Tuesday, December 31, 2013

2013年终回顾马来西亚大事件及探讨未来趋势

       2013年到了年终了!在此回顾大马一年大事件,顺便探讨未来的政治与经济趋势。50513届大选后至今,朝野的各种动作,真令人民感到摇头绝望。这边厢国阵一连串的涨价起税的措施,那边厢民联执政的雪州大幅度调升议员的薪金,总之人民就是双输。

        505大选,国阵宣言抄袭民联的降车价政策,但执政后就说需要五年才能逐渐办得到!看来或许等下届大选前降少许车价作为“兑现”承诺来赢民心吧?

        国阵胜了首先令人民惊讶的是涨汽油价20仙,接下来提呈2014年预算案宣布削减津贴措施,最大冲击乃宣布201541日开始征收6%消费税。最近吉隆坡高及300%幅度起门牌税,能源局宣布明年起电费,接着工程部又宣布明年11日涨过路费(抗议声中或许推迟至华人新年后实行)。

        时下围绕咖啡店的课题就是涨价,忿民责备那些没有支持改朝换代的选民导致人民吃苦。其实,谈社会课题的人大多数都是城市人。这几个月涨价课题在闹得沸沸扬扬,在乡下却风平浪静,山高皇帝远,反正我种几棵菜钓几条鱼又是一餐!我又没有开车子,没奢侈品,开销不大!51%支持民联,都在城镇,47%支持国阵,都在乡下,然而国阵却执政,无奈乎?

连串涨风会否演变经济萧条?

        一些有经济知识的人士分析,这般的涨风,尤其是实施消费税后,2016年大马或许会进入萧条。下届大选最迟在2018年,若2016年萧条,必定拖到2017年才能够止伤,因此我国可能又会步505大选后尘拖到最后一分钟的2018年才举行。错误政策会积劳成病,所以国阵不要以为现在刚结束大选是蜜月期大肆玩涨政策。

        如果2016年真的出现萧条,对国阵有个坏消息,就是不要忘了砂拉越州最迟在这年州选。甚至砂州提前在20142015年选举也未必对国阵有利,因为通膨的火正在燃烧!若砂州变天,就会威胁国阵的全国大选。

        那么你问第14届大选会不会改朝换代?民联三党,我只看到行动党有作为。就在雪州,卸任主席郭素沁说雪州行动党在505大选赢得马来人40%选票,它们要决心下届进一步赢得50%。还有,都是行动党在505大选出尽火力攻打柔佛州,才帮助民联增加七个国会议席。除此,现在行动党在推动砂拉越梦和沙巴梦入乡服务计划。

        而伊斯兰党呢?它们应该先放弃在东马的努力,集中在西马往南马发展。伊党也必须放弃拉拉扯扯跟巫统谈判,斩钉截铁地说服民联支持者它们对巫统已经死心!或许伊党不是真有意跟巫统结合。而是正在玩弄巫统,目的就是让巫统抱着一种希望,事实只在吊吊巫统的瘾!民联要入主中央,必须一直团结。

改变乡下人的思维非易事

        公正党表现如何呢?它们很多党员都是前国阵的失意者,惯于投机,所以跳槽就是他们的本能!目前,公正党最本领的就是揭发国阵丑闻。此举不是不好,希望它们和伊党能够花多点心思下乡铺路,不要让行动党玩独角戏,因为如果不打破国阵掌控乡下票的咒诅,民联永远都是一个在野阵线的!

        至于它们的实权领袖安华,如果他有林吉祥的一半勇气,就谢天谢地了,505大选他敢闯的话或许能使民联险胜国阵!怎讲呢?林吉祥冒险自己的政途,抱着不入虎穴,焉得虎子的决心南征柔佛。许多人呼吁安华攻打霹雳州,以提高民联士气,不但能够增加霹州国席,也可以再执掌霹州。但他感情用事,想打不打,最后不愿放弃自己在峇东埔国会选区,因为要报答从他坐牢起一路来选民对他不离不弃!后果就是伊党和公正党连原有的选区都保不住!安华若要执政,必须勇闯国阵堡垒区,尤其是乡下区!

行动党进入西马乡下,及推行砂拉越梦和沙巴梦的服务策略,会有成果吗?我认为服务未必能使民联成功,必须包括传达理念。举例民联的砂州主席峇鲁便(Baru Bian,公正党)在505大选民联及自己失利后,失望下马上写了一封反省信,他说他不再理会那里的人民了。大选前得到选民的积极承诺支持,民联信心满满,选民却临时得到国阵的些少甜头,为了一碗红豆汤而出卖了族群的利益,可悲吗?“尊严”与“肚腹”,起码未来二十年,乡下人还是会选肚腹。所以我认为民联应该筹更多钱先解决他们的肚腹,等赢了大选后才推行建国政策。

14届大选成绩谁掌权中央政府?我想,只要乡下人民被国阵掌控的媒体垄断,只要国阵大选前派发糖果,只要选区没有公平划分,即,城镇一个国会过万人,乡下一个国会几千人,国阵就能够继续执政。民联必须比上届加几倍努力才有一点希望!

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Price hikes will cause BN’s downfall in GE14, DAP rep predicts

By Zurairi ARDecember 28, 2013Kulasegaran also said in a statement that Putrajaya was being insensitive and arrogant for allegedly ignoring public criticism and for refusing to conduct any review of rate hikes.Kulasegaran also said in a statement that Putrajaya was being insensitive and arrogant for allegedly ignoring public criticism and for refusing to conduct any review of rate hikes.KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 — The recent onslaught of price increases will cost Barisan Nasional (BN) its hold on Putrajaya in the 14th general election, DAP vice-chairman M. Kulasegaran predicted today in a warning to the ruling coalition.
The Ipoh Barat MP said BN had already lost public trust as a result of the price hikes, which the pact had said would not happen when canvassing for votes in the recent 13th federal polls.
In a statement here, Kulasegaran agreed with criticisms from his Umno political foes — MP Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad — who had condemned the sudden sharp increases of taxes and rates, which came in rapid succession shortly after the May polls.
“BN will not only lose votes due to the implementation of painful measures, it will also pay the price for misleading the people as many voters now know that the measures were only postponed due to BN’s desperation to win the 13th general election,” the leader said in the statement.
“Now, the BN government not only has to deal with the nation’s chronic budget deficit, it has to deal with ‘trust deficit’ of the people due to its misleading of the people at the 13th general election.”
Kulasegaran also insisted that Putrajaya was being insensitive and arrogant for allegedly ignoring public criticism and for refusing to conduct any review of rate hikes.
“Let me tell Najib that he can ignore public criticisms and he can forget and abandon his ‘People First’ slogan, but the voters will know which party to vote for at the next general election,” he warned Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
On Monday, Nur Jazlan was quoted in Malay daily Sinar Harian as saying that the increase in the prices of goods and services will result in BN losing more votes in GE14.
In addition, voters living in Kuala Lumpur and other major cities who have already rejected BN in the May polls will be more incensed by the price hike.
Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had also urged Putrajaya this week to balance the national budget by trimming its own expenditure before looking to add to the financial burdens of Malaysians.
The nation’s longest-serving prime minister pointed out that there was ample opportunity to reduce wastage and leakages as evidenced by the annual Auditor-General’s report, before resorting to new and higher taxes.
Since September, Putrajaya has embarked on aggressive cost-cutting measures after pressure grew for it to rein in a chronic budget deficit that can be traced back to the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997 and which has left Malaysia’s national debt at just below a critical legal ceiling.
Among others, it has reduced fuel subsidies, removed price controls for sugar, allowed an increase in electricity tariffs and confirmed the introduction of the goods and services tax (GST) all within the space of four months.
Source: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/price-hikes-will-cause-bns-downfall-in-ge14-dap-rep-predicts#sthash.prT3emj8.dpuf


Friday, December 27, 2013

Najib should save Press Freedom ranking by restoring The Heat

Najib should intervene immediately to restore publication licence to The Heat before it becomes the tipping point to plunge Malaysia’s 2014 Press Freedom Index to the lowest point, even below that of Myanmar


Before the end of the year of 2013 in five days’ time, there is another pledge that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should honour – his pledge to make Malaysia the “best democracy in the world”.
Nobody whether in Malaysia or outside really believe Najib would transform Malaysia into the “best democracy in the world” but the least they expect Najib to do is not to backslide on his specific promise of democratic reforms.
The suspension of the weekly, The Heat, would be one such unacceptable instance of Najib reneging on his specific promise of democratic reforms to unshackle the press from authoritarian restrictions of the Mahathirish past.
In fact, Najib should be moving forward to repeal the Printing Presses and Publications Act altogether to remove the requirement for the licensing of publications.
The Home Ministry has claimed that Najib is not behind the suspension of The Heat and that the suspension is not related to the report in the weekly titled “All eyes on big spending PM Najib” published for the week of November 23-29.

Nobody really believes in the Home Ministry’s denial and clarification but let us move on.
Najib should intervene immediately to restore the publication licence of The Heat before this incident becomes the tipping point to plunge Malaysia’s 2014 Press Freedom Index to the lowest point in the nation’s history, even below that of Myanmar.
Malaysia already plunged last year to a historic low of No. 145 ranking out of 179 countries in the 2013 World Press Freedom Index – the worst since the start of the annual index by Reporters Without Border (RSF) in 2002.
Malaysia fell by 23 rungs last year, as it was ranked at 122 in the 2011/2012 Press Freedom Index.
This was because of Malaysia’s “sorry record” of the government’s repeated effort to censor information with access to information “becoming more and more limited” as well as the government’s campaign of repression as in the authorities’ “heavy-handed crackdown on the Bersih rally” in April 2012.
As a result, ASEAN neighbours Brunei, Thailand and Indonesia outperformed Malaysia at 122nd, 135th and 139th place respectively.Cambodia stood at 143, two rungs higher than Malaysia despite sliding down 26 spots from the previous year. Other ASEAN countries that had less favourable performances are the Philippines, Singapore, Laos, and Vietnam, which were respectively ranked at 147, 149, 168 and 172.
Noteworthy was Myanmar which was ranked 151, six pspots behind Malaysia, after jumping up 18 places – the second year it had improved its rankings.
Is Malaysia heading towards the nation’s lowest ranking in the history of the Press Freedom Index, even lower than Myanmar, for the coming new year in 2014?

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Archbishop roasts Najib over 'Allah' row

 
FINALLY, Murphy Pakiam finds the courage to tick off Najib over ALLAHOutgoing Archbishop Murphy Pakiam today broke from his normally non-confrontational stance to publicly criticise Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak for his insistence that the word "Allah" was exclusive to Muslims.

Pakiam claimed Najib had said this during the Umno AGM, which he described as disappointing and shocking.
"What did he say? Even if the world talks and laughs about this 'Allah' issue that Malaysia will not allow (its use by non-Muslims), we (government) will defend the exclusivity of its use.
"This is not a man who is educated in our Catholic school. By talking like that, you are just a bickering politician, I am praying that Allah will enlighten him to become a statesman," he said.
Najib was educated at St John's Institute, just adjacent to the Archbishop's house where the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) annual Christmas high tea was held today.
Pakiam said this to reporters when asked to respond to Najib's call to Muslims and Christian to cease the "Allah" debate at the national level Christmas open house in Penang today.


Pakiam: I still pray for Najib
Instead, Pakiam said Najib was the one who should stop preventing Christians from using the word "Allah".
Pakiam used Najib's experience in school as example as how the Christians community had helped Najib as a boy in a Catholic school and respected his Muslim faith.
"From a small boy, from primary school until form 3, he (Najib) has been there (St John's Institute).
"When it came to catechism (classes), his mother was disturbed because he was just a small boy going to a (Christian) religious class.
"But his mother had confidence in our brothers and phoned Brother Matthew who said: 'Please, don't worry, we will see that he doesn't go in'," he said.
As such, Pakiam said he hoped that Najib would do his duty and serve all Malaysians.
"You think I am not angry? But still? He is the prime minister, so I have to pray to god to please help him to do his duty for the whole country and not just Umno," he said.
Pakiam added that Najib's insistence of exclusivity for the word Allah was inciting right wing groups against the Christian community.

2013 -- Najib's Two Christmas Messages on Moderation

Najib – Time to prove he is a moderate by deed and conviction not a political chameleon who alternates between moderation and immoderation in his speeches depending on the crowd and occasion


The speeches by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday – one delivered by him at the national-level Christmas Open House in Penang and the other read out for him in Kuala Lumpur by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Paul Low, at the Christian Federation of Malaysia’s Christmas Hi-Tea – should have been received in elation by all reasonable and moderate Malaysians but this time, they failed to evoke such a response.
Why? Is it because men and women of reason and moderation in Malaysia have become extremists rejecting the sentiments of moderation, harmony and co-existence preached by Najib in his two Christmas speeches yesterday?
This cannot be so and it is not so.
In his address at the National Christmas Open House celebration in Penang, Najib said both Christianity and Islam have common roots and are Abrahamic religions.
He noted that the Muslims may not be able to accept the Christian interpretation on the concept of God and vice versa for the Christians.
“So, rather than choosing this path of fighting over these differences, it is better that we find a common ground to preserve the peace, harmony and stability of the country.”

He told both groups to understand the sensitivities of each others’ religions so as not to offend one another.
“Muslims should not hurt the feelings of Christians and likewise, Christians should not hurt the feelings of Muslims.”
Very correct and commendable sentiments. Why should Malaysians be divided by an issue which had not been a cause for contention, dissension and division for the first half-century of the nation’s life?
In his speech prepared for the Christian Federation of Malaysia’s Christmas Hi-Tea, Najib said that a moderate and rational approach was needed to keep Malaysia peaceful and harmonious.
“I always believe that differences in religious faith is not a weakening factor in our society, but rather a strong element in nation building for it serves as a constant reminder that we have so much to share in common, the values which are universally accepted like patriotism, peace, love, kindness, helping the poor and needy, social justice and so on.
“We may differ in our faiths, but we are not divided.”
Men and women of reason and moderation have always been guided by these sentiments and values expounded by Najib yesterday, and they should have been very relieved that the Prime Minister is on the same page with them on the need for national policies to be guided by these principles.
Why then have the reaction to the two Najib speeches yesterday been less than adulatory, if not highly suspicious?
This is because the time has come for Najib, in the second term and fifth year as Malaysia’s sixth Prime Minister, to prove that he is a moderate by deed and conviction and not a political chameleon who alternates between moderation and non-moderation in his speeches depending on the crowd and occasion.
For instance, when Najib took aim at politicians accused of stirring controversy for political gain and without regard for peace and harmony, Malaysians of reason and moderation fully agree with him – except they would disagree on the identity of the “irresponsible politicians” being referred to.
Najib said that he is aware of disagreements due to misunderstanding on certain issues among the people.
“Time and again, these have tested our resolve to remain a tolerant and peaceful nation. Like all tests that have come before, we have been exercising restraint in our responses yet resolute in defending our moderate and harmonious way of life.
“Irresponsible politicians who only seek short-term fame at the expense of harmony, will constantly evoke the sensitivities and fault lines to portray oneself as a hero for political mileage.
“I have always frowned upon such irresponsible conduct and I trust all citizens will view this conduct nothing but a folly.”
To Malaysian men and women, these “irresponsible politicians” described by Najib are mostly to be found in UMNO, and on a number of occasions not excluding Najib himself, which are clearly not the people the Prime Minister has in mind.
This illustrates the wide gulf between the thinking and perceptions of the Prime Minister and Malaysians of reason and moderation.
How can Najib be the national and even international spokesman of moderation when he has to prove to Malaysians of reason and moderation that he is one of their number?
Najib has said that he is not interested in winning an argument or in winning a legal argument as his main concern is on pursuing harmony, peace and stability for the country.
This is a good basis for the ending of the recent worsening religious fault lines in our plural society and I fully endorse the proposal by the Archbishop Emeritus Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam urging the Prime Minister to cement his own call for an end to Muslim-Christian hostility by withdrawing Putrajaya’s legal challenge against the Catholic Church’s use of “Allah”.
The ball is in Najib’s court to act on the message of moderation, harmony and co-existence of his two Christmas speeches yesterday. Will he or won’t he?

Friday, December 20, 2013

National Union of Journalists, lawyers’ group condemn The Heat’s suspension

BY LEE SHI-IAN
DECEMBER 20, 2013
The Heat's editor-in-chief was hauled up by the Home Ministry recently. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, December 20, 2013.The Heat's editor-in-chief was hauled up by the Home Ministry recently. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, December 20, 2013.The National Union of Journalists and human rights group Lawyers for Liberty have condemned Putrajaya for the indefinite suspension of newsweekly The Heat, saying its action contradicted the meaning of democracy.
NUJ president Chin Sung Chew said Malaysia as a democratic country should uphold the practice of media freedom.
"The media is the Fourth Estate and we have a responsibility to update the public, especially if there is any abuse or wrongdoing by the Government," Chin told The Malaysian Insider.
"The public are entitled to know what is going on in the Government and we, as the media, are merely upholding our responsibility of informing the people.
"The Home Ministry, by suspending The Heat, has contradicted what a true democratic government would uphold and stand for," he said commenting on the indefinite suspension of The Heat.
Lawyers for Liberty called Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak a “false democrat” following the indefinite suspension of The Heat.
LFL co-founder and adviser Eric Paulsen said the slew of reforms which Najib had promised to implement on the eve of Merdeka Day in 2011 had all come to nothing.
"Najib had promised that Putrajaya would support press freedom by amending the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984," Paulsen told The Malaysian Insider today.
"But the Home Ministry is still maintaining its authoritarian grip over the press, especially the print publication.”
Referring to the indefinite suspension of news weekly The Heat, Paulsen said this was a typical move by Najib's administration, another flip-flop step.
"Every step Putrajaya takes forward, it is followed by two steps back," Paulsen said.
He also drew attention to Najib's promise to abolish preventive laws and the Internal Security Act 1960.
"Najib kept his word and abolished the Emergency Ordinance and ISA, but Putrajaya then took two steps back by amending the Prevention of Crime Act."
"This is what I mean by Putrajaya and Najib constantly flip-flopping on reforms and human rights and press freedom."
Paulsen also said that many individuals were still being arrested and charged under the Sedition Act 1948 despite Najib's promise to do away with the archaic law
The Heat was suspended indefinitely by the Home Ministry in what is believed to be over a front-page article on Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s expenditure, sources said.
The weekly's reporters were informed about the suspension during an editorial meeting yesterday.
The weekly, which focuses on politics and socio-economic issues, had been issued a show-cause letter last week.
Editor-in-chief David Lee Boon Siew had also been summoned to the Home Ministry in Putrajaya and told to tone down its reports.
The Malaysian Insider understands that although the show-cause letter did not specify the offending article, it was over a report entitled “All eyes on big spending PM Najib” published in its November 23 to 29 issue.
It is believed that HCK Media, the publisher, had been given 14 days to reply to the show-cause letter but the Home Ministry appears to have suspended the publication before it could reply to the letter.
PKR vice-president N. Surendran said the suspension of the news weekly was a personal act of vengeance by Najib and Rosmah as The Heat dared to criticise the Government over its spending.
The Padang Serai MP described the suspension as undemocratic, arbitrary and an assault on press freedom.
He said the suspension was a calculated move by Putrajaya to keep the media fearful, subservient and emasculated. – December 20, 2013.

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Anti-Shia campaign is to divert attention from rising cost of living, says Kit Siang’s aide

BY ELIZABETH ZACHARIAH
DECEMBER 14, 2013
Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud reminded the government that there are many foreign students here who are Shias. - The Malaysian Insider pic, December 14, 2013.Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud reminded the government that there are many foreign students here who are Shias. - The Malaysian Insider pic, December 14, 2013.The campaign against Shia followers is the government's attempt to divert the attention of Malaysians from the rising cost of living, said Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud, the political secretary to DAP leader Lim Kit Siang.
In a statement, she pointed out that Putrajaya had started a campaign against Shia followers a day after the announcement of fare hikes for the LRT and monorail services.
"Once more our nation’s attention is diverted with the Shia issue to cover up the high increase in the cost of living for all Malaysians.
"This is due to the withdrawal of the oil and sugar subsidies, increase in electricity tariff, the proposed introduction of GST, hike in assessment rates and increase in LRT and monorail fares," she said.
She was commenting on Datuk Seri Najib Razak's proposal to include the term Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah to the definition of Islam in the Federal Constitution to protect the aqidah (faith) of Muslims in the country.
The prime minister had said that the move was made after consultation with Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and supreme council member on religious affairs Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom following the recent Umno general assembly where delegates had called for the Constitution to be amended.
"Recently, Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had also announced that there were plans to establish a special syariah police force just to combat Shia activities," Dyana noted.
However, she pointed out that the minister could have "forgotten" that Malaysia was hosting many international students, many of whom are Iranians who are Shias.
"This is part of the efforts to internationalise and build good reputation for our local universities and to contribute to the nation’s income through the enrolment of international students and the reduction in currency outflow.
"Thousands of these students openly interact with our local students," she said, adding that there were students who followed the Shia teachings in Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).
She called on Putrajaya to explain if these students would be asked to quit their studies and leave the country as soon as possible.
"If the government is serious about combating Shia, would the international students who spent a fortune to further their studies in Malaysia – invited by our own government – be asked to quit their studies and leave the country as soon as possible?
"Or will they be instructed to only practise their religion in private so that other Muslims in Malaysia will not be confused?
"As mentioned by the Court of Appeal in the Allah case, Malaysian Muslims are prone to confusion," Dyana said, referring to the Appellate Court's ruling on the Allah issue.
Putrajaya should also explain if the campaign to curb the Shia movement was only applicable for Muslims in Malaysia, she said.
"If the definition of Islam is limited to Muslims in Malaysia, does that mean other Muslims in other countries are not deemed as Muslims in our country?" - December 14, 2013.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

MAN WITHOUT A CORE: Najib betrays his own Moderates Movement with Sunni Islam call

Thursday, 12 December 2013 10:02
Written by Zairil Khir Johari

Amongst the more ridiculous propositions to emerge from the recently concluded Umno General Assembly was the suggestion that Article 3 of the Federal Constitution should be amended to stipulate that Islam in Malaysia refers to the practice of the Sunnah Wal Jamaah, or Sunni denomination.
Such a move, according to various Umno leaders including party Vice-President and Home Minister Dato’ Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, was necessary in order to “protect the sanctity of the teaching of Sunnah wal Jamaah and to stop the spread of other teachings in the country.”
This suggestion comes hot on the heels of the Home Minister’s vilification of the Shia sect as a deviant ideology, while attempting to link Pas leaders, in particular party Deputy President Mat Sabu, as Shia followers.
Most incredibly, this call was met favourably by Umno President Dato’ Sri Najib Razak who, in his closing speech, promised that the party constitution would be amended to define Islam as that of the Sunni denomination. Although the Prime Minister did not go so far as to agree to amend the Federal Constitution, he certainly did not rule it out when asked.
A voice of sanity (but for how long?)
Thankfully, a voice of sanity has emerged in the form of former Umno Supreme Council member and now Chief Executive Officer of the Global Movement of Moderates, Dato’ Saifuddin Abdullah, who appears to have broken ranks with his party colleagues.
In a press conference recently, Dato’ Saifuddin said that “there is no need to amend the Federal Constitution to specify Islam as the Sunni denomination” as “it is sufficient that the Federal Constitution already plainly states Islam as the religion of the federation.”
Dato’ Saifuddin also expressed concern that attempts to define Islam in the constitution in such a specific manner would not be inclusive, and that he did not believe in the “holier-than-thou approach” in handling this issue that he deems to be “exaggerated.”
Najib’s false moderation
In 2010, Najib spearheaded the formation of the Global Movement of Moderates (GMM) by calling upon “members and leaders of the world's major faiths to censure and reject their own extremists.”
However, far from practising what he preaches, Najib’s own government has consistently submitted to the demands of the very extremists he is asking the world to reject.
Following on from the “kalimah Allah” controversy which has made Malaysia a laughing stock not only amongst Western nations but also in the Muslim world, the Government’s latest attempt to cast limitations on the definition of Islam is a palpable mockery of the religion.
Moreover, the zeal with which the Government is pursuing the persecution of Muslim minorities such as the Shia goes against the very grain of moderation or inclusiveness. In fact, it even contradicts the charter of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which affirms the need “to foster noble Islamic values concerning moderation, tolerance, respect for diversity,” as well as “to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
It is clear that Najib has betrayed the very movement which he started, and that the GMM is now nothing more than a false façade that belies the extremist, bigoted and narrow-minded tendencies of the Barisan Nasional Government.

Zairil Khir Johari
Member of Parliament for Bukit Bendera

Source: http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=199691:man-without-a-core-najib-betrays-his-own-moderates-movement-with-sunni-islam-call&Itemid=2#axzz2nEC7OuJ2

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Umno Baru running scared

By Mariam Mokhtar
Dec 9, 2013
The 4Rs – race, royalty, religion and the rural people – have been used by Umno Baru to divide and rule Malaysia.
When Najib asked the rhetorical question, “Where would the Malays be without Umno Baru?”, it was a cry of desperation and an admission of defeat.
Umno Baru’s hold on the Malays is slipping. Najib and Umno-Baru are scared. Without the Malays, where would Umno Baru be? Domination of the Malays is not about protecting their rights. It is all about power and status.
The line that Umno Baru has used for over five decades to divide the nation, is no longer relevant. Malay graduates who return to Malaysia do so because they have to fulfil the terms of their scholarship or loan. Try asking them what they really feel about Malaysia, about Umno Baru and its leaders. Their stories will fill you with hope.
The current clampdown on dissent and the hunt for Malays who speak their minds is because the government is afraid. A thinking Malay is a threat to Umno Baru. A thinking Malay who is prepared to question the leaders and make them accountable for their actions will erode the power of Umno Baru.
Umno Baru knows that one thinking Malay will embolden other Malays and very soon, Umno Baru will become irrelevant.
If anecdotal evidence is to be believed, the brain drain is no longer confined to non-Malays seeking better shores. What frightens Umno Baru is the fact that many Malays have become disillusioned with Umno Baru and are not just abandoning the party. They are prepared to forsake their country.
In the past, Malays used to deride the non-Malays for leaving Malaysia. Many did not know the degree of unfairness with which the government treated the non-Malays, in the areas of employment, business opportunities, education, jobs in the civil service and defence.
Today, young graduate Malays, who have been educated overseas, are telling their parents that enough is enough.
They are astute enough to know that the government will make the lives of their families miserable so they leave quietly and without fuss. If the government cannot prosecute the Malay graduate who has absconded, their modus operandi is to go after their families.
In a change from the past, Malay families are now supportive of their children working and living abroad. In the age of the Internet, communication is easy and relatively cheap. Ironically, the Malays are now emulating their non-Malay peers, by turning their backs on Malaysia.
Many Malays who have found employment in the countries in which they studied are happy and glad they made the move.
One Malay doctor said, “My work experience in the (Malaysian) hospital was a bitter experience. I wasn’t just overworked but when I asked the consultant for advice, I was shouted at in front of the patients and other staff.
“It was humiliating and degrading. In the teaching hospital in Sydney, the consultants were pleasant and eager to train me. I felt appreciated.”
When you hear stories like these you know that young Malays are not prepared to believe the lies of Umno-Baru, any longer. The young Malays of today have an appetite for hard work, which is not matched by the Umno Baru Malays or mat rempit types whom Najib is fond of praising.
Answering Najib
A Malay farmer in his sixties said, “What is Najib doing about the farmers? The youth have no interest in agriculture They are leaving the kampong in search of jobs. Many farmers are now in their 60s and 70s. Who will take over my farm when I die?
“I know that many young men who migrated to the cities, are still unemployed. Many have turned to drugs or petty theft. What has the government done to make farming attractive?”
Many civil servants claim that they are demoralised at work. They find that their time and departmental operating budgets are increasingly being used for political, Umno Baru activities. The ones who voice their opinions are warned that they risk destroying their career prospects.
Even Umno Baru supporters are slowly realising they are being conned. One senior party worker said that, with Umno Baru’s help, many rich Malays drive imported sports cars and live in rumah mewah (mansions). When asked how Umno Baru had helped uplift his life, he was dumb-struck. The penny had dropped!
If Najib Abdul Razak had asked the rhetorical question “Where would the Malays be without Umno Baru?”, in front of ordinary members of the rakyat, he would have been drowned out with hisses and pelted with rotten eggs, or shoes.
The answer to Najib’s question is simple. Without Umno Baru, the Malays would be better off economically, financially, morally, spiritually and intellectually. Without Umno Baru, the Malays can restore their lost dignity. A Malay who has the courage to reject Umno Baru will be mentally liberated and feel a weight lifted from his shoulders.
Umno Baru has brainwashed Malays and gave them a false sense of entitlement. They were told they were owed success without the need for hard work. Only Umno Baru would think of placing a copyright on the word ‘Allah’. Umno Baru gave Malays and Islam a bad reputation.
Under Umno Baru, Malays have become arrogant, insincere, work-shy, complacent, uncompetitive, demanding and insensitive. Umno Baru conditioned the Malays to stop thinking and let Umno Baru think for them.
Umno Baru taught some Malays to steal the taxpayers’ money and learn the fine art of corruption.
Umno Baru conditioned the Malay mind to think that any wrongdoing by its leaders is acceptable, because this is preferable to a non-Malay leading the country.
Umno Baru injected fear into the Malay psyche and told him that he should be afraid of change and new ideas.
Only Umno Baru would say that liberal Malays, Christians, Singapore and progressive NGOs are a threat to Malays and Islam.
Umno Baru is Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s creation and the mistrust, disunity, treachery, sedition and intolerance are his true legacy.
Only an Umno Baru leader would defend his wife’s extravagance and boast of her ability, but ignore the suffering of the rakyat. The average Malaysian family is barely surviving. Where is the breadwinner going to find an additional 15 percent more income to pay for the increase caused by the GST?
Mahathir, Najib, Muhyiddin Yassin, Hishammuddin Hussein, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Khairy Jamaluddin and other senior Umno Baru politicians are poor role models for Malays.
Umno Baru is not concerned about Malays or Malay rights. Its only concern is status and power; both economic and political power. Najib realises that without the Malays, Umno Baru could be as dead as a dodo. Najib knows that Umno Baru is living on borrowed time.
By GE14, the only people supporting Najib and Umno-Baru will be the mat rempits and the ‘new Malays’ from Bangladesh.
MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO).

Monday, November 25, 2013

UN observers want Putrajaya to allow ‘Allah’ for all

By Ida LimNovember 25, 2013

'Herald, the Catholic Weekly,' is seen on the table at its office in Kuala Lumpur February 27, 2009. — Reuters pic'Herald, the Catholic Weekly,' is seen on the table at its office in Kuala Lumpur February 27, 2009. — Reuters picKUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 — Putrajaya should lift its ban on use of the word “Allah” in the Catholic Church's weekly paper Herald, the United Nations (UN) observers said today, as global concern grows over religious freedom for Malaysia's non-Muslim minorities.
Frank La Rue, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, said the federal government and the home ministry should allow the Catholic Church to use the Arabic word to refer to their God.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Government of Malaysia should take necessary steps to secure immediately the right to freedom of opinion and expression of Herald – The Catholic Weekly and withdraw unconditionally from further litigation on this issue,” the UN expert said in a press release issued by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
La Rue was backing his colleague Heiner Bielefeldt's call today for the federal government to retract its decision, which was seen to limit the use of the word “Allah” to Muslims only - the country's largest religious community.
In warning of the court case's potential far-reaching impact on religious minorities in Malaysia, Bielefeldt also said that the government should not be dictating or interpreting on religious matters, stressing that freedom of religion belongs to individuals.
“Freedom of religion or belief is a right of human beings, not a right of the State,” said Bielefeldt, who is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.
“It cannot be the business of the State to shape or reshape religious traditions, nor can the State claim any binding authority in the interpretation of religious sources or in the definition of the tenets of faith,” he added.
Last month, the Court of Appeal ruled that the Home Ministry’s decision to ban the use of the word in the Herald was justified, saying that the use of the word “Allah” was “not an integral part” of the practice of the Christian faith.
Rita Izsák, UN Independent Expert on minority issues, said the ban had effectively breached the local Christian community's freedom to practice their faith, expressing her concern that it could affect the interfaith relations here.
“Discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief constitutes a violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and in this instance is a breach of the rights of a religious minority to freely practice and express their faith as they have done for generations. Such actions may present an obstacle to friendly and peaceful relations between faith communities,” she said today in the same press release.
Since the Court of Appeal ruling, churches in Sabah and Sarawak have become more vocal in pressing for their right to use the term that they say is entrenched in the 20- and 18-point agreements with the two states, insisting they will continue their age-old practice of referring to God as “Allah” in their worship and in their holy scriptures.
On November 11, the Catholic Church filed for appeal at the country’s top court to seek clarity on the religious row that has drawn deep lines between Malaysia’s non-Muslim minorities and its 60 per cent Muslim population.
In its Federal Court filing sighted by The Malay Mail Online, the Church submitted a list of 26 questions that concern the Constitution, administrative law and the general conduct of the courts to decide on the dispute that has been left simmering for the last five years after the Home Ministry barred the publication of the word “Allah” in the Bahasa Malaysia section of Catholic weekly, Herald.
Several ministers also said recently that the 10-point solution issued by Putrajaya in 2011 - which allows the printing, importation and distribution of the Al-Kitab, the Bahasa Malaysia version of the Christian bible, containing the word “Allah” - should stand, despite the appellate court ruling.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak also said previously that the ruling would not affect Sabah and Sarawak, while separately another Cabinet minister claimed that Christians from the Borneo states could also use the word in Peninsular Malaysia.
According to a 2010 census, Muslims are Malaysia’s largest religious group, followed by Buddhists. Christians are the third largest at 2.6 million, which comes up to about 10 per cent of the entire Malaysian population.
Bumiputera Christians, who form about 64 per cent or close to two-thirds of the Christian community in Malaysia, have used the word “Allah” when praying and speaking in the national language and their native tongues for centuries.
Source: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/un-observers-want-putrajaya-to-allow-allah-for-all#sthash.eKFV7ugm.dpuf

High-level Pakatan Rakyat GE14 Strategic Council to capture Putrajaya

Top priority for Pakatan Rakyat is to set up a high-level PR 14GE strategic council to plan for the capture of federal government in Putrajaya in next general elections


Congratulations are in order to PAS leaders and delegates for a very successful 59th Muktamar at national, youth and wanita levels, causing great disappointments to UMNO plotters and conspirators who had worked overtime through their printed or social media in cyberspace to sow dissension and distrust within PAS ranks and to sabotage the unity of purpose of Pakatan Rakyat and giving hope to enlightened Malaysians who comprise the majority of the electorate that two-coalition politics in Malaysia is here to stay as it is very much alive and kicking.
PAS Deputy President Mohamad Sabu struck the nail on the head when he pointed out in his winding-up speech at the 59th Muktamar that PAS would only be a regional party confined to the east coast of the peninsula if it had not entered into a pact with PKR and DAP in Pakatan Rakyat.
As Sabu succinctly said:
“Without Pakatan, our area of dominance would only stretch from Rantau Panjang (in northern Kelantan) to Kemaman (southern Terengganu).
“But with Pakatan, we conquered Selangor and, God willing, it will be Johor next.”
In 1999, when PAS benefitted most from the backlash against BN because of the 1998 political and economic crisis, it won 27 parliament and 98 state seats making it the largest opposition party.

However, 93% and 86% of the parliament and state seats won by PAS was in its “Northern” heartland of Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.
In 2004, as a result of the Pak Lah “Tsunami”, PAS was reduced to 6 parliament and 33 state seats (100% and 94% of which, respectively, were in the Northern states).
2008 marked a significant shift in PAS’s support outside the 4 Northern States. PAS won 23 parliament and 83 state seats in total, out of which 70% and 76% were in the 4 Northern States.
In 2013, PAS won 2 fewer parliament seats (21 vs 23) but won 2 more state seats (85 vs 83) and this time, 67% and 66% of parliament and state seats respectively were in the 4 Northern States (See Table 1 below)
State1999200420082013
Parl.StateParl.StateParl.StateParl.State
Perlis03010101
Kedah
8121461619
Kelantan1041524938932
Terengganu7280418414
Penang01010101
Perak23002625
Pahang06000213
Selangor040048415
KL0NA0NA1NA0NA
Negeri Sembilan00000100
Melaka00000001
Johor00010204
P.Msia279863523832185
Perlis, Kedah, K’tan & T’gganu258463316631456
Others21402720729
Northern %92.6%85.7%100.0%94.3%69.6%75.9%66.7%65.9%
Others %7.4%14.3%0.0%5.7%30.4%24.1%33.3%34.1%
Being part of Pakatan has helped PAS venture beyond its core 4 northern states.
The setback faced by PAS in Kedah in 2013 cannot be explained in terms of PAS participation in Pakatan but more so because of internal factors. Similar explanations can be used for the slight decrease in support for PAS in Kelantan.
If being part of Pakatan hurt PAS in the Malay heartland, then PAS would not have made gains in Terengganu.
Moving forward, it is clear that the states which have and will continue to experience the largest population growth in Peninsular Malaysia are Selangor, KL and Johor. These are where most of the new seat increases (parliament and state) will occur.
Many of the new seats will be ethnically ‘mixed’ seats.
Hence, if PAS wants to continue to make inroads beyond its 4 Northern States, it must work together in the context of Pakatan to maximize its Malay as well as non-Malay support. In the 4 Northern States, PAS must look internally to strengthen itself and Pakatan.
Another way of examining PAS’ performance out on a state by state basis is to analyse the % of votes obtained by PAS in the seats contested by PAS in each state.
This information is shown in Table 2 below.
StateParliament (As a % of Votes in PAS Seats)Change 1999 to 2013Change 2004 to 2013
1999200420082013
Perlis44.5%35.6%44.5%44.7%0.2%9.1%
Kedah48.4%42.1%50.6%46.4%-1.9%4.4%
Kelantan60.5%47.2%55.1%54.4%-6.2%7.2%
Terengganu58.7%44.2%44.9%48.9%-9.8%4.7%
Penang30.0%28.2%38.4%46.8%16.8%18.6%
Perak44.3%35.0%48.1%43.6%-0.7%8.6%
Pahang44.0%32.6%39.7%42.1%-1.9%9.5%
Selangor43.3%32.6%51.9%54.3%11.0%21.7%
WPKL47.5%27.3%48.7%44.3%-3.2%17.1%
Melaka34.0%21.4%29.4%28.9%-5.1%7.5%
Negeri Sembilan34.4%23.0%30.8%39.5%5.1%16.4%
Johor28.1%17.6%28.8%35.2%7.2%17.6%
P.Msia47.5%34.4%45.3%47.3%-0.2%12.9%
PAS support in Kelantan and Terengganu reached its highest level in 1999 (60.5% and 58.7% respectively). PAS support in Kedah was the highest in 2008 when it won 50.6% of total votes in the seats it contested in. In 2013, even though PAS support is lower in Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu compared to 1999, it is still much higher than in 2004.
At the same time, PAS’ support outside the 4 Northern States have increased significantly since 1999 especially in Penang (16.8% increase), Selangor (11.0%), Negeri Sembilan (5.1%) and Johor (7.2%). This shows that being part of Pakatan has clearly paid dividends for PAS in these states.
Table 2: % of votes won by PAS in PAS contested parliament seats (1999 to 2013)
Being part of Pakatan definitely helped PAS win two new parliament seats in 2013 that it could not have won without Pakatan’s support.
In Temerloh, a 63% Malay, 26% Chinese, 9% Indian seat, PAS won with a 1070 majority with very strong support coming from the 35% non-Malay voters in this seat.
In Sepang, a 59% Malay, 23% Chinese, 18% Indian seat, PAS won with a 1142 majority against a former UMNO Minister again with very strong support coming from the 41% non-Malay voters in this area.
For PAS to win back some of the marginal seats which it lost such as Sungai Besar (34% non-Malay), Kuala Selangor (36% non-Malay) and Titiwangsa (32% non-Malay), it must utilize the strength of the Pakatan brand and cooperation.
It is not just PAS which had benefitted from its partnership in Pakatan Rakyat, as the same case can be made for both the DAP and PKR as well.
There can be no doubt that by forming the coalition, the three component parties of DAP, PKR and PAS could not only individually win greater number of parliamentary and state assembly seats than when they are contesting on their own, they could also achieve a greater sum total of the overall number of parliamentary and state assembly seats countrywide.
The top priority for Pakatan Rakyat at present is to set up a high-level PR 14GE strategic council to plan for the capture of federal government in Putrajaya in next general elections as well as to achieve optimum election results for PR in the various states.