angelanndemon

Malayu girls: Time, time and time again.

2011-08-29T08:52:00.000-07:00

"Time heals everything. It does. I never used to be a strong believer in that saying, but now I believe in it 110%. Everyday, you make tiny improvements to becoming happy again, you may not even notice those tiny things, but you start to become stronger and more dependant on yourself. Everyone will go through something that hurts them. It may be losing someone who they used to love which shall break their heart into a million little pieces. At that point, you wonder to yourself who am I? What did I do wrong? Why me? You start to analyse moments between you two, wondering what went wrong, searching for signs. Wondering, how could you miss the signs? You hate yourself for not noticing the signs, because if you did, you probably wouldn’t be in so much pain right now. You become confused. Everything which you thought your life would be like, everything that you knew, changes, just like that. You’re left alone, lonely, questioning yourself and blaming yourself. Everyday seems like a constant battle between you and your emotions. Your head is telling you one thing, your heart is yearning for another. You wonder how you will make it through the day. But just look back on all those other times you’ve been hurt, you’re still here, aren’t you? You got through it. You may not have gotten over what happened but you picked yourself up from the ground.

One day that pain of losing someone will fade. It will. In a few weeks, a few months, a few years. One day you will be happy again. All thanks to time. Believe me. You will smile again and laugh again. Your happiness will shine through and you will look back on those sad times throughout your life and and you will thank them for making you a stronger person." - tumblr

Malay girl looking pretty in red dress

2011-08-29T08:01:00.000-07:00

Malay girl looking pretty in red dress

Beauty of Muslim Girls In Hijab and Naqab

2011-08-29T07:59:00.000-07:00

A British came to an Muslim Alim and asked

Why is it not permissible in Islam for Women to shake hands with a man?

The Alim said

Can you shake hand with queen ELIZABETH ?

British man said Of course not,there are only few people who can shake hand with queen Elizabeth

The Alim replied

Our Women are queen and queen do not shake hands with strange men

Amessage to Fake Modren and a slap to Westerns

Cute-Muslim--Girl-in-Hijab

A christian Guy asked a Muslim

Why do your Girls Cover up their body and hair ?

The Muslim Guy smiled and got two sweets ,he opened the first one and kept the other one closed .He thrown them both on the dusty floor and asked the christian

If I asked you to take one of the sweets which one you will choose?

The christian replied :The covered one

Then the Muslim Guy said that,s how we treat and see our women .........................

Silent message to muslim women

-Muslim-Girl-In-Hijab

-Muslim-Girl-In-Hijab,NAQAB

-Muslim-Girl-In-Hijab,Naqab

-Muslim-Girls-In-Hijab

-Muslim-Girl-In-Hijab,Burka

Why Al-Taib Mahmud Find Banjari .. ?

2011-08-29T07:46:00.000-07:00

Cave ... if chapter kahwin divorce artist ambik pot cave lazy boy ... Article dah tau diorang tuuu very lives ... jer nak glamor more ... tu hampehhhh off .... hahaha ... mampuih pi kat depa ...

But this time ni .. ambik pot cave nak sikit nih penyangak Mamat perkahwinan article ..., why I salute the courage he had a 75-year-old dah kahwin brave young beb ... with pompuan age 29 years, part of the cave is fizikal salute 75 years of wrestling with fizikal 29 years ... hahaha .. Minah arab tuuu pulak ... perghhhh ... Could he ... the first was published once in the head during brain cave early kecoh2 perkahwinannya.

If the range Salleh Yaakob tu ... I do not wonder anymore because fizikal still capable of beb ... It's old fizikalnya penyangak dah feasible shroud beb .... that article laaa ... I salute these same parents penyangak Sarawak nih ... hahaha ...

Now in the age of almost 7 months already heard perkahwinan sok sek sok sek ... Under katil diorang something wrong ... hahaha .... may be read here sok sek old story penyangak household nih ... hahaha ....

Nothing is nothing lazy boy cave ambik old story of the household penyangak nih ... pi mampus laaaa ... kat him. Only mischief in the head hotak cave jer ... who said ...

Old Penyangak nih .. Al-Banjari should telephone households to save him ... and look at his decision ... who will lariiiiiii ..... must be the goat lubnan ran around the palace, screaming did not want to .. do not want to .... larat not dahhhh ... hahaha ... the old goat bleat sarawak tu pulak kekajongan tersemput2 in her pursuit of her .... hahaha ...

Al's known .... old goat is saying ... where the strong run, expect passion jer ... strong ... nak ubat strong berancuk laaaaa taxable meal .... muakakakaaaaa ....

Until now aspiring freelance tinggi2 gastric tu nak target ... jelah forget .... hahahaha ....!!!!

WIKILEAKS: SARAWAK: OPPOSITION ADRIFT; INDIGENOUS PEOPLE LACK SERVICES; POLICE REJECT CRITICISM THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

2011-08-29T07:29:00.000-07:00

They said Sarawak's Chief Minister Taib Mahmud ensured the construction contract was awarded to Cahaya Mata, a large holding company that is majority-owned by Taib's family. Upon being awarded the construction contract for RM300 million, Cahaya Mata hired a subcontracting firm to complete the construction for RM220 million; Cahaya Mata (and the Taib family) pocketed the RM80 million ($22 million) difference.

Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #80

2011-08-29T07:28:00.000-07:00

M. Bakri Musa

Yet despite that flourishing head start and seemingly workable system, Islamic finance later went into decline. It is instructive that the decline in Islamic economics parallels the decline in Islamic civilization.

Chapter 9: Islam in Malay Life

Reform in Islam

Islamic Financial Intermediaries

Trade had been flourishing for centuries in Arabia, immediately before and after the prophet’s time. All that buying and selling, together with the caravan expeditions, could not have taken place without there being a satisfactory financing mechanism. There must had been a system for connecting the owners of money (savers) and the users of cash (investors and traders). Yet despite that flourishing head start and seemingly workable system, Islamic finance later went into decline. It is instructive that the decline in Islamic economics parallels the decline in Islamic civilization.

Today Western financial institutions are preeminent. Western banks and other financial intermediaries did not develop overnight. They have been refined, modified, and strengthened over the centuries. The process continues to this day. Today’s banks are a far cry from what they were a century earlier. The essential ingredient to the success of banks is the faith people have in them. Absent that, not even the strongest institution could survive. All the regulations and innovations in banking serve only one purpose: to strengthen that faith and confidence.

Bank failures and runs on banks were common in America during the depression. Those events are thankfully rare today, in part due to the diligence of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Depositors Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the regulatory agencies of the federal government, together with strengthened prudential rules on reserves, heightened fiduciary responsibilities, and improved auditing. These refinements have been incremental, each in response to specific problems and crises. Banks still fail today, but thanks to the FDIC, depositors (at least the retail consumers) simply transfer their accounts to another bank without any hitch. The system is by no means perfect, as was painfully demonstrated by the massive Savings and Loans scandal of the 1980s.

The spectacular economic achievements of modern societies are attributable to the efficacy and efficiency of their financial intermediaries. Countries that have efficient and stable financial systems advance; those that don’t, decline, as demonstrated by Thailand, Indonesia, and a host of Third World nations. To many thoughtful analysts, the Asian economic crisis of 1977 was in essence a crisis of the banking system.

Within the last few decades, Islamic-based financial institutions are trying a comeback. As with everything Islamic, the concept sells with Muslims. America now has mutual funds and mortgage companies run along Islamic principles. Even venerable Western banks like Citibank are entering the fray. Academic papers and conferences proliferate. Harvard’ Institute of Islamic Finance and Information Program (HIFIP), with intellectual contributions from its renowned business and law schools, has been organizing annual conferences for the last few years that brought in luminaries from all over.

Much has been said of Islamic banking in which supposedly no interest is charged. This is purely semantics. Sure these banks do not charge interest in the usual sense; instead they tack on “service” fees and points. In the final analysis there is still a cost for the loan. I can give someone a 0% percent loan but charge exorbitant points, commissions, or fees to recoup the cost (interest) of my capital. The end result is the same; the borrower pays a price and the lender gets a reward.

There are American finance companies that cater specifically to Muslim homebuyers who are squeamish about mortgage interest payments. To obviate this, the prospective homeowner goes into partnership with the company to buy the house. The homeowner pays 20 percent of the price and the company the other 80, as in a traditional mortgage. But instead of paying the mortgage as in a traditional loan, the homeowner pays a market rent to the company for use of the house, with 80 percent of the rent payment going to the company and 20 percent credited to the homeowner. Every few years the house is reappraised and when the total payments cover the cost of the house based on the latest appraisal, the house would then be transferred exclusively to the owner.

If the rental market declines, the homeowner will pay less every month, which would be to his or her advantage. But if the market appreciates, as it typically does, so will his rent, and he will end up paying more cumulatively. Not only that, the company gets to reap the bulk of the benefit (80percent) of the gains on the house’s price appreciation. So the consumer gets bilked twice, once in his higher monthly rent and second, in not getting the full benefit of the price appreciation. This is also an inherently a bad system as it creates a perverse economic incentive for the homeowner not to keep up or improve the house so its value would drop, and his payments would similarly fall. That is no way to run a modern economy! In addition, there are all those costs of the appraisals that are being borne by the homeowner.

In reality what these companies are doing is nothing than more an equity-sharing scheme. This has not caught on in America precisely because of the perverse economic incentive. A more popular variation of equity sharing is where the homeowner goes into partnership with a friend or family member to pay for the down payment and then together they would secure a traditional mortgage. When it is time to resell the house, the profit would be shared based on their contributions towards the down payment. With this scheme, there is still the issue of interest payments on the mortgage.

With a traditional mortgage in America, if the borrower is unable to keep up with the payments, he could sell the house and whatever is left after he paid off the loan balance is his to keep. But if the value of the house were less than the amount owed (as had happened in declining markets), and the bank forecloses on the home, the borrower would not be saddled with the outstanding balance. This is because all home mortgages have a “non recourse” clause. The borrower would lose only what he has paid into the house (his equity). So if the concern of the Islamic groups that borrowers would be saddled with debt payments forever, than there could be a similar “non recourse” clause in selected loans like study loans and loans for one’s primary residence.

Similarly if the borrower is unable to repay the loan because of a legitimate reason like illness or death, the loan contract could be designed to cover such eventualities. Many loans now have mandatory disability and life insurance policies attached to them to cover such calamities. But insurance too is anathema to traditionalist Muslims, but I will come to that shortly.

I have a traditional home mortgage and I am quite comfortable with paying the interest on it. I rationalize the interest I am paying as being the rent for the house, and the principal as the payment towards the house. Technically this is correct as the bank has priority over me to the title of my house.

Most of the activities carried by Islamic “banks” are really not the proper purview of traditional banks. Thus leasing (Ijaara), another common service provided by Islamic banks, is done in America by finance companies or directly by the dealers and manufacturers. Islamic bankers also make a big deal on the supposed difference between leasing, which is halal because there is no interest, and traditional loans and mortgages, which are haram because of riba. But this is a meaningless difference. I could easily convert my mortgage into a long-term lease with the same terms, and at the end of the “lease” (mortgage) I would have an option to buy my property at an agreed upon nominal price. One could just as easily calculate the imputed interest rate on all leasing arrangements. Similarly, the profit sharing and “equity participation” lending that Islamic banks partake are properly the function of mutual funds and venture capital firms rather than banks.

By using the familiar term “bank” to describe activities that are properly the purview of other non-bank institutions, proponents of Islamic banking are misleading consumers. All these deferred sales, service charges, and lease payments are nothing but euphemisms for the cost of borrowed funds, more commonly referred to as interest. As Islamic banks do not function like a traditional bank, they should not use the label “bank.” Instead they should use the more generic term, Islamic Financial Institutions (IFI), so as not to mislead the public. I would not however, recommend the acronym “iffy!”

It is time to stop buying into a lie

2011-08-29T07:27:00.000-07:00

But if you were to believe the Prime Minister writing in his blog, Sabah and Sarawak were only states that joined an already existing country! Surely the Prime Minister of Malaysia would know history and know how his own country was formed? It is plain that history is deliberately being re-written.

By Being Vernon

May I be honest?

I am sad. I am sad because I am told by my government that I must celebrate the Independence Day of my country on the 31st of August. But what is so wrong about this that it makes me sad?

Let me tell you. If you don’t like dry and boring history lessons, you can leave my blog now. But if you have ten minutes to spare, read on.

The Federated States of Malaya which comprised all the nine Sultanates, Malacca and Penang were given their independence by Great Britain on the 31st of August, 1957. The photo below records the historic event. It is the iconic image of Tunku Abdul Rahman proclaiming independence for Malaya. Yes, MALAYA. Not Sarawak, not Sabah, but MALAYA. And this date became known as MERDEKA DAY. For the Federated States of MALAYA.

Then, six years later, Sarawak was given her independence. On the 22nd of July, 1963. Bet you didn’t know that the 22nd of July is an historic date for Sarawak, huh? Of course you wouldn’t. It has probably been wiped off the official history text books, or glossed over during history classes. But if you buy a copy of the Sarawak Government Almanac, it’s there in black and white. The British gave up Sarawak on the 22nd of July, 1963 and on that day we became an independent nation. A country all of our own. Our own flag, our own anthem and even our own money!

Then, fifty five days later, after the British granted her independence, Sarawak, together with Sabah, Singapore, and the Federated States of Malaya came together to form a new nation called MALAYSIA on the 16th of September. This date, the 16th of September, 1963, came to be known as MALAYSIA DAY because it was on this historic day that a brand new country was born in the world. (Singapore got ‘kicked out’ later but Malaysian history books politely claim she decided to withdraw from the new nation. Brunei was also involved in the discussions to form Malaysia but it too decided against the idea.)

However, gradually, Malaysia Day became forgotten through, I suspect, a subtle and systematic process of brainwashing on the part of the Barisan Nasional government. More and more emphasis was placed on Merdeka Day and Malaysia Day was ignored, its significance eroded and displaced by Merdeka Day. Merdeka Day became a public holiday, and the whole country began to get caught up in celebrations come every 31st August.

Young Sarawakian school children were, and still are taught to wave flags and jump for joy come 31st August because on this date Malaysia achieved her independence. Now if you have been paying attention, you will obviously have noticed that there is a factual error in the previous sentence. Malaysia DID NOT achieve her independence on the 31st of August, 1957 simply because Malaysia had not existed yet! It was only Malaya which achieved her independence on the 31st of August, 1957; Malaysia was only formed six years AFTER Malaya achieved independence.

The date 31st of August means very little to me as a Sarawakian and yet I am told by my government to honour this date on the basis that I am a citizen of Malaysia and therefore as a proud and loyal Malaysian, I should jump and shout for joy that Malayans received their independence on the 31st of August despite the fact that I am also a Sarawakian and this date has little significance to me. This date did not affect my beloved Sarawak in any way whatsoever and has never been part of its rich history, so what is there to celebrate or what memory is there to honour and cherish for a Sarawakian? Sarawak achieved her independence on the 22nd of July but the government does not give this date any due recognition. Instead, I am to celebrate a date which has more significance for my fellow Malaysians in West Malaysia. That is why I am sad.

Malaysia Day, the 16th of September, 1963, however, means a lot to me. It was the date my beloved Sarawak became a part of a new nation, standing tall and proud in the world amongst other independent nations. Shouldn’t this date when we officially became a country take centre-stage in our history as a nation?

And yet, it was only last year that the Barisan Nasional government decided to recognise Malaysia Day and grant it ‘public holiday’ status. And only because Pakatan Rakyat ‘reminded’ the BN government. It actually took the BN government forty-seven years to recognise Malaysia Day officially!

But the question on my mind is why did the BN government try to sweep Malaysia Day under the carpet and dispatch it to the annals of history to be conveniently forgotten? And why do I suspect that there is a conspiracy going on to distort and blur the story of the formation of Malaysia?

Is MCA in its death throes?

2011-08-29T07:26:00.001-07:00

(FMT) - PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian political radar is registering strong signals of an impending general election. Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak recently remarked that it could be held at any time soon, reinforcing a hint he had made in his call for a state of preparedness among the component parties of Barisan Nasional.

FMT talks to Stanley Koh on issues that may have an impact on the election performance of MCA, the second largest BN component party. Koh is a seasoned observer of MCA politics, having been the party’s head of research unit.

FMT: Give us an idea of the current scenario in MCA in terms of party unity. Do you see any indication that the party has been reforming itself since Dr Chua Soi Lek took over as president?

Koh: Unity is an elusive element for any political party, and it always has been so. But I must say that this is particularly true with MCA. Unity within MCA must always be seen in the contexts of political patronage, power struggles, collective permanent interests and personal gains.

As for reforms, you no longer hear any MCA leader at whatever level publicly shouting for them or calling for a reinvention of the party. Reforms and reinvention were hot topics after the 2008 election, but BN parties are today back to business as usual, and this is particularly true with MCA, where the order of the day is wheeling and dealing and pork barrel politicking as various personalities vie for party posts and government positions.

Coming back to your question about unity, Chua won narrowly against Ong Ka Ting and Ong Tee Keat in the MCA presidential race last year. He got 901 votes against Ka Ting’s 833 and Tee Keat’s 578. That’s just a little more than one-third support from the voting delegates. So we can understand why it was essential for Chua at that time to emphasise uniting the party.

With the general election impending, the process of selecting the candidates will begin soon. This always carries an element of instability, right down to the grassroots level. Many will say this is normal. I will not say the party will become unstable and disunited, but there will not be anything close to what we might call party unity. A better expression to use would be “a realignment of factions”.

What is the public perception with regard to Chua’s leadership? Is he seen as moving the party in the right direction?

Public perception towards MCA has partly been influenced by public perception of Chua himself, which has been negative since his widely publicised sex scandal. It has been three years since he confessed to being the man in a sex video, but it is still fresh in public memory. You need only to read online comments on him to see how negatively he is perceived. But then, even without the scandal, public perception of MCA has not been good for quite some time, especially in urban areas.

There are rumours that the party is spending big money training new cyber troopers and paying experienced bloggers to fend off negative remarks and polish the party’s image in the cybersphere.

Party veterans, when asked to comment on MCA’s leadership performance, normally shy away from saying anything. Nevertheless, there are some who point out that Chua’s leadership and performance are not adequate to the task of someone who has to lift the party out of the doldrums and reinvent it to keep up with the aspirations of the rakyat. MCA leaders in government remain mediocre and less than dynamic.

Someone once asked me whether there was any difference in the leadership styles of Ong Ka Ting and Chua. Ong was alleged to have promoted his brother, Ka Chuan, while Chua is promoting his son, Tee Yong.

What are some of the other criticisms levelled at Chua and the party?

I think Chua is caught in a political twilight zone. The history of MCA is against him and his leadership. He is caught in a bind. Some say it will be a Catch 22 situation as long as MCA plays second fiddle to Umno.

There are many factors working against him and the party. Firstly, MCA has a record of party leaders being charged in court for criminal breach of trust. It happened in 1986 when three top leaders were charged. Two of them were former deputy ministers. Today a former MCA president is in court and a former deputy president is awaiting trial. To make matters worse, the BN is accused of double standards in charging a PR leader for sodomy but leaving Chua untouched although he was guilty of sexual indiscretion.

It needs to be pointed out that DAP leaders too have had their share of legal trouble, but their alleged crimes were political, having to do with their fight for public causes.

Thus, history is not on MCA’s side.

Will MCA be able to pull through the next general election? Can it deliver the votes to Umno and BN? Is Chua likely to spring a surprise?

Political observers knowledgeable about the goings on in MCA are not optimistic. The feedback from well-informed sources in Umno indicates little confidence in the party’s ability to deliver.

Umno’s top leadership is just tolerating Chua to a certain level. They have little choice. He was elected by party delegates, even though the delegates themselves had to limit their choice between the disastrous and the unpalatable.

It is said that the list of MCA candidates for the coming general election that Chua will submit to Umno will be closely vetted to ensure only “winnable” candidates are chosen. In other words, Chua himself may be rejected, even if his own division nominates him. His sex scandal may disqualify him as a winnable candidate.

There is gossip that Chua may be compensated with a high profile post. He may be put in charge of all shipping ports in the country.

Najib’s rating dips to 59pc

2011-08-29T07:26:00.000-07:00

By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s approval rating is now at 59 per cent, the lowest point since last May, fuelled by rising concerns over the surge in living costs and his government’s handling of the tumultuous July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally, a new poll released today showed.

Local pollster Merdeka Center reported the results in its latest survey conducted between August 11 and 27, revealing that the Najib (picture) brand took a severe beating in public perception following several significant events that rocked the nation, including the Bersih rally, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Sodomy II trial, the ongoing amnesty programme for illegals, the recent raid on a church in Selangor and allegations of Christian’s proselytising to Muslims in the country.

Of the 1,027 respondents polled, 59 per cent said they were satisfied with the prime minister’s performance, down a significant 13 per cent from 72 per cent in May 2010.

Since hitting a record high last year, Najib’s rating has been on a consecutive decline; from 72 per cent in May 2010 to 69 per cent in November 2010, 67 per cent in March this year and 65 per cent in May.

When Najib first took over the country’s reins in April 2009, his administration’s rating improved quickly on his predecessor Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s flailing legacy from a bleak 34 per cent in March 2009, soaring by 31 per cent to 65 per cent within just three months.

According to the pollster’s report released today, Najib’s scored the poorest with the Chinese community, with his rating dipping from an all-time high of 58 per cent in May last year to 38 per cent this month.

Only the Indian community grew more confident in the prime minister, climbing by 4 per cent from 65 per cent in March this year to 69 per cent. Malay community support dwindled marginally within the same period, from 76 per cent in March to 73 per cent in May and 69 per cent this month.

The survey included respondents aged 21 and above across the peninsula who were elected through random stratified sampling method along the lines of ethnicity, gender, age and state. Of the 1,027 polled, 59 per cent were Malays, 32 per cent Chinese and 9 per cent Indians.

“From the survey, we note that the significantly reduced approval rating may be due to the increased concerns over cost of living related matters as ordinary citizens begin to feel the impact of hikes in the price of fuel and electricity. Besides pocket-book issues, the poll result also suggests some linkage with adverse public perception of how the government handled events and public discourse arising from the Bersih 2.0 rally and other related events,” the research house reported.

The survey found that economic-related issues were among the respondents’ key concerns such as the surging inflation rate, low wages, the unfavourable economic condition and poverty.

“With respect to issues, the survey found that the public’s topmost concern remained the economy, mentioned by an aggregate comprising 38 per cent of respondents, followed by concerns over social problems at 10 per cent. Worries over political-related matters ranked third at 9 per cent of the public mindscape, while concerns over public safety and crime stood at 7 per cent,” the survey said.

A total of 51 per cent of respondents also felt that the country was headed in the right direction, down slightly from 54 per cent in May, while 32 per cent said otherwise.

Najib is expected to call for polls within the next few months and with Hari Raya celebrations in full swing, politicians across the divide have been in a race to woo Malay voter support. The prime minister recently signalled to his Cabinet that the next general election is near, telling them that he intends to hit the ground weekly from Friday to Sunday after the Hari Raya break to meet people and assess the political landscape.

‘Mutiny in Umno’: MIC must back Najib

2011-08-29T07:25:00.000-07:00

By B Nantha Kumar, FMT

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC should reconsider its position in Barisan Nasional if Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is toppled from power by certain forces within Umno, said party Central Working Committee (CWC) member S Vell Paari.

In a news report published in Tamil Nesan yesterday, he said there was intense speculation that Najib is facing a challenge in Umno.

If there is any truth to the speculation, Vell Paari urged MIC to defend Najib.

“He is the best prime minister we have in terms of catering for the Indian community, so we must stand by him.

“We don’t know if the rumour is true but MIC must protect Najib against those who are working against the prime minister,” he added.

Vell Paari, who raised the matter during the MIC CWC meeting yesterday, said that it was his personal opinion.

“This is my own opinion. It is up to the party leadership and CWC members to accept my opinion or not,” he added.

Stop Lynas till doubts are cleared: PAS Youth

2011-08-29T07:24:00.000-07:00

(Harakah Daily) - Saying there are ample opinions from experts, PAS Youth has urged the government to halt the controversial Lynas Advanced Material Plant project in Gebeng, Pahang until questions over its safety can be put to rest.

Youth chief Nasrudin Hasan Tantawi (right) said a time frame must be given so those competent in various related fields can suggest concrete actions with regards to the Australian-based company's decision to construct the rare-earth refinery.

“Not only nuclear experts, but also toxic experts, environmental experts, health experts, economic experts, legal experts and other relevant experts including political experts and independent international observers,” said Nasrudin.

The controversy took a twist following a statement by PAS's Hulu Langat member of parliament Che Rosli Che Mat, breaking ranks from official party stand by defending the project as safe.

Speaking on UMNO-controlled channel TV3, Che Rosli (left), who is a nuclear expert, claimed that the opposition to the plant was “unscientific and not at all academic”, and criticised PKR's Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh, party organ Harakah and others over their different stance.

In response, Pahang PAS commissioner Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said while the party respected Che Rosli’s view, the Islamic party chose to stand with the public in urging Lynas to stop its hazardous plant.

“It (Che Rosli's view) should not be a problem to the party, in fact the party welcomes differences of opinion in line with democractic practice.

“For PAS, the people comes first in this issue. Concerns over risks faced by the people due to the Lynas project, especially to residents of Kuantan, cannot be brushed aside. The rakyat have the biggest right and they must be heard," he said.

Tuan Ibrahim, who is also PAS's information chief, said Che Rosli would be invited to explain his criticism of the party's information department.

He added that the project would not bring any significant benefit other than creating a handful of jobs, which he said was negligible compared to the huge risks involved.

'Where have the experts gone?'

According to Tuan Ibrahim, it was normal for experts to always claim that there was "no danger under normal circumstances", even in the case of a nuclear plant.

“Residents in Gebeng and Kuantan still remember the rare earth project in Bukit Merah in 1980s. When it was approved, it was also claimed to be safe and not hazardous for humans and the environment.

"Then, when it was proven hazardous, where did all the experts who gave their opinions go? In the end, the ones suffering are the residents around the plant, in fact its toxic wastes until today have yet to be dealt properly,” said Tuan Ibrahim.

In 1992, the High Court ordered a rare-earth plant run by Mitsubishi in Bukit Merah to be shut down following cases of still-born and abnormal babies attributed to radioactive exposure.

PAS man denies supporting Lynas plant

2011-08-29T07:23:00.000-07:00

By G.Manimaran, The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 — PAS lawmaker Che Rosli Che Mat has insisted that his comments on primetime television were not in support of a controversial RM700 million rare earth plant that is being opposed by his Pakatan Rakyat (PR) colleagues.

The Hulu Langat MP also told The Malaysian Insider yesterday that he appeared in a TV3 segment that staunchly defended the refinery being built by Australian miner Lynas Corp in his personal capacity as a nuclear scientist and not as a representative of the Islamist party.

“I told the TV3 journalist that I need the permission of my party president but because Karam Singh Walia called me two or three times, I said I would only appear as a scientist,” the former lecturer said.

PAS said yesterday that it will demand an explanation from Che Rosli after Hari Raya this week as to why he broke ranks with the party’s stand although it clarified that it was not a disciplinary issue.

Although Che Rosli also said that he will accept the party’s decision on the matter, he insisted that “I did not act against the party and I do not support Lynas.”

The Malaysian Insider understands that the MP will be hauled up to the party headquarters in the second week of September over comments he made regarding the plant that has raised fears of radiation pollution among Kuantan residents.

In the news segment, Che Rosli had said: “The ones that have raised this issue is PKR... but it is unfair. Is Lynas a nuclear plant? They spin. I was ashamed. I am a PAS member too. So I made the decision as a nuclear scientist to come today. They can say whatever they want.

“These allegations are unscientific and not academic at all. The public does not need to be afraid. They can go themselves and see in the Lynas plant, what will be built and the facilities it will have to protect the safety of its workers and also the general public.”

Following Che Rosli’s appearance on television, Pahang PAS information chief Suhaimi Md Saad told The Malaysian Insider last week that Che Rosli’s actions were unacceptable as the nuclear scientist could have used party channels or even voiced his support for the plant in party organ Harakah.

“We know he supported the plant when we first discussed the issue in 2009. But after consulting other experts, PAS’s stand was to oppose the project. But now he has gone into the enemy’s camp to attack his own party,” Suhaimi had said.

A review of the project led by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) put forward 11 recommendations for Lynas to meet before beginning operations which have been adopted by Putrajaya.

Revised law rewards judiciary’s top three, works other judges longer

2011-08-29T07:22:00.000-07:00

By Debra Chong, The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 — Unlike his predecessors, Tun Zaki Azmi will retire on a full pension when he clocks out for the last time from the Palace of Justice on September 12 despite serving less than three years as Chief Justice, thanks to a recent revision of a remuneration law for the country's judges.

It used to be a minimum of 15 years for judges from the High Court upwards to get their full pensions but few in the courts appear aware of the revisions to the Judges’ Remuneration Act (JRA) 1971, passed in Parliament two months ago, that gave senior judges a shorter time to get pensions while junior judges now have to spend 18 years to get their full pension

“The whole thing is purposely catered to Zaki,” DAP federal lawmaker Lim Kit Siang told The Malaysian Insiderwhen contacted.

The Ipoh Timur MP said the proposal had been debated in the Dewan Rakyat in June but that the costing was not known then.

The new law is effectively immediately.

The few lawyers who know the amended law, also known as Act 45, have attacked it as being tailored to reward the outgoing CJ. They added that the changes are discriminatory to judges.

The most significant change involves enabling those holding the judiciary’s top three posts, namely that of the Chief Justice, the President of the Court of Appeal and the Chief Judge of Malaya or Sabah and Sarawak, to be rewarded with a full pension.

A new provision rewarding the country’s top three judges was created under section 9 of the JRA, which reads: “Notwithstanding anything in this Act but subject to section 8, a person holding the office of Chief Justice, President or Chief Judge shall be entitled to maximum pension if he has held either office or all the offices for a period in the aggregate of not less than three years.”

For Zaki, the son of a former Lord President of the Federal Court, Tun Mohamed Azmi Mohamed, this amendment to the law is most opportune.

The former Umno lawyer was directly appointed into the judiciary as a Federal Court judge on September 5, 2007 and fast-tracked to the post of Court of Appeal President on December 11 that same year.

Less than a year later, on October 8, 2008 Zaki was elevated to the judiciary’s topmost post as Chief Justice — setting a record for the fastest-rising judge in the country.

Under the new law, full pension now amounts to three-fifths of the top-ranking judge’s last drawn salary, revised upwards from half the amount.

Lim said the opposition pact had raised questions over the motive for the amendment, if it was to benefit “only Zaki”.

However, the veteran politician was silent when asked if there were objections to the second significant amendment, to extend the number of years of service for the other judges from 15 to 18 in order for them to qualify for full pension.

Former Bar Council chief Ragunath Kesavan said the amendment to section 5 of the JRA was even more unfair, contrasted against the acceleration of the judiciary’s top three while other judges saw their years in service added on to qualify for full pension.

“That is obviously unfair to the judges. If you’re a judge, you’re a judge. There should not be a distinction made between them,” he said, adding that few of those currently on the Bench were aware of this piece of news.

Make Money Online by Gadis Kebaya Malaysia

2011-08-29T05:07:00.000-07:00

A beautiful high quality Baju Kebaya is very expensive. Some Baju Kebaya price can reach RM500.00!! Not every Gadis Melayu in Malaysia actually affords to buy Baju Kebaya from their money pockets. The best way to buy Baju Kebaya is Make Money Online in Malaysia.

Read this, just for a bit of inspiration. One of my friend actually earn couple hundred of Malaysian Ringgit just blogging. Blogging is pretty easy and pretty quick, to get a small income stream started. It takes time and effort to build it up. You can use internet income to buy expensive Baju Kebaya and impress your friend.

Use (or build) your own blog or website to make money online. The key is to generate as much traffic as you can, and to have your visitors click on ads and affiliate links. The more people visiting your site, clicking on ads, and buying affiliate products, the more income you can earn. As good as this sounds, income is generally more a trickle than a flood. But again, steadily building your site (or sites), and building traffic, is the key to generating a steadily growing stream of income. So lets make money online in Malaysia today!

2011 MTV Video Music Awards Winners

2011-08-28T23:29:00.000-07:00

From left: Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry (Photo by Getty Images)

Seks Melayu - Gambar panas dan video 3gp setiap hari

2011-08-28T22:27:00.000-07:00

All Minah Rempit Seksi have the same attitudes. No offense. After all they give free fucks to the mat-mat rempit. This is just an assumption because I not involve in this rempit culture. Ironically, All Minah Rempit actually Gadis Melayu Seksi. It’s like a culture to them and I am very pity on how they been brought up by their parents. They are spoiling bred. They should receive good quality of education.

Video Melayu Boleh

2011-08-28T21:55:00.000-07:00

How to make Video Melayu Boleh? That is best question instead searching a steamy video melayu boleh. Making video melayu boleh it’s easy, besides editing from dvd, you can edit and convert pictures into a video clips. Yes, Melayu Boleh!

There are many ways to make a Video Melayu Boleh from a DVD. If you’ve got Windows XP, Movie Maker should already be installed. Look in Programs > Accessories.

Windows Movie Maker 2.1

Windows Movie Maker 2.1 makes home movies amazingly fun. With Movie Maker 2.1, you can create, edit, and share your home movies right on your computer. Build your movie with a few simple drag-and-drops. Delete bad shots and include only the best scenes

Malay girls: karaoke lounges in KL to book them for a fling

2011-08-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

wow, she is beautiful with nice dress..... that is a vampish Malay GRO (aka hostess)? Or explore the soft curves of her tender flesh while singing your favourite songs? Maybe drink the sweetest nectar from her velvet cup? Here’re a few karaoke spots that will make the blood of passion swell in you. Just tell the Mamasan what you want and she will bring the erotic lady-of-pleasure for your wet, hungry consumption....

One man’s traitor is another man’s patriot

2011-08-28T19:02:00.000-07:00

There appears to be a debate raging around Mat Sabu. I really don’t know what it is he said. I was not there and neither have I seen the video recording of what he said. Anyway, while we wait for the jury to come back to rule on whether Mat Sabu was out of line or not, let us deliberate on the definition of patriot and traitor.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

There appears to be a debate raging around Mat Sabu. I really don’t know what it is he said. I was not there and neither have I seen the video recording of what he said. Anyway, while we wait for the jury to come back to rule on whether Mat Sabu was out of line or not, let us deliberate on the definition of patriot and traitor

WIKILEAKS: SARAWAK: OPPOSITION ADRIFT; INDIGENOUS PEOPLE LACK SERVICES; POLICE REJECT CRITICISM

2011-08-28T19:00:00.000-07:00

aclc college tagbilaran scandal

2011-08-28T08:38:00.000-07:00

aclc college tagbilaran scandal, that is the training for girl, hehehehe

Top Malaysian Singer Linda Rafar - Scandal before Marriage

2011-08-28T08:35:00.000-07:00

Malaysian singer LINDA RAFAR Por-nographic before Married. Shocking pics of the superstar doing oral on a man who is obviously not her husband. She not only use her mouth to sing great songs, but she also uses it to suck great dicks too. She is certainly a great artist on the bed, and I am sure her husband had benefitted greatly from her natural skills.

I don’t know the exact time when the pics spread on the internet. I think her smile is beautiful. Bj is simply fantastic.

Fastest Boob grabber caught on Camera in China

2011-08-28T07:23:00.000-07:00

Cameras have caught what may be the world’s fastest boob grabber in the act of high-speed fondling.

The grabber was caught in the act on an automatic camera system in operation in China’s Sichuan province, travelling at 92km/h on an 80km/h stretch of road.

Giant frog captured in Malaysia

2011-08-28T05:54:00.000-07:00

A bloke in Malaysia claims to have captured and eaten a gigantic frog which was as large as a young child.

The man, a Malaysian aborigine, allegedly spotted the gargantuan amphibian at a riverside in the mountainous Gemencheh region of Malaysia. A witness offered to buy the enormous frog, but couldn’t afford the £200 ($326) price tag the aborigine demanded.

The witness returned later that day with more money but discovered that the aboriginal fellow had slaughtered the massive croaker and eaten it! Which may have been a huge mistake as he’s been ill ever since. According to the witness after eating the huge frog the hunter has been laid up sick for days.

Before the frog was eaten the witness managed to take one photo using a mobile phone. He reports that the frog was weighed at 20kg, as much as a small child.

Malay model, the modern time

2011-08-28T03:13:00.000-07:00

In-House studio shoot, modern malaysian girl.

Malaysia fashion 2011

2011-08-27T23:01:00.000-07:00

This fahion is from malaysian girl

Pink Is My New Obsession

2011-08-27T20:21:00.000-07:00

Suara Rakyat Kunak, Pink Is My New Obsession

Hot News: Photos Kissing kepising Leylarey Lesesne

2011-08-27T11:10:00.000-07:00

ini dia Photos Kissing sampai kepising Leylarey Lesesne

langsung saja chekhithot

Probably not much familiar with names Leylarey Lesesne, beautiful artist mixed-blood American, French and Sudanese ini.Maklum, because he still including new artist of Indonesia in 2010. Leylarey becoming known since playing in the movie 18 + as Helen. Some time later this outstanding photos - photos and hot Leylarey intimate kiss with a man who is rumored as his girlfriend. I do not know who is spreading the hot kiss this picture, a clear picture Leylarey Lesesne this kiss could be going a little push up the name and popularity in the entertainment world.

Foto Artis Indonesia Leylarey Lesesne

Asia: Suhaiza Suhaimi on TV show after “disappearance”

2011-08-27T09:08:00.000-07:00

Suhaiza Suhaimi on TV show after “disappearance”

Suhaiza Suhaimi, better known as Memey, is back!!!!

Yes folks. The Malaysian sex bomb now seems to be over the SHAME of being caught for the religious crime of “close proximity” with married actor Norman Hakim, and made a surprise appearance on a TV3 show on Tuesday after 'disappearing' for two months.

Sexy Suhaiza said she felt bad after Norman’s marriage to Abby subsequently crumbled.

But how close did Norman really get to Suhaiza?

Well, your guess is only as good as mine, but if I was in shoes I would have wanted to get very close indeed…

Suhaiza Suhaimi Suhaiza Suhaimi’s favourite pastime is playing with one long stick and two balls in a game called billiards. Let’s just hope she doesn’t change cues too often!!!

A-G denies Raja Petra’s bribe claims

2011-08-27T08:40:00.000-07:00

(The Malaysian Insider) - Attorney-General (A-G) Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail has denied claims by blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin that he was being bribed by former Ho Hup Bhd deputy executive chairman Datuk Vincent Lye in exchange for help in a boardroom tussle.

Raja Petra had alleged on his blog Malaysia-Today on August 23 that Lye had “bribed” Gani and used Ho Hup funds to pay for renovation work at Gani Patail’s second wife’s house in Negeri Sembilan.

(Read more here: http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/42988-now-lets-see-what-the-macc-is-going-to-do)

In his first response to Raja Petra’s claims, Abdul Gani told The Malaysian Insider that he had never accepted any money from the construction company.

“I didn’t take a single cent from Ho Hup. I have a rule; I don’t take money,” he said.

When asked whether he owned a house in Seremban, he replied: “I don’t have a house in Seremban or anywhere in Negri Sembilan.”

“I don’t know what to say … all these things happened in 2009 but the case was from 2010, so it doesn’t make sense,” he added, apparently referring to the charges filed against Low.

Raja Petra had insinuated that the A-G used his influence on behalf of Lye to have his boardroom rival Datuk TC Low charged in court in January this year for non-timely disclosure of his interests in the company.

The blogger had also posted pictures on the website of what appears to be a computer-generated invoice dated July 13 2009 from a company in Petaling Jaya to Ho Hup for installation of lighting fixtures for “AG’s Bungalow at Seremban 2 — Sri Carcosa”; a handwritten invoice dated July 13 to Lye for renovation work for Sri Carcosa in Seremban 2; a cash payment voucher from Ho Hup dated August 12 for work done for “AG Tan Sri Ghani Patail Bangalow at Seremban 2 — Sri Carcosa” worth RM18,000; and a cheque made out to the renovation supplier for RM18,000.

Malaysia Airlines' short-term outlook bleak despite new alliance with AirAsia

2011-08-27T08:39:00.000-07:00

By Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) reported a heavy loss in 2Q2011 (three months to 30-Jun-2011) as soaring costs, led by fuel, weighed on the result. The 2Q2011 loss is MAS’ second-consecutive quarterly loss and the carrier expects to remain in the red for the rest of the year.

MAS reported a net loss of MYR525.8 million (USD177.7 million) in the second quarter, seasonally its weakest. Aggressive capacity deployment, under-performance from its revenue management and sales teams and increasing competition from regional and Gulf-based rivals also hurt the 2Q2011 result. The net result was a slight year-on-year improvement, but the airline’s operating loss swelled to MYR412.5 million (USD139 million) from MYR285.6 million (USD95 million) in the same period last year.

The deteriorating operating performance reflects the sharp increase in operating costs, led chiefly by fuel, which surged 41% in the period, and a weaker cargo performance, which pushed the airline deeply into the red. MAS’ operating margin for the quarter was -12.0%.

Various initiatives will be undertaken to reverse MAS’ woes. Most notably, MAS has announced a tie-up with Malaysian LCC powerhouse AirAsia and its long-haul offshoot AirAsia X, the airline grouping largely responsible for MAS’ struggles over the past decade.

MAS said its board “has identified immediate priorities to focus on in the short-term”, aimed at stemming losses. “Working with the new executive committee…recovery initiatives will be implemented to turn the company’s fortunes around and to start rebuilding cash reserves,” which have fallen sharply in 2011. Immediate initiatives will include, among others, more prudent capacity management, implementing new dynamic pricing to improve yields and revenues and a review of products and brand positioning.

Revenue up, but costs neutralise gains

MAS recorded an 8.5% increase in top-line revenue to MYR3,429 million (USD1.17 billion). Revenue gains were, however, neutralised by soaring costs, which increased 11.4% in the period to MYR3,897 million (USD1.31 billion), which pushed the airline deeply into the red for the quarter.

MAS revenue and operating expenses (MYR million) and growth (% change): 2Q2007 to 2Q2011

Source: Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation and MAS

MAS net profit (MYR million): 2Q2007-2Q2011

Source: Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation and MAS

Passenger revenue increased 9.1% to MYR2,086 million (USD698 million) and revenue from fuel and administration surcharges rose 45.2% to MYR495 million (USD166 million).

Cargo revenue however was much weaker in the period, reflecting the lower year-on-year trade volumes seen in the region, which was skewed by the replenishing of global restocking of inventories in early 1H2010 following the global financial crisis. Total cargo revenue fell 16%, led by a 24% fall in belly and freighter revenue. The cargo segment’s fuel surcharge, which increased 6.6% to MYR145 million (USD48.5 million), helped mitigate the sharp fall in cargo revenue.

But spiralling costs significantly outweighed revenue growth. Operating costs increased 11.5% to MYR3,987 million (USD1.31 billion). Fuel, unsurprisingly, led the rise in costs. Fuel costs surged 41% in 2Q to MYR1,550 million (USD519 million), to account for 40% of total operating costs, up from 30% in 2Q2010. The sharp fuel price rise masks what would otherwise have been an impressive cost performance in 2Q2011, with non-fuel operating costs down 2%, reflecting MAS’ aggressive and consistent cost control measures.

ASKs increased 10% and RPKs increased 12%, pushing average loads up 1.5ppts to 75.5%. The stronger load factors and other various yield-supportive measures, such as fare increases and fuel surcharges, saw yields increase 1% to 24.2 sen (USD8.16 cents), with RASK up 3% to 18.2 sen (USD6.14 cents).

Strategic shake-up aimed at ending MAS’ woes

Since the end of 2Q2011, a major strategic development has taken place as MAS forged earlier this month a tie-up with rival AirAsia, which has moved aggressively into MAS’ short-haul, regional, and more recently, its long-haul markets. Khazanah, a national investment vehicle and majority shareholder in MAS, purchased a 10% stake in AirAsia from Tune Air, as part of a cross-equity deal. Khazanah will also purchase a 10% stake in AirAsia X. Tune Air, the largest shareholder in AirAsia and the investment vehicle of CEO Tony Fernandes, acquired a 20% stake in MAS from Khazanah.

See related report: Turning the industry on its head: AirAsia joins Malaysia Airlines

A Joint Collaboration Committee (JCC) was formed on 09-Aug-2011, which will look into key areas for collaboration to realise synergies and cost efforts, MAS says. MAS and AirAsia aim to cooperate in areas such as engineering and ground support, aircraft purchasing, catering and training and cargo services.

The Malaysian government said the agreement would end cut-throat competition between the airline groups, allowing them to grow together and more profitably than would otherwise be the case. Mr Fernandes said the deal allows his airline to focus on growing the business, “as opposed to spending a lot of time on politics and fighting unnecessary battles”. The collaboration should also boost yields for both airlines.

Better market segmentation should also be achieved under the deal, with one partner targeting the low-cost, leisure market and the other, the higher-yielding and premium market. Firefly, MAS’ LCC subsidiary, also recorded heavy losses in 1H2011 and will be re-structured to focus on the short-haul premium travel space using turboprop equipment. MAS said a longer-term solution for Firefly would be developed by the management team to put the airline on course for sustained profitability.

While Firefly will retain its ATR-72s, the carrier's B737 fleet is expected to be transferred to the new regional, full-service airline, Sapphire. But it remains unclear how MAS, which also has a regional carrier unit in east Malaysia with ATR-72 operator MASwings, will juggle so many brands. Of particular interest will be how the Sapphire unit differs from MAS' existing regional narrowbody services.

MAS, in releasing its 2Q2011 earnings, also said its multi-year re-fleeting programme will be accelerated. As of mid-Aug-2011, the airline has taken delivery this year of five new B737-800s and five new A330-300s. Over the next four months, MAS will take delivery of six more aircraft – two B737-800s, two A330-200Fs and two ATR-72s. Excluding these aircraft, MAS’ order book comprises 38 B737-800s, ten A330s, six A380s and two A330-200Fs. The airline said its fleet delivery schedule would be accelerated in the next few years, adding that all required financing activities for 2012 have been completed.

Weak result matched by gloomy outlook

MAS expects a weak second-half due to elevated fuel prices and sovereign debt fears in key markets which will continue to weigh on consumer confidence and economic growth. The airline’s forward bookings indicate challenges in the European, US and Japanese markets, with “normal” trends for other regions. The third quarter will be soft owing to the month of Ramadan, when travel is seasonally slow.

In response to the challenging outlook, MAS will moderate its capacity growth in 2H2011. The airline will also review its route network and adjust capacity accordingly. MAS will retire two B747-200Fs, one B747-400 and three B737-400s by Oct-2011.

The airline will also have a heavier focus on yield management, with new revenue systems to be introduced in 2H2011. MAS aims to enhance its yield performance through front-end business class initiatives, implementation of fuel surcharges and step up its yield/revenue management.

A loss in 2H2011 is still expected, though MAS said it would be less severe than 1H2011, due to these initiatives.

MAS’ most significant turn in fortunes is likely to come from its tie-up with AirAsia, a deal that effectively neutralises a major competitor and a leading cause of losses in recent years. Under the agreement, MAS also gains two successful and experienced aviation executives on its board, in Tony Fernandes and AirAsia deputy CEO Kamarudin Meranun. This expertise at senior management level should help MAS overhaul its network, alliance and fleet strategies and navigate the flag carrier through some more desperate times.

‘Sabah getting a raw deal from Petronas’

2011-08-27T08:38:00.000-07:00

By Queville To, FMT

KOTA KINABALU: Petronas,which gets a major portion of their wealth from Sabah, was taken to task for spending on luxury projects such as the Sepang F1 racing circuit and a ’5-star’ hospital for the rich .

PKR Sabah secretary Dr Roland Chia said Petronas gets a major portion of its wealth from Sabah,but it is spending money millions on lavish peojects in the Peninsula while Sabah is right at the bottom in the country’s poverty index.

Chia said Petronas had neglected its corporate social responsibility (CSR) to Sabah and has instead indulged in unnecessary projects.

He said Petronas should be using its billions of ringgit following the oil price hike for more meaningful causes, rather than sponsoring sports cars to participate in the F1 Circuit, or continue to finance the accumulated losses incurred by the Prince Court Medical Centre (PCMC) in Kuala Lumpur.

Sabah, the largest gas producer and the fourth largest crude oil producer in the country, has been short – changed and many feel Petronas should do more for the state.

“I urge Petronas to channel their CSR funds for more meaningful causes rather than building a half-a-billion ringgit elite hospital in Kuala Lumpur and continuing to finance the Prince Court Medical Centre.

“The money can be used by sponsoring community buses for rural school children who needed to walk for 10-20 km to reach their schools in Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.

Critics have complained that Petronas spent RM544 million on PCMC and this contrasts with the RM47 million the company spent over the last 36 years from 1975 to 2011 on its Education Sponsorship Programme (PESP) in Sabah, which works out to RM1.3 million a year.

“This is utterly ridiculous. Sabahans are living in poverty … their overty index is among the highest in the country and Petronas under the BN government has got their priorities absolutely wrong.”

On losses incurred by PCMC, Chia noted that in its most recent annual financial report ended April 2010, the hospital, wholly owned by Petronas, suffered a net loss of RM451 million on the back of a RM82 million revenue.

According to records, the luxury healthcare facility had liabilities and current liabilities of RM749.4 million while its reserves were RM178.3 million.

The hospital which was launched in 2007, made a loss of RM203 million on revenue of RM24 million in 2009 to put its accumulated losses over the two years at RM654 million.

Pakatan confident of ‘mission impossible’

2011-08-27T08:37:00.000-07:00

By B Nantha Kumar, FMT

PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Rakyat is gearing to launch a powerful offensive in Malacca, which is considered a Barisan Nasional stronghold, in the next general election.

Although political pundits predict that BN would retain power, PKR and PAS were aiming to win more seats in the state assembly.

Sources revealed that the two opposition parties alongside DAP would bank on “Umno’s arrogance” in running the state to pull in the votes.

In the 2008 general election, BN won 23 seats while the opposition won five – all by DAP.

DAP contested eight but won the Bachang, Ayer Keroh, Kesidang, Kota Laksamana and Bandar Hilir state seats. PAS contested 13 seats while PKR fielded seven candidates.

Time time around, a Malacca DAP leader said Pakatan was confident of capturing at least 14 of the 28 state seats up for grabs.

While political analysts dismissed this as “mission impossible”, the opposition believes that with the right campaign strategy, it could turn the tide against BN.

In the next general election, DAP plans to increase its tally to six while PAS and PKR were aiming to seize four seats each.

“DAP is confident of retaining five seats. They are also eyeing the Duyong seat, it is the only state seat they lost in the Kota Melaka parliamentary constituency in the last general election,” a party insider told FMT.

The Duyong seat was won by BN candidate Gan Tian Loo with a slim 806 vote majority defeating DAP’s Damian Yeo Shen Li.

Extra seat for PKR

However, there were several issues which needed to be ironed out before DAP could contest the seat.

Speculation was rife that PKR wanted the seat as part of a swap plan. DAP leaders on the other hand were adamant about contesting in Duyong.

ACCIM claims MRT abused as front for land grab

2011-08-27T08:35:00.000-07:00

By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 — The country’s largest Chinese business association has accused the regulator and the owner of the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) of abusing the Land Acquisition Act to acquire a prime land bank for property development by “favoured parties”.

In a no-holds barred letter sighted by The Malaysian Insider, the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Malaysia (ACCCIM) told the transport minister that the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) and Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (Prasarana) should stop the abuse and focus on developing an efficient public transport system instead.

“Since SPAD/Prasarana announced the ‘rail plus property’ model to develop the MRT, the private sector was already apprehensive that they will abuse the Land Acquisition Act to compulsorily acquire large tracts of land under the guise of MRT station needs with the true underlying purpose of parcelling out to favoured parties to develop in unfair competition with the private sector.

“This abuse must be stopped. The private sector does not have any objections if SPAD/Prasarana develops properties around the MRT stations on state land, e.g. RRI land in Sungai Buloh, Malaysia Financial Centre in Sungai Besi, Cochrane Road, etc,” ACCCIM president Tan Sri William Cheng said in a letter to Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha dated this August 22.

The multi-billion project is 51km-long, including 9.5 km of underground tunnels, and stretches from Sungai Buloh to Kajang. Putrajaya has also reserved 43 per cent of the works bill, or RM8 billion in value, for Bumiputera contractors in the country’s most expensive infrastructure project.

Property owners protest against the proposed acquisition of land in Chinatown for the MRT project, in Kuala Lumpur August 9, 2011. — Picture by Jack Ooi

In his letter, Cheng said the private sector was in effect subsidising the MRT, citing the “incredulous” proposal mooted by SPAD and Prasarana to acquire prime land in Bandar Utama after one of ACCCIM’s members, Bandar Utama Development, refused to foot the bill for the proposed station there without compensation.

“The MRT station appears to [have been] surreptitiously moved away from the operating 1 Utama Integrated Transportation Hub and the developer was given the choice to have the station reverted back to its original ideal position if the developer acquiesced to build and surrender the station plus 500 Park & Ride [parking lots], forego any land acquisition compensation and to also build a commercial building.

“Arising from the developer declining to acquiesce to these onerous and unfair demands, an acquisition of five acres of prime Bandar Utama commercial land worth at least RM150 million has been proposed under the guise of building car parks for Park & Ride facilities, which is incredulous,” he said, adding that such tactics could not be condoned.

Muslim Women Christian Apostasy Sign Dibogel and was beaten by the Public!

2011-08-27T02:03:00.000-07:00

news sources from christianpost

New Delhi: About 50 Muslims rampage in a church requires a woman, Aunt Selina to repent and get all into Islam. They mengugut to burn the church if waniat was reluctant to embrace repentance.

Before that Aunt Selina has dibogelkan by 2 Muslim women who came with a bunch of people crowded into his house to see the sign he had become Christian. They believe an apostate Muslim who became Christian there would be marks on his body.

India is not an Islamic country but its people will soon wake up if there is a Muslim apostate. Unlike for our country is now charged as an Islamic country but if penguatkuasa religion that exists allotment laws prevent apostasy in the church makes a boisterous one country. That's new for the examination and not rush rude or uncivilized.

We just take the issue of apostasy as a capital to seek the kingdom or who is wrong samada dissidents while this issue is not a problem samada dissidents or kingdom is at fault. He is the whole issue of Muslims in our country who need to find a settlement, and fill all the weaknesses that exist. We do not know just pointing fingers to each other when issues relating to the enactment of this apostate!

"Drag Queen" in Britain's Youngest

2011-08-26T23:48:00.000-07:00

Redvers Stokes

Bored? DCM have strange stories of human behavior.

Boy 12 years in Britain has a strange hobby. He loves to play as a "drag queen" or queen bapok. More frightening to the child of the title of Carnival Queen Bapok. Hobbies certainly frightening many parents.

But parents Redvers Stoke, Matthew and Georgie thought otherwise, though a bit worried at first. For those Redvers behavior is a strange hobby. Both insist that a boy Redvers true and not berperwatakan as displaying the current action as the queen bapok.

How Redvers Bapok the title of Carnival Queen? It all started when he entered a bapok prestigious pageant in the city. In the competition, he beat three men was three times that of age. After the "success" is, Redvers now uses the name Naughty Nora when making presentations to council and programs.

Redvers Stokes along with his father and mother, Matthew and Georgie.

MENSTRUAL BLOOD Maid Enter the COOKING

2011-08-26T21:44:00.000-07:00

Stories that can make you termuntah. Stories from Temasek.

A woman embodies a FB page called "Dangerous Maid" to give warnings to people crowded bahawa the salary is not always the prey flagellation, even employers are also sometimes "tortured" the salary, AsiaOne reports.

Creators of those pages, Hylda Low, who embodies the page on Tuesday saying "I mahu give warnings to people crowded domestic bahawa this (picture above) is very dangerous. We must not let these evil people use black magic to others, "Low wrote.

The 20-year-old student accused her maid, who came from West Java, has put her menstrual blood into the soup to be served to his family. Maid was also charged with secretly put menstrual blood in the tea bag.

According to Low, the family gets to know gross indecency and was beginning Ogos housekeepers and maids then it was three times that heinous acts.

Low's brother, who declined to name published, said her family bahawa hired a maid to keep her grandmother. The maid of the house was moved from home to work for the brother-in-law and Low families for five months before his actions exposed.

Everything is uncovered when his father found a piece of wet cotton Low cut from a pad the woman hidden in the kitchen when she was cleaning the floor in the region.

Sepuluh Artis Russia Yang Memiliki Buah Dadah Besar,, Dan Mengancam.

2011-08-26T20:08:00.000-07:00

English Russia » Byelorusssia’s Top 10 Most Attractive Anchorwomen And Singers

Suara Pakatan Rakyat Sabah

Interview Candidates Garuda Indonesia Bugil Stewardess Under!

2011-08-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

Nemoto: Garuda Indonesia Candidates Interview Nude Stewardess In Case!

Voice of the People Kunak

RBA briefed on bribery, deputy governor admits

2011-08-26T18:54:00.000-07:00

By Richard Baker and Nick McKenzie, The Age

Federal police last month charged NPA and sister firm Securency with Australia's first foreign bribery offences, alleging that millions of dollars paid to the companies' agents in Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia were used to bribe officials. Eight former NPA and Securency senior executives have also been charged.

THE Reserve Bank of Australia board was briefed twice in 2007 on information implicating subsidiary Note Printing Australia in overseas bribery, deputy governor Ric Battellino (pictured) admitted yesterday.

Mr Battellino's admission came as he and RBA governor Glenn Stevens faced questions from the House of Representatives' economics committee on the bribery scandal involving the bank's currency printing firms NPA and Securency.

At the committee's meeting in February, Mr Stevens said it was unlikely any RBA officials knew of bribery allegations involving its banknote businesses prior to The Age revealing corruption concerns about Securency in May 2009.

Under questioning from Liberal MP Kelly O'Dwyer and Greens MP Adam Bandt, Mr Battellino confirmed the details of a report by The Age this month, which revealed the board of NPA and senior RBA officials were, in May 2007, presented with strong evidence implicating the company and two of its agents in the bribery of officials in Malaysia and Nepal in return for contracts.

The 2007 information included an admission from an NPA agent that he had paid bribes and requests from another agent to be paid excessive commissions into a third-party bank account.

Mr Battellino said the information presented to the NPA board raised issues ''about bad business practices in relation to agents and, as a result of that, they took some very hard decisions''.

But instead of referring the bribery evidence to the Australian Federal Police for investigation, the RBA and the NPA board decided to handle the matter internally by sacking the agents, calling in the Reserve Bank's audit team and later contracting law firm Freehills to conduct an inquiry.

Mr Battellino said the RBA board was briefed on the internal inquiries into the NPA bribery matters in July and August 2007. The RBA board was told Freehills had been unable to find any breach of Australian laws, he said.

Asked by Ms O'Dwyer why neither the NPA board nor the RBA called the police in 2007, Mr Battellino said: ''There was no basis to. This was an investigation that was started by the NPA board as part of an ongoing control around the way the business was being run. They pursued that to its logical conclusion. You have to accept it is a very serious matter for any organisation to call in police to have staff investigated and my guess is that most organisations would not do that.''

Freehills did not have the AFP's powers to formally question people, issue search warrants to seize evidence or seek co-operation from overseas police. The RBA has twice refused freedom-of-information requests from The Age for the Freehills report.

Federal police last month charged NPA and sister firm Securency with Australia's first foreign bribery offences, alleging that millions of dollars paid to the companies' agents in Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia were used to bribe officials. Eight former NPA and Securency senior executives have also been charged.

Mr Battellino confirmed to the committee yesterday that Abdul Kayum, the Malaysian agent specifically referred to in the 2007 bribery information, had also last month been charged with corruption offences by Malaysian authorities investigating NPA's 2004 central bank contract. A former assistant governor of Malaysia's central bank was also charged with accepting a bribe from NPA.

The alleged kickbacks paid by NPA's Nepal agent, Himalaya Pande, to secure a 2002 central bank contract are still being investigated by the AFP and by Nepal's anti-corruption agency.

The NPA board in 2007 was chaired by former RBA deputy governor and former Australian Prudential Regulation Authority chief Graeme Thompson.

Exposure! Girl Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) Sexy!

2011-08-26T12:23:00.000-07:00

Many are not aware of this issue .. And everyone thought that Raja Petra or RPK is holistic person. But see for yourself this son .. This Islamkah .???. DADA REACHES MORE FRUIT see !!!!! What to so if you want to be the very help WHI is no need to change the citizenship tu use IC Malaysia .. Hang Wear a colonial British IC tu!

Tammy NYP Scandal - How it all started

2011-08-26T11:19:00.000-07:00

The Tammy sex video scandal was an incident in Singapore involving a sex video first circulated in mid-January 2006 that turned into an Internet phenomenon. The incident began when a student from Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP), known only as Tammy, apparently had her mobile phone stolen, and a 10-minute video of her having sex (which included intercourse as well as oral sex) with her boyfriend was uploaded on the internet.

The video, which was stored in the girl's mobile phone, was initially spread via instant messaging, email and blogs, but eventually made it to the front pages of national newspapers. Shortly after, the video gained international notoriety as many people curiously began searching for it online under the keyword Tammy Nyp, causing the scandal to make it to the first five places in Technorati's top search terms for almost two weeks.

The video was reportedly sold on DVDs in Penang, Malaysia. A domain on the scandal's top search term was also squatted, and other merchandise such as T-shirts was sold online.

Sister Tammy NYP Camwhoring

2011-08-26T09:17:00.000-07:00

Famous Singapore sex scandal featured Singapore teen Tammy NYP still fresh in memory. Now her younger sister followed her step and camwhoring. Here are some pictures that original from Gutter Uncensored

Tammy is about 20 year old now so her sister seem to be around 18 0r 19 and following her big sister's foot steps.

WikiLeaks Releases Tens of Thousands More Classified Cables

2011-08-26T09:13:00.000-07:00

(Malaysian Digest) - WASHINGTON: The WikiLeaks organization said on Thursday it was releasing tens of thousands of previously unpublished US diplomatic cables, some of which are still classified, reported Reuters.

"We will have released over 100,000 US embassy cables from around the world by the end of today," said a message on WikiLeaks' Twitter feed. The Twitter page is believed to be controlled by Julian Assange, WikiLeaks' controversial Australian-born founder and chief.

According to the report, the cables which the website said it is dumping onto the public record appear to be from a cache of more than 250,000 State Department reports leaked to the group. WikiLeaks began releasing the cables in smaller batches late last year, but until now had made them public in piecemeal fashion.

Several news organizations around the world, including Reuters, have had complete sets of the cables for months. But for the most part, media outlets have only cited or published cables when publishing specific news or investigative stories based on them.

By late afternoon on Thursday, the WikiLeaks website said it had published 97,115 of the 251,287 cables it possesses. It did not specify its motives for releasing such a large amount of material at once.

A person in contact with Assange's inner circle told Reuters the rationale behind the mass release of documents was dismay among WikiLeaks activists that media organizations had lost interest in publishing stories based on the material.

The source described Assange and his associates as "frustrated" at the lack of media interest.

The document release began hours after WikiLeaks revealed on Twitter that Dynadot, a California internet registrar which had hosted WikiLeaks, had received an order, generated by federal prosecutors in Alexandria, Virginia, requiring it to produce "information on Julian Assange."

WikiLeaks said Dynadot had complied with the order.

According to a copy of the document published by WikiLeaks, US investigators want any "customer or subscriber account information" held by Dynadot since November 1 that relates to Assange, WikiLeaks or the domain name wikileaks.org.

Dynadot and the State Department did not respond to requests for comment.

It is unclear when or how WikiLeaks acquired a copy of the government order to Dynadot, which was dated January 4, 2011. A US official indicated that the document, which was sealed by court order, had not been officially unsealed.

US officials have indicated that prosecutors and a grand jury in Alexandria, have a long-running investigation into WikiLeaks, Assange and others associated with the website.

A few weeks earlier, the same prosecutors sent a similar request to Twitter seeking records of accounts held by Assange, WikiLeaks, and others. They include Bradley Manning, a US Army private being detained for alleged unauthorized disclosures of classified information which was believed to have gone to WikiLeaks.

Last year WikiLeaks and Assange were celebrated after their release of State Department cables, tens of thousands of other secret US files, and a classified video of a contested American military operation in Iraq.

Since then public interest in WikiLeaks has waned. It may have suffered from publicity related to Assange's flight to Britain after sexual misconduct charges were filed against him in Sweden and a subsequent protracted extradition fight. Assange has also publicly fueded with former collaborators.

A person close to Assange said a British appeals court is due to rule early next month on his appeal against Sweden's extradition request. The source was unaware of any link between the latest document dump and the anticipated court decision.

Isn’t the Transport Minister from MCA?

2011-08-26T09:12:00.000-07:00

Kong is keeping mum because his useless ministerial position is more important than the Chinese community. If he objects, he will be removed by Umno, just like what happened to former MCA president Ong Tee Keat in the multi-billion-ringgit Port Klang Free Zone (PKF) financial scandal.

By Lee Kee

Who is MCA trying to kid in the controversial acquisition of Petaling “Chinatown” Street land for the construction of the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT)?

The sex-scandal-tainted president Dr Chua Soi Lek had on Wednesday (Aug 24, 2011) so proudly announced and promised that the 31 landowners on Kuala Lumpur’s Jalan Sultan would be able to hold on to their property — after the government agreed to reinforce their buildings — and return upon completion of the tunnelling beneath their shops.

In less than 24 hours, Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) chairman Syed Hamid Albar said the compulsory acquisition of the Jalan Sultan lots — where the KVMRT would run underground — was necessary because under land law, landowners also owned the land that lies below ground.

“We have to do compulsory acquisition of the land. It means that subsequently, they have to alienate the land above,” Syed Hamid told reporters after a memorandum of understanding signing with Puspakom Sdn Bhd on Thursday.

Syed Hamid added that although they were currently working on a solution to allow the traders to return to Chinatown “there is no guarantee that it would eventually be returned to the owners”.

This again, as in the past, shows what MCA leaders say are meaningless and just a “damage control exercise” whenever controversial issues afflicting the Chinese community arise.

In particular, can anyone really trust Dr Chua the wife cheater to represent us?

In dealing with such issues since Merdeka, the MCA continues to dish out crap, never sticking its neck out for the Chinese community.

The biggest joke in this Chinatown issue is this: “Why is the Transport Minister Kong Cho Ha keeping mum?” Isn’t he from MCA? Is the SPAD chairman more powerful than Kong?

Of course the Umno SPAD chairman is more powerful.

Kong is keeping mum because his useless ministerial position (Kong is making it useless with his inaction) is more important than the Chinese community.

If he objects, he will be removed by Umno, just like what happened to former MCA president Ong Tee Keat who foolishly knocked his head on the brickwall in the multi-billion-ringgit Port Klang Free Zone (PKF) financial scandal.

Kong, after taking office, displayed his 101% loyalty to the powers that be by immediately sweeping the PKFZ probe under the carpet, thus comnsolidating his ministerial position.

Under such circumstances, do you really expect the dumbbell Kong or the MCA to defend the interests of the Chinese community or care a damn for a Chinese heritage zone?

It is really appalling to note that, of late, the non-Umno ministers have been reduced to just puppets, toothless leaders who are completely subservient to Umno and the powers that be.

Non-Umno ministers are just puppets and powerless to Umno-formed and Umno-linked commissions, committees, boards, etc.

So Malaysians, isn’t it crystal clear that it does not really make any difference whether there are MCA, Gerakan or MIC ministers after the next general election?

As for the Malays, only the cronies of Umno Malays will continue to prosper while the majority of Malays continue to struggle in poverty.

Lynas: an injustice most taxing

2011-08-26T09:11:00.000-07:00

The 12-year tax exemption given to Lynas may prove to be the biggest blunder ever. Lynas is projected to make about AUD 6.2 billion in pre-tax profit in 2012 and 2013 and in exchange, we allow them to contaminate our land for free.

By Lee Wee Tak and Soo Jin Hou

Malaysians are no strangers to skewed agreements. From IPP subsidies to guaranteed profits for highway concessionaires, the public has on numerous times endured the consequences of sheer governmental incompetence. Yet, the 12-year tax exemption given to Lynas may prove to be the biggest blunder ever. Lynas is projected to make about AUD 6.2 billion in pre-tax profit in 2012 and 2013 and in exchange, we allow them to contaminate our land for free.

The graph below shows the spectacular rise in rare earth price since Q3 2010. While gold’s bull run has been getting plenty of attention of late, the real star is rare earth, which has taken off to astronomical heights. For Lynas, the price of the rare earths from Mount Weld may increase 15.7 times from JP Morgan’s estimate by the time the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) begins production in 2012.

JP Morgan published their stock analysis on 24 June 2010, just prior to the price break out. They have predicted a ridiculously conservative average price of USD 17.69/kg in 2012. At that price, they have expected Lynas to be breaking even in making AUD 4.8 million in net tax profit in 2012. The price has since shot up to USD 201.35/kg on 22 Aug 2011. Based on linear regression calculated from 3Q10 to 22 August 2011, and extrapolated to 1 January 2012, the price may even surge up to USD278.14.

The following table shows our revised estimates based on JP Morgan’s research. We predict Lynas will make AUD 2.2 billion in 2012 and AUD 4.1 billion in 2013 before tax based on the above linear regression estimation (if the 22 August price of USD 201.35/kg is used, 2012 and 2013 profits would be AUD1.5 billion and AUD 2.9 billion respectively).

No matter what the price would be, Lynas will be able to repay their entire setup cost of AUD 807 million and still be able to make super normal windfall profit within the first year. The profit is expected to double up in 2013 when production from Phase 2 commences.

Certain important assumptions are made in this deduction, and they are:

a) The revenue is directly proportional to the increase in rare earth price.

b) Rare earth prices are able to sustain at an average of USD 278.14.13/kg. This is justified by assuming that the downside risk of new supply sources is balanced by the upside risk of China's continual pull back in production.

c) Production of Phase 2, which will double LAMP's capacity to commence production by 2013. Construction of Phase 2 is scheduled for completion by Q4 2012.

d) In 2012 and 2013, the AUD/USD rates are 0.95 (rate at 25/8/2011) and 0.9 respectively.

e) Exchange rate has impact on revenue (since rare earths are priced in USD) and operating cost (25% of total operating cost to run the Mount Weld concentration plant is denominated in AUD).

JP Morgan has estimated that the internal transfer price of the semi-refined ores from the Mount Weld concentration plant to its Malaysian subsidiary to be approximately 30% of the finished product price. Consequently, from the AUD 6.2 billion pre-tax profit for 2012-2013, only AUD 1.9 billion will be subjected to Australian tax.

Rise of strict Islam exposes tensions in Malaysia

2011-08-26T09:10:00.000-07:00

Analysts say this emphasis on Islamic practice is superficial. They blame it on the competition for Malay-Muslim voters between the ruling party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), and the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), both of which are trying to position themselves as defenders of Islam.

By Jennifer Pak, BBC News

Muslim women without headscarves are a common sight on the streets of the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur.

But engaging them in a discussion about the hijab is difficult.

Norhayati Kaprawi is a Malaysian activist whose recent documentary Aku Siapa (Who Am I) deals with the issue of how women in Malaysia should dress. She found some women unwilling to show their faces in her film - not on religious grounds, but becasue they feared reprisals.

This is a damning reflection on Malaysia's Muslim society, says Ms Norhayati.

"It's full of fear. If you don't follow the mainstream you will be lynched."

According to the activist, the pressure to wear the hijab grew after the Iranian revolution in 1979, and it is now the most visible sign of Malaysia's rising Islamic fundmentalism.

Muslims account for over half the population of 28 million people and are mainly ethnic Malays. Malaysia often prides itself on being a moderate Muslim nation, which allows other religions freedom of worship.

And while there are no laws forcing women to wear the hijab, Ms Norhayati says many Muslims feel compelled.

Crime and punishment

Increasingly, there is a greater emphasis on Islamic codes of conduct.

For the first time last year, Malaysian authorities caned women under Sharia law. The three women sentenced were found guilty of having sex outside of marriage.

And a part-time Muslim model was sentenced to the same punishment in 2009 for drinking beer in public. Islamic authorities eventually reduced Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno's sentence to community service last year after the story made international headlines.

Analysts say this emphasis on Islamic practice is superficial. They blame it on the competition for Malay-Muslim voters between the ruling party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), and the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), both of which are trying to position themselves as defenders of Islam.

The youth wing of the PAS has often lobbied the government to ban Western pop artists from perfoming in Malaysia, deeming them to be un-Islamic.

Since 2008, when elections delivered a record number of seats to the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition, of which the PAS is a member, the party has tried to moderate its stance.

Although the PAS has not abandoned the goal of making Malaysia into an Islamic state, PAS Member of Parliament Khalid Samad says non-Muslims have nothing to fear.

"We do not think Islam is all about cutting off hands and stoning adulterers," he says.

"That's a very minute aspect of the Islamic law. What's more important is the question of good governance."

In a move to show it can work with non-Muslims, the PAS is planning to open up membership to them.

"Nobody can say if we come to power, [that] we cannot govern a multi-religious and multi-racial nation," says Mr Khalid.

Cause for concern?

But a resurgence in Islam has many non-Muslims concerned.

Islamic officials in Selangor state entered a Methodist church without a warrant in early August, breaking up a fundraising dinner. They recorded the details of several Muslims who attended the function.

The Islamic authorities have said they acted on a tip-off, but have refused to reveal the nature of the complaint.

Religious officials are wary about Muslims attending church-organised events. There are fears these are attempts to convert Muslims to Christianity - something that is illegal in Malaysia.

"This action sets a dangerous precedent and makes a mockery of the sanctity and inviolability of all religious places in our beloved country," said the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hindusim, Sikhism and Taoism in a statement.

Ongoing row

The fear of conversion has already strained relations between Muslims and the Christian minority, who make up around nine per cent of the country's population and are typically ethnic Chinese and Indians.

Over the last two years, churches have been firebombed and Bibles have been seized in an ongoing row between Christians and Muslims over the use of the word 'Allah'.

The religious minority insists that they have been using the term for centuries in the Malay language to refer to the Christian god.

But in 1986, the government banned non-Muslim from using the word 'Allah' in publications. This ban was not usually enforced until recently when the government began to act upon it at the behest of some Muslim groups.

In a move seen as a bid to win Malay-Muslim votes, the government argued that for non-Muslims, calling their gods 'Allah' would be confusing to the Muslim-majority and threaten national security.

As a result, Malay-language Bibles have been impounded by customs officials. Some Muslim activists fear that Christians are using the Bibles to convert Muslims.

Attacks on places of worship came after the High Court in Kuala Lumpur ruled in December 2009 that the word 'Allah' is not exclusive to Islam. The government has appealed against the decision but no hearing date has been set yet.

In the meantime the prime minister's department has made some concessions in recent months and released some 35,000 seized Bibles. The cabinet has also set up a committee for religious leaders from all faiths to resolve the "Allah" issue.

Reverend Dr Thomas Philips is one of the committee members. He says the meetings have been sporadic but he is optimistic they can reach an understanding.

"I'm convinced Malaysia is a moderate Muslim country," he says.

Norhayati Kaprawi agrees, but fears that the mainstream opinion has been silenced.

"People who hold more progressive or alternative views," she says, "don't dare to speak up in public."

Against the tide

2011-08-26T09:09:00.001-07:00

Faced with the menace of the internet, Asia’s censors are not yet giving up the ghost.

The unwitting instrument of Mr Najib’s epiphany was The Economist. An article in our July 16th issue covered the government’s crackdown on a huge demonstration organised by civic groups calling for electoral reform. In the copies of The Economist that reached Malaysians, the article was disfigured by black ink.

By The Economist

TAKING arms against a sea of troubles, many governments in Asia have long resisted the tide of unfiltered news, rumour and comment washing over their citizens via the internet. On August 15th one prime minister, Najib Razak of Malaysia, appeared to admit defeat. “In today’s borderless, interconnected world,” he said, “censoring newspapers and magazines is increasingly outdated, ineffective and unjustifiable.” Noting that the internet in Malaysia has always been uncensored, Mr Najib announced a “review” of print censorship laws. Yet what it comes up with is unlikely to be a free-for-all. Across Asia, governments find it hard to cede their power to control flows of information.

The unwitting instrument of Mr Najib’s epiphany was The Economist. An article in our July 16th issue covered the government’s crackdown on a huge demonstration organised by civic groups calling for electoral reform. In the copies of The Economist that reached Malaysians, the article was disfigured by black ink. Three passages—concerning the death of a man (from a heart attack), the banning of the protest march and “heavy-handed police tactics”—were censored. However, they could still be read on our website, or indeed on a number of Malaysian news sites and blogs. As Mr Najib noted, the act of censorship created far more of a fuss than the offending passages. Besides being “outdated, ineffective and unjustifiable”, the censorship was also very bad public relations.

His general point is plainly true all over the world. Strict controls over “old” media, foreign and domestic, are increasingly anachronistic since ever more citizens have access to the bottomless shallows of the internet. In both Malaysia and Singapore, where mainstream media have been largely servile in their treatment of the powers-that-be, the internet has changed the political landscape. It was one reason why the opposition did better than ever in Malaysia’s most recent parliamentary election, in March 2008. In Singapore, in the run-up to May’s general election, candidates were for the first time allowed to campaign on social-networking sites; once again, the opposition did better than ever. Opposition politicians in both places also credit online competition with gingering up the mainstream press a bit.

Mr Najib said that, instead of censorship, Malaysia could use “legal means” in the event of defamatory coverage. That for a long time has also been Singapore’s strategy. “Right-to-reply” rules oblige foreign publications that circulate in Singapore to carry government rebuttals. Settling contempt-of-court actions and defamation suits from leading politicians is costly. All of this deters critical foreign reporting.

Elsewhere in Asia, some governments still use the trusted old slash-and-blotch methods. The Chinese authorities simply rip out pages with articles they don’t like; or, if there are too many of them, they block the issue altogether. India tolerates most of what is written about the country, perhaps believing, as a member of the present cabinet put it when in opposition, that “this is India. You can never be wrong.” But officialdom draws the line, stamps the stamp, or confiscates the consignment when it comes to maps showing the India-Pakistan border as it is, rather than as it would be were all of Kashmir under Indian control.

In Sri Lanka, the government never “bans” The Economist. But customs officers spend a hell of a long time enjoying issues with Sri Lankan coverage. In Thailand, again, the government never issues a formal ban. But, in fear of the country’s fierce lèse-majesté laws, no distributor will touch a publication carrying coverage that might be construed as remotely critical of the monarchy.

Online distributors, however, are less easy to cow. The logic of monarchism also compels Thailand’s government to intervene directly on the internet. According to Freedom Against Censorship Thailand, an NGO, it has blocked hundreds of thousands of web pages. Thailand’s efforts to curb unpalatable online material, however, are no more than a picket fence when compared with the great firewall of China. China has more users of the internet than any other country, yet its censors battle the medium, convinced that they can win. The foreign press is the easy part. There are ways around the blockage of websites that the censors do not like. But relatively few people have the will, time or money to bother finding them.

The domestic internet poses more of a challenge, however. Deleted postings on social-networking sites immediately pop up elsewhere; banned internet-search terms morph into bizarre homonyms; small incidents such as hit-and-run road accidents become national scandals. And national scandals, such as the high-speed train crash on July 23rd, news of which the authorities would have liked quietly to bury along with the wreckage, suddenly become enormous political problems.

Hoping to reboot the world

The battle between the Chinese Communist Party and the internet seems fairly evenly matched. When Urumqi, in the western region of Xinjiang, was racked by ethnic violence in 2009, the authorities simply switched the internet off in Xinjiang for ten months. A strange new phenomenon, the internet-café border town, sprang up along the railway line to the east to cater for Xinjiang residents who wanted to get online. China, further alarmed by the alleged role of social networks in the recent riots in Britain, might well counter renewed regional unrest with another local internet shutdown.

But this is hardly an option for China as a whole. Not only might Hong Kong struggle to cope with an influx of more than 450m Chinese internet users needing to check their e-mails; China cannot, in effect, resign from the global economy. Asian governments are stuck with the internet which, worryingly for the dictatorships among them, seems as integral to the future as black blotches on newsprint seem to the past.

DNA samples from Saiful’s anus ‘pristine’

2011-08-26T09:09:00.000-07:00

There is absolutely no evidence that Saiful's DNA samples had degraded, according to Australian expert

McDonald said the sample – taken from the higher rectum which was predominantly from “Male Y”, while another which was predominantly Saiful’s – was inconclusive. However, the DNA expert said that all three had no evidence that degradation had occurred and were “pristine DNA”.

Teoh El Sen, Free Malaysia Today

The DNA samples extracted from Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan’s anus, which were supposed to have degraded, appeared to be in “pristine” condition, the High Court here heard today.

“There is absolutely no evidence of degradation… ” said Australian consultant molecular geneticist, Dr Brian Leslie McDonald, at the Sodomy II trial.

McDonald agreed with defence counsel Ramkarpal Singh that the DNA test results were “inconsistent with the history (of the case)”.

Yesterday, McDonald had testified that the DNA samples – which were extracted from Saiful’s anus 56 hours after the alleged sodomy, and later kept in a drawer for 43 hours – would have degraded.

Australian forensic expert Dr David Lawrence Noel Wells, the head of forensic medicine at the Victoria Institute of Medicine, had also testified that the poorly kept samples were unlikely to have returned a positive result.

The defence team claimed the testimony today supports its argument that the evidence was tampered with.

“This is a very important issue. How could we have a new sample when the sample was supposed to have degraded with bacteria? Where did they get the sample from?” Anwar told reporters outside the court.

Earlier, Ramkarpal asked McDonald to give his opinion on the chemist report done on three DNA samples (B7, B8, B9) which were taken from Saiful’s higher and lower rectum.

‘Upholding Malay unity’ … or ‘deconstructing’ a tired cliché?

2011-08-26T09:08:00.000-07:00

Specifically, the day is long overdue for all Malaysians to begin to differentiate, fastidiously and consistently, in all contexts — when they render into English the Malay word “bangsa”, with its very broad range of meanings and denotations — between “race”, on the one hand, and “people”, “nation”, “stock”, “descent” and “kind”, to note but a few of its various referents, on the other.

Clive Kessler, The Malaysian Insider  

The Mufti of Perak, Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria, is reported as insisting “that the Umno president must find a way to unite the Malays” (“Perak mufti says Malays must defend race”, Syed Mu’az Syed Putra, The Malaysian Insider, 25 August 2011).

“We must defend our race and Najib must find a way to reunite Malays,” Harussani is quoted as saying.

On this matter, it is timely to make four points.

First, it is more than time for political actors and commentators in Malaysia to be careful in their use of words, including technical terms.

Specifically, the day is long overdue for all Malaysians to begin to differentiate, fastidiously and consistently, in all contexts — when they render into English the Malay word “bangsa”, with its very broad range of meanings and denotations — between “race”, on the one hand, and “people”, “nation”, “stock”, “descent” and “kind”, to note but a few of its various referents, on the other.

Any inability to recognise the differences between these perhaps related yet quite distinct notions would be a routine cause of failure in the introductory social science courses (including anthropology, sociology and political science) in any internationally reputable university.

It remains an anomaly, and one about whose origins and persistence one may speculate, that — for all its great work in linguistic engineering and technical lexicographic innovation over half a century — the Dewan Bahasa and Pustaka has never focused its attention upon the clarification, in Malay usage, of the semantic overlap and confusion that characterize this one very general, all-purpose term “bangsa”.

Second, why must Malays, the entire Malay people of the peninsula and Malaysia as a whole, be “united”?

That they should be united, the idea that the unity of “the Malays” is a natural condition that has been disrupted and now needs to be restored, is the implicit underlying presupposition of the call recently made by the Tan Sri Harussani, and so often voiced by other leading political and public personalities on the national stage.

Is the call for “the Malays” to be united politically any more reasonable and acceptable, one must ask — and constructive, in the national interest — than a call for all Chinese or Indians or non-Malays generally to be united politically?

Where does such an approach inescapably lead? That does not bear thinking about. Yet it is a matter that must be recognized and addressed, urgently.

It leads not to the formation of a united Malaysian nation but, headlong, to inter-ethnic antagonism and communalistic Armageddon.

Is that a desirable future, a scenario that is in the interest of either the vast majority of Malays and non-Malays alike?  Third, why must people speak in these contexts of “the Malays”? Where does the word “the” come from here, and how is its use justified?

To use that word “the” (the so-called “definite article”) is to suggest that what follows, whatever it is that this “the” refers to, is a unified and undifferentiated entity.

So its use here simply begs the entire question that has to be carefully considered. The very terms in which the question is posed, using this homogenising “the”, presupposes a certain answer.

It smuggles its own conclusion into the posing of question. It “builds in” from the start the notion of Malay unity, as a normal and established fact, as a desirable and supposedly natural state of affairs.

In this way “Malay unity” is normalised, and any departure from it is, by implication, rendered pathological, an undesirable departure from healthy normality.

Fourth, and most important, why are “the Malays” of Malaysia not united? This is the situation that so troubles the mufti of Perak and those who think along similar lines.

The historic reason for the present lack of Malay unity is clear. The Malays of Malaysia are now irreversibly divided, as they never were in the past, by the NEP.

Not by current debates about the NEP — whether it is good or bad, whether it should be extended or phased out, whether it should give way to reward on the basis of merit and proven achievement — but by the long accumulating effects of the NEP over the last 40 years.

What the NEP sought to do, and succeeded triumphantly in doing, was to promote a rapid and far-reaching diversification of the Malay people of Malaysia: economically, socially, culturally and intellectually, in their orienting everyday attitudes and personalities.

AG GANI PATAIL: MACC MUST SHOW INDEPENDENCE AND NOT IMPOTENCE

2011-08-26T09:07:00.000-07:00

Straight Talk

1. AG Gani Patail is again courting controversy by the revelation in Malaysia Today, which appeared on the 24th August 2011. If the allegation is not thoroughly investigated, it will be perceived badly by the Rakyat. Malaysia Today produced documentary evidence of what appears to be AG Gani Patail receiving gratification to take sides in a corporate boardroom tussle in Ho Hup Construction Berhad. Previously, photographs had already surfaced in various blogs of AG Gani Patail with that company’s previous Managing Director, Dato Vincent Lye.

2. This revelation would surely destroy any residual credibility left about the AG Chambers. It appears that criminal prosecution is instituted at the whims and fancies of AG Gani Patail not on the basis of right or wrong but on might is right.

3. I have previously criticized AG Gani Patail over his Haj Trip with Tajudin Ramli’s proxy, one Shahidan Shafies. Instead of taking action against AG Gani Patail, alarmingly I was subjected to an immediate investigation by the MACC based on just a false allegation in an anonymous blog. I was then publicly humiliated when the MACC Operations Evaluation Panel (OEP) Chairman, Tan Sri Dr. Hadenan Abdul Jalil only conditionally cleared me. My demands for an unconditional and unequivocal clearance have yet to receive any response from the MACC.

4. The invoices, receipts and cheque shown in Malaysia Today do not require complex forensic accounting. These documents paint a thousand words of the alleged renovation works done for AG Tan Sri Ghani Patail’s bungalow at Seremban 2 - Sri Carcosa.

5. These documents constitute clear evidence of corrupt gratification. The MACC must show independence and courage by acting swiftly to investigate this matter. To facilitate such an investigation, AG Gani Patail MUST immediately step down. These are clear steps that must be taken to preserve the integrity of the AG Chamber and the Government. Otherwise, the MACC will be regarded as impotent and dare not take action against those in the corridors of power.

TV3 Kantoi! Surau Al-Musyrikin tidak wujud!

2011-08-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

Milo Suam

SEBELUM ini media propaganda, TV3 ada menyiarkan berita kononnya ada sebuah kelas tuisyen di Jalan Klang lama yang menyebarkan agama Kristian kepada pelajarnya.

Tambah melucukan bercampur hairan, TV3 mendakwa sekumpulan Qariah Surau Al-Musyrikin (kafir) telah berhimpun di hadapan kelas tuisyen berkenaan kerana membantah tindakan kelas tuisyen itu yang didakwa kononnya menyebarkan agama Kristian kepada pelajar yang beragama Islam.

Saksikan video laporan media propaganda TV3 di bawah ini.

Warm Milo

This BEFORE the media propaganda, have published news TV3 supposedly a tuition class in Jalan Klang old spread Christianity to students.

Add a comical confusion, TV3 claimed a Qariah Surau Al-polytheists (disbelievers) had gathered in front of the tuition for the protest against tuition charged allegedly spreading Christianity to Muslim students.

Watch a video on TV3 propaganda media reports below.

Sodomy II: Trial postponed to Sept 19-23

2011-08-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

The Star) - The sodomy trial of Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been postponed, and will be held from Sept 19 to 23.

Earlier Friday, DNA expert Dr Brian Leslie McDonald told the High Court that the process used by a chemist did not ensure that the sperm extracted from the rectum of complainant Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan was pure and not mixed with other cells.

During examination in chief by counsel Ram Karpal Singh, Dr Mcdonald told the court, in his opinion, the differential extraction process (DEP) carried out by Dr Seah Lay Hong, who was the prosecution witness, was speculative.

He added that the sperm examined by Dr Seah did not comprise purely sperm heads and there was the existence of other cells there.

McDonald, the fourth defence witness, had testified Thursday that Dr Seah's testing procedure did not follow international standards.

Anwar, 63, is charged with sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful, 26, at Desa Damansara Condominium in Bukit Damansara, between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.

Former MAS chairman sues news portal for RM200mil

2011-08-26T09:04:00.000-07:00

(Bernama) - Former executive chairman of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli has filed a RM200mil suit against a news portal over the publication of a article on the airline suffering losses of RM8bil.

He named The Malaysian Insider Sdn Bhd, its chief executive officer Jahabar Sadiq and journalist Shazwan Mustafa Kamal as defendants.

Tajudin, who was the MAS executive chairman between 1994 and 2001, filed the suit last Aug 18 at the Civil High Court registry here through the legal firm of Lim Kian Leong & Co.

The case has been set for case management before judge Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal on Sept 19.

In the statement of claims, Tajudin stated that the portal had published defamatory words in an article, with the title "MACC clear A-G of graft allegations", on May 31, 2011.

He claimed that the article was published after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) revealed the outcome of its graft probe against Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail.

Tajudin claimed that the article was published with the intention of reflecting that he was implicated in the investigation against the Attorney-General.

Tajudin claimed that the portal also repeated the defamatory words in other articles, despite a letter sent to it to not do so.

He said The Malaysian Insider, when responding to his letter, stated that the words in the article were not defamatory and that they had obtained the information from multiple sources.

Besides general damages of RM200mil, Tajudin is also seeking aggravated damages and interests

New investigation into film maker that took millions from Malaysia

2011-08-26T09:03:00.000-07:00

By Ian Burrell, The Independent

Press corps in Kuala Lumpur all knew FBC had close links to the Malaysian government with special access.

One of America's most prestigious magazines, the 154-year-old The Atlantic, has become the latest high-profile news organisation to launch an investigation into its relationship with a media company that was allocated millions of pounds by the Malaysian government.

The Washington-based magazine and website is "reviewing all transactions" it had with FBC, a media company that also produced television programmes for the BBC and the business channel CNBC. The Independent revealed this month that FBC had been hired by Malaysia in a "global strategic communications campaign".

The FBC programmes broadcast on BBC World News dealt with contentious issues including Malaysia's treatment of its indigenous peoples, its management of rainforests and its controversial palm-oil industry. The BBC said: "FBC has now admitted to the BBC that it has worked for the Malaysian government. That information was not disclosed to the BBC as we believe it should have been when the BBC contracted programming from FBC. Given this, the BBC has decided to transmit no more programming from FBC while it reviews its relationship with the company."

The Atlantic has ordered a "full review" into its own relationship with FBC. Justin Smith, president of Atlantic Media Co, publisher of the magazine, has resigned from the board of FBC. FBC's founder Alan Friedman, a long-term friend of Mr Smith's, blogged for The Atlantic from this year's World Economic Forum in Davos. Mr Friedman also encouraged The Atlantic to host an event in March in which the Malaysian Prime Minister, Najib Razak, was interviewed by a correspondent of The Atlantic.

Natalie Raabe, director of communications for The Atlantic, said Mr Smith's role at FBC was unpaid and "largely nominal". She said that the magazine was "reviewing all interactions it has had with FBC and its chairman," including blogs Mr Friedman wrote about Indonesia. "We have found several instances in which Friedman wrote positively about the Indonesian government and its representatives. Our internal process will seek to determine whether Friedman was representing Indonesia at the time he wrote for TheAtlantic.com."

She said the company was also examining blog comments made by Mr Friedman on Malaysia and had now attached an online reference to inform readers that he was working for the Malaysian government "at or around the time he wrote them".

FBC also made a half-hourly weekly programme for CNBC, part of the American NBC network. Many of its episodes featured Malaysia. CNBC has withdrawn the programme "indefinitely" and "immediately initiated an examination of FBC and its business practices". Since publication of The Independent's investigation, the newspaper has been contacted by numerous correspondents based in Kuala Lumpur, who complained that the broadcasters should have taken action earlier.

One senior international journalist with a decade of experience in Malaysia, said FBC's relationship with the Malaysian government was "common knowledge among the press corps in KL". He said: "The real scandal is the failure by BBC and CNBC to police the outsourcing of their programmes. They need to answer some hard questions."

The BBC said it had "acted swiftly to suspend the broadcasting from FBC" and pointed out that "all independent TV companies who produce programmes for BBC World News have to sign strict agreements".

A former correspondent for a prominent US magazine said that correspondents became accustomed to seeing FBC granted access to "notoriously press-shy" senior political and business figures who would not speak to other sections of the media. "Knowing FBC and their modus operandi, it was pretty clear how it happened," he said. The Independent has established that FBC also hired the Washington-based American lobbying company APCO Worldwide for the purpose of "raising awareness of the importance of policies in Malaysia that are pro-business and pro-investment as well as the significance of reform and anti-terrorism efforts in that country".

FBC denies impropriety in any of its programme-making. Its lawyers said in a letter that "at no time have the television programmes made for the BBC ever been influenced or affected by our client's commercial activities". It said that FBC ran production and commercial divisions, which "are and always have been quite separate and distinct". The BBC, CNBC and the media regulator Ofcom continue to investigate.

Pemandu admits land acquisition only way to recoup MRT cost

2011-08-26T09:02:00.001-07:00

By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 — Putrajaya’s powerful efficiency unit has admitted that the Najib administration needs to acquire and develop land along the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) route as it cannot afford the multi-billion ringgit project otherwise.

In a letter sighted by The Malaysian Insider, Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) chief executive Datuk Seri Idris Jala told Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Malaysia (ACCCIM) president Tan Sri William Cheng that the government was pursuing a “rail-and-property” model as it would not be able to recover the cost of the first line between Sungai Buloh and Kajang through fares alone.

“For the government to manage the project efficiently and sustainably, fare box revenue will not be sufficient to finance the high capex and opex for the MRT network,” Idris said in the letter dated August 23, written in response to Cheng’s queries about the acquisition of Jalan Sultan land.

“Increasing the fares is not an option as the government wants to act responsibly by providing the rakyat with an affordable means of transport. Instead, the government is adopting a prudent approach towards a sustainable financial model for the MRT through a modified rail-plus-property model.”

The government has said a Ministry of Finance unit called Dana Infra will raise funds for the MRT, which is the country’s most expensive infrastructure project to date, but has yet to give any details of the funding apart from saying it will develop the land along the route.

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department pointed out that Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation, which has successfully applied the model to its Mass Transit Railway (MTR) network, would not have an “effective means of recouping the vast sums spent on developing the MRT” without revenue from property development as earnings from fares only made up 35 per cent of total revenue.

He stressed that Singapore’s MRT operators, who rely heavily on fare box revenues with minimal contribution from commercial activities, were considered an exception rather than the norm.

But Malaysia would be using a modified version of the rail-and-property model with “some amount of land acquisition” as the Sungai Buloh-Kajang (SBK) line would traverse built-up areas unlike Hong Kong, which had access to several tracts of mainly reclaimed land that allowed for integrated station and property development, Idris said.

“The government is thus not acquiring land banks for the MRT Co. nor abusing the Land Acquisition Act for this purpose,” he assured, referring to the new project owner effective September 1.

However, Idris also revealed that land along the SBK corridor that will be developed by government-linked companies (GLCs), including the Rubber Research Institute (RRI) and Kuala Lumpur International Financial District (KLIFD) sites, would not go directly towards offsetting the capital expenditure for the MRT.

The minister added that he would let the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) respond to Cheng’s concerns over the land acquisition on Jalan Sultan in Chinatown, which traders there see as a threat to the historic enclave.

“These involve technical details such as the design of the alignment, constructibility, the need for station integration and so forth and why land above ground is acquired (in respect to the National Land Code) even if the MRT tunnels are below for safety and security concerns,” he said.

“On this score, perhaps we may also see a more positive development from the proximity of the MRT line to Chinatown where opportunities for revitalisation and restoration of the area would benefit the Chinese community in this part of Kuala Lumpur.”

MRT Jalan Sultan land acquisition – who is telling the truth: Chua Soi Lek, Hamid Albar or Idris Jala?

2011-08-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

Lim Kit Siang

“Flip flop in a matter of days” has become the byword for the present Najib government, whether on its mishandling of the Bersih 2.0 peacefull rally for free and fair elections on July 9 or the parliamentary select committee on electoral reforms.

There is now the latest addition to the Najib government's “Flip Flop List” – the controversy over the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT) land acquisition of Jalan Sultan properties.

Only three days ago, the MCA President Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek had announced that the government had backtracked from its decision to acquire the land and 31 buildings around Jalan Sultan in Kuala Lumpur to make way for the MRT mega project.

Chua said that after discussion with Land Public Transport Commission (SPAN) chairperson Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, “an understanding and agreement” had been reached whereby as a “compromise”, the government will only acquire the strata title for the property 100 feet below ground required for the MRT tunnel, while the buildings, many of which are nearly a hundred years old, and land above ground will remain in the current owners' hands.

However, the residents may have to vacate their property during the six months or so of tunnelling works, while the government will also be required to strengthen the heritage buildings should they be affected by the works underground.

“The cost of the strengthening and the compensation to the owners will be detailed later,” Chua said.

Chua's announcement of government backtracking on MRT's Jalan Sultan land acquisition did not survive 24 hours as the very next day, Hamid not only rubbished Chua's talk of government strata title for the property 100 feet below ground but reiterated compulsory acquisition of Jalan Sultan's land and 31 buildings.

Hamid delivered a greater shocker when he declared that there was no guarantee that the acquired Jalan Sultan properties would eventually be returned to the owners although the authorities were working on a solution to allow traders to return to their Chinatown lots being acquired for the KVMRT.

The Jalan Sultan traders were delivered another shock when it is revealed today that the Pemandu chief Datuk Idris Jalan had written to the Associated Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Malaysia (ACCIM) president Tan Sri William Chen to justify the government pursuing a “rail-and-property” model as it would not be able to recover the cost of the first KVMRT line between Sungai Buloh and Kajang through fares alone.

The affected Jalan Sultan traders and the Malaysian public are entitled to ask – Who is telling the truth about the MRT Jalan Sultan land acquisition: Chua Soi Lek, Hamid Albar or Idris Jala.

The Najib administration must be reminded of its grandiose promises of various transformation programmes to act with transparency and integrity, and that it bears the onus to satisfy the affected Jalan Sultan traders and owners as well as the Malaysian public the responsibility to establish that the MRT project owner Prasana Nasional Bhd is not attempting to hijack prime land in Jalan Sultan, Kuala Lumpur affecting heritage shoplots for the ulterior motive of profit as the 1990 amendment to the National Land Code had specifically provided for the MRT needs of “underground railways” development.

Fuziah takes on TV3; PAS wants action against rogue MP

2011-08-26T09:01:00.000-07:00

(The Malaysian Insider) - Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders in Pahang are baying for blood after TV3 featured PAS’s Hulu Langat MP Che Rosli Che Mat in a primetime news segment supporting the controversial rare earth plant currently being built near Kuantan.

PKR vice president Fuziah Salleh, who has led calls against the RM700 million refinery being built by Australian miner Lynas Corp, has demanded a retraction and an apology from the Umno-owned broadcaster and also local rival Datuk Ti Lian Ker, who is Kuantan MCA chief, for alleged defamatory remarks made against her.

Pahang PAS has also called for its federal leadership to haul up Che Rosli to explain his sudden outburst that was televised on Wednesday night.

Kuantan MP Fuziah said the clip “is just a concerted plot by the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration to continue their agenda of protecting Lynas for their own benefit and not for the rakyat.”

PAS state information chief Suhaimi Md Saad told The Malaysian Insider that Che Rosli’s actions were unacceptable as the nuclear scientist could have used party channels or even voiced his support for the plant in party organ, Harakah.

“We know he supported the plant when we first discussed the issue in 2009. But after consulting other experts, PAS’s stand was to oppose the project. But now he has gone into the enemy’s camp to attack his own party,” he said.

TV3 ran a news piece by environmental journalist Karam Singh Walia quoting radiology safety and health expert Dr Ahmad Termizi Ramli and Che Rosli claiming that Fuziah had been misleading the public by comparing the project with nuclear facilities.

Che Rosli went on to accused PKR of spinning the issue for their own benefit, and that he was “ashamed” that they would resort to arguments that have no scientific or academic basis.

But Fuziah said in a statement today that Che Rosli was only speaking in terms of radiological hazards whereas she and the residents living around the plant in the Gebeng industrial zone have consulted at least half a dozen experts in fields such as public health, chemical engineering, nuclear physics and environmental law.

Hisham defends decision to deport Uighurs

2011-08-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

By Husna Yusop, The Sun

The decision to send back 11 Chinese Uighur Muslim refugees to China last week was justified as they were involved in criminal activities, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

Commenting on international human rights groups criticising Malaysia for repatriating the Uighurs to China on Aug 18, he told a press conference today that there were still five others detained on suspicion of human trafficking.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees' office in Kuala Lumpur has reportedly voiced regret that the deportation was done without allowing them access to UN officials.

"We get condemnations all around in anything we do. But, these people were wanted by the China government. We have to be on the side of justice and, at the end of the day, what is most important to me is the safety and stability of our people and our country," he told reporters after the ministry's monthly

assembly, here.

Speaking after attending the ministry's monthly assembly, Hishammuddin said it is best to leave the matter to the authorities as they were still under investigation.

"We can argue and debate the whole day. Those with views can come and engage us, we can discuss. The rights of the press to report must not come in the way of investigations that are on-going," he said.

In another development, Hishammuddin denied reports that the ministry has ordered for UNHCR cardholders to register under the 6P Programme on Monday.

"It was not ordered by the ministry. That's not true. From what I've discovered, it was the decision of all those refugees to register at that particular time.

It was reported that about 10,000 refugees and asylum seekers flooded the Immigration Department in Putrajaya when they were given an 11th hour notice to register themselves under the programme.

Overwhelmed and ill prepared, immigration officials reportedly had little choice but to turn back a large number of the refugees and asked them to return the next day.

Hishammuddin said the ministry officers have been instructed to engage UNHCR to come up with proper planning for the refugees so that there will not be any bottlenecks.

"If they tell us in advance they want to come in big numbers, we can make the necessary arrangement," he said adding the original decision was for the registration to be in staggered.

Bed scene is Lau Ching Wan's weak spot

2011-08-26T04:46:00.000-07:00

courtesy of on.cc

Derek Yee Tung Sing Chi, Felix Chong Man Keung and Alan Mak Siu Fai again united for OVERHEARD 2 (SIT TING FUNG WON 2). Three leads Lau Ching Wan, Louis Koo Tin Lok and Daniel Wu (Ng Yin Cho) this time respectively played a financial wizard, Security Bureau inspector and eavesdropping expert; because they already had chemistry, this time they set off even more spark. Publicly recognized as a good actor, Lau Ching Wan ran into a huge challenge this time. The "bed scene" made Ching Wan cried for help and the directors joked that he had a weak spot. Playing Fong Chin Bok on the television series MAN OF GREED (DAI SI DOI), Lau Ching Wan this time in the film "returned" to the financial world. His well dressed look was fresh to the eyes.

Bela Dogs Halal Beb ...!!!!

2011-08-25T16:16:00.000-07:00

What people said lu pulak ....???

Here tempekkan cave drawings with sexuan Minah tu ... hehehe ...

Nak tau more information click here and here

Perghhhh ... This can know if kat Mashitah Ibrahim, said he would "jer ok ...."

If you can Jamil Khir tau kat ... He said this would "small matter maaaa .." trivial case manager ....

Puak2 umporno pulak must said ... walllaaaweeiii ... "sexuan tuuuuu her cute ... he's white fur brown aarrrr ...."

Umporno leaders will pulak said "wow ... cun his master dog tuuuu ... ... bini sapa sapa child ... or where ya mak widow ...???.."

UmPORno pulak bloggers would say .., "... dog hair alaaaa maaaa tu ... no need to dry leather, other laa tu .. if wet dog hair .. blah .. blah blah ... can la .. nak kecoh2 . just jer ... nak dissident blogger for defamation nih ... "

Pulak Cave said ... "hahaha ... that superimpose images tuuuu .... kah ... kah ... kah ...."

hahahaha ... everything about kosher beb ...

Just Minah ni .. taxable vigilant with Jihad Commander, The Ox-Kulim Islamic fighters, and Islamic fighters Senatak Ezam .... because if diorang tau nih Minah Sexuan martial ... Minah certainly would ya in about an all-out .... takda chance want to defend it anymore Sexuan dah ... hahahaha ....

Vincy Yeung's naked photos circulated online - Edison accused of drugging his female companions - Computer sent for servicing at 2 companies

2011-08-25T09:04:00.000-07:00

Early this morning, the online circulation of nude photographs continued to escalate. In addition to those of suspected Cecilia Cheung and suspected Gillian, the naked photo of suspected Edison's girlfriend Vincy taking a shower was also uploaded by internet users and circulated online.

Three photos of suspected Vinchy taking a shower was circulated online. The photos shows the female looking straight at the camera and does not seem to suggest it was secretly taken.

Faced with the exposure of indecent photographs, the lead actor Edison Chen escaped to the United States. Edison Chen chose to be silent, since issuing a statement of apology on 4th of February, his personal blog has not been updated since. Edison's action did not change but the nude photographs circulated online continue to have changes with the latest being the widely spread rumours of one celebrity with the name containing the letter Q.

Web users are not forgiving to Edison Chen for keeping silent, many netizens are targeting him.

They feel that the faces of these suspected celebrities who were photographed were vaguely red, expression or emotion showing in one's eyes were scattered. Calling into question whether Edison had used drugs or alcohol on these suspected female celebrities to entice them into taking these photographs. It is learnt that the Hk police will also ask the relevant parties if they were voluntary.

Latest Update: Edison sent his personal computer for servicing at 2 companies not 1

According to Hong Kong media reports Edison Chen had previously sent his personal computer to two companies for servicing. Aside from those computer technician who are in reprimand by the police, there's also possibility of another group of people with access to these photographs. According to reports, those involved did not relate the circumstances surrounding the case to the police which made the police's job even harder in accessing the number of source involved.

Taylor Swift Talks About Her Infamous Wardrobe Malfunction For The First Time!

2011-08-25T08:55:00.000-07:00

Taylor Swift explains the windy situation that resulted in her flashing her fans!

Everyone was shocked when the conservative country crooner gave the audience at her Saint Louis concert quite the peep show! Taylor Swift talked to Ryan Seacrest Aug. 23 and explained what went wrong that caused her dress to reveal more than she anticipated.

“We have wind machines for a few songs in the show and they weren’t supposed to be on during that song. I walked over thinking it wasn’t on and it just kind of blew it up a little bit,” said Taylor on On Air With Ryan Seacrest.

While all wardrobe malfunctions tend to be a little embarrassing, Taylor handled it with dignity and grace. Besides, the girl barely showed more skin than an average Miley Cyrus costume! Instead of being frustrated by the mistake that caused her indecent exposure, Taylor just soldiered on through her set and didn’t let it effect her performance.

“I was just sort of like, ‘Well, that’s new’ and just continued on with the show,” Taylor explained.

We’re glad that America’s sweetheart isn’t too rattled by her rebellious wardrobe! Tell us what you thought of her response to the embarrassing ordeal! Do YOU think she handled it well?

How Christina Aguilera's Son Max, 3, Got a Black Eye (@TheRealXtina)

2011-08-25T08:14:00.000-07:00

That's quite a shiner -- but Max Bratman isn't any worse for the wear!

Christina Aguilera's 3-year-old son with ex-husband Jordan Bratman was recently photographed sporting a black eye.

An insider close to the singer, 30, explains that little Max fell while chasing squirrels at the park.

"Any reports stating she isn't a good mom are incorrect," the source tells Us Weekly. "The reports are actually disgusting. Christina is an amazing mom. Max is a happy playful and active boy who has a loving and safe home."

After five years of marriage, the Grammy winner and Voice coach filed for divorce from Max's music producer dad Jordan, 32, in October. Their divorce was finalized in April.

- usweekly

Bar Council Asked To State Views On Anwar's Action In Court

2011-08-25T08:12:00.000-07:00

(Bernama) - (Bernama) -- The Bar Council was today asked to state its views on the action of Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who has chosen to give his evidence from the dock in his ongoing sodomy trial.

Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin told Bernama he was curious to know what was the Bar Council's stand on the matter.

Anwar chose to give his evidence from the dock as his defence on the charge of sodomising his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, began on Monday.

High Court judge Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah said Anwar had three options -- to give his evidence from the witness stand which means he can be cross-examined by the prosecution, to give his evidence from the dock which means he cannot be cross-examined by the prosecution but in coming up with a decision the court takes into account the fact that the prosecution has not cross-examined the accused, or to elect to remain silent.

Puteri Umno chief Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said Anwar should have the courage to give a sworn testimony and allow himself to be cross-examined by the prosecution.

"If it is true that he is being victimised, why should he be scared?" she said.

Malaysia's Slowing Performance

2011-08-25T08:11:00.001-07:00

By Greg Lopez, Asia Sentinel

In the 70 years since World War II ended, East Asian economies, including Malaysia, appear to have largely got performance right. Malaysia was also one of 13 countries identified by the Commission on Growth and Development in its 2008 Growth Report to have recorded average growth of more than 7 percent per year for 25 years or more. Malaysia achieved this spectacular performance from 1967 to 1997.

However, since the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997 and1998, Malaysia’s economic performance when compared to previous decades has been lackluster and most macroeconomic indicators are trending downwards. This was confirmed by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak himself in the publication on March 30, 2010 of the New Economic Model – Part 1. This was a very brave move but a necessary one by the premier as he acknowledged publicly the failures of Malaysia’s current economic model in order to demonstrate urgency for reforms.

The New Economic Model identifies domestic factors such as weak investor confidence, capability constraints (weak human capital, entrepreneurial base and innovative capacity) , productivity ceilings and institutional degradation and external factors such as a sluggish global economy caused by the global financial crisis of 2008-2009 and the rise of neighbors in the region in contributing to the declining growth trajectory.

If we were to revisit the determinants of growth and agree that proper institutions form the overall structure that determines long-term sustainable growth, then the logical response is to reform Malaysia’s institutional set-up, as it must be the deepest determinant of what is hindering economic growth.

This view is further strengthened as Malaysia’s other deep determinants, geography and trade, are favorable. The country has abundant natural resources, is shielded from natural hazards and is well-located strategically both geopolitically and economically. Malaysia has also benefitted tremendously from being an open economy, especially in the merchandise sector.

The New Economic Model also reports that regional challenges from China, India and Vietnam, etc. are a cause for Malaysia’s declining economic performance. What has changed about these countries? They have all undertaken institutional reforms: China since 1978, India since 1992 and Vietnam since 1986. They are reaping the benefits while Malaysia has stalled in its institutional reforms since the 1990s, regressed in some ways and is suffering from the consequences.

The above points stress the importance of institutional reforms in Malaysia, something that Najib has ironically neglected in his signature policies – 1Malaysia, Government Transformation Programme and Economic Transformation Programme.

According to the Growth Commission report, “…fast sustained growth is not a miracle; it is attainable for developing countries with the ‘right mix of ingredients.’ Countries need leaders who are committed to achieving growth and who can take advantage of opportunities from the global economy. They also need to know about the levels of incentives and public investments that are necessary for private investment to take off and ensure the long-term diversification of the economy and its integration in the global economy…”

On being detained at Kuala Lumpur airport

2011-08-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

By Imran Khan, Guardian

Malaysia didn't want me to enter the country to gather evidence about how ethnic Indians were treated by colonial Britain.

In the Hollywood film The Terminal Tom Hanks plays (with obligatory mangled foreign accent) a character who is trapped in New York's JFK airport. Last week, I had a similar experience at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Malaysia. Whereas Tom Hanks's character spends years trapped, I was only there for a few hours. The episode was both humiliating and enlightening. I had been engaged by a Malaysian lawyer, Waytha Moorthy, to look into taking action against the British government for its role in the exploitation of Indian Hindus during Malaysia's period as a colony, and its failure to protect their rights when independence was declared in 1957.

Ethnic Indians make up just over 6% of Malaysia's 28.3 million people, while Muslim Malays account for just over 61% and ethnic Chinese some 25%. A coalition led by the United Malays National Organisation has ruled since independence, which, according to Moorthy, had led to widespread human rights violations and discrimination of the Indian Malaysian population. About 70% live in abject poverty and one in six are effectively stateless as they are denied a birth certificate. Moorthy originally lodged his action on the 31 August 2007, the 50th anniversary of Malaysia's independence.

However, the claim stalled following the arrest of the lawyers involved under a draconian piece of legislation called the Internal Security Act. Moorthy had demanded compensation for Indian Malaysians whose ancestors were brought in by the British government as indentured labour. The claim was that, after granting independence, the British had left the Indians without representation and at the mercy of the Malays.

So, the plan was to visit Malaysia and gather evidence and claims that would form the foundation of the case. A recent case involving individuals tortured by British soldiers in colonial Kenya gave fresh impetus to the proceedings. My pending arrival in Malaysia had receivedadvance publicity from local police who had sought to intimidate organisers of the venue where I was expected to meet potential claimants. There was, therefore, some trepidation when I presented myself to the immigration desk on arrival at KLIA.

As soon as my passport was handed over at the immigration desk, the slow cogs of government bureaucracy moved into action. Without explanation I was taken to the immigration office. KLIA is an impressive building; made of polished steel and glass it has a central hub with four long offshoots. It is populated by the ubiquitous outlets that make most airports seem identical. However,, the immigration office was a more spartan affair. Teams of immigration officers sat behind desks shouting the names of those refused entry to come forward and explain their reasons for trying to enter.

Handing my passport over to one of them I noticed the large sign on the back wall of the office – "Service with a smile" it said. True to their motto a pleasant immigration officer smiled while she told me that I had been refused entry. I asked for an explanation and was told that the immigration department had no problem with me – the decision to refuse me entry had come from the very top. I asked for written reasons. The officer agreed that I should be given them but none were given. It was not until I was in transit in Dubai that I found out that I had been classed as a "prohibited immigrant".

I still have no idea what that means and despite the involvement of the British consulate and the British government cabinet office, I found myself stranded, waiting for my return flight. It was clear that the decision was a political one – I had been refused entry to stop me doing work that the government of Malaysia did not want to take place. Thousands were expected to attend meetings that had been organised. I was to see the ways in which government policies had affected the lives of Indian Malaysians in all parts of the country. Yet, like many governments which seek to stifle opposition, its actions are often irrational because, while refusing me entry into the country, it had allowed my colleague who had been travelling with me to do so. He is now meeting all those potential claimants and collecting evidence to progress the claim.

Meanwhile, sitting in the immigration office at KLIA gave me a glimpse of how differently people are treated in Malaysia. Sitting beside me awaiting interrogation were men – predominantly young, on their own and originating from Pakistan, India or sub-Saharan Africa. They would be summoned to their meeting with an immigration officer via an intermediary – always a Malaysian of Chinese origin wearing a coloured paper bracelet to signify that he had clearance to come into the airport. He would order his charge in terms which reminded me of a master/servant relationship – a click of the fingers, a terse command, the use of their surname only. These men appeared to be workers entering the country through the patronage of their Chinese bosses. It didn't take much imagination to work out how they would be treated once they left the airport terminal.

These were the lucky ones. Those sharing my predicament were marched off to a detention centre before being sent back to their country of origin. Thankfully, I was told that I had been spared such a fate. Nevertheless, the experience was a humiliating one. Without a passport or able to leave the terminal I could not check in; I was escorted to the aircraft to be seated; my passport was handed over to the aircraft crew who viewed me with suspicion and contempt.

I have often thought that lawyers, as well as doctors, should consider what it is like to be in their clients' position so that it can inform their approach. This was one occasion when I truly felt what it must be like for detainees all over the world – coming up against foreign jurisdiction; facing a decision which may be wrong and unjust; being treated without dignity; occupying a twilight world of ever-changing time zones and feeling utterly powerless.

Having returned to the UK, I am even more determined to ensure that the issues raised by the case are highlighted beyond the borders of Malaysia. Like many in Britain, I had only thought of Malaysia as the country advertised in brochures. Every day, buses pass my office window in central London emblazoned with adverts encouraging us to visit Malaysia, illustrated with montages of sun and sea. Few people are likely look beyond that image or get to see the reality that exists underneath. For me, a country that, on the face of it, is engaged in widespread, institutional discrimination and human rights abuses should rightly be condemned. Even more so when it refuses its citizens access to legal representation.

9/11 marked crucial turn in Vatican-Muslim relations

2011-08-25T08:10:00.000-07:00

By Francis X Rocca, Religion News Service

More recent attacks on Christians in Muslim-majority Pakistan, Egypt and Malaysia have made the issue an even greater priority for the Vatican, said John L. Esposito, a professor of Islamic studies at Georgetown University and author of “The Future of Islam.”

VATICAN CITY -- A few weeks after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Pope John Paul II invited Muslim leaders to an interfaith prayer summit in Assisi, Italy, the site of a dramatic interreligious peace gathering he had hosted 15 years earlier.

In the shadow of 9/11, John Paul said, the world needed to hear from Muslims and Christians that “religion must never be a reason for conflict, hatred and violence.”

Catholic-Muslim dialogue took on a new intensity and sense of urgency. And then came the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, in 2006.

Speaking in his native Germany on Sept. 12, 2006, John Paul’s successor, Pope Benedict XVI, was delivering a scholarly address on the Western tradition of faith and reason. He quoted a medieval Byzantine emperor who described the teachings of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad as “evil and inhumane” and “spread by the sword.”

One could almost hear Catholic-Muslim dialogue come to a screeching halt.

The statement sparked Muslim protests worldwide, some of them violent, including the burning of churches and the murder of a nun. Turkey’s top Muslim cleric said the speech revealed “the hatred in (Benedict’s) heart.”

The speech, and the reaction to it, revealed deep tensions between the world’s two largest religions, and complicated the delicate task of building understanding on both sides.

Benedict later acknowledged Muslims’ “understandable indignation” at the quotation, but insisted that he had not meant to endorse the offending words, nor to show disrespect to the Quran, which he described as the “holy book of a great religion.”

The sad story of MAS

2011-08-25T08:09:00.000-07:00

SAKMONGKOL AK47

Were these the reasons to disembowel MAS in the first place? (1) MAS suffers leadership problem. (2) it can’t handle rising fuel costs. (2) MAS is caught in the traditionally weakest business period. Are we being led to believe that these 3 what? Parameters? variables? are only unique to MAS?

Then perhaps MAS should look for alternative fuels since it is suggestive that ONLY MAS operates on expensive fuels, other airlines are not. Two, find ways to make the business period nontraditional. Replace leadership at all levels.

Its leadership they say. You mean, under the layer upon layer of MAS in-house talent, you can’t find people who may have been sidelined or ignored but who understand MAS cannot be elevated to fix MAS? Instead you think you can trust some people who have RM 57 billion payables to help put MAS? This order for Air Bus by AA was perhaps the kiss of life that saved Airbus from bankruptcy.

The whole deal between MAS-AA raises uneasiness all around for it suggest that at the very base, MAS’s miserable existence gave an opportunity and excuse for some people to make money. That when the dust clears, we will become aware that all this is a corporate game by rich and powerful people for the benefit of the same rich and powerful people.

Why should the fate of MAS (we are not bothered with the future of AA since it’s in capable hands) be decided by 3-4 corporate chieftains- banker, rival airline owner and chief of our sovereign fund? Who yielded the responsibility of caring a national asset to a few chosen individuals? Why was this assignment to decide the fate of a nationally owned asset not be publicly announced in the first place?

Since everyone accepts that MAS MUST be placed on an even keel, a cabinet level working committee should have been duly formed to fix MAS? Or the cabinet decides at that time, to empower the MOT to fix MAS problem. Unless of course the MOT is full of imbeciles who never inspire our government to allow it do anything. With an unenviable record like the PKFZ deal, MOT was never in the radar when the government was looking for ways to fix MAS.

MAS is a national strategic asset that requires leadership and a workable and profitable business plan. MAS is the responsibility of the government in the first and all place. We didn’t see the MOF or Ministry of Transport people or a cabinet endorsed team assigned to fix MAS. Instead, this government has acted irresponsibly by asking or agreeing to have the problem of MAS being sorted out by special interest groups. That’s what they are really- AA, Khazanah and CIMB as the match maker, are special interest groups.

We are being indoctrinated and de-sensitize into believing that the MAS-AA deal is a purely rational business deal, handled on its pure merits. We looked around, identified MAS’s problems, we come to the conclusion that its leadership problem.

Who were that we? We are the banker, the head of sovereign fund and the interested rival.

Surely, when the deal was inked, those people in Khazanah, AA and CIMB already knew of the coming 2nd quarter financials of MAS. For the miserable losses, cumulative at .769 billion, the outfgoing MAS CEO was given 11 million shares? Further he’s saved from ignominy and inglorious anonymity by being exiled into the inner recesses of the establishment that is now single handedly running the business of Malaysia- khazanah.

So we are treated to another round of CYA rationalization- MAS recently announced a net loss of RM527 million for the second quarter of 2011.

Due to what we may ask? Due to higher fuel costs and (be) anyway, you can almost imagine the MAS people through its corporate communications people say, this 2nd quarter is traditionally our weakest business period.

Perak mufti says Malays must defend race

2011-08-25T08:08:00.001-07:00

(The Malaysian Insider) - Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria has denied claims that he is undermining the Najib administration and insisted today that the Umno president must find a way to unite the Malays.

The Perak mufti told The Malaysian Insider that his advice to Datuk Seri Najib Razak was not influenced by any party but due to concern that “division among Malays is happening for a fact.”

“We must defend our race and Najib must find a way to reunite Malays,” Harussani (picture) said.

Several blogs and people on micro-blogging site Twitter have questioned Harussani’s statement yesterday that the prime minister’s weak government was the cause of Malay disunity, with some claiming that the Muslim scholar’s statements seemed to be slanted towards Najib’s deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Although Harussani acknowledged that he has come under fierce criticism since yesterday, he held to his stand that “division among Malays is a fact, you can see it for yourself.”

“When I speak, people will attack me. But I will not stop giving advice to anyone including the prime minister,” he said.

He had revealed during a religious forum yesterday that he met and advised Najib on the need to address “weak government, corruption and lack of trust.”

Religious Obstacles to Malay Economic Development

2011-08-25T08:08:00.000-07:00

M. Bakri Musa

Today there is no transparent accounting of these massive zakat funds. As the Islamic establishment considers interest haram, somebody must be enjoying the benefits accruing from those idle funds. All I know is that the Islamic establishment has some of the most ornate offices, our religious functionaries have luxurious government-issued bungalows and cars, and the religious police and establishment have expanded exponentially. Meanwhile our poor have to seek help elsewhere, as at churches.

Ramadan is a month for reflection. As we reflect we cannot avoid the depressing reality that the Muslim world is overrepresented in all categories of underdevelopment. The pat and often cited reason is the inherent incompatibility of Islam to modern development. When such an explanation is offered by non-Muslims, they can barely conceal their smugness. When asserted by a Muslim, he or she would immediately be dismissed as not fully comprehending the faith, or worse, condemned as an apostate.

Such an “explanation,” its certitude not withstanding, is about as useful as someone telling you, when asked why he is in the hospital, “I am sick.” And if you are still not convinced or betray any doubts, would quickly add, “Very sick!” Not very helpful! If however, the answer were to be, “My bowels are not working,” or, “I have difficulty breathing,” we would then be that much closer to identifying the problem, and thus its remedy.

This Islam-is-the-problem explanation does not even describe the symptom, much less the disease. If indeed there is something inherently deficient with Islam, it still would not explain why the faith thrived during its first four centuries, or why its adherents are increasing and becoming more devout today. And if Islamic practices are deficient, then what and where exactly are those deficiencies so we could address them.

It is here, specifically in response to the second query, that Timur Kuran’s book, The Long Divergence: How Islamic Laws Held Back the Middle East outshines the rest. Kuran’s insights came from his studies of the Middle East and Turkey, a sub-segment and a minority one at that of the vast Muslim world; nonetheless they apply to Malays in Malaysia.

Kuran enumerated four problematic areas: institutional development; the concept of riba (interest); Islamic inheritance; and waqaf (trusts). I will add a fifth, zakat (tithe), to parallel the five tenets of our faith.

The Stark Statistics

First, the stark statistics: There are more Muslims living under authoritarian regimes today than there are people ruled by communism. As for economic development, Muslim contribution to global economic activities is less than 5 percent, disproportionately way below our share of the population. If Allah had not blessed us with oil, that figure would be negligible. As for social development, the number of books translated into Arabic during the last 1,000 years is less than those translated into Spanish in one year.

A more nuanced understanding, as expressed by James Lacey, is that it is the Arab, not Muslim civilization that is collapsing. Many miss that as most Arabs are Muslims. We would not attribute the fall of the Western Roman Empire to a crisis of Christianity; it was that of Western Europe.

There is no comparable statistics to relate the equally stark contrast between Muslims (essentially Malays) and non-Muslims in the Malaysian context. Nonetheless, stroll down Main Street, Any Town, Malaysia, and the paucity of Malay establishments is not hard to miss, while Prime Minister Mahathir once asserted that non-Malays pay most of the taxes.

Islam is an integral part of Malay life. Unfortunately when confronted with “Islam is the problem” assertion, Malays like most Muslims would simply recoil and retreat to the comfort of our familiar assumptions. The angry few, unable to rebut the statistics, would simply lash out.

To break from that set pattern we must first liberate our minds so we could critically examine those assumptions. Fear not, for if our faith is strong, such an exercise would not weaken it; on the contrary, it would strengthen it.

Obstacles to Malay Entrepreneurialism

Involvement in trade and commerce opens up one’s mind; apart from improving one’s economic and other well being. It also enhances one’s piety, as with the saying, Kemiskinan mendakati kefukuran (Poverty invites impiety). Anyone doubting that wisdom need only visit neighboring Indonesia. It also reflected Allah’s esteem of the vocation that He had chosen a trader to be His Last Messenger.

Successful traders have to understand their clients and customers, anticipate their needs and wants, and see the world from their perspective. The very act of putting ourselves in their place, or as our Native American Indians would put it, to walk in their moccasins, is a mind-liberating exercise. For example, now that we are trading with China and it is our biggest purchaser of palm oil, previously ultra FELDA Malays have a decidedly different view of the Chinese, at least the mainland variety. That is what trade, and a liberated mind, does to you.

The barriers to Malay participation in business are not the often cited “hard” ones like lack of human or financial capital, rather the less recognized “soft” obstacle imposed by our inflexible and unimaginative interpretations of our faith.

A particular problem is our treatment of interest, which we simplistically equate to riba. Credit, the flip side of interest, is the lifeline of business. Grameen Bank’s Muhammad Yunus goes further, he asserts that access to credit is a basic human rights.

Interest is premised on that rare universal truth in economics: time value of money. That is, a dollar (or dinar) at hand is worth two promised in the future. The ancient Arabs were adept at business; they must have had to come to terms with the concept of interest. They did not quantify it or termed it as such, nonetheless when a borrower returned the money or goods, he would have thrown in something extra as goodwill if for no other reason than to encourage the lender to continue lending.

Charging of interests also factors in that universal human trait; we do sometimes renege on our promises, like not repaying our loans.

I have yet to read a cogent explanation on the meaning of riba, and whether it is equivalent to the interest charges of the many innovative financial instruments that we have today. Many of them were not even thought of during the prophet’s time. It is like discussing transportation; we are still trapped in the warped time zone of the camel caravans when the world is into container ships, jumbo jets, and long-haul trucks. Yes, they are all transportation, but the commonality ends there.

We go to great length quoting various hadith on the evil of interest income. One equates 1/70th of the sin of riba to be equivalent to the sin of having sex with your mother. How offensive an imagery and metaphor! If interest is really that grave a sin, I would have expected other hadith condemning in even harsher tones those who would renege on their loans. I am yet to hear one.

Current Muslim attitude towards interest is similar to those of medieval Christians. The only difference is that they had come to terms with it (undoubtedly fed up with all the wealth from money lending going to the Jews) and with that came Western economic development. Meanwhile the words in the bible condemning usury have not changed.

If today’s Muslims have qualms about learning from or adopting Christian ways with regards to interests, then go back to the early Muslims. They thrived on trading; learn how they adapted to the concept. In many ways that is exactly what we have done today; hence “Islamic bank,” which is oxymoronic.

Just as the West did, we must continually built on and improve these new Islamic financial institutions, tweaking and innovating along the way to meet changing times and circumstances, just as western banking has evolved over the centuries and continue to do so.

This brings me to Kuran’s observation on the lack of institutional development in the Muslim world. It is not enough to rely on the admonishments of hadith and Koranic verses; there must be a workable mechanism to resolve the inevitable disputes, as when someone reneges on his loans, with or without interests. The West has bankruptcy laws and wage garnishing; Islamic institutions too should have similar mechanisms. This lack of institutional development is the most glaring and consequential deficiency of the Islamic world.

Waqaf, Inheritance Laws, and Economic Development

Muslim inheritance laws as currently interpreted may be more just (all children getting a share, albeit the son getting twice that of the daughter) than that of the Europeans (where the entire estate goes to the eldest son), but they are bad for economic growth. One consequence is the fragmentation of the estate on the death of its owner. This is not only disruptive but also prevents a business from growing beyond a generation.

That is also bad social policy even if, as some proclaimed, proscribed in the Koran. Muslims accept the Koran as a document for public and individual good; so if our interpretation results in otherwise, as with our inheritance practices, then those those differences must be only apparent, not real. Thus we must re-examine our interpretation. This does not mean disbelieving the Koran. In fact the Koran is silent on when exactly the children would get their share, nor does the Koran specify that the asset itself has to be divided. This paves the way for designing a novel vehicle of issuing shares on the family asset. Then only the shares would be inherited while the asset itself remains intact, thus satisfying the edicts of the Koran and be good economic policy at the same time. Indeed the Western concept of a corporation achieves precisely this objective.

Today we have many large successful Malay enterprises. It saddens me to read of the all-too-frequent ensuing family squabbles upon the death of their owners. The problem is compounded by our tradition of not having wills.

Inheritance practices are what stymied the development of Kampung Baru and Malay Reservations land generally. Unless addressed, those settlements will remain undeveloped no matter how much physical resources we pour into it. The one resource needed is intellectual; for us to re-read and re-interpret those ancient edicts.

Tun Razak anticipated this with his FELDA program; thus the stipulation that the owner specifies only one of his children to inherit the property. This is clearly not in accordance with Islamic inheritance laws. Yet I am yet to hear Muslim scholars challenging the stipulation; likewise the matrilineal inheritance of the Minangkabaus. Perhaps this unique tweaking of the inheritance laws explains why the Minangs are the most economically developed of the Malays.

What we desperately need today is the equivalent of the Minangkabua wisdom, adat menurun agama mendadaki (Tradition descends, Faith ascends) synthesis of modern economic insights with our religious precepts.

Landowners of yore recognized this quandary; thus they resorted to bequeathing their properties to waqaf, community trust. The primary motive was undoubtedly charity, but it was also to avoid confiscatory inheritance taxes and fragmentation of their assets.

As noble as the waqaf is, it too needs refinement. As Kuran noted, current interpretation requires that the words of the trust be observed literally. A land bequeathed for a school has to remain so, never mind that it is now in the middle of an industrial area.

For growth to occur there must be capital formation. A common assumption is that Malays have low capital formation; hence our less-than-robust economy.

Zakat is community saving mandated by the Koran. In Malaysia, this is reinforced by favorable secular laws where your zakat is considered tax credit. Annually the sums collected are in the hundreds of millions, if not billions. Yet its management remains rigidly tied to some ossified interpretations of ancient texts. Creatively managed zakat could be construed as the community’s capital formation to boost Malay economy.

Consider zakat’s disbursement; it is still with cold cash that could easily be siphoned off by less-than-trustworthy functionaries. Why not vouchers or direct deposits, as with Mexico’s Progressa program. That would be one way to introduce the poor to the banking system; it would also lead to better bookkeeping.

On a policy level, it would be better if the money were to be invested in a local enterprise that would then employ the poor, combining charity with dignity, and at the same time generating jobs and economic growth. Again we are prevented from such innovations because we have unnecessarily tied ourselves to some old rigid interpretations that have remained unchanged literally over the millennium.

Today there is no transparent accounting of these massive zakat funds. As the Islamic establishment considers interest haram, somebody must be enjoying the benefits accruing from those idle funds. All I know is that the Islamic establishment has some of the most ornate offices, our religious functionaries have luxurious government-issued bungalows and cars, and the religious police and establishment have expanded exponentially. Meanwhile our poor have to seek help elsewhere, as at churches. Bless those generous Christians!

Our trapped minds prevent us from seeing these realities. This Ramadan let us resolve to liberate our entrapped minds so we get a more accurate view of reality. Let us creatively use the provisions of the Koran not to trap us mentally or economically but to liberate us.

Adapted from my forthcoming book, Liberating The Malay Mind, to be published by ZI Publications.

MCA founder’s granddaughter lauds Guan Eng’s policies in Penang

2011-08-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — Lim Guan Eng received praise from an unexpected source today when the granddaughter of the MCA’s first president and daughter of the country’s longest-serving finance minister said the Penang chief minister should be given his due for the state’s prudent management of public funds.

Tan Siok Choo (picture), the daughter of Tun Tan Siew Sin and granddaughter of Tun Sir Tan Cheng Lock — both of whom were former MCA presidents — told BFM radio this morning that it was good that Lim had shown what could be done by eliminating waste and implementing open tenders.

“For my father... he was always very particular that government funds should be looked after like your own funds. I think it is in a way, currently, very good that Lim Guan Eng, Chief Minister of Penang, has shown what can be done if you eliminate waste and if you have an open tender.

“The fact that he has been able to run Penang without much contribution from the federal government and yet turn in, yet attract one of the highest rates of investment, I think speaks for itself.

“And this is barring the fact that when my father was in politics, Kit Siang never had a good word to say about my father. So there is history between our two fathers but I think one must give Guan Eng his due,” she told the radio station’s Morning Grille programme.

Siok Choo’s father Siew Sin was finance minister from 1959 until 1974. Guan Eng’s father Kit Siang became an MP for the first time in 1969 and eventually became parliamentary opposition leader.

Her remarks today come as the DAP is increasingly being seen as the party of choice for the country’s Chinese community while the MCA, the party founded by Siok Choo’s grandfather Cheng Lock, appears to be floundering.

Recently, international news magazine The Economist also praised Guan Eng’s open tender policies and credited his administration with helping Penang regain its lustre as a “global city” by lifting the state’s economy to beyond that of a sweat shop industry.

The international weekly dubbed Penang “the first custom-made city of globalisation” and credited Guan Eng for boosting the port city’s revival by axing a racial special treatment economic policy in the state to create a more level-playing field that appeals to foreign investors.

NEP under attack: Dr M to the rescue

2011-08-25T08:06:00.000-07:00

(FMT) - PETALING JAYA: Dr Mahathir Mohamad has defended the New Economic Policy (NEP), the controversial socio-economomic restructuring affirmative action programme launched in 1971.

Taking the critics, including Anwar Ibrahim, to task, the former premier said NEP had been denigrated by opposition politicians to the point that it appeared to be the worst policy ever conceived and implemented.

“While (prominent economist) Ramon Navaratnam blames NEP as being the cause of foreign investors not coming to Malaysia, Anwar condemned it for the abuses and corruption involved in its implementation,” he said in a blog posting.

“Anwar loudly proclaims that NEP benefits only the cronies of the government and that the contracts, Approval Permits (APs) and licenses given out under NEP involve corruption.

“He makes it sound as if NEP did not benefit the Malays and other bumiputera at all,” he added.

However, Mahathir admitted that a few of the recipients of APs, contracts and licenses might know the leaders of government or were members of Umno

“And there may be corruption involved in some cases but the charge is not warranted because in most cases, the benefits of NEP has been enjoyed by almost every Malay and bumiputera. In fact indirectly and in some cases directly it has benefited the non-bumiputera as well,” he said.

Giving them education

For example, Mahathir said, every Malay child was helped in his or her education with free text books and often with free meals.

“Schools are built in the remotest areas where before there were no schools. Hostels are built for mostly Malay and other bumiputera children so that they can live a better life and are able to study in better surroundings then in their homes in the villages,” he added.

For the qualified, the former premier noted, tertiary education was readily accessible, with huge numbers of scholarships.

As a result, he said, many of the children of poor families or of families unable to pay high fees, now held university degrees, were highly qualified and many were professionals.

“Before only 5% of the doctors in Malaysia were Malays and bumiputera, now 40% of them are Malays,” the doctor-turned-politician said, adding that it was the same with other professions.

“Just count the number of students in public universities in the country and those abroad on scholarships and one will appreciate how NEP has benefitted the Malays and other bumiputera in education,” he said.

Malaysians abroad may soon be allowed to vote via post

2011-08-25T08:05:00.001-07:00

By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider

All Malaysians living abroad may soon be able to vote in elections via post, Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yusof said today.

Abdul Aziz said the commission was looking into the possibility of amending election regulations to allow this, adding that it would “hopefully” be implemented before the 13th general election.

“We want it such that so long as you are Malaysian and you have valid identification, you can vote.

“Hopefully this can be done for the next election,” he said during a media briefing here today.

At present, election regulations only permit civil servants, full-time students and their spouses living abroad to vote via post.

Abdul Aziz (picture) stressed however that those living abroad must first register themselves as voters via Malaysian embassies in the respective countries they reside in before applying to the EC to become a postal voter.

“The EC will consider their application before approving,” he said.

Najib: Auditioning for Umno warlords

2011-08-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

(The Malaysian Insider) - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s three-days-a-week-pressing-the-flesh campaign is as much aimed at reconnecting with voters as it is targeted at convincing Umno that he has the tools to lead Barisan Nasional (BN) to victory.

His recent problems and questions about his leadership — which have been raised by the opposition, some Umno warlords, the Perak mufti and the chattering class — have made it necessary for Najib to chart an election-like stumping strategy of leaving his office three times a week to meet the electorate.

The PM is banking on his charisma and ability to dole out cash to boost his administration which has been battered by poor handling of Bersih, tepid action against corruption, flip-flops on reforms, racial and religious strife and personal issues linked to the Scorpene submarine deal and the RM24 million ring.

His advisers believe that the electorate will like what they see and hear when Najib hits the road, convinced that brand Najib will win over doubters.

But an equally important target for him are the Umno warlords, who have been grumbling about the lack of money/contracts; about the PM’s indecisiveness and personal issues of the First Family and pandering to non-Malays and lack of concern for the Bumiputera agenda.

Najib knows that he has to hush these noises if Umno is going to do well at the polls.

He also has to moderate expectations, talking down winning two-thirds majority, knowing that if he does not deliver on a high target he will be vulnerable at the party polls.

For now he does not have to worry about Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the man whose attacks led to the fall of Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Dr Mahathir’s friends say that while the former prime minister has some issues with Najib’s leadership, he is not interested in leading any campaign against the PM.

So, it’s up to Najib now to do whatever it takes to deliver a victory for Umno and BN.

More Flip-Flops

2011-08-25T08:04:00.000-07:00

By Tony Pua

Yesterday, Dr Chua Soi Lek proudly told all affected property owners in Chinatown as well as reporters after his meeting with Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat (SPAD) Chairman, Syed Hamid Albar that the land acquisition controversy has been resolved.

Chua told the reporters that “an agreement in principle had been reached” after a one-hour meeting this afternoon with the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).

According to Chua, the compromise will see the government acquiring only the strata title for the property 100 feet below ground required for the MRT tunnel, while the buildings, many of which are nearly a hundred years old, and land above ground will remain in the current owners' hands.

His role as a hero was unfortunately a most short-lived one, for Syed Hamid has given the MCA President a figurative “tight slap in the face” by insisting that Chinatown would be acquired to make way for the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT) and there was no guarantee at all that it would be returned to the owners.

Chua has turned from hero to zero within 24 hours but what is perhaps most telling is how shocking flip-flop and ad-hoc decisions are being made by this administration on a daily basis which affects the lives and livelihood of the man-on-the-street.

Syed Hamid has reverted back to the “original” argument that compulsory acquisition of the Jalan Sultan lots - where the KVMRT would run underground - was necessary because under land law, landowners also owned the land that lies below ground.

Once again, this is complete and utter nonsense. The National Land Code 1965 had been specifically amended in 1990 to allow for the acquisition of underground land without affecting surface property by inserting Part Five (A) (section 92A to 92G) under Clause 3. The amendment enables the disposal of “underground land”, which can then either be alienated or leased for the use to construct tunnels, car parks and to lay pipes.

Even Dr Chua agreed with the above after I raised it earlier in the media. Clearly Prasarana is attempting to hijack the land affecting the heritage shop lots in Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown for the purposes of profit and not for the purposes of MRT construction works 100 feet underground. Such action for profit is clearly bad faith on the part of the Government.

The Government must not abuse the powers in its hands to profiteer at the expense of the existing property owners and is against the spirit of the law. Given that it is possible for Prasarana to acquire the use of land underground without having to acquire property on the surface, it must immediately withdraw its order to the affected landowners without causing any further inconvenience to them.

A Question Of Faith

2011-08-25T08:03:00.000-07:00

By Mariam Mokhtar

This is a well-worn joke in Malaysian diplomatic circles.

A Malaysian trade delegation official who had just secured his first ever foreign posting in one of the Malaysian High Commissions in a European capital was in high spirits after casting his postal vote for one of the general elections. He had, for the first time in his life, voted according to his conscience (which in his case, meant not voting for BN).

When he left work and waited for his train at the station, the doubts began to creep in. He began to have disturbing thoughts that he would be summoned and recalled to Putrajaya, for a dressing-down, and his family would be disgraced, all because the authorities discovered which party he had voted for.

He made a U-turn and rushed back to the High Commission and saw the official in charge of voting and said, "Minta maaf, ya. I wrongly marked my voting slip."

"Correct. Correct. Correct," said the official and the man feared the worst, his career in tatters.

However, the official smiled reassuringly and said, "Don’t worry. It was lucky we noticed your error in time and have already made the correction. Lain kali, just be more careful. Can or not?"

Recently, in Malaysia, various people have come forward with evidence of manipulations of the electoral process by the government and its institutions, like the Election Commission (EC), the National Registration Department (NRD) and the armed forces.

Rather than address the serious implications of the allegations, these government bodies have only issued denials and in certain cases have threatened to make police reports against those who exposed these malpractices.

Are these civil servants not aware of the gravity of the situation? It appears that they are more concerned in protecting their image than seeing if there was any truth in the allegations.

It seems that they are part of the problem and that their intransigence is a clever ploy to hide the illegal practices of electoral fraud.

If Prime minister Najib Abdul Razak were to call the general election (GE-13) in the next few weeks, would anyone have any faith in the electoral process? Would they be absolutely sure that their vote won’t be counted accurately at the polling station?

Even if all the clone voters and foreigners who have suddenly been granted voting rights were excluded from voting, who is to know that at the very last minute, as a precaution and as its last line of defense, that BN would not switch over the ballot boxes and substitute ones containing predominantly BN only votes?

When opposition supporters say they will swarm all the polling stations and drive Umno/BN from power, do they realise that none of their votes would matter if a switch were to be made?

Remember how at various by-elections in the past, there have been power black-outs just at the crucial point, when the votes were to be counted? Are our memories of these common tricks that short?

Bersih has requested that Najib defers GE-13 till the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) has implemented its recommendations. Despite this, Najib has said that GE-13 can be called before the PSC has reached a decision.

A statement issued by Bersih said, "We note with disappointment the announcement made by Najib that the GE can be held anytime and will not depend on the proceedings of the PSC.

"This totally defeats the purpose and spirit of setting up the PSC as it is meant to resolve serious fraudulent practices in the electoral processes.

"The PSC would be pointless if Parliament is dissolved before the committee presents its report to Parliament".

Najib has however said, "We will try; there must be something that can be done immediately."

Najib’s lame statement does not indicate a serious commitment to resolve the problem of electoral fraud.

As in most things that this government does, there is simply no political will to do anything positive. It just mulls things over rather than committing itself. It makes empty promises, or simply reneges on its promises, as it did when it promised to allow the Bersih 2.0 rally to be held in a stadium.

In July, the EC deputy chief, Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, was asked if foreign observers would be allowed to observe GE-13. His response was, "They are foreigners, who are they? Why do we need foreigners, Germans commenting on our election system?"

"Elections observers must be domestic observers. Foreign observers, they don’t know our election laws, they don’t understand. It’s a different value system."

Wan Ahmad stressed that our elections are clean and fair, and has indicated that he is powerless to implement reforms.

The rakyat, however, believes otherwise.

Najib will probably call for GE-13 at the end of October or early November this year. Although you may mistrust the electoral process and think that the government will cheat in the election, it is imperative that you cast your vote for the opposition, if you value change.

The government realises that with these international observers, the electoral process will be under greater and closer scrutiny, by the media and the Malaysian rakyat. We should therefore press for the presence of international monitors which our government has previously rejected.

‘Lab did not meet international standards’

2011-08-25T08:02:00.000-07:00

By Teoh El Sen, FMT

KUALA LUMPUR: The Chemistry Department of Malaysia, which did tests on DNA samples in the Anwar Ibrahim Sodomy II trial has never received an accreditation as it did not meet international standards.

Anwar’s defence team today alleged that the laboratory had applied for an accreditation from the American Society of Crime Lab Directors (ASCLD) but had failed to receive it since 2005.

“The department did the DNA test on Anwar’s DNA sample in 2008 when, all this while, it had failed to meet the ISO 17025 standard… it was given two extensions to apply for accreditation by the ASCLD. It only received a legacy accreditation, which is merely like a probation ” Anwar’s counsel Sankara Nair told reporters outside the court.

(ASCLD accredits laboratories and regulates international standards.)

“This affects the credibility of the DNA testing and the work methods of the department’s laboratory. This amounts to misleading the court,” he said, adding that chemist Dr Seah Lay Hong had earlier testified that her lab had met ISO 17025 standard.

Earlier, Australian DNA specialist Dr Brian Leslie McDonald said that having an accreditation was important and meeting certain standards ensure that labs around the whole have standardised results.

The 60-year-old consultant molecular geneticist from Sydney said that accreditation also gives recognition to a lab that has complied with standard guidelines.

Asked by defence lawyer Ram Karpal Singh Deo whether such accreditation is required in a Malaysian context, McDonald said: ” I don’t know, I would think if the government asks a lab to conduct tests, you must be accredited.”

Prosection wants evidence expunged

The line of questioning drew strong objections from lead prosecutor Solicitor-General II Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, who said McDonald was not competent to answer questions pertaining to the Malaysian Chemistry Department’s accreditation.

“This evidence is inadmissible… It should be expunged,” said Mohd Yusof, who had an exchange of words with Ram.

Referring to a letter that Ram had produced, Mohd Yusof said: “This is 2010, the test was conducted in 2008.”

McDonald, who is also an ISO assessor for the Australian body of accreditation National Association of Testing Authority, earlier explained how forensic DNA testings worked.

He said that in general, accreditation of a forensic laboratory should be disclosed, adding that it is an “obligation”, especially if its evidence is used in court.

Malaysia UNHCR Accused of Betraying Refugees

2011-08-25T08:01:00.000-07:00

By Ko Htwe, The Irrawaddy

The Malaysia United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is accused of betraying refugees by conspiring with Putrajaya Immigration Office to take their fingerprints and send them back to their own countries, it has been claimed.

On Tuesday, several UNHCR-affiliated organizations in Malaysia instructed refugees to provide fingerprints at Putrajaya Immigration Office, claims Shwe Zin, a Burmese refugee living in Malaysia.

“I arrived at the immigration office in the morning and was made to queue up. Then when my turn came, I had my fingerprints and a photo taken. And then I was given a printed document written in Malay that said to go back to our own country,” said Shwe Zin.

Many registered refugees came to the immigration office to give their fingerprints but did not know the details of what was going on, she added.

Many refugees received a document entitled “Pulang Ke Negara Asal” which translates as “Returning Home,” “Leaving” or “Going back to native country.” However, others were registered and given an alternative document which allows them to stay in Malaysia.

“I think I made a mistake by giving my fingerprints. It is impossible for me to go back [to Burma],” said Shwe Zin, adding that UNHCR staff were present in the immigration office.

“The UNHCR is tricking us because they want to settle corruption dealings with refugee processes. I don't know why some refugee receive different documents,” said Kyaw Htoo Aung from Malaysia, who works for worker affairs.

An official from Putrajaya Immigration Office in Malaysia refused to give further details when contacted byThe Irrawaddy, but just said that it was an “enforcement event.”

Malaysia is currently running the 6P Program to tackle illegal migrant numbers in a bid to settle social problems and crime related to illegal foreigners. Although the Malaysia UNHCR was officially against the scheme, after Aug. 23 the organization is legally obliged to assist with the 6P registration.

UNHCR refugee card holder Myat Ko Ko sent a letter to UNHCR officials asking why the organization was not upfront about its involvement in the fingerprint campaign, and questioning its commitment to protecting international human rights and refugees affairs.

“As a result of the UNHCR and Malaysia [government] fingerprint program addressed to all the ethnic Burmese refugees in Malaysia, all of them are in trouble and the UNHCR should surely have given an announcement about it,” he wrote.

The Irrawaddy repeatedly tried to contact the UNHCR office in Malaysia but there was no reply.

Yan Naing Tun, the editor of weekly Kuala Lumpur journal Thuriya, said the action is taking place because of UNHCR corruption when dealing with processing refugee claims.

The Malaysia UNHCR has been accused of discriminating between refugees and corruptly selling resettlement registrations for profit, according to refugees in Malaysia.

“While I met with the Malaysian authorities, my friend told me not to give a thumbprint on the document when the [UNHCR] called us. It is an act of cheating. They made the plan in secret but the problem is now widely known,” said Yan Naing Tun.

Australia and Malaysia’s recent agreement to swap 800 asylum seekers who came to Australia for 4,000 refugees living in Malaysia was widely criticized by human rights groups, as Malaysia is not a signatory of the 1951 UN Refugee Convention.

The Malaysian government has cooperated with the UNHCR on humanitarian grounds since 1975 even though Malaysia has not signed the UN Convention Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees. Burmese refugees have since been sent to third countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, France, New Zealand, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway.

According to the Malaysia UNHCR website, at the end of May 2011 there are some 94,400 refugees and asylum-seekers registered with their office. Of these, around 86,500, or 90 percent, are from Burma. That figure is split up into 35,600 Chins, 21,400 Rohingyas, 10,100 Burmese Muslims, 3,800 Mon and 3,400 Kachins or from other smaller ethnic minorities.

EC mulls using both biometric system and indelible ink

2011-08-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider

The Election Commission (EC) may use both the biometric system and indelible ink for the elections, laying to rest the ongoing squabble over the superiority of either mechanism.

However, EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yusof said the commission was still studying the legal implications of both systems and whether they could be used on a “voluntary” or “mandatory” basis.

But he noted that if voters were not required by law to use the new system, it would render the entire exercise pointless.

“That is why we want to make sure everyone uses it,” he said.

Asked if the EC would propose its recommendation to the parliamentary select committee (PSC) for polls reform to be formed in October, Abdul Aziz said the commission hoped to do so.

When asked if the changes would be implemented for the coming polls, he said: “Insyaallah.”

He said if the changes were to be made mandatory, amendments to election laws were needed to be passed in Parliament.

The commission, he said, was now preparing the framework for the PSC, which is due to be presented to the Cabinet by September 7.

Malaysian tax is not for public healthcare but public healthcare is for tax

2011-08-25T07:59:00.000-07:00

Health care is something that I believe, should not be privatized. A sick, weak and severely threatened person is in no position to negotiate.

By Lee Wee Tak

strongly believe that a democratically elected government has a moral responsibility to enable its citizens to live with dignity and comfort. In their time of desperation and need, there is no extortion imposed upon them and their love ones.

Health care is something that I believe, should not be privatized. A sick, weak and severely threatened person is in no position to negotiate.

Do consult all our religious teaching and conscience – is holding the sick, terrified and weak, and his or her loved one to ransom the right thing to do?

Let’s take KPJ Healthcare Berhad as a sample and examine the additional costs that we have to bear in privatized healthcare

Hishammuddin receives two live bullets, death threat

2011-08-25T07:57:00.000-07:00

The home minister says the items were in an envelope posted to his office in Putrajaya.

(Bernama) - Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein today received two live bullets with a threatening note in an envelope posted to his office in Putrajaya.

The envelope, which was received at 2pm, also contained a booklet in which the handwritten note was slipped in.

Met by reporters after attending a breaking of fast at the Al-Ikhlasiyah mosque di Pantai Dalam here, Hishammuddin, however, declined to say what were the contents of the note.

“I can confirm that I received two live bullets together with a threatening note today. This is the first time I have experienced such a thing.

“The envelope was received by an aide of mine and he has since lodged a police report,” he said.

Hishammuddin, however, said it would not dampen his spirit to continue discharging his duties as entrusted to him.

“I view this as something serious. However, it will not deter me from carrying out my duties as entrusted to me by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

“This might be the work of some frustrated people, probably because they are not happy with the work we (home ministry) are doing. But I am unfazed by this threat,” he added.

GILA HOT! Sex Scandal on TV3?

2011-08-25T04:57:00.000-07:00

DAMANSARA August 24: A senior editor of TV3 appointed with the consent of the Prime Minister's Office is now under investigation on allegations that the company commits sexual harassment against four journalists, including a newsreader.

Editor respect, however, allowed to remain on duty as usual, while a "victim" it moved to NTV7 last month at the request of its own force, who declined further duty under the relevant editor.

Sources close to the case confirmed that the Human Resources Department of Media Prima Berhad has started an official investigation after management gave the recent agreement.

Wardina Safiyyah Malaysian Muslim model and fashion icon

2011-08-25T04:43:00.000-07:00

Watch Wardina Safiyyah explain to the BBC how she used to wear mini skirts before redefining the concept of beauty and wearing a Hijab or Tudong as its called in Malay.

When she covered up the TV host and actress who previously modelled short skirts and showed considerable parts of her body as part of western culture has shown the world how you can continue to maintain your beauty without the need to show your cleavage something Shana Bukhari might want to consider in her quest to become the first Muslim Miss Universe.

Wardinya might be cute and clearly is an impressive Muslim sister however, my favourite Malaysian women and not for her looks is the impressive Nurul Izzah Anwar who I have written out before.

Hot News: Police Record Hookers stark naked!

2011-08-24T19:49:00.000-07:00

AP News reported that five police officers demoted after his video recording of two prostitutes in stark naked during interrogation in an operation against prostitution. Video clips were then spread on the internet.

Do saspens! The five police are not policemen, but members polisVietnam working in Quang Ninh province, located north of the country. The five of their rank as to be in violation of ethics and discipline of the team.

According to sources, one of the six police officers were recording the two prostitutes with their clients to serve as part of the proof of the case.

Clips showed the women in a state without clothes in a hotel room while several plainclothes police who appear to be writing something. Both the woman was trying to cover their naked bodies, but was blocked by the police state, while one of their recording process.

Malaysian News:Omar Ong Rasputin mahu Malaysian Insiders Suhaimy Kamaruddin ke dalam Petronas?

2011-08-24T19:47:00.000-07:00

Omar Ong yang digambarkan Gelonbang Wangsa Maju sebagai Rasputin adalah tangan yang melobi Dato Najib meletakkan bekas bossnya Dato Shamsul Azhar menjadi CEO Petronas.

Mulut muallaf yang angkuh dan sombong ini juga yang membuat mulutr mengatakan Dato Najib bawak masuk Pengurus Cina ke dalam Petronas, lalu diambil beberapa Pengurus dari Shell dan diletak terus ke atas.

Bukan isunya perkauman, kenapa perlu mereka diletakkan kerana mereka Cina. Ikutlah proses succession syarikat. Jika layak, naikkan mereka tetapi kenapa pula naikkan mereka dengan segera kerana mereka Cina?

Sejak itu, pernah Dato Shamsul meletakkan Sherul Stochard, Naib President Parti Rakyat Malaysia yang agenda politik bukan seiring dengan kerajaan pimpinan BN diletakkan sebagai Director Communication.

Justin Bieber Makes Surprise Appearance at Taylor Swift Concert (4 VIDEO) @taylorswift13

2011-08-24T08:56:00.000-07:00

The pop singer joined Swift onstage at Los Angeles' Staples Center, where the two sang his hit song "Baby." - @justinbieber

Justin Bieber surprised concertgoers at Taylor Swift's show Tuesday night at Los Angeles' Staples Center.

Justin Bieber Is the 'Real Deal' and Will Have a Long Career Says Reality TV Producer

Taylor Swift Suffers Wardrobe Malfunction (Video)

Teen Choice Awards 2011: Taylor Swift Nabs Ultimate Choice Award

Justin Bieber: 'With Time Off, I'm Able to Think, Pray and Grow Up' (Exclusive)

Justin Bieber's Fragrance: How Will Sales Stack Up To Other Music Artists

The pop singer joined Swift onstage for the first of four nights in L.A. as part of her Speak Now tour.

Tamil FIlm Actress Poonam Kaur Masala Photoshoot

2011-08-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

South Indian masala actress Poonam kaur hot shots

Hot actress Poonam Kaur Masala Photo-shootMallu (Mollywood) Malayalam actress Poonam Kaur images and stills

Read more: Tamil FIlm Actress Poonam Kaur Masala Photoshoot | BuzzNights

‘Pray Anwar does not become PM’

2011-08-24T07:57:00.000-07:00

By Stephanie Sta Maria, FMT

PETALING JAYA: Oposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim’s recent conduct in the High Court has so incensed Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali that the latter has put out a call for Malaysians to pray for the fomer’s political demise.

Anwar had delivered a hour-long statement from the dock on Monday denying that he had sodomised his aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, in 2008. His decision to make his statement from the dock meant that he could not be cross-examined.

But numerous quarters questioned this move with his detractors surmising that his avoidance of cross-examination was reflective of his guilt.

Ibrahim joined the criticism by branding this scenario as “truly insane”.

“Saiful took an oath sat in the witness stand and was questioned by Anwar’s defence team. Anwar didn’t take an oath, sat in the dock and delivered a speech about (fomer Russian dictator) Joseph Stalin, (former South African president) Nelson Mandela and conspiracy… all of which could not be cross-examined,” he said.

In his statement, Anwar had quoted the words of Mandela in his speech made from the dock during the Rivonia trial of 1963.

His reference to Stalin was used to explain that Saiful was made to play helpless victim because the public would no longer believe the 1998 method of employing Stalin-like confessions.

Poser over sperm survival: 36 or 65 hours?

2011-08-24T07:56:00.000-07:00

By Teoh El Sen, FMT

KUALA LUMPUR: An Australian forensic expert agrees today that sperm cells can be discovered inside a person’s body up to 65 hours after sexual intercourse when testifying in the Anwar Ibrahim’s Sodomy II trial.

Dr David Lawrence Noel Wells concurred with lead prosecutor Solicitor-General II Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden when the latter pointed to a United Kingdom study published in the “Forensic Science International” journal in 1982.

This contradicted Well’s testimony yesterday which stated that sperm could only survive up to 36 hours.

However, Wells, the head of forensic medicine at the Victoria Institute of Medicine, quickly cautioned that he, as well as most of those experts in his field, would put “reservations” on that finding as it was the only published case for over 30 years.

“This particular 1982 paper is often quoted and it is quite depressing that in 30 years there’s only one case. I would like to hear of one other case. The question is, how much weight should we put on this? Should we base all of our forensic findings on a single untested case?” asked Wells.

Mohd Yusof also referred to an article in “Clinical Forensic Medicine” by WDS Mclay. The paper said research showed sperm may be identified and rectal swabs taken up to three days after anal intercourse even when defecation has occurred.

The article also suggested that samples could be obtained even if an individual has showered. However, Wells stuck to his previous stand.

“From my experience, to get an extraction after more than 20 to 36 hours is very rare. I have never heard of such a case. The single case was in 1982. The question is how much weight do you put on that case,” said the expert in the field of sexual assault cases.

Wells: It is exceedingly rare to get any results beyond 20 to 36 hours.

Mohd Yusof: Then why do you think doctors suggest that swabs can be taken from the anus after three days up to 65 hours? This sample can even be taken when the victim has showered.

Wells: The article you are quoting from also refers to the single 1982 case.

Mohd Yusof: But can you say it’s not possible.

Wells: No I can’t say.

Doctor stumped

Wells added that “in medicine, you sometimes have to be realistic. Why don’t we collect toxicological samples from patients who consumed something two to three months ago? There’s a reason for it”.

“I would not base a scientific premise on a single case; with some confidence I can say (in Anwar’s case) that already we have a sample that is not dried and not frozen and kept at room temperature; the possibility is very small that you can extract a foreign DNA,” said Wells.

Wells added that there have been numerous attempts to test for sperm specimens 36 hours later, with “zero” results.

Putrajaya doles out RM1.4b to the underprivileged

2011-08-24T07:55:00.000-07:00

By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 24 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced today a RM1.4 billion welfare allocation to around 500,000 underprivileged recipients including senior citizens, the disabled and widows of army and police personnel.

The allocation, to be disbursed monthly under the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry’s newly-launched initiative called Program Kebajikan Rakyat 1 Malaysia (KAR1SMA), was increased by RM200 million from last year’s RM1.2 billion for 424,000 identified recipients.

Najib (picture) said the increase in aid to the needy is in line with one of the main pillars of his administration’s philosophy which is to uphold social justice.

“The underprivileged represent a large group and without intervention, they will remain a marginalised and we would have failed to uphold social justice.

“Today, now that we have changed the direction and focus of the government through the Government Transformation Programme (GTP), we have identified that a large part of our community consist of the marginalised and they need help so they can become independent... not always depending on the government but independent,” he said during his speech at the launch.

Najib added that despite the global economic crisis, Malaysia still remains in the position to not only offer but increase financial aid to the underprivileged.

“In some countries, they have had to slash their pensioner funds and cut back on welfare aid.

“So I hope now that those receiving aid will be inspired with new hope, skills and spirit, enabling them to contribute to their futures and that of the country,” he said.

THE JASMINE REVOLUTION IN SE ASIA: FACEBOOKED, TWITTERED AND RECAPPED

2011-08-24T07:54:00.000-07:00

By Aid Nethelands

Former deputy Prime Minister and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim however had a different take remarking that the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt should be a warning signal to other autocracies “whether in the Middle East, Pakistan or Southeast Asia”. Anwar continued noting that the demise of regimes where corruption and nepotism flourished, should remind Malaysians that governments built on the suppression of citizens are always temporary.

With the war in Libya reaching its conclusion, it now looks as if Colonel Gaddafi will be the next authoritarian leader in North Africa to fall as a result the remarkable events dubbed the Arab Spring or Jasmine Revolutions. As I noted back in March many both within Asia and beyond have asked whether such ‘blossoming’ of dissent and revolt could occur in the authoritarian and semi-authoritarian regimes of Northeast, Southeast and Central Asia. T

his week the Center for Asian Democracy at the University of Louisville will host a workshop that will explore precisely that question. Entitled “The Jasmine Revolution and the ‘Bamboo’ Firewall: The impact of the Internet and new social media on political change in East Asia.”, the workshop will host 13 scholars from prestigious academic institutions and non-profit organizations around the country to participate and explore the potential impact of technology on democracy in Asia. Next week I hope to share some of the workshop’s findings with you, but for this week I am reposting the original blog entry from March… (with a few very minor amendments).

Over the past few months the international community has witnessed unprecedented political opposition and revolutions in the Middle East. Already this so called ‘Jasmine Revolution’ or ‘Arab Spring’ has overturned two of the countries long-standing political regimes, the Ben-Ali regime in Tunisia and more surprisingly the 30 year rule of strongman Hosni Mubarak in Egypt.

In Libya it resulted in the descent to near Civil War between Muammar Qaddafi and pro-democracy rebels while its demonstration effects have incited and continue to incite protest in countries from Bahrain to Oman, and from Jordan to Morocco and Syria. Much of this caught everyone by surprise, be they academics, diplomats, journalists or policy advisors. Nevertheless this outburst of popular discontent reflects a number of long-term trends, most specifically a demographic explosion in the 1970s and 1980s means that an estimated 65 per cent of the region’s population is under 30. While significant sums of money have been poured into education, both secondary and tertiary, youth unemployment is a major socio-economic problem with an estimated one in four unemployed. Such high levels of unemployment combined with pervasive levels of corruption, authoritarian political systems with extensive security surveillance and harassment, and the huge growth in the number of users of social network sites (Egypt has for example over 5 millon Facebook users of whom 58% are under 25) provided a potent combination the repercussions of which are still playing out as we speak.

This begs the question as to whether such a popular uprising could happen in that other bastion of authoritarian and quasi-democratic regimes, Southeast Asia. Could the demonstration effects spread to countries as diverse as Cambodia, Malaysia, and Vietnam, among others? Leaders in these countries are clearly worried. Inn February the Malaysian Prime Minister Najib issued a stark warning saying “Don’t think what is happening in Tunisia and Egypt will also happen in Malaysia.. We will not allow it to happen here”. Former deputy Prime Minister and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim however had a different take remarking that the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt should be a warning signal to other autocracies “whether in the Middle East, Pakistan or Southeast Asia”. Anwar continued noting that the demise of regimes where corruption and nepotism flourished, should remind Malaysians that governments built on the suppression of citizens are always temporary.

In Cambodia, strongman Hun Sen, who has dominated national politics since 1989 and been Prime Minister since 1998, was even starker in his warnings stating on January 20th, in response to comments on a Radio Free Asia report that a Tunisian-like protest could occur in Cambodia. Hun Sen lashed out stating “I have to send a message to people who want to inspire a riot (like) in Tunisia … I will close the door and beat the dog,” Again in contrast the embattled long-standing anti-corruption opposition figure Sam Rainsy echoed Anwar’s views stated on February 2nd, the day pro-Mubarak forces attacked anti-Mubarak supporters in Tahir square, that “I see that it is not long … that there would be such a situation in Cambodia that is the same as Egypt and Tunisia, where people have ousted leaders from power.”

Che'GuBard tidak perlu mohon maaf sebaliknya Rosmah harus tampil memberi penjelasan

2011-08-24T07:48:00.000-07:00

Sejak semalam che'GuBard dihubungi ramai wartawan dan teman khususnya apabila media arus perdana digunakan untuk 'menyerang' che'GuBard dalam isu pendedahan berlian bernilai RM24.45 juta yang dikaitkan dengan Rosmah Mansor.

che'GuBard dituntut mohon maaf dan dituduh diam dan gagal menjawab apabila kononya didedahkan menipu.

Persoalan penting ialah adakah media arus perdana berani mengeluarkan kenyataan che'GuBard mengenai perkara ini.

Sudah hampir sebulan pendedahan mengenai wujud satu kemasukan berlian bernilai RM24.45 j terkait nama 'Imelda' Rosmah. Sejak itu dia diam dan membisu cuma 'pengampu-pengampu' dia yang sibuk bertungkus lumus menjawab. Cuma sekali dia menjawab itupun hanya menuduh ia fitnah tanpa sebarang penjelasan.

Menarik perlu diperhatikan di sini. Mulanya pengampu Imelda mengatakan bukti tersebut palsu dan akhirnya sudah tidak boleh menyangkal setelah SPRM mengesahkan dokumen tersebut maka muncul pula borang kastam kedua kononya belian itu dibawa keluar 4 hari selepas itu. Kononya belian itu untuk satu pameran berlian yang diadakan secara sulit, di tempat yang sulit dengan tetamu-tetamu yang sulit. Semua yang sulit itu sedang diusahakan dan disusun skripnya.

Mungkin gagal menyusun skrip pameran sulit maka seorang lagi pengampu muncul dan mengatakan belian tersebut bukan milik Rosmah tetapi milik besannya. Jadi mana yang betul sebenarnya.

Klik bahan - bahan di bawah untuk membaca mengenainya.

Pakatan rahsia Najib-Anwar 1998 - John Malott

2011-08-24T07:47:00.000-07:00

(Harakah Daily) - Hari ini saya membaca kenyataan Anwar Ibrahim dari kandang tertuduh. Anwar mendakwa semua ini adalah konspirasi politik. Dan saya bersetuju.

Sememangnya, saya adalah bekas Duta Amerika ke Malaysia semasa semua perkara ini berlaku untuk kali pertama. Sebagaimana yang diketahui ramai, kedutaan Amerika mempunyai banyak sumber maklumat.

Tanyalah Wikileaks.

Orang Malaysia suka bercakap…

Ramai kawan saya di Malaysia tahu, saya amat lantang dalam menyatakan sokongan terhadap kebebasan Anwar untuk satu dekad lebih. Ini kerana saya tahu perkara yang sebenar. Saya berada di tempat kejadian ketika semuanya ini berlaku untuk kali pertama.

Pada 1998 – untuk kali pertama bagi Anwar – kedutaan saya mendengar dan melaporkan banyak benda. Kita tahu perkara sebenar. Kerana orang Malaysia – di tempat tertinggi – memberitahu kita.

Semasa saya di KL, penasihat (think thank) Najib dipanggil Malaysian Strategic Research Centre atau MSRC. MSRC sebenarnya hanyalah dua orang ialah Rohanna Mahmood dan Razak Baginda.

Namun, Rohanna mahupun Razak bukanlah pegawai kerajaan, jadi saya tidak melanggar mana-mana undang Amerika Syarikat untuk meledakkan apa yang mereka beritahu saya dan kedutaan saya pada masa dulu.

Satu pakatan rahsia

Pada tahun 1998, Rohanna telah bersama saya untuk satu makan tengahari pertemuan empat mata peribadi di kediaman duta. Pada masa itu ialah waktu Anwar mula mencabar Mahathir (mantan Perdana Menteri), secara halus namun amat jelas kelihatan.

Rohanna memberitahu saya bahawa Najib dan Anwar telah mencapai satu perjanjian rahsia. Apabila Mahathir keluar, Anwar akan jadi PM dan Najib akan jadi Timbalan PM. Itulah perjanjiannya. Namun, sememangnya perkara itu tidak berlaku. Semasa perjalanan menjadi sengit, Najib berdiri dan membiarkan Anwar ke penjara.

Bagaimana pula dengan Razak Baginda? Beliau memberitahu seorang pegawai senior di kedutaan, “Keputusan sudah dibuat. Mereka akan “nuke” (membunuh) Anwar secara politik untuk keseluruhan masa akan datang. Sehingga beliau tidak boleh berdiri lagi dalam politik.”

100 tahun

Bermaksud, ini adalah satu keputusan politik – untuk memusnahkan Anwar. Itu yang Razak – yang sekarang ini membuangkan diri di London – katakan. Selepas itu, seorang pegawai daripada Special Branch (SB) memberitahu satu pegawai di kedutaan, “Kita akan terus menfailkan dakwaan demi dakwaan terhadap Anwar supaya beliau berada di dalam penjara untuk 100 tahun akan datang.

Masih bolehkah disangsi apa yang berlaku dulu – dan apa yang berlaku kini?

Lovely sights at Commart 2011

2011-08-24T03:04:00.000-07:00

Our favorite booth babes from Commart, which was held in Thailand on July 21-24 2011.

Follow MSN Malaysia News on Twitter () for breaking news in Malaysia and the world.

Beautiful Malaysian Model: Carmen Soo

2011-08-23T22:36:00.000-07:00

She has different kinds of looks; sometimes, she looks so cold and sophisticated, but sometimes, she looks just like a sweet girl-next-door. I guess it's the requirement that a model has to look rather different in every photo shoot.

SEXY 24YEAR MALAYSIA GIRL

2011-08-23T21:32:00.000-07:00

Hi guys my name is Lisa. I am Malaysia girl, 24Year, well-educated. My hair is black, straight, and I have black eyes and a great smile! Wind down after hard work with a smile, hug and a head to toe massage! With long, soothing strokes, warm oil, and a soft erotic touch, I create an atmosphere where you can unwind. The focus of my session is to integrate a blend of relaxing techniques into a safe experience. Can't wait to order my service? In call and Out call.I am in Abu Dhabi .go to your Hotel or apartment only 20 minis

Gadis German memeluk agama Islam

2011-08-23T21:12:00.000-07:00

* .Subhanallah..... Harap ramai lagi orang bukan Islam mengikut langkah yang di ambil oleh Nur Yana Petersen ini.

Video Ekslusif Yang Membuatkan Anwar Ibrahim Mengamok Sakan[Exclusive Video Anwar Ibrahim who made Mengamok Sakan]

2011-08-23T19:13:00.000-07:00

There is nothing that I want to say but infinite gratitude for peace in the face of Saiful Bukhari, sodomy was a better partner for our partners Blogger, Facebooker, Twiiter and other existing virtual fighter.

Hopefully justice will continue to be care in ensuring foreign sex offenders to receive capital punishment nature on what he has done.

The Right Stand Sure

Sure falsehood falls

Psssttt .... be calm like Anwar Ibrahim, Saiful? ha ha ha

DAP ANTI-ISLAM

PASS THE MALAY

UMNO IS ISLAM

ANWAR AL-JUBURI REPENTANCE JUSTIFICATION

Did Malaysia's Anwar Say too Much?

2011-08-23T19:12:00.000-07:00

Najib and Rosmah: Was this their idea?

He says accuser acknowledged readying himself for sex

That sentence would tend to invalidate any assumption that the then-60-year-old Anwar suddenly forced himself on the 24-year-old aide. If, as Anwar says, Saiful brought the lubricant with him, it would certainly indicate that Saiful knew what he was getting into when he went to Anwar’s condo that night.

Written by John Berthelsen, Asia Sentinel

Deep into Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim’s hour-long attack Monday on the Malaysian court that is trying him for sodomy, a sentence appeared that seems extremely awkward for both prosecution and defense.

Anwar was brought up on the charges by his accuser, former aide Mohamad Saiful Bukhairy Azlan, in July of 2008, five months after the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition that he heads scored a historic victory in national elections, for the first time breaking the Barisan Nasional’s historic 50-year two-thirds majority in Parliament. It is the second time he has been in the dock on sodomy charges. The first was in 1998, when he was convicted in a trial that has been widely condemned as engineered to end his threat as an opposition leader. He served six years before he was pardoned on the sexual perversion charges.

Anwar said in his prepared statement that after Saiful went to Anwar’s condo in an exclusive area of Kuala Lumpur, he admitted that “he had brought along lubricant and had himself voluntarily and without hesitation applied it” to get ready to go ahead with the sexual act.

That sentence would tend to invalidate any assumption that the then-60-year-old Anwar suddenly forced himself on the 24-year-old aide. If, as Anwar says, Saiful brought the lubricant with him, it would certainly indicate that Saiful knew what he was getting into when he went to Anwar’s condo that night.

This in turn is hardly helpful for Anwar, who is on trial for his political life in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur over the allegations, because Saiful’s statement has the ring of truth to it. If you are going to make up a story about being forced into a sex act, you would hardly acknowledge that you voluntarily lubricated your own anus.

Saiful’s defense is that he was afraid of what Anwar might do to him if he didn’t submit. Anwar supposedly had the power to hire people do damage to him if he refused.

But that hardly seems realistic. Saiful has also admitted in court that in the days prior to the alleged rape, he met with then-Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, Najib’s wife Rosmah Mansor, and Rosmah’s close friend, former top athlete Mumtaz Jaafar, the executive chairperson of the National Athlete Welfare Foundation, an organization to which Rosmah is the patroness.

Saiful also acknowledged meeting with Rodwan Mohd Yusof, who was the investigating officer in Anwar’s discredited first trial for sodomy in 1998 and was accused of fabricating the evidence that put Anwar in prison for six years. He also met with Khairil Anas Jusof, an aide to Najib, and spoke on the telephone with Musa Hassan, now the head of the Malaysian police who led the investigating team in the first sodomy case.

How was a former student whom Anwar described in his statement as “just a university dropout working part time helping out my chief of staff,” able to gain access to Najib, his staff members, his wife, one of the country’s former top athletes and other officials if he didn’t have anything important to talk about?