From Kelantan to Kuala Besut, student activists bring with them a cautionary tale

From Kelantan to Kuala Besut, student activists bring with them a cautionary tale

BY ZURAIRI AR
JULY 14, 2013UPDATED: JULY 14, 2013 04:03 PM

The student activists, who will make the journey in a five-year-old silver Kia Pregio van, want to remind Kuala Besut voters about the oil royalty issues that continue to plague their home state. - Pictures by Saw Siow Feng  

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KUALA BESUT, July 14 ― 

A group of eight young men plan to make an hour-long journey here from their homes in Kelantan every day just to caution people against voting for Barisan Nasional (BN).

“We’re here not only during the weekends, but also weekdays. The moment we finish class at 3pm every day, we’ll drop by here,” said Mohd Khamis Saloman Pariz, 19.

Kuala Besut is just over an hour’s drive from the Kota Baru town of Nilam Puri, where the International Islamic College of Sultan Ismail Petra (KIAS) is located.

The student activists, who will make the journey in a five-year-old silver Kia Pregio van, want to remind Kuala Besut voters about the oil royalty issues that continue to plague their home state, warning it might one day affect folks in Terengganu, too.

“Our hope is to bring up the issues of oil royalty and territorial water sovereignty,” group leader Aduka Taruna, 32, told The Malay Mail Online at an impromptu rally near a Ramadan bazaar here.

“We would like to share this with Kuala Besut voters... we want them to consider the issues of natural resources, dignity, and sovereignty when they cast their votes.”

The sleepy fishing town of Kuala Besut will see a by-election on July 24; it will be a straight fight between local boys Azlan Yusof, 48, from PAS, and BN’s Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abdul Rahman, 37.

Originally from Seremban, Aduka is a committee member of grassroots movement “R”, which is part of Kelantan’s battle with Putrajaya for oil royalty the PAS government says is due to the state.

Since the discovery of new oil reserves there last year, there is an ongoing dispute about whether it is located inside Pahang or Terengganu, and most importantly, which state is owed the oil royalty.Holding placards saying “Telaga Bertam hok Ganu” (Bertam field is Terengganu’s) and “Kembalikan Bertam hak kite” (Return Bertam, our right), the group wishes to remind Kuala Besut folks about the Bertam oil field, situated 160 kilometres off the coast of peninsula Malaysia.

Since the discovery of new oil reserves there last year, there is an ongoing dispute about whether it is located inside Pahang or Terengganu, and most importantly, which state is owed the oil royalty.

“Najib had announced that Bertam belongs to Pahang through a media statement ... there was no legal process,” Aduka complained, referring to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

In October, the PM announced that Pahang is expected to be awarded a royalty of RM100 million annually, commencing from the start of operations in the third quarter of 2014.

KIAS student Nik Aziz Afiq Abdul, 19, tagged along after being inspired by the call of Prophet Muhammad to not turn a blind eye on injustice.

“The struggle for the people’s right is consistent with the Prophet’s command ... when we see injustice, we have to fight it together,” Nik Aziz said, shortly after delivering a brief public “tazkirah” (lecture) on Muhammad’s words.

 

Nik Aziz Afiq's 'tazkirah' was broadcast through a loudspeaker installed on top of their van.His “tazkirah” was broadcast through a loudspeaker installed on top of their van. In between speeches, the van played pro-Pakatan Rakyat (PR) songs, including “Undi Bulan” which was set to the tune of a popular Aidilfitri song. The song’s title means “vote moon” ― a reference to Islamist party PAS’ crescent logo.

The group will share the homes of fellow “R” activists based in Terengganu, as they rotate their roster throughout the 12-day campaign which started on Friday.

After meeting the Terengganu group just the night before, Aduka has conceded that they would have to adhere to the different campaigning culture in the state.

“You cannot use personal attacks against your opponent,” he noted.

The group received an unexpected visit from PAS candidate Azlan, or Che Long as he is popularly known, just before breaking fast.

“Ambo will serve as best as I can,” said Azlan during his brief speech, referring to himself in the East coast dialect.

The Kuala Besut by-election will be held on July 24 and was called following the death of BN’s Dr A. Rahman Mokhtar on June 26 from lung cancer.

The state seat has 17,679 registered voters, of which 98 per cent are Malays.

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/from-kelantan-to-kuala-besut-student-activists-bring-with-them-a-cautionary#sthash.hRrFwmFR.dpuf

Hari Keamatan

Thursday May 16, 2013

The angels who taught me

IT WAS my first day in Form Four at SMK Assunta in Petaling Jaya, Selangor ... way back in 1980.

When my form teacher, Miss Enid Lopez, walked into the classroom, it was as if an angel had made an entrance. Her face was radiant and she wore a wide smile on her face. I thought she looked so beautiful. I was glad to have her as my form mistress. I was twice blessed: She was again my form mistress in Form Five.

Miss Lopez taught us English Literature. William Shakespeare’s The Taming Of The Shrew and Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird were on our reading list.

Miss Lopez’s love and passion for literature was translated into her interesting teaching methods that brought the stories to life. We read passages aloud in class, acted out various roles, and had lively discussions. Literature came alive! The two years I spent learning literature under Miss Lopez’s guidance were so enriching.

She was also a wonderful role model: A godly, patient, gentle yet firm teacher who gave her utmost to her students. Thanks to her influence, I would later pursue English Literature in university in Australia.

I also salute Mrs Sekaran Nair, my History teacher. She was clearly a History buff, and she made the subject fun and interesting for us. One day, when I brought along my Look And Learn magazine to show her an article that coincided with what we were studying at that point, she encouraged me to read it aloud for the benefit of the whole class. I instantly felt affirmed.

In primary school, I failed miserably in Maths. I had all but given up hope when, in Form One, I had the most amazing Maths teacher, Mrs Teoh. She welcomed questions from her girls, and would patiently answer them until we understood the topic. Finally, it was as if someone had turned on the light for me! In Form Two, Mrs Frances Tan greatly helped me understand the subject, too. Both these teachers laid a solid Maths foundation for my secondary school years, and I passed Maths with flying colours in the SPM exam and later, in college, too.

Teachers like all those mentioned above are a godsend, so rare and precious. Thank you all for the memories! – Evelyn Len

US Congress - to finally recognise Malaysia

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KAMI: Anwar Didn't Listen To Us Earlier About the Chartered Flights

By SM AMIN (shaik@malaysiandigest.com)

Friday, 03 May 2013 05:03

An activist group claims Anwar was had been made known of the chartered flights earlier in the year, but he didn't do anything about it.SHAH ALAM: Kumpulan Aktivis Mahasiswa Independen (KAMI) yesterday claimed they are in the possession of documents that indicate flight details of dubious voters coming into Malaysia right until the day before polling date. KAMI President, Khalid Ismath claimed that information obtained from a pilot, revealed a flight schedule of AirAsia's AK9798 carrying 180 passengers, free of charge, from Johor to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. He said there were obvious irregularities in the passenger list of the said flight as it contained no personal data. "The flight leaves at 9.20am and arrives at 11.20am," he told Malaysian Digest on Thursday. He also claimed to have obtained information from airline staff that at least three other airlines were involved in ferrying such passengers, predominantly from Bangladesh and Nepal. Khalid (below) said, they had alerted Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of this matter earlier in the year but their pleas for action they were not entertained. "Only last night did a PKR officer call us to obtain more information on the issue," he said. Earlier yesterday, Anwar told a news conference that the Prime Minister's department was involved in ferrying in 40,500 dubious voters from Sabah and Sarawak beginning April 25. The Opposition leader claimed that apart from using Jumbo jets, the army's C130 Hercules was also chartered, involving as many as 16 flights in a day from Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Miri and Sibu. "By our calculations, 4,500 people have been arriving in KLIA every day. Flights have been coming in from April 25, except on May 1. "This means there are 40,000 dubious individuals who are already here and still coming through via KLIA, not including foreigners who come in via land, ports and the Low-Cost carrier terminal (LCCT)," he claimed. Apart from private companies like AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines, Anwar claimed that the National Registration Department (NRD), Immigration Department and the Malaysian Armed Forces were also involved. But Immigration director-general Datuk Alias Ahmad denied the allegation that foreigners from East Malaysia have been sent to the immigration depot in Selangor to vote this Sunday. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has also denied any involvement in the allegation. In a short statement, a spokesman said, "The PMO denies involvement in the claims that have been made about such flights. The Election Commission (EC) has been hard at work, ensuring that the election system is better than it was before and to guarantee this upcoming general election is free and fair." The 'proof' of documentation of the chartered flight that Khalid claimed he has . . http://www.malaysiandigest.com/news/36-local2/334242-kami-anwar-didnt-listen-to-us-earlier-about-the-chartered-flights.html - mD

After Tun M, Somebody Wants Najib Dead Too

After Tun M, Somebody Wants Najib Dead Too By FARAH HARITH (farah.harith@malaysiandigest.com)

inShare 32 Comments The mock altar photo has been circulating on social media sites depicting Datuk Seri Najib Razak as 'deceased'KUALA LUMPUR: With one week of campaigning left before Malaysians cast their votes for the 13th general election (GE13) this May 5, crude methods of attracting voters are being unleashed in a no-holds-barred manner. The most recent one is an attempt at disparaging the image of Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Several photos of an altar with candles, joss sticks, as well as hell notes (Chinese currency for the dead) placed near Najib's image, is being circulated on social networks. Another 'altar' picture, this time complete with hell notes, a pack of cigarettes and a beer canMCA Young Professionals Bureau chief Datuk Chua Tee Yong, when contacted by Malaysian Digest said that the altar portrayed in the photos is a Chinese custom that signifies a person's demise. Chua condemned the practice of tarnishing Najib's image in such a manner saying it was distasteful and disrespectful. He said he has seen the photos himself and expressed deep sadness that political campaigning has gone to such an ugly extreme. "Everyone has a different political stand and everyone is entitled to their opinion, but do not use social media as a hub for behaving in a bad manner," he said. "Wait for May 5. Say it with your votes," Chua told MD. Chua who will be defending the Labis Parliamentary seat this coming GE13 said that this kind of hate politics can escalate to violence and should be avoided. He urges the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to investigate and act againts those involved. "I know it is difficult to shut down some of these social media accounts responsible for distributing these photos, but something has to be done before matters get out of hand," he said. Datuk Chua Tee Yong showing the 'altar' photo which he too received via messaging app, Whatsapp. Pic: The StarChua added that hate politics became worse after the 2008 general election, when the opposition began putting forth the idea of a two-party system. "This has evolved into hate campaigns," he added. The photos may cause anger amongst Malay voters from both political divide including fence-sitters as it is a jibe that not only is offensive to Najib but also the Muslim faith. Meanwhile, Chua cited another example of 'false advertising' being used in party campaigns. A photo of Perak royalty, Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah and a quote from one of his speeches, has been made to look as though he endorses opposition party, PAS. In a statement given last March, the crown prince of Perak was disappointed that his speech and its content has been manipulated for political gain. He reiterated that the palace should not, for whatever reason, be dragged into the trenches of party politics. PAS has been using several quotes made by His Royal Highness, taken out of context to denote his support and alleged endorsement of the opposition party. The quote by Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah has been taken out of context and has incurred the crown prince's displeasure"As a concerned person, it is my hope that everyone exercises restrain," Chua added. Earlier, another 'death' jibe was made by Opposition leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, targeted at former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. In a campaign speech at Kampung Abdullah in Segamat, Johor last Wednesday, Anwar called on Mahathir to 'just die' instead of campaigning for Barisan Nasional (BN). "Sudah mau mati, dah 83 tahun. Berapa la lama lagi? Kalau dah nak mati, mati saja lah," Anwar said. ("It's almost time for him to die, at 83 years old. How long more? If you are going to die, just die.") The New Straits Times reported that when asked to comment on Anwar's remarks, Mahathir said that the former deputy Prime Minister was merely exercising his rights of freedom of speech. http://www.malaysiandigest.com/top-news/328561-after-tun-m-somebody-wants-najib-dead-too.html --mD

GE13: Sri Gading residents pleased with developments and improvements in township

Posted on April 12, 2013 - 

By ZAZALI MUSA

BATU PAHAT: Loosely translated, Sri Gading means “attractive ivory” in Malay as wild elephants used to roam the area in the past.

Locals believed the origin of the name can be traced back to the time when the late Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar hunted wild animals in the place.

Sultan Ibrahim who ruled Johor from 1895 until 1959, was so impressed by the luster of the ivory — hence the name Sri Gading.

However, the opening of rubber and oil palm plantations and industrial estates in and around Sri Gading had driven away the large herbivorous land mammals from the area.

Sri Gading is also a town located in Batu Pahat district along Jalan Kluang-Batu Pahat — it lies south-east of Batu Pahat town, north-west of Ayer Hitam and west of Yong Peng.

Street hawker Ali Kassim, 39, from Parit Pingan who runs a goreng pisang stall in Parit Raja town is happy with the development taking place in and around Sri Gading area in the past 10 years.

“The upgrading of Jalan Batu Pahat-Kluang from dual lanes road to four-lane about 10 years ago had improved travelling along the route,” said Ali.

He said the Sri Gading and Parit Raja areas used to be flooded during monsoon seasons but the situation has really improved with the flood mitigation project.

Ali said the local economy has also benefitted with the opening of Universiti Tun Hussein Onn, Pusat Giat MARA and Kolej Kemahiran Tinggi MARA.

He said for instance, many residents in the traditional villagers had been earning extra income by building houses to be rented out to students and academic staff from the academic institutions.

However, Ali said Parit Raja town with its old wooden houses and shops were an eyesores as they did not blend well with the modern-looking shop houses around them.

“It is timely for the local authority to look at improving the image of Parit Raja town by upgrading the town centre by pulling down the old wooden buildings,” he said.

Ali also hoped that the Batu Pahat District Council to consider building a centralised hawker centre in Parit Raja town as it would bring economic spill-over to the area.

Sales assistant Fatimah Amran, 18, who works in a shoe store at Parit Raja town said many of the students, academic and supporting staff of the institutions patronise shops in the town.

She said the opening of the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant and McDonald’s Drive-Thru outlet in Sri Gading town had also created job opportunities for local youngsters.

Separately, Fatimah who lives in Kampung Parit Khalid urged the police to beef up their night patrols especially at traditional villages in view of house-break in cases.

“The recent cases at my kampung happened in December last year targeting at families holding wedding celebrations and this January,” she said.

Fatimah said she was looking forward to cast her vote in the 14th general election as she is not qualified to vote in the 13th general election.

Meanwhile, Tan Wee Huat, 32, and his wife Koh Li Chern, 29, had decided to open their hardware store in Sri Gading’s new township Pura Kencana two years ago.

The couple who already owned a similar store in Batu Pahat town just a few kilometers away from the town said business was okay considering the township was rather new.

“We are looking at long-term growth prospects when the township is fully completed; by then it will have enough critical mass to serve the businesses around here,” said Tan.

He also hoped that the police would make their presence felt in the area as many of his customers had told the couple about house-break in cases in kampungs and housing areas.

Koh said while businesses operating at the township had so far been spared from the criminals as the shop houses located along the main road, nevertheless she hoped that the police also patrol the area.

“Like they say better be safe than sorry or prevention is better than cure,” she said.

Factory worker Krishnamuty Alagambaran, 52, and son Premkumar, 25, from Taman Pertama Sri Gading urged the police to beef up their patrolling in the area in view of the snatch theft cases.

“My wife lost her gold chain when she was snatched in front of our own house late last year when two motorists pretending to ask for directions,” he said.

Krishnamuty said after the incident, residents living in the area were now becoming more careful especially when they were approached by strangers.

He said the neighbourliness spirit in the housing estate was good with Malay, Chinese and Indian residents living harmoniously and friendly with each other.

Premkumar who teaches at SJK Tamil Ladang Sri Gading said Jalan Sengkuang, a popular by-pass road among locals was too narrow with uneven road surfaces and potholes.

“The by-pass is actually meant for light vehicles only and now even big lorries are using it, causing risk to other users especially motorcyclists and children cycling to schools,” he said.

Premkumar said Sri Gading area also lack of affordable houses as prices of new houses in Pura Kencana township were too expensive for average income earners.

He hoped that the Government could extend the 1Prima housing scheme to first time house buyers in the area with more realistic pricing and did benchmarking them with prices in Klang Valley, Johor Baru or Penang.

The Sri Gading constituency is made up of two state seats — Parit Yaani and Parit Raja with 44,921 voters in the constituency.

http://www.starproperty.my/index.php/property-news/ge13-sri-gading-residents-pleased-with-developments-and-improvements-in-township/?utm_source=TSOL&utm_medium=widget&utm_campaign=ge13-sri-gading-residents-pleased-with-developments-and-improvements-in-township