Hari Keamatan

SELANGOR FOLKS CONNED BY FALSE WATER CRISIS

SELANGOR FOLKS CONNED BY FALSE WATER CRISIS A well written article on the conspiracy to create a false water shortage crisis, so as to justify the RM8.65 billion Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant mega project. The technical term for the amount of raw water that is wasted due to inefficiencies in the water treatment plant is called “non-revenue water” or NRW. Under Rozali Ismail's SYABAS/PUNCAK NIAGA, Malaysia's NRW is 32%. A third of the water that enters SYABAS's plant goes to waste. This has been happening for years, meaning nothing whatsoever has been done to mitigate the problem. Why? Well I think its down right to the fact there is no competition as this is a monopoly created by the inept UMNO/BN-led government to encourage this at the Rakyat's expense and loss. Furthermore, there is this debt accumulation to the tune of RM2 billion but that certainly has not hampered Rozali Ismail from drawing a monthly salary of almost RM500,000.00, but some put it as high as RM800,000.00. Are the people of Selangor in their right sense of thinking, going to return UMNO/BN to power in this state? UMNO/BN and its allies runs an organisation by maintaining high operating cost with not just low returns, but in this case 'NO RETURNS'. Water crisis? Or crisis of corruption? Nathaniel Tan 10:33AM Jul 21, 2012 Water, water, every where, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink. - Samuel Taylor Coleridge COMMENT Have you ever been made to buy something you didn’t need? Or worse, have you been deceived, intimidated and bullied into making an entirely unnecessary, overpriced purchase? It would appear that this is what we are facing with Syabas, this “water crisis” it keeps getting excited about. However, if we examine the hard facts closely, we will see that the only crisis we are facing is an all too familiar crisis of corruption and cronyism - centred tightly around the RM8.65 billion Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant. Do we really need the Langat 2 plant? We all know politicians use taxpayer-funded megaprojects to make money. The bigger the megaproject, the bigger the kickbacks - and RM8.65 billion is plenty big. With that much money at stake, the last thing ‘well-connected’ individuals care about is whether the project is actually needed, or whether it truly benefits the rakyat or not. The Selangor government is all for preventing this RM8.65 billion gravy train from riding out, and its position is simple: there is plenty of water in Selangor, and if there is any shortage at all, it is due to failure, or worse, on the part of Syabas.azlanHere’s what Syabas doesn’t want you to know about this water “crisis”: It’s not about how much raw water there is (since the dams in Selangor are all clearly full); it’s about how Syabas is failing dramatically to efficiently convert enough of that raw water into potable water. (Technically speaking, the main company responsible for treatment of water is Puncak Niaga, which in turn owns 70 percent of Syabas. Both companies are in essence run by the same people. For the purpose of this article, “Syabas” refers to both Puncak Niaga and Syabas.) Not all the raw water that goes into a water treatment plant becomes potable water - that is, water deemed fit to run in our taps at home. The technical term for the amount of raw water that is wasted due to inefficiencies in the water treatment plant is called “non-revenue water” or NRW. 32pct of water produced by Syabas is wasted Syabas’ level of NRW is 32 percent. This means that a whopping one-third of the raw water that enters a Syabas water treatment plant goes entirely to waste. Syabas must be congratulated here, for succeeding in wasting more water than Dhaka, Bangladesh, where the NRW is only 29 percent. Eastern Manila managed to bring down its NRW from 63 percent in 1997 to 11 percent in 2010. More developed nations have even lower levels of NRW -Germany’s NRW is only seven percent, while the Netherlands and Denmark have achieved NRW levels of six percent. Perhaps this can be attributed to the fact that they are advanced, developed Western democracies? Oh, wait a minute, Singapore’s NRW is five percent. It looks like under Syabas’ brilliant management, we have managed to waste six times more water than our neighbour to the south whom we like so much to make fun of. Thank you, Syabas! There is also talk that Syabas is not given enough money to improve its services. However, the question is, would you give more money to a company that demonstrates zero ability to put that money to good use, and in fact wasted away all the money that has already been given to it? Quite simply put, all we need to do to ensure a sufficient water supply for the Klang Valley is to drastically reduce the amount of NRW. For that, we don’t need a RM8.65 billion water treatment plant, or to throw money at the problem - we just need cleaner, better managers. Is Syabas turning off the taps? It’s little wonder that Syabas has never had much incentive to improve its efficiency or quality of its service - for it does not have any competition. This simple fact has rendered many an industry in Malaysia completely defunct. Automobiles, airlines, telecommunications and power generation are all industries where cronies get rich, and Malaysians pay high prices for crap quality. A monopoly like Syabas is able to take this game one step further. When you have complete monopoly over the water industry, you don’t have to wait for an actual water crisis to justify an RM8.65 billion white elephant megaproject. Even in the midst of heavy rain every single day, all you need to do is turn off the taps, and voila - “water crisis”. I think we’ve all noticed the increased frequency of water cuts in the Klang Valley recently. A simple question remains: are the taps turned off because of a water shortage? Or because some people want you to think there’s a water shortage? Is this all to justify a RM8.65 billion water treatment plant that no one needs - a plant that might make a few lucky people extremely rich, while impoverishing the rest of the nation? Is Syabas threatening us? One of the ‘best’ quotes I have read throughout this saga comes from Syabas technical services executive director V Subramaniam, perhaps a minor pawn sent forth to spew such brilliant statements as: “The water crisis at present is the result of a shortfall in treated water for distribution caused by the refusal of the state government to issue the development order for construction of the Langat 2 treatment plant.” Does Syabas take us for dummies? According to this logic, if the Selangor government approves the construction of Langat 2 today (a project that will take years to complete), then the water crisis will disappear tomorrow. Sounds a little suspicious? Perhaps Subramaniam’s statement is technically correct, in that the state government’s refusal has indeed precipitated a ‘water shortage’ - except that he is silent on whether the said water shortage is natural - or manufactured by unscrupulous people to achieve even more unscrupulous ends. Who is politicising the water problem? There should be a law against this sort of thing. Oh, wait. There is this thing called the Water Services Industry Act (WSIA), which was passed by the BN-dominated Parliament in 2006. This law provided for the de-privatisation of the water industry and its return to the respective state governments, for privatisation had clearly proven to be a disastrous failure across the board. The water industries of BN-led (for now) Malacca and Johor were successfully deprivatised following the gazetting of the WSIA. But what happened to Selangor post-2008? Both sides like to accuse each other of ‘politicising’ the water problem, but when the facts show that the federal government allowed deprivatisation in BN-held states while preventing it in Selangor, the truth becomes clear to all. Let’s not forget that Syabas is run by Rozali Ismail, the ready-to-run-for-Parliament Selangor Umno treasurer who, despite creating a spectacular failure of Syabas and being accused of using millions of Syabas’ funds to buy pipes from his own company in Indonesia, is still paid a salary of RM425,000 a month as CEO. The Selangor state government has openly stated that it plans to slash the monthly salary for this post by 90 percent. While Syabas is dead set on exponential increases of up to 75 percent on water tariffs, Selangor has pledged to cap any tariff increases to 12 percent. So, who is looking out for the rakyat, and who is looking out for themselves? BN plundering before an inevitable defeat? Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim is the man most keen on the de-privatisation of the Selangor water industry and the takeover of Syabas by the state government. This is the man who increased the cash reserves of the Selangor government five-fold from RM400 million in 2008 to RM2.1 billion in 2012. Under Umno and Najib Abdul Razak, the federal debt - a debt our children and grandchildren will have to pay - has since the year 2007 nearly doubled to RM421 billion this year. Who do you think is better suited to run our water industry? Are we going to allow people who are bringing the nation to the edge of a real - not manufactured - economic crisis to bully us into footing the bill for a RM8.65 billion megaproject that nobody needs? Are these high jinks the latest attempt - along with FVG, George Kent and the innumerable new spending initiatives the prime minister has recently announced - to bleed the nation’s coffers completely dry for personal gain before finishing a full term in office in 2013? It seems the BN has serious fears of losing power, and is trying to take out as much as it can before having to face an angry electorate next year. If the BN was confident of a victory, surely the general election would have been held by now. In any case, the unscrupulous among us are welcome to play their games. Turning off the taps and replacing the flow of water with the flow of painfully illogical arguments is less likely to pressure the state government to forsake the interests of the rakyat, and more likely to point the finger back at those truly responsible for scaremongering and criminal mismanagement. NATHANIEL TAN works as a consultant to the Selangor state government. http://jtpotshots.blogspot.com/2012/07/selangor-folks-conned-by-false-water.html

Debate Speech on 21st March, 2012 by Wong Ho Leng, MP for Sibu, on Motion to appreciate the King’s Speech

Debate Speech on 21^st March, 2012 by Wong Ho Leng, MP for Sibu, on Motion to appreciate the King’s Speech
I wish to raise a few issues in this august House:

1.     Security
Security is a big problem in Sibu. On 20.10.2011, a father, his son and his daughter-in-law were brutally murdered at their house in Bawang Assan, Sibu. His wife was injured and faked dead to escape murder. On 10.12.2011 a young lady was murdered while waiting to cross the Igan River in Sibu. On 11.1.2012 a businessman was killed when shopping. These crimes remained unsolved. On 3.1.2012, a family of 4 were murdered by their neighbor who climbed over the ceiling because there was no partition wall between the terraced houses. That is the only murder that was solved.
On 13^th March 2012, a cleaner was beaten unconscious and gang raped in a bus near a school and bus terminal in Pelawan, Sibu.
Burglary, robberies, and vehicle thefts have increased in Sibu. But not all cases had been reported to the police, because the public do not have confidence in the police. Many elderly Chinese went to lodge police reports but they cannot speak Bahasa Malaysia. The police cannot understand them, and they cannot understand the police. It is just like chicken talking to ducks.
This is not a problem in Sibu alone. It happens in other police stations in Bintulu, Miri, and Kuching where there are no multi-lingual police officers manning the counters. I appeal to the Government to station more multi-lingual police in these towns in Sarawak.
The people in Sibu are complaining that the police in Sibu are unable to protect them. To be fair to them, even if the police are doing their best, they can’t do much if they do not have sufficient manpower to investigate and solve crimes.
Very often I have received complaints that the police refused to receive reports. This is unacceptable.
I have also received complaints that victims of crimes have been discouraged from making reports of thefts and robberies. They were asked to report accidental loss only. This is unacceptable. This is not the way to show that crime is not serious in Sibu.
I urge the federal Government to increase police manpower in Sibu. We want police who are honest and hard-working. We don’t want police who lied that Sibu is “no-gangster town”. This story is untrue.
We want clean police in Malaysia. On 14^th March, 2012, the Inspector-General of Police said that only 1% of policemen are taking bribes. This is the greatest joke of 2012. We all know that there are police who are demanding for kopi-o even on road sides in broad day light. Although there are honest police, there are many more dishonest and corrupt police. The people have nowhere to complain. That is why we complain that the BN Government has failed the people by not establishing the IPCMC which was suggested by the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Police. I appeal to the Government not to allow corruption continue in our country.

2.     Health Services
While his whole family was murdered, a little boy survived. Kelvin Ling was badly injured on his head. He could have lost his life too because there was no neurosurgeon in Sibu Hospital to operate on him. His life was saved only because he was flown in time to Kuching General Hospital by a private helicopter. We wonder why the Government cannot provide a reliable helicopter service in the event of emergency.
I agree with many in Sibu who complained that Hospital Sibu is 3^rd class.
I urge the federal government to upgrade Hospital Sibu. Hospital Sibu caters for more than half a million people in Sibu and the hinterland of the Rejang River like Kapit, Belaga, Song, Kanowit, Bintangor and Sarikei. It is unfair for patients to have to wait for treatment. Some had died from waiting, just because there are insufficient specialists and surgeons. The federal government should employ more specialists and neurosurgeons in Hospital Sibu.
Those admitted to Hospital should be well looked after both by the doctors, nurses and their families. But many patients and their families have complained that the wards in Hospital Sibu are hot and uncomfortable.
The Government should look into improving the condition there.
Those admitted to Hospital require family members to take care of them. But there is insufficient parking space at the Hospital compound. There is also no place to accommodate family members who come from outstation. At any one time we can see that there are always not less than 40 family members sprawling on the floor on the corridors, sleeping on cardboards and old newspapers.
The Government should provide accommodation near Hospital Sibu for visiting families from outstation. Visitation by family members must be encouraged.
I also take this opportunity to talk about the health services in Lawas. I am given to understand that the condition in Lawas hospital is deplorable and cases have been brought to court for negligence of doctors which had resulted in death. A case in point is Kam Agong who died in 2002 at the age of 44 because of medical negligence when she gave birth to her 8^th child.
Saya difahamkan bahawa Hospital Daerah Lawas dibina pada 16.5.1969 dan adalah bangunan yang tertua di Lawas. Pada 1999, JKR mengisytiharkan Hospital tersebut tidak selamat lagi diduduki sebab sudah uzur. Pembinaan sebuah hospital baru telah dicadangkan dalam RMK-7 (1996-2000) dan diluluskan dalam RMK-8 (2001-2005). Sekarang sudah masuk RMK-10 dan sudah 16 tahun berlalu. Pada 26.3.2011 Menteri Perancangan dan Pengurusan Sumber di Sarawak Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali mengumumkan yang sebuah hospital baru bernilai RM80 juta akan di bina di Lawas dan kerja-kerja pembinaan akan bermula akhir tahun lepas. Pada 15.4.2011 Menteri Kesihatan membuat pengumuman yang RM121.6 juta akan diperuntukan untuk membina hospital baru di Lawas. Tetapi tiada apa apa kerja yang telah dimulakan setakat ini. Yang anehnya, yang dibina adalah sebuah hotel di Lawas, Hotel Seri Malaysia.
It is scandalous that instead of building a hospital, a hotel was built.

Can the Government explain why? Is the Ministry of Health not able to tell the difference between a hotel and a hospital?

3.     Chinese Education


Education is an important bulwark to national development. Malaysia is a multi-racial country, and the right to receive education in one’s mother tongue is a constitutional as well as a universal human right.
I am given to understand that 29 headmasters, 39 assistant headmasters and 287 teachers who do not have Chinese qualifications are sent to serve in Chinese Primary Schools in Sarawak. Most of these teachers did not even pass UPSR’s Chinese subjects.
This cannot be right. The Government must ensure that headmasters who are sent to serve in Chinese primary schools must pass the Chinese subject in SPM.
With headmasters and teachers not knowing Chinese, it is no wonder that I have received frequent complaints that some headmasters had been discouraging students from taking Chinese subjects, or even if they do, not to sit for exams for fear that they will pull down the school results. This has become a serious problem in many schools in Sarawak and the education ministry must look into it to right a wrong to the Chinese community.
The practice of sending teachers without Chinese qualification to Chinese Primary Schools will severely affect the teaching standards and administration of these schools. It is not conducive to educational development, especially when it is well accepted that Chinese schools contribute tremendously to national development.
The fact that there are 355 teachers who are non-Chinese qualified are teaching in Chinese schools means that there is a shortage of this number of teaching staff in Sarawak. The Government should rectify this situation immediately.
Also, there are clerks and administrative officers in Chinese schools who cannot speak Chinese. This is unacceptable because that prevents parents from communicating with them.
Also, the Government has recently recognised qualifications from 146 universities from China. This is good news.
I understand that these Universities in China recognize the Unified Examination Certificates (UEC) results for the purpose of admission. So, can I know, why should the Government not recognize UEC?
Many people take it that the practice of sending non-Chinese qualified teachers to Chinese schools is a way of the BN to marginalize Chinese education. Should that be the case, why should we be talking “1Malaysia”?
It is time for the BN Government to know what exactly does the Chinese want.
Our country has 1294 Chinese Primary schools. 222 of them are in Sarawak. I believe it is only fair for Sarawakians to demand that 20% of education allocations be provided to Chinese primary schools in Sarawak.
4.     Suppression and Oppression of People
It is time that the BN Leaders repent from being bullies of the people.
This House has heard of the letter from Assistant Minister of Sarawak Mong Dagang recommending that an OKU Frusis Lebi be stripped off his welfare and agricultural aids on the ground that he had supported the opposition.

We have also seen that Senior Minister of Sarawak James Masing support Mong Dagang, even threatening the people, “jangan lawan towkay”.

This is a clear case of the BN leaders oppressing and suppressing the people. What is disgusting is that even OKU and ignorant rural folks are not spared by the brutal acts of BN leaders.
I want the PM to tell us whether it is the BN’s practice to bully, oppress and suppress the people who do not support Government policies.
A few days before the Sarawak state election of 2011, Wong Soon Koh, who is a SUPP leader and Senior Minister in Sarawak, told Sibu folks that after the Sibu by-election defeat of the BN, the PM had considered stopping the Sibu airport extension project.
We all know that the PM uttered the most notorious “you help me I help You” statement in the Sibu by-election. Can we know from the PM himself whether he did threaten Sibu folks in this manner?
I have also known that fertilizer subsidies had been withdrawn from farmers who used to be SUPP members on the ground that they have now gone to support the Opposition.
The people have freedom to vote for candidates of their choice. This is a right under the constitution. The people are tax payers. The welfare monies and agricultural subsidies come from the people, not from the BN leaders or from the PM. We have heard ‘Rakyat didahulukan’. This has totally no meaning now when BN leaders can cut welfare aids and agricultural subsidies at their whim and fancy.
The rhetoric “rakyat didahulukan” sounds dreadfully hollow, because the BN Ministers are even cutting assistance to the disabled.
“Rakyat didahulukan” is a rhetoric because the BN leaders are now saying that BN leaders are the towkays. The BN Government ought to be ashamed of this.
Wong Soon Koh had also told Sibu folks that the flood mitigation project was almost stopped because of the by-election loss. He also threatened that should he lose the 2011 state election, all development projects will stop.

This is the political culture of samseng. I am sure that the PM is aware of this.
Is the PM condoning all these? If not, why was no action taken against his Ministers?

http://holeng.dapsarawak.com/?p=1685#more-1685

Untuk pilihan raya bebas, adil dan bersih

Komentar Roketkini
 Keprihatinan Yang di-Pertuan Agong dalam perkembangan politik semasa amat penting bagi memastikan keadilan, keharmonian dan kestabilan negara.
Sebagaimana yang dititahkan oleh Seri Paduka berhubung cadangan perhimpunan aman Bersih 2.0 untuk menuntut pilihan raya bebas, adil dan bersih, ia memberi gambaran pandangan jauh dari kaca mata seorang Ketua Negara.
“Beta sedang mengikuti dengan teliti akan perkembangan cadangan Kumpulan Bersih untuk mengadakan perarakan dan perhimpunan beramai-ramai yang bertujuan untuk menyerahkan memorandum kepada Beta selaku Yang di-Pertuan Agong, dan bagaimana pihak kerajaan menangani isu ini khususnya agensi-agensi dan jabatan-jabatan yang terlibat,” titah Baginda dalam satu kenyataan.
Seri Paduka sedar hasrat hati rakyat yang mahu melihat negara ini mengamalkan pilihan raya yang bebas, adil dan bersih selaras dengan jaminan-jaminan dan peruntukan-peruntukan Perlembagaan Persekutuan.
Bersih 2.0 telah mengemukakan tuntutan:
1. Bersihkan senarai undi
- Senarai undi harus dibersihkan dengan segera untuk menyingkirkan ‘pengundi hantu’ seperti orang yang telah meninggal dunia.
- Pendaftaran pengundi automatik yang diselarikan dengan senarai Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara boleh menyelesaikan masalah pengundi hantu dalam jangka masa panjang.
2. Mereformasikan undi pos
- Semua pengundi seharusnya dibenarkan untuk mengundi melalui undi pos atau mengundi lebih awal sekiranya seseorang individu itu tidak dapat berada di kawasan pengundian semasa hari mengundi.
- Anggota polis dan tentera yang tidak bertugas harus mengundi seperti biasa pada hari mengundi.
- Undi pos mesti dijalankan dengan telus; ejen parti politik harus dibenarkan untuk memantau proses undi pos.
3. Gunakan dakwat kekal
- Penggunaan dakwat kekal boleh mengelakkan seseorang (atau pengundi hantu) daripada mengundi beberapa kali.
4. Masa kempen minimum 21 hari
- Masa yang lebih panjang diperlukan untuk calon menyebarkan maklumat, terutamanya di kawasan luar bandar dan pedalaman. Contohnya, pilihan raya negeri Sarawak baru-baru ini diberi masa kempen 10 hari sahaja.
- Pada 1955, ketika era pemerintahan penjajah, pilihan raya mempunyai masa kempen sepanjang 42 hari manakala semasa Pilihanraya Umum ke-12 pada 2008, masa kempen 8 hari sahaja.
5. Akses media yang bebas dan adil
- RTM dan Bernama adalah agensi media yang dibiayai oleh kerajaan dengan wang rakyat. Mereka sepatutnya memberi liputan yang seimbang dan adil untuk semua parti yang bertanding.
- Parti politik harus dibenarkan untuk membuat pengiklanan tanpa sebarang diskriminasi dan penapisan.
- Semua media perlu memberikan hak untuk semua parti membalas kepada tuduhan-tuduhan negatif terhadap mereka.
6. Kukuhkan institusi awam
- Institusi awam dan kakitangan kerajaan harus tidak berat sebelah dan menegakkan undang-undang dan demokrasi. Institusi awam harus direformasikan supaya bertindak secara bebas, menegakkan undang-undang dan melindungi hak asasi manusia.
Contohnya:

• Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) hendaklah memastikan pilihanraya yang bebas dan adil;
• Badan Kehakiman harus memelihara kebebasannya dan menegakkan kedaulatan undang-undang tanpa gentar atau memihak;
• Peguam Negara perlu bertindak secara tidak berat sebelah dan mengutamakan kepentingan rakyat;
• Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) harus bertindak dengan adil dan menghentikan pendakwaan selektif dan penyalahgunaan kuasa;
• Polis Diraja Malaysia perlu bertindak secara profesional dalam melaksanakan tugas dan menegakkan kedaulatan undang-undang.

7. Hentikan rasuah
- Rasuah adalah kegiatan mencuri dari rakyat untuk kepentingan peribadi. Rasuah menyebabkan orang kaya bertambah kaya dan golongan miskin semakin miskin. Pembelian undi harus dihentikan. Akta Kesalahan Pilihanraya 1954 mesti dikuatkuasakan secara adil dan saksama.
8. Hentikan politik kotor
- Semua parti politik mesti menghentikan politik kotor.

Siapa timbulkan kekacauan?
Menyedari hal ini, Yang di-Pertuang Agong menyeru semua pihak supaya menyuburkan demokrasi dalam negara dengan memastikan bahawa tuntutan demokrasi itu tidak akan membawa kemusnahan kepada negara.
Sememangnya Baginda sedar bagaimana tunjuk perasaan yang ganas di negara-negara luar telah menimbulkan pelbagai masalah dalam sesebuah negara itu sehingga kestabilan tergugat.
Di Malaysia pula, rakyat mahu mengadakan perhimpunan secara aman, sebaliknya kerajaan Barisan Nasional khususnya UMNO dan lidah rasminya Utusan Malaysia telah menimbulkan pelbagai kekacauan untuk membangkitkan keadaan huru-hara di negara ini.
Dengan menyekat hak dan menangkap rakyat semata-mata kerana memakai t-shirt kuning, tindakan kerajaan BN telah menampakkan betapa bencinya mereka kepada kebebasan dan hak asasi rakyat mengikut lunas-lunas Perlembagaan.
Dengan itu, Seri Paduka telah menyeru kepada pihak kerajaan agar melaksanakan segala amanah yang diberikan kepada rakyat secara adil dan bijaksana.
“Yang pentingnya Beta selaku Yang di-Pertuan Agong tidak mahu melihat dalam negara bermasyarakat majmuk ini berada di dalam keadaan bermusuhan sesama sendiri atau pun sebahagian rakyatnya bermusuh dengan kerajaan atas apa jua alasan pun,” titah Baginda.
Seri Paduka mengemukakan jalan keluar kepada permasalahan yang ditumbulkan oleh kerajaan BN, iaitu dengan pihak kerajaan mengadakan rundingan bersama penganjur-penganjur Bersih 2.0.
Najib perlu hentikan tindakan zalim
Sehubungan dengan itu, Datuk Seri Najib perlu menghentikan tindakan-tindakan ganas dan tidak bertamadun yang telah memburukkan imej negara di mata dunia kerana telah membiarkan demonstrasi liar anti-Bersih yang diadakan oleh penyokong-penyokong UMNO dan Perkasa, serta tangkapan-tangkapan terhadap sesiapa yang memakai baju kuning.
“Hakikatnya, demonstrasi jalanan banyak membawa keburukan daripada kebaikan walaupun niat asalnya baik,” titah Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Memang demonstrasi jalanan yang ganas seperti yang dilakukan oleh penyokong UMNO dan Perkasa di Pulau Pinang pada Jumaat lalu mebawa keburukan.
Apa yang Bersih 2.0 mahu adalah perhimpunan secara aman, selaras dengan semangat Allahyarham Dato’ Onn menganjurkan perhimpunan aman menentang Malayan Union kira-kira 65 tahun lalu.
“Sebaliknya, kita harus menumpukan kepada matlamat utama memajukan negara, bukannya mencipta masalah yang membuat negara berada terkebelakang. Ingatlah bumi mana yang tidak ditimpa hujan, lautan mana yang tidak bergelora.
“Itulah pentingnya sifat kesederhanan dan tolak ansur yang telah begitu lama diamalkan oleh warisan pentadbiran negara,” titah Seri Paduka lagi.
Sememangnya rakyat prihatin akur dengan titah Agong dan mahu menyelesaikan masalah melalui rundingan.
Tetapi selama ini perbincangan, sama ada dengan SPR atau mana-mana pihak kerajaan, untuk mengadakan pilihan raya bebas, adil dan bersih seperti “mencurah air di daun keladi”.
Isu yang berbangkit hari ini bukan sekadar perhimpunan Bersih 2.0 yang dijadualkan pada 9 Julai ini. Perhimpunan aman itu hanya bertujuan menyampaikan niat dan hasrat rakyat.
Niat dan hasrat itu ialah supaya kerajaan yang dipilih oleh rakyat menghormati pandangan rakyat yang mahu amalan pilihan raya di Malaysia diadakan secara bebas, adil dan bersih. Ia boleh bermula dalam pilihan raya umum ke-13 yang akan datang.

Hak berhimpun secara aman dijamin Perlembagaan
Rundingan tidak pula bererti menggadaikan hak-hak semua pihak yang termaktub dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Perhimpunan aman Bersih 2.0 masih boleh diadakan selagi ia mematuhi peraturan-peraturan yang ditetapkan oleh Perlembagaan.
Najib sendiri telah menjayakan Perhimpunan Sejuta Belia di Putrajaya baru-baru ini yang dihadiri oleh beberapa puluh ribu rakyat dalam keadaan aman tanpa sebarang kejadian tidak diingini.
Pihak berkuasa tidak boleh sewenang-wenangnya terlebih menggunakan kuasa kerana pangkat dan kuasa mereka adalah amanah rakyat.Yang penting, perhimpunan aman mesti kekal sebagai perhimpunan aman.
Jika rundingan dapat memastikan pilihan raya akan datang dilaksanakan secara bebas, adil dan saksama, maka ia adalah harapan semua rakyat prihatin.
Kerajaan BN yang ditunjangi UMNO perlu akur dengan titah Agong supaya tidak “mencipta masalah yang membuat negara berada terkebelakang” sebaliknya berbuat kebaikan untuk memastikan harapan Najib untuk “mendahulukan rakyat, mengutamakan pencapaian” berjaya.
Dengan menangkap rakyat yang tidak bersalah dan mengugut serta mengancam rakyat yang mahu kepada piliahn raya yang adil dan bersih tidak akan menyelesaikan sebarang masalah.
Akur lah dengan titah Yang di-Pertuan Agong; bebaskan mereka yang telah ditahan dan gugurkan tuduhan-tuduhan terhadap mereka.
Runding lah dengan cara yang terhormat dan bertamadun. Cari jalan untuk tunaikan lapan tuntutan Bersih 2.0 yang bakal menjamin kebersihan, keadilan dan kesaksamaan dalam proses pilihan raya di Malaysia.

Malaysia PM gives mothers’ praise on Mother’s Day

Alisha Hassan | 13 May 2012 

 

KUALA LUMPUR: Families are out and about on Mother’s Day here in Kuala Lumpur. Getting pampered with massages, eating out and relaxing is for Malaysian mothers a rare change of pace.
“I just got a massage for my gift and my back finally feels like it has new life,” said Mital, a 25-year-old mother of two and housewife.
“It is nice to see we are getting noticed by others this year,” she told Bikyamasr.com in reference to Prime Minister Najib Razak’s public declaration of praise for mothers on Mother’s Day.
He said that all mothers from Generation X and Y have shown their “hard work” in balancing family and careers.
“Mother’s Day this year focuses on the role of young mothers, particularly those who are working. Happy Mother’s Day!” said Najib, who is acting Women, Family and Community Development Minister, on his Facebook account in conjunction with Mother’s Day tomorrow.
In his speech in conjunction with the Mother’s Day recorded in a hotel suite in Johor Baharu after attending a wedding reception on Saturday, he said Generation X and Y comprised young people, “who were fast-moving, good at planning strategies and skilful in using modern technologies.”
Razak said they were a very important part of the society as they were the ones who would take the country towards Vision 2020.
“I hope the role of mothers, who represent Generation X and Y, are to balance the demands of career and family to enable them not only to pursue their own career but also to succeed as mother.
“Lastly, I would like to once again wish a Happy Mother’s Day. Let us hope, with the commitment of all mothers, Malaysia will grow stronger and become more successful. Happy Mother’s Day 2012,” he said.
Meanwhile, the prime minister’s wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, in her speech, hoped mothers would look after their children well and shower them with love to spur them to become useful and courteous citizens, and persons of high integrity when they grow up.
“To children, I would like to remind you to love your mother. Never forget their good deeds. Never put them in misery and hurt their feelings.
“Remember, the heaven is under your mother’s feet,” he said.
For the many Malaysian mothers on Sunday, it is a day of relaxation and recognition for their efforts the past year.
“I think this is a great holiday and it brings families together,” added Mital.
BM
 

June 3 proposed for general election, reports BloombergJune 3 proposed for general election, reports Bloomberg

June 3 proposed for general election, reports Bloomberg

By Shannon Teoh

March 16, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 — The Najib administration may dissolve Parliament in May for a general election that could likely be held on June 3, Bloomberg reported today, citing three unnamed government officials.
According to the international business wire, the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government is discussing dissolving Parliament for a general election in May or June, ahead of its mandate expiring in April next year.

“Prime Minister (Datuk Seri) Najib Razak (picture) is scheduled to speak on March 26 to as many as 4,000 Information Ministry staff who help oversee elections, the government officials said. One date proposed for the contest is June 3, according to three of the officials,” it reported.
There is a one-week school break from June 3 which could have led to speculation of a likely general election as school buildings are usually used as polling stations across the country.
Najib had already sparked speculation of an early vote when he said in December that preparations had begun for the contest to extend the ruling coalition’s 55 years in power.
A survey conducted by independent pollsters Merdeka Center last month showed the Umno president’s approval rating had surged by 10 percentage points to 69 per cent on the back of RM500 cash handouts to all households earning below RM3,000 a month.
“All signs seem to be pointing towards an election at the end of May or early June,” Bloomberg quoted Ong Kian Ming, a political analyst at UCSI University in Kuala Lumpur, as saying.
“It’s the best timing for Najib. If he does wait longer there may be other scandals that emerge and the goodwill that he’s enjoying from the budget handouts given out earlier this year may be lost,” Ong added.
Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil announced last week she will step down as women, family and community development minister when her senatorship ends next month after being dogged for over four months by allegations she and her family abused a RM250 million federal loan earmarked for a cattle-farming scheme.
It is understood that Najib and Shahrizat will address some 7,000 Wanita Umno members at the party headquarters here next Friday on the reasons behind her resignation from the Cabinet.
BN will hope that the scandal will draw to a close after the Wanita Umno chief’s husband, who is chairman of the National Feedlot Corporation tasked with running the project, was also charged with criminal breach of trust on Monday.
Najib will lead BN into polls for the first time, with observers saying he must improve on the coalition’s last outing and only a return to a two-thirds majority of Parliament can guarantee he remains in power.
The son of former Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak succeeded Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in April 2009, just a year after BN suffered its worst electoral outcome ever, ceding 82 federal seats and four state governments.
Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who was acquitted in January of sodomy charges he claims were politically motivated, has pledged to “clamour for reform” in a bid to unseat Najib after the verdict.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/june-3-proposed-for-general-election-reports-bloomberg

Najib is wrong: The Opposition is not all about Anwar

Najib is wrong: The Opposition is not all about Anwar

Written by  Moaz Nair, Malaysia Chronicle

Najib Razak, the prime minister, fallaciously thinks that the Opposition in the country is all about Anwar Ibrahim. So as the election fervour is making its grip among politicians on both divides there is a surly group purportedly with Najib’s blessings and with the obvious help of the mainstream media adopting character assassination as a political offense on Anwar.Indulging in gutter politics must be a bad diktat on Najib’s part. He does not seem to have the political will to stop this garbage politics. The people have had enough of this mucky approach to politics. Najib is fast digging his own grave. He is also dragging UMNO into the bog faster than anyone could think of.Najib is still oblivious of the fact that the people have opportunely accepted a two-party system for the country. They feel that with such a system there can be an apposite check-and-balance of a government for the betterment of the nation. Anwar is thus not the real issue here, as what the people are demanding is a sustainable two-party system for a better deal from politicians.


Many capable leaders blossoming in the Opposition

It is no more Anwar that will determine the fate of the Opposition as how Najib will determine the fate of UMNO. The people are now wary looking into the performance of the nation on the whole – comparing this with the sterling performance of the four states under the Opposition. The outcome of this observation will see which party can take control of the nation after the 13th general election – with or without Anwar.It is a known fact that there are many capable young leaders blossoming in the Opposition who can at any time replace Anwar as the leader. But Anwar on his part has done one great service as a politician to the nation and that is, he has helped unify the Opposition into a cohesive force against Barisan Nasional (BN). This is his bequest for all Malaysians to treasure, though this political scenario may not be in UMNO’s favour.To UMNO, it must always be UMNO-led BN – the one and only coalition – to govern this nation. But UMNO-led BN has literarily failed the nation after 54 years of holding on to power. It has observably bred arrogance among the leaders. The perception is that widespread corruptions, abuse of power and mistrustful financial mismanagement have put the country in severe debt. The country if allowed to proceed in this manner will soon be on the brink of bankruptcy. This is self-made by UMNO and it is not the issue of Anwar here that UMNO is sinking.Anwar is now 64 years old and under him in PKR are many talented leaders who can take over his place if he decides to retire from active politics. Anwar has for long unassumingly groomed a few potential personalities for this job within the Opposition pact, unlike what Najib has done within UMNO.

Najib -  Is all for himself

Unlike Anwar, Najib as a politician is all for himself. He has little confidence in his deputy, Muhyuddin Yassin, who he sees as an immediate threat to him if he fails to garner enough support for UMNO in the 13th general election. Neither has he much confidence in any other stalwarts in UMNO as he considers them all as threats to his position as well. He is all alone fighting a battle within his party and against the Opposition. Daim aptly described Najib as “a general without an army.”Ambitious Khairy Jamaluddin has been put in cold-storage right after Najib took over as prime minister for fear that this young leader will mount a “coup” to topple him. Neither is Mukhriz Mahathir or Hishamuddin Hussein his trusted and reliable allies. Many political observers believe that Rosmah Mansor, Najib’s rib, is playing a subtle role in ensuring that Najib remains the prime minister.But then Najib is a man all for himself – trying tremendously hard to build up himself as a political icon. He spent the past three years more on enhancing his image rather than building the nation. He has the proclivity to only hear pleasant things from those around him, play safe in politics and astutely keep away from controversial issues. On the ground the people perceive him as a leader with a lot of skeletons in the closet and unfortunately these images do keep haunting him. And this too has nothing to do with Anwar.An UMNO member has this say about Najib: “Never in the history of UMNO has so controversial a figure become its leader. And this has no doubt become a flavoursome fodder for the Opposition.” Najib play-safe approach to politics is much to the detriment of UMNO. He does not even have the political guts to ask Sharizat Jalil quit her post as Wanita Chief, or her ministerial post with immediate effect since the RM250million NFCorp scandal cropped up. The complaints against most of the misdemeanours in his government have been swept under the carpet. Denial syndrome has become the trademark of his way of governance. Beyond that, Najib is well-known for his flip-flop economic policies and this has made the people lose confidence in him as a leader. Some UMNO members would still prefer the Mahathir-style of leadership where firmness in decisions was the order. The general perception is also that Najib has failed to mend up the image of the police, judiciary and the MACC. This too has nothing to do with Anwar.

Evasive to the many complaints

The people perceive UMNO under Najib is tainted with widespread corruption and cronyism. There is lack of transparency in his economic plans despite his promise to the people that the government will be more accountable in all financial dealings. The EPF (Employment Provident Fund) has been reduced to a mere 40% as a chunk of it has been taken by the government to give out as loans to cronies with trifling amount in interests. As to whom the money was lent to, nobody knows all. And many contracts given out under negotiated tenders have failed and the companies bailed out. And nobody understands all why this process should continue.Najib’s denial and defensive ways of getting out of criticism has become his trademark. He has been evasive to the many complaints levelled against him on his failed economic policies, the many shady issues relating to the procurement of defence equipment, huge commissions paid out for these transactions, the Altantuya’s murder case, the AG’s and police misdemeanours, his cronies becoming richer, he and his rib’s expensive lifestyle, financial leakages in government expenses, wastage of public funds, poor health service that is going to be revamped soon with a crony-based ICare Health Scheme, deteriorating standard of education, the poor becoming poorer and worst of all racial politics and the lack of religious tolerance – all of which have made him being perceived as a weak prime minister. The Opposition is thus gaining so much strength for all these reasons – not duly to Anwar’s charisma as a leader per se.

They will spin to Najib’s tune

UMNO under Najib’s leadership has become very weak – the weakest since Mahathir officially left the scene. UMNO is now being perceived as a party more for the elite. It’s branded as a party where leaders drive expensive cars, own high-end properties locally and overseas, have an expensive taste in life and are big-time spenders, are corrupt and arrogant. They hear ministers and their families becoming filthy rich within a short period of time after holding top political posts when the ordinary people are becoming poorer.They hear arrogant ministers and their children getting involved in shady social activities and scuffles. Apparently, UMNO has lost support from those who are aware of all these misdeeds by their leaders and family members. Only some rural voters are still unaware of all this. So, losing the support of the urban and learned voters Najib’s only resources now is to go round duping the rural voters. Only in this arena could he mischievously side track the truth and play the usual game of race and religion to win the support of the Malays.And for this to materialise effectively the mainstream media (MSM) is used all-out to cover up issues detrimental to UMNO and keep on lying to the masses. MSM will spin to Najib’s tune to mislead the innocent rural population into believing all the blatant lies on Anwar and the Opposition. And with that comes some short-term rewards for these people such as the BR1M (Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia) RM500 “bribe” to make them feel good about the government. And with this too comes all the promises that can never be fulfilled after the general election – for not only the poor Malays but also the poor Indians and Chinese.The majority Malays are becoming poorer by the day as nothing much has reached them under the NEP. The poor among them even have to take a big PTPTN loan for their education when children of ministers and their cronies have the means or are given scholarships to further their studies overseas. When the ordinary Malaysians are forced to study locally, children of these wealthy and well-connected people could afford overseas’ education. The Chinese and Indians too are pissed off with all the basic but empty promises given to them sby UMNO for the past 54 years. The Chinese gets the least from the government. They have to stand on their own feet to survive and fortunately they have the resilience to do this. Thus those disappointed with Najib and UMNO-led BN are picking on the Opposition. Why blame Anwar then for all the misdeeds created by Najib and UMNO?

The recent “nambikei-tembikai” issue

And to survive education is important to the Chinese community as they do not want their children to be deprived of good education wherein positive traits are being nurtured in their children. To the Chinese, education is always a wise investment. This is not to promote language bigotry of any sort but to instil in the young some good values in life in order to survive and become more resilient. Over 60,000 Malay pupils are also studying in Chinese schools for this same purpose. But the government cannot even provide Chinese schools adequate trained teachers in Mandarin when religious vernacular schools are being fully helped.The Indians are of course the most pathetic group and are marginalised in many ways. The recent “nambikei-tembikai” issue raised by Hindraf is yet another witty reminder to Najib that the Indians can only hope for nothing under his leadership. Over 60% of the Indians are still poor and are now aware of all the empty promises made by UMNO for the past 54 years. And, unsurprisingly, they are opting for an alternative government to change their fate.For all the dissatisfaction, Malaysians of all races are looking for a better political deal and thus the advent of a two-party system. They cannot depend on a single party – BN– to determine their future. Today we observe that the Opposition has managed to garner support of over half of the Malaysian voters.Credit should be given to Anwar, no doubt, for making the people aware of all the shortcomings under UMNO-led BN and for his effort in creating a strong Opposition. But the Opposition that exists today has grown much stronger and formidable than Anwar. Even without Anwar, the Opposition will remain as a robust entity in Malaysian politics. The reality of having a two-party system has now become imbued in the people’s psyche all because of UMNO’s failure for the past 54 years and not just because of Anwar factor.Not all UMNO members are with Najib, though. Many UMNO members are dejected by what is going on under Najib’s leadership. But being very feudal-minded they would naturally put up a stance that they support the party. The 2008 general election saw almost half of UMNO members vote for the Opposition. This is how real Malays show their protest against an entity they hate.

“Backdoor” ministers and senators

They are also not happy that Najib has appointed too many “backdoor” ministers by first making them senators. “Najib must be the only prime minister in Malaysian history to have done so at the chagrin of many UMNO members. Those MPs who have been working hard to please the voters feel that they are left out,” quipped an UMNO MP. But the straw that broke the camel’s back was none other than the appointments of Ezam Mohd Nor and Solaimalai Nallakaruppan as senators – the two political opportunists. This has irked many UMNO members. The taxpayers too are questioning the rationale for their appointments as senators. “Are they appointed to serve the nation, UMNO or Najib?” asked an UMNO member. Naturally, the Opposition members are equally peeved about these appointments.This move, according to critics, is obviously Najib’s ploy to use these two political clowns for his own political survival by making them go for personal attacks on Anwar. Little does Najib realise that he himself has many skeletons in the closet. To most UMNO members the two political misfits appointed as senators have not contributed anything worthwhile for the development of the nation. Another UMNO lawmaker has this say: “This is crazy. What have they done for UMNO or the nation to deserve these appointments? There are many others who deserve more to become senators but are left out. We know…this is for Najib’s survival.”Another former UMNO Branch leader noted, “This is how Najib’s administration wastes public funds for his personal benefits. These two jokers were scooped by Najib from the mire to help him build his sinking image.”Anyway, these disgraceful toadies are now with their newfound masters. These were the same people who were “married” to Anwar in politics at one time. It was a happy “marriage” then. They would be seen on stage together giving fiery speeches condemning Mahathir, Najib and UMNO. One of them even claimed that he had “boxes of evidence” against UMNO on corruption. But until today the people have not seen those secret boxes. The other guy was singing praises for Anwar all the way until when he could not contest a state seat in Selangor against a BN candidate and was later advised not to contest a vice president’s post in PKR. He became sullenly aloof and left the party. Can the people then trust these hopping politicians?

Disaffected and traitorous turncoats

They are real ingrates who have lost grassroots support. But these disaffected and traitorous turncoats had no shame to crawl to the very party and leader they used to condemn at one time without shame to become relevant in politics. But to their newfound master, Najib, this is a real chance for him to turn them into lapdogs by exploiting them to the ceiling for his own benefits. Anyway, soon these political scraps will be thrown out after the master has achieved what he wants in politics. But it looks like their mission to attack Anwar is backfiring. Nobody wants to listen to them.These infamous two lackeys are deliberately being made use of to smear Anwar thinking that the Opposition is all about Anwar. It will be an ineffective trade as the maverick Opposition leader is already immune to this kind of politics. He knows that the Opposition will stay as a strong entity even without him around. Even UMNO members are aware that despite all the smearing tactics purportedly used by Najib with the zealous help of unsellable Utusan Malaysia and unwatchable TV3 the Opposition is getting stronger by the day. In the 2008 general election, the Opposition won 51% of the popular votes and Barisan only 49%. According to political observers, with the present political and economic scenario the Opposition can garner more votes in the 13th general election that what they secured in the last general election.In one of the recent local university survey only less than 6% of the people believe in all the wild accusations and personal attacks against Anwar. In other words, MSM is doing an unjust duty for political reasons to please their masters – Najib and UMNO. Thus all the political tricks supposedly adopted by Najib have thus far failed and in fact it has readily backfired. The more Anwar is smeared the more the support is for Anwar and this trickles down to the Opposition. As mentioned, the Opposition of today is bigger than Anwar. UMNO is still ignorant of this phenomenon. The people are for the Opposition, with or without Anwar. It is just like those who support UMNO – they are for UMNO, with or without Najib.A former UMNO leader in Kedah said, “Najib can go and get as many people as he wants to do personal attacks on Anwar. But the Opposition is not all about Anwar. Just like UMNO is not all about Najib. Najib has to accept the fact that the Opposition has grown to become a formidable entity – with or without Anwar. ”

Opposition will remain strong

The people have had enough of “sex recipes” in politics. These recipes are not turning into food on the table. Prices of food is skyrocketing, corruption is on the rise, the rich are becoming richer, the poor among all races are anguished, the elite group have their children educated overseas, education in local public universities is not free, toll has not been abolished, savings are getting a negligible amount of interest and prices of commodities are spiralling. The people hence are not interested in all these irrelevant “sex stories” to bring down Anwar.The people are keener to have a system that is void of corruption, racial politics and abuse of power. Little do these two minions supported by a few other frustrated sycophants realise that the Opposition is now much bigger than Anwar – with or without Anwar the Opposition will remain as a credible party. They can go on attacking Anwar and this will help the Opposition become stronger.They were ambitious and their greed for power and positions in the party had made them disappointed. It was this inconsolable disillusionment that made them jump ship. And now they, together with a few other despicable and contemptuous politicians who cast-off friendship, have left their former party to become Najib’s flunkies. This includes a political “loose cannon” who was Anwar’s secret admirer at one time and admitted that she was sleeping with Anwar’s photo under her pillow. Fortunately, Anwar did not take her as his second wife. Ironically, these brownnosers are not questioning all the morally loose characters in UMNO.By the way, Najib's or Anwar's “sexual prowess” – if there is any worth in it – will not determine the people’s economic and family's future. The people are absolutely sure that Anwar was never a corrupt leader nor was he in any way a principal player in any murder or rape case in the country. The people realise that it is corruption, cronyism and incompetence in governance that will destroy the nation and for these reasons they are seeking justice and a government that is more competent, accountable and transparent – not sex anecdotes to lull the people into a world of fantasy.

The winds of change
As the winds of change gather strength the people are looking for an alternative government. Anwar may have paved the way for a strong Opposition. But today the Opposition can survive even without Anwar around – just like UMNO that is anytime bigger than Najib. Anwar has cohesively cemented the three political parties PKR, PAS and DAP into a strong political body – transforming them into an viable alternative to BN. Any personal attack on Anwar is not going to pull to pieces the Opposition.Nevertheless, both the Opposition and BN are not perfect. But the people would want to be better served when there is real competition between political parties. They have sought a two-party system and now that this has become a reality in the country, Anwar will soon become secondary to the whole scenario. He can opt to lead the Opposition or just pass the baton of leadership to any of his competent army.As for Najib it is still nightmarish and distressful. Not only the Opposition are against him but many within UMNO want to see his downfall. The 13th general election is going to be an uphill task for Najib and UMNO.Malaysia Chronicle  MALAYSIANS ALL OUT FOR TWO PARTY SYSTEM
- GOOD CHANCE TO REALIZE IN GE 13
  VOTE OUT UMNO-BN  ( ABU )
  GIVE PAKATAN A CHANCE,
  NOTHING CAN BE WORSE THAN NOW !!!!

Awakened by an arrogant and biased Election Commission

April 28, 2012

FMT LETTER: Steven Choong, via e-mail

As I write this I’m aware that tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands are journeying into KL to make the great event in the Malaysian history, the Bersih 3 Sit-and-Protes against an unclean election process,  a success today.

My heart is with all of my fellow citizens who will be at Dataran Merdeka. I wish I could be there too but I’m staying back because I have to give my moral support to the Bersih 3 JB Steering Committee in Johor Bahru.

The Steering Committee consists of people who have no prior experience of organising a rally. Yet they set out with an ambition to see a 10,000 crowd because they long to see changes in Johor.

Johoreans missed the thrill of 308 and they would not want the thrill to escape again in the coming 13th GE. However, they know they may miss it yet again unless they do something. They know enough now that the electoral roll is not clean and the election process is open for manipulation via the postal voting processes as well as a biased Election Commission.

The exposure that the EC chairman, Abdul Aziz and his deputy, Wan Ahmad, are both Umno members are just something too much to swallow.

These two persons do not even know that they are holding a position that demands the highest level of integrity and independence as the future of the country is entirely vested in their hands to ensure that the government is what the Rakyat has chosen.

They should have immediately tendered their resignation upon the exposure by PKR. But to the dismay of everyone they just casually brushed off the matter as something insignificance. What has this country becomes under BN? We have people who walk in the corridors of power and yet do not seem to know what is ethical or unethical.

It is clear the BN government is rotten to the core and all other supposed commissions are too being manned by people who are closely affiliated to Umno.  Hence, these are the main reasons that gave the Steering Committee the courage to push to the limits that they know.

The Steering Committee and many volunteers had been working very hard over the last two weeks to ensure a big turn-out today in JB. They dare to dream dreams and I’m deeply touched and appreciative of all they have done.

I hope it will be a success and the police and the MBJB will co-operate. But then come what may, this is our land and future.  If we do not engage now to demand for a fair and clean election, our dreams will remain dreams and the future will be bleak for all except those who walk the corridors of power.

I hope too, it will be a great success in KL and all other cities as we really need to take back the right to determine the future of this country together.

The writer is national deputy sec-gen of PKR

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2012/04/28/awakened-by-an-arrogant-and-biased-election-commission/

Concern over influx of new voters

CHEAT..............READ & FORWARD TO ALL  
300,000 new voters just in Selangor

Concern over influx of new voters
Writer: Brenda Ch'ng
Published: Fri, 30 Mar 2012
SHAH ALAM: Selangor recorded the highest number of new voters registered between 2008 and the third quarter of 2011, raising concern of electoral fraud in the upcoming general election.
“The normal increase of new voters is usually between 4,000 to 5,000. Howevermost constituencies in Selangor recorded an increase of over 10,000 new voters,” said Seri Andalas assemblyperson Dr Xavier Jayakumar on Tuesday
Subang has 27,765 new voters while its neighbouring parliamentary seat Kelana Jaya recorded a 13,714 increase.
“We’ve our suspicions about the increase. We looked into it and found 100 voters registered under the same house address,” he said.

Subsequently they found 300 other houses with 100 new voters registered for each.
New voters have also been found registered with “Green” MyKads with expiration dates printed on them.
“We’ve seen it used by voters before in Sarawak and we fear it may be used here in the upcoming general election, too,” he said.
Joining him was Meru assembly person Dr Abdul Rani Osman, who urged the Election Commission to investigate these discrepancies.
**********************************************
There are presently 300,000 new registered voters in Selangor.  From the 300,000, 137,000 are Bangladeshi registered in Jalan Belangkas alone, who were recently make citizens of this country and some were newly converted to Muslim not by choice but by force temporary so that they are able to continue working here in Malaysia.
How do I know?  The 137,000 Bangladeshi were all registered with just one 6P Agent in Jalan Belangkas with the help and support direct from Hishamuddin in Putrajaya.
This particular 6P Agent had forced the Bangladeshi to pay him RM4,000 per person to register.  Since most of them are penniless they were forced to sign agreement with this agent to give him the right to all their salaries in return they will get just RM4 per day from the sum.  If the Bangladeshi is above 30 years old the contract is for 12 years.  Anyone below that is 10 years.  So basically the Bangladeshi are now slaves to this 6P Agent.  To further insult the dignity of the Bangladeshi who are non-Muslim are now converted in paper as Muslim.  Reason given is that only Muslim can get a job in Malaysia.  Since this is an open secret, the Bangladeshi have no choice but to accept it with a heavy heart.
Now this particular 6P Agent is going to open a Bangla Restaurant in Jalan Belangkas.
Now if this particular 6P Agent can register 137,000 Bangladeshi in Jalan Belangkas and make them instant citizens just to vote for UMNO in Selangor.  Where do the real Rakyat's vote stand in Selangor?
When Putrajaya first sent the Mykad to this 6P Agent, they missed out the BIN.  Then Putrajaya officers came in their black jeep and took them back.  Two weeks ago they came and gave the new Mykad with the word BIN printed on it.
I am just talking about Bangladeshi in Jalan Belangkas. What about the other aliens with other 6P Agents?
Hishamoo said, "The 6P programme, which includes the registration, legalisation, amnesty, deportation, supervision and enforcement of foreign labour in the country, has registered 2,320,034 illegal and legal foreign workers using the biometric system as of Aug 31. Of these, a total of 1,303,126 are illegals."
This figure is not correct according to source from Putrajaya, the number of foreign workers illegal and legal is above 11 million.  But according to Tony Pua this is unlikely.  Then why is the data base in a tight seal updated by two senior officers only?

42 ‘stranded’ Viets get help

Sunday March 18, 2012
42 ‘stranded’ Viets get help

GEORGE TOWN: The 42 Vietnamese women “stranded” in a house here will be sent to a women's protection centre in Kuala Lumpur.

OCPD Asst Comm Gan Kong Meng said they had obtained an interim protection order from a magistrate's court here to send the women, aged between 31 and 50, to the centre.

He said the case was being investigated under Section 14 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act 2007.

ACP Gan said an initial investigation showed that the women had not been paid for two months, adding that police had gone to the house and taken a statement from Tran Thi Hai, 31, who used to work as a cleaner in a hospital.

Sad plight: Some of the Vietnamese women sobbing uncontrollably while eating rice and vegetables donated by Malaysians who went to their aid upon learning about their plight in the newspapers. — MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI / The Star

“We were told they have been on their own for about one month. They have to buy food and daily necessities using their own money.

“We have informed the Immigration Department, the Vietnamese Embassy and Interpol. We will complete investigations soon.”

Meanwhile, several caring Malaysians sent food items such as cooking oil, vegetables, beverages and rice to the house in Jalan Tull off Jalan Residency while some have shown interest in hiring the women as domestic maids.

Pulau Tikus assemblyman Koay Teng Hai said he had contacted the embassy, which was aware of the problem faced by the women.

“The embassy has contacted the Immigration Department and a meeting will be held tomorrow,” he said.

It was reported that the women survived on white rice for the past few months while their agent would send 20kg of rice every three months.

Meanwhile, 34 Nepalese and Vietnamese men, aged between 20 and 40, who are in the same situation as 42 Vietnamese women, would also be sent to a protection centre in Kuala Lumpur, said Koay.

He said they used to work as cleaners at Penang Hospital and claimed they had the same agent as the Vietnamese women.

State Immigration assistant director Mustaffa Kamal Hanaffi said investigations would be carried out to trace the agent responsible for the 76 Vietnamese and Nepalese men and women.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/3/18/nation/10941888&sec=nation