LangRimba

Jabu: I will not be distracted by bloggers

2009-01-21T03:56:00.000-08:00

By Churchill Edward

KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang said he will not fall prey to bloggers who are trying to keep him away from his constituents.

Jabu, who holds the portfolios of Minister of Rural Development and Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communications, said bloggers’ criticism of him would not prevent him from maintaining his personal touch with the grassroots.

He said what the bloggers were trying to do was to confine him to his desk answering their accusations and allegations, which he would never do because he needed to know the feel of the ground.

He said as a minister he would be too busy just to sit down at his desk responding to bloggers’ criticisms, particularly those levelled against him, the state government and the Barisan Nasional (BN).

“If I am confined to my desk at my office answering to the blogs, I will be falling into the trap of this people (bloggers) who are trying to entrap me or to immobilise me so that I will not be in contact with the people who depend on the portfolios assigned to me,” Jabu said to reporters in his office in Wisma Bapa Malaysia after receiving a courtesy call from The Netherlands Ambassador to Malaysia, Lody Embrechts, yesterday.

He said: “I don’t have any intention to reply (to the bloggers) otherwise I will end up not being mobile. My portfolios require that I look after rural development apart from visiting rural areas. These are my priorities,” he said.

Jabu, who is Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) deputy president said: “I have my own conscience and programmes. If the best of what I have done are still not good to the people who disagree with me, then it is up to them to make their interpretations.”

He said he would rather leave it to the general public (or the electorates) to make judgment on his performance.

“Everybody is entitled to his own opinion. They can do what they like as long as it is within limits. But I believe nobody, including the bloggers, are perfect,” he said. He said he would not copy his critics by setting up his own blog just to counter them.

Of late blogs set up by some Dayak intellectuals have mushroomed. Some of the articles published by these blogs are not so kind to the government.

Jabu said he could not tell if the criticisms would affect the election result of the next State polls which could be held before 2011.

Jabu yesterday went on to relate what he had done since becoming minister in the 1970s.

“One of the things that I do is to consistently believe that it was indeed a good thing that I am entrusted by the government to pursue an organisation, Salcra. It started in 1976 after I introduced the Salcra Bill in the State Legislative Assembly,” he said.

“I tell you about my experience. Since 15 years ago there were already a lot of criticisms levelled against me and most of them were from my own people and community (the Iban) and I don’t expect it to end. Even now we have the blocking and blogging which I don’t have any control over,” he said.

By ‘blocking’, it could only be assumed that Jabu was referring to illegal blockades aimed at stopping land development.

“But my conscience tells me that when I do my job, I will do it well. As chairman of Salcra, despite all the criticisms from the opposition, the bloggers and blocking included, last year I was successful in distributing RM52 million dividends to 16,000 participants of Salcra,” he said.

“And in spite of it I didn’t get any credit from them including those from my own community. But I don’t mind that. It was not that I wanted credit or praise. No. But it is my duty to serve and if I can help a lot of people - more people would be happy. There were few people (who are) not so happy but then such is the order of the world,” he said.

He said should he stop becoming Salcra (Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority) chairman 15 years ago, he could not imagine as to what would happen to the participants now.

“Now Salcra has managed to pay out dividends to last year’s 16,000 participants who were among the more than 80,000 people benefitting from dividends worth a total RM295 million,” he said.

“If there are people still criticising me for that, I advise them to name any organisation which can performed 10 per cent of what Salcra - the organisation that was entrusted to me to lead - had done,” he said.

“I leave it to the general public to make judgment. I think, in whatever we do and for as long as we got clear conscience, commitment to people, to get results, practising social corporate responsibility and being accountable to the Salcra Board as well as to government, my conscience is clear,” he said.

Jabu also commented on the request by the blog dayakbaru.com to the government to set up ‘Dayak Centre for Community Change’.

He said the blog may come up with whatever name they wished for such centre.

“It may sound palatable (pleasant) but no name can be impressive enough unless they (proposers) can proof themselves by delivering the goods,” he said.

Jabu said he had endured criticisms for the last 35 years, including those coming from the blogs now, and that he was not about to throw in the towel.

HOPE FOR SARAWAK?

2009-01-20T23:57:00.000-08:00

Malaysiakini

“It looks like there is now hope for Sarawak.”

MCPX

This was the text of a SMS from a KL-based senior bank manager, a Lun Bawang, after reports on Saturday night that PAS had crushed the Barisan Nasional and won the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat with a 2,631-vote majority in a by-election.

This would be the second win for the Pakatan Rakyat after the March 2008 general elections, confirming waning support for the country’s ruling coalition.

The Orang Ulu senior bank manager, a PKR supporter, was referring to PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim-led Pakatan Rakyat’s (PKR/DAP/PAS) campaign already underway to wrest control of Sarawak from the BN in the next state elections due at the latest by 2011.

He said: “The KT result confirmed for the second time, after Permatang Pauh, that the wind of change that swept the country on March 13, 2008 is real and here to stay.”

“In fact it is gathering strength instead of dying out as the BN would hope!”

He added: “To the Sarawakians it says the moment of truth is now. It’s time the voters show (Chief Minister) Taib Mahmud the final curtain.”

There has been talk that long-serving Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud may call the state elections earlier. Although he has publicly ruled out elections this year, many believe it will be to pave the way for his son Sulaiman, 39, the Samarahan MP and deputy tourism minister, to eventually take over from him.

‘Change in the making’

Almost without any exception local PKR party leaders and supporters said the Kuala Terengganu by-election result which many people had believed would be won by the BN would be a big boost to the morale of Pakatan Rakyat, believing it to reflect the national mood for change.

In its major roadshows so far in places like Kuching, Sibu and Miri, PKR has proclaimed that “Change We Can” and “Change in the Making” as their campaign theme in both urban and rural areas of Sarawak.

Sarawak has 71 state assembly seats , of which eight are in the hands of the Opposition (DAP 6, PKR 2) and one Independent (pro-BN).

Senior leaders of state BN component parties Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Sarawak United People’s Party(Supp) have already warned their BN colleagues to take the threat from Pakatan, especially PKR, seriously.

Even within Taib’s own party Parti Pesaka Bumiputera (PBB) some senior leaders – all Malays – have told the chief minister not to take the threat from PKR lightly.

But Taib doesn’t seem worried or seem to care, said several political observers.

PKR has already penetrated far and deep into Dayak areas which represent a total of 28 state seats while DAP’s support among the Chinese, especially in the urban centres, is growing too.

This will be at the expense of largely SUPP. DAP’s six state assemblypersons won in urban areas, and political observers say DAP is likely to make greater impact the next round in more areas in central (Sibu) and northern (Miri) Sarawak regions.

DAP eyes Chinese majority areas

There are 17 Chinese majority and mixed state constituencies ,most of which are likely to be contested by DAP with a few going to PKR’s Chinese candidates.

The Malay/Melanau areas with a total of 25 state seats are going to prove to be a tough nut to crack. Taib’s PBB has a strong hold on the Malay/Melanau seats.

But the vulnerable ones are said to be in and around Kuching ,in Simunjan, Gedong and Sibu, largely because of local issues and problems. In the last state elections, PAS lost narrowly in one of the Malay seats in the Simunjan area.

A combined Pakatan Rakyat campaign could have a significant impact, just as what has been seen in Permatang Pauh and Kuala Terengganu.

If the Pakatan Rakyat were to win also in Pensiangan (a by-election will be held if PBRS leader Joseph Kurup lost his appeal), that would further confirm a swing among the rural constituents towards the Opposition and spell big trouble for Sabah BN in the next general elections as well.

In Sarawak, the Opposition has played up to great effect, various issues regarding the growing disquiet over the land issue, Taib’s leadership, amassed wealth of top politicians in the state, cronyism, nepotism, corruption and marginalisation of various groups in business, civil service and other economic opportunities.

PKR will continue with its roadshows ahead of the state elections and will bring in their bigwigs, including Pakatan Rakyat’s chief minister and mentris besar, to meet the locals and give a boost to their local party leaders’ efforts to shore up support for their respective parties.

The three major dinner gatherings in Kuching, Sibu and Miri have attracted thousands to come and listen to such leaders as Anwar Ibrahim and Selangor Mentri Besar Khalid Ibrahim.

Other road shows will be held in other major towns in Sarawak with seminars in between to prepare party members for election work.

A senior party leader told Malaysiakini that they will expose their potential candidates at such gatherings and seminars to the grassroots. “We believe the state elections could be held this year and so we must be prepared,” he added.

COULD THIS BE DUE TO RIVER POLLUTION?

2009-01-18T19:25:00.000-08:00

I strongly believed that the death fishes that found floating in Sungai Tiau Mujong Kapit was caused by river pollution. Many of the fishes are protected species (Empurau and Semah). If no effort to stop our forest destruction there will be no more of these special fish in future.

I urge the relevant authority to look after this problem seriously. Stop all the forest destruction activities, that activity only benefit those intruder but not the people.

Stop giving the concession to those intruders! That land should be belonged to the indegenous people.

LANGRIMBA

DELICIOUS IKAN EMPURAU RM300 PER KILO

Oleh Churchill Edward

KUCHING: An investigation team with better equipment will be sent to probe the cause of death of fishes found floating in Sungai Tiau in Munjong, Kapit.

This assurance came from State Natural Resources and Environmental Board (NREB) yesterday.

Yesterday its Environmental Quality Controller Dr Penguang Manggil told The Borneo Post that this time around they just have to probe deeper into the matter.

“At this point of time, I cannot tell what has happened. At the same time, we couldn’t pin-point the cause. We will have to send a probe team over there (Sungai Tiau, a tributary of Sungai Baleh) but they will be better equipped this time around,” he said.

He revealed that the last time, his team of investigators could not arrive at a conclusion over their findings on the new year occurrence of dead fishes floating in Sungai Rajang between Long Murum in upper Belaga and Kapit.

“Our men then (at Belaga), came only three days after the occurrence. By that time it was difficult for them to determine the cause,” he said.

Penguang said these two cases are similar to one several years ago when a river overflowed, a process he described as “over topping”.

thesundaypost reported that residents along Sungai Tiau had said on Jan 10 that they saw dead fishes swept away by strong currents.

Apart from the strong current, the water level was also relatively high, said Tuai Rumah Nisin Bunyau.

Another witness Dinggai Geramong from Rumah Bangkong also in Mujong reported that the dead fishes included buris, baung, adong, keli, empurau, semah, tengkadak and toman apart from prawns.

From Jan 14 and 17, two enforcement and licensing officers from the Agriculture Ministry in Kuching - Zakri Padil and Chong Ted Kin - as well as several other staff were at the scene to investigate. They brought some of the fishes to Kuching.

In the Belaga case, the “over-topping” of the river include siltation when incidence of dead fishes is common, Penguang said yesterday.

However, he could not say whether the fishes died as a result of suffocation or other causes.

In that incident, some villagers were quick to blame logging ponds which discharged chemicals that contaminated the river.

But the authority said it was too early to tell as investigation was still ongoing.

The only thing for certain now was that nobody wanted to eat the fish there.

When contacted several days after the (Belaga) incident, Baleh assemblyman Dato Sri Dr James Masing, who is also Land Development Minister, advised people not to eat or buy the fish there.

According to him, it was hard to believe that the fish had died as a result of the muddy water since it had been there for “a long time.”

KT ELECTION RESULT SERVES SERIOUS WARNING TO BN INCUMBENTS

2009-01-18T18:28:00.000-08:00

JAN 19 – Election results cannot help but provide an exhausted citizenry relief from the suspense of the weeks preceding polling day. More than that, they are a reality check on the political state of affairs.

That is one reason why polls are so captivating, and when carried out fairly, they also leave all involved on all sides with the feeling that they did take part in something grand and meaningful.

Naturally, a by-election tells much less than what a general election would and the consequences of the results are infinitely less imposing.

That is true for normal times. But these are not normal times in Malaysia.

The Kuala Terengganu by-election on Saturday took place right in the middle of a protracted battle between the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) and the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) that started even before the latter was properly formed on April 1 last year.

There appears to be no end to this war of wits and the weaving of intrigues. Perhaps that is the point of a democracy – to institutionalise inherent differences and thus, defuse their potential to cause violence.

Buoyed by their success in last year’s March 8 elections, and indeed as if in answer to a calling, the Democratic Action Party (DAP), Parti Islam SeMalaysia (Pas) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) could not but make one more attempt at forming a coalition that could finally challenge the BN for federal power.

With Pas’ success in Kuala Trengganu, the baby that is the PR has survived its shaky infancy.

BN has now lost two by-elections in a row, and badly at that. The first was at Permatang Pauh in Penang state when former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was elected back into Parliament in August last year.

With these coming after the drubbing that the government suffered in the general elections, and if we consider how consistently BN won four by-elections during Abdullah Badawi’s first mandate period, it is hard for anyone to continue claiming that the tide has indeed turned for BN since March 08.

However, what the PR needs to be cognisant of is exactly the fact that tides do change. No doubt the three member-parties of PR will ride the present gush in their favour for as long as they can.

Malaysians can only hope that it will wash away much that has gone wrong with BN and put into place institutions and values that will take the country into a new stage of concerted development.

To steal one of United States President-elect Barack Obama’s lines (who does not do that nowadays?) we may be witnessing a rebirth of inter-ethnic cooperation taking place in Malaysia. The first birth took place in the 1950s under Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, and the second happens now, half a century later.

Identifying the differences between the two conceptions and the two births may provide a roadmap for how the new-born consensus is to be nurtured.

Now, when the Islamist party actually won over 3,000 votes more than it did 10 months ago in the Kuala Trengganu parliamentary constituency, its members cannot avoid learning at the nation-wide level that non-Muslims are not necessarily going to vote against it.

If non-Muslims are indeed part of its potential constituency, then there is an understanding that dialogues are necessary.

Pakatan Rakyat’s achievement in its nine-month existence is this: Being able to sell the idea to otherwise race-fixated Malaysians that they are not each other’s enemies and their battles do not have to be fought by proxy through race-based political parties.

This is not a new product. It was sold once upon a time to Malayans in the twilight years of British domination of Malaya by Tunku Abdul Rahman.

But much has changed since then. That was no longer the product that BN had been selling over the last couple of decades.

The most important change is the fact that the country has been ruled for 50 years by an increasingly powerful BN that grew more corrupt, more callous, more uncaring and less competent. It had become a goal unto itself.

With hubris eating up BN credibility and the population hollowed of hope, the tide turned and a rebirth of inter-ethnic cooperation became necessary.

“Enough is enough” is thus the common sentiment through which the two conceptions took place. As in March last year, Chinese and Indians voted in Kuala Trengganu for a Malay-based party outside BN’s framework.

That had been BN’s trump card. It has now lost that monopoly. Tides ebb and babies grow big. BN waited too long to reinvent itself.

Nations live on a diet of successive myths. Once one is gone, another is adopted. The latest myths to go are that Malaysia’s fate is synonymous with BN’s fate, and the well-being of the Malay community is dependent on the well-being of the once-dominant United Malays National Organisation.

Dr M: Wrong choice of candidate caused BN to lose

KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad blamed the choice of candidate for Pas' win in the Kuala Terengganu by-election.

"The results of the by-election clearly echo the results of the March 2008 general election where people were not fond of both sides but had to make a choice."

Asked about the Barisan Nasional's chances in the next general election, Dr Mahathir said if it continued to field candidates who were not favoured by the rakyat, it would suffer more losses.

He spoke after launching the "Save the Palestinians" campaign organised by a coalition of Malaysian non-governmental organisations.

Prior to the vote, Dr Mahathir had posted on his blog, Chedet.com, that Azharudin would get more votes than expected because the BN and Pakatan Rakyat could not be trusted.
Azharudin received only 193 votes and lost his deposit.

SOURCE: NST

MOMENT OF TRUTH, PEOPLE WANTED CHANGE AND TIRED OF ALLEGATIONS

2009-01-17T16:53:00.000-08:00

When will BN start listening to the people?

JAN 17 — The temptation will be there to spray blame around tonight. The natural instinct of some Umno members will be to shovel a pile of blame on Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, equating rejection by a margin of 2.631 votes in Kuala Terengganu to disdain for his weak leadership of the party and country.

He will be a convenient target for Umno snipers as Barisan Nasional's Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh has been tagged as his man, having once served as the PM's political secretary.

He will be an easy target because he has been the party's fall guy since March 8, 2008. So why not hang him out to dry for one last time before he leaves office in March? The temptation will certainly be there to take this path of least resistance. It's easy. It's self-serving. It's convenient.

But if Umno/BN members continue to believe this yarn, and choose to ignore the third strong message sent by Malaysians in 10 months, then they should accept that defeat will be the only possible outcome every time they contest an election.

The ruling coalition was stunned on March 8, losing its customary two-thirds majority in Parliament and control of five states. Political pundits argued that Malaysians had sent a clear message that they wanted change and they had grown weary of the excesses and corruption of the government.

They were not interested in Abdullah's neatly-bound report card, which was part of his election manifesto. They were tired of being fed morsels while the ruling party politicians were feasting.

Stung by defeat, Abdullah promised reforms. But it was clear that he was a dead man walking. His party believed that he was the cause of their rejection and remained unmoved on the need to reform and change.

That much was clear during the Permatang Pauh by-election when once again BN politicians spoke about development and how their policies had developed the country. They promised money and offered to improve the infrastructure of the constituency in Penang.

It was a rare day when Umno/BN speakers tackled the vexing issues of corruption, racial equality, rehabilitating the country's institutions and arrogance of ruling party politicians — the so-called soft issues which Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his comrades in Pakatan Rakyat raised time and time again.

Anwar won handsomely in Permatang Pauh and Umno/BN blamed Abdullah once again. They said that because of confusion over the succession issue, the party members were not motivated enough to campaign and win over the voters. They noted that as long as Abdullah helmed the party, inertia and paralysis would be the feature of any election campaign.

So Abdullah's flirtation with a two-year transition plan was tossed out the window after the Permatang Pauh by-election defeat in August. He was shown the door. As a result of that defeat, Umno changed the way how it campaigned in Kuala Terengganu.

Checks by The Malaysian Insider showed that the party machinery worked much better than in Permatang Pauh. Umno/BN members did solid spade work but they just found fewer people willing to listen to their story.

An Umno official said last night: "We keep talking about development and yet people want to be inspired. We sound tired and the Opposition sound like the guys with the ideas. We know most of the time it is just sloganeering but even their slogans of democracy, justice sound fresh.

''We know the only way for us to recapture our place among Malaysian voters is for us to be honest and take on the aspirations that are important to them.''

He noted that Abdullah was a non-factor in the by-election. So much of a non-factor that Pakatan Rakyat speakers at political rallies hardly mentioned his name. Instead, Pas officials hammered away at corruption in Umno and in the government. They dredged up the same issues of accountability, arrogance, injustice and abuse of power. Umno/BN answered these accusations with silence. There was no vision of a better Malaysia to offer.

Why? Because they have spent the better part of the last 10 months defending the status quo and blaming Abdullah and others for their ills. Tonight, it was pretty obvious who the voters were rejecting all along — the tired Umno/BN politicians and their tired message.

BRAZILIAN KAKA JOINS MAD-CITY

2009-01-16T18:34:00.000-08:00

JAN 16 - Kaka has given the green light to join Manchester City after the club increased their offer to a phenomenal £243million (RM1,263million).

AC Milan last night confirmed they had received the mind-boggling bid which changes the face of world football.

And we can reveal the Kaka camp gave their blessing for City to approach Milan six weeks ago when they first saw just how much was being offered.

The Italian giants admitted on their official TV outlet the Milan Channel they had received the bid in a dramatic bulletin.

And they even invited fans to express their views over whether the club should sell Kaka, confessing Milan's board would take a couple of days to make a decision.

It all means the Brazilian playmaker's sensational signing is practically in the bag. Milan Channel director Mauro Suma, regarded as the man who speaks for the club's powerful vice-president Adriano Galliani, made the announcement yesterday evening.

Crucially, no Milan officials would comment - an admission they are ready to sell Kaka in the most astonishing deal in football history.

But the club did offer fans the chance to take part in a 'Deal Or No Deal'-style vote to decide whether Milan should let him go!

City officials are due to fly to Italy on Monday for meetings with Kaka and his father Bosco Leite.

And last night City boss Mark Hughes insisted the Brazilian is worth every penny.

Hughes said: "Make no mistake, this is no scattergun approach to world stars of football.

"We've made a measured, calculated and, of course, football decision that works for us. "That's why we're interested in a player of his quality because he's the type we need to drive the club forward.

"I have no idea whether he will end up here. It is dependent on too many factors. But it has moved forward at a pace this week."

Sources close to the deeply-religious Kaka insist he will not be motivated purely by money and will take other factors into consideration.

He will want to see how a move to Manchester will fit into his lifestyle and also find something that will challenge him.

Sparky hopes he will be excited by the vision of helping City become one of the world's top clubs.

He said: "Everybody knows we're at the beginning of a long journey and if people want to join us they'll have a fantastic time in the coming years.

"That's what we try to sell them if we get chance to speak to players.

"It is not something that will happen overnight and we have to let people understand what we are trying to do and understand where this club will go in the next few years.

"Once they understand that and recognise the people driving it forward they will become excited by what we can offer." - The Sun

REBATE FOR OUTBOAT MOTOR USERS??

2009-01-15T20:29:00.000-08:00

KUCHING, Jan 15 (Bernama) -- The federal government will channel financial aid of RM22 million to help outboard motor owners in Sarawak because of higher fuel prices due to high transportation costs, especially in the interior areas of the state.

Deputy Chief Minister, Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, said those who use outboard motors in their daily activities and had registered with the district office would be given a one-time rebate of RM705.

He announced the aid when giving out Ammophos fertiliser subsidy of RM59,580 to 360 families from 14 longhouses in Ulu Spak in Betong. The fertiliser is to increase the yield from hillside padi planting.

Last month, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister, Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad, said the rebate was the result of a proposal to the federal government to lighten the load of residents in the interior as the cost of fuel there could be up by three times due to transportation costs.

Up till now 31,000 owners of outboard motors have registered with district offices.

-- BERNAMA

THE OTHER PRS KEEN TO WORK WITH PKR?

2009-01-15T20:10:00.000-08:00

Is PRS a Dayak Based Party??

Written by Dr. John Brian Anthony

Is that a silly question?

An important Malay friend asked such a question to me - and after looking at my dumb expression he asked whether he has asked a silly question.

My reaction was - NO! it is not a silly question but many of us Dayak do not recognize that PRS or its leader are actually not using their brain enough. But why is that so? They cut off the link between PBDS and PRS entirely just for their own personal agenda. The same person is still a Minsiter today - shamelessly saying that he is representing the Dayak interest. How can that be so?

After PBDS was deregistered:

Taib says PRS should replaced PBDS. What replacement - asking PBDS members to join PRS or that PRS should continue the Dayak agenda that PBDS has started. But has PRS done anything to continue with the PBDS struggle. I need education on this - as i seem to lost track of the continuity of PBDS Dayak agenda. Maybe PRS Deputy Federal Minister from Selangau should be able to enlighten us on some of the issue.

To expect the President of PRS to say anything - is too much to expect. He looks to much after his self- well being. He has family to look after and Dayak is not so important to him. If Dayak is important to him, why is he so impotent in politic?

Does PRS President see himself as a new entity and as such Dayak issues raised by PBDS is not PRS issue. If that is the acse then why is PRS a Dayak Based Party? It should be James personal agenda party. It has no interest in the problems or promoting the well-being and progress of Dayak.

PRS to join Pakatan Rayaat?

PKR dinner in Kuching showed that the (other) PRS is keen to work with PKR. Is this motivated by wanting to bring progress to Sarawak or is this an option to revive the political life of certain politician.

It is such a shameful politic when people join another political party for personal reason and not for a more encompassing reason of wanting to bring changes and progress to Sarawak. Then, even if PKR do win, these old recycle politic would come in the way of changes and infringe on the expectation of Dayakbaru.

Let no one think this opinion shows disunity for PR support. It is something that all serious politician must think about - the well-being of one self is not important. We must bring real changes with new ideas and values to progress Sarawak. If not, then we will fall back into the sin of current BN. which is all politics are tied to business nd position.

So saw such happeng in PKR selangor. PKR supporter wanted good position in Councils, in GLC, you name it. They asked for lucrative contract and even before the MB was sworn in, they brough contractors to the door of the to be MB, at that point in time. Together with the late Daniel of PKR, we were in Shah Alam witness this shameful happening.

True enough, today such problems rear its ugly head as those with “personal agenda’ bring their “personal self serving agenda” into politic. It make the Selangor PKR government look bad.

I hope we in Sarawak should not do similar thing. Do not be in PKR politic if we want to link business with it. We should be better than that!

Dayak Educational Fund

Many ex- PBDS leaders are still in government and holding high political position. The question is, where is the Dayak Education Fund now, last spearheaded by PBDS. Does it means that no PBDS than there is no Dayak Educational Fund?

The last information on the fund was a balance of $7million - where is that now? Is it still available or is it already in individual pocket.

Who were in PBDS and now with PRS? You Dayak YB’s better answer this question. Many Dayak have donated money into this fund collection in the PBDS haydays - as individuals who are still holding Ministerial position etc, you must come out clean on this Dayak Educational Fund.

This is an example of dayak political leaders exploiting Dayak aspiration.

Dayak College

It makes life of those after the Dayak Educational Fund more difficult to ask for assistance from the Dayak community. The earlier group has failed to deliver on their promise with money donated by Dayak and I believed the BN government gave some form of assistance towards this fund. Have we fail again?

Conclusion

It is quite easy for Ex-PBDS leaders to forget their committment. For Dayakbaru - we remember vividly. When it comes to State or snap Parliamentary election - we want the people not to forget all thses wrong doing and unfulfilled promised. It is painful for the Dayak community. The community has to struggle to get whatever support they can get and many Dayak student missed the opportunity to further their education because certain dayak leaders are not responsible enough to uphold their commitment to the community.

Dayak Arise - make the change.

ATLANTUYA MURDER TRIAL JANUARY 15 2009

2009-01-15T18:59:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: The publishing of this articles in this blog is merely for my own reading purposes, I don't have any intention to spread the news to gossip anyone mentioned in here. However, I do not prohibit anybody wish to make comment.

LangRimba

Extracted from Malaysiakini dated 15th January 2009

Azilah, the 32-year old chief inspector, took up the post of Najib’s chief escort on Oct 20 - just a day after the murder allegedly took place. He tells the court how he came to know Razak Baginda, the latter’s problem with Altantuya and how he roped in his colleague Sirul to help out.

By SK English Team

Taking the witness stand for the first time, Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri told a charged courtroom today that Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s aide-de-camp Musa Safri instructed him to help Razak Baginda, Najib’s former adviser and close friend.

“It was on Oct 17, 2006, while in Pekan, Pahang while accompanying the Deputy Prime Minister, Musa approached me and asked me whether I knew anyone from the Brickfields district police station,” said the 32-year old Azilah.

“I told him I knew Deputy Superintendent Idris Abdul Karim who is the head of criminal investigations of the Brickfields station, whom I know since my days as an investigating officer in Sepang police.

“Musa told me that his friend Abdul Razak needed help as he had been threatened by someone. Musa gave me Abdul Razak’s cell number for me to contact.”

Azilah, together with Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, his colleague from Special Action Unit, an elite outfit tasked to protect Najib and his office, are on trial for the ruthless and gory murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu.

The beautiful 28-year old Altantuya was murdered and her body blown up with explosives to prevent identification at a location between Lot 12843 and Lot 16735 in a jungle clearing in Mukim Bukit Raja between 10 pm on Oct 19, 2006, and 1 am the following day.

The case been widely followed both nationally and internationally because the beautiful 28-year old Altantuya was alleged to have been Najib’s mistress before passing her to Razak Baginda, who has admitted taking her in as his lover.

Although Najib has denied the allegations, he has not been able to shake off the accusations, which flared again when Razak was acquitted and discharged without having to enter his defence on charges of having abetted Azilah and Sirul in the murder.

The public prosecutor too drew fire when he decided against appealing Razak’s acquittal. If found guilty, Razak - a political analyst - would have faced the death penalty.

Prominent lawyer Karpal Singh, acting on behalf of Altantuya Shaariibuu’s family, has however filed an application to compel the prosecution to appeal against Abdul Razak’s acquittal.

How Azilah contacted and met Razak Baginda

Meanwhile, during his testimony today, Azilah appeared to deny any involvement in the murder as he was not at the scene of the crime at the alleged time of the murder and claimed to have an alibi. He also repeatedly referred to Altantuya as a “Chinese woman” and not by her name.

Azilah told the Shah Alam High Court today that he tried calling Abdul Razak when he got back to Kuala Lumpur the next day on Oct 18.

However, he only got a wrong number. He then inquired from Musa again and this time got another number for Abdul Razak.

Azilah said he managed to contact Abdul Razak this time and introduced himself. The political analyst asked Azilah to meet him at his office at Bangunan Getah Asli.

Azilah said he went to Abdul Razak’s office that day itself on Oct 18, where he met the latter in his study.

“After introducing myself as Musa’s friend, Abdul Razak related his problems to me of being threatened by an unknown Chinese man and a Chinese woman (Altantuya),” said Azilah.

“He did not give any background of the people who threatened him or what was the reason behind it but he allowed me to listen to a voice mail on his cell phone where a man with a Chinese accent said ‘Saya mahu kasi pecah you punya muka ‘(I want to break your face),” the policeman said.

Then, Azilah said Abdul Razak allowed him to listen to another voice mail and this time of a woman speaking in English who also threatened him.

“After hearing his problem, I advised Abdul Razak to lodge a police report. However, he did not want to do so and asked me to patrol in front of his house in Bukit Damansara to prevent those two from causing trouble in front of his residence.

“Abdul Razak also gave me an address of a room in Hotel Malaya where Altantuya was staying and wanted me to tell the woman to stop harassing him. He also gave me Altantuya’s handphone number (017-3992411), whom he referred to as Aminah,” said Azilah.

How Sirul got involved

On returning to his office in Bukit Aman, Azilah said he was briefed that he was to lead a team to Hong Kong soon.

While at the police headquarters, Azilah said he met Sirul and asked if he was willing to help Abdul Razak.

Later both Azilah and Sirul met up at the Central Market and decided to go to Hotel Malaya.

“When arriving at the room, I did not dare knock on the door for fear of disturbing the privacy of the occupants. I also feared that it maybe the wrong room as the number Abdul Razak told me was different to what he wrote on a note pad,” said Azilah.

The next day on Oct 19, while he was briefing his officers over the trip to Hong Kong, Azilah said he found out that the trip had been cancelled. He was asked to escort Najib the next day on Oct 20.

“I went out to break fast with Lance Corporal Rohaniza at a Thai restaurant in Petaling Jaya. While there, I received a phone call from Abdul Razak informing me that the Chinese woman (Altantuya) was causing disturbances outside his home and required my help,” recounted Azilah.

“He asked me to go to his house where a private investigator P Balasubramaniam was waiting there with Altantuya,” he added.

When and how Azilah met Balasubramaniam and Altantuya

Together with Lance Corporal Rohaniza Roslan, who was then his girlfriend, he drove to Abdul Razak’s house that night itself - the night of the alleged murder.

He also contacted Sirul, who said he would meet him there.

After exchanging brief introductions with the Indian man - Balasubramaniam - Azilah said he walked back to his car and contacted Razak again. This time, Razak told him to send the woman back to the hotel.

By this time Sirul had also arrived at the scene.

As Azilah walked back towards Balasubramaniam and Altantuya, they walked towards the policeman’s car. The woman voluntarily got into the vehicle, Azilah testified.

“Nobody gave any orders,” Azilah said, when asked by his counsel Hazman Ahmad if anyone had ordered her to get into the car.

Azilah then drove off in the car with Rohaniza, Sirul and Altantuya.

When and why Altantuya moved to Sirul’s jeep

Sirul then asked to be dropped off at his jeep before the two vehicles moved off together towards Bukit Aman.

However, Rohaniza said that they could not drop Altantuya at her hotel as she (Rohaniza) needed to meet a friend in Petaling Jaya.

Azilah then called Sirul to ask if he could send the woman back and he agreed. They stopped the cars and moved the woman to Sirul’s jeep.

This was the last time Azilah mentioned Altantuya in his testimony.

After reaching Bukit Aman, Azilah then went to Wangsa Maju with his fiancee, Norazila Baharudin, to have char kuey teow. It was 10.30 pm at this point and Azilah claims that they spent 45 minutes eating. By the time Azilah had returned to Bukit Aman, it was 12.20am.

He said that he then left with Rohaniza to Putrajaya to take up his assignment as Najib’s chief escort. He added that when he arrived at the Special Action Unit transit house in Putrajaya, he saw another person in the living room and identified him as Che Kamarizaman.

The hearing continues tomorrow with the cross-examination of Azilah by the prosecution.

Yes to micro financing

2009-01-15T03:25:00.000-08:00

IN the American comedy film, Yes Man, the main character Carl Allen (played by Jim Carrey) is a junior loan officer who used to reject almost every application that came his way. It was not just due to good, old-fashioned banking practices but also part of his overall morose outlook on life.

After attending a motivational seminar called “Yes!’’ he was determined to say “yes” to almost every opportunity that came his way. When it came to giving out loans, he had begun saying ‘yes’ to almost every application that was presented to him.

His bosses were shocked when they discovered he had approved more than 500 applications when they would have approved only 30 to 40. But those were small loans for which the repayment track record turned out to be very good.

“These people are so grateful,’’ his boss told Carl. They made sure the loans were repaid. Soon, his work in this new area of micro financing got noticed and Carl was promoted with a good raise.

In current times when huge loan and trading portfolios have collapsed, it is significant that the ordinary man and the productive small loans are being highlighted.

With so much focus on the financing for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), people here may also have overlooked the potentially vibrant business in micro financing. The amounts are much smaller but taken together, its power and role in helping to reinvigorate the economy cannot be under-estimated.

To garner more interest, banks and associations should plan more initiatives that highlight the success stories and opportunities in micro financing. Putting up stickers at entrances of banks is a good idea but we should go further than that. The recent Micro Financing Expo revealed a lot of public interest in this area.

Charging high interest rates on micro finance may be a dampening factor in its growth. It pays for loan officers to get to know these people and their businesses better. They should start getting to the ground, if they have not already, and not just sit in their offices, saying they have “no time to go through every small detail.’’

With the economy taking a while to recover, these small loans may just help make up the loan growth numbers. Sometimes, banks get misleading information from people who are out to cheat for a few bucks. There have been cases where set-ups and machinery had disappeared after the loan was dished out!

To ensure that micro financing works, it is important that genuine business cases are presented. It must also be a strong part of our micro-financing culture that every dollar borrowed must be repaid before further purchases or small investments are made.

The Government and private sector should work hand in hand to revive the economy. At this juncture, it may be difficult to take big steps as the world is still reeling from the effects of the crisis. But we should not ignore the problem and start taking small steps.

Recently, the Government decided to end its austerity drive and allow the purchase of assets, moving into new premises and renovation of offices. These may not sound like grand measures but they give opportunities to people in office equipment, commercial property and renovation services.

In the same vein related to a sound micro finance culture, people involved should be careful in their dealings with public money, as the crisis has taught us that every cent should be accounted for. There should be no more inflated and unnecessary claims even for the smallest item of office equipment.

Netanyahu: Destroy Hamas, Stop Nuclear Iran

2009-01-14T22:23:00.000-08:00

JERUSALEM -- Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israel must remove Gaza's Hamas rulers from power to ensure victory over "terror."

He expressed full support for his country's punishing, 18-day offensive against the militants — even though it is being conducted by politicians who are running against him in Feb. 10 elections.

"At the end of the day there will be no alternative but to bring down the regime of Hamas, a terrorist organization pledged to our destruction," Netanyahu told foreign reporters in Jerusalem.

Netanyahu, a top contender to become prime minister in next month's vote, said toppling Hamas would not necessarily have to be part of the current offensive, but would eventually have to happen.

He said Hamas, along with the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah, are Iranian proxies located on Israel's southern and northern flanks.

"Ultimately Israel cannot tolerate an Iranian base right next to its cities," Netanyahu said.

Israel sees Iran as its top threat, and believes the country is working to develop a nuclear bomb — something Tehran denies.

"If the proxies of Iran enjoy a nuclear umbrella, we have crossed into another realm," said Netanyahu, who leads the right-of-center Likud Party. "That is something we really don't want to contemplate."

Netanyahu enjoyed a wide lead in the polls before Israel began its Gaza offensive on Dec. 27. However, since the war began he's been losing ground to Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni of the centrist Kadima Party and Defense Minister Ehud Barak of the left-leaning Labor Party.

The war is enormously popular among Israelis, who see it as a way of stopping Hamas rocket attacks on southern Israel. The offensive has killed some 900 Palestinians and 13 Israelis.

Netanyahu rejected calls to delay the elections because of the Gaza fighting.

"I think if we do not hold it on time, it will give the terrorists an enormous victory. It means that they hold Israeli democracy hostage," he said.

Even though Israel would not necessarily have to drive Hamas from power now, he said the Jewish state should not pull out of Gaza unless it receives assurances the militants will not rearm through smuggling at the Gaza-Egypt border.

Hamas wrested control of Gaza in June 2007 from the moderate forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The Islamic militants now rule the territory while Abbas' Fatah movement is in charge of the West Bank. The two territories are located on opposite sides of Israel and are together supposed to make up a future Palestinian state.

Netanyahu said conditions are not ripe for serious negotiations on a final peace deal with Abbas — a position that could put him at odds with the incoming Obama administration in the United States.

Learning and speaking English language is part of Western culture?

2009-01-14T01:55:00.000-08:00

Politics before good sense – Cheong Suk-Wai

By Cheong Suk-Wai

Some months ago, a Chinese Malaysian undergraduate asked me to comment on an English language project paper that her lecturer had asked her to rewrite.

The paper had been put together while she was on emergency leave by her two project mates, who happened to be Malay Malaysians.

I was bemused to read what they had written – paragraph after paragraph with neither head nor tail. They had cut and pasted bits and pieces from various English-language newspapers without quite understanding what these bits and pieces meant.

I was reminded of this incident while reading about the latest uproar among the country's intelligentsia over the compulsory use of English, instead of Malay, to teach mathematics and science to primary and secondary school students.

So politicised has the issue become that non-governmental organisations (NGOs), such as the influential Malay writers' group Gabongan Persatuan Penulis Nasional Malaysia (Gapena), have threatened to sue the government for violating Article 152 of the Malaysian Constitution, which calls for only Malay to be used in all official matters.

Nothing in Article 152 prohibits the teaching or learning of any other language – but never mind: The NGOs are planning mass protests on the issue over the next two months.

Gapena's president, Tan Sri Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Ismail Hussein, told this newspaper: “The problem with English being taught in this way is that we are being colonial again. This is the psychological problem.”

Prof Ismail stressed that the Malay intelligentsia's quarrel with the government is only against English being the only channel for the students to learn crucial core subjects, and not with the study of English itself. They are worried that Malay students studying maths and science in English would abandon Bahasa Malaysia by the time they enter university, thus killing the language.

The country's Education Ministry introduced this limited “English only” policy in 2003 to improve the English skills of Malaysian students.

Students can now choose to be examined entirely in English in both subjects or answer questions in both English and Malay.

The main medium of instruction in Malaysian public schools was English until 1970. It was changed to Bahasa Malaysia, as Malay is officially called, to foster national unity in the wake of racial riots in May 1969.

The chief problem of switching back to English is that 60 per cent of Malay students live in kampungs, where it is hard to find any English-language newspaper on sale. But young urban Malays are also not enamoured of English.

British-educated lawyer Emilda Shardin, for instance, laments that while her 10-year-old daughter writes well in English, she resolutely refuses to speak it. “She tells me: ‘Buat apa kita cakap bahasa orang lain?’ (‘Why should we speak the language of others?’)”.

Emilda blames her daughter's all-Malay social circle for that attitude. They see English as a part of Western culture – or budaya kuning (yellow culture) – something that will lead them far astray from the path of Islam.

Malay parents resent especially the extra stress their children face from having to learn English. As one of them, corporate planner Hamzah Shafiee, put it: “Malay students must pass these core subjects which are taught in a language they don't quite understand. They are being doubly pressured. Why can't their studies be selesa (comfortable)?”

What's worse, the country's maths and science standards have slid since the ministry rolled out the policy.

The December 2008 Trend In Mathematics And Science Studies' global-ranking report showed that Malaysian secondary school students scored an average of 474 points in maths and 471 in science in 2007, compared to their counterparts in Singapore, who scored 593 and 567 points, respectively.

In 2003, Malaysian students scored an average of 508 in maths and 510 in science; and in 1999, they scored 519 and 492, respectively.

To be sure, it is not only the Malays who are opposed to learning maths and science in English. The Chinese, many of whom send their children to vernacular schools, also oppose the policy.

Singaporeans might well wonder why young Malaysians are so resistant to a lingua franca that will open global doors. The short answer is that they are just mirroring their teachers' attitude towards the language.

A survey last year by the Malaysian Education Ministry of randomly selected national schools found that 35 per cent of its teachers could hardly speak English.

Last September, then-Deputy Education Minister Razali Ismail admitted that most teachers were not enthusiastic about English and spent allowances meant for English- language learning aids on “unrelated purposes”.

The truth is that it is high time Malaysians saw the mastery of English as a productivity, not political, issue. More than 50,000 of the country's graduates are jobless today. Most of them are poor, female, Malay and cannot speak enough English to hold a two-minute conversation in the language.

How are they to impress employers, many of whom list English fluency and the ability to think critically as their chief job requirements?

The Education Ministry said last week that it would decide soon whether or not it will continue with this limited “English only” policy beyond this year. It would be a pity to scrap it just as it is beginning to make headway.

Three weeks ago, the ministry released the 2008 Lower Secondary Assessment results, showing that 51 per cent of the 26,378 candidates answered all exam questions entirely in English, compared to 22 per cent in 2007.

English was also the subject in which students showed the most improvement, with 75 per cent of students passing exams in it last year, compared with 71 per cent in the five preceding years.

One wonders how much more time will be squandered revisiting pointless linguistic arguments before Malaysia's Malay intelligentsia realises that the country cannot embrace globalisation unless the people at least partially embrace English.

PRS-SPDP merger not so soon, says Masing

2009-01-14T01:31:00.000-08:00

By Jacob Achoi

KUCHING: The proposed merger between Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) will not happen in the near future.

PRS president Dato Sri Dr James Masing said the merger would definitely not take place within this year.

Speaking to reporters here yesterday, he said although the merger concept was still there, the implementation would be slow.

“The concept is still there, and we still believe that we must do it (merge), and the implementation is slow because to fit the ‘bolts and nuts’ does take a lot of time,” he said.

Masing had earlier received a RM500,000 cheque from Sime Darby Berhad for the improvement of infrastructure in five schools in Kapit.

According to Masing, state Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, who is also the chief minister was helping both parties to merge.

“The chief minister is helping us a lot, and actually he is the one who is giving us ideas and hints on what we should do,” Masing said, adding that Taib had also told them not to rush with the merger process.

He agreed with Taib that the merger should not be done in a hasty manner.

Taib, in his text of speech when opening SPDP’s 6th annual general assembly in Sibu on Saturday was all for the proposed merger of the two parties, but said there was no point rushing into it.

The chief minister said he himself took three years to explain before Parti Berjasa and Parti Negara finally became Parti Bumiputera in 1966.

And Masing said he was taking the hint from Taib, adding that the merger was like a marriage where the partners had to know each other before going to the altar.

Masing also said PRS did not feel threatened by the claim that many PRS members were joining Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

On PKR, he likened the party’s presence in the state as a mirror to see one’s shortcomings and rectify them to help and solve the problems of the people.

“PKR is like a mirror that reflects the fault on your face. If you have a black spot of pimples just correct it and you will be a better man.

“I don’t feel threatened with the mirror because I’m confident with my own face,” he explained.

According to him, PKR movement in the state was a cause for the party to review itself.

He pointed out that the party was not taking any challenge lightly, adding that the party would continue to do its ‘homework’ and listen to the grassroots about their grouses.

My wife my pillar of strength and source of inspiration: Taib

2009-01-14T00:54:00.000-08:00

By Samuel Aubrey and Churchill Edward

KUCHING: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud describes his wife Datuk Amar Puan Sri Laila as his pillar of strength and source of inspiration in his long political career.

He said Laila had many wonderful qualities, but that the one particular quality that really stood out was her patience.

He said it was her patience that made her capable of tolerating his temperament.

Taib also said Laila was always very clear about the line that separated his family life and office.

“She did not interfere in my politics and that was probably how we have managed,” he said at their 50th or golden wedding anniversary at the newly-opened Four Points by Sheraton Kuching hotel here last night.

He said Laila had been by his side through the thick and thin of his career as a politician and minister.

He cited one example where Laila had to walk across a log bridge across the river when accompanying him in one of his trips to rural Sarawak.

“I showed her the way and she did not fall,” he said, adding that he must acknowledge that it was never easy for just any woman to be a politician’s wife, especially to a man who had many tempers.

“More so if he is such a man in his younger days,” he said, referring to himself more in jest.

“Laila has been a major part in making my life very bearable,” said Taib in a speech that both tickled the audience and provided them with a rare insight into his marriage.

When Taib took to the podium, Laila was standing by his side and they looked very loving.

Taib and Laila said last night’s celebration would not be complete without them thanking their four children, Jamilah Hamidah, Mahmud Abu Bekir, Sulaiman Abdul Rahman and Hanifah, who together give the couple 15 grandchildren.

Taib also thanked God for the many joys he had in his life, saying: “Whenever I’m happy, my first thought is to always thank God for his blessings and I think my life has shown how much God is with us.

“Perhaps I have lots of problems, trials and tribulations in trying to chart out the course of my life, but I think life is nothing without being thankful to God,” he said.

He also thanked people who had given him advice, especially his uncle, former head of state and chief minister Tun Abdul Rahman Yakub.

He hastened to say: “If not for him, I would probably be a doctor. It was he who influenced me by saying, ‘Look, you can’t take up medicine. You must take up law and come back and serve the country’.”

Although Taib initially did not welcome the advice, it was eventually his desire to help the people of Sarawak that put him into the path he is in now.

“Even (Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri) Dr George Chan has to abandon his profession (as doctor) in order to serve the people,” he quipped.

Taib also said that during his political career, he had met people with different political wavelengths but their differences had instead taught him very valuable points.

As a gesture of apprecia-tion for sharing the joys of their 50th wedding anniversary, the couple also handed over donations of RM50,000 each to four charitable organisations.

The recipients were Sibu Community Services Association, Lembaga Anak-Anak Yatim Sara-wak, Sarakup Indu Dayak Sarawak and Sarawak Hearts Foundation.

Earlier, the guests were given a pleasant surprise when Jamilah rendered a few songs including ‘When I Fall In Love’ and ‘You Raise Me Up’ to comme-morate the occasion.

There was also a poetry recital by Datu Dr Adi Badiozaman Tuah and his wife Datin Fatimah Abdullah.

Among those paying tribute in a special video presentation were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang, Taib’s former classmate Anuar Razak and former univer-sity mate John Kiosogious.

DAP threatens to leave Pakatan Rakyat over hudud

2009-01-14T00:36:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 – The DAP today threatened to withdraw from the Pakatan Rakyat (PR), which also comprises Pas and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), if Pas insists on implementing the hudud laws (Islamic penal code) if the opposition alliance comes to power in the country.

DAP chairman Karpal Singh, in issuing the warning, reiterated that the hudud laws did not fit with the DAP’s principles and were not contained in the PR manifesto for the general election held last year.

"By right, PAS should consider the views of the DAP as a member of the Pakatan Rakyat and respect our stand," he told reporters outside the Istana Negara, here.

Earlier, Karpal Singh had handed over to the palace a letter for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, on the appointment of Tan Sri Zaki Tun Azmi as the chief justice. The letter was received by the secretary of Istana Negara, Zainab Muhammad, outside the rear entrance of the palace.

The issue of hudud laws cropped up again on Dec 21 after Pas vice-president Datuk Husam Musa said the party had never forgotten its struggle to bring about Islamic administration in the country, including implementing hudud laws. – Bernama

Azilah, Sirul to produce defence tomorrow

2009-01-13T23:38:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 – Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar who have been accused of murdering Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu, will produce their defence at the Shah Alam High Court tomorrow.

Lawyer Datuk Hazman Ahmad, representing Azilah, will begin the defence case and he confirmed to Bernama that he has prepared seven witnesses while Sirul's counsel, Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, said that so far he had no witnesses other than the accused.

On Nov 10 last year, Justice Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin gave the defence two months to prepare including to contact and question witnesses they would call to the stand.

Azilah, 32, and Sirul, 36, who are operatives of the police's Special Action Unit, are alleged to have murdered Altantuya, 28, at Mukim Bukit Raja between 10pm on Oct 19, 2006 and 1am the following day.

The court on Oct 31 last year acquitted and discharged political analyst Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda, 48, of abetting them without calling him to enter defence. – Bernama

When the going gets tough ... go faster

2009-01-13T23:03:00.000-08:00

By Paul Si and Shannon Teoh

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 – Do you get the feeling that a revolution is in progress? The kind where heads roll, as one of the headlines on The Malaysian Insider screams out today? Or the kind where you hear someone say “Let them eat cake”. (Apparently, she who was famously said to have said it did not actually say it since she was only 10 at the time it was written down. But that’s another story.)

Amid all the doom and gloom, there’s some cheery news on the automotive front. While the American Big Three are still panhandling in Washington, DC, and can’t-go-wrong Toyota is about to post its first-ever loss, Malaysians will be pleased, I'm sure, to know that Maserati is picking up speed here.

Could we interest you in a Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S? It’s a “sports thoroughbred touted as the “Most Powerful Luxury Car” that was recently unveiled at the North American Auto Show 2009, and is about to go on sale here.

Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S

“This luxurious four-door sports sedan houses a 4.7- litre V8 engine with a power increase to 433 horsepower; a new management software for the gearshift, single rate-dampers for the front and rear suspension, the springs are stiffer and it has a lower ride height, and a new sports exhaust that creates a captivating, deep and throaty sound.” That’s what the release says.

“Styling cues include a new black grille with a Trident logo, metallic titanium finish headlights, new side and rear ‘shadow line’; with black finishing around the doors, body-coloured door handles and black twin oval exhaust pipes, new M-design seats with perforated Alcantara and leather upholstery, and ‘titanium coloured’ composite material trim.”

“It is truly a car that carries the statement of individuality and subtly hints to the world that one has indeed arrived!”

How much? If you need to ask … Okay then, I’ll take two.

Meanwhile, Lamborghini is reported to be “looking to expand its dealer network, especially in China and Latin America, even as the global economy continues to sputter”.

In an interview at the North American International Auto Show, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann did concede that the super-luxury car maker is feeling the fallout from the credit crisis and the economic slowdown.

“We are not unaffected by the global crisis,” Winkelmann was quoted as saying. (And we are not unimpressed.)

How about a Lamborghini LP 560-4 for just over RM2 mill?

Lamborghini, whose cheapest Gallardo model starts at around RM2 million here, has seen cancellation of some orders for its hand-made vehicles.

If you can't quite scrape together the RM2 million plus change for a Gallardo LP 560-4 any time soon, try looking for some Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.shares.

While nearly all other automakers have seen their sales accelerate downhill, Lamborghini, posted a record 2008 global sales figure. Around the world, the Italian exotic builder sold 2,430 cars in 2008, up from 2,406 the year before.

While “the order banks are shorter,” Winkelmann said, Lamborghini plans to add 10 more dealerships this year to cater to its patrons in emerging markets, such as China, after expanding its network by 15 dealers in 2008.

Winkelmann said the company would continue to launch a new model every year despite the downturn in the auto industry.

The company, part of Volkswagen AG’s Audi group, had to close its sole factory in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy, for eight extra days because of the weakness in the auto industry.

Also, just for the billionaires who are now millionaires, BMW Malaysia is launching the all-new, all-singing, all-dancing 7 Series today.

The fifth generation 7 replaces the previous eight-year-old model, which had boosted the German automaker's in the Malaysian premium saloon market by 253 per cent over sales of its predecessor.

The 5th generation 7 Series.

Despite a sharp increase in price from the outgoing models, BMW Malaysia managing director Geoffrey Briscoe believes that customers will pay for this car even if they have to hold off their purchase initially.

“It represents the top 3-4 per cent of our sales. Those who buy this car may hold off for awhile but they are still there and will pay for this car, not because they need this car, but because they want it,” he said.

The model is available in two variants, the 740Li and 750Li, both long-wheelbase models, which increase wheelbase by 140mm.

The 740Li, equipped with BMW's most powerful six-cylinder engine, developing 326hp, retails at RM848,800 before insurance. The 750Li, claimed to possess the world's most efficient V8 petrol engine, generating 407hp, goes for RM1,138,800.

These represent a sharp increase over the outgonig models, which sold for RM748,000 and RM948,000 respectively.

But, even at the new prices and in these interesting times, a millionaire can eat his cake, and still have it.

USEFUL AND DANGEROUS MODERN INVENTION!

2009-01-12T16:45:00.000-08:00

Handphone is one of the most useful instrument for everyone of us today. Some are just simply cannot live without handphone. However, while handphone is very useful and helpful it can be very dangerous.......

A young man was recharging his cell phone at home.

Just at that time a call came in and he answered it with the
cell phone still connected to the charger.

After a few seconds electricity flowed into the cell phone unrestrained
and the young man was thrown to the ground with a heavy thud.

His parents rushed to the room only to find him unconscious, with
a weak heartbeat and burnt fingers.

He was rushed to the nearby hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Cell phones are a very useful modern invention.

However, we must be aware that it can also be an instrument of death.

Never use the cell phone while it is hooked to the electrical outlet!

FORWARD THIS TO THE PEOPLE THAT MATTER IN YOUR LIFE!!!!

TAIB MAHMUD SAYS: ANYONE REGARDLESS OF RACE CAN BE CHIEF MINISTER!

2009-01-11T21:01:00.000-08:00

Hi readers, its been almost one month that I'm not updating this news blog, this was due to the unavoidable personal matter that I'm facing and year end commitment. Anyway I'm back to share some interesting news.

LangRimba

Sarawak CM Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud inform all the Sarawakian that anyone regardless of race can become Chief Minister. What Taib telling us is true or just to please us? If that is true, who is that 'Smart and sincere' successor of Taib?

Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud has made reference on the criteria for someone to succeed him as the future chief minister of the state.

In his speech read out by Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam at the opening of the sixth annual general meeting of the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) here, Taib said anyone, regardless of race, could be supported to take over from him as the chief minister.

“He must be trained to do the job from now. The criteria is that he must be smart and sincere in the struggle to develop the state and raise the living standard of the people,” he said.

Taib could not fly from Kuching to Sibu for the function because of bad weather.

He is the fourth chief minister of Sarawak after Datuk Seri Stephen Kalong Ningkan (1963 to 1966), Datuk Tawi Sili (1966 to 1970) and Tun Abdul Rahman Yaakub (1970 to 1981).

OH NO! DO NOT EXPLOIT OUR CHILDREN - TO PROTEST

2009-01-09T20:28:00.000-08:00

Education Minister exploiting children? — S. Arutchelvan

JAN 10 — Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said (NST, Jan 9) that nearly all schoolchildren — about five million pupils in the country — will be mobilised to protest against the Gaza offensive by Israeli forces.

When I first read this article, a number of questions rang in my mind. Would asking students including primary schoolchildren to attend a protest and demonstration be deemed exploiting the children?

Do the children have consent from their parents as it seems that the minister had made the decision without even consulting the parents?

Would the police/Attorney-General charge the minister under the Child Act? Would the minister be expelled from Parliament for involving children? For the state of Selangor, would the CPO of Selangor rescue these children and return them to their parents? While waiting for their parents, will they be kept protected in the police station under the care of the Welfare Department?

Would the parents be later called by the police for their statement to be recorded for allowing the minister to use their children for the protest?

Would the parents be charged for neglecting their children or allowing them to participate in dangerous activities? Would the royalty advice the police to take stern action against the organiser?

Since all the children protesting in the protest have a common aim in protesting against Israeli attack on Gaza , could this be mean that it is an illegal assemble or an illegal procession? Would the children attending this function be stopped in numerous roadblocks?

I am sorry that these questions kept bothering me after our two weeks of trauma of police harassment and intimidation on the issue of children above the age of 15 for cycling and wearing T-shirts on demands facing the Malaysian people.

Luckily, the minister’s response in the media helped me understand the matter better as when the newspaper asked the minister on the danger of exposing children to such atrocities, the minister said: "When they grow up, they will have to face global issues like peace, environment and the economic crisis."

? S. Arutchelvan is secretary-general of Parti Sosialis Malaysia.

TIMSS FINDING: MALAYSIA POOR IN MATHEMATICS

2009-01-09T20:02:00.000-08:00

Disastrous maths scores: Time Hishammuddin broke silence

By Lim Kit Siang

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 10 — Some 60 countries, including Malaysia, participated in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in 2007, the latest four-yearly international comparative assessment of the achievements and attitudes towards mathematics and science of Year 4 primary and Year 8 secondary students.

The findings of the TIMSS 2007 were internationally released on Dec 9 last year, and in the past month, there had been intense debate involving the educational authorities, educational NGOs and concerned parents in all the participating countries on the results of TIMSS 2007 and their impact on their respective education policy and in particular how to improve the teaching and learning in mathematics and science for their pupils.

Except in one country — Malaysia, where there is total silence by the education authorities and even blackout of the TIMSS 2007 findings in the mass media despite the ongoing controversy as to whether the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English should continue or revert to Bahasa Malaysia/mother tongue.

It is most unbelievable that the Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and the Education Ministry could perpetrate a conspiracy of silence for one whole month on the TIMSS 2007 findings relating to the achievements of Malaysian students who took part in the Year 8 (Secondary Two) assessments for mathematics and science.

This is all the more irresponsible as he should be a role model for other education ministers as he is a member of the Unesco Board as well as president of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (Seameo).

It is time for Hishammuddin to break his month-long silence and explain his failure as Education Minister as reflected by Malaysia's poor results in the TIMSS 2007 compared to other countries in the 60-nation international assessment of the mathematics and science achievements of Year 8 students.

Like other participating countries, Hishammuddin and the Malaysian education authorities would have received copies of the TIMSS 2007 Report well in advance, to give them more than ample time to prepare and release their national reports on the TIMSS 2007 findings almost simultaneously as the international release of the TIMSS findings on Dec 9 last year.

This was why Hong Kong and Singapore could come out with official statements on how their students fared in the TIMSS 2007 the very next day on Dec 10, and why other countries could even publish country reports giving their national perspectives of TIMSS 2007, like the United States, Australia, England, Scotland and even Dubai, which took part as a "benchmarking participant" for its own internal benchmarking purposes.

Hishammuddin had not been shy in immediately going public about the previous findings of TIMSS 2003, when it was internationally released on Dec 14, 2004.

Hishammuddin reported the TIMSS 2003 findings to the Cabinet and came out with a public announcement the very same day, which was reported by New Straits Times (Thursday, Dec 16, 2004) under the headline "Our students hold their own in Maths, Science", viz:

PUTRAJAYA, Wed. — Malaysian students more than held their own in Science and Mathematics in a study carried out among 50 countries.

They were placed 10th in Mathematics, scoring ahead of Australia, Britain, United States and New Zealand while in Science, Malaysian students placed 20th, ahead of countries like Norway and Italy.

Education Minister Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein was pleased with this showing, noting that in 1999, Malaysia was placed 16th in Mathematics and 22nd in Science among 38 countries.

"I believe this success shows the ability of current educators in teaching these subjects," he said.

He added that no one should question the ability of the education system to nurture students who excel in both subjects.

Earlier, he briefed the Cabinet on the study.

"The Cabinet was satisfied with the achievement in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) for last year because the performance was encouraging compared to previous years."

A total of 5,314 Malaysians were selected for the study.

TIMSS 2003 is an international comparative study sponsored by the International Association for the Evaluation Achievement.

Form Two or Grade Eight students were picked randomly from 50 countries to sit for an assessment test and answer a research questionnaire.

In fact, Hishammuddin could not hide his excitement and returned to the TIMSS 2003 findings a fortnight later as the highlight of his New Year Message for his Ministry at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre!

If Hishammuddin could go public within 24 hours of the international release of the TIMSS 2003 findings in December 2004, why is Hishammuddin maintaining an eerie silence after one whole month of the international release of the TIMSS 2007 findings?

The answer is very clear although this can be no excuse for Hishammuddin's irresponsibility in trying to "black out" the TIMSS 2003 report with regard to the results pertaining to Malaysian students.

The TIMSS 2007 had been an unmitigated disaster in the three assessments which Malaysia had participated, i.e. TIMSS 1999, TIMSS 2003 and TIMSS 2007 and it was a direct reflection on the quality of his leadership as Education Minister.

The proud statement of Hishammuddin in December 2004 that Malaysia was placed 10th in Mathematics, scoring ahead of Australia, Britain, United States and New Zealand while in Science, Malaysian students were placed 20th, ahead of countries like Norway and Italy, has all turned to ashes.

TIMSS 2007 was a total reversal, with Malaysia losing out to Australia, England, Scotland and the United States in Mathematics (New Zealand was not in the TIMSS 2007 list for Year 8 students) as well as being overtaken by Norway and Italy in Science!

Malaysia plunged from No. 10 placing in Mathematics in TIMSS 2003 to No. 20 placing in TIMSS 2007.

With the disastrous showing in Mathematics at the eighth grade level, Malaysia not only lost to the five top Asian countries which took the first five places, namely Chinese Taipei (1), South Korea (2), Singapore (3), Hong Kong (4) and Japan (5) but also to Hungary (6), England (7), the Russian Federation (8), the United States (9), Lithuania (10), the Czech Republic (11), Slovenia (12), Armenia (13), Australia (14), Sweden (15), Malta (16), Scotland (17), Serbia (18) and Italy (19).

In the three TIMSS for Mathematics in eighth grade level, Malaysia dropped a hefty 45 score points from 519 points in 1999, 508 in 2003 to 474 in 2007 (500 is the TIMSS mathematics scale average). The Australian national report on TIMSS 2007 noted that Australia's mathematics achievement score of 496 was "not significantly different to the TIMSS scale average" and "significantly higher than the remaining 31 countries, including Italy, Malaysia and Norway".

For science, Malaysia also plunged below the TIMSS scale average of 500, falling to 471 points in 2007, a drop by 39 points compared to 2003 (510). In 1999, Malaysia scored 492 points. Malaysia's ranking in Year 8 science in TIMSS 2007 is No. 21, behind Singapore (1), Chinese Taipei (2), Japan (3). South Korea (4), England (5), Hungary (6), the Czech Republic (7), Slovenia (8), Hong Kong (9), the Russian Federation (10), the United States (11), Lithuania (12), Australia (13), Sweden (14), Scotland (15), Italy (16), Armenia (17), Norway (18), Ukraine (19) and Jordan (20).

What should be quite startling about the science findings of TIMSS 2007 is not the Australian national report observation that Malaysia is one of the countries which "showed a "statistically significant decline" in score points, but the observation by the Dubai national report that Malaysia's TIMSS 2007 science score of 471 is "significantly lower than Dubai", which scored 489, as well as Thailand catching up with Malaysia in having a similar score of 471!

Had Hishammuddin ever submitted a report of Malaysia's dismal showing in the TIMSS 2007 to the Cabinet and did the Cabinet give the Hishammuddin the "green light" to bury the disastrous TIMSS findings from public knowledge?

It must be particularly galling to Hishammuddin that he cannot really claim credit for Malaysia's good results in TIMSS 2003 (as the survey was conducted in 2003 when he had not been appointed Education Minister), but he has to bear full responsibility for the dismal results in TIMSS 2007 as he had already been Education Minister for three years when the survey was conducted in 2007.

If Hishammuddin had fully devoted himself to his duties and responsibilities as Education Minister, instead of devoting his energies politicising his position whether as Education Minister or Umno Youth leader as in his many keris-wielding antics and most recently in trying to dragoon students for Umno Youth demonstrations, Malaysians would have today an education system held in high international regard for its quality, excellence and competitiveness capable of being a global educational hub to fully develop the human resource potential of Malaysians and the region.

When will Hishammuddin perform his first duty as Education Minister by making public a national report highlighting the main Malaysian results and findings, setting them in the international context as well as discussing Malaysia's performance in maths and science since 1999?

After Malaysia's participation in TIMSS 1999, I had called on the government to have a strategy to place Malaysia among the world's top five or six nations in mathematics and science, as with five Asian countries as the top performers in mathematics and science in previous TIMSS surveys, there is no reason why Malaysia cannot join their ranks..

This dream has to be shelved however until Hishammuddin can come out with a satisfactory explanation and solution for Malaysia's dismal performances in both mathematics and science in TIMSS 2007.

APPEAL TO REGISTER MDC REJECTED

2009-01-09T18:49:00.000-08:00

MDC quest for registration rejected

The promoters of the Malaysian Dayak Congress (MDC) learned of the Home Ministry’s rejection of their application for registration only today, nine months after the official decision was made, due to a mix-up in addresses.In a letter dated April 9, 2008, an official of the Home Ministry said that the minister after careful investigation and consideration decided to reject the appeal to register MDC, according to MDC pro-tem information chief Joseph Tawie.

Tawie only received a copy of the letter this morning from the assistant registrar of societies in Kuching.

Change in original address

He told Malaysiakini that the MDC’s original address for official correspondence had been changed to another address in Kuching and that the ROS had been informed officially after this.

The first address was that of one of the promoters who had moved office.

The ROS letter stated: “The appeal is rejected based on Section 7(3)(a) of the Societies Act 1966 on grounds that its registration can cause a threat to security and public order.”

However, if the applicants were still interested to pursue the MDC registration then they should submit a fresh application to the Registrar of Societies (ROS), the official said.

Tawie said they had not decided whether to appeal against the ROS decision.

The application was first submitted on May 6, 2004 and the ROS rejected it on July 19, 2006 on security grounds under Section 7 (3)(a).

The protem committee on August 12, 2006 appealed against the decision of the registrar to the Minister of Home Affairs.
Tawie said he regretted the Ministry’s decision to reject the appeal against the ROS decision.

Pro-tem committee to meet

Section 7 (3) says: “The Registrar shall refuse to register a local society where - (a) it appears to him that such local society is unlawful under the provisions of this Act or any other written law or is likely to be used for unlawful purposes or any purpose prejudicial to or incompatible with peace, welfare, security, public order, good order or morality in Malaysia.”

Tawie said the pro-tem committee members will meet in the next few days to decide on whether to submit a fresh application.In the meantime, two options are open to tens of thousands of ex-PBDS members who have remained without a party since the deregistration of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) on Oct 21, 2004. (Before its deregistration, PBDS had nearly 200,000 members.)

One option is for them to join Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and the other is to join any of the existing parties in the state.
“Personally, I will call on the ex-PBDS members to find a leader and in a group let us all join PKR, hoping that one day PKR together with DAP and PAS will form not only the state government of Sarawak, but also the federal government,” Tawie said.

Only with a change of government can we change laws that are harmful to the natives, he added.

TUN MAHATHIR NOT RELEVANT SAYS PAK LAH

2009-01-09T07:57:00.000-08:00

Abdullah calls Dr M 'irrelevant' in KT campaign

By Adib Zalkapli

KUALA TERENGGANU, Jan 8 - Just two months before leaving office, Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi finally called his trenchant critic Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad irrelevant as he defended his choice of candidate for the crucial Kuala Terengganu by-election.

Dr Mahathir, who has repudiated his anointed successor Abdullah, had called the Barisan Nasional's candidate Datuk Wan Farid Salleh as a bad choice and a proxy of the prime minister, who hit the campaign trail today.

"Dr Mahathir can say anything he wants. He is irrelevant to us. We know what we are doing and we know what we want, we will continue to fight to defend the seat," Abdullah said after meeting party workers involved in the Kuala Terengganu by-election.

The by-election, which is probably Abdullah's last election campaign as the Prime Minister, is widely seen as a referendum on Datuk Seri Najib Razak's leadership who is slated to succeed him in March.

But the selection of Wan Farid, who was his former political secretary, as the BN candidate is a reflection that Abdullah is still very much in control of Umno, the dominant party in the ruling coalition.

Earlier at the closed door meeting, the Prime Minister said he reminded party members that Wan Farid, a senator who was appointed deputy minister after the last general election, is a serious candidate for BN.

"I have told him that if you do not win, you will lose your senate seat and lose the deputy minister's position and you cannot come back to me to be my political secretary," Abdullah told reporters adding that Wan Farid was willing to risk his political career.

"When I first informed him, he replied that he is willing to be the BN' candidate in Kuala Terengganu because he wants to serve the people in the constituency as he is also the division chief," he added.

He also reiterated that only Wan Farid's name was proposed by the state Umno, which proved that there was no internal bickering within the party.

The Umno president also reminded the party campaign machinery to remain stay focused on the by-election and not to be distracted by the party elections scheduled for March.

Abdullah also said BN component parties remain committed in ensuring Wan Farid's victory on the Jan 17 polling day.

JENNIFER ANISTON POSES NUDE ON GQ MAGAZINE

2008-12-11T20:52:00.000-08:00

Aniston wears a tie and nothing else on the cover of GQ magazine’s January 2009 issue. — AP pic

NEW YORK, Dec 12 — Jennifer Aniston wears a tie — and nothing else — on the January cover of GQ magazine. The 39-year-old actress strips down and shows off her toned body next to the headline: "Is it just us or is Jennifer Aniston getting hotter?"

Joking about the relentless media coverage of herself, ex-husband Brad Pitt and Pitt's partner Angelina Jolie, Aniston tells the magazine: "The funny thing is that people don't realise we all go away to the Hamptons on the weekends."

Not exactly. Says Aniston: "But can you imagine? That'd be hysterical: I've got Zahara on my hip, and Knox ..."

As for Jolie's past remarks about falling for Pitt on the set of "Mr & Mrs Smith," Aniston says: "No daggers through the heart. I laugh. Am I surprised? ... Considering the source, nothing surprises me." — AP

Teen on probation for intimate with girl, 11

2008-12-11T18:06:00.000-08:00

ONLINE SAFETY TIPS FOR TEEN

We all know that the Internet is a cool place to hang with friends and check out new things. But don't forget about the Internet's risks and dangers. If you're going to use the Web, do it safely! Here are some suggestions on what you should and shouldn't be doing online to help protect you against the bad stuff. Click the link below to for details:-

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LANGRIMBA

Singapore teen on probation for sex with girl, 11

SINGAPORE, Dec 12 — An 11-year-old Singaporean girl went on the Internet, befriended a teenage boy and, soon afterwards, invited him home to have sex. Now 13, she is believed to be one of the youngest girls involved in a case of “underaged carnal connection”, or having sex with a child.

Nicholas Lim Jian Yong was 16 when, some time before April 10 last year, the girl started talking to him over the social networking website Friendster, a district court was told.

They started seeing each other, and she told him she was 12 years old and a Primary 6 pupil.

Then, some time between April 10 and June 30, she asked him to her home in Bukit Batok, and they had sex. It was consensual sex, the court was told.

About two weeks later, the girl broke up with Lim as she felt that they had begun to drift apart.

The Straits Times learnt that she went on to have another boyfriend, a 16-year-old Institute of Technical Education student.

Lim was arrested after the girl told the police that she had had sex with him before having sex with her new boyfriend.

The second boy is also being investigated for having sex with her. The Straits Times understands that the girl went missing this year. It is not known where she is now.

Last month, Lim pleaded guilty to having sex with a girl under 16. A second similar charge, of having sex at a staircase landing in a block of flats, was considered during his sentencing.

Lim, who is doing a hairdressing course, apologised for what he did and asked for a second chance. Community Court judge Roy Neighbour called for a pre-sentence report to find if Lim was eligible for probation.

The younger of two sons from a family who live in a three-room Housing Board flat, Lim said he wanted to be a hairstylist to help his parents.

Yesterday, the judge placed him on 12 months' probation. He will have to observe a curfew and also do 40 hours of community service.

Lim's parents, who were in court, signed a S$5,000 (RM12,000) bond to ensure his good behaviour.

Judge Neighbour warned the youth that he would be brought back to court to be dealt with for the offence should he breach any term or condition of the probation.

The penalty for having sex with a girl under 16 is up to five years' jail and a fine of up to S$10,000. Young, first-time offenders like Lim are usually given a second chance or fined.

Lawyer Vinit Chhabra said that in a situation where the youngsters are seeing each other as boyfriend and girlfriend, or where the age difference is not large, probation or a fine could be considered.

“If it is a big age difference and you know there is a predator taking advantage of a girl under 16, then it's a jail sentence,” he said.

While it would not be fair to jail the boy in this case as the girl apparently initiated the act, Chhabra wondered if an 11-year-old girl was even capable of fully grasping the far-reaching consequences of what she was doing.

Clinical psychologist Carol Balhetchet said she had come across girls as young as 10 experimenting with sex. She had seen one or two cases in each of the last two years. The director for youth services of the Singapore Children's Society, she felt that for children that young, sex cannot be consensual.

“I think there are a lot of mixed feelings about the situation and confusion and when they are like that, they want so much to please the other person, especially if the other person is someone older,” she said.

She said it was sad that by the time parents or other adults discover what is going on, the sex has already happened.

Referring to the case of Lim and the girl, she said: “When you take an adult view of the situation, both the perpetrator — who is quite young — and the victim are both victims.” — The Straits Times

PARENT GUIDE TO ONLINE SAFETY

We all know that the Internet can be a fun place and a useful resource for teens. But it is also full of risks and dangers. No one person can ensure teen online safety. However, parents play the biggest role in keeping teens safe online. Parents must be willing to elicit the support and advice of other parents, educators, online safety specialists, and teens themselves to be successful. It takes a village to raise a child. It takes the concerted efforts of all of us, working together, to make sure teens are safe online.Click the link below for details:

http://xr.com/sud

LANGRIMBA

DR. MAHATHIR: VISION 2020 NOT LIKELY TO HAPPEN

2008-12-11T17:29:00.000-08:00

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 11 - Will Malaysia achieve its target of becoming a developed country by 2020?

Unlikely, says the architect of that vision.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad blamed the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997, the current global economic turmoil and policies of the Abdullah administration for his stark assessment.

He made this observation during a question and answer session at a forum on the current market volatility in Putrajaya today.

Dr Mahathir noted that during the last crisis in 1997, the government had twin objectives: to ensure economic growth but at the same time protect social cohesion. That is why the government rejected the remedies suggested by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which would have included liberalizing the economy.

This strategy has not been followed by the present administration which was weak.

"For 50 years political stability was what attracted investors. Now a weak government has tried to regain popularity by pandering to the demands of extremists. The floodgates are open and all kinds of sensitive issues are being debated. The result is the resurgence of racism on the part of all ethnic groups, " he said.

In such a climate of instability, it will be difficult for the government to tackle the economic downturn.

"The fear of political repercussions will prevent the government from seeking decisive or unpopular measures, " said Dr Mahathir, who has slammed the Hindu Rights Action Force for making excessive demands and non-Malay politicians for revisiting the social contract issue.

The country has been in a state of flux since March 8 when the Pakatan Rakyat shocked Barisan Nasional by denying the ruling coalition their customary two-thirds majority in Parliament and taking control of five states. Dr Mahathir has blamed the weak leadership of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for BN's poor performance and campaigned for his resignation.

Dr Mahathir yesterday dismissed the government's RM7 billion stimulus package, saying that spreading a few billion ringgit would not be effective in heading off the economic slowdown.

PENAN MAN RECEIVE AWARD

2008-12-09T19:11:00.000-08:00

Award is testament to my father, says Penan man

KUALA LUMPUR: Nick Kelesau of Long Kerong, Sarawak, has every reason to be proud. He was selected by his Penan community to receive the Suaram Human Rights Award on their behalf.

He received the award yesterday from Suaram executive director Yap Swee Seng at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall here,

The award was significant to Nick as his father, Tuai Kampung Kelesau Naan, who died last year at the age of 70, was headman of the Penan community of Ulu Baram, Sarawak.

He rallied the villagers to prevent loggers from entering their forests and stopped bulldozers and chainsaws.

While checking on traps in October last year, the elder disappeared and could not be found despite an extensive search. His broken remains were found two months later.
"This award is testament to all that my father did to help our community retain our rights," said Nick.

He is continuing his father's legacy by holding discussions with logging companies on the community's land rights.

The award was started nine years ago to recognise efforts by local communities in promoting human rights.

For the fourth time, the award was shared by two bodies -- the Penans of Ulu Baram and the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

The winners received RM1,000 each, a trophy and a certificate.

MALAYSIA FREES TERRORISTS INCLUDING THE ONE INVOLVED IN SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS IN NEW YORK

2008-12-09T18:14:00.000-08:00

Malaysia frees JI terrorists

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 - The Government has released without publicity more than a dozen Muslim extremists linked to the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) terror organisation. They include Malaysian Yazid Sufaat, who is believed to have abetted the Sept 11 attacks in New York.

Yazid emerged as a key figure in JI's regional network because of his link to Zacarias Moussaoui, a French citizen of Moroccan descent who was convicted of conspiracy charges in the Sept 11 attacks in New York.

A senior Malaysian government official told The Straits Times that the Indonesian, Malaysian and Filipino detainees were freed over the past month after a government advisory board at the Kamunting Detention Centre in Perak decided that they were no longer security threats.

Also released was a Thai national, Kasem Dayama, who was arrested in October 2006 for espionage, the official said. Their release has not been publicised.

Coming on the heels of the executions last month of the three Bali bombers in Indonesia, Malaysia's move has raised eyebrows among the region's intelligence community and security experts.

Security analysts warned of reprisal attacks after Indonesia executed Amrozi, Mukhlas and Imam Samudra for their role in the 2002 bombings of two Bali nightclubs that left more than 200 people dead.

Many of the detainees just released in Malaysia knew the Bali bombers well and are known to several JI militants who are still at large, including Noordin Mohammad Top and the Singapore detainee who escaped, Mas Selamat Kastari.

Regional intelligence officials fear that the freed men might still be anti-Western and could easily return to their underground networks in places such as the predominantly Muslim regions of southern Thailand and southern Philippines.

"There is clearly a more relaxed approach to the way Kuala Lumpur is dealing with suspected terrorists," one senior Western intelligence official based in South-east Asia said, adding that his government's security agencies would be seeking more information from their Malaysian counterparts.

A senior Malaysian government official who declined to be named defended the detainees' release.

He insisted that Kuala Lumpur remained committed to the fight against religious extremism, and stressed that the men who were released had been rehabilitated after an intensive programme.

"Some of them, like Yazid, have been detained for more than six years and the (advisory) board was comfortable that these men have been rehabilitated," he said.

He added that Yazid, who was arrested in December 2001, had shown "huge improvement" in recent years under the rehabilitation programme.

Again, he declined to elaborate. The 43-year-old Yazid is by far the most prominent of the JI suspects released by Malaysia.

A trained biochemist and former army captain, he emerged as a key figure in JI's regional network because of his link to Zacarias Moussaoui, a French citizen of Moroccan descent who was convicted on conspiracy charges in the Sept 11, 2001 attacks in the United States.

Yazid hosted Moussaoui during his visit to Malaysia in September and October 2000. Eight months earlier, he allowed Khalid al-Midhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi to use his apartment. They were the two hijackers on board the American Airlines aircraft that crashed into the Pentagon.

Yazid was to have been detained until Jan 31, 2010, according to security officials.

Sources said his release was subject to conditions. A resident of Selangor, he cannot leave the state without the permission of the state police chief.

Similar conditions apply to Sabah resident Sulaiman Suramin, who was arrested in 2003 and is among those just released.

The foreign nationals released by the Malaysian government were mainly lowly functionaries of JI, which has ambitions of establishing a pan-Islamic state linking Indonesia, Malaysia and the Muslim southern islands of the Philippines.

Sources said the freed foreigners included eight Indonesians who were detained for two days at a West Java detention centre before being allowed to return to their families.

The Indonesians include:

Ahmad Zakaria, who was arrested off Sabah in 2004;

Arifin Iwan, who was caught in 2005 en route to the southern Philippines. He had been active in sectarian fighting in Ambon and Poso;

Terhamid Dahlan alias Adi Utomo Sukamto, who was arrested while trying to enter Sabah illegally in 2004;

Zakaria Saman, alias Ahmad Said Maulana, who was arrested in 2003 while returning from south-east Philippines. He fought in Ambon and received his military training in the southern Philippines.

Philippine nationals Shaykinar Guat and Argadi Andoyok were arrested in 2006 off Sabah.

It is not clear whether they have been released since they were handed over to the Philippine authorities.

Thai national Kasem Dayama was also arrested in 2006, but he had no links to JI. Malaysian security officials say he was arrested for spying on southern Thais seeking refuge in Kelantan.

Malaysian government sources said there are another 30 suspected JI operatives, a handful of them foreigners, still in detention at the Kamunting detention centre. - Straits Times Singapore

SARAWAK PLANTERS' WOES

2008-12-09T17:49:00.000-08:00

Sarawak planters hit rough patch

Drastic fall in CPO prices makes conditions tough

PETALING JAYA: Many Sarawak-based plantation companies are facing tough sales and operational conditions following the drastic drop in crude palm oil (CPO) prices.

These planters, being late entrants to the oil palm sector, currently have a combined mature area of about 20% or 103,678ha, unlike their counterparts in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah with about 86% and 59% mature areas respectively.

A plantation analyst said that planters in the peninsula and Sabah had enough hectarage of profitable harvesting area to be financially independent but Sarawak planters, given their shortage of mature areas, mostly could not cover their CPO sales and high cost of production.

The remaining 80% of young palm areas in Sarawak also need huge capital injections, resulting in some planters having huge bank borrowings.

With the current CPO price at RM1,500 a tonne, Sarawak planters are finding it difficult to service their loans. They are also saddled with rising fertiliser and chemical prices and CPO taxes imposed by the Federal and state Governments.

The analyst said: “For most Sarawak planters, the minimum CPO price to cover their cost of sales for the first six years of harvesting is about RM1,581 per tonne.”

He believes that many Sarawak planters would be in dire straits with the current CPO price hovering at between RM1,450 and RM1,500 per tonne.

“I estimate that it will take more than 25 years for late entrant planters, particularly in Sarawak, to recoup cumulative losses for a new plantation,” he added.

The cost of production among Sarawak planters is also the highest in the country at about RM1,800 to RM2,000 a tonne compared with about RM1,100 to RM1,200 per tonne for efficient planters in Peninsular Malaysia.

Ta Ann Holdings Bhd group managing director Datuk Wong Kuo Hea told StarBiz that the decline in the CPO price was affecting many small and medium-sized oil palm planters in Sarawak. Sibu-based Ta Ann, traditionally a timber group, has been investing heavily in oil palm plantations in Sarawak.

Wong said fertiliser prices had gone up three to four times while the CPO price was currently at the 2007 level.

He pointed out that Sarawak planters had appealed to the Federal and state Governments to look into their plight.

“We made an appeal two months ago, but until now, we have yet to receive any action or feedback,” he said, adding that Sarawak planters would continue to appeal.

In October, seven Sarawak-based oil palm plantation companies, which account for over 50% of the total planted oil palm acreage in Sarawak, appealed to the Federal and Sarawak governments to revise the structure of oil palm related taxes for planters.

The seven companies were Ta Ann, Sarawak Plantations Bhd, Rimbunan Sawit Bhd, Sarawak Oil Palm Bhd, WTK Holdings Bhd, Solid Timber Sdn Bhd and Woodman Sdn Bhd.

Other proposals include a waiver on outstanding amount of Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) cess, plantation workers’ levy for Sarawak, review of the RM40 per tonne discount on CPO price for east Malaysia, discount on MPOB oil cess and subsidy for fertilisers.

The group wants the state government to give working permits to “illegal” foreign workers in plantations and a reduction in the special sales tax on CPO and palm kernel.

Its spokesman Paul Wong said in October, when CPO was trading at RM1,700 per tonne, that many Sarawak planters were bleeding. “Just imagine now with CPO at RM1,500, the impact will be even worse.”

Wong, who is Sarawak Oil Palm Bhd chief executive officer, said recently that local oil palm planters on average had to fork out up to 46% of their total earnings to pay taxes in the form of MPOB cess, windfall tax to subsidise oil palm refiners as well as other corporate income and Sarawak sales tax.

BUKIT ANTARABANGSA TRAGEDY:THOUGH YOU'VE GONE FOREVER.....BUT MY LOVE FOR YOU STILL REMAIN FOREVER!

2008-12-09T16:59:00.000-08:00

In the ruins lie the tokens of a lifelong love

KUALA LUMPUR: He has been digging at the site of his wrecked home in Bukit Antarabangsa for two consecutive days, searching for hours for the wedding bands he and his late wife, Ng Yee Ping, wore.

Jason Ng said the wedding bands meant the world to him, especially now that his wife was no longer with him.

Yee Ping, an accountant and his childhood sweetheart, died in Saturday's landslide.

The couple had known each other since kindergarten and were together throughout their primary and secondary education at Chong Hwa primary and secondary schools in Setapak.

They tied the knot in 2005 at the age of 20. Yee Ping gave birth to a boy only two months ago.

Ng, who runs a printing firm in the city, has been digging furiously at the ruins of his house.

"Every night, we would take off our wedding bands and leave them at our bedside with our handphones.

"Yesterday, one of her colleagues told me that her phone was ringing despite it being buried under tonnes of earth," he said, adding that the news had spurred him to follow the ringing.

"I heard the ringing tone yesterday but could not pinpoint the location of the phone," he said. "I came back today but it wasn't ringing any more."

Ng is convinced that the wedding bands are near the handphones as they were left in the same place.

He and his family are said to have obtained special permission to carry out the search.

At 6.30pm yesterday, he cut a lone figure, walking away from the scene.

Yee Ping was one of four people killed in Saturday's landslide. Her body was recovered hours after the incident.

JABU: BLOGGERS HAVE DONE NOTHING FOR THE PEOPLE!

2008-12-08T17:44:00.000-08:00

DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES ARE JUST MERELY FOR MY READING PURPOSES, NOT MY INTENTION TO DISTRIBUTE OR GOSSIP ANYBODY WHOEVER NAMES MENTIONED IN THE ARTICLES....

LANGRIMBA

The Jabu condemnation: who will be next?

It is Alfred Jabu’s habit to condemn Dayaks who do not “kow-tow” to him. Since he became YB and minister in 1974, he had been criticising his own people and his choice of words is always similar: anti-establishment, anti-development, instigators, ungrateful, what have you done to help the community, you know how to criticise, etc.

When the defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) was in the opposition, its leaders - Leo Moggie, Daniel Tajem, Edmund Langgu, Jawi Masing, James Masing, and the late Joseph Samuel, – had also been condemned by Jabu. He had also criticised leaders of Sarawak National Party (SNAP) such as the late Stephen Kalong Ningkan, Dunstan Endawie, Edwin Dundang, Justine Jinggut, Stanley Jugol, etc.

All Dayaks’ non-governmental organisations (NGOs) – Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU), Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA), Sarawak Dayak Graduate Association (SDGA), Dayak Cultural Foundation (DCF) and Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) – have been at the receiving end of his ‘loquacious’ mouth (baka mulut indu).

A couple of days ago, he chided SDNU and SADIA for not praising him and SALCRA for helping the Dayak community. And today, 8 Dec 2008 (according to The Borneo Post), he accused bloggers of discrediting him and SALCRA, instigating the people to go against the government and hampering its efforts by abusing and misusing the internet.

He said: “They blog every day and night but have done nothing for the people. They only talk”.

It is true we have done nothing in term of physical development. But our job is to help change the mindset of the people and help them to know their rights especially their customary rights over land that had been created by their forefathers centuries ago.

As a minister Jabu is in a better position to help the people as he has the federal and state funds at his finger tips. But yet he has failed miserably as many of his projects (kononnya) to help the Dayaks have become white elephants. Perhaps only SALCRA appears to be doing much better than many of his projects. But then he is not the originator of the project.

No doubt some SALCRA participants have received some substantial amount of money from its dividends and bonuses, but the bulk of such money goes to some rich Dayaks and non-Dayaks, while some of the poor Dayak participants receive as little as RM2.70 as dividends. One non-Dayak in Saratok, for example, has received over RM500,000 in dividends last year because some scheme participants have sold their land and shares to the ‘Chinaman’. Did Jabu speak about him as a successful SALCRA participant?

On development, it is undeniable that Jabu has brought some development projects to Betong which is under his constituency. But that is Betong only. What about other Dayak areas? In fact some money meant for projects in other divisions have been diverted to Betong.

His political enemies have accused Jabu of only having interests in the development of politics and business for his family and cronies. For example, who is this Gerald Rentap who owns Utahol Sdn Bhd that has been given 6,900 hectares of land, Ulu Medamit, Limbang for the planting of oil palm? And who is this Robert Lawson Chuat who owns Durafarm which was given land totalling 1501.825 hectares at Tanjong Bijat and Skrang Land districts and 3665.1 hectares of land in Betong? And what about Henry Jantum’s Ever Herald Sdn Bhd that was given 2,127 hectares of land of Batang Layar/Batang Lupar land district and another 2,873 hectares of Sablor and Sebelak land districts in Betong?

The way I see it, the more Jabu criticises and condemns people from his community the more he will be isolated and the more people hate him. Now after criticising the Dayak bloggers, who will be his next targets? - The Broken Shield

source : www.thebrokenshield.com

Sarawak to electrify 85% of state by 2010

KUCHING: Some 85% of Sarawak’s rural areas are expected to have electricity supply by 2010, said Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management Datuk Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

He said that RM150mil had been allocated for rural electrification under an installation contract running from 2008 to October 2009.

“It is being implemented by six companies in the southern, central and northern regions of Sarawak and is expected to be completed in October next year,” he said, adding that it would see 68% of rural areas receiving electricity supply through the main grid by then.

For 2009 to 2010, he said the Federal Government had allocated an additional RM374mil for rural electrification.

“With this allocation, we will be able to widen the area of coverage to 85%,” he said after launching a rural electrification project at Kampung Mantung Marau in Serian near here early this week.

Awang Tengah also said that Sarawak’s terrain of mountains and rivers made it difficult to provide connections to remote spots.

As such, he said the state was looking into providing electricity through alternative means such as solar, wind and diesel in areas not be connected to the main grid.

SUICIDES IN MALAYSIA SHOCK BOTSWANA EDUCATION MINISTERY

2008-12-08T16:38:00.000-08:00

Botswana Minister of Education Jacob Nkate will travel to Malaysia this week to investigate suicide among Botswana students.

Four students have also died this year due to car accidents. Two fell from the balconies of their apartments after drinking alcohol. This has created an atmosphere of panic among Botswanans in Malaysia and here at home.

The students interviewed in the local media have cited the environment as being hostile hence they resorted to alcohol abuse, ending up in fatal accidents.

Speaking at a media briefing last Thursday, Nkate said the ministry is concerned about the number of deaths occurring in Malaysia. The minister said that a delegation, including counsellors, was dispatched to Malaysia last week to try and talk to the students.

"We will also move the education attache from Beijing in China to Malaysia to be near the students," he said.

The Education Minister said Malaysia is a liberal country where anyone is free to do anything that their heart desires as long as they are on the right side of the law. He said it is the first-year students who are most vulnerable to accidents because they are challenged by being thrust into a very big city in a very different culture.

"Being taken from a rural area like Tsau to a big city like that can shock a rural boy," he said.

There are currently 850 students in Limkokwing University in Malaysia doing courses in design, communications and IT.

DATUK SITI NURHALIZA TARUDIN STUNNED BY 4 AM CALL

2008-12-06T19:04:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR: It was about 4am when singer Datuk Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin was awakened from her sleep by a call from her cousin.

Her relative was living at house No.10, Jalan Bukit Antarabangsa where the landslide had occurred.

“He was crying and was really scared. His house wasn’t badly affected but his neighbours were,” she said when met outside her home in Bukit Antarabangsa yesterday.

Siti Nurhaliza’s husband Datuk Seri Khalid Mohd Jiwa went over and what he saw shocked him.

“House No.13 was pushed all the way to where house No.11 was, two lots away,” he said.

Siti Nurhaliza added that her cousin was not hurt and would be staying with her for the time being.

When asked if she would continue to stay in the area, she said her home was relatively safe because there was no slope behind it.

Marketing manager Nor Elmie Abd Hamid, 39, was still awake when a loud noise startled her at about 3am.

“When the electricity went out along with the loud noise, I knew something was wrong,” she said.

When she went out to check, Nor Elmie who lives in the Impian Selatan Condo located across the affected bungalows, saw that the landslide had practically reached her doorstep.

“I was really worried for my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter Zulaiqa Myra,” she said.

She added that she saw two survivors crawling out from under the rubble – an old lady and a little girl.

“My husband and I tried to console some of the survivors. After that we packed up. We are going to stay at my mother-in-law’s place in Kampung Baru for the next few days until things clear up,” she said.

Nor Elmie said at one point she thought it was the end of the world.

Student Joe Lim, 18, said he was awakened at about 3am by loud noises but went back to sleep.

“I woke up again after 7am and saw that my neighbours had tried calling me 20 times on my mobile phone,” he said.

Lim said he was shocked to see the road in front of his house, Jalan Wangsa 9, half gone.

The Sunway University College student then immediately packed up some clothes and other basic necessities. He said he’ll be staying in his rented room in Sunway for the time being.

Many families were seen carrying bags and luggage as they left the area, seeking sanctuary somewhere safer.

BUKIT ANTARABANGSA TRAGEDY: FOUR KILLED IN LANDSLIDE

2008-12-06T17:18:00.000-08:00

UPDATE 6

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 — Four people, including a mother who gave birth just two months ago, have been confirmed dead in a massive landslide early today that has trapped hundreds of residents in Bukit Antarabangsa.

Police also said seven others are missing and 15 injured in the 4am landslide that swept and buried 14 houses in Jalan Bukit Mewah and Jalan Mewah Utama.

In an immediate reaction after visting the disaster site, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the government will not issue any more permits for hillside developments.

Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said police will evacuate nearly 5,000 residents from the vicinity of the landslide which has also cut off access from the main road to housing estates in Bukit Antarabangsa.

Rescue officials said 93 residents have been saved from the tonnes of earth, mud and rubble in the landslide believed to be triggered by heavy rains in the Klang Valley in the past few weeks.

The injured and the remains of the dead have been rushed to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

Retired businessman Datuk Shaharuddin Adnan found his son's body in the rubble of his collapsed house by following the ringing of the boy's mobile phone. The 20-year-old Saiful Khas was still holding the mobile phone when his body was discovered.

The 63-year-old man's wife and relative who were in the house survived the disaster. Rescue workers could not save his son, he added.

Some 160 personnel from the police, army, Ampang Jaya Municipal Council and medical personnel are involved in the ongoing search and rescue operation.

The landslide happened near the Highland Towers tragedy just five days shy of 15 years ago that killed 48 people when Tower One collapsed.

Meanwhile, Bernama reports that the injured were given first aid at the Addinniah surau before being sent to hospital. At least 12 ambulances were spotted at the scene.

One of the affected bungalows is owned by Datuk Mohamed Thajudeen Abdul Wahab, the principal private secretary to the prime minister. Thajudeen and his family are safe as they were not at home at the time.

Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman Azmin Ali said at the scene that earth movements continued to take place and that electricity supply to several housing estates in Bukit Antarabangsa was disrupted.

Eyewitness Hassan Saad said he was watching television in his sitting room at 4am when he heard what sounded like strong wind but when he looked out, the air was still and the trees were not swaying.

He returned to watching the TV but suddenly he heard an explosion like that of a bomb. He ran out of the house and saw the earth sliding down the hillslope and hitting his neighbour's house in front.

The 48-year-old businessman said he shouted to wake up his family and alert his neighbours to run for their lives. His family of 10, including his mother-in-law and two cousins, managed to run to safety.

Hassan, who has been living there for 15 years, said it was the first time that such a thing had happened in the area.

"Last month, eight trees fell on the hillslope about 20m behind my house and I informed the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council about it.

"They came and chopped the trees. I thought that everything was okay then," he told reporters at the scene.

Another resident, Lian Wan Jian of Taman Bukit Mewah, said he heard two loud noises and thought that it was an earthquake.

He said he was still awake at that time but his wife and two children were jolted from their sleep by the noises.

When he opened the door to run out, he and his family saw the force of the earth movement lifting the cars and felt his house being pushed towards the neighbour's house. He and his family, however, managed to run to safety.

"Maybe we were able to save ourselves because our house is at the end (of the row)," he said at the centre for the victims at the Addinniah surau in Taman Bukit Mewah.

Earlier, a man who wanted to be known only as Chong, said his daughter and two-month-old grandchild were buried alive in the landslide while his son was still missing as at 9am.

He said he visited them last night and had gone home at 11pm but was told by a neighbour's son that his son's house had been buried in the landslide.

The place was in chaos and hundreds of residents were unable to get out of the area because the only road leading out was jam-packed with bulldozers, fire engines, ambulances and lorries, and the security forces involved in the search and rescue operation.

Residents trying to flee the area also contributed to the traffic congestion.

Meanwhile, the Drainage and Irrigation Department's Infobanjir website has thus far not listed Bukit Antarabangsa as facing a risk of landslides from either a single rainstorm event or successive days of moderate rain.

The highest rainfall charted by DID for Bukit Antarabangsa was 17mm and 22mm last Wednesday and Thursday respectively. There was relatively no rainfall recorded for Bukit Antarabangsa area since midnight on Friday.

A check with the Meteorological Department shows that rainfall in areas in Selangor remains normal despite the daily evening rainstorms.

SHAH RUKH KHAN RECEIVES HIS DATUKSHIP

2008-12-06T17:08:00.000-08:00

Shah Rukh Khan says he will be coming back to shoot a movie here. — AP pic

MELAKA, Dec 6 - Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, resplendent in a black baju Melayu, samping and songkok, today received the state award conferring the "Datuk" title on him from the Melaka Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob at Dewan Seri Negeri in Ayer Keroh here.

The 43-year-old actor held the estimated 1,000 guests at the investiture spellbound as he received the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM), conferred on him and 76 others in conjunction with the 70th birthday of Mohd Khalil on Oct 11.

Shah Rukh Khan was tied down by a busy work schedule and could not fly in from Mumbai to receive the award in October or on the later date, Nov 29.

Today, he arrived at the Dewan Seri Negeri at 10.55am and kept smiling and waving to his fans as he was escorted into the hall.

The actor was the focus of attention of the local and foreign photographers as well as guests who clicked away on their camera phones from their seats in the hall.

The baju Melayu he wore was sponsored by Sovereign Wear Sdn Bhd and the Melaka state official samping made of songket was sponsored by the Institut Seni Malaysia Melaka.

Mohd Khalil's wife, Toh Puan Zurina Kassim, and Melaka Chief Minister Datuk

Seri Mohd Ali Rustam and his wife, Datin Seri Asmah Abdul Rahman, were also present at the investiture.

At the end of the investiture, the guests especially state VIPs took the opportunity to have photographs taken with Shah Rukh Khan.

Shah Rukh Khan, who is the first foreign actor to be bestowed the DMSM, had received more than 40 awards in the entertainment and film industry at the international level, among them the Screen Award, Zee Cine Award, NDTV Award and International Indian Film Award.

He had acted in the Hindi film, One 2 Ka 4, which carried scenes shot in Malaysia, including at the A Famosa Resort in Alor Gajah, near here.

Meanwhile, at a joint news conference with Mohd Ali, Shah Rukh Khan repeatedly thanked Mohd Khalil and the Melaka state government for the award bestowed on him.

"Thank you to the Melaka government for this prestigious award. I was so honoured to receive this award that was given by a country that does not even understand my language," he said.

He said Melaka has many beautiful places and he will come back to shoot a movie here.

"Melaka has beautiful scenery and I will promote this country to the world for hosting a shooting here," he said.

Shah Rukh Khan said he was excited and flattered wearing a baju Melayu and samping when he received the award.

He sounded disappointed that he could not stay longer here this time and said he might bring his family on a holiday - BERNAMA

GET SUMMONED FOR "TRESPASSING" INTO OWN LAND?

2008-12-05T20:55:00.000-08:00

SOURCE: THE BROKEN SHIELD

We have power: why use the power of the spirits and court?

It is a bitter lesson for the people of two longhouses – Rumah Ranggong and Rumah Belili, Sungai Sah, Bintulu Division – to learn for supporting Barisan Nasional candidates in the last parliamentary and state elections. Why a bitter lesson?

It is bitter because, despite their strong support for the Barisan Nasional government, their land of 1,803 hectares are taken away and are given by the BN government under a provisional lease to BLD Resources Sdn Bhd for the planting of oil palm.

At 10.00 a.m. on Thursday morning (4 December) Changgai anak Dali, 84-year old, a third generation resident of the area, was summoned by BLD Resources to appear at the Kuching High Court for “trespassing” into his own land/garden that has been taken over by the company. He claimed he had customary rights over the land which he and his forefathers had farmed for almost a century. The company wanted the Court to stop him from entering the said land.

Changgai was accompanied by 75 others who represented each of the 76 doors of Rumah Ranggong. Their land was also involved. The case was adjourned to 13 January 2009 to allow the company to file an application to include the State government as a party. Harrison Ngau who represented Changgai said several more suits would be filed against the company for trespassing on their NCR land.

Before the start of the case, a miring (ritual) ceremony was held in front of the court. As they could not get help from their elected representatives (MP and State Assemblyman), Changgai and those accompanying him had to seek the assistance of the spirits to help them fight forces bent on taking away their land.

The people of Rumah Ranggong and Rumah Belili were not the only ones who had brought their cases to court, but also people in other parts of Sarawak – from Lawas to Limbang, Bintulu, Miri, Sibu, Sarikei, Kanowit, Simanggang, Simunjan, Serian and Lundu - had also resorted to court to claim back their land.

Whose fault is it? It is your fault, my fault and the fault of the community. We Dayaks can never learn a lesson as election after election we continue to vote BN candidates who have no guts to speak on our behalf.

There is power that is greater than the power of the spirits and power of the court. It is YOUR POWER, the power that can CHANGE the government.

I'm Not Scared Of These Stupid Ibans & Their Stupid Rituals

BY AL TUGAUW

When asked by Cyber Jungle Network News (CJNN) about these claims, Chief Minister Taib Mahmud aka Mahalanun shouted, "I am the Government! These Ibans are trespassers on my land. They can sue me if they want. I don't care. There has been no new NCR in the state since 1958. Let them die without the land! I am the Government! I am the Government!"

He then started overturning tables, throwing chairs and kicking flowerpots and anyone within range, including Afraid Jabu and Awang Tanah. Jam Masin narrowly escaped a flying teapot, while Will Morewant panicked and fell head over heels by himself. Abang Jauh Pak Awi was the first to run off and was nowhere to be seen. Awang Asfiaxated was uncharacteristically shocked speechless and was found hiding behind his wife.

Taib had to be forcefully ejected from the press conference for running out of control. Since Sarawak Police Chief Mat Slave and his boys also ran off, the job was left to a lowly off-duty Sarawak Ranger, Private Kiri Anak Kanan, who managed to subdue Taib with a kick to the groin.

PAKATAN RAKYAT: LET'S GET TOGETHER TO FACE RECESSION

2008-12-05T16:19:00.000-08:00

5 Pakatan states join forces to weather economic storm

GEORGE TOWN, Dec 5 — While the Pakatan Rakyat states welcome the Deputy Prime Minister’s call to work together to pull Malaysia through the recession, they are also working among themselves to face the effects of the big crunch which is expected to hit the country next year.

Today, Kelantan invited its more developed PR partners to open tourism facility branches in the rural state.

‘If the five PR states can come up with solutions, we can be more competitive than the BN states,’ Kelantan executive council member Datuk Husam Musa said.

At the same international conference launching Penang’s investment plans, the Selangor Menteri Besar announced that all the PR heads of state will meet next month to further develop their ongoing cooperation with each other.

‘This is the time for action, not for policy researching,’ Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said.

He explained that the idea for inter-state cooperation among the PR partners had begun shortly after their victory in the March general election.

Perak has been in talks with Penang and Selangor over supplying water to the state and with Kelantan over laying gas pipelines.

Khalid called on the federal government to include the PR-ruled states in its action plan as the five states, particular Selangor, Penang and Perak, together contributed close to 50 per cent of the economic pie of Malaysia.

However, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said they had hesitated from working solely among themselves earlier because they did not want to be “isolated” from the rest of the country.

But the situation was growing more serious by the day with the high possibility of a 500,000 returning Malaysian workers after losing their jobs in neighbouring Singapore next year and this needed to be tackled as fast as possible.

‘The recession is coming. It’s time to wake up. We must get people prepared and we must encourage more spending by the government,’ Lim stressed.

TAIB:NOT THE RIGHT TIME, NO EARLY POLLS IN SARAWAK

2008-12-04T22:34:00.000-08:00

No early polls in Sarawak a damper to PKR’s plans?

KUCHING, Dec 5 — Will Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib’s quashing of speculation that Sarawak was likely to hold an early state election next year dampen Parti Keadilan Rakyat's ambitious plan to wrest control of this resource-rich state?

Contrary to talk fanned by the opposition in recent weeks that the state legislative assembly was expected to be dissolved by the second quarter of next year, the Sarawak Barisan Nasional chairman said the economic uncertainty was not the right time to call for the polls, due in 2011.

"If someone else started to have his own formula, then probably he doesn't know about economics," he had told reporters on Wednesday.

With its massive machinery, Sarawak BN is surely ever ready to face any challenge, especially in countering any perceived threat from the PKR, given its track record as a traditional BN stronghold, having won 30 out of the 31 parliamentary seats in the March 8 general election.

"That an early polls is now out of the question implies that the BN will not be caught unprepared," a local political observer told Bernama.

However, there was a possibility that the current gloomy economic situation might get worse in the next one or two years and the rural people, in particular, would be definitely at the receiving end of such woes, he said.

He reasoned that a longer period in the run-up to the next state elections would help the PKR gain a firm foothold by riding on the growing sentiments, especially among the Dayaks, that the rural-based community was being increasingly marginalised by the government.

"Now, many Dayaks are suffering and quarrelling with the government, especially over native customary right (NCR) land matters, with several cases being brought to court," he said, adding that it seemed that the people (on the ground) wanted a change, including policies concerning land issues.

In the wake of recent statements from several PKR leaders, including its advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, that PKR was confident of wresting Sarawak in the coming state polls, he said it would hardly be a bombshell as it was already making inroads into Dayak-majority constituencies.

And if the large turnout of young Dayak intellectuals at the party's annual national congress in Shah Alam on Nov 29, as well as a slight drop in percentage of BN support from the Malays were any indication, he said the response to PKR's presence in Sarawak was quite substantial.

Certainly, the ruling BN would also have to look at the implication in terms of the popular grassroots support enjoyed by the newly-joined PKR state assemblyman of Ngemah, Gabriel Adit, who had handed over 11,753 application forms on Nov 15 in Sibu.

With Adit's admittance into the Pakatan Rakyat's fold, PKR now has two state assemblymen, including Padungan state assemblyman Dominique Ng, in the 71-seat Sarawak state legislative assembly.

But as to whether PKR's status quo and its apparent acceptance among the people could be used as a yardstick to set Sarawak as a battleground in the next election remains to be seen, especially as Anwar's credibility as a national leader is still being questioned.

"Anwar's credibility is not that high when he said Sept 16 was his target date which he promised would be the date to form a new government," Taib was quoted as saying on Sunday.

In the May 2006 state election, the four-member BN state coalition of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) as its backbone won 35 seats, Sarawak United People's Party (11), Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party and Parti Rakyat Sarawak, both eight.

The opposition DAP won six seats, Sarawak National Party (one), PKR (one) while Adit was the sole independent candidate, who captured a seat.

DATUK SERI DANIEL TAJEM PRESENCE AT PKR CONGRESS......WHAT DOES HE SAY?

2008-12-02T19:54:00.000-08:00

BY THE BROKEN SHIELD

PKR Congress: Tajem’s presence causes a stir

Dato Sri Daniel Tajem’s presence at Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)’s 5th National Congress at the Malawati Stadium, Shah Alam last Saturday not only caught 200 Sarawakian delegates and observers by surprise, but is also expected to generate some reactions from his political foes or friends.

Upon hearing of his arrival which was announced, many of them rushed to greet him; they did not expect him to be present, so they were extremely happy to see him around. Tajem’s invitation was made through The Broken Shield. Only a handful of people knew that he had accepted Anwar Ibrahim’s invitation.

As a special guest, Tajem was ushered to the VIP frontline seat where he sat together with Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president, Yong Teck Lee and Zaid Ibrahim, former UMNO minister in the Prime Minister department, Dr. Goh Cheng Teik, former Gerakan minister, Dr. Aness Munawar, (from USA) and members of Diplomatic Corps.

Tajem used to tell his supporters to be cautious either joining UMNO or PKR. He neither encouraged, nor discouraged them but advised them to wait and see. “We do not know what plans Anwar has for the Dayaks,” he said.

Likened by Anwar Ibrahim as the “star” or described by Yong Teck Lee as the “icon of Dayak politics”, Tajem is still the man to watch in Sarawak’s politics as people still listen to him. Thus his presence at the congress is sure to give all sorts of indications and interpretations to young Dayak professionals and thousands of ex-PBDS members; it can mean giving them the “green” light to join PKR at a time when Dayaks have failed to register a party of their own like Malaysian Dayak Congress.

In view of this failure PKR is therefore considered to be the most “suitable” party for them through which they can articulate their aspirations and address their frustrations and at the same time play national politics. It will not be surprising to see Dayaks joining PKR in droves in the immediate future.

But for Tajem, adviser to protem Malaysian Dayak Congress, accepting the invitation was one way how he could assess or evaluate the seriousness and commitment of PKR’s pledge in trying to dislodge Abdul Taib Mahmud from his 27-year old rule of Sarawak.

Personally, he said, he did not harbour any ambition as age had caught up with him. “But what I want is to see change in Sarawak. I don’t care who is going to be the Chief Minister after Taib, be he Malay, Chinese or Iban, as long as the policy on Native Customary Rights (NCR) land is changed,” he said to The Broken Shield, and added: “The land that has been seized must be returned to the land owners. This is our priority.”

LETTERS: NATIVES LAND GRABBED SYSTEMATICALLY BY LAND PIRATES OF SARAWAK

2008-12-02T19:28:00.000-08:00

Land Pirates Of Sarawak robs NCR lands
Posted by Chief pirate is none other than our CM Taib Mahmud on December 02, 2008 at 03:16:44:

Natives Land Grabbed Systematically By Land Pirates Of Sarawak

Letters
By Pribumi Sarawak

YB Lim Kit Siang,

In Sarawak NCR lands are ignored and not respected, in the name of politics of development, which will make the rich richer and the poor natives poorer. The big developments are owned by shareholders who are already rich and Taib Mahmud’s cronies with the revenues / profits are shared among these few shareholders.

Their politics of development is to enrich themselves, self interest and great greed. Now they have deforested the Rajang forests – no more timber to harvest, so they go for native lands whether Temuda, Pemakai menoa, Pulau etc, they simply don’t care.

Taib is nearing his term now and in process to create a dynasty in Sarawak. His son will take over PBB, become chairman & thereafter CM of Sarawak. For the transition period, he may place his YB brother to take over. The manipulations, self-interest & greed will continue. The village people in Sarawak, most of them having no formal education will still vote for Taib coz support from rural areas with cash in election time will be on-going. Taib is great manipulator & having vast cronies here.

They have felled all the timber in Sarawak. Now they go for natives land. For land, they make use of Sarawak Land & Survey Department (SLSD) to get land as they wish. They just walk in SLSD office and choose which land area they want. Form a company for the purpose. Then the company will apply for land. The application will be processed/approved. They will comply with all procedures kononnya, ill-intention all things have been pre-arranged & prefixed.

Then SLSD will survey the land area, give notice through newspaper with description of land the village people will certainly not recognise or aware of. The procedure is legalized & provisional land title is issued by SLSD to the company. They legalised the taking of natives land which is outright robbery. They are robbers & pirates!!

They won’t inform the affected villagers for they don’t want them to know. Unlike the good intention of getting peoples land for genuine purpose of building bridges, roads, infrastructures etc, the villagers were informed and notices sent to kampungs & long houses for them to stake claims, but for purpose of land acquisition for companies things were done in secrecy. It was the other way round.

They confuse people by saying govt never grab peoples land. True but only those genuine purposes for public amenities but not for purpose of land to be given to their companies. That’s the difference here. They confuse the people here with this saying by YB Awang Tengah that govt never take peoples land!!. What a liar. The villagers will never be informed of their evil intention and the company will be sending bulldozers & tractors to the newly acquired land. When they see buldozers, tractors etc only then the natives will know.

Villages will lodge complaints to SLDS, District Office, Police, YBs - the answer is the land acquisition is already legal, nothing much can be done!!! The advice given was “you all (villagers) need to negotiate with the company, minta kasihan mereka!!!! Imagine your own property - your land grabbed by the eagles then minta kasihan. What right do they have?.

That’s the damned reply. That’s Taib’s administration here. He has hijacked the government institution. Since no one to turn to, so natives will try to stop the bulldozing of their rubber gardens, farms, empty land which is their “temuda” & “pemakai menoa” themselves. They have no money to fight this legally. Even then they can hardly win coz here all land belongs to state government.

The onus of proof is on the natives. In actual fact it should be those people who is taking natives land to prove the land is indeed not NCR. Our ancestors all have died, their has been no documentation in 1900s just NCR status accord by the land code.

Here natives are not allowed to survey their NCR land but the government can. Even if natives want to survey their NCR land first they need to prove land is planted 90%+ with crops, ok fair enough , then provided the area is not marked for development. Even then SLSD will not give land title to natives.

You know the SLSD, state gov has been hijacked by the pirates, Taib is the one-eyed pirate leader here. He is worst than the Somalia pirates.The rich and influential shareholders will have a very big piece of land for 60 years or more…which is not theirs in the first place.The few rich shareholders will have millions in revenues/profits.

So YB, this is happening everywhere in Sarawak now, natives are being evicted from their land now. Let me give you one of the real scenarios going on now at Serian under Muara Tuang DUN constituency (Taib’s brother) which is under Kota Samarahan Parliament constituency (Taib’s son). They plundered natives land there now under their proxies.

One of the NCR areas given to Usaha Jasamaju Sendirian Berhad, company number 660630-K. locality of land: between batang samarahan and Ensengei road, Serian. Area:354.00000 Ha, more or less convert to Mixed Zone land from 6/12/2006-5/12/2066. Lot number 00890, map sheet number: N5-13-1(5.1) TRN: 08-LCPLS-016-000-00890, Prov. Lease of state land - C. Remarks: Alienation of Land vide L.&S.80 No.69/2006, Svy. Job No.125/2006, DLS’s approval ref: 15/HQ/AL?103/2005(8D) dated 19.10.2006 & SLS’s ref: 15/SD.Doss.NO.AL/34/2006 issued at request of Ting Tiu Gung.

The village people who have been staying there since generations even before the Sarawak Government existed were never informed nor consulted - what more to be invited to have some shares and together participate develop the land there.

When the SLSD survey the areas for 1 month more or less, it was done in total secrecy. When village people ask them, no one would talk or answer. If there is answer they would lie to them. Now they are bulldozing peoples’ land, rubber trees with no regard to natives rights who actually own the land. They bersikap kurang ajar!!

Please YB, help address the issues of land belonging to natives in Sarawak urgently, a lot of lands now being plundered and taken from them right under their noses for Taib’s richness, cronies’ self-gains, greed at the expense of natives. This is only one case, there are many more. More tears of natives befell the land now.

The state government institution has been totally hijacked by Taib & his cronies here. He totally make use of this opportunity. The good example is the land described above. Now they are bulldozing the land, rubber trees, temuda, pemakai menoa, pulau without regard to peoples feelings as fellow human beings - the villagers are helpless now.

Bring this native land issue up to the attention of the whole country - so that the nation knows what Taib is doing here!!! he has hijacked the State Government for greed.

Do something now YB. Don’t be too busy with Semenanjung politics only.

Thank you, YB. God bless you.

WANT CHANGES - ARE BN HEADING FOR A SPLIT?

2008-12-01T18:28:00.000-08:00

Begging to differ - BN heading for a split

The term ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ would give rise to a tuan and hamba (master and slave) situation so let us use the proper term as provided for in the Federal Constitution.

The Malaysian Insider

Sometime in June, when cries for him to resign had dropped by a decibel or two and when he harboured hopes of staying on till 2010, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi started making plans for a national convention of the Barisan Nasional.

He commissioned a comprehensive survey of more than 3,500 Malaysians to understand what they truly felt about the ruling coalition. The findings confirmed his worst fears: a growing number of Malaysians did not believe that only the BN had the tools or ideas to govern the country.

Abdullah wanted to use the survey as a base for a thorough discussion of the coalition and its future road map. He got sidetracked by unfolding events and the BN convention got pushed back and back.

In October, Abdullah announced that he would not contest the party elections but would stay on until March 2009 to finish a slew of initiatives. Bundled in that package was the BN convention.

Checks by The Malaysian Insider showed that no date has been fixed for the meeting of the 13 component parties of the coalition but government officials say it will probably be in mid-February.

A government official said: “PM still believes that it is crucial for BN leaders to meet and thrash out all their concerns and differences and reach a new level of understanding. Otherwise, it will be tough for Barisan to move forward or look beyond what happened during the elections.’’

That fact has been underscored repeatedly since March 8. Defeat and rejection by a swathe of voters has forced MCA, MIC, Gerakan and PPP to rethink their own political strategies including their relationship with the senior partner of BN, Umno.

In recent days, statements by Datuk Chua Soi Lek, Datuk M. Kayveas and Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon have reminded Malaysians that more than eight months may have passed since BN were shocked at the polls, but the clamour for change remains strong among BN component parties.

Chua urged for an end of the ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ concept, which he said created the impression of a master and servant relationship between Umno and BN parties. He was slammed for going down that path by a clutch of Umno leaders including Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

But several days later, Gerakan chief Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon supported Chua, urging Umno to use the term “special position” of the Malays instead of ‘Ketuanan Melayu’.

“The term ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ would give rise to a tuan and hamba (master and slave) situation so let us use the proper term as provided for in the Federal Constitution. Article 153 safeguards the special position of the Malays and natives, the Rulers and Islam as well as protects the legitimate interests of non-Malays.

“We must understand the Federal Constitution, parliamentary democracy system and constitutional monarchy in totality, ‘’ he said.

Sandwiched in between those two comments was a stark warning from the People’s Progressive Party. Kayveas said that his party will pull out of BN if there are no substantial changes to the Internal Security Act. He also gave a broad hint that he expects the BN to change the way it has been operating if it was serious about rebranding itself.

“The Barisan has to make changes before the next general election. It is suicidal if we do not plan for the next elections. The problem with the Barisan was its success in the past 50 years. Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose,” he said.

“The March elections have already shown what the voters are looking for in good governance and multi-racialism. The Barisan has conducted numerous postmortems at all levels to gather input on what went wrong and why the voters rejected Barisan.

“The solution has always been multi-racialism, but to date Barisan is still caught in its own political racial configuration – that what is being spoken is not being implemented fast enough, ‘’ he said.

It is not difficult to understand why Messrs Chua, Koh and Kayveas are still pushing for a change. Their constituents - Chinese and Indians - deserted the BN in droves on March 8.

The BN survey suggests that, unless there are substantial changes to the manner Umno is preceived by non-Malays and there is evidence that the ruling coalition is capable of meeting the expectations of younger voters, the bank of non-Malay votes could remain with Pakatan Rakyat for the foreseeable future. This scenario could spell the end for MIC, Gerakan, MCA and PPP.

But sceptics do not believe that holding a convention for BN parties will make much difference. They note that for any real change to happen, it must be driven by Umno.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that Umno politicians are less willing to listen to their colleagues in BN today than they were in April or May. The sentiment in the ruling party is this: the time for talking and taking shots at Umno and shortcomings of the BN are over.

Commenting on Chua’s call to drop the ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ concept, Hishammuddin said: “It is better for leaders of BN component parties to join the Opposition if they want to continue questioning historical facts.’’

He is not alone. Other Umno leaders also believe that their friends in BN have become too vocal and need to pipe down and accept the reality of politics in Malaysia. If this “I know best’ approach permeates through discussions at the BN convention in February, it could persuade a few BN leaders that their future may lie outside the coalition.

Worse yet, it could be the clearest sign yet for many Malaysians that the BN - the political behemoth - is on its last legs.

PKR RECOGNISE THE RIGHT OF 'ORANG ASAL' SARAWAK

2008-12-01T06:50:00.000-08:00

PKR recognise native land rights

SHAH ALAM, 30 Nov 2008: Sarawak delegates at Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)’s 5th national congress want native land rights to be recognised if the party takes over the state government.

Land titles should be given to Sarawak’s Orang Asal, as provided for under Native Customary Rights (NCR), said Nicholas Bawin Anggat who is PKR’s Sarawak liaison committee deputy chairperson.

“There is NCR in Sarawak, but land title is not given to us. Our right is not recognised by our government,” he said to strong applause from party delegates attending the three-day congress which ends today.

“I hope we will take this seriously,” said Nicholas, adding that there were currently about 200 land cases in court.

“We are like foreigners in our land. Gangsters often disturb and threaten the Orang Asal. We have no rights at all,” he said when debating the economic resolution.

He noted that during the British and Japanese occupation, native land rights were fully recognised by the colonial governments.

He urged PKR, if it forms the next Sarawak government, to give land titles to the Orang Asal so that they could obtain bank loans to develop their land.

Another Sarawak delegate, Baru Bian, echoed Nicholas’ hopes when debating the education resolution.

Baru said lands have been given to quarries, palm oil plantation and logging companies instead.

“When land disputes arise, the Orang Asal are often asked to show documentation of their land titles (which they don’t have).

“But land is a customary right. When we ask the state government to measure the land and give us land titles, they say they don’t have the budget,” said Baru.

A lawyer for many Orang Asal land cases, Baru also asked for land disputes in court to be settled expeditiously.

Water

The other Orang Asal predicament that received major attention at PKR’s congress was water.

Nicholas said the Orang Asal suffered water disconnection for failing to pay their water bills.

“While Selangor enjoys free water, the Orang Asal owes (the Bintulu Public Works Department) RM2 million in water bills,” he said.

He noted that the Orang Asal owed the department since 1998 when they were forced to move to the Sungai Asap Resettlement Scheme because of the Bakun Hydroelectric Dam Project.

Nicholas added that when he attempted to register a new political party named Malaysian Dayak Congress in 2005, he was told that it first needed the approval of Barisan Nasional Sarawak leaders.

He said the right of the Orang Asal to form an association was a basic right that should not be denied.

ADIT: HELP US TO GET RID OF TAIB......

2008-11-30T16:48:00.000-08:00

Help us to get rid of Taib, says Adit

The newly appointed leader of Parti Keadilan Rakyat, Gabriel Adit, has called on leaders of Pakatan Rakyat (People’s Alliance) to help Sarawakians wrest control of the State government of Sarawak headed by Abdul Taib Mahmud.

In an emotional plea, Adit, who addressed delegates and observers at the PKR annual congress on Saturday in Selangor, said: “Please help us to fight Taib Mahmud. He has been Chief Minister for more than 27 years. Enough is enough. However, it is not easy to fight him.

“That is why I call upon leaders, Members of Parliament and State Assemblymen of PKR, DAP and PAS to come to Sarawak and help us,” he said.

Turning to Sarawak delegates numbering about 200, Adit said that when they returned to Sarawak they must bring with them lots of membership application forms.

"In our membership drive we must go to every nook and cranny of Sarawak. We can even go to "lubang cacing" to look for members. Before the State electioncomes we aim to get one million members from Sarawak ," he said to the applause of about 5,000 delegates and observers.

He also called on Sarawakians to join PKR as it was a multi-racial party and it offered the “best” option open to them to replace the State government.

In responding to Adit’s remarks, Anwar Ibrahim, PKR’s de facto leader, said that every effort must be made to make Sarawak as the sixth State to be controlled by the People’s Alliance.

“We will begin next month. And we will have the next annual congress of PKR in Kuching,” he said.

Among the invited guests were former president of the defunct PBDS, Dato Sri Daniel Tajem, SAPP president Yong Teck Lee, and Zaid Ibrahim, former minister in the Prime Minister Department.

ANWAR: PKR WILL MOBILISE ITS BIG GUNS TO SARAWAK

2008-11-30T00:25:00.000-08:00

November 30, 2008

Anwar Ibrahim rallies his troops: “Together we will win the hearts and minds of the entire nation”.

Anwar Ibrahim Keynote Address at PKR 2008 Congress, 29 November 2008, Stadium Melawati, Shah Alam

I stand before you, humbled by your courage, overwhelmed by your loyalty, and inspired by your extraordinary feats. From a dark cell I felt your pain. I cried when your freedom was taken from you.

And today I share your pride and joy; that we are gathered here to celebrate the historic event our fellow Malaysians brought forth on March 8 - a Brave New Dawn.

I welcome the new faces among us. When we formed this party we knew a day would come when we would open our doors to a flood of Malaysians joining us on this noble mission. Your presence marks the beginning of a new phase for our party and for our nation.

I marvel at the support we have earned from our nation’s youth and women. You have given us hope that Malaysia’s future will fall into the hands of a generation that cherishes democracy and will continue the fight for freedom and justice.

With this Congress we embark on a major exercise to refocus and reorganize the party to reach new levels of discipline and new heights of effectiveness. We will take steps to ensure that our call for justice is heard loud and clear from the northern reaches of Perlis to the southern tip of Johor and all the way to the shores of Sabah and Sarawak.

Yet it was not too long ago that many believed this party had no future. They poured scorn on our aspirations and laughed at our dreams. Some even said we would just disappear!

They said multi-racial politics were impossible and our vision for a unified nation had all but expired. There are some whose conviction wavered and who believed that the ship upon which we were sailing may not reach its destined shore. To those who harbor doubt I say: trust in the wisdom of the people and trust not the pundits and cynics bent on supporting a corrupt and decadent establishment.

The desire for change is unstoppable. The people can no longer tolerate the abuses of the current government that affront us each day. The prevailing order prevails no more.

Never in the country’s history have Malaysians in such great numbers exercised their right to vote out of office such an entrenched institution. Never before have the people set aside their racial and religious identities and called in a single voice for a Brave New Dawn.

Our successes in 2008 are immense and we should be immensely proud. After two successful elections we have a proven that the Pakatan Rakyat coalition is strong and unified, working together hand-in-hand for change.

We have also witnessed a government under siege and a ruling party in disarray. We have seen them strangle and suffocate the democratic process and we have seen them ignore the crisis of an economy in turmoil.

Yes there have been setbacks. We skirted with destiny on September 16 and despite our best efforts our march to victory has been delayed. I empathise with you and with the people of Malaysia. We are all forced to further endure the slings and arrows of an incompetent government that has lost touch with the people. Although our promise has not yet been fulfilled, the Pakatan Rakyat leaders and I remain committed to the agenda for change and our tenacity has never been stronger.

I call upon you to aspire — as only we united in our quest can — to A Brave New Dawn: Where every child has the right to quality education and every family feels safe at home and in their streets. Where we can believe what we read in the newspapers and what we watch on the television. Where the country’s leaders will be honest, where justice prevails and where judges cannot be bribed.

I ask of you first as Malaysians and second as members of KeADILan, let us prepare ourselves with a renewed resolve and the courage of conviction that with our efforts a thousand flowers of freedom will yet bloom in Malaysia.

To my fellow citizens in the Pakatan States, you have humbled me with your support and I thank you. I say to you – let us work together to bring forth a new order and a better quality of life; a new measure of confidence in the accountability of government. I ask you to bear with us; the challenges we face cannot be overcome in a single month and some may take more than a year to redress. Much has been accomplished already, and soon our State Governments will report regularly their accomplishments and their plans for the continued development of our states.

To those living outside the Pakatan States the task before you is formidable. You believe in KeADILan and you believe that with Pakatan Rakyat the future of the country can be great. Yet you live in the stronghold of Barisan Nasional. We need your unwavering commitment and we need you to work harder than ever before so that Pakatan Rakyat’s banner can be raised throughout Malaysia.

We in Pakatan Rakyat will continue to protect the rights of every Malaysian including the Malays and Bumiputeras, and strive to bring forth greater quality of life for all. We will reach out to our friends in Sabah and Sarawak - Ibans, Kadazans, Dayaks. Your cry for help has been ignored. We in Pakatan Rakyat say we hear you and we will support you.

Members of Keadilan: Your work has brought our people together. Look around you. Our ancestors might not come from the same place. But we are citizens of this nation and we each want this country to move in the same direction to make it a better home for our children and grandchildren who - we hope - will be living together peacefully. And for them we wish a nation that is prosperous where they can obtain a good education and find a decent job to support their families.

These are Malaysian problems. They are not just Malay, Chinese, Indian, Iban, Dayak or Kadazan problems. They are ones that affect Sabah and Sarawak the same way that they matter to people living in Selangor, Penang, Kelantan or Johor. They are problems that we all face, day after day. And will continue to face them unless we work harder for change.

Today our nation is confronted with monumental challenges. The economy is in virtual crisis. Violent crime in our cities and villages has never been more pervasive. More Malaysians are jobless, or will lose their jobs in the coming year than ever before in our history. Our education system is crumbling just like the buildings in which our children attend school. Billions are wasted every year in blatant corruption while the poor and marginalized are left hoping for some reprieve.

We have called this gathering to celebrate our success but I am now calling you to arms. Let us renew our commitment. Let us resolve to build on what has been accomplished this year and make Malaysia great once again.

Let us fulfill our promise to our friends in Pakatan Rakyat, DAP and PAS, to build a strong partnership. We have shared aspirations for the country and we are stronger as a coalition than the sum of our parts. Together we will win the hearts and minds of the entire nation.

Thank you.

Anwar stays mum over September 16, 2008

source:www.malaysiakini.com

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim did not offer any new explanation over his failure to topple the Barisan Nasional-led federal government at the annual PKR congress today.

MCPX

Anwar, who is also PKR de facto leader, did not explain why the takeover did not happen during his much-awaited speech - which lasted for about 20 minutes - at the congress this morning.

He merely touched on the subject in passing at the outset of his speech, admitting that the change the opposition promised the rakyat would take place on September 16 is yet to happen.

“Our wish to change the government is not about personal political ambition or greed. We want a just system, an independent judiciary and a professional police force.

“Despite all the sabotage and plotting (towards the Sept 16 plan), our desire to bring about a new dawn for Malaysia will never be quashed,” he told a 4,000-strong crowd at the Malawati stadium in Shah Alam, Selangor.

He later moved on to other topics, including the economy and the Sarawak state elections.

He evaded the press conference too

In a copy of his speech distributed to reporters, Anwar conceded there were setbacks to his plan but said the party’s “march to victory” had merely been delayed.

He did not explain the reasons in the written speech, which he did not read out at the congress.

The 61-year-old ex-deputy premier also evaded a press conference held during a break later. The media session was instead attended by his wife, party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and a few other party leaders.

Many were expecting Anwar to issue a proper explanation at the congress over his failure to meet his self-imposed deadline of toppling the BN-led federal government.

Prior to September 16, Anwar had consistently said he had enough BN lawmakers to defect to the opposition alliance, Pakatan Rakyat, and obtain a simple majority to form government.

Following his failure to topple the government, the PKR leader merely attributed the reasons to purported harassment from the authorities on those who intended to defect to Pakatan but did not reveal any names or details on the ‘defectors’.

Party deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali at the opening of the party’s Youth and Women’s wings meet yesterday said Anwar and Wan Azizah would explain on the September 16 plan today.

However, Wan Azizah also did not offer any explanations in her policy speech this morning.

Despite the lack of an explanation this morning, party officials and Wan Azizah said Anwar will elaborate on the matter at a ceramah (political talk) at the stadium tonight.

Vice-president Azmin Ali said the explanation will be made at the ceramah instead of the official congress because “the ceramah is also part of the congress”.

New target - Sarawak state election

Meanwhile, in his speech, Anwar said the party will mobilise its big guns to Sarawak to start preparing for the Sarawak state election.

He said a rally is being planned next month in the state to kick off the party’s campaign.

Party officials said they expect the state election to be called by June next year, although it is officially not due until 2011.

“Hopefully there will be change in Sarawak and hopefully, there will be a bigger change in the country,” he said, before ending his speech.

Anwar’s speech was preceded by speeches from several multi-racial leaders including former MCA Wanita leader Tan Yee Kew and Sarawak’s Ngemah state assemblyperson Gabriel Adit. Adit, who was an independent state assemblyperson, joined PKR early this month.

PKR: WE MUST NOT DISSAPOINT THE RAKYAT.....

2008-11-29T23:50:00.000-08:00

November 30, 2008

Multiracialism is the Way Forward, says PKR Deputy President Dr. Syed Husin Ali

SHAH ALAM, Nov 28 - PKR’s No. 2 told its youth and women’s wings members to shape up and reach out to the growing number of Malaysians looking for a multiracial and multi-religious party to represent their needs in a changing world.

Dr Syed Husin Ali told the two wings that now was not the time to rest on their laurels even though they had won big at the March general elections as the victory came from the people’s support rather than the party’s own efforts.

“They gave a clear message that the party which implements policies, runs campaigns and acts to fight for one community and denies the rights of other communities will not be accepted,” he said.

He added: “They gave a clear indication that parties such as Umno, MCA and MIC are only waiting to be buried.”

Syed Husin said that its political rivals, especially Umno, was fanning racial and religious fires because they were threatened by the opposition’s climb to power in five states.

He reminded them that the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) plan to take over the federal government was still on track even though the leadership was keeping quiet on when it will happen.

“The lesson learnt is that we talk about it, it alerts undesirable elements,” the deputy president said at PKR’s annual general meeting for its youth and women wings here today.

In sober tones, the party elder told the 1,000-strong crowd to seriously examine themselves to raise the quality of the membership and party.

He stressed that the party did not only want more members but thinking members who could fight for justice for all.

“I fervently hope Wanita and Angkatan Muda prepare themselves to face the challenges ahead.

“We must not disappoint the rakyat after they gave us their trust to lead the government of our beloved country,” Syed Husin ended.

ABOUT THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL

2008-11-28T19:42:00.000-08:00

Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley was the first real rock and roll star. A white southerner who singing blues laced with country and country tinged with gospel, Presley brought together music from both sides of the color line. Presley performed this music with a natural hip swiveling sexuality that made him a teen idol and a role model for generations of cool rebels. Presley was repeatedly dismissed as vulgar, incompetent and a bad influence. However the force of his music and image signaled to the mainstream culture it was time for a change.

Gladys, Elvis and Vernon Presley
1937

Born January 8, 1935, in East Tupelo, Mississippi, Presley was the son of Gladys and Vernon Presley, a sewing machine operator and a truck driver. Presley's twin brother Jesse Garon was stillborn, and he grew up as an only child. Vernon was sent to prison for forgery. It seems that Vernon, Travis Smith, and Luther Gable changed the amount of a check from Orville Bean,Vernon's boss, from $3 to $8 and cashed it at a local bank.Vernon pled guilty and was sentenced to three years at Parchment Farms Penitentiary. Vernon's boss, Mr. Bass called in a note that Vernon signed to borrow money to build the house and Gladys is forced to move in with Vernon's parents. Vernon would only serve eight months. Afterward Vernon's employment was spotty and the family lived just above the poverty line. The Presleys attended the First Assembly of God Church whose Pentecostal services always included singing.

Entering the fifth grade, Presley is asked by his teacher, Oleta Grimes to enter a talent contest on children's day at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show. At the age of ten, dressed in a cowboy suit, and standing on a chair to reach the microphone. Presley's rendition of Red Foley's "Old Shep" won second place, a $5 prize and a free ticket to all the rides. On his birthday the following January he received a guitar purchased from Tupelo Hardware Store. Over the next year, Vernon's brother Johnny Smith and Assembly of Good pastor Frank Smith. gave him basic guitar lessons

In 1948 after losing another job Vernon moved the family to Memphis. Glady's brothers get him a job at the Precision Tool Company and the Presleys moved into a small apartment at 370 Washington Street for $11 a week. On September 13 Elvis enrolls at L.C. Humes High School.

A young Elvis Presley

Starting his sophomore year Presley works in the school library and after school at Loew's State Theatre. In 1951, his receives his first driver's license, joins the ROTC unit at Humes High, tries out for the football team (he's cut by the coach when he won"t trim his sideburns and ducktail), and in his spare time hangs around the black section of town, especially on Beale Street.

A young Elvis Presley and Betty McGann

Presley's Senior Class picture

L.C. Hume High School

Presley with 1942 Lincoln

In his senior year Presley gets his first car, a 1942 Lincoln Zephyr, from Vernon. At eighteen majoring in Shop, History, and English he graduates from Humes High in 1953.

The day after graduation he took a job at Parker Machinists Shop. By June he was working at the Precision Tool Company and then drove truck for the Crown Electric Co. After a short time in the stock room he is promoted to truck driving and begins to wear his long hair pompadoured, the current truck driver style. That summer he recorded "My Happiness" and "That's When the Your Heartaches Begin" at Memphis Recording Studios, a sideline Sam Phillips had started at his Sun Records studios where anyone could record a ten inch acetate for four dollars.

(clockwise Elvis, Vernon, and Gladys Presley)

Presley returned on January 4, 1954 and recorded "Casual Love Affair" and "I'll Never Stand In Your Way" at which time he met Sam Phillips. Later the spring Phillips called him to record "Without You," a song Phillips had received as a demo. Despite numerous takes Presley failed miserably and at Phillips request just began singing songs in the studio. It was at this time Phillips began believing that he had found what he had been looking for "a white man with the Negro sound and the Negro feel".

Phillips enlisted lead guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black to work with Presley. Though July 4, 1954 is often sited as their first meeting, the three had actually been practicing for several months. On July 5, 1954, they recorded "I Love You Because," "Blue Moon of Kentucky," and "That's All Right".

Two days later Memphis disc jockey Dewey Phillips played "That's All Right" on his Red Hot and Blue show on radio station WHBQ. Audience response was overwhelming and later that night Presley came in for his first interview. Scotty Moore became his manager and "That's All Right" b/w "Blue Moon of Kentucky" became his first local hit. On September 25, Presley made his first and last appearance at the Grand Ole Opry.

Presley at The Louisiana Hayride

In October Presley appeared on the Louisiana Hayride, a popular radio program that appeared regularly through 1955. In March 1955, he made his television debut on the local television broadcastof the Hayride. Meanwhile "Good Rockin' Tonight" b/w "I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine" werebecoming hits in the Memphis area.

Elvis and Dewey Phillips

In early 1955, Moore quit managing Presley, but would continued playing in his band for several years. Bob Neal, a Memphis disc Jockey, became Presley's new manager. Colonel Thomas Parker would first entered Presley's career when he helped Neal make some tour arrangements. Still considered a country act, Presley continued to play locally, and in April went to New York to audition unsuccessfully for Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts program. On May 13, his performance in Jacksonville started a riot, "Baby Lets Play House" b/w "I'm Left, Your Right, She's Gone" was released and reached #10 on the national Country & Western chart in July.

Picture after signing with RCA
( l to r Presley, RCA executive Steve Sholes, and Colonel Parker)

That September Presley had his first #1 country record "Mystery Train" b/w "I Forgot to Remember to Forget. By this time Colonel Parker, despite the agreement with Neal, had become increasingly involved with Presley's career and had negotiated for RCA to purchase Presley's contract from Sun Records for $35,000. Presley received a $5,000 advance that he used to buy his mother a pink Cadillac.

After signing with RCA Presley became a national star in 1956. He went to Nashville to record his first records for RCA. Among them was "Heartbreak Hotel.." On January 28, 1956, he made his television debut on the Dorsey brothers' Stage Show, followed by six consecutive appearances. In March Parker became Presley's manager for which he was to receive 25% of his earnings. The contract lasted Presley's lifetime and beyond.

Presley on the Milton Berle Show

Presley and Ed Sullivan

Relaxing by the pool during Las Vegas appearance

Presley appeared on the Milton Berle, Steve Allen, and Ed Sullivan television shows. That April Presley made his debut in Las Vegas at the New Frontier Hotel, but the two week engagement was cancelled after a week due to poor audience response. In August Presley began filming his first film Love Me Tender. Released three months later it recouped its filming cost of $1 million in three days. His singles that year included "Heartbreak Hotel," "I Was the One," "Blue Suede Shoes," "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You," "Hound Dog," "My Baby Left Me, "Anyway You Want Me," "Love Me Tender," "Don't Be Cruel," "Love Me," and "When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold" were all certified gold.

Promising not to "bump and grind" Presley sings to a hound dog (Sherlock)
during his Steve Allen Show appearance

In early 1957 Presley became the target of criticism by teachers, clergymen, and even other entertainers who thought his style was to suggestive. Even being nicknamed "Elvis the Pelvis" by one writer. On January 6, he made the last of his three appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show and was shown only from the waist up.

In March 1957 Presley purchased Graceland, a former church and converted it into a twenty three room mansion. In February "All Shook Up" began an eighteen week stretch at number #1

Presley was the first rock star to crossover into films with consistent commercial success. Loving You, his second film, was released in July 1957 and "Teddy Bear" from it's soundtrack went to #1 on the pop, country, and R&B charts, as did "All Shook Up" and "Jailhouse Rock," the title song from his next movie.

That December he received his draft notice, but was given a 30 day deferment to complete the filming of King Creole. Presley's first four feature films are considered his best. Originally Presley intended to be a serious actor, but unfortunately after he left the service, the choice of roles was left entirely to Colonel Parker with poor results. Since Presley would not tour until the early Seventies, it was through these movies that his fans most fans saw him and that alone accounted for their massive success.

On March 24, 1958 Presley entered the Army. The next months saw number one hits with "Don't" and "I Beg You." A few months later he went on leave to be with sick mother. Gladys Presley died the day after his arrival home in Memphis, on August 14, 1958. Presley would call her death the greatest tragedy in his life. He returned to the Army and was shipped to Bremerhaven, West Germany. In January 1960 he was promoted to sergeant and was discharged that March.

During his time in the service Colonel Parker continued to release singles recorded before his departure so his fans wouldn't forget him. a number of these were hits including "Wear My Ring Around Your Neck," "Don't Cha Think It's Time," "Hard Headed Woman," "Don't Ask Me Why," "One Night," "I Got Stung," "A Fool Such as I," "I Need You, I Love You," "A Big Hunk O' Love," and "My Wish Came True". In 1958 alone Presley earned over $2 million. After his release from the Army in March 1960, he recorded his first stereo record, "Stuck On You" and later that month he taped a TV program with Frank Sinatra, The Frank Sinatra Timex Special.

TO BE CONTINUED................

PAKATAN RAKYAT - FUNDEMENTAL DIFFERENCES, CAN THEY WORK TOGETHER FOREVER?

2008-11-27T15:51:00.000-08:00

Is Anwar the only key to Pakatan Rakyat’s future?

by Pauline Puah

KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) can look back to an eventful year as it convenes its fifth AGM this weekend.

As delegates head for the AGM, managing the party’s unexpected success and its relationship with coalition partners would be among its top priorities.

The loose coalition galvanised and now led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, performed very well at the March 8 elections. Although the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) was unable to form the federal government, it now has control of five states.

Anwar’s impressive victory in the Permatang Pauh by-election on Aug 26 strengthened the party’s belief that he would be the country’s next premier, and expectations were high when he set Sept 16 as the deadline for wresting power from Barisan Nasional (BN).

But when the deadline passed with BN still in control of parliament, doubts began to creep in. The affairs of the five PR state governments also began to draw greater media interest.

The PAS-led Kedah government’s new housing policy requiring developers to increase the bumiputera quota to 50% from 30% caused a stir in the coalition.

In PKR-led Selangor, PAS openly opposed Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim’s choice of Low Siew Moi as acting head of the Selangor Development Corporation (PKNS).

Earlier, PKR’s Kulim MP Zulkifli Nordin made headlines when he protested against a Bar Council forum on Muslim conversion.

The series of events unsettled PR supporters, increasing doubts that fundamental differences between the component parties could ever be reconciled.

“The glue that holds them (coalition partners) together is Anwar Ibrahim,” said Dr Ariffin Omar, an associate professor of political science at Universiti Utara Malaysia.

However, Anwar’s inability to wrest power from the BN had compromised the position of PR coalition members, he told The Edge Financial Daily recently.

“He has contributed to their dilemma, as now they have to face the reality that their only hope of knocking out the BN will come at the next election. It’s only hope, not (a) guarantee. They are only united because of a common enemy in BN, not a common ideology,” he said.

Former PAS Selangor deputy commissioner Khalid Samad said Anwar was an important element in PR’s formation, especially at the initial stage of bridging the gap between PAS and DAP.

He argued that the sentiment of anti-Malay nationalism has become mainstream thinking in the Islamist party. “We can pray together with Umno members in mosques, but we have more in common with PKR and DAP (members) in terms of governance and administration,” he said.

Khalid, however, recognised that the PR needed a better coordination mechanism. “We have to thrash out issues. We were caught by surprise by the March 8 victory. Straight away we had to jump onto a moving train and shift into high gear,” he said.

The Shah Alam MP, who lost his party post last week, said PR’s future would not be dependent on Anwar alone.

“People would like to imagine that we have a lot of differences or this is a marriage of convenience. This is not the case, in terms of philosophy, we have more similarities with DAP and PKR than Umno. We are not as fragile as some would like to believe,” he said.

Nonetheless, he said PR should be given more time to build better understanding and a stronger bond.

But Ariffin is not as optimistic. He said Anwar’s outstanding achievement had been to cobble the three parties together to face the BN in the March elections.

“His moment is over, and these parties must move beyond Anwar Ibrahim. To succeed they must at least have some agreements on the nation’s future path and the shaping of its society,” he said.

DAP strategist Liew Chin Tong said he believed Anwar is a prime mover in PR’s attempt to form the federal government. “Persuading the people that we could be the government is a totally different thing. Anwar has the charisma, persuasive power and administrative experience,” he said.

Liew said he was “cautiously optimistic” over the future of the PR. He reasoned that a lot of leaders in the coalition today, including himself, would not have been full-time politicians if not for the 1998 Reformasi movement that changed the political landscape.

“Today the PR is definitely much stronger than Barisan Alternative (BA). It’s no longer Anwar himself. When he was sacked in 1998, there was not much contact between PAS and DAP leaders. Today we have been through BA and Bersih and we also meet very often inside and outside parliament,” said Liew, who is MP for Bukit Bendera.

The BA also comprised PKR, DAP and PAS. It was a loose coalition formed in the wake of 1999 general election. DAP pulled out of the coalition due to its disagreement with PAS over the Islamic state issue.

Liew said PR coalition parties have to rely on one another to stay in power in the five states.

“Today, if any party pulls out of a state government, that is the end of the state government. So this is a situation where although we may not be happy with each other, we have to co-exist and accommodate each other,” he said.

SOURCE: The Edge Daily

S’wak to send largest-ever group to PKR meet

By Tony Thien

Sarawak PKR will be sending its largest-ever group of about 200 delegates and observers to the party’s national congress themed ‘Harapan Baru’ (New Hope) this weekend in Shah Alam, Selangor.
Previously, the state only sent a handful of representatives as it did last year too. But PKR is meeting on a vastly different atmosphere this year following its powerful showing in the March 8 polls.

Attention at this year’s congress, a non-election event to be attended by some 3,000 delegates and observers at Malawati Stadium in Shah Alam, is expected to be on Sarawak, the next target of Pakatan Rakyat’s planned takeover, as state assembly elections are scheduled in two years time.

“We will make Sarawak the 6th Pakatan Rakyat-controlled state government,” said state PKR chief and state assemblyperson for Padungan Dominique Ng at a press conference in Kuching this morning.

Seated next to him was Gabriel Adit, the independent state assemblyperson for Ngemah who joined the party recently along with some 6,000 of his supporters and the party’s state deputy chief Wan Zainal Wan Senusi.

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim will host a special welcoming dinner for the Sarawak contingent at Selangor Mentri Besar Khalid Ibrahim’s residence on Friday night.

Moral very high

Ng said after the congress the party would get down on the ground in earnest to start the momentum after thousands of new members applied to join PKR in Sibu last week.

PKR national leaders, including Anwar, the Permatang Pauh MP and parliamentary opposition leader, would go down on the hustings to build up support for the party ahead of the next state elections, said Ng. He was also expressed confident that Pakatan Rakyat would oust the state BN government which had stayed in power for too long.

Within the next few months, there would be several major activities organised throughout the state, he added.

The party’s moral has been greatly bolstered by the entry of Adit, a veteran politician with a strong following in Kanowit.

Adit told the press conference the time has come to right the many wrongs and injustices perpetuated by the state BN government.

He cited the NCR land issue as one, and another the land lease renewal issue in the urban areas.

He said many people - Dayaks, Chinese, Malays and Melanaus - had been sidelined and marginalised by the present state government.

Adit said he hoped the same kind of co-operation between Pakatan Rakyat parties would be extended to Sarawak .

ANWAR? NO DATELINE! SARAWAK HAVE TO WAIT........

2008-11-26T19:04:00.000-08:00

The dateline for PR/PKR to topple the BN to be full in power has long been overdue. Since September 16 2008 there's no new dateline “There is nothing to explain. It will happen,” Anwar said in Parliament. In Sarawak about 12,000 have applied to join PKR following Adit, mostly are Ex-PBDS members and romours was ripped that few Sarawak Assemblyman will follow suit. Earlier few PRS leaders have expressed their unhappiness over the double standard treatment by the State BN Chairman Abdul Taib Mahmud over the other BN component party, concerned of the serious plight of the Dayak people one of them Beginda Minda broke the silence making statement calling PBB is a bully though the statement was merely of his own but in actual fact he is trying to represent his President.

The hot news spreading over making Dr. James Masing in the uncomfortable position, he was called to explain the situation, to safeguard his president, Beginda has no other choice but to resign from PRS. Shortly later he announce his interest in joining PKR. About thousands are attending PKR dinner in Sibu organised by Adit, the hope for Anwar to bring changes to Sarawak people especially to the Dayak community. Bringing PKR to Sarawak hoping Anwar can topple the State BN lead by Taib Mahmud and Adit will be the man to lead the people of Sarawak for the new Government.

However, now Sarawak have to wait for another State general election to see their dream really come true.

Lang Rimba

Anwar will not set a new deadline for power

The Malaysian Insider

By Shannon Teoh

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 – Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim appeared to stop short today of saying his Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance will have to wait until the next general election to make a serious bid for power.

He told reporters that he would not explain why the PR alliance has not yet taken power at this weekend’s PKR party congress.

“There is nothing to explain. It will happen,” Anwar said in Parliament. He did not set another deadline.

His self-imposed deadline of Sept 16 for PR to topple the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government passed without incident and his credibility has taken a knock, while the opposition’s momentum has stalled, since then.

Increasingly, Malaysians are focused on economic worries and many are turning away from an almost obsessive fixation with politics since the March 8 elections.

Anwar had been widely expected to address this point at this weekend’s PKR congress, but he looks to be trying to put Sept 16 behind him.

He said today that it did not matter when the PR alliance takes over the government.

The widely held view that Datuk Seri Najib Razak will take power as prime minister next March under an Umno transition plan hammered out with Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi was also premature, Anwar said.

“What makes you so sure?” he asked reporters.

According to Anwar, his message to party delegates this weekend will include a call for them to continue to be committed and to concentrate on ruling well the five states under PR control.

He said PKR had also recently started a nationwide campaign to hold ceramahs to communicate with the Malay ground across the country in an attempt to make headway into the hearts and minds of the community.

The opposition ranks continue to enjoy good support among non-Malays but rural Malays continue to harbour distrust of the PR coalition.

He said this move was necessary as the mainstream media, especially the Malay media, continues to sideline the coalition to propogate the Barisan Nasional agenda.

DAYAK PLIGHT: PRS SUBMIT MEMORANDUM OF NCR LAND TO PRIME MINISTER

2008-11-26T03:19:00.000-08:00

Report by The broken Shield reveal that PRS will send Memorandum on problem faced by the Dayak community to the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. The reason is that because Taib and Jabu are not able to listen to them. The problem has been reported to the State government many time but however Taib seems ignorant to what has been reported.

PRS to submit memorandum on NCR land

SOURCE: The Broken Shield

Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) has decided to submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister and chairman of Barisan Nasional regarding NCR land and other issues that have been plaguing the Dayak community.

The decision was made during the supreme council meeting of the party in Bintulu last Saturday and a committee has been appointed to draft the memorandum, said a supreme council member to The Broken Shield.

During the meeting NCR land issues and the problems especially affecting residents of Sungai Asap were discussed, he said, adding: “The NCR land issues are posing serious political problems to PRS and the Barisan Nasional and so are the problems affecting the residents of Sungai Asap.”

He said the 10,000 people resettled at Sungai Asap in 1998 as a result of Bakun hydro-project faced real and acute problems that needed the urgent attention of the relevant authorities.

“They just cannot survive with three acres of land given to each family. As many do not have regular incomes, they are unable to pay for their housing, their children’s education, and water and electricity bills.

“I hear that the residents have been given warning that their supplies of water and electricity may be cut off in the coming weeks unless they settle their bills,” he said and pointed out that the problems affecting the residents would become worse.

Some of them, like the 20 Punan families from Punan Talun longhouse, might have to return to the jungle where they did not have to pay bills for water and electricity.

“All these details will be included in the memorandum to the Prime Minister. If we fail to inform the Prime Minister, then we are failing in our duty. And failing to arrest these problems may also pose political problems to us in the coming election. So don’t blame us later on,” he said.

Copies of the memorandum will also be extended to the State government.

Retracted from the Sarawak Headhunter under :

Resettled Bakun Natives Disappointed By Taib's Government

Resettled native communities near Bakun disappointed by govt treatment

A number of community leaders in the Sg. Asap and Sg.Koyan near Bakun expressed their disappointment over the way the government has treated them over the unpaid water bills issue as highlighted in a national news agency yesterday.

Jack Paran, 51, from Uma Kelab (longhouse), claimed that all 15 longhouse chiefs in the area had recently met officials from the department, LAKU Management Sdn Bhd (a wholly-owned state government agency) to supply portable water and collect revenue from here, Miri and Limbang and others.

“Despite having requested the government to scrap the unsettled bills since 1998, we are sad and disappointed that a decision had been made,” he told Bernama on Monday.

“With the Christmas season around the corner, where a few thousands working away from the scheme would be returning home and a wedding or two would be planned in December, I will feel very sorry for them."

“And, what if we have to mourn the death of someone in the community after Dec 16?,” he asked.

Another leader, former councillor Laing Lerong, 68, hoped the government could come up with an amicable solution to their predicament.

“We do not want to pick up any quarrel with the government. We just hope it can sympathise with us, as not everyone can settle their outstanding bills at one go,” he said.

Penghulu Saging Bit, of Uma Belor, appealed to the government for a deferment or to settle the arrears in installments or perhaps, scrap the arrears.

He hoped the government would consider their problem fairly as they had sacrificed much for the sake of the country. Most of the residents, he said, were poor and did not have regular income.

“We have made sacrifices to make way for the RM3.2 billion hydro project which is the biggest in the nation and scheduled for completion in June 2010.

“We hope the government could reciprocate,” he said.

Penan Talun worst affected

One of the communities that will be badly affected by the government decision on December 16 will be the 20 odds Penan Talun families at Sg. Koyan which is part of the larger Sg. Asap resettlement scheme.

Jack Paran said “When the supply is discontinued as scheduled, they may be forced to return to the jungle”.

“As it is now, about two families enjoy power supply as the rest cannot afford to pay for the monthly bills,” he noted.

He said compared to the other Orang Ulu groups like the Kayan or the Kenyah, the Penan could not simply catch up economically.

“They cannot even catch up, even if you give them agricultural projects to provide income to sustain themselves,” he said.

Now there are worries of what will happen to the Penan in the Murum area. They too will be relocated to make way for another multi-billion ringgit dam in Murum.

As in Sg. Asap these Penan communities have been promised a better life after they are resettled by the state government.

Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu said they would be given improved amenities, social and economic activities for a sustainable livelihood reported The Star on Nov 6.

“They will have a better (resettled) life than they have now,” he told Dominic Ng Kim Ho (PKR-Padungan) during question time in the state assembly.

Ng asked if the consent of the Penans from six settlements had been sought on the relocation exercise, and how they would be resettled.

Preliminary work on the 900MW Murum project, the biggest after the 2,400MW Bakun dam project, has started.

RAKYAT ARE SUBSIDIZING 38CTS PER LITER FOR PETROL

2008-11-25T16:18:00.000-08:00

The political reform of our Sarawak government is quiet blur and everyday we are waiting for the latest outcome of our political situation hoping for the changes. Sorry to say, we ignore our economic situation, the global economic crisis has greatly affecting not only the Malayan but Sabahan and Sarawakian too.

Our government deny that our economy is still very strong but in the actual fact that we are on the brink of facing recession, our government is hiding the dilemma from the people. No doubt our ability in managing of our financial system is quiet a far ahead of others and it is a miracles that we are spare from the fall out of the systemic collapse of the whole world's financial system. Our trade volumes especially exports have slowed down considerably - by almost 30 percent. We can't escape from the global economic crisis, although our economy has been resilient in the first-half of 2008, but is increasingly being affected by the global downturn.

Najib has reassured that our economy will be spared from world global economy next year. The people should be well informed of the real situation, everyone felt the heat of the recession, though the global oil prices has dropped dramatically but people are still burden paying more by 38cts of the petrol per liter, the actual price of the petrol per liter is RM1.62 but it was adjusted to RM2.00 per liter.

Malaysian public and businesses will have to learn to adjust quickly to the global financial crisis. The crisis will inevitably dampen consumer demand in Europe and America - two biggest markets for our local producers.

Hence, Mahathir's observation is valid:

"Now the common practise is for importers to open Letters of Credit (LCs) with banks to ensure that when they receive the goods the corresponding banks will release the money. However, if the importers' banks go bankrupt they would not be able to transmit the payment.

They may be bailed out by the US Government. But they may not consider paying Malaysian exporters as a priority. In which case we will not be paid. Worse still we can no longer entertain orders coming from this market. Our trade must shrink.

We are not talking about one company. We are talking about hundreds of companies trading with America and Europe and other countries not getting paid for their exports. We are talking about tens of millions, even hundreds of millions of Ringgit worth of goods not being paid for."

Our Federal reserve has dropped. And what happen to our stock market, the Composite Index lost almost 14 points to close at 904.28. To save the ailing Value Cap to buy up stakes in undervalued stocks, the government has intention taking RM5 billion from EPF and then implementing 8 percent EPF contribution deduction another burden to people to pay more tax.

Malaysia has no direct exposure to the US market but is increasingly feeling the shock from the slowing US economy through trade and investment linkages. The external downturn has not reached bottom yet. The US economy is on the brink of a recession, Japan has reported a contraction and Europe is coming to a standstill. Singapore has gone into recession signalling massive retrenchment and a looming recession tens of thousands of Malaysians are expected to be out of job soon. It is very important for the government to strategize how to cope with higher unemployment rates.

Fearing a dismal global outlook and hit by rising prices of raw materials, the government stretched the fiscal deficit to 4.8 per cent in ’08, reversing a 9-year progressive deficit reduction. This may be justified as difficult times call for drastic measures. The longer-term worry is the high dependency on oil revenue to finance fiscal spending. Government revenue will be affected by the decline in commodity prices if other sources of revenue are not sought. Given the heightening pressure on the economy and decreasing oil prices, the budget deficit is likely to exceed 5.0 per cent of GDP in ’08. The deficit may even exceed 4.0 per cent of GDP in ’09 with the increasingly unnerving outlook.

Inflationary pressures have gathered steam, with elevated food prices lifting inflation to 8.5 per cent in Aug’08. Despite small reductions in oil prices, domestic inflation has remained sticky so far. Traders and retailers are not lowering the prices for fear the cuts may be temporary. Fluctuations of retail oil prices have created more market uncertainty. Government enforcement appeared lost and unable to control the situation. Prime Minister Abdullah has called for joint consumers' effort to bring down prices. So far, no consumer group has responded positively to his call.

With the financial crisis still unfolding and confidence failing, the bigger fear is the credit squeeze. Tight credit will have grave implications on consumer spending and investment activity, crippling the already slowing economy. The damage to the global economy will be deeper in 2009 with all major economies expected to slow down markedly.

Unfortunately, we are blaming Badawi for the problems and pressure him to step down early and to be replaced by the most capable one. The worst has yet to come, the result of UMNO general election will greatly affecting Malaysian as a whole.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE FAR LAND OF MALAYA........

2008-11-25T05:29:00.000-08:00

YA AMPUUN BAGINDA RAZAK

DARI JELEBU

Hishamuddin Rais

Ya ampuun Baginda Razak. Hamba menulis surat ini kepada tuan hamba agar ianya dapat dibaca oleh anak cucu cicit kita semua. Hendaknya apabila kita semua berada di alam baka nanti maka anak cucu cicit kita akan membaca kembali surat hamba kepada tuan hamba.

Ya ampuun! Ya ampuun Baginda Razak, hamba telah mendengar surah dongeng labun lentong tuan hamba. Hamba bersama teman dan sahabat dengan syiok lagi tawaidok molopong dan terngaga apabila tuan hamba membuka mulut.

Apabila tuan hamba bercakap bahawa kebenaran hanya di ketahui Allah maka meleleh air mata hamba hingga ke lubang peha. Tidaklah pernah hamba melihat satu makhlok tuhan yang bagitu jujur bersilat lidah. Inilah agaknya rahmat Yang Maha Esa yang telah dikurniakan ke atas tuan hamba. Tidak pernah hamba terlihat seorang Syahdu, seorang Sufi, seorang Dukun dan seorang Bomoh dapat berkelentong seperti tuan hamba.

Cakap tuan hamba at the Press Conference itu adalah benar-benar melainkan semua tidak benar belaka.

Ya ampuun Baginda Razak, hamba juga turut merasa gundah gulana apabila terdengar berita kematian Puteri Mongolia. Hamba bertambah sedih lagi sayu apabila hamba di beritahu bahawa Puteri Mongol ini adalah gundek simpanan Yang Teramat Mulia Raja Muda yang bakal menjadi Raja kita.

Hamba juga mendengar khabar berita tentang betapa cemburunya Permaisuri ketika mengetahui bahawa ada gundek yang lebih disayangi dari Permaisuri. Telah tersebar ke seluruh Melaka tentang api murka yang keluar terpacar dari kopek layut Permaisuri Raja Muda.

Ya ampuun Baginda Razak, api murka Permaisuri Raja Muda ini bukan datang secara tiba-tiba. Adalah menjadi dongeng rakyat Melaka setiap Permaisuri yang akan naik ke atas takhta maka badannya wajib di ukur dan dikira. Telah tersebar ke pelusuk kampong dan kota, telah di ketahui rakyat jelata tentang berita susuk gedempak Permaisuri Raja Muda melebihi saekor anak gajah simpanan Tun Bendahara.

Adalah menjadi perangai dan sifat anak-anak muda Melaka membuat lawak dan jenaka terhadap gedempaknya badan Permaisuri Raja Muda. Dari apa yang hamba menerima berita inilah punca yang menimbulkan angkara murka. Permaisuri Raja Muda telah mengetahui betapa ramping, langsing lagi ranggi pinggang Puteri Mongolia.

Mengikut yang empunya cerita cemburu melimpah marah bertambah. Mengikut kata yang empunya surah seorang Tamil dari negara atas angin telah datang bersumpah di hadapan Balairong Seri bersama mudim dan pari-pari bahawa si Tamil hitam mengetahui bahawa Raja Muda kita berkemudi di hadapan berkemudi di buritan.

Ya ampuun Baginda Razak, sahehlah dongeng berita Raja Muda ‘makan di luar dan suka makan di dalam’. Makan di depan makan di belakang telah menjadi nikmat pilihan Raja Muda kita.

Ya ampuun Baginda Razak, ‘ makan depan makan belakang’ ini adalah surah yang dipungut dan dikutip oleh si Tamil yang hitam dari mulut tuan hamba sendiri. Ya ampuun Baginda Razak, bukanlah niat hamba untuk membuat fitnah, jauh lagi untuk mencerca nama baik tuan hamba. Niat hamba ialah untuk memberi tahu saentero negara bahawa what you said at the press conference the other day was pure bullshit.

Ya ampuun Baginda Razak, adalah hamba berjanji kepada rakyat Melaka untuk melapor duduk pekara. Adalah juga tanggung jawab hamba bukan menista dengan berita. Hendaklah tuan hamba tahu bahawa tidak ada seorang pun rakyat jelata yang percaya apa yang tuan hamba butirkan itu benar melainkan semuanya bukan benar semata-mata.

Ya ampuun Baginda Razak, kesah hikayat Puteri Mongol ini berpanjang hendak hendaknya. Adalah menjadi tabiat baik rakyat Melaka mereka amat suka melihat tuan hamba masuk sekali lagi ke penjara. Tidaklah busuk hati nurani mereka melainkan mereka ingin tahu saheh duduk pekara.

Ya ampuun Baginda Razak, rakyat Melaka dan saentaro belantara dari Melaka ke Mejapahit, dari Jambi hingga ke Pasai telah mendengar cerita tuan hamba menjadi kaya raya kerana membeli dua bahtera. Apakah ini dongeng cerita hamba sendiri tidak terkata-kata hanya tuan hamba tahu duduk pekara.

Mengikut kesah yang empunya ceritera, mengikut surah sumpah si Tamil hitam lagi legam, tuan hamba di lantik menjadi khadam yang kanan. Masuk istana keluar istana tanpa di tegur tanpa di saman. Bukanlah rashia rakyat Melaka untuk berdendam mencari mangsa. Mengikut surah sumpah si Tamil hitam lagi legam tuan hamba menjaga gundek-gundek Raja Muda. Mengikut tuan yang empunya ceritera tuan hamba juga beligar ke kampong beligar ke kota mencari banyak anak-anak dara untuk dijadi gundek-gundek istana.

Ya ampuun Baginda Razak, adalah kebangaan rakyat jelata melihat punai tuan hamba bercabang tiga. Se jantan jantan anak Melaka tidak ada punai yang bercabang tiga. Malam bergoncang siang berendut. Berselimut salah bergumpal pun salah. Tuan hamba akhirnya bermukah dengan Puteri Mongol gundek kesayangan Raja Muda. Ini bukanlah dongeng rakyat Melaka. Ini surah sumpah si Tamil hitam lagi legam yang punya angkara.

Ya ampuun Baginda Razak, biarlah hamba meneruskan cerita tentang Permaisuri yang jatuh murka. Telah didengar rakyat Melaka tentang kesah Permaisuri kita yang dahulunya seorang Mak Janda. Bergundek ke hulu bergundek ke hilir membuka kangkang mencari mangsa.

Ya ampuun Baginda Razak, adalah telah menjadi berita atas arahan siapakah Puteri Mongol musnah derita. Telah di ketahuilah rakyat Melaka betapa Permaisuri cemburu tersangat seperti gajah kena penyengat. Telah di ketahui juga rakyat Melaka Raja Muda sering berduka berkongsi katil memelok saekor unta walhal paduka bemimpi gundek langsing berambut panjang bukan anak gajah berambut kontot.

Ya ampuun Baginda Razak, tuan hamba dikatakan amatlah ceredik bergeliga mencari untung membeli bahtera.

Ya ampuun Baginda Razak biarlah hamba menyampai berita. Dari Naning hingga ke Melaka rakyat tahu duduk pekara. Jangan cuba di bodoh jangan cuba di alpa rakyat sudah faham membaca warta berita. Tidak perlu bergelap tak perlu bersuluh pelita kesah tuan hamba membeli dua bahtera menggunakan duit emas kantung negara telah di ketahui rakyat jelata.

Al-kesah tun empunya cerita Permaisuri telah membadak gegak gempita , lagi marah lagi murka maka di arah Puteri Mongol disula , di seksa untuk menamatkan semua berita. Badan di letup rambut di bakar agar tidak di ketahui janin siapa. Dari atas angin sampailah berita, dari balairong hingga ke rakyat jelata semua ingin bertanya janin ini anak siapa. Anak tuan hamba atau cucu tuan hamba inilah punca murka Permaisuri yang membadak mencela.

Ya ampuun Baginda Razak, adalah hamba mendengar berita amat saheh lagi nyata tentang Raja Mongolia amat amarah tidak dapat dikata.

Ya ampuun Baginda Razak, adalah hamba mendengar berita si Tamil hitam lagi legam ditemui sudah. Dia bershaer lagi bermadah menunggu masa untuk mendedah.

Ya ampuun Baginda Razak, adalah hamba mendengar berita tentang isteri tuan hamba mendapat duit membeli bahtera.

Ya ampuun Baginda Razak, adalah hamba mendengar berita lagi saheh lagi nyata tentang Raja Muda yang akan naik tahta akan di sula rakyat Melaka.

Inilah berakhirnya surat hamba kepada tuan hamba. Ya ampuun Baginda Razak tidak lah ada apa lagi yang hendah dikata. Hendaknya di ketahuilah oleh anak cucu cicit kita nanti tentang kesah murka seorang Permaisuri yang gemuk gedempol, kesah Puteri Mongol cantik bistari, kesah Raja Muda yang takut bini, kesah gundek bertukar ganti.

Maka dibuatlah rakyat Melaka pantun enam kerat untuk ingatan turun temurun:

Tam tam tun
Tak perlu berpantun
Dam dum dah
Tak perlu bermadah
Your Press Conference
Is real poorah.

SOURCE: MALAYSIAKINI

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