Australia’s former PM Rudd tells Canberra to be ‘robust’ on Xenophon expulsion

By Boo Su-Lyn

February 17, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 17 — Australia’s former prime minister Kevin Rudd condemned Australian senator Nick Xenophon’s detention in Malaysia as unacceptable and urged Canberra to be “robust” in response.

Xenophon (picture) arrived in Kuala Lumpur yesterday morning to call on Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, de facto law minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz and Election Commission (EC) officials next week, but was detained at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang and subsequently deported late at night.

“Detaining any member of an Australian parliament, in the way in which Senator Xenophon appears to have been detained, is just unacceptable,” Rudd told Australian news channel Sky News today.

“We are robust about our democracy and therefore we should be robust in our response to our friends in Kuala Lumpur,” he added.

Xenophon was to review the country’s electoral system with a delegation of other Australian MPs and senators that would arrive later, but his colleagues have cancelled the trip in response to his deportation.

Rudd said today that Australia was a “good friend” to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, but that Putrajaya’s action warranted a response.

“He’s an elected member of the Australian Parliament and should be treated with the appropriate respect,” added Rudd, referring to Xenophon.

The deportation order issued by the Malaysian Immigration Department to Nick Xenophon.- Picture courtesy of Nick Xenophon's office

Immigration Department director-general Datuk Alias Ahmad said yesterday that Xenophon was deported and barred from entering Malaysia under the Immigration Act 8(3) because the senator had made statements that allegedly tarnished Malaysia’s image.

Alias highlighted Xenophon’s remarks about the Malaysian government being “authoritarian” in handling last April’s Bersih 3.0 rally for free and fair elections.

In Xenophon’s observation of the rally, he noted that the police had fired tear gas and chemical-laced water in what had been a largely peaceful protest.

His comments were also laid down in the final report of a fact-finding mission on elections in Malaysia as part of an international polls observer group that included six others, including representatives from neighbouring Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Pakistan and Germany.

Xenophon’s detention and deportation have raised the ire of several Malaysians, including electoral reform group Bersih 2.0 and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) politicians.

Bersih 2.0 co-chair Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan lambasted Xenophon’s deportation as a move that showed the government’s “paranoia” about the coming national polls.

Anwar called it a “gross abuse of power” that violated international protocol in treating international lawmakers, especially those from the Commonwealth.

Several other Twitter users joined Ambiga in raining scorn on the government’s decision, with the subject spawning a hashtag #xenophon.

The Election Commission (EC) however has defended the lawmaker’s deportation, saying that immigration authorities were merely performing their duty.

EC deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar added that it was unjust to judge the fairness of the coming Election 2013 based on Xenophon’s expulsion.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/australias-former-pm-rudd-tells-canberra-to-be-robust-on-xenophon-expulsion/

Anwar is Pakatan’s right choice for PM

Ali Cordoba

 | December 29, 2012

To stop concerted attempts to break up the opposition coalition, Pakatan leaders must decide once and for all who should lead, and it's obvious who the candidate is.

COMMENT

Amidst the display of greed among some opposition members on the issue of the next Prime Minister of Malaysia, it is certain that the man to lead Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in the elections should be its most popular figure.

There is little doubt who the man is who can lead the country towards the path for change. The thorns in the flanks of Pakatan, however, are not its political enemies but the leader’s nemesis who are acting as ‘resident evils’.

Several Pakatan members launched a controversial debate on who should lead PR after the 13th general election, ignoring the wishes of the people on the ground. In the past weeks, PR has generated the expected large crowds in its recent rallies.

Will PAS or DAP leaders come forward and tell the public that it is them and not Anwar Ibrahim who is behind this surge in support? If people are flocking to the rallies to listen to Pakatan, it due to the maestro of PKR who is the major crowd puller.

If shamelessness has no borders and limits, then we will surely see some of trouble makers coming forward to claim they are the ones behind the massive support PR is generating!

However, the rise in tempo against Anwar’s leadership in PR is a not a simple ploy by some greedy people to do a ‘coup d’etat’ in the coalition. The whole episode has to do with a lack of certainty on the position of Anwar within PR itself.

While the PKR sees Anwar as the sole candidate to lead PR and bring change – and they have excellent reasons to stick to this plan – the other coalition partners have been tip-toeing into a morass.

The absence of a declaration of leadership roles within the loose coalition is the number one reason for the claims by other partners to snatch the PM post after the polls. The fact that BN is wooing PAS to join a so called ‘Islamic’ coalition is a major factor in this crisis.

PR needs to lay down its leadership strategy in its pursuit of Putrajaya. In the minds of a large majority of the people, it is Anwar’s name which comes first as the potential PM.

He is expected to lead the coalition during the polls campaign and also declared as the PM in waiting. In the event PR decides to push forward such an agenda, which will be a popular one, the impact will be tremendous and the chances for PR taking power will be greater.

At least, this is what a majority of the public is thinking and it will be incredible if such a popular wish is not granted.

Pakatan must decide

At this juncture in Malaysian politics, it is clear that Anwar is the leader in PR. It is also evident that he is leading the pack of leaders from the PKR, PAS and the DAP.

What is not clear though is why some PR leaders are showing their greed and lack of tact and respect in publicising their ‘dreams’. Not that they are not entitled to such dreams but they are far from being the next ‘Martin Luther King’ in history!

With some of the PAS leaders kowtowing to the tune of the anti-Anwar lobby, they are allowing their opponents in power to drive a dangerous wedge between the coalition partners within PR.

It is not possible that the campaign to decide whether the PAS should have its leader as PM or not was not well crafted from above within PAS itself.

It is also impossible to believe that the PAS leadership was not aware that the gambit to seize the PM post within PR before elections are even called, was done with a specific goal in mind. And that goal is probably an attempt to ‘hijack’ the next electoral tsunami.

In the meantime, the DAP too was foraging into the controversy by raising the divisive issue of a non Muslim PM. Now that it has died down, it is hoped the DAP rallies itself behind Anwar. It is also hoped that the PAS buries its flimsy hopes of leading the nation with biggest wins in the polls and follow the leadership of Anwar.

In order to destroy the opponent’s drive to divide PR, its leaders must sit and decide once and for all on who should lead the grouping during the poll campaigns. To the masses who are following PR campaigns closely, it obvious that Anwar remains the ultimate candidate. Do any of the other Pakatan leaders have the courage to deny this publicly?

It is also a fact that not many among the leaders of PR are either capable or have the creed and charisma to be the next PM. Some have argued that Anwar, due to the numerous accusations against him can be labeled as ‘tainted’ while other leaders in PR are seen as ‘clean’.

Such talks are purely selfish. It is who the people want to lead their country and who the masses want as the leader of the Pakatan coalition who should be the PM in making.

It is not the dream talk or the dreamed ‘purity’ factors of some leaders that will affect the poll results. It is Anwar, voted by PR as the one to lead the electoral battle, who should hold the job as the top shot of the country after a PR victory in the next GE.

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2012/12/29/anwar-is-pakatans-right-choice-for-pm/

Anwar drops BOMBSHELL: It is possible for Dr M to have US$ 44 BILLION FORTUNE!

Friday, 21 December 2012 00:41Written by  Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

UPDATE 2 Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim dropped a bombshell on Thursday, saying it was not impossible for his former boss Mahathir Mohamad to possess a fortune of as large as US$ 44billion, which would make the latter the world's second wealthiest ex-leader.

"Yes, it is possible. Why not? Look at his family, his cronies. This is why Dr Mahathir should explain," Anwar told a press conference at his party headquarters in Tropicana, Petaling Jaya.

He was responding to a recent Malaysia Chronicle news report highlighting a Wikipedia page of the world's richest leaders and ex-leaders and how much wealth they possessed. CASE OF THE MISSING NAME: So is Dr M the world's 2nd richest ex-leader with $ 44 BILLION?

The Wiki page, updated on December 14, had put Mahathir as the second richest ex-leader after Egypt's Hosni Mubarak, who it estimated was worth some US$70 billion. However, minutes after the article was published, Mahathir's name mysteriously disappeared from the Wiki list and Indonesia's late president Suharto, in third place with an estimated US$35 billion, was pushed up to replace the former Malaysia premier.

Mr 10%?

Now 87, Mahathir ruled Malaysia for 22 years from 1981 to 2003. His ham-fisted style and use of racial favoritism to gain the political upper hand have been much criticized and he is reviled rather than cherished by large pockets of the Malaysian populace.

Critics, who describe Mahathir as 'Dr Devil', have through the years speculated on how much money he and his family have made through leveraging on his influence and absolute control of the various government machinery. Some even call him "Mr 10%", in a reference to his alleged abuse of power and corrupt practices such as seeking a cut from every deal he gave the green light to.

Indeed, Mahathir's coterie of cronies include the country's richest and most powerful businessmen. They include lottery king Vincent Tan and Ananda Krishnan, the notorious Maxis boss who is now being probed by the Indian government for purportedly bribing his way into a controlling stake at Aircel.

From 2001 to 2010, US$285 BILLION siphoned out

The speculation on Mahathir's wealth comes hot on the heels of a shocking report from the Washington-based Global Financial Integrity, which tracks capital flight and is run by top financial executives including former senior IMF researchers.

GFI said in its latest report that US$RM 197 billion of 'dirty money' had been siphoned out of Malaysia in 2010 compared to RM 93 billion in 2009, an increase of 112 %. Malaysia also has the rather shameful record of being the No. 2 country in the world after China with the highest illicit outflow of dirty money in 2010.

For the 10 years from 2001 to 2010, Malaysia is ranked No. 3 globally after China and Mexico. The total 10-year estimate for Malaysia is US$285 billion (RM871.4 billion), while China is US$2,740 billion, and Mexico, US$476 billion.

In its latest report, GFI minced no words, warning that capital flight in Malaysia is "at a scale seen in few Asian countries".

Great Robbery

Anwar also expressed "no confidence" in Prime Minister Najib Razak's political will or ability to probe the GFI report or come up with an action plan to stop the outflow.

He has mooted a roundtable in January 2013 where his Pakatan Rakyat coalition plans to bring together GFI officials, central Bank Negara representatives and government officials to stem the rot.

"He (Najib) is complicit in this. We raised the matter two years ago but not only has nothing been done, the amount of illicit outflows has more than doubled in 2010 compared to 2009. He has not been transparent to the people and has blocked investigations," said Anwar. 

"We are talking about mind-boggling crime... This is the same situation as in the Great Indian Robbery where US$500 billion was spirited out of the country over a period of 6 decades."

Source: http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=45458:anwar-drops-bombshell-it-is-possible-for-dr-m-to-have-us$-44-billion-fortune&Itemid=2

Anwar puts out Umno fire, says leaders disconnected from voters

UPDATED @ 02:08:23 PM 03-12-2012

By Clara Chooi
Assistant News Editor

December 03, 2012

PETALING JAYA, Dec 3 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim turned his nose up today at Umno’s purported renewed polls confidence, saying its leaders could not accurately assess ground support by “staying in 5-star hotels, spending time in lounges and smoking expensive cigars”.

Anwar says there is a disconnect between the Umno leadership and the people. — File pic

“That is where they discuss things with their friends,” he told a press conference organised specifically to respond to issues raised at the just-concluded 66th Umno general assembly.

“There is a clear disconnect between the rich, multimillionaire Umno leaders and the masses on the ground.”

The Opposition Leader said that after monitoring closely the proceedings of Umno’s four-day assembly, he was not the least bit worried of the ruling party’s latest forecast for the polls, and instead called it a display of “sheer arrogance” by party leaders.

He said Umno delegates at the assembly had only gone on an offensive overdrive against Pakatan Rakyat (PR) instead of touching on core issues affecting society such as economic hardship, unemployment, corruption and poverty.

The theme at the assembly was merely “power”, Anwar said, noting that party leaders seemed obsessed with exchanging ideas on how they could cling on to this “power” at all costs.

“So I am not in the least bit worried. They see us in PR and me as a big threat. They are in fear that there is a giant dragon lying in wait to destroy them,” the former Umno man said.

Umno’s four-day assembly last week saw delegates leaving with renewed confidence in BN’s chances at the ballot box with several even claiming that the pact would not only recapture its traditional two-thirds parliamentary majority but also topple PR in the four states it currently rules — Kelantan, Kedah, Selangor and Penang.

Not so long ago, this was seen as a tall order, but when met at the sidelines of the assembly, delegates were quick to pre-empt BN’s triumph, even in Penang where the DAP is seen as immovable.

But Anwar said today that Umno’s boast was not surprising, pointing out that the proceedings of the assembly showed that the party’s only tactic was to use the racial and religious card as a way of “divide and conquer”.

He gave a reminder of Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s use of the “May 13 tragedy” during the wing’s meet to frighten PR’s Malay supporters, and accused the former minister of attempting to sow animosity between the Malays and the non-Malays with her threat.

“This is not only reckless but highly seditious and therefore criminal,” he said.

Anwar said this “fear-mongering” was Umno’s way of scaring Muslims into thinking that a government under PR would mean that the non-Malays would rise to usurp the power of the Malays to turn the country into a Christian state.

“Should the rakyat continue to bear with leadership of such calibre?” he asked.

He repeated his debate challenge to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, saying this was still the best platform for the latter to convince Malaysians of his credibility.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/anwar-puts-out-umno-fire-says-leaders-disconnected-from-voters/

Ambiga to Najib: Debate with Anwar

RK Anand

 | November 26, 2012

The Bersih co-chairperson wants the prime minister to accept the opposition leader's challenge to a debate, saying it will allow Malaysians to judge who is best qualified to lead the nation.

PETALING JAYA: With the next general election being described as the most poignant in the nation’s history, Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga feels that a debate between Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim is imperative.

Now that Najib had indicated that the polls could be called even next month, she said the debate must be held as soon as possible.

“It is absolutely necessary that a debate takes place. It will give Malaysians the opportunity to gauge which political coalition is best qualified to govern the nation,” she told FMT.

Noting that Najib was fond of talking about United States president Barack Obama, Ambiga urged the former to emulate the latter with regard to the practice of presidential debates in the US.

“As far as Bersih is concerned, Najib ought to take a leaf out of his [Obama's] book and agree to the debate with Anwar,” she said.

She added that the debate could prove beneficial to both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat as it would provide a platform to put their respective policies and manifestos to the test.

Anwar had repeatedly challenged Najib to a public debate but the latter had refused, citing among others that political debates was not part of the Malaysian culture.

Sharing her views on this, Ambiga said the prime minister’s refusal to engage in a verbal jousting match with the opposition leader spoke for itself.

“When a leader refuses to debate, it means that he is not confident about his policies and manifesto, perhaps he can’t defend [BN's policies], only he can answer [why he refuses to debate],” she added.

Ambiga said that Bersih would consider initiating a public petition to determine if Malaysians wished to see the two leaders debate on issues of national importance.

It is understood that the BN camp was also concerned about Anwar’s renowned oratory skills and therefore pitting Najib against him in a televised debate would be political suicide.

Meanwhile, Ambiga also took Najib to task for stating that the general election could be held next month during his address at the launch of the Himpunan Barisan 1Malaysia on Saturday.

The Bersih leader was aghast that the prime minister continued to tease the nation with regard to the election date.

“I find it very disconcerting and irresponsible. The prime minister should not toy with the citizens,” she said, adding that Najib had placed the nation on election mode for years now.

Why fear international observers?
On another matter, Ambiga also expressed astonishment over the prime minister’s critical remarks concerning Anwar’s request to Canberra to observe the election process here.

Najib had asked why the opposition leader had remained silent when Pakatan captured five states in the 2008 general election and dismissed the latter’s plea to Australia as shameless.

“I am astounded that the prime minister thinks it is embarrassing,” said Ambiga. “It is only embarrassing if there is something wrong with the electoral system,” she stressed.

Furthermore, she said that if the election was clean and fair, Putrajaya should not be concerned about the presence of foreign observers.

Pointing out that Malaysia had participated as an observer in other elections, she asked: “Why do we participate in something which we do not believe in?”

“I am very concerned when a government says it is strongly against international observers as it leads me to believe that the polls will not be clean and fair,” she added.

Ambiga also stressed that it was not up to the prime minister to decide on the matter of international observers as this was the prerogative of the Election Commission.

“And the EC previously said it will consider this. If the EC wants to show its independence, it will take a different stand. Any EC worth its salt will have no problems with international observers,” she said.

Clarifying an earlier statement issued by Bersih, Ambiga said while the electoral watchdog was pleased with the EC for setting up a special unit to rid the voter roll of dubious entries, it would
however be meaningless if the unit was not composed of the right individuals.

“We do not trust the EC, we suggest that representatives from each political party be in that unit.

“It is not rocket science, we have enough qualified people who understand the process and can help in cleaning up the roll. The civil society has always offered to help,” she added.

Ambiga also recalled how EC chairman Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof had in April described the Malaysian electoral roll as the cleanest in the world.

“After so many quarters slogged akin to pushing a boulder uphill and presented evidence, now on the eve of the elections, the EC admits the existence of discrepancies.

“So it seems that the public, who do not have the resources, must unearth the problems and only then, the EC will rectify them. In my opinion, this is just eyewash!” she said.

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/11/26/ambiga-to-najib-debate-with-anwar/

“我读懂纳吉脸部表情＂，安华预测年內大选

 2012-10-16 08:51

• 
  林冠英（左2起）、安华及莫哈末沙布集聚峇东埔並互相交流。（图：星洲日报）

1 of 2

（檳城‧北海15日讯）国会反对党领袖拿督斯里安华强调，虽然很多人认定大选落在明年，但他“读了＂首相拿督斯里纳吉的脸部表情，猜测到大选会在今年內举行。

他认为，纳吉最近动作频频，包括在財政预算案宣佈將继续发放500令吉援助金及多项令討选民欢心的消息，但却刻意放烟雾弹，让人民產生错觉，以为大选在明年才举行。

他说：“但是我读懂他（纳吉）的脸部表情，我可以猜到大选不会落在明年，而应该会在今年11月杪或12月初就举行。＂

民联入主布城信心满满

也是峇东埔国会议员的安华昨晚在公正党在威中诗不朗再也农业博览中心举行的政治讲座会发表演说时，直指第十三届全国大选不会拖到明年才进行，而是今年內举行。

安华也对民联在下届全国大选入主布城信心满满，並已想像得到一旦民联成功执政中央，將有多少人会排队等著向他祝贺並亲吻其手背，甚至有多少高官领袖將向他靠拢並轻声细语討好他。

他强调，民联一旦执政中央，必会实现向人民许下的承诺，包括取消高等教育基金贷款、调低油价、取消南北大道过路费及全民从小学至大学的免费教育等等，如果他没有能力实现诺言，就不会再踩上峇东埔的土地。

安华昨早率领公正党“人民独立巡迴＂双层巴士开抵檳州拜访多区的民眾后，当晚与多位民联重量级领袖，包括行动党秘书长林冠英、伊斯兰党署理主席莫哈末沙布及檳州第一副首长拿督曼梳等，在大型讲座会上轮流发表演说。

林冠英轰AES
让国阵朋党获利

林冠英继续炮轰自动执法系统（AES），指它非为了阻嚇人民触犯交通条例，反而是让国阵朋党取得利益，不如就直接把此系统改称为“一个马来西亚摄影机＂。

他也提及甲拋峇底柏淡的大马空军地段，自1984开始就计划要兴建皇家空军的家庭居屋，但直到今天非但没有落实此计划，反而被以每月7千令吉的廉价租金出租。

他说，这片佔地330依格的地段当年被征用后，由檳州政府移交给联邦土地委员会做为兴建皇家空军家庭居屋用途，如今过了28年，却不见有关计划落实。

沙布吁民
出席人民大集会

莫哈末沙布呼吁人民踊跃出席將於11月3日在武吉加里尔举行的人民大集会，届时民眾可以穿上代表4项民间运动顏色的衣服，如黄色、橙色、绿色及红色参与其盛。

来源：http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/264850?tid=1

国会会议：指总开销比去年超支9.4%，安华批评纳吉铺张

 2012-10-02 10:34

（吉隆坡1日讯）国会反对党领袖拿督斯里安华批评首相兼財长拿督斯里纳吉的铺张开销模式，有如一种病態和成癮，中央政府今年的总开销比2012年財政预算案超支9.4%，或多出216亿令吉。

他指出，政府超支不是因为公务员薪资调涨或政府津贴，而是包括採购开销超支15亿令吉。

“在国家面对严重赤字的情况下，政府理应谨慎开销，並且通过透明的採购程序来节省开销；然而，政府的採购经费比获批的数额超支15亿令吉。＂他指出，自从纳吉担任財长期间，我国的债务服务经费在5年內增涨56%或增加80亿令吉，这显示自2009年至2013年我国新的借贷（根据国家银行数据）高达1千840亿令吉。

经费飆涨70亿

“如果政府是採用透明和公开招標的方式，供应与採购费用理应可以受到控制，但是经费却飆涨了70亿令吉或增加28%成本。＂安华今日在下议院参与辩论2013年財政预算案时指出，自纳吉担任首相以来，政府开销已超支了150亿令吉，若这笔款项获得控制和节省，能够承担一些援助人民的计划，包括废除高等教育基金和提供免费教育。

安华说，政府每年无法达到预期经济成长也將为中央政府的財务状况带来巨大影响，以及影响经济地位和人民的幸福，以及面对日益严重的財政赤字问题。

民联首务控制赤字

“根据记录，我国经济成长每年都无法达到6%的成长率，这意味在2011年至2013年期间，国家收入和税收消失了超过88亿令吉。这笔款项是政府预计在6%经济成长率所徵收的额外数额，而不是如现在般介於4%至5%。＂因此，安华表示，民联一旦执政中央，首要任务之一是要控制財政赤字和达到开销平衡，以恢復谨慎开销和通过健康的经济成长来增加国家收入。

安华强调，要促进经济成长必须依赖大量的中小型企业，而非依靠一两个大老板或富商垄断大部份的经济活动。

“政府在促进经济方面需要开拓更多新的领域和加快经济活动策略，而不是干预每一项经济活动和与小型企业竞爭。＂

一旦民联执政中央
要提高家庭收入至最低4千

安华指出，一旦民联执政中央，民联计划在第一个任期最后阶段，能够把家庭人口收入提高到每月最低4千令吉。

他说，有心人士却歪曲了民联的意思，误称是民联承诺给予每个家庭每月4千令吉。

安华今日辩论时炮轰首相与內阁成员没有出席国会聆听反对党针对预算案的演说。

安华讥讽首相纳吉早前发表言论，要求人民不要更换政府，有如埃及前独裁总统穆巴拉克给予该国人民的劝告，並揶揄“所有独裁政府都害怕改变＂。

指民联州属施政出色

此外，安华也引述数据，指由民联执政的州属如雪州、檳城、吉兰丹和吉打州的施政表现出色，並且指责国阵议员操弄数据，谎称檳州边缘化马来人的发展。

巫统哥打毛律区议员拿督阿都拉曼和巫统巴西沙叻区议员拿督达祖丁等国阵议员，纷纷批评檳州政府忽略马来人和边缘化马来人的发展。

安华回应时，再次调侃首相纳吉没有胆量到国会与他辩论，只把政府数据交给国阵议员作出辩护。

来源：http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/263187?tid=1

Can we see a debate between Najib and Anwar over 2013 Budget?

Anwar wants BN vs Pakatan budget debate with Najib

By Clara Chooi

September 28, 2012

Anwar (centre) challenged Najib to debate the Budget.—Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 ― Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today renewed his debate challenge on Datuk Seri Najib Razak, this time suggesting to take on the country’s number one by pitting Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Budget 2013 to Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) alternative.

The opposition leader pointed out to how Najib had laced his Budget speech this evening with direct insults against PR and told the prime minister that if he was prepared to attack the opposition, he should do so in a debate.

“Debate me. If you are prepared to attack the opposition and the opposition leader, why can you not engage in a debate?

“Confine it to economic policies... or the Budget. I am now reiterating my earlier proposal that we debate ― that I debate Najib on the national Budget... PR versus BN’s Budget,” he told reporters after Najib tabled the government’s Budget 2013 in Parliament this evening.

Anwar had earlier described BN’s Budget handouts as mere “titbits” fed to the poor and middle income earners, pointing out that the move would do nothing to narrow the country’s income gap.

The prime minister hopeful said the fresh round of cash handouts in Budget 2013 to middle- and lower-income Malaysians was proof that the government was merely concerned with its chances at the ballot boxes in the coming months.

“The announcements of handouts to general Malaysians is just a small dosage for the elections... but the basic structural problem of the country, where the rich cronies and their family members amass millions of dollars of profits through improper means ― that is left intact,” Anwar said.

In his Budget 2013 speech, Najib took an indirect swipe at Anwar when he pointed out that among the leaders of the federal opposition were “those who were trusted as leaders to manage the nation’s wealth.”

Anwar was finance minister under the Mahathir administration.

“We recognise that the BN government is not without fault, but what differentiates us from the other is that they do not have the courage to accept mistakes. On the other hand, they make excuses and find fault in others.

“Ultimately, parties that offer an alternative must be evaluated on their merit,” Najib had said in his speech.

“The rakyat know them well. Among them, there are those who were trusted as leaders to manage the nation’s wealth.

“If today they make promises, the rakyat must ask why is this leadership, while in power, did not take any action.

“When they had the opportunity; and did not implement what they promises, what guarantee is there that they will fulfil promises when they are in power?” he asked.

Najib pointed out that it was during the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s when the country was “almost destroyed”.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/anwar-wants-bn-vs-pakatan-budget-debate-with-najib/

Defeat Umno once and it'll die a natural death

11:11AM Sep 11, 2012

YOURSAY 'Umno depends on the gravy train, biased police, the kangaroo courts, the one-sided mainstream media... It can't survive on a level-playing field.'

Anwar: Dr M right to say BN will lose forever 

Mushiro: Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad is aware that Umno Baru is such a hopeless party that it cannot survive on a level-playing field.

Umno depends on the gravy train, the biased police, the crooked AG (attorney-general), the kangaroo courts, the one-sided mainstream media and money from corruption.

Once these unfair advantages are taken away, Umno will just die off as it does not have the people who are resilient enough to fight for the party.

Kim Quek: Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and the readers who comment in Malaysiakini are of course dead right - Umno needs to be defeated only once and it will die a natural death.

This is because when Pakatan comes to power, the lid that covers Umno's mountain of crimes will be lifted.

And once Umno's ugly face is truly exposed to the masses, it will fall like Humpty Dumpty, whereupon, all the king's horses and all the king's men can't put Humpty Dumpty together again.

Be-End: I hope it will come sooner than later. Get rid of Umno-BN and restore justice, fair education, high police integrity and of course, progress.

!?!: After GE13, Pakatan must charge all the criminals who plundered the rakyat's tax money to fill their own pockets, as well of their families and cronies.

Get back the people's hard-earned money and send these plunderers to prison. Hold them accountable.

Keturunan Malaysia: If Pakatan Rakyat wins, it would take almost forever to bring the long list of crooks to face the music, starting from Dr M himself.

It would take almost forever too for BN to rise again from the dead as the rent-seekers and parasites would have to abandon ship to earn a living any which way they can.

Black Mamba: The majority of Lembah Pantai constituents, ranging from Malays to non-Malays, are rooting for Nurul Izzah to win again against a wannabe politician parachuted in from a senatorship who is using the rakyat's hard-earned contributions in EPF (Employees Provident Fund) to buy votes.

BN treats the EPF, Petronas, Felda Holdings, PNB, Tabung Haji, KWAP, Pelaburan Hartanah Bumiputra, Amanah Rakyat, Khazanah, 1MDB and others as their personal kitties. It's time for BN to go before these government-linked companies go belly up.

Starr: Allah/God willing, Nurul Izzah will not be defeated. If she is, the country will lose not only an effective MP but also a potential future prime minister.

Ksn: All the vices, corruption, abuses of funds and laws, incompetency, cronyism, extravagance, racialism, etc, of Umno Baru going back 30 years must be exposed and those guilty punished.

Pakatan, on its part should avoid such practices like the plague by forming a government of competent, qualified people with unquestionable integrity, restore the public institutions destroyed and in shambles to its former glory, without discrimination.

If Pakatan does that, why not, they can govern forever. But remember that after witnessing and suffering the bad aspects of Umno Baru, Malaysians will not allow Pakatan or any other party to continue if things are not done properly, transparently with decorum and social justice cutting across racial and religious lines, these being the foundation of a Pakatan government.

The election process will be used by the people to overthrow or retain a sitting government. They will not take any more nonsense any longer in the future having gone through the misdeeds and abuses of Umno Baru for so long.

Clever Voter: It is difficult to dislodge BN no matter how bad their performance and reputation.

It's simply because the entire system including the civil service, judiciary, security and even the Election Commission, is part of this web of dependency and feeding chain.

No matter what the people say, feel or believe, BN is very determined to hold on to its power.

Anwar: Mahathir is right, Umno-BN is the devil

Open Minded: I want to support the devil I know than the angel I do not know. But when the devil exhibits a totalitarian attitude and behaviour, one wants to give a chance to the angel to see if it can do what it claims to do.

As I see it, the devil has become a complacent devil and uses threats and fear every time to control and maintain its position.

Abuminable: With each passing stupid act of desperation, Najib is making Anwar look like a shining beacon of decency, sanity and intelligence.

DSAI (Anwar) doesn't need to pay hundreds of millions to professional Jewish shills and spin doctors!

Mushiro: Anwar is calm, cool, and creative in adversities. This is what is confusing and panicking PM Najib Razak, Mahathir and Umno.

Source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/208538

The rise of political hooliganism must not be condoned

September 09, 2012

SEPT 9 —The rise of what can only be described as political hooliganism in Malaysia must not be tolerated.

And as the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) must take the lead to condemn such behaviour as recent cases show that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) politicians have been at the receiving end of such hooliganism.

A few months ago unidentified thugs threw rocks and eggs at a PKR ceramah in Kuala Lumpur, injuring a few members of the public.

It has become common for opposition politicians to face unruly gangs at rallies around the country.

Yesterday a bodyguard of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim allegedly waved his gun when confronted with a crowd of hooligans trying to block the opposition politician from attending a rally.

BN leaders and the authorities cannot just claim that they are not responsible for the hooliganism.

If BN political parties and leaders are not responsible they must then take the lead to pressure the police to take action, as well as publicly condemn it.

If doing the right thing is not motivation enough they should realise that the public does not condone such behaviour.

And BN will end up taking the blame anyway.

The typical middle class Malaysian in particular is growing into a very angry person.

Why?

Because he or she wants a level playing field, a mature Malaysia, a competition of ideas.

Violence and hooliganism is not the path forward for a mature democracy.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/the-rise-of-political-hooliganism-must-not-be-condoned-the-malaysian-insider/

Police must serve to protect, not persecute

September 09, 2012

SEPT 9 — It is commendable that police took swift action to detain a man who apparently waved a gun while chasing away youths who were blocking Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's entourage in the Jelajah Merdeka Rakyat function in Malacca yesterday.

No one should display their firearms just to invoke fear in public. And if that man, a bodyguard employed by Anwar, is liable for prosecution, so be it.

But what is more disturbing is how the event unfolded. That there are people out there who were blocking a road just so that people, including Anwar, cannot attend a  function organised by PKR. And the police were there and did nothing.

According to media reports, there were plainclothes policemen and Special Branch officers who were there observing the PKR function. They did nothing to stop the youths. They only sprang to action when the bodyguard apparently waved his gun.

Malacca state police chief Datuk Chuah Ghee Lye has said the man has been detained for questioning, adding "Let us investigate the matter first as it is still premature to determine if the man had actually pointed the weapon at the public, or he was just brandishing it as an act of protecting someone.

"He could have taken out the gun and accidentally showed it to the people gathered there,” he said.

Yet, nothing is done to ensure that people have right of way to their own event? Couldn't the police have stopped these youths from such hooliganism? When have politicians resorted to such action to stop their opponents from campaigning?

Here, the police must serve to protect all because all of us are staying in this country. They cannot be selective and just persecute one side. How ironic is it that there are groups who lodged a report against the bodyguard for displaying his gun but are themselves guilty of blocking the free passage of others.

And why haven't the police taken action against these people? Do the police need reports lodged when their own men are there and witnessed what can be politely termed as an illegal blockade?

The police serve the people, not the interests of certain political quarters. Unless they reinforce this principle, the police will only invite ridicule and derision from the public whom they have sworn to protect. Do we have a public police force or one that acts on the behalf of vested interests?

We hope the police know better. Take action against the bodyguard if he committed an offence. But also take action against those who impede and block others from carrying out their business. That is the right thing to do.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/police-must-serve-to-protect-not-persecute-the-malaysian-insider/

British paper fires pro-Israel columnist over undisclosed Malaysia news fixing

August 27, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 — British newspaper The Guardian has terminated the services of conservative American columnist Joshua Trevino as its United States correspondent over his alleged relationship with a company implicated in a news-fixing campaign financed by the Malaysian government and for running a website that attacked Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and other opposition interests here.

In a short statement issued over the weekend, the newspaper said it had recent learned that Trevino “was a consultant for an agency that had Malaysian business interests and that he ran a website called Malaysia Matters. In keeping with the Guardian’s editorial code this should have been disclosed.”

Trevino reportedly called a Gaza flotilla a ‘Nazi convoy’. — Picture courtesy of globalpost.com

Trevino had recently been hired by The Guardian to be its conservative columnist in the United States. His appointment drew a firestorm of protests from liberal activists after it emerged he had urged Israel to shoot at the humanitarian flotilla in 2011 that was seeking to break its naval blockade of Gaza.

When boats carrying unarmed civilian activists attempted in June 2011 to break the blockade of Gaza, Treviño tweeted out a message to the Israeli army: “Dear IDF: If you end up shooting any Americans on the new Gaza flotilla — well, most Americans are cool with that. Including me.” 

Trevino also reportedly called the flotilla a “Nazi convoy.” 

The Guardian made no mention of the criticisms, but instead pointed to Trevino’s previous ties with an “agency” it did not name but is alleged to be FBC Media, the now-defunct company at the centre of the Malaysia news-fixing scandal involving broadcasters BBC and CNBC last year.

“Under our guidelines, the relationship between Joshua and the agency should have been disclosed before the piece was published in order to give full clarity to our readers,” said Janine Gibson, editor-in-chief, Guardian US.

In response Trevino said: “I vigorously affirm that nothing unethical was done and I have been open with the Guardian in this matter. Nevertheless, the Guardian’s guidelines are necessarily broad, and I agree that they must be respected as such.”

Trevino is a well-known conservative commentator and a former speechwriter in the President George W. Bush administration.

He has reported extensively in the past few years on Anwar’s Sodomy II trial on his Malaysia Matters website, which is now defunct.

Trevino had also frequently criticised Anwar in his other columns in other publications such as the Huffington Post.

FBC Media, the company alleged to have been referred to by The Guardian, made eight programmes for the BBC about Malaysia while failing to declare it was paid £17 million (RM85 million) by the Malaysian government for “global strategic communications” which included positive coverage of Malaysia’s controversial palm oil industry.

The BBC also used FBC to make a documentary about the spring uprising in Egypt without knowing the firm was paid to do PR work for the regime of former dictator Hosni Mubarak.

The BBC was forced to make a public apology over the matter.

FBC had also been exposed to have doubled up as a publicity firm for the Najib government and was paid millions of pounds to conduct a “Global Strategic Communications Campaign”.

But Putrajaya last year ended its RM94 million contract with FBC, which started in 2007, after it was revealed Malaysian government leaders regularly appeared in paid-for-TV programmes.

The Malaysian Insider has reported of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak contracting a series of public relations strategists, including APCO Worldwide, to polish his personal image and his government’s locally and worldwide.

Late last year the government said image consultants FBC Media helped raise the standing of Malaysia as a tourism and investment destination during the RM94 million three-year deal that began in 2007.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz told Parliament that the London-based media company, which is facing bankruptcy, “supported the efforts of government leaders and ministers” to burnish the country’s image overseas.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/british-paper-fires-pro-israel-columnist-over-ties-with-malaysia/