu : Rotan baru tau!
Murid : Akar lama tak tau!
Cikgu : Malas aku ajar kamu!
Murid : Rajin kami belajar Cikgu!
Cikgu : Kamu gila!
Murid : Kami siuman!
Cikgu : Cukup! Cukup!
Murid : Kurang! Kurang!
Cikgu : Sudah! Sudah!
Murid : Belum! Belum!
Cikgu : Mengapa kamu semua bodoh sangat?
Murid : Sebab saya seorang pandai!
Cikgu : Oh! Melawan!
Murid : Oh! Mengalah!
Cikgu : Kurang ajar!
Murid : Cukup ajar!
Cikgu : Habis aku!
Murid : Kekal kami!
Cikgu : O.K. Pelajaran sudah habis!
Murid : K.O. Pelajaran belum bermula!
Cikgu : Sudah, bodoh!
Murid : Belum, pandai!
Cikgu : Berdiri!
Murid : Duduk!
Cikgu : Saya kata UMNO salah!
Murid : Kami dengar KeADILan betul!
Cikgu : Bangang kamu ni!
Murid : Cerdik kami tu!
Cikgu : Rosak!
Murid : Baik!
Cikgu : Kamu semua ditahan tengah hari ini!
Murid : Kami dilepaskan tengah malam itu!
Cikgu : (Senyap dan mengambil buku-bukunya keluar.)
Murid-murid : Yeiiiii (bersorak)
Alkisahnya.....situasi berlaku di dlm kelas..*cikgu masuk kelas tu pulak hari tu bad mood, so..
Murid : Selamat pagi, Cikgu.
Cikgu : (Menengking) Mengapa selamat pagi sahaja? Petang dan malam awak doakan saya tak selamat?
Murid : Selamat pagi, petang dan malam Cikgu!
Cikgu : Panjang sangat! Tak pernah dibuat oleh orang! Kata selamat sejahtera! Senang dan penuh bermakna.Lagipun ucapan ini meliputi semua masa dan keadaan.
Murid : Selamat sejahtera Cikgu!
Cikgu : Sama-sama, duduk! Dengar sini baik-baik. Hari ini Cikgu nak uji kamu semua tentang perkataan berlawan. Bila Cikgu sebutkan perkataannya, kamu semua mesti menjawab dengan cepat, lawan bagi perkataan-perkataan itu, faham?
Murid : Faham, Cikgu!
Cikgu : Saya tak mahu ada apa-apa gangguan.
Murid : (senyap)
Cikgu : Pandai!
Murid : Bodoh!
Cikgu : Tinggi!
Murid : Rendah!
Cikgu : Jauh!
Murid : Dekat!
Cikgu : Keadilan!
Murid : UMNO!
Cikgu : Salah!
Murid : Betul!
Cikgu : Bodoh!
Murid : Pandai!
Cikgu : Bukan!
Murid : Ya!
Cikgu : Oh Tuhan!
Murid : Oh Hamba!
Cikgu : Dengar ini!
Murid : Dengar itu!
Cikgu : Diam!
Murid : Bising!
Cikgu : Itu bukan pertanyaan, bodoh!
Murid : Ini ialah jawapan, pandai!
Cikgu : Mati aku!
Murid : Hidup kami!
Cikgu : Rotan baru tau!
Murid : Akar lama tak tau!
Cikgu : Malas aku ajar kamu!
Murid : Rajin kami belajar Cikgu!
Cikgu : Kamu gila!
Murid : Kami siuman!
Cikgu : Cukup! Cukup!
Murid : Kurang! Kurang!
Cikgu : Sudah! Sudah!
Murid : Belum! Belum!
Cikgu : Mengapa kamu semua bodoh sangat?
Murid : Sebab saya seorang pandai!
Cikgu : Oh! Melawan!
Murid : Oh! Mengalah!
Cikgu : Kurang ajar!
Murid : Cukup ajar!
Cikgu : Habis aku!
Murid : Kekal kami!
Cikgu : O.K. Pelajaran sudah habis!
Murid : K.O. Pelajaran belum bermula!
Cikgu : Sudah, bodoh!
Murid : Belum, pandai!
Cikgu : Berdiri!
Murid : Duduk!
Cikgu : Saya kata UMNO salah!
Murid : Kami dengar KeADILan betul!
Cikgu : Bangang kamu ni!
Murid : Cerdik kami tu!
Cikgu : Rosak!
Murid : Baik!
Cikgu : Kamu semua ditahan tengah hari ini!
Murid : Kami dilepaskan tengah malam itu!
Cikgu : (Senyap dan mengambil buku-bukunya keluar.)
Murid-murid : Yeiiiii (bersorak)
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
DUN GALAS Besa Tumbong Woh Nyo
Kalu demo tanyo ambo, kawase Galas (N 45) ni bukenyo besa sangat, aloh kecek celeh ja eh, ado bo besar tumbong woh nyo. Tapi gak jenis pernga budok, tumbong hok kecek celeh tu hok dio nok berebuk nyo. Ambo buke nok kato apo, ADUN Galas Saudara Che Hashim Sulaiman baru jah meninggal dunio, ok-ok gak dulu. Biar lasa semo sekali pah barulah kita nok kecek kiro pasal sapo hok nok ambik alih. Meme betul, keno ado ketuo, tapi tengok la pulok kawase besa mano.
Jange jadi gong gak kito nih, nih ambo tengok samo naik, baik BN baik PAS baik PKR, tak dok kerijo lain. Demop nati kelih, tok de 100 hari wojik, ake bermulo pere, mu kato ko aku, aku kato ko mu. Dan hok ambo raso wojik ake berlaku, ado puok hok ake ukit “maso gemuloh ni jago kawase Galas ni mulo, gapo hok dio buak”, haa ni baso peranga udoh. Ore jange dok kecek pasa orghe hok mati doh.
Ci cubo tah PAS nga BN dudok semejo biche molek-molek “lagu mano weiii kito nih, melayu napok koho berak pecoh-beloh abih, sapa bilo kito nok pere lagu nih. Buleh ko dok kito pakak buak baik, kito pakak jago rakyak kito nih”, ke ko come kalu lagu tu. Tapi orghe serupo ambo nih pakak dok berange sajo lah nok tengok ore melayu bersatu padu. Tapi ambo tok kesoh, orghe nok murih, murih lah, hok ambo tetak ake buak dale blog ambo iolah memperjueke hok orghe melayu. Biarlah orghe nok kato ambo bodo sebak dok kechek sore, takdok arghe nok baco, tapi ambo yaking Insyaallah satu hari nati, ado jugok orghe hok baco mesej hok ambo nok nyapa.
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