Anwar Ibrahim wins decisively with a 15,671 majority

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Official: Anwar gets BIGGER majority
August 26, 2008
Malaysiakini goes live today with the by-election coverage, giving updates on the voting and other happenings in this constituency. Please click ‘Refresh’ or ‘Reload’ in your browser for the latest reports from Permatang Pauh.
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9.50pm: Official EC tally - Anwar got 31,195 votes, Arif Shah, 15,524, Hanafi, 92. Anwar won with a majority of 15,671.

Anwar’s wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, won the seat with a 13,388 majority at the March 8 general elections.

The official voter turnout was 81.1 percent, or 47,410 out of 58,459 registered voters - which was much higher than what the EC had stated earlier. There were 599 spoilt votes.

Meanwhile, outside Tuanku Bainun Teaching Institute, thousands of jubilant PKR supporters have gathered to embrace their leader’s return to Parliament.

PKR vice-president Azmin Ali is already there to address the crowd numbering some 6,000. Other party leaders like R Sivarasa and Tian Chua are also there.

Anwar is expected to address this ecstatic group of supporters later as well. Tian said that the overwhelming victory showed that “the prime minister’s racial politics is bankrupt”.

The EC made the official announcement at 10.05pm. Only Anwar and Hanafi were present at the announcement.

Permatang Pauh Election

The convoy of cars and SUVs which accompanied Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his wife, Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Ismail left his residence at Cherok Tok Kun, not far from Bukit Mertajam at 8.00 am sharp for the nomination center at the Tuanku Bainun Teachers College in Seberang Jaya.


By the time we arrived at the place 30 minites later, it was jam packed since very early morning with some 120,000 people from all walks of life, who have come from various parts of Malaysia as far as Sabah and Sarawak, to witness the official start of the by-election for the Parliamentary constituency of Permatang Pauh.

More than 95 per cent of those who braved the intense heat of the sun were KeADILan/Pakatan Rakyat supporters. They were energised by the sounds and beat of drums and percussion instruments of Indian and Chinese community and inspired by the winds of change which Anwar represents.

The UMNO-Barisan supporters were overwhelmed by the strong presence of “Anwar’s people”, a clear sign that public support for the ruling government was at an all time low. They were jeered by the crowd. The Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak was not spared as the crowd greeted him with shouts of “pembunuh”(murderer) and “Altantuya!, Altantuya!”. Shahrizat “Jihad” Abdul Jalil, Mukhriz Tun Mahathir and UMNO Treasurer Azim Zabidi, among other BN and UMNO leaders, too received uncomplimentary remarks from the crowd.


Pakatan Rakyat leaders Tok Guru Nik Aziz, Lim Kit Siang, Karpal Singh, MB Selangor Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, and Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng of Penang , however, were warmly greated by the crowd. Special cheers were given to hometown favorite, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as his car entered the compound of the Teachers’ College.

Bloggers like Raja Petra and his wife Marina Abdullah, Sam Haris Ibrahim, Benard Khoo and members of Kuala Lumpur based civil society groups were present. They mingled in the crowd. The bulky and formidable Bala, a keen supporter of Nurul Izzah Anwar, our dynamic Member of Parliament for Lembah Pantai, was seen among a group of Makal Sakti/Hindraf supporters. Overall, it was a spectacle unseen before in the history of Malaysian elections.

To the credit of all concerned, especially the Officers and men of our Royal Malaysian Police and Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) and marshalls of PKR and Pakatan Raykat, the crowd was orderly and well disciplined.

There is no doubt in my mind that this by-elections would be for the Pakatan Rakyat to lose. But given the Pakatan election machinery, PKR grassroots organisation in Permatang Pauh, and election strategists led by Party Vice President Azmin Ali which went into full gear following Datuk Seri Wan Azizah’s resignation in late July to make way for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the outcome may be a foregone conclusion, that is, Dato Seri Anwar will be in Parliament on August 27.

That said, PKR party officials led by Vice President Azmin Ali and Penang Liaison Chief Dato Zahrain Mohammed Hashim, the Pakatan Rakyat election oganisation and their workers and volunteers were not taking anything for granted, given the clearly demonstrated capacity of UMNO-Barisan Nasional political machine and official agencies of the government to cheat and bribe voters and use dirty politics.

When the formalities were completed at noon, the returning officer announced that there would be a three-corned fight (see the Malaysiakini report). Ten minutes later, the rain came down.–Din Merican

THE TUN SALLEH SAGA

1. When the Government gave ex-gratia payments to the judges involved in the Tun Salleh Abas removal as the Lord President of Malaysian courts, the question that needs to be answered is whether it is because of Government regrets over something that happened not during the period this Government was in power or is it because of a desperate attempt to win support after the disastrous results of the election of 2008.

2. Had the present Government felt regret, it should have paid ex-gratia payment (for want of a better term) upon achieving power. But obviously it only felt regret lately, after its brand new de facto Minister of Law, who incidentally was suspended for money politics, suggested the move in order to win the approval of the Bar Council.

3. But what was at the back of this political feeling of guilt by this Government. Was it because of the injustice done? Or was something unfair and unlawful committed by the previous Government.

4. Most people know about Tun Salleh’s dismissal but few care to find out what really happened. Some believe that the action against Tun Salleh was because he had proposed a panel of 12 judges to hear the appeal against Judge Harun Hashim’s findings that UMNO was an illegal organisation. Others believe it was because he was biased against UMNO in his judgements.

5. None of these is true. Tun Salleh had not been biased against the Government. He dismissed the application by Lim Kit Siang in the case involving UEM and the Government, for an interim injunction made by a lower court in a lengthy judgement made by him as President of the Supreme Court. In numerous other cases his judgement favoured the Government. As to the panel to hear the appeal against Judge Harun Hashim’s findings, a bigger panel could actually be good for UMNO, which wanted nothing more than the validation of the election results making me President and Ghafar Baba Deputy President. Whether the panel rejects or approves Judge Harun’s decision, UMNO and UMNO Baru would not be affected.

6. The truth is that the case against Tun Salleh was triggered by his letters to the Yang di Pertuan Agong which were considered by the Agong as being highly improper and insulting to him.

7. In his first letter Tun Salleh had written to DYMM YDP Agong complaining about the noise made during some repair work at the Agong’s palace near Salleh’s house.

8. This alone can be considered as very improper. A man as senior as he was could have asked to see the Agong and verbally informed him about the noise.

9. But to compound the act of les majesté he sent copies of his letter to the other rulers. This implied that he did not have faith in the Agong and wanted the other Rulers to apply pressure on him.

10. This was followed by another letter to DYMM YDP Agong complaining about the behaviour of the executive i.e. the Prime Minister. Copies of this letter were also sent to the other Rulers.

11. In this letter Tun Salleh said inter alia, “All of us (the judges) are disappointed with the various comments and accusations made by the Prime Minister against the judiciary not only outside but inside Parliament.”

12. He went on to say in his letter “the accusations and comments have brought shame to all of us and left us mentally disturbed to the extent of being unable to discharge our functions orderly and properly.”

13. He asserted that he and all the judges “do not like to reply to the accusations publicly because such action is not compatible with our position as judges under the Constitution …. And as such it is only proper for us to be patient in the interest of the nation.”

14. This statement was obviously untrue as before the letter was sent, in a speech at the University of Malaya when he was receiving his honorary doctorate, he complained about “the judiciary being placed in the social service category” inferring that this was not in keeping with “the rule of law” and that the “priority of the courts should be altered so that freedom is guaranteed and work is not disturbed.”

15. He went on to say “the officers of the public service (i.e. judges) do not have a lesser role and function to play then the roles played by the politicians.”

16. Further he said, “This matter becomes aggravated if the rights involved in a decision made by an official are related to judicial matters because this will result in a very important question that is interference with the independence of the judiciary.”

17. Again when making a speech at the launching of a book “Law, Justice and the Judiciary, Transnational Trends” Tun Salleh had said, among other things, “The vital constitutional principle is so settled that no question should really arise concerning the position of the judiciary under the Constitution. But recently this guardianship has been made an issue and our independence appears to be under some kind of threat.” He added, “This is amply borne out by some of the comments made recently which embarrassed the judiciary a great deal. These remarks not only question our neutrality and independence but the very value of it as an institution ….. Our responsibility of deciding the case without fear or favour …. does not mean that the court decision should be in favour of the Government all the time…….”

18. “Apart from this,” he continued, “the problem of maintaining judicial independence is further complicated by the fact that the judiciary is the weakest of all the three branches of the Government.”

19. “What matters most in order to enable us to save the system from disastrous consequences is that we judges must act with responsibility and dignity and not be drawn or tempted into an impulsive action which could only result in aggravating the situation.”

20. These two speeches were delivered on 1st August 1987 and 12th January 1988 respectively. But Tun Salleh’s letter to the King was dated 26th March 1988. As I pointed out earlier it is not true that he did not speak about his accusations against the Government in public because he maintains that “such action is not compatible with our position as judges under the Constitution” and that “it is only proper for us to be patient in the interest of the nation.”

21. All his statements in these two speeches clearly contain his criticisms of the Prime Minister and the Government long before he wrote his letter to the King.

22. Another point raised in his letter to the Agong is that “the accusations and comments have brought shame to all of us (judges) and left us mentally disturbed to the extent of being unable to discharge our functions orderly and properly.”

23. In Section 125 of the Federal Constitution, under clause (3) the grounds for removing a judge, apart from misbehaviour include infirmity of body or mind or any other cause, properly to discharge the functions of his office.”

24. By his own admission Tun Salleh was not able “to discharge his functions orderly and properly.” He was therefore unfit to continue to be a judge.

25. Section 125, Clause 4 provides for “the Yang di Pertuan Agong to appoint a Tribunal …. and refer the representations to it, and may on the recommendation of the tribunal remove the judge from office.”

26. The two letters from Tun Salleh were regarded by the Agong as being highly improper and insulting particularly the copies sent to the other Rulers.

27. During one of my weekly meetings with the Agong, DYMM expressed his annoyance over the letters and simply requested that I dismiss Tun Salleh Abas from being the Lord President of the Malaysian Courts. He writes in his own handwriting his request on the margin of Tun Salleh’s first letter, regarding the noise made by the work on the Agong’s residence.

28. To the Agong it was a simple matter. He had appointed the Lord President and therefore he was entitled to remove him. I thought it was best for me to inform Cabinet and seek the advice of the Attorney-General.

29. I must admit that Tun Salleh’s complaints against me in his letter annoyed me. It is true that I had criticised the judges for interpreting the laws passed by Government not in accordance with the intention or objective of the laws. I did suggest that if the laws were interpreted differently from what the Government and the legislators intended, then we would amend the laws. During a cabinet meeting I had in jest quoted Shakespeare’s words, “The first thing we do we hang the lawyers.” Only a nitwit would think that I meant what I said literally. But apparently lawyers and judges took umbrage over what I said and regarded me as their enemy (about to hang them, I suppose).

30. I also criticised judges for making laws themselves through their interpretations and subsequently citing these as their authority. I believed that the separation of powers meant the Legislators make laws and the judiciary apply them. Of course if the laws made by the legislators breach the provisions of the constitution, the supreme law of the land, then judges can reject them.

31. Again some judges simply refused to hear cases involving the death penalty, pushing these unfairly on to other judges.

32. It is the view of most jurists that “It is not wrong for any member of the public or the administration to criticise the judiciary. “Justice is not a cloistered virtue.” (Peter Aldridge Williams QC).

33. The above writer quoted McKenna J “There is no difference between the judge and the Common Man except that one administers the law and the other endures it.”

34. Yet Tun Salleh took the view that I was subverting the independence of the judiciary when I expressed views on how judges frustrated the objectives of the legislators.

35. Through the grapevine I heard of the judges’ displeasure with me. But I did not take any action, certainly not to remove Tun Salleh. I only acted after the Agong complained about the two letters.

36. The Cabinet agreed that we must adhere strictly to the provisions of the Constitution. I therefore advised the Agong that Tun Salleh could not be removed unless the Agong appoints a Tribunal to hear the complaints against him and make recommendations to the Agong.

37. Upon the Agong agreeing, the Government selected six judges and former judges for His Majesty to consider. The members included foreign judges in the person of the Honourable the Justice K.A.P. Ranasinghe, Chief Justice Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Honourable Mr Justice T.S. Sinnathuray, Senior Judge of the Supreme Court of Singapore.

38. The Chairman was the Chief Judge (Malaya), Tan Sri Dato Abdul Hamid bin Hj Omar. The other members were Dato Sri Lee Hun Hoe, Chief Justice (Borneo), Tan Sri Abdul Aziz bin Zain, Retired Judge and Tan Sri Mohd Zahir bin Ismail, Retired Judge.

39. The inclusion of foreign judges was to make sure the Tribunal would not be biased.

40. It is unfortunate that Tun Salleh Abas refused to appear before the Tribunal. Instead he depended on his colleagues to try to prevent the findings of the Tribunal from reaching the Yang di Pertuan Agong.

41. What the five judges who were sympathetic to him did was certainly not in keeping with Tun Salleh’s expressed views in his talk during the launching of the book “Law, Justice and the Judiciary. Transnational Trend, “when he said “we as judges must act with responsibility and dignity and not be drawn or tempted into any impulsive action which could only result in aggravating the situation.”

42. The five judges had ignored rules and procedures and the requirement to get the approval of the (Acting) Lord President, as well as wait for the findings by Mr Justice Ajaib Singh on the same matter. Instead they cancelled courts sittings in Kota Bahru which were scheduled for the judges, and held a sitting of the Supreme Court in Kuala Lumpur to hear an application by Tun Salleh Abbas for prohibition proceedings to determine his position.

43. The Supreme Court of five judges with Tan Sri Wan Sulaiman presiding heard an ex parte oral application by Tun Salleh’s lawyer, retired for a few minutes, returned and unanimously made an order for stay restraining the Tribunal from submitting any recommendations, report or advice respecting the enquiry to His Majesty the Yang di Pertuan Agong until further order.

44. Subsequently the Acting Lord President, set up a Supreme Court of five judges which negated the decision of the Wan Suleiman Court.

45. I would like to repeat that despite public criticisms made against me by Tun Salleh, I did not take any action against him. I only did so after he insulted the Agong and the Agong requested me to have him removed. Of course some would still say I influenced the Agong. But throughout my 22 years I had never involved the rulers in politics or my personal problems. The records are there for all to see.

46. I was very concerned over the forcible removal of Tun Salleh. And so I tried to get Tun Salleh to resign on his own so as to avoid a scandal. He agreed at first but he withdrew the following day.

47. I then went about getting the Tribunal approved and set up. Naturally I had to consult the Attorney-General and others who were familiar with judges. Once the Tribunal was set up my involvement ended.

48. When Tun Salleh and the other judges had their services terminated, they should not be paid their pensions. But following appeals by Attorney-General I agreed that they should be paid their full pensions. They therefore did not suffer any financial loss and their pensions were computed from the time they left.

49. These are the facts relating to the dismissal of Tun Salleh. It was he and his fellow judges who brought disrepute to the judiciary.

50. I write this to record things as they happened. I do not expect my detractors to stop saying that I destroyed the judiciary. They are my prosecutors and they are also my judges. To them I will always be the Idi Amin of Malaysia as claimed in Tun Salleh’s book “May Day for Justice”. Sadly many who so readily condemn me were judges.

Oil Price

The price of crude oil has increased by 400 percent in the last three years. It follows that the price of products must increase, sooner or later. In other countries petrol prices had already increased. In the United Kingdom one litre of petrol sells for more than one pound sterling or RM7. In the United States it is about RM5.

That the price in neighbouring countries has gone up is shown by the rush to fill up by Thai and to a lesser extent Singapore vehicles.

The Government has now announced an increase in petrol price by 78 sen to RM2.70 per litre, an increase of more than 40 per cent.

I may be mistaken but there seems to be less vehicles on the road today. But obviously that is not all that will happen. All other consumer goods, services and luxury goods would increase in price.

The cost of living must go up. Put another way there will be inflation and the standard of living will go down.

Obviously our increase in petrol price is far less than in the United Kingdom or the United States. But our per capita income is about one-third of theirs. In purchasing power terms our increase is more than in the UK or the US.

The increase hurts but the pain is greater not just because of the increase percentage-wise is higher than in developed countries but because of the manner the increase is made.

A few days ago the Government decided to ban sale of petrol to foreign cars. It flipped. Now foreign cars can buy again. Flopped.

Knowing that in a few days it was going to raise the price and foreigners would be allowed to buy, why cannot the Government just wait instead of banning and unbanning.

But be that as it may what could the Government have done to lessen the burden on the people that results from the increase in petrol price.

In the first place the Government should not have floated the Ringgit. A floating rate creates uncertainties and we cannot gain anything from the strengthened Ringgit. Certainly the people have not exprienced any increase in their purchasing power because of the appreciation in the exchange rate between the US Dollar and the Ringgit.

Actually the Ringgit has increased by about 80 sen (from RM3.80 to RM3.08 to 1 US Dollar) per US Dollar, i.e. by more than 20 per cent. Had the Government retained the fixed rate system and increased the value of the Ringgit, say 10 per cent at a time, the cost of imports, in Ringgit terms can be monitored and reduced by 10 per cent. At 20 per cent appreciation the cost of imports should decrease by 20 per cent. But we know the prices of imported goods or services have not decreased at all. This means we are paying 20 per cent higher for our imports including the raw material and components for our industries.

Since oil prices are fixed in US Dollar, the increase in US Dollar prices of oil should also be mitigated by 20 per cent in Malaysian Ringgit.

But the Government wants to please the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank and decided to float the Ringgit. As a result the strengthening of the Ringgit merely increased our cost of exports without giving our people the benefit of lower cost of imports.

This is not wisdom after the event. I had actually told a Government Minister not to float the Ringgit three years ago. But of course I am not an expert, certainly I know little about the international financial regimes.

I believe the people expect the increase of petrol price. But what they are angry about is the quantum and the suddenness. The Prime Minister was hinting at August but suddenly it came two months earlier, just after the ban on sale of petrol to foreigners.

If the increase had been more gradual, the people would not feel it so much. But of course this means that the Government would have to subsidise, though to a decreasing extent.

Can the Government subsidise? I am the “adviser” to Petronas but I know very little about it beyond what is published in its accounts. What I do know may not be very accurate but should be sufficient for me to draw certain conclusions.

Roughly Malaysia produces 650,000 barrels of crude per day. We consume 400,000 barrels leaving 250,000 barrels to be exported.

Three years ago the selling price of crude was about USD30 per barrel. Today it is USD130 – an increase of USD100. There is hardly any increase in the production cost so that the extra USD100 can be considered as pure profit.

Our 250,000 barrels of export should earn us 250,000 x 100 x 365 x 3 = RM27,375,000,000 (twenty seven billion Ringgit).

But Petronas made a profit of well over RM70 billion, all of which belong to the Government.

By all accounts the Government is flushed with money.

But besides petrol the prices of palm oil, rubber and tin have also increased by about 400 per cent. Plantation companies and banks now earn as much as RM3 billion in profits each. Taxes paid by them must have also increased greatly.

I feel sure that maintaining the subsidy and gradually decreasing it would not hurt the Government finances.

In the medium term ways and means must be found to reduce wasteful consumption and increase income. We may not be able to fix the minimum wage at a high level but certainly we can improve the minimum wage.

Actually our wages are high compared to some of our neighbours. The investors who come here are attracted not by cheap labour but by other factors, among which is the attitude of the Government towards the business community and the investors in particular.

From what I hear business friendliness is wanting in the present Government – so much so that even Malaysians are investing in other countries. There are rumblings about political affiliations influencing decisions. Generally Government politicians are said to be arrogant.

Malaysia is short of manpower. The labour intensive industries are not benefiting Malaysians. Foreign workers are remitting huge sums of money home.

The industrial policy must change so that high tech is promoted in order to give Malaysians higher wages to cope with rising costs of living.

The world is facing economic turmoil due to the depreciation of the US Dollar, the sub-prime loan crisis, rising oil and raw material prices, food shortages and the continued activities of the greedy hedge funds. The possibility of a US recession is real. In a way the US is already in recession. The world economy will be dragged down by it.

Malaysia will be affected by all these problems. I wonder whether the Government is prepared for this.

We cannot avoid all the negative effects but there must be ways to mitigate against them and to lessen the burden that must be borne by all Malaysians. I am sure the Government will not just pass all these problems to the people as the review of oil prices every month seem to suggest.


Source: Tun Mahathir

The Racist Card

Source: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad

It is strange that whenever people like Param Cumaraswamy accuse others of being racist they end up by exposing the racist in them. For them you are racist only if you talk about Malays and their need to catch up with other races. If you talk of the imagined plight of other races in Malaysia, and make ridiculous statements that the Tamil Indians in Malaysia are facing “ethnic cleansing” when you know that no such thing is happening, it is not racist.

It is only in Malaysia that people of immigrant origins, so identified by their insistence on being linked race-wise with their countries of origin, are actually accepted as citizens.

In other countries including the much-admired democracies of the West, citizens are not linked to or classified by their countries of origin. They speak the national language habitually, go to schools where the national language is the medium of instruction and adopt the culture of the indigenous people, or at least the people who originally founded these countries (the indigenous people having been systematically wiped out).


But in Malaysia although the national language is the language of the indigenous people, many Malaysian citizens cannot speak the language, much less use it habitually in their homes and with fellow citizens. Whenever some foreigner speak Bahasa Malaysia to them, they would reply in English. Foreigners cannot understand why they seem to downgrade their national language. And yet these citizens question why there is, for practical purpose, no Bangsa Malaysia.

Schools using languages of the countries of origin are not only permitted but are actually financed by the Government. Try and find such schools in South East Asia or in the so-called liberal developed countries where they claim there is no racial discrimination. There are actually more Indians in the United Kingdom than in Malaysia. But there is not a single school where the teaching medium is in any of the Indian languages.

People like Param would not notice all these. Instead he sees the effort to bring up the indigenous people to the level of the non-indigenous people as racist. Arrogantly he seems to want the indigenous people become the deprived in their own country.

I admit that I spoke on “Ketuanan Melayu” in Johor. The Malay intellectuals have been talking about this for a long time. There was no suggestion about them being racist or that they should be detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

I spoke on this issue critically as I consider that claiming to be masters when you are not is ridiculous. How can the Malay driver driving a car belonging to someone else regard himself as the “Tuan” and the owner of the car as inferior to him? Actually it is the owner and his employer who is the “Tuan”.

In my speech my advise to the Malays is to acquire knowledge and skills and use them to enrich themselves for only then can they be regarded by their servants and employees as “Tuan”.

Is this seditious or near seditious? Is speaking about Malays and their needs seditious?

On the other hand let us consider the Hindraf memorandum to the British. Most people including Indians have not read it. To gain the support of the Tamil Indians, Hindraf demands that the British compensate every Tamil Indian in Malaysia one million pounds sterling (about RM 7 million). That should tempt even middle-class Indians. Surely Indian workers would fall for it.

The Hindraf memorandum also contains the following extracts which are obviously racist;
1) “Commonwealth ethnic Indian peace loving subjects in Malaysia persecuted by Government backed Islamic extremist violent armed terrorist who launched a pre-dawn violent armed attack and destroyed the Kg Jawa Mariamman Hindu temple at 4.00am this morning (15.11.07)”.

2) “Appeal for United Kingdom to move emergency United Nations Resolution condemning “Ethnic Cleansing” in Malaysia”.

I will not quote other highly inflammatory remarks found in the Hindraf memorandum. However I would like to mention the threat made by Hindraf in its conclusion;

“We fear that the peace loving Indian community of Tamil origin having been pushed to the corner and the persecution getting worse by the day may be forced into terrorism in a matter of time as what has happened to the Sri Lankan Tamils”.

Is Hindraf planning to make Malaysia a Southeast Asian Sri Lanka?

I don’t believe the majority of the Tamils in Malaysia would agree with the picture painted by Hindraf. Unfortunately, like the Malays, few of them read the actual memorandum. And so they support Hindraf blindly.

But if you read what I have quoted would you not conclude that Hindraf and Param Cumaraswamy, who objected to their detention under the ISA as racist especially as his desire to have me detained under the Act for telling the Malays to realise that they are not “Tuan” when they have to clean the shoes of others. If they want to be “Tuan”, then they must acquire the skills and knowledge to succeed in life. And when they succeed they would be highly regarded whether they are called “Tuan” or not.

It seems that according to Param Cumaraswamy talking about Malays is seditious.

Who is racist; Param Cumaraswamy or Dr Mahathir?

I am not going to call for his detention.

He should as a lawyer who understands the law, decide whether he is a racist and should be detained or not.

Decision to bar outsiders irks Dr Mahathir

More news from the star on Mahathir’s forum in London. Mahathir complained about the freedom on speech in Imperial College where his forum was limit to the IC students. Hypocrite, isn’t he? He is the one who tried to clamp down opposing views and the media throughout his 22 years of administration. He should be the last person on earth that could say anything about freedom of speech!

LONDON: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was left fuming over a last-minute decision to bar outsiders from attending his talk on war crimes at Imperial College here on Friday.

The former prime minister said he regretted any attempt to block his speech entitled Expose War Crimes: Criminalise War at Imperial College.

Scores of Malaysians and non-Malaysians were left stranded outside the Sir Alexander Flemming building in the college when they were barred from entering the lecture theatre hall where the talk was held.

Security guards stationed near the entrance were seen checking for Imperial College identification cards before allowing them in.

During his speech, Dr Mahathir said he believed that Britain was a country where free speech was upheld.

Dr M: Charge Bush, Blair and Howard for war crimes

Seems that our ex-PM is enjoying his time in London. I am just a bit curious how did Malaysiakini produced a report on this event since all recording devides are banned and guests are restricted only to Imperial College Students? Must be an undercover’s job huh?

How could Mahathir be so concerned about Bush, Blair and Howard’s so-called war crime, while he himself haven’t settled his own “crime” in the country. Can’t wait for Anwar to get in power to expose all his wrongdoings throughout the 22 years iron fisted dictatorship.

THE MILLIONAIRE CLUB

Touching one million hits among bloggers seem to be something to be celebrated. I was told that most bloggers will congratulate each other when one of them hits the million mark, and call the one millionaire.

Some bloggers have described my achieving the million mark within a month of my first posting as something phenomenal; one even suggested that it may be a world record of sorts.

I do not know whether it is.

To me, what is more important is that I have managed to generate enough interest to get that kind of traffic in my blog.

It is quite an experience to be a blogger even though I am only a month-old.
Much as I saw the importance of cyberspace during my tenure as Prime Minister and hence my commitment to the setting up of Cyberjaya and pursuing the Multi-media Super Corridor (MSC), I did not envisage that I would one day be a blogger.

I note that now the government has recognised the importance of the blogs. It is proposing to have its own blog. But more importantly the mainstream media are now quoting from the blog and even dare to write on formerly forbidden subjects.

This is to be expected as many people no longer read the mainstream papers or watch television. The NST circulation has been reduced to an average of 135,000 daily including free and discounted copies for hotels, schools and airlines.

Unless there is instruction to spin news from certain quarters, the mainstream media might become irrelevant.

Source:http://www.chedet.com/

Why Has Ezam Re-joined Umno?

I am so curious because the former Parti Keadilan Rakyat Youth leader has been so critical of Umno, the government and Pak Lah.

In fact, Ezam Mohd Nor founded the Civil Movement Against Corruption (GERAK) in 2005, and as its chair had, (in his own words in February 2007) said:
".... I have been repeatedly lodging police reports against the Umno president [...] how can he accept me as a member? I think the speculation of me joining Umno should not arise at all."

Rumours of him re-joining Umno surfaced last year when there was talk that he had met with Umno Youth deputy chief and the Prime Minister's son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin.

Ezam - Anwar Ibrahim's one-time confidant and right-hand man - swiftly denied these rumours and speculations which came about following his reported fall-out with Anwar's other right-hand man, Azmin Ali.

So, does it mean that he is distancing himself from those GERAK reports about corruption in Umno, the government as well as about the PM et al?
What do those reports now mean?

Yesterday when he re-joined Umno, Ezam quit as GERAK chairman though I am not sure whether he is still with the movement.

GERAK's new chairman Nazri Yunus will be holding a Press conference at its office in Kelana Jaya tomorrow.

So, what is GERAK all about then? Who did it exist for?

Ezam -- politician turned member of a civil movement, and back to being a politician.

I can't blame anyone for being suspicious of his intentions in re-joining the party he has been so utterly critical of.

An Umno leader, when asked about Ezam's re-entry, said: "I think he is up to no good alongside his buddy, KJ".

Heavy stuff that. I'm not sure whether this sentiment is his alone.
But clearly, Pak Lah and other Umno leaders are more forgiving, and welcoming. No?

What they say about Ezam's return to Umno:

"He wants to come back to Umno and he will continue with the struggles of Umno according to the party’s goal and direction, and not Parti Keadilan.
"So I accepted him." - Umno president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

"We cannot be choosing who we want in the party. If we do so, we will lose many people. There have been others who also bitterly attacked the party when they left, but after they realised Umno was the best platform to serve, they returned.
"It is up to Ezam to win back the confidence of the other Umno members." -- Umno deputy president Najib Razak.

"What is the benefit for Umno? Is he willing to struggle alongside Umno? What is his role?" - Umno Youth chief Hishammudin Hussein.

The stories here, here and here.

Dr M Quits Umno

By now, everyone is talking about former Umno president and PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's announcement to quit Umno.

He announced his decision in Alor Star today before 1,000 people, mostly Kedah Umno members at a talk.

He said he was quitting because he had no confidence in the current leadership.

Dr Mahathir has explained his decision in his blog, saying that his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah has also quit the party with him.

In his posting, Dr Mahathir said Umno today is not the party that he joined 62 years ago but one that exists only to support Abdullah and his family and policies that are not consistent with the interest of the race, religion and the country.

Longer Maternity Leave For Women In The Workforce

I heard this over the radio as I was driving home from my morning climb up Bukit Kiara.

I think it's good news for women in the workforce in the five Pakatan Rakyat-led states.

This is a start. There a re lot of other "women" issues that should also be looked into. But I suppose they're taking it one step at a time.

In this case, I hope there are no hitches and that no one loses out.

SHAH ALAM, May 4 (Bernama) -- The five Pakatan Rakyat-led state governments have agreed to extend the 60-day paid maternity leave for public sector employees in their states, and are to work out the number of additional days according to the needs and demands in each state.

The new leave will only be implemented after the leaders of the five states -- Selangor, Kelantan, Perak, Penang and Kedah -- sit down together to fine-tune the needs and demands in each state.

Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin asked to be allowed time to fine-tune the matter at state level "and then we will sit down together and decide what's best for the five states".

He spoke at a news conference after a workers assembly here Sunday. Also present were Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim; Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin; PAS Vice-President Datuk Husam Musa who represented the Kelantan menteri besar; Kedah Rural Development, Entrepreneur Development and Public Works Committee chairman Phahrolrazi Zawawi who represented the Kedah menteri besar and Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud.

Women employees in the public sector are now entitled to 60 days of paid maternity leave for a maximum of five times.

Mohammad Fairus said the Penang government was considering extending the leave up to 75 days by taking into account locality and the people's acceptance in the state.

Abdul Khalid said the Selangor government planned to implement a 90-day maternity leave and between seven and 10 days additional leave for men whose wives were on maternity leave.

"The state government, MTUC, public and private sector workers' organisations or Cuepacs have to hold further discussions so that no one will lose out when the facility is implemented," he said.

Husam said the Kelantan government proposed to give 10 days of additional leave prior to delivery to women who found it difficult to work in an advanced state of pregnancy.

Mohammad Nizar said the Perak government was compiling data to determine whether it was possible to extend the maternity leave to 65 or 70 days.

Phahrolrazi said the Kedah government might adopt the measures to be implemented by the Kelantan government in the matter. -- BERNAMA

Malaysian Women And Solo Travel Abroad..

Now...is this the solution to the problem?
Is there a problem in the first place that needs a solution?

If we are so worried about women being used as "drug mules', then we should tackle it differently.

Having said that, I've always been amazed at how "naive" these women are. You'd think that they'd learn from previous reported cases. But, no....they fall prey to these crooks -- wittingly or unwittingly, I really can't tell.

Still, I feel so sorry for them and their families.

Read this:

Local women intending to travel alone abroad may need family consent in a bid to prevent them from being used as 'drug mules' by international syndicates.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said a proposal to this effect would be made soon, following several incidents where the women were used to smuggle drugs overseas.
Out of 119 cases of Malaysian women hauled up before foreign courts, he said his ministry detected 90 per cent as being linked to drugs.
"Last night, my ministry, together with the home ministry, have jointly forwarded a report to the Cabinet on the matter.
"Both ministries agreed that factors like family, religion, immigration laws and preventive measures need to be considered before a Malaysian woman goes abroad alone," Rais told reporters after officiating the Malaysian Silambam Association's Jelebu branch here Saturday.
On the proposed requirement of family consent, he said it would enable the woman's family to monitor her departure and serve as a preventive measure against being duped by international drug syndicates.
Rais said a family should know the purpose of a woman's trip as to whether it was for study, business or other reasons.
"We are not sure the call will be taken up but we think it is an early necessary step to protect our citizens and safeguard the country's image," he added.
Asked what assistance his ministry could provide if local women were caught, Rais said: "We can only give advice and guidance to their families as we cannot interfere in or influence the laws of the country concerned."
Cases of local women caught in foreign countries for drug smuggling after being duped by international drug syndicates have parents worried here.
Recently, local newspapers reported that two Malaysian women, Norfaizura Azura Md Lias, 28, and Dayang Sakienah Mat Lazim, 20, were detained in Malta for allegedly smuggling drugs.--BERNAMA

Selangor ACA To Probe Balkis..

That's good to know.

Here's from NST Online:


SHAH ALAM: The Anti-Corruption Agency will investigate alleged irregularities in the accounts of Balkis following a report by Parti Keadilan Rakyat yesterday.

Selangor ACA director Ja'afar Mahad said the probe would focus on expenditure by the Wives of Selangor Assemblymen and MPs Welfare and Charity Organisation.

He said although there were claims of irregularities in the transfer of RM9.9 million in Balkis funds to Bakti (Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers), this did not fall under the agency's purview.

He said allegations about the legality of the transfer were more along the lines of criminal breach of trust.

Rosmah: Don't Believe Stories About Me...

We all must have heard those "horror" stories about Rosmah Mansor, wife of our DPM. Some of us believe these tales. Some of us don't.

For the most part, these stories are unverified.

Last night, Rosmah responded to those "internet stories".

"They are slanderous allegations and are not true."

Here's from Malaysiakini:

Those who need clarifications should ask her directly, she said.

“Whatever you read on the Internet, don’t telan bulat-bulat (take it as it is),” the Star quoted her as saying today.

"I guarantee that all the stories on the Internet about me are not true,” she said in her speech at a charity event in Kuala Lumpur last night.

Rosmah was responding to certain allegations about her published recently on the Internet and expressed disappointment that some resorted to deceit.

However, she did not detail the allegations against her.

“When I am patient and quiet, people resort to slander. I kept quiet previously thinking that people can decide for themselves but now even ridiculous stories are being believed.

“Fitnah (Slander) is not a small sin that can be easily forgiven especially when it involves trying to bring disrepute to others,” she said.

“Don’t believe those who use deceit to get positions. They are willing to fool the community to get what they want. May Allah forgive them and may they return to the right path,” Rosmah added.

Najib Has Never Met Altantuya

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will not hesitate to seek legal redress over unfounded and unfair allegations made against him in the case involving murdered Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu.

In a letter sent to Malaysia Today website, the DPM’s press secretary Tengku Sariffuddin Tengku Ahmad said Najib did not know and had never met Altantuya, and that it was unfair that the allegations had been made against Najib in the case.

Tengku Sariffuddin was referring to an article titled “Let’s Send the Altantuya Murderers to Hell” published in Malaysia Today website on Friday, which was written by Raja Petra Kamarudin.

Tengku Sariffuddin said Najib shared the sentiment with the writer that the matter was not about politics and that this case should seek out the truth and justice should be served.

However, he said it was clear that there were those who were not interested in finding justice for Altantuya, but rather the politics connected to the case.

Tengku Sariffuddin said the article, which alleged that Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor were implicated in Altantuya’s murder, contained “hearsay”.

He said it gave the impression that the police investigations into the case and the legal proceedings were flawed and were designed to hide the real perpetrators.

The case, he added, was a private matter involving Razak and several policemen implicated in the case.

Tengku Sariffuddin also said the allegations that Altantuya’s murder was linked to the country’s purchase of submarines were baseless and unfounded.

“Datuk Seri Najib has been very restrained and guarded in making any public statement on the matter since people known to him have been implicated and have been charged in court.

“It (making statement about the matter) could be misinterpreted or seen to be interfering in the case since the court proceedings is still on-going,” he added.


(source: The Star)

Raising Balkis In The State Assembly..

A DAP state representative will be seeking to raise questions about the Wives of Selangor Assemblymen and MPs Welfare and Charity Organisation (Balkis) when the Selangor state assembly convenes on May 21.

Kampung Tunku assemblyman Lau Weng San said he would be asking about the action, which would be taken against those who abused their power, especially in transferring the RM9.9mil.

Lau added that other aspects of his questions were on investigations conducted by the Registrar of Societies (RoS) on Balkis being dissolved and its land and financial matters, and seeking a complete list of activities conducted by Balkis from 2004 until 2007.

“I hope that the Balkis office and RoS can furnish all the relevant information to the state government office or it could be a breach of state assembly’s privilege if the relevant offices refuse to furnish such information,” said Lau.

(Source: The Star)

You can be sure the BN reps will be pussyfooting the issue as much as they can.

Che Det The Blogger

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has finally started his own blog -- H E R E (http://www.chedet.com)

Welcome to blogosphere, Sir!

Good for you, Tun. We're glad that you have finally started your own blog.

Rocky and I were probably among the first few who asked him to blog. In fact, we could well have been the first to plant the idea in his head.

At a luncheon gathering at the Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, held in his honour in 2006, Dr Mahathir was articulating several issues and lamented that "people should know about these things". Seated near him were two former group editors of mainstream media and several former and serving civil servants, and corporate leaders.

Dr Mahathir had asked how could he get these issues across to people.

I remember saying, from across the table: "Blog, Tun. You should blog about about these issues."

He grinned and feigned surprise: "Blog? "

"Yes, you should," chipped in Rocky.

Dr Mahathir said he didn't think he would have the time to blog.

I don't know whether he ever thought about blogging after that. Probably not.

But well, Tun. Looks like you must have thought about it lately, and have found the time to blog now.

Dr Mahathir's first posting is "The Appointment Of Judges". And at my last count, he had 382 comments.

Keep them coming, Tun!