Dengan ini, saya mengumumkan cadangan untuk menubuhkan Mahathir Mohamad Strategy and Leadership Institute (Institut Strategi dan Kepemimpinan Mahathir Mohamad).
Note : Kepemimpinan, and NOT kepimpinan.
Apakah cadangan kalian?
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
Another Warning Sign
Turtle deaths in Terengganu spark alarm
By R.S.N. MURALI
KUALA TERENGGANU: Marine conservationists and the authorities are baffled and upset over the spate of turtle deaths here.
In just four days, two rare giant terrapins and a greenback turtle have been found dead with wounds on their bodies. The carcasses of the freshwater terrapins were found at separate spots along the Terengganu River bank within days of each other.
The first was found at Pantai Tok Jembal on Thursday and the second one was discovered at Mengabang Telipot yesterday. Both, measuring between 1m and 1.3m in length, were identified as the Asian Giant Soft-Shelled Terrapin, scientifically known as Pleochelys cantorii.
Visible wounds were found, indicating that they could have been injured by fishermen’s trawl nets. The wounded terrapins were believed to have died after being stranded on the riverbank.
In Kampung Merang, a 1.2m-long greenback turtle was also found dead on the beach yesterday by villagers, with wounds on its body.
State Agriculture and Regional Development Committee deputy chairman Rozi Mamat said he wanted the marine agencies to explain why the turtles died.
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu’s turtle research and rehabilitation scientist Prof Chan Eng Heng said she was very upset and distressed over the deaths.
“We want to know the best way to ensure the survival of these reptiles,” she said.
She added that in November, another Asian Giant Soft-Shelled Terrapin, weighing about 40kg, was found dead near Pulau Kambing here by state Marine Park Unit workers. The cause of death has yet to be ascertained.
She described the terrapin as a rare species, last discovered in Cambodia.
“I was excited when first told about the species that was found in the Terengganu River. Unfortunately, we have yet to stumble on one that is alive,” she said, adding that the terrapin found at Mengabang Telipot had been brought back to the university for an autopsy.
Prof Chan said the terrapins were mostly found in freshwater but would travel to the beach to lay their eggs
By R.S.N. MURALI
KUALA TERENGGANU: Marine conservationists and the authorities are baffled and upset over the spate of turtle deaths here.
In just four days, two rare giant terrapins and a greenback turtle have been found dead with wounds on their bodies. The carcasses of the freshwater terrapins were found at separate spots along the Terengganu River bank within days of each other.
The first was found at Pantai Tok Jembal on Thursday and the second one was discovered at Mengabang Telipot yesterday. Both, measuring between 1m and 1.3m in length, were identified as the Asian Giant Soft-Shelled Terrapin, scientifically known as Pleochelys cantorii.
Visible wounds were found, indicating that they could have been injured by fishermen’s trawl nets. The wounded terrapins were believed to have died after being stranded on the riverbank.
In Kampung Merang, a 1.2m-long greenback turtle was also found dead on the beach yesterday by villagers, with wounds on its body.
State Agriculture and Regional Development Committee deputy chairman Rozi Mamat said he wanted the marine agencies to explain why the turtles died.
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu’s turtle research and rehabilitation scientist Prof Chan Eng Heng said she was very upset and distressed over the deaths.
“We want to know the best way to ensure the survival of these reptiles,” she said.
She added that in November, another Asian Giant Soft-Shelled Terrapin, weighing about 40kg, was found dead near Pulau Kambing here by state Marine Park Unit workers. The cause of death has yet to be ascertained.
She described the terrapin as a rare species, last discovered in Cambodia.
“I was excited when first told about the species that was found in the Terengganu River. Unfortunately, we have yet to stumble on one that is alive,” she said, adding that the terrapin found at Mengabang Telipot had been brought back to the university for an autopsy.
Prof Chan said the terrapins were mostly found in freshwater but would travel to the beach to lay their eggs
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Out of the Cage
Khairy Jamaluddin
New Straits Times
THE campaign in the Batu Talam by-election has been frustrating. A rural constituency with not much by way of industry or economic development, it is typical of the many agricultural state assembly districts in the Malay heartland. By physical size it is as large as Perlis.
It takes almost an hour to get from the outskirts of Raub town where Batu Talam begins to some areas of Felda Tersang or Hulu Atok at the other ends of the constituency. It is an ideal venue for a classic duel between two of the biggest Malay-based political parties in Malaysia, repeating the many contests that have taken place in the very same place during previous elections.
When news of the death of the former assemblyman was relayed to me, I anticipated a spirited challenge by the opposition in the form of a Pas candidate.
After all, 2006 in many ways was not an easy year for Umno and its leadership. There were concerns over economic growth, divisive issues concerning religion and ethnicity, and a very public and damaging spat between present and past leaders.
The timing of the by-election was, therefore, a fortuitous turn of events for the opposition keen to capitalise on the setbacks of the past year. Or so I thought.
But instead of facing off with Umno/Barisan Nasional in Batu Talam, the opposition has staged a boycott of the by-election. Rather than using the opportunity of the campaign as a platform for raising issues against the government, they have decided to abstain from the election purportedly as a sign of protest against the Election Commission (EC). They claim that the EC needs an urgent and comprehensive revamp to clean up the electoral roll and also to re-examine laws and regulations that discriminate against opposition parties.
Yet, they forget to mention that this is the same EC that oversaw the last general election, the Sarawak state polls and the Kuala Berang and Pengkalan Pasir by-elections which all saw opposition candidates participate freely without any restriction and win some seats. They omitted the fact that after Pas’s loss in Pengkalan Pasir, they challenged, albeit without success, the result of the election in court. They will never admit to the various complaints and reports that Umno has made to the EC of "phantom voters" appearing or the systematic moving of voters from Pas strongholds to marginal seats in Kelantan.
The very real reason that the mainstream opposition is not contesting in Batu Talam is because of the near certainty of losing and losing badly. They know that a crushing defeat will take whatever initiative they had gained during the events of last year away from them. A comprehensive defeat would nullify whatever psychological gains they believe they have made. And they know that the best way of solidifying and uniting the Umno/Barisan Nasional rank-and-file is to go up against Pas, one on one.
So when on nomination day, we discovered that we were not up against Pas, not even against DAP or Keadilan but an independent candidate barely old enough to vote (I’m not even sure that he’s even a registered voter), we knew the campaign would be frustrating and difficult. It would be frustrating because of the absence of a real enemy.
You can never land the sort of punches that you train for years to throw when you don’t have anybody in your weight category to fight. And the campaign would be difficult because you are really just up against yourself. I suppose the best analogy is you cannot expect someone running the 100 metres alone to break the world record. The athlete would have to be running with the best peers in the world to have a chance of setting a new mark.
This is not to say that the opposition has stayed out entirely. Pas, typical of its new schizophrenic brand of leadership under the very confused younger generation of leaders, has given instructions to party members to boycott the election but if they must participate to support the independent candidate.
It was evident during the last few days of the campaign that their boycott didn’t preclude going down to give ceramah on the pretext of explaining the boycott but really lending their political capital for the opposition candidate.
The lack of a firm directive to their own members hardly signals a political entity that is sure of its own convictions and future direction. And as the Umno information chief astutely pointed out, had the by-election been held in Kelantan, in one of the Pas-held seats where the fate of the entire state government would hinge on its outcome, the thought of a boycott would not have even entered their minds.
DAP has also demonstrated a badly concealed indecision over Batu Talam. It is no secret that the independent candidate’s father has had a strong past with DAP and the party’s involvement in the by-election is strongly inferred from all the behind-the-scenes assistance and preparations that have been made for the independent candidate. DAP’s lack of a consistent and principled stand in Batu Talam may be symptomatic of the public power struggle that is imploding the party as it prepares for life after their emperor.
In many ways, Batu Talam reflects the health of the opposition at the national level. They find themselves without a clear direction, devoid of any real electoral strategy and lacking in any real political initiative.
Their neither-here-nor-there posturing in Batu Talam with the feeble excuse of not trusting the EC thrown in, exposes them as a political sideshow clutching at straws for what to do next. Remember, if the government had a rough year politically last year, none of it was due to the opposition’s own efforts. They merely cheered it on, unable to gain traction on any issue they wanted to raise.
Of course there was great hope within opposition circles that the return of Anwar Ibrahim would provide them with fresh impetus. Sadly for them, Anwar ending his nomadic wanderings has not led to any new consensus emerging ahead of the next general election.
He is still short on ideas as to how to position himself between Pas and DAP, desperately not wanting to alienate any part of the vast political spectrum that he wants to straddle. (Sounds familiar?) He has been taking his usual pot-shots, making allegations and spreading innuendo. But 2007 is a year short of a decade on from his heyday reformasi moments and Anwar is beginning to look and sound like a pathetic, marginal has-been.
I suppose one of the greatest failings of the opposition is their lack of any positive platform. What they offer in their rallies, through their elected representatives, in their websites and via their mouthpieces in blogosphere, is what the Americans call negative campaigning.
Rather than getting their policy platforms across, almost all of the opposition’s activities and efforts are channelled towards pointing out what they think is wrong with the government today.
Think about it. When was the last time the opposition came up with an original, positive policy platform? Sometimes they bring up pertinent issues but most of the time, their charges have as much veracity as a blog run by some never-was journo hack with a dried-up contact list and an enormous chip on his shoulder.
What has made it worse for the opposition is the open policy of the present government that has encouraged dissent from within its ranks. Case in point would be the emboldened government backbenchers who regularly take senior government officials to task for failed promises or shoddy execution rendering the opposition redundant.
So as frustrating as the Batu Talam campaign has been it has served — as countless other by-elections have in the past — as a useful indicator of national political trends. Before nomination day many thought that it would be a barometer of heartland support for the government and the prime minister.
But as events have shown, it has exposed the dysfunctional and rudderless state of the opposition that sought to spin the boycott in their favour only to see it blow up right in their faces.
Penangite comments: As I posted very much earlier..as the chief campaigner, of course the absolute victory would be expected. Out of the 'Cage', in to the 'Cave'.
New Straits Times
THE campaign in the Batu Talam by-election has been frustrating. A rural constituency with not much by way of industry or economic development, it is typical of the many agricultural state assembly districts in the Malay heartland. By physical size it is as large as Perlis.
It takes almost an hour to get from the outskirts of Raub town where Batu Talam begins to some areas of Felda Tersang or Hulu Atok at the other ends of the constituency. It is an ideal venue for a classic duel between two of the biggest Malay-based political parties in Malaysia, repeating the many contests that have taken place in the very same place during previous elections.
When news of the death of the former assemblyman was relayed to me, I anticipated a spirited challenge by the opposition in the form of a Pas candidate.
After all, 2006 in many ways was not an easy year for Umno and its leadership. There were concerns over economic growth, divisive issues concerning religion and ethnicity, and a very public and damaging spat between present and past leaders.
The timing of the by-election was, therefore, a fortuitous turn of events for the opposition keen to capitalise on the setbacks of the past year. Or so I thought.
But instead of facing off with Umno/Barisan Nasional in Batu Talam, the opposition has staged a boycott of the by-election. Rather than using the opportunity of the campaign as a platform for raising issues against the government, they have decided to abstain from the election purportedly as a sign of protest against the Election Commission (EC). They claim that the EC needs an urgent and comprehensive revamp to clean up the electoral roll and also to re-examine laws and regulations that discriminate against opposition parties.
Yet, they forget to mention that this is the same EC that oversaw the last general election, the Sarawak state polls and the Kuala Berang and Pengkalan Pasir by-elections which all saw opposition candidates participate freely without any restriction and win some seats. They omitted the fact that after Pas’s loss in Pengkalan Pasir, they challenged, albeit without success, the result of the election in court. They will never admit to the various complaints and reports that Umno has made to the EC of "phantom voters" appearing or the systematic moving of voters from Pas strongholds to marginal seats in Kelantan.
The very real reason that the mainstream opposition is not contesting in Batu Talam is because of the near certainty of losing and losing badly. They know that a crushing defeat will take whatever initiative they had gained during the events of last year away from them. A comprehensive defeat would nullify whatever psychological gains they believe they have made. And they know that the best way of solidifying and uniting the Umno/Barisan Nasional rank-and-file is to go up against Pas, one on one.
So when on nomination day, we discovered that we were not up against Pas, not even against DAP or Keadilan but an independent candidate barely old enough to vote (I’m not even sure that he’s even a registered voter), we knew the campaign would be frustrating and difficult. It would be frustrating because of the absence of a real enemy.
You can never land the sort of punches that you train for years to throw when you don’t have anybody in your weight category to fight. And the campaign would be difficult because you are really just up against yourself. I suppose the best analogy is you cannot expect someone running the 100 metres alone to break the world record. The athlete would have to be running with the best peers in the world to have a chance of setting a new mark.
This is not to say that the opposition has stayed out entirely. Pas, typical of its new schizophrenic brand of leadership under the very confused younger generation of leaders, has given instructions to party members to boycott the election but if they must participate to support the independent candidate.
It was evident during the last few days of the campaign that their boycott didn’t preclude going down to give ceramah on the pretext of explaining the boycott but really lending their political capital for the opposition candidate.
The lack of a firm directive to their own members hardly signals a political entity that is sure of its own convictions and future direction. And as the Umno information chief astutely pointed out, had the by-election been held in Kelantan, in one of the Pas-held seats where the fate of the entire state government would hinge on its outcome, the thought of a boycott would not have even entered their minds.
DAP has also demonstrated a badly concealed indecision over Batu Talam. It is no secret that the independent candidate’s father has had a strong past with DAP and the party’s involvement in the by-election is strongly inferred from all the behind-the-scenes assistance and preparations that have been made for the independent candidate. DAP’s lack of a consistent and principled stand in Batu Talam may be symptomatic of the public power struggle that is imploding the party as it prepares for life after their emperor.
In many ways, Batu Talam reflects the health of the opposition at the national level. They find themselves without a clear direction, devoid of any real electoral strategy and lacking in any real political initiative.
Their neither-here-nor-there posturing in Batu Talam with the feeble excuse of not trusting the EC thrown in, exposes them as a political sideshow clutching at straws for what to do next. Remember, if the government had a rough year politically last year, none of it was due to the opposition’s own efforts. They merely cheered it on, unable to gain traction on any issue they wanted to raise.
Of course there was great hope within opposition circles that the return of Anwar Ibrahim would provide them with fresh impetus. Sadly for them, Anwar ending his nomadic wanderings has not led to any new consensus emerging ahead of the next general election.
He is still short on ideas as to how to position himself between Pas and DAP, desperately not wanting to alienate any part of the vast political spectrum that he wants to straddle. (Sounds familiar?) He has been taking his usual pot-shots, making allegations and spreading innuendo. But 2007 is a year short of a decade on from his heyday reformasi moments and Anwar is beginning to look and sound like a pathetic, marginal has-been.
I suppose one of the greatest failings of the opposition is their lack of any positive platform. What they offer in their rallies, through their elected representatives, in their websites and via their mouthpieces in blogosphere, is what the Americans call negative campaigning.
Rather than getting their policy platforms across, almost all of the opposition’s activities and efforts are channelled towards pointing out what they think is wrong with the government today.
Think about it. When was the last time the opposition came up with an original, positive policy platform? Sometimes they bring up pertinent issues but most of the time, their charges have as much veracity as a blog run by some never-was journo hack with a dried-up contact list and an enormous chip on his shoulder.
What has made it worse for the opposition is the open policy of the present government that has encouraged dissent from within its ranks. Case in point would be the emboldened government backbenchers who regularly take senior government officials to task for failed promises or shoddy execution rendering the opposition redundant.
So as frustrating as the Batu Talam campaign has been it has served — as countless other by-elections have in the past — as a useful indicator of national political trends. Before nomination day many thought that it would be a barometer of heartland support for the government and the prime minister.
But as events have shown, it has exposed the dysfunctional and rudderless state of the opposition that sought to spin the boycott in their favour only to see it blow up right in their faces.
Penangite comments: As I posted very much earlier..as the chief campaigner, of course the absolute victory would be expected. Out of the 'Cage', in to the 'Cave'.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
This is real bullshit man!
NS in need of more Chinese trainers
KUALA LUMPUR: The national service (NS) programme is in dire need of Chinese trainers, who only account for 1% of the training force in the 78 camps across the country.
For this reason, the NS Training Council is seeking those who have retired from teaching or from the civil service to volunteer as trainers.
They could fit in for the modules of community service, character building and nationhood, said council chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
There are, at present, only nine trainers on the physical training module.
Giving a breakdown on other trainers, he said 1,057 were Malays. The others are Indians (18) bumiputra from Sabah (190) and bumiputra from Sarawak (180).
Lee cited the low RM80 daily allowance as one of the probable reasons for the small number of Chinese trainers.
However, he added, the council has proposed to raise the allowance to RM120.
It is up to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also the Defence Minister, to decide, he told reporters at Wisma MCA here yesterday.
Ahead of the press conference, Lee and MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai met some of the current Chinese trainers.
Lee said trainers are needed for those who converse mainly in dialects such as Hakka, Hokkien and Cantonese.
Liow said MCA Youth would organise a nationwide road show to draw more Chinese trainers.
“Anyone who is interested can apply through the MCA,” he said, adding that they would have to submit their particulars by Feb 15 to be eligible as trainers for the second batch of training that begins in March.
Applicants can also fax their particulars to the council at 03-2687 3555.
Penangite comments: Hello sir, you said low wages are the cause for Chinese people not to apply to be trainers. Isn't this highlighting and worsening the scenario of economic disparity among the Malays and the Chinese. So meaning that the Malays and other bumiputeras are satisfied with the RM80 allowance? Nationwide road show to draw more Chinese? Eh, NS program kills ppl la..and u know Chinese very 'kiasi and kiasu' right? Even the police force fails to attract the Chinese, u think this small thing will? NS is already a failure as I have said in many of my posts earlier.
Can the government please..pretty please..end this disaster..it kills ppl..i dun care if Najib is involved in the murder of that chick, i can forgive him..heck i can even be frens with him but pls..abolish this NS program...a total waste of resources.
KUALA LUMPUR: The national service (NS) programme is in dire need of Chinese trainers, who only account for 1% of the training force in the 78 camps across the country.
For this reason, the NS Training Council is seeking those who have retired from teaching or from the civil service to volunteer as trainers.
They could fit in for the modules of community service, character building and nationhood, said council chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
There are, at present, only nine trainers on the physical training module.
Giving a breakdown on other trainers, he said 1,057 were Malays. The others are Indians (18) bumiputra from Sabah (190) and bumiputra from Sarawak (180).
Lee cited the low RM80 daily allowance as one of the probable reasons for the small number of Chinese trainers.
However, he added, the council has proposed to raise the allowance to RM120.
It is up to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also the Defence Minister, to decide, he told reporters at Wisma MCA here yesterday.
Ahead of the press conference, Lee and MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai met some of the current Chinese trainers.
Lee said trainers are needed for those who converse mainly in dialects such as Hakka, Hokkien and Cantonese.
Liow said MCA Youth would organise a nationwide road show to draw more Chinese trainers.
“Anyone who is interested can apply through the MCA,” he said, adding that they would have to submit their particulars by Feb 15 to be eligible as trainers for the second batch of training that begins in March.
Applicants can also fax their particulars to the council at 03-2687 3555.
Penangite comments: Hello sir, you said low wages are the cause for Chinese people not to apply to be trainers. Isn't this highlighting and worsening the scenario of economic disparity among the Malays and the Chinese. So meaning that the Malays and other bumiputeras are satisfied with the RM80 allowance? Nationwide road show to draw more Chinese? Eh, NS program kills ppl la..and u know Chinese very 'kiasi and kiasu' right? Even the police force fails to attract the Chinese, u think this small thing will? NS is already a failure as I have said in many of my posts earlier.
Can the government please..pretty please..end this disaster..it kills ppl..i dun care if Najib is involved in the murder of that chick, i can forgive him..heck i can even be frens with him but pls..abolish this NS program...a total waste of resources.
Malaysian Health Minister reflective of Malaysia's ills
I refer to Zafar Shah’s letter “The Arrogant Malaysian Health Minister” and cannot agree with him more. This guy’s conceit and condescending remarks are not only disgusting but increasingly reflective of this government’s “couldn’t be bothered attitude” towards Malaysians in general. He thinks he has rammed down the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 down GPs’ throats and now can sneakily ram down the National Healthcare Financing Scheme down the public’s throats by appointing a foreign consultant and a local CEO while hiding behind the OSA.
Needless to say both he and his publicity seeking Director-General have lost the plot. Just last week they were after private medical colleges for a lack of lecturer-student ratios when even LAN and the Education Ministry didn’t know anything about it and this whole week they appear to be focusing on raiding, through elaborate undercover schemes, clinics that are not run by dukuns, pawangs, Chinese sinsehs (which by the way, Chua will never dare disturb) and ayurvedics but clinics actually run by Medical Assistants, Nurses and Midwifes who in all likelihood were trained by the MOH itself.
Don’t these guys have anything better to do? Forget about Dengue, Avian flu or even the floods. Leadership in Healthcare died with Sardon Jubir (Read MGG Pillai), when the MOH became nothing more then a vehicle for money making. Just look who are the Deans, Presidents of Private Medical Colleges or don't be surprised who directors are of medical equipment suppliers - ex-MOH officials including ex-DGs. So much for transparency, corruption, etc, etc. Even Judges in this country are not allowed to join a legal firm until after 5 years after retirement. But in the MOH anything goes.
This Minister is so arrogant that medical students who came for an excursion to the Ministry of Health must have wished they had skipped it. The minister and his DG’s penchant to hide behind the Malaysian Medical Council’s skirts everytime they want to implement anything controversial does not hold water anymore. The MMC became a discredited body the moment racialist overtones were seen in the Crimean episode. Colleges both private and public unable to meet the criteria set should just be told “NO” to recognition. Manipal till this day is not recognized neither in Singapore, Australia or the UK but we recognize it. Why? Because there is a need for more doctors and this incredible pressure from the government, of whom a subservient MMC is a footnote, not independent of the Executive. The needs of the country must clearly be met lest we fall statistically short of taking care of our countrymen's healthcare needs. The solution is simple - a common exit examination for all graduating medical students, private or public, recognized or unrecognized, science stream or arts stream based, foreign or local, GMC or non-GMC recognized. But never, never, fall into the race trap, for then the medical profession will always have to live with - no credibility. We should then not fault the public or courts for siding with Whitaker instead of Bolam.
To those eager students who visited the MOH for a shot at inspiration but instead got lectured that they may be "no standard", loose not hope for medicine is all about initiative, drive and desire to keep up with new knowledge and changes. And if you have that drive in you to keep learning and apply it diligently - you will always be a good doctor, no matter what people tell you. And to the Minister, the MCA should really send him back to Batu Pahat where I believe mandors currently are in great need.
Needless to say both he and his publicity seeking Director-General have lost the plot. Just last week they were after private medical colleges for a lack of lecturer-student ratios when even LAN and the Education Ministry didn’t know anything about it and this whole week they appear to be focusing on raiding, through elaborate undercover schemes, clinics that are not run by dukuns, pawangs, Chinese sinsehs (which by the way, Chua will never dare disturb) and ayurvedics but clinics actually run by Medical Assistants, Nurses and Midwifes who in all likelihood were trained by the MOH itself.
Don’t these guys have anything better to do? Forget about Dengue, Avian flu or even the floods. Leadership in Healthcare died with Sardon Jubir (Read MGG Pillai), when the MOH became nothing more then a vehicle for money making. Just look who are the Deans, Presidents of Private Medical Colleges or don't be surprised who directors are of medical equipment suppliers - ex-MOH officials including ex-DGs. So much for transparency, corruption, etc, etc. Even Judges in this country are not allowed to join a legal firm until after 5 years after retirement. But in the MOH anything goes.
This Minister is so arrogant that medical students who came for an excursion to the Ministry of Health must have wished they had skipped it. The minister and his DG’s penchant to hide behind the Malaysian Medical Council’s skirts everytime they want to implement anything controversial does not hold water anymore. The MMC became a discredited body the moment racialist overtones were seen in the Crimean episode. Colleges both private and public unable to meet the criteria set should just be told “NO” to recognition. Manipal till this day is not recognized neither in Singapore, Australia or the UK but we recognize it. Why? Because there is a need for more doctors and this incredible pressure from the government, of whom a subservient MMC is a footnote, not independent of the Executive. The needs of the country must clearly be met lest we fall statistically short of taking care of our countrymen's healthcare needs. The solution is simple - a common exit examination for all graduating medical students, private or public, recognized or unrecognized, science stream or arts stream based, foreign or local, GMC or non-GMC recognized. But never, never, fall into the race trap, for then the medical profession will always have to live with - no credibility. We should then not fault the public or courts for siding with Whitaker instead of Bolam.
To those eager students who visited the MOH for a shot at inspiration but instead got lectured that they may be "no standard", loose not hope for medicine is all about initiative, drive and desire to keep up with new knowledge and changes. And if you have that drive in you to keep learning and apply it diligently - you will always be a good doctor, no matter what people tell you. And to the Minister, the MCA should really send him back to Batu Pahat where I believe mandors currently are in great need.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Sembang Kedai Kopi must never leave out Sembang Bola
Featuring Ronaldinho, Soccer Genius of FC Barcelona.
Serupa tapi tak sama, but both pretty babes are dead =(
PETALING JAYA: South Korean actress and pop singer U-Nee was found hanged in her home last Sunday.
The online version of the South Korean daily Chosun Ilbo reported that the 26-year-old singer’s grandmotherfound her body in her 22nd-floor apartment in Seo-gu, Incheon.
U-Nee is believed to have been suffering from depression.
U-Nee – real name Hur Youn, but who performed under the stage name Lee Hye-ryeon – became known to Malaysians when her pictures were mistakenly used for murdered Mongolian beauty Altantuya Shaaribuu.
The pictures were widely circulated via e-mail.
Several newspapers here and in Singapore ran the pictures but Altantuya’s father Shaaribuu Setev, when he was in Kuala Lumpur last year to help in police investigations, clarified that the pictures were not that of his daughter.
U-Nee’s 71-year-old grandmother, identified only as Lee, said she returned home from church to find her granddaughter hanging from a doorframe.
The artiste’s fans were surprised when they learned about the news as they were awaiting the release of her latest album Honey, due out on Feb 1.
South Korean police said neither a suicide note nor a will was found in U-Nee’s apartment and people close to her had testified that she had been suffering from depression.
U-Nee had allegedly posted her feelings of loneliness on her website earlier.
“I feel everything is empty. I am again walking down a path to reach a destination that I don’t know,” the posting said.
The singer-actress rose to fame under the name Lee Hye-ryeon after her debut in Korean KBS television drama Grown-ups Just Don’t Understand in 1996.
She also acted in the movie Seventeen in 1998 and later in television dramas Theme Game and Tears of the Dragon.
When she ventured into singing, she adopted the name U-Nee.
The daily claimed that U-Nee’s sexy dance moves and revealing attire made her a favourite pop star among teenagers across Asia.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
When ur on top, will u be tat stupid to come down? Of coz not! Power is vital.
PM: I’ll run in next elections
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wants to run in the next general election and continue leading the country.
“I think so. I think so. There is a lot of work to be done. There is a lot of work. Yes,” the Prime Minister said when asked if he still had the appetite for the job and planned to contest in the next elections, expected in 2009.
He was speaking in an interview over BBC’s Asia Today, which was aired yesterday morning.
On Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s criticism of him, Abdullah said the former prime minister had the right to say whatever he wanted, but as the current leader, he (Abdullah) had a government to run.
“I have to do whatever is best. The economy is better now. The 9th Malaysia Plan was launched last year, and today it’s gathering momentum.
“Maybe (the criticism is because) we are a little slow and he (Dr Mahathir) is getting impatient,” he added.
Abdullah also denied that there was a more aggressive advancement of Islam at the official level and that this was making non-Muslims in the country more uncomfortable.
“No, no – that’s what some believe. But as far as we are concerned, we believe in freedom of worship. This is guaranteed by the (Federal) Constitution. People of other faiths are free to practise their religion in Malaysia, and at the same time we do not marginalise them.
“They participate in the Government because we have a government that shares power among Muslim and non-Muslim – the Hindus, Buddhists and Christians,” he said.
He agreed that some Muslim groups were trying to propagate a more aggressive Islam in Malaysia.
He noted that a political party (PAS) had been talking about setting up an Islamic state, adding that the country had an open electoral system.
“They (PAS) contest the elections. If the non-Muslims want to vote for them it’s up to them,” he added.
Abdullah admitted that there were some in Malaysia who were inclined towards militant philosophies such as the Jemaah Islamiah (JI); but added that the authorities had been very quick to act and curb such tendencies.
“We acted very fast. We have to engage them. We have to talk to them, counsel them. That has been done and that’s what we have been doing all the time,” he said.
“Islam is the official religion and the practice here has been moderate and we have done very well.”
Abdullah also took to task US President George W. Bush’s lopsided policies in West Asia, which he said angered the Muslims.
He pointed out that shortly after the Sept 11, 2001, terror attack in the US, when Bush declared the war on terror “everyone supported it because we thought it (the attack) was something unfair – something that should not have happened.”
“After that he (Bush) changed the game plan. He attacked Iraq and went into Afghanistan,” Abdullah said, adding that it was very obvious that in the Middle East issues, the US president always favoured Israel.
“This action that he has taken has caused a lot of unhappiness and angered the Muslims,” he said, adding that the US president should instead try to create a better understanding of Islam in the Christian West.
Abdullah denied that moderate Muslims leaders like him were reticent about speaking about sectarian violence among warring Muslim groups, pointing out that he had spoken up against it a number of times.
He said he has been condemning militants “very often” because the religion has zero tolerance for terrorism.
Acknowledging that a chasm has developed between the West and Islam, with both sides demonising each other, Abdullah said it was important to create a better understanding of Islam.
This, he believe, could be done by continuing to talk about what Islam really is.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
An article to share..
By NG WEI LEEN
Ask any Malaysian where the best place is to eat in their area and chances are you will spend at least 15 minutes listening to him or her waxing lyrical about the fantastic fish-head curry or mee rebus just around the corner. We Malaysians love our food and are unapologetic about it.
Ask the same person about unionising labour in Malaysia or about the latest contractor to spill concrete onto one of our priceless coral reefs and what he thinks about the matter, and unfortunately the response is often much less enthusiastic. Why don’t we care about things that really matter?
I have a theory. Socrates believed that all men (and women) necessarily seek “the good.” However, most people do not know what is good for them.
Fortunately, there is salvation. One need only seek knowledge to know what is good for true knowledge necessarily leads to true good. Some would claim that the pursuit of knowledge is the pursuit of God. My belief is that once men (and women) know what is truly good, they will pursue it and see that good is done. Simple. All we need now is an education.
We Malaysians are by and large an uneducated lot. Blasphemous but true. Education is not just going to school and getting a diploma or degree. That is “merely” formal education.
I mean critical and ethical education, the kind of education that bestows upon us not mere knowledge but that elusive quality called wisdom, or common sense if you prefer.
Think of it this way. A little formal education will teach you not to trust propaganda. True common sense would teach you not to trust the person who tells you to question propaganda.
All this seems well and good on paper. However, how is one to get a critical and ethical education, especially since formal education seems to be the only education that we’ve grown to know? My answer to that is a simple and effective two-step program called “Ask & Act“(A&A), which promises to help you become the wisest person you can be (or your money back).
Inquiry
This is of paramount importance. If you are aware of the image of Malaysians sipping teh tarik while talking cock, you must surely also realise that the mamak stall is a poor place for seeking and disseminating knowledge. Read and listen widely, ensuring that both mainstream and alternative ideas are heard and understood. You will be a limited individual if you foolishly limit your knowledge base. Also, you will end up finding only information that supports your bias. A local newspaper is no less informative than an alternative blog, especially since both can only give one point of view each (ironically, the people who believe The Star is worthless are the same people who don’t read it).
After that, ask questions. In doing so, one should be careful not to keep speaking to the same people. Speaking to one set of people tends to give only one side of the story, which not only tends to persistently reinforce or refute your own personal beliefs, but is also frequently a lot less exciting for arguments.
Activism
Though activism comes after inquiry, it is no less important. Knowledge and wisdom must guide one’s actions, or you risk becoming someone else’s pawn. However, once you have a point of view, it is surely your duty to defend it to the umm… principal’s office. This in no way implies that activism is strictly associated with radical activities. That would be a grave misinterpretation.
Activism in the context I intend is all-encompassing. The oft-repeated refrain against any action is that it is too hard, troublesome or dangerous. However, I sincerely doubt a community service volunteer would face grave danger.
Even so, on a personal level, a simple minimum can be met with ease. Writing - whether on a blog, for a school magazine, or even in a letter to a newspaper - can be a meaningful way to contribute to issues of concern for the individual.
The less literary among us may decide to volunteer to care for sea turtles, while the adventurous may decide to venture into where even deep-sea dwelling turtles don’t go – politics. Even changing your diet to a vegetarian one in the name of animal activism counts.
At the end of the two activities above, you will be a wiser, more mature individual. Too often, we settle for intellectual sloth, believing without criticising, and abhor the intellectual rigour that must accompany any sort of knowledge seeking.
If by the end of your A&A program you have changed your position on at least one major belief and acted on it, you would have contributed in a small way to changing the apathy of your generation.
–
NG WEI LEEN is an average guy who tries as much as possible to stay in touch with the country of his birth, which isn’t easy even though its only a bridge away to the north. Pragmatic but idealistic, he wants to reconcile rationality with patriotism.
Ask any Malaysian where the best place is to eat in their area and chances are you will spend at least 15 minutes listening to him or her waxing lyrical about the fantastic fish-head curry or mee rebus just around the corner. We Malaysians love our food and are unapologetic about it.
Ask the same person about unionising labour in Malaysia or about the latest contractor to spill concrete onto one of our priceless coral reefs and what he thinks about the matter, and unfortunately the response is often much less enthusiastic. Why don’t we care about things that really matter?
I have a theory. Socrates believed that all men (and women) necessarily seek “the good.” However, most people do not know what is good for them.
Fortunately, there is salvation. One need only seek knowledge to know what is good for true knowledge necessarily leads to true good. Some would claim that the pursuit of knowledge is the pursuit of God. My belief is that once men (and women) know what is truly good, they will pursue it and see that good is done. Simple. All we need now is an education.
We Malaysians are by and large an uneducated lot. Blasphemous but true. Education is not just going to school and getting a diploma or degree. That is “merely” formal education.
I mean critical and ethical education, the kind of education that bestows upon us not mere knowledge but that elusive quality called wisdom, or common sense if you prefer.
Think of it this way. A little formal education will teach you not to trust propaganda. True common sense would teach you not to trust the person who tells you to question propaganda.
All this seems well and good on paper. However, how is one to get a critical and ethical education, especially since formal education seems to be the only education that we’ve grown to know? My answer to that is a simple and effective two-step program called “Ask & Act“(A&A), which promises to help you become the wisest person you can be (or your money back).
Inquiry
This is of paramount importance. If you are aware of the image of Malaysians sipping teh tarik while talking cock, you must surely also realise that the mamak stall is a poor place for seeking and disseminating knowledge. Read and listen widely, ensuring that both mainstream and alternative ideas are heard and understood. You will be a limited individual if you foolishly limit your knowledge base. Also, you will end up finding only information that supports your bias. A local newspaper is no less informative than an alternative blog, especially since both can only give one point of view each (ironically, the people who believe The Star is worthless are the same people who don’t read it).
After that, ask questions. In doing so, one should be careful not to keep speaking to the same people. Speaking to one set of people tends to give only one side of the story, which not only tends to persistently reinforce or refute your own personal beliefs, but is also frequently a lot less exciting for arguments.
Activism
Though activism comes after inquiry, it is no less important. Knowledge and wisdom must guide one’s actions, or you risk becoming someone else’s pawn. However, once you have a point of view, it is surely your duty to defend it to the umm… principal’s office. This in no way implies that activism is strictly associated with radical activities. That would be a grave misinterpretation.
Activism in the context I intend is all-encompassing. The oft-repeated refrain against any action is that it is too hard, troublesome or dangerous. However, I sincerely doubt a community service volunteer would face grave danger.
Even so, on a personal level, a simple minimum can be met with ease. Writing - whether on a blog, for a school magazine, or even in a letter to a newspaper - can be a meaningful way to contribute to issues of concern for the individual.
The less literary among us may decide to volunteer to care for sea turtles, while the adventurous may decide to venture into where even deep-sea dwelling turtles don’t go – politics. Even changing your diet to a vegetarian one in the name of animal activism counts.
At the end of the two activities above, you will be a wiser, more mature individual. Too often, we settle for intellectual sloth, believing without criticising, and abhor the intellectual rigour that must accompany any sort of knowledge seeking.
If by the end of your A&A program you have changed your position on at least one major belief and acted on it, you would have contributed in a small way to changing the apathy of your generation.
–
NG WEI LEEN is an average guy who tries as much as possible to stay in touch with the country of his birth, which isn’t easy even though its only a bridge away to the north. Pragmatic but idealistic, he wants to reconcile rationality with patriotism.
are u ok DAP?
is DAP having a political crisis? Lim Kit Siang - Lim Guan Eng looks a bit like Lee Kuan Yew - Lee Hsien Loong. why not? after all DAP originates from PAP. from Malaysian Malaysia to Malaysian First, DAP has its own internal squabbles too...
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH...I'M LAUGHING NON STOP
MB’s way to expose skivers
By LOONG MENG YEE of The Star
KLANG: Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo has found a way to turn the tables on government employees who pretend to be sick and submit false medical certificates (MCs).
Armed with flowers and fruit baskets, Dr Khir has visited the homes of some supposedly ill employees and caught them out fishing, visiting their in-laws or running personal errands.
“Some were very shocked to see me (when they returned), apologised for their dishonesty and promised not to do it again.
“Others, however, are quite stubborn. Not only do they not want to admit wrong, but blame their doctors for insisting on giving them MCs although they did not want them,” said Dr Khir.
A former dentist, the Mentri Besar said he was quite well-versed with false MC tricks as some patients had given all sorts of excuses, including gum problem and toothache just to get medical chits.
He related his experiences dealing with such patients in his morning address to Klang district civil officers and employees yesterday.
Dr Khir said state employees who needed to attend to urgent personal matters should be honest with their bosses.
“Cheating using MCs is not the way out. If you genuinely need time out to attend to urgent family matters, tell your bosses.
“It boils down to a sense of responsibility. Getting away with false MCs is not a sign of being clever but an attitude of dishonesty. You get caught and the trust is gone, it will affect your chances of promotion,” said Dr Khir.
He called on state employees to work with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in improving the delivery system to the public and investors.
Dr Khir added the state employees should work for the people instead of “syok sendiri” (for personal satisfaction).
“Going for long tea breaks, ignoring the public, using the office Internet for personal use – these are attitudes that don't benefit the public,” said Dr Khir.
Instead, he wants employees to follow the state's guidelines on settling inquiries and problems raised within two weeks.
“Reply to the letters sent by the public, do not keep them in the dark. That’s really impolite and shows a poor sense of accountability,” said Dr Khir.
He also warned the state employees to steer clear of corruption.
By LOONG MENG YEE of The Star
KLANG: Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo has found a way to turn the tables on government employees who pretend to be sick and submit false medical certificates (MCs).
Armed with flowers and fruit baskets, Dr Khir has visited the homes of some supposedly ill employees and caught them out fishing, visiting their in-laws or running personal errands.
“Some were very shocked to see me (when they returned), apologised for their dishonesty and promised not to do it again.
“Others, however, are quite stubborn. Not only do they not want to admit wrong, but blame their doctors for insisting on giving them MCs although they did not want them,” said Dr Khir.
A former dentist, the Mentri Besar said he was quite well-versed with false MC tricks as some patients had given all sorts of excuses, including gum problem and toothache just to get medical chits.
He related his experiences dealing with such patients in his morning address to Klang district civil officers and employees yesterday.
Dr Khir said state employees who needed to attend to urgent personal matters should be honest with their bosses.
“Cheating using MCs is not the way out. If you genuinely need time out to attend to urgent family matters, tell your bosses.
“It boils down to a sense of responsibility. Getting away with false MCs is not a sign of being clever but an attitude of dishonesty. You get caught and the trust is gone, it will affect your chances of promotion,” said Dr Khir.
He called on state employees to work with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in improving the delivery system to the public and investors.
Dr Khir added the state employees should work for the people instead of “syok sendiri” (for personal satisfaction).
“Going for long tea breaks, ignoring the public, using the office Internet for personal use – these are attitudes that don't benefit the public,” said Dr Khir.
Instead, he wants employees to follow the state's guidelines on settling inquiries and problems raised within two weeks.
“Reply to the letters sent by the public, do not keep them in the dark. That’s really impolite and shows a poor sense of accountability,” said Dr Khir.
He also warned the state employees to steer clear of corruption.
Condolences to the professor's family
Syed Hussein dies at 79
KUALA LUMPUR: Former politician and academic Prof Syed Hussein Alatas died of a heart attack at his home in Damansara Heights here at 9.30 last night. He was 79.
His son-in-law Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah said Syed Hussein fell down and was rushed to the University Malaya Medical Centre where he was pronounced dead. His remains were taken home early this morning for burial later today.
He was a founder member of Gerakan in 1968. – Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: Former politician and academic Prof Syed Hussein Alatas died of a heart attack at his home in Damansara Heights here at 9.30 last night. He was 79.
His son-in-law Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah said Syed Hussein fell down and was rushed to the University Malaya Medical Centre where he was pronounced dead. His remains were taken home early this morning for burial later today.
He was a founder member of Gerakan in 1968. – Bernama
Bloggers must be responsible
News report from thestar online:
LONDON: Bloggers must be responsible for what they write on the Internet as there are laws on defamation and sedition, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.
The Prime Minister said these laws were enforceable and bloggers must bear in mind that they could not hide or take advantage of the Internet to do something that was against the law.
“They cannot hope to cover themselves or hide from the laws,” he told Malaysian journalists at the end of his three-day working visit here yesterday.
He said bloggers, just like newspaper journalists, must be responsible for what they wrote or risk facing legal action from others.
Abdullah was commenting on the legal action against bloggers Jeff Ooi and Ahirudin Attan by the New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd (NSTP), its deputy chairman Datuk Kali-mullah Masheerul Hassan, Group Editor in Chief Datuk Hishamuddin Aun and former Group Editor Brenden John Pereira.
He raised the question of “what was freedom without responsibility,” saying that laws must be respected.
On the lack of proficiency in English among teachers and lecturers, he said there was a need to improve the curriculum and methods to teach English in schools.
He added that Malaysians must understand that English was an international language.
Abdullah was responding to questions from journalists on the declining standard of English in Malaysian schools and universities.
Earlier, Abdullah told Malaysian students at the London School of Economics of the need for Malaysia to be competitive, pointing out the paces already made by the Chinese and India.
Penangite comments: Does this mean the world of blogosphere has become quite influential in shaping the mindset and mentality of the general public? But how many percentage of Malaysians are actually reading stuff from the internet? I wonder...
LONDON: Bloggers must be responsible for what they write on the Internet as there are laws on defamation and sedition, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.
The Prime Minister said these laws were enforceable and bloggers must bear in mind that they could not hide or take advantage of the Internet to do something that was against the law.
“They cannot hope to cover themselves or hide from the laws,” he told Malaysian journalists at the end of his three-day working visit here yesterday.
He said bloggers, just like newspaper journalists, must be responsible for what they wrote or risk facing legal action from others.
Abdullah was commenting on the legal action against bloggers Jeff Ooi and Ahirudin Attan by the New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd (NSTP), its deputy chairman Datuk Kali-mullah Masheerul Hassan, Group Editor in Chief Datuk Hishamuddin Aun and former Group Editor Brenden John Pereira.
He raised the question of “what was freedom without responsibility,” saying that laws must be respected.
On the lack of proficiency in English among teachers and lecturers, he said there was a need to improve the curriculum and methods to teach English in schools.
He added that Malaysians must understand that English was an international language.
Abdullah was responding to questions from journalists on the declining standard of English in Malaysian schools and universities.
Earlier, Abdullah told Malaysian students at the London School of Economics of the need for Malaysia to be competitive, pointing out the paces already made by the Chinese and India.
Penangite comments: Does this mean the world of blogosphere has become quite influential in shaping the mindset and mentality of the general public? But how many percentage of Malaysians are actually reading stuff from the internet? I wonder...
Monday, January 22, 2007
Mencari Damai Abadi
Aku cari bukan harta bertimbun-timbun,
Untuk hidup kaya,
Aku cari bukan wang berjuta-juta,
Untuk hidup bergaya,
Aku cari bukan kawan-kawan,
Untuk hidup sekadar berfoya-foya,
Aku cari mana dia Al-Ghazali,
Aku cari mana dia Al-Shafie,
Kita bongkar rahsia kitab suci,
Cari panduan,
Kita bongkar rahsia sunah Nabi,
Cari pedoman,
Aku hidup kerana Dia Rabbi,
Dialah teman,
Dialah wali,
Dia mencukupi,
Aku hidup bererti,
Menikmati damai abadi.
PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Friday, January 19, 2007
Official Statement of Bloggers United
This is the official statement of Bloggers United. This statement is jointly drafted by Susan Loone and Sheih of Kickdefella. All those who believe in justice and right to free speech, please sign on and put this up in your blogs. Spread it around; let it grow far and wide. The fight is on! See also Susan Loone.
BLOGGERS UNITED CONDEMN ACTION AGAINST ROCKY & JEFF & DEMAND LEVEL PLAYING FIELD in ALL ACTION AGAINST BLOGGERS
We, Malaysian bloggers, we, who believe in justice and right to free speech, we, who endorse the Bloggers United movement, unanimously condemn the action taken by media conglomerate NST against bloggers Rocky Bru and Jeff Ooi. The action by the newspaper against the duo is an action against all bloggers who believe in their right to free speech, freedom of expression and justice.
The recent event may seem like a grave development in the path of bloggers, but it can never and must never impede or stop us from defending our right to speak, to express, to write and to tell the truth, to be the watchdog, eyes and ears of the people, or simply to share our view, and give fair comment on any subject which involves and affects us as humans, as rightful citizens of this country.
The recent event may very well give the government owned media the opportunity to dictate the so-called ‘truth” but such actions only prove that bloggers must unite, continue to uphold the right to free speech and freedom of expression, fight for justice, even if it is not our own, be more alert, committed to the cause of free speech, relentless and persistence in the face of such persecution like the one which had befallen on the two of us.
What YOU do to any of US, is what YOU do to ALL.
As responsible bloggers, we demand and claim our space on the blogosphere for free and fair comment, where important national issues and prominent personalities are discussed.
Although it may seem as if the NSTP defamation suits will have a chilling effect on freedom of bloggers, as litigation can be expensive and may jeorpadise a blogger’s economic position, we will not be cowed or silenced by those who have no regard for free speech.
If you find our post offensive, you may refute us with correct facts and figures and fair comment, in the spirit of free speech.
The first two cases will have grave impact not only on the internet, but country as a whole as the country celebrates VMY2007. The healthy, mature and democratic growth for free speech and expression in our midst is at stake. The reputation of the nation as it strives to promote our multimedia supercorridor and love for IT will be a national joke for all the world to feast on.
We demand for a level playing field in all action meted out to bloggers and in particular in the defamation proceedings particularly in terms of financial resources and capabilities, and secondly, that the legal rights of bloggers et al are properly protected in keeping with the imperatives of an information society and knowledge economy which Malaysia aspires to become.
BLOGGERS UNITED CONDEMN ACTION AGAINST ROCKY & JEFF & DEMAND LEVEL PLAYING FIELD in ALL ACTION AGAINST BLOGGERS
We, Malaysian bloggers, we, who believe in justice and right to free speech, we, who endorse the Bloggers United movement, unanimously condemn the action taken by media conglomerate NST against bloggers Rocky Bru and Jeff Ooi. The action by the newspaper against the duo is an action against all bloggers who believe in their right to free speech, freedom of expression and justice.
The recent event may seem like a grave development in the path of bloggers, but it can never and must never impede or stop us from defending our right to speak, to express, to write and to tell the truth, to be the watchdog, eyes and ears of the people, or simply to share our view, and give fair comment on any subject which involves and affects us as humans, as rightful citizens of this country.
The recent event may very well give the government owned media the opportunity to dictate the so-called ‘truth” but such actions only prove that bloggers must unite, continue to uphold the right to free speech and freedom of expression, fight for justice, even if it is not our own, be more alert, committed to the cause of free speech, relentless and persistence in the face of such persecution like the one which had befallen on the two of us.
What YOU do to any of US, is what YOU do to ALL.
As responsible bloggers, we demand and claim our space on the blogosphere for free and fair comment, where important national issues and prominent personalities are discussed.
Although it may seem as if the NSTP defamation suits will have a chilling effect on freedom of bloggers, as litigation can be expensive and may jeorpadise a blogger’s economic position, we will not be cowed or silenced by those who have no regard for free speech.
If you find our post offensive, you may refute us with correct facts and figures and fair comment, in the spirit of free speech.
The first two cases will have grave impact not only on the internet, but country as a whole as the country celebrates VMY2007. The healthy, mature and democratic growth for free speech and expression in our midst is at stake. The reputation of the nation as it strives to promote our multimedia supercorridor and love for IT will be a national joke for all the world to feast on.
We demand for a level playing field in all action meted out to bloggers and in particular in the defamation proceedings particularly in terms of financial resources and capabilities, and secondly, that the legal rights of bloggers et al are properly protected in keeping with the imperatives of an information society and knowledge economy which Malaysia aspires to become.
An interesting week indeed
Well it has been an interesting week. It has been reported that, while Johor was submerged in the first round of floods, the Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, was on an extended holiday in Australia to open his brother’s nasi kandar restaurant.
On Wednesday, 17th January 2007, the Prime Minister hosted a durian eating pesta at Sri Perdana. The NST has a picture of him cracking open a durian. They did not carry any picture of him with durian splashed over his face.
During his short four hour visit to the flooded areas in Johor, Badawi said that the Government would provide ‘free’ inoculations against diseases. Someone should tell Badawi that the Government medical services even in the General Hospitals have always been free of charge or almost free of charge. And no Government in the world charges citizens money for inoculations during floods and epidemics. They are always free.
After the recent Monsoon Cup in Terengganu, Badawi justified blowing off another RM300 million by saying that 1.3 billion people around the world saw the yacht race live on television. This sounds like the trivia we often hear from the Mufti of Perak. The fact is even live telecasts of World Cup football matches do not attract that kind of viewers.
The dictionary defines a ‘stupid’ person as someone who is lacking in intelligence. And a moron is simply defined as ‘a very stupid person’. It will be impolite to say that Abdullah Badawi the Prime Minister is a stupid moron. But it will be more apt to say that he is very greatly lacking in intelligence. To use politically correct language, we can say that the Prime Minister is a ‘mentally challenged’ person.
The question that is weeping and wailing for an answer is how much longer Malaysians are going to be hobbled by his incompetence?
On 17 January 2007, the NST reported that Abdullah has dared his own Ministers ‘to deliver on promises’. The NST has proudly and loudly declared Abdullah’s dare to Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein: “Deliver on your promise to improve the quality of the education system” and his dare to the Higher Education Minister, Datuk Mustapa Mohamed: “Hisham has promised to deliver the best students to your universities. Can your universities produce the best graduates?”
But, Mr Prime Minister, these are your Ministers. This is your Cabinet. You are the one who appointed these Ministers. You are the one who broke up the Education Ministry into two. What is there to ‘dare’ them or ‘challenge’ them? Just tell them to do their job. If they don’t, then just fire them. Better still why don’t you just resign and go away?
In a recent article in the Net titled “Ailing nation with a flip flop Prime Minister”, eminent historian Datuk Professor Khoo Kay Kim said there is now a ‘lack of a national vision or direction’ and that ‘a lot of Malaysians are at a loss as to where the nation is heading’.
Professor Khoo’s article confirms that Badawi is ‘greatly lacking in intelligence’. This was again reconfirmed by a recent NST headline which concluded the findings of a recent seminar on Badawi’s first three years in office with the word ‘bloopers’. That is what the NST had to say about Badawi's first three years in office.
Anwar Ibrahim has also been on the warpath this week. He has revealed that the Turkish Prime Minister told him that Badawi was indeed in Bodrum in Turkey to receive a boat as a gift from Ananda Krishnan. And the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet refuses to retract their story that Badawi went to Bodrum to see this boat. If this is true it means that Badawi lied about the boat.
Anwar also made another Press statement that our DPM, Najib Tun Razak, is involved in the murder case surrounding the Mongolian woman, Altantuya Shaaribuu. Some of his allegations were also reiterated by the Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang in his own Press statement.
Dato Najib is rapidly becoming a non-issue. From being the eloquent, fully awake, ‘all my lights are on’ alter-ego to the mentally-challenged Badawi, Najib is now finding himself like a man stuck without a paddle on a canoe drifting down some Mongolian river towards a killer waterfall with his wife Rosmah strung like a heavy stone around his neck. There is no ‘Maid of the Mist’ to rescue Najib.
Besides Anwar’s and Kit Siang’s filibuster and an astute analysis of the Altantuya murder by the writer Kim Quek, Najib’s ‘elegant silence’ is becoming increasingly deafening. The allegations over the Altantuya murder appear the most serious. There are glaring gaps in the conduct of the case where the Attorney General is also compliantly keeping mum.
Why did the AG’s office go out of its way to declare so quickly that ‘no one else is involved’? This is an impossible proposition in a court of law. What could possibly be the mens ria or motive for the two UTK personnel to kill Altantuya? What did the UTK personnel have against Mongolian women whom they have never met before in their lives?
And everyone knows that highly trained and very capable UTK officers do not act - even to do something in breach of the law - unless they are given strict orders by someone higher up. The public still recalls the case of Anwar Ibrahim giving orders to the Special Branch to falsely and illegally arrest and torture Ummi Hafilda Ali and Azizan Abu Bakar - a crime which got Anwar six years in jail.
So who gave those deadly orders to the UTK to kill Altantuya Shaaribuu? If the AG says that there was no one else who gave such orders and that the two UTK officers were acting on their own, it simply confirms that there is a massive cover up going on over this murder.
It would mean that the AG, the Police and just about everyone else in Government is party to this cover up - whether intentionally or unwittingly.
The question being asked by many Malaysians is whether Najib and his wife Rosmah have met Altantuya Shaaribuu before, anywhere on the surface of this earth like on the Himalayas, in the Amazon, in France or anywhere else at all?
Did Najib not know that Altantuya provided consultancy services like translating and interpreting for Razak Baginda’s company or companies or for Razak Baginda himself over the French submarine deal?
Najib’s silence over the fact that the two UTK personnel charged with the murder were his bodyguards and the policewoman who was NOT charged with anything was Rosmah’s escort only adds much fuel to the many mysteries around this murder.
Anwar has also continued his relentless broadside against Najib by questioning Najib’s involvement in the RM3.2 Billion Sukhoi jetfighters deal where 'commissions' of USD100 million are involved. Other people named by Anwar for being involved in this deal are Dato Seri Mohd Adib Adam and his sister Askiah Adam who was at one time a member of the Sisters in Islam.
Like hyenas going after a wounded animal for a quick meal, Anwar’s is zeroing in on the now vulnerable DPM Dato Najib. Anwar is bending over backwards (as opposed to bending over forwards – no pun intended) to get back into UMNO. This Altantuya case appears like a free gift to him. Anwar will not let go of this opportunity. Najib and his people are already being seen as ‘yesterday's news’.
If Najib is ousted will we see the appearance of a new DPM or possibly two new DPMs, i.e. Khairy Jamaludin and Anwar Ibrahim? Is this an impossible scenario? But if Najib goes down, won’t he take down the whole UMNO system with him?
Anwar has even taken a pot shot at his former admirer Nor Mohamed Yakcop. Anwar has again repeated his accusation that Nor Mohamed Yakcop committed illegal acts and criminally withheld information from the BNM Governor when he engaged in reckless Forex trading which ultimately caused RM30 billion losses for Bank Negara Malaysia. But Anwar correctly points out that after Nor Mohamed was fired from his job he was not supposed to hold any position in the finance industry. Yet Nor Mohamed is now the Second Finance Minister who reports directly to Khairy Jamaluddin.
The Prime Minister is shuttling between boat-viewing in Turkey, opening nasi kandar restaurants, viewing real estate in Australia, and hosting durian pestas. The running of the country is being left to the fourth floor boys who are simply falling down.
The Malaysian Institute of Economic Research has been required to parrot the Government’s own downgrading of the economy for 2007. The earlier projected 6% growth for this year has been reduced to 5.2 %. Last year the hyped up 6.2% projection was ultimately cut down to 5.8 %.
Tun Dr Mahathir does not believe Government statistics anymore. The Ninth Malaysia Plan is predicated on a 6% growth rate. But for two years in a row, the growth rate has slipped to the 5 % level. The Ninth Plan is also projected on oil revenues based on USD64 per barrel. Oil is now trading at USD50 per barrel. Analysts predict oil to settle at USD45 to USD48 per barrel.
In stark contrast the KLSE has reached 1139 points and is still going north. Obviously the run up in the KLSE has nothing to do with our economic fundamentals anymore. Huge amounts of dollar based hot money are now flowing into the region, hoping to make gains from the weakening dollar and pushing up stock prices at the same time. When this hot money exits the scene, the KLSE bull will collapse. The question is how soon?
Thailand has taken aggressive proactive steps and slammed foreign speculators with a 12 month retention of 30% of all funds invested in stocks, real estate, bonds and foreign currency borrowings. But in Malaysia we have been flabbergasted to read that the Ministry of Finance and Bank Negara Malaysia have corresponded and conducted meetings with hot money scam operators who have proposed borrowing USD50 billion to fund the Government's Ninth Plan projects. What is happening to our country?
As Prof Khoo Khay Kim said, the nation is now without any direction. One observer suggested giving the leadership to Khairy Jamaluddin. Is this a reckless idea? One of Britain’s most capable Prime Minister’s of all time - Benjamin Disraeli - became Prime Minister at the age of 32 at the peak of Queen Victoria’s reign. A 32 year old Premier may be good for the country.
If Najib disappears from the scene, Badawi can step aside and engineer his son-in-law into power. This way we can all save time. The nation will be spared a painful power struggle. There will be less need for corruption and building up war chests - the staple prerequisite to ascend the throne in UMNO. Khairy can just get on with running the country.
But certainly Khairy will need much better advisors. The country needs a serious and urgent reengineering of its economic affairs. The Ministry of Finance is just going haywire while important units like the Economic Planning Unit have been sidelined. The MITI is listless while the Ministry of Domestic Trade has been reduced to becoming a pirated DVD outfit (read that any way you want).
What we need is a Ministry of Economic Development which encompasses the MITI, Ministry of Domestic Trade, the EPU, financial institutions, the KLSE and the Securities Commission.
The Ministry of Finance will perform the role of paymaster.
Urgent attention is needed to kick start the economy. The Prime Minister is not capable of performing this task. 6.4 % growth in 2005, 5.8 % growth in 2006, 5.2 % growth in 2007 in clearly reflective of a PM who is snoozing on the job.
Source : Ibnu Hakeem of Malaysia Today
On Wednesday, 17th January 2007, the Prime Minister hosted a durian eating pesta at Sri Perdana. The NST has a picture of him cracking open a durian. They did not carry any picture of him with durian splashed over his face.
During his short four hour visit to the flooded areas in Johor, Badawi said that the Government would provide ‘free’ inoculations against diseases. Someone should tell Badawi that the Government medical services even in the General Hospitals have always been free of charge or almost free of charge. And no Government in the world charges citizens money for inoculations during floods and epidemics. They are always free.
After the recent Monsoon Cup in Terengganu, Badawi justified blowing off another RM300 million by saying that 1.3 billion people around the world saw the yacht race live on television. This sounds like the trivia we often hear from the Mufti of Perak. The fact is even live telecasts of World Cup football matches do not attract that kind of viewers.
The dictionary defines a ‘stupid’ person as someone who is lacking in intelligence. And a moron is simply defined as ‘a very stupid person’. It will be impolite to say that Abdullah Badawi the Prime Minister is a stupid moron. But it will be more apt to say that he is very greatly lacking in intelligence. To use politically correct language, we can say that the Prime Minister is a ‘mentally challenged’ person.
The question that is weeping and wailing for an answer is how much longer Malaysians are going to be hobbled by his incompetence?
On 17 January 2007, the NST reported that Abdullah has dared his own Ministers ‘to deliver on promises’. The NST has proudly and loudly declared Abdullah’s dare to Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein: “Deliver on your promise to improve the quality of the education system” and his dare to the Higher Education Minister, Datuk Mustapa Mohamed: “Hisham has promised to deliver the best students to your universities. Can your universities produce the best graduates?”
But, Mr Prime Minister, these are your Ministers. This is your Cabinet. You are the one who appointed these Ministers. You are the one who broke up the Education Ministry into two. What is there to ‘dare’ them or ‘challenge’ them? Just tell them to do their job. If they don’t, then just fire them. Better still why don’t you just resign and go away?
In a recent article in the Net titled “Ailing nation with a flip flop Prime Minister”, eminent historian Datuk Professor Khoo Kay Kim said there is now a ‘lack of a national vision or direction’ and that ‘a lot of Malaysians are at a loss as to where the nation is heading’.
Professor Khoo’s article confirms that Badawi is ‘greatly lacking in intelligence’. This was again reconfirmed by a recent NST headline which concluded the findings of a recent seminar on Badawi’s first three years in office with the word ‘bloopers’. That is what the NST had to say about Badawi's first three years in office.
Anwar Ibrahim has also been on the warpath this week. He has revealed that the Turkish Prime Minister told him that Badawi was indeed in Bodrum in Turkey to receive a boat as a gift from Ananda Krishnan. And the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet refuses to retract their story that Badawi went to Bodrum to see this boat. If this is true it means that Badawi lied about the boat.
Anwar also made another Press statement that our DPM, Najib Tun Razak, is involved in the murder case surrounding the Mongolian woman, Altantuya Shaaribuu. Some of his allegations were also reiterated by the Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang in his own Press statement.
Dato Najib is rapidly becoming a non-issue. From being the eloquent, fully awake, ‘all my lights are on’ alter-ego to the mentally-challenged Badawi, Najib is now finding himself like a man stuck without a paddle on a canoe drifting down some Mongolian river towards a killer waterfall with his wife Rosmah strung like a heavy stone around his neck. There is no ‘Maid of the Mist’ to rescue Najib.
Besides Anwar’s and Kit Siang’s filibuster and an astute analysis of the Altantuya murder by the writer Kim Quek, Najib’s ‘elegant silence’ is becoming increasingly deafening. The allegations over the Altantuya murder appear the most serious. There are glaring gaps in the conduct of the case where the Attorney General is also compliantly keeping mum.
Why did the AG’s office go out of its way to declare so quickly that ‘no one else is involved’? This is an impossible proposition in a court of law. What could possibly be the mens ria or motive for the two UTK personnel to kill Altantuya? What did the UTK personnel have against Mongolian women whom they have never met before in their lives?
And everyone knows that highly trained and very capable UTK officers do not act - even to do something in breach of the law - unless they are given strict orders by someone higher up. The public still recalls the case of Anwar Ibrahim giving orders to the Special Branch to falsely and illegally arrest and torture Ummi Hafilda Ali and Azizan Abu Bakar - a crime which got Anwar six years in jail.
So who gave those deadly orders to the UTK to kill Altantuya Shaaribuu? If the AG says that there was no one else who gave such orders and that the two UTK officers were acting on their own, it simply confirms that there is a massive cover up going on over this murder.
It would mean that the AG, the Police and just about everyone else in Government is party to this cover up - whether intentionally or unwittingly.
The question being asked by many Malaysians is whether Najib and his wife Rosmah have met Altantuya Shaaribuu before, anywhere on the surface of this earth like on the Himalayas, in the Amazon, in France or anywhere else at all?
Did Najib not know that Altantuya provided consultancy services like translating and interpreting for Razak Baginda’s company or companies or for Razak Baginda himself over the French submarine deal?
Najib’s silence over the fact that the two UTK personnel charged with the murder were his bodyguards and the policewoman who was NOT charged with anything was Rosmah’s escort only adds much fuel to the many mysteries around this murder.
Anwar has also continued his relentless broadside against Najib by questioning Najib’s involvement in the RM3.2 Billion Sukhoi jetfighters deal where 'commissions' of USD100 million are involved. Other people named by Anwar for being involved in this deal are Dato Seri Mohd Adib Adam and his sister Askiah Adam who was at one time a member of the Sisters in Islam.
Like hyenas going after a wounded animal for a quick meal, Anwar’s is zeroing in on the now vulnerable DPM Dato Najib. Anwar is bending over backwards (as opposed to bending over forwards – no pun intended) to get back into UMNO. This Altantuya case appears like a free gift to him. Anwar will not let go of this opportunity. Najib and his people are already being seen as ‘yesterday's news’.
If Najib is ousted will we see the appearance of a new DPM or possibly two new DPMs, i.e. Khairy Jamaludin and Anwar Ibrahim? Is this an impossible scenario? But if Najib goes down, won’t he take down the whole UMNO system with him?
Anwar has even taken a pot shot at his former admirer Nor Mohamed Yakcop. Anwar has again repeated his accusation that Nor Mohamed Yakcop committed illegal acts and criminally withheld information from the BNM Governor when he engaged in reckless Forex trading which ultimately caused RM30 billion losses for Bank Negara Malaysia. But Anwar correctly points out that after Nor Mohamed was fired from his job he was not supposed to hold any position in the finance industry. Yet Nor Mohamed is now the Second Finance Minister who reports directly to Khairy Jamaluddin.
The Prime Minister is shuttling between boat-viewing in Turkey, opening nasi kandar restaurants, viewing real estate in Australia, and hosting durian pestas. The running of the country is being left to the fourth floor boys who are simply falling down.
The Malaysian Institute of Economic Research has been required to parrot the Government’s own downgrading of the economy for 2007. The earlier projected 6% growth for this year has been reduced to 5.2 %. Last year the hyped up 6.2% projection was ultimately cut down to 5.8 %.
Tun Dr Mahathir does not believe Government statistics anymore. The Ninth Malaysia Plan is predicated on a 6% growth rate. But for two years in a row, the growth rate has slipped to the 5 % level. The Ninth Plan is also projected on oil revenues based on USD64 per barrel. Oil is now trading at USD50 per barrel. Analysts predict oil to settle at USD45 to USD48 per barrel.
In stark contrast the KLSE has reached 1139 points and is still going north. Obviously the run up in the KLSE has nothing to do with our economic fundamentals anymore. Huge amounts of dollar based hot money are now flowing into the region, hoping to make gains from the weakening dollar and pushing up stock prices at the same time. When this hot money exits the scene, the KLSE bull will collapse. The question is how soon?
Thailand has taken aggressive proactive steps and slammed foreign speculators with a 12 month retention of 30% of all funds invested in stocks, real estate, bonds and foreign currency borrowings. But in Malaysia we have been flabbergasted to read that the Ministry of Finance and Bank Negara Malaysia have corresponded and conducted meetings with hot money scam operators who have proposed borrowing USD50 billion to fund the Government's Ninth Plan projects. What is happening to our country?
As Prof Khoo Khay Kim said, the nation is now without any direction. One observer suggested giving the leadership to Khairy Jamaluddin. Is this a reckless idea? One of Britain’s most capable Prime Minister’s of all time - Benjamin Disraeli - became Prime Minister at the age of 32 at the peak of Queen Victoria’s reign. A 32 year old Premier may be good for the country.
If Najib disappears from the scene, Badawi can step aside and engineer his son-in-law into power. This way we can all save time. The nation will be spared a painful power struggle. There will be less need for corruption and building up war chests - the staple prerequisite to ascend the throne in UMNO. Khairy can just get on with running the country.
But certainly Khairy will need much better advisors. The country needs a serious and urgent reengineering of its economic affairs. The Ministry of Finance is just going haywire while important units like the Economic Planning Unit have been sidelined. The MITI is listless while the Ministry of Domestic Trade has been reduced to becoming a pirated DVD outfit (read that any way you want).
What we need is a Ministry of Economic Development which encompasses the MITI, Ministry of Domestic Trade, the EPU, financial institutions, the KLSE and the Securities Commission.
The Ministry of Finance will perform the role of paymaster.
Urgent attention is needed to kick start the economy. The Prime Minister is not capable of performing this task. 6.4 % growth in 2005, 5.8 % growth in 2006, 5.2 % growth in 2007 in clearly reflective of a PM who is snoozing on the job.
Source : Ibnu Hakeem of Malaysia Today
WTF?!
Opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-president Azmin Ali was attacked by four unknown assailants armed with parangs in front of his house in Ampang at about 12.30pm today.
Azmin’s car windows were smashed but he did not sustain serious injury in the incident, his aide Mohd Ghadaffi Kamal told malaysiakini. He said the motive behind the attack was not known.
At press time, police are taking a statement from Azmin at his residence.
The PKR leader is calling for a press conference at his residence at 4pm to talk about the incident.
Azmin’s car windows were smashed but he did not sustain serious injury in the incident, his aide Mohd Ghadaffi Kamal told malaysiakini. He said the motive behind the attack was not known.
At press time, police are taking a statement from Azmin at his residence.
The PKR leader is calling for a press conference at his residence at 4pm to talk about the incident.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
What are the names of the two colleges?
Probe on med colleges (from staronline)
PUTRAJAYA: Two private medical colleges are under investigation by the Health Ministry for violating regulations pertaining to training of students in the clinical phase of their studies.
The colleges are believed to be taking in too many students and not providing adequate training for them, which is vital before they can be full-fledged doctors.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said that, after a six-month-probe, the ministry found the lecturer-student ratio to be 1:20 when ideally it should be one to between six and eight.
“While Universiti Malaya alone is churning out about 200 students each year, these private colleges, which have been operating less than 10 years and have produced 300 students,” he said.
“We are trying to find out if they have the capacity to absorb so many students and if the quality of the students is up to mark,” he told reporters after a dialogue session with some 400 final year medical students from Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and Universiti Putra Malaysia at the ministry here yesterday.
Dr Chua said such acts by the private colleges would tarnish the name of the country as a centre of excellence for education.
Health director-general Tan Sri Ismail Merican, who was also at the event, said initial investigations also found that there was no full-time lecturer at the colleges.
He said the ministry and the Malaysian Medical Council would send warning letters to the two colleges and their certification would not be renewed if they failed to heed the advice.
“We can even check on the quality of the clinical training overseas.”
Ismail, who is also the council chairman, however, said the students would not be affected when this happened as they would be enrolled in other colleges.
When Dr Chua was asked about the ministry's preparation to prevent a recurrence of bird flu, he said all precautions had been put in place.
Penangite comments: So which are the two colleges involved? as far as i know, there are only a few private medical colleges in Malaysia, namely :
1. International Medical University (unlikely as it is already a university)
2. Penang Medical College twinning with RCSI and UCD
3. Melaka Manipal Medical College twinning with Manipal
4. Allianz College of Medical Science twinning with an Indonesian university
5. Perak Royal College of Medicine (was twinning with Sheffield but ended and now with UM)
6. Monash University Malaysia in collaboratin with Monash Australia.
8. Asian Institue of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST) in Kedah.
I am not sure if there are more, but why aren't the two names mentioned?
PUTRAJAYA: Two private medical colleges are under investigation by the Health Ministry for violating regulations pertaining to training of students in the clinical phase of their studies.
The colleges are believed to be taking in too many students and not providing adequate training for them, which is vital before they can be full-fledged doctors.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said that, after a six-month-probe, the ministry found the lecturer-student ratio to be 1:20 when ideally it should be one to between six and eight.
“While Universiti Malaya alone is churning out about 200 students each year, these private colleges, which have been operating less than 10 years and have produced 300 students,” he said.
“We are trying to find out if they have the capacity to absorb so many students and if the quality of the students is up to mark,” he told reporters after a dialogue session with some 400 final year medical students from Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and Universiti Putra Malaysia at the ministry here yesterday.
Dr Chua said such acts by the private colleges would tarnish the name of the country as a centre of excellence for education.
Health director-general Tan Sri Ismail Merican, who was also at the event, said initial investigations also found that there was no full-time lecturer at the colleges.
He said the ministry and the Malaysian Medical Council would send warning letters to the two colleges and their certification would not be renewed if they failed to heed the advice.
“We can even check on the quality of the clinical training overseas.”
Ismail, who is also the council chairman, however, said the students would not be affected when this happened as they would be enrolled in other colleges.
When Dr Chua was asked about the ministry's preparation to prevent a recurrence of bird flu, he said all precautions had been put in place.
Penangite comments: So which are the two colleges involved? as far as i know, there are only a few private medical colleges in Malaysia, namely :
1. International Medical University (unlikely as it is already a university)
2. Penang Medical College twinning with RCSI and UCD
3. Melaka Manipal Medical College twinning with Manipal
4. Allianz College of Medical Science twinning with an Indonesian university
5. Perak Royal College of Medicine (was twinning with Sheffield but ended and now with UM)
6. Monash University Malaysia in collaboratin with Monash Australia.
8. Asian Institue of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST) in Kedah.
I am not sure if there are more, but why aren't the two names mentioned?
Anwar memberikan respon...yang agak pendek sahaja mengenai RPK
Propaganda Raja Petra: Tumpu Gerak Kerja, Fokus Pada Rasuah & Kezaliman
January 18th, 2007 | Category: Soal Jawab, Isu Semasa, Propaganda, Politik
Soalan Pertama:
zahir menanyakan:
Saudara Anwar,
Kita sedang bergerak kearah memperkenalkan dan memperkasakan Agenda Malaysia Baru. Saya kira pada masa sekarang ini, majoriti penyokong PKR telah faham matlamat perjuangan Saudara ini. Tetapi apa yang saya curiga kenapa masih ada pihak yang sentiasa cuba untuk mengelirukan penyokong PKR. Pada pendapat Saudara, kenapakah dan apakah agenda Raja Petra Kamaruddin bila beliau berulang kali manyatakan bahawa Saudara sedang cuba menyertai UMNO? Dalam temuduga dengan Dr M baru-baru ini, beliau memnuduh Saudara cuba bertemu Dr M dengan hasrat mendapatkan kembali jawatan Timbalan Persiden UMNO. Bukankan Raja Petra yang bertungkus lumus bekerja dalam “Free Anwar Campaign”? Apakah sebenarnya matlamat beliau?
Zahir,
Saya tidak cenderung membuat telahan. Tumpuan kita ke arah perjuangan menegak keadilan!
Soalan Kedua:
inter menanyakan:
Yang dihurmati Datuk Seri
Dalam tulisan terbarunya bertajuk Gerakan Anti-Najib:
penulis Raja Petra Kamarudin menudoh Datuk Seri terlibat dengan gerakan itu.
Walaupun saya dibritahukan Raja Petra itu penulis liar yang tidak mempunyai kesetiaan kepada sesiapapun, termasuk Datuk Seri yang pernah disokongnya melalui Free Anwar Campaign, tetapi tudohan penulis itu boleh merusakkan nama baik Datuk Seri kerana dihubongkan dengan Khairy Jamaludin, menantu Pak Lah.
Inilah dia tudohan Raja Petra itu:
According to one Chief Minister in his SMS to me a few days ago, Anwar Ibrahim has aligned himself to the Prime Minister's son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, and is part of the team that will make its move on Najib. I replied, 'Not possible.' and he responded, 'You of all people should know Anwar better and if you say no, then it must be false.'
A day later, Anwar called for a press conference at his home in Bukit Damansara and urged the government to widen its investigation on the murder of the Mongolian model. Anwar also urged Najib to clear his name as the talk on the ground is that Najib is in someway involved in the murder. Wow! That took even me by surprise and considering that I am a most controversial personality it is very difficult to surprise me. Was this a mere coincidence?
Inter,
Pertama, sumber maklumat kononnya adalah sang ketua menteri.
Kedua saya menggesa sdr untuk tumpu kpd isu pokok dan agenda perubahan.Kita menentang kezaliman dan rasuah Dr M, PM Abdullah dan TPM Najib
source : http://www.anwaribrahimblog.com
January 18th, 2007 | Category: Soal Jawab, Isu Semasa, Propaganda, Politik
Soalan Pertama:
zahir menanyakan:
Saudara Anwar,
Kita sedang bergerak kearah memperkenalkan dan memperkasakan Agenda Malaysia Baru. Saya kira pada masa sekarang ini, majoriti penyokong PKR telah faham matlamat perjuangan Saudara ini. Tetapi apa yang saya curiga kenapa masih ada pihak yang sentiasa cuba untuk mengelirukan penyokong PKR. Pada pendapat Saudara, kenapakah dan apakah agenda Raja Petra Kamaruddin bila beliau berulang kali manyatakan bahawa Saudara sedang cuba menyertai UMNO? Dalam temuduga dengan Dr M baru-baru ini, beliau memnuduh Saudara cuba bertemu Dr M dengan hasrat mendapatkan kembali jawatan Timbalan Persiden UMNO. Bukankan Raja Petra yang bertungkus lumus bekerja dalam “Free Anwar Campaign”? Apakah sebenarnya matlamat beliau?
Zahir,
Saya tidak cenderung membuat telahan. Tumpuan kita ke arah perjuangan menegak keadilan!
Soalan Kedua:
inter menanyakan:
Yang dihurmati Datuk Seri
Dalam tulisan terbarunya bertajuk Gerakan Anti-Najib:
penulis Raja Petra Kamarudin menudoh Datuk Seri terlibat dengan gerakan itu.
Walaupun saya dibritahukan Raja Petra itu penulis liar yang tidak mempunyai kesetiaan kepada sesiapapun, termasuk Datuk Seri yang pernah disokongnya melalui Free Anwar Campaign, tetapi tudohan penulis itu boleh merusakkan nama baik Datuk Seri kerana dihubongkan dengan Khairy Jamaludin, menantu Pak Lah.
Inilah dia tudohan Raja Petra itu:
According to one Chief Minister in his SMS to me a few days ago, Anwar Ibrahim has aligned himself to the Prime Minister's son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, and is part of the team that will make its move on Najib. I replied, 'Not possible.' and he responded, 'You of all people should know Anwar better and if you say no, then it must be false.'
A day later, Anwar called for a press conference at his home in Bukit Damansara and urged the government to widen its investigation on the murder of the Mongolian model. Anwar also urged Najib to clear his name as the talk on the ground is that Najib is in someway involved in the murder. Wow! That took even me by surprise and considering that I am a most controversial personality it is very difficult to surprise me. Was this a mere coincidence?
Inter,
Pertama, sumber maklumat kononnya adalah sang ketua menteri.
Kedua saya menggesa sdr untuk tumpu kpd isu pokok dan agenda perubahan.Kita menentang kezaliman dan rasuah Dr M, PM Abdullah dan TPM Najib
source : http://www.anwaribrahimblog.com
She would still be alive if not for NS...
National Service Trainee Dies
January 18, 2007 21:01 PM
MELAKA, Jan 18 (Bernama) -- A National Service (NS) trainee, Iliameera
Azlan, 17, died Thursday as she was being rushed to the Melaka Hospital
after experiencing breathing difficulty at the Ayer Keroh training camp.
Melaka Police Chief Datuk Ayub Yaakob said that based on an initial report,
no foul play was suspected in the death of Iliameera, of Taman Tuanku Jaafar
in Seremban.
However, an investigation will be carried out from every aspect, said Ayub,
who visited the camp where the trainee was attached to.
"A preliminary investigation showed that Iliameera had not undergone any
heavy physical activity the previous night, and she did not have any record
of a health problem," he added.
Iliameera reportedly did not wake up at 5.30 am as required and when found
at 6.30 am having breathing difficulty, the instructor of the camp rushed
her to the hospital. She is believed to have died on the way to hospital.
Melaka Hospital Director Dr Abu Bakar Mohamud, when contacted, declined to
disclose the cause of death after the post-mortem.
"We have carried out various "sample" tests and further tests will be
conducted before we send a report to the Health Ministry," he said.
Iliameera's father, Azlan Jaafar, 46, said he and his wife rushed to Melaka
after being informed about his daughter's condition.
"My daughter was healthy; she was healthy before coming here. She said she
was happy at the camp. Suddenly, today we receive a call that she has died,"
he said, still in shock.
He said he last met his daughter on Jan 7 and that she was scheduled to go
for a job interview on Jan 27.
Iliameera was a student of Sekolah Teknik Tuanku Jaafar, and was waiting for
the results of her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.
Her remains were taken back to her house for burial at the Dol Said Muslim
cemetery in Sikamat.
National Service Training Department Director General Abdul Halim Abdul
Hamid, who was at the hospital, handed to Azlan RM3,000, which is part of the insurance payment. -- BERNAMA
NS Trainee's Death Will Be Investigated, Assures Najib
January 18, 2007 20:01 PM
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Thursday gave
an assurance an indepth investigations will be carried out into the cause of
death of a 17-year-old female national service trainee in Melaka Thursday.
The Deputy Prime Minister, however, said he had not receive a detailed
report on the incident.
"I'm saddened by the trainee's death. I've not receive the report on the
cause of her death but we will investigate to find out the actual cause.
"I don't want to make any assumptions now. I'll wait for the report and
issue a statement later," said Najib, who is also Defence Minister, to
reporters after opening an expo on Malaysia's 50 Years of Independence.
Iliameera Azlan, of Taman Tuanku Jaafar, Seremban, died on the way to the
Melaka Hospital after she was found to be breathless at the Ayer Keroh camp
at about 6.30am.
My comments: Hey, seriously I'm getting very depressed and saddened over this whole NS fiasco. I think I blogged too much about it, I am getting tired, the government is not going to listen to me anyway, I mean who am i? no power, no money, no connections, nothing...wat i can say has already been said in this blog, i tried my best to highlight all the issues affecting our NS trainees who are supposed to be Remaja Aset Negara, but looks like we are losing our assets. RM 3000 as insurance payment to the girl's father?????
January 18, 2007 21:01 PM
MELAKA, Jan 18 (Bernama) -- A National Service (NS) trainee, Iliameera
Azlan, 17, died Thursday as she was being rushed to the Melaka Hospital
after experiencing breathing difficulty at the Ayer Keroh training camp.
Melaka Police Chief Datuk Ayub Yaakob said that based on an initial report,
no foul play was suspected in the death of Iliameera, of Taman Tuanku Jaafar
in Seremban.
However, an investigation will be carried out from every aspect, said Ayub,
who visited the camp where the trainee was attached to.
"A preliminary investigation showed that Iliameera had not undergone any
heavy physical activity the previous night, and she did not have any record
of a health problem," he added.
Iliameera reportedly did not wake up at 5.30 am as required and when found
at 6.30 am having breathing difficulty, the instructor of the camp rushed
her to the hospital. She is believed to have died on the way to hospital.
Melaka Hospital Director Dr Abu Bakar Mohamud, when contacted, declined to
disclose the cause of death after the post-mortem.
"We have carried out various "sample" tests and further tests will be
conducted before we send a report to the Health Ministry," he said.
Iliameera's father, Azlan Jaafar, 46, said he and his wife rushed to Melaka
after being informed about his daughter's condition.
"My daughter was healthy; she was healthy before coming here. She said she
was happy at the camp. Suddenly, today we receive a call that she has died,"
he said, still in shock.
He said he last met his daughter on Jan 7 and that she was scheduled to go
for a job interview on Jan 27.
Iliameera was a student of Sekolah Teknik Tuanku Jaafar, and was waiting for
the results of her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.
Her remains were taken back to her house for burial at the Dol Said Muslim
cemetery in Sikamat.
National Service Training Department Director General Abdul Halim Abdul
Hamid, who was at the hospital, handed to Azlan RM3,000, which is part of the insurance payment. -- BERNAMA
NS Trainee's Death Will Be Investigated, Assures Najib
January 18, 2007 20:01 PM
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Thursday gave
an assurance an indepth investigations will be carried out into the cause of
death of a 17-year-old female national service trainee in Melaka Thursday.
The Deputy Prime Minister, however, said he had not receive a detailed
report on the incident.
"I'm saddened by the trainee's death. I've not receive the report on the
cause of her death but we will investigate to find out the actual cause.
"I don't want to make any assumptions now. I'll wait for the report and
issue a statement later," said Najib, who is also Defence Minister, to
reporters after opening an expo on Malaysia's 50 Years of Independence.
Iliameera Azlan, of Taman Tuanku Jaafar, Seremban, died on the way to the
Melaka Hospital after she was found to be breathless at the Ayer Keroh camp
at about 6.30am.
My comments: Hey, seriously I'm getting very depressed and saddened over this whole NS fiasco. I think I blogged too much about it, I am getting tired, the government is not going to listen to me anyway, I mean who am i? no power, no money, no connections, nothing...wat i can say has already been said in this blog, i tried my best to highlight all the issues affecting our NS trainees who are supposed to be Remaja Aset Negara, but looks like we are losing our assets. RM 3000 as insurance payment to the girl's father?????
Three-man team vs Barisan Nasional, so what is the odd?
RAUB, Jan 18 (Bernama) -- It looks like the independent candidate in the Batu Talam state by-election is taking an evening drive.
Ng Chee Pang, 22, has no operations room, has not printed any posters and has no issues to raise.
His has a three-man team, comprising a campaign manager, a photographer and himself.
Ng's father, Kwi Ling, claims to be the campaign manager and spokesman and his younger brother, Chee Fu, 19, is the photographer.
So, what's their strategy? Kwi Ling said the trio would distribute 1,000 name cards of Chee Pang to the constituents in Batu Talam.
But there are 10,525 voters in the constituency, which will see a straight fight between Abdul Aziz Mat Kiram of the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Chee Pang. Polling is on Jan 28.
The by-election is being held following the death of BN state assemblyman Datuk Tengku Paris Tengku Razlan on Dec 27 last year.
"We just hope that he will not lose his deposit. Furthermore, we do not have any issues to bring up," said Kwi Ling, the Pahang DAP treasurer who has contested six times on a DAP ticket.
The DAP has said it is not involved in the by-election, which is being boycotted by PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
Asked for a manifesto, Kwi Ling, said: "Our manifesto: I like Umno, PAS, Keadilan, and NGOs. (I) love MIC, MCA, DAP and Gerakan. (I) do not like, do not love the BN."
Kwi Ling reiterated that the main reason for his son contesting was "to give some business opportunity to the people of Batu Talam because, when there is an election, many people come here (to the constituency)".
He said that besides campaigning in the Chinese area of Cheroh, they would also campaign in the Malay areas.
Asked what business Chee Pang was engaged in, Kwi Ling said: "He does a little business, and now wants to be the elected representative!"
Kwi Ling, attired in a short-sleeved shirt and short pants, and Chee Pang, wearing a short-sleeved shirt, long pants and slippers, have begun their campaign in the coffeeshops and eateries in Kg Cheroh.
Chee Pang, who completed the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) at Sekolah Menengah Mengkarak, has denied that the DAP paid his election deposit. He said, however, that the money was paid by someone but he would not reveal the name.
Asked whether he would be able to serve as the elected representative as he was young and inexperienced, Chee Pang said: "I can, but at the same time I am also not afraid to lose. I am as bold as my father -- he has lost six times now!"
ON THE OTHER HAND, AS USUAL..
A report on Malaysiakini Chinese website stated that Deputy Finance Minister I and MCA Women chief Ng Yen Yen had taken a sarcastic jibe at Batu Talam’s independent candidate, Ng Chee Pang.
In a press statement, she criticised him for his low education status, which is up to SPM(school certificate) level only.
She added that he needed to further his studies, while chastising him for having no political experience and having to rely on his father to respond to questions by the press.
She thus chided the young man for not having the necessary capability as a state assemblyman. But guess what happen less than 12 hours later.
Ms Ng, who was once besieged by the controversy that she was an Australian PR (permanent residence) when she became senator even suggested to Chee Pang to either study in TAR college or TAR university and apply for the Chang Ming Thien Foundation Study Loan established by MCA.
However, Ms. Ng retracted her statement in less than 12 hours. Her information and publicity bureau informed the press to do the necessary.Because apparently the UMNO candidate himself was also a SPM holder.
What a life!
source : Susan Loone
My comments? I wait and see. Wait and see. Wait and see. Wait and see and think.
Ng Chee Pang, 22, has no operations room, has not printed any posters and has no issues to raise.
His has a three-man team, comprising a campaign manager, a photographer and himself.
Ng's father, Kwi Ling, claims to be the campaign manager and spokesman and his younger brother, Chee Fu, 19, is the photographer.
So, what's their strategy? Kwi Ling said the trio would distribute 1,000 name cards of Chee Pang to the constituents in Batu Talam.
But there are 10,525 voters in the constituency, which will see a straight fight between Abdul Aziz Mat Kiram of the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Chee Pang. Polling is on Jan 28.
The by-election is being held following the death of BN state assemblyman Datuk Tengku Paris Tengku Razlan on Dec 27 last year.
"We just hope that he will not lose his deposit. Furthermore, we do not have any issues to bring up," said Kwi Ling, the Pahang DAP treasurer who has contested six times on a DAP ticket.
The DAP has said it is not involved in the by-election, which is being boycotted by PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
Asked for a manifesto, Kwi Ling, said: "Our manifesto: I like Umno, PAS, Keadilan, and NGOs. (I) love MIC, MCA, DAP and Gerakan. (I) do not like, do not love the BN."
Kwi Ling reiterated that the main reason for his son contesting was "to give some business opportunity to the people of Batu Talam because, when there is an election, many people come here (to the constituency)".
He said that besides campaigning in the Chinese area of Cheroh, they would also campaign in the Malay areas.
Asked what business Chee Pang was engaged in, Kwi Ling said: "He does a little business, and now wants to be the elected representative!"
Kwi Ling, attired in a short-sleeved shirt and short pants, and Chee Pang, wearing a short-sleeved shirt, long pants and slippers, have begun their campaign in the coffeeshops and eateries in Kg Cheroh.
Chee Pang, who completed the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) at Sekolah Menengah Mengkarak, has denied that the DAP paid his election deposit. He said, however, that the money was paid by someone but he would not reveal the name.
Asked whether he would be able to serve as the elected representative as he was young and inexperienced, Chee Pang said: "I can, but at the same time I am also not afraid to lose. I am as bold as my father -- he has lost six times now!"
ON THE OTHER HAND, AS USUAL..
A report on Malaysiakini Chinese website stated that Deputy Finance Minister I and MCA Women chief Ng Yen Yen had taken a sarcastic jibe at Batu Talam’s independent candidate, Ng Chee Pang.
In a press statement, she criticised him for his low education status, which is up to SPM(school certificate) level only.
She added that he needed to further his studies, while chastising him for having no political experience and having to rely on his father to respond to questions by the press.
She thus chided the young man for not having the necessary capability as a state assemblyman. But guess what happen less than 12 hours later.
Ms Ng, who was once besieged by the controversy that she was an Australian PR (permanent residence) when she became senator even suggested to Chee Pang to either study in TAR college or TAR university and apply for the Chang Ming Thien Foundation Study Loan established by MCA.
However, Ms. Ng retracted her statement in less than 12 hours. Her information and publicity bureau informed the press to do the necessary.Because apparently the UMNO candidate himself was also a SPM holder.
What a life!
source : Susan Loone
My comments? I wait and see. Wait and see. Wait and see. Wait and see and think.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Tekanan ke atas Najib semakin kuat..terkini daripada Azmin Ali
GEORGETOWN: Heret Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak ke balai polis, bagi membantu siasatan berhubung kes pembunuhan kejam warga Mongolia, Altantuya Sharibuu, kata Naib Presiden Keadilan, Azmin Ali.
“Saya tuntut, Keadilan tuntut dan rakyat tuntut supaya Datuk Seri Najib diheret ke balai polis untuk memberi keterangan kepada polis, bagaimana UTK beliau terlibat dalam kes pembunuhan Altantuya dari Mongolia.
“Saya tidak mahu tuduh Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Timbalan Perdana Menteri. Saya tidak mahu buat fitnah sebab saya mangsa fitnah, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mangsa fitnah, saya cuma nak tanya Datuk Seri Najib.
“Sebab daripada orang politik sehinggalah pemandu teksi, semuanya mengaitkan (kes tersebut) dengan Timbalan Perdana Menteri,” tegasnya pada ceramah di Batu Maung, dekat sini, Ahad lalu.
“Najib kena jawab, bagaimana ‘unit komando’ beliau boleh terlibat dalam kes tersebut.”
Jelasnya, pengalaman beliau selama 12 tahun dengan Anwar selaku Timbalan Perdana Menteri, memang ada kawalan khas dari UTK di kalangan komando.
“Mereka tidak menerima arahan daripada pegawai lain, melainkan daripada Timbalan Perdana Menteri.
“Apakah UTK ini mendapat arahan daripada ketuanya ?” soal Azmin.
Tambahnya, Altantuya dikatakan berkenalan dengan Razak Baginda, maka kenyataan juga harus diambil, iaitu selepas Razak Baginda siapa …..?
“Saya tidak mahu tuduh, sebab kita tahu selepas Razak Baginda, Altantuya diserahkan kepada orang lain, siapa orang lain tersebut?”
Azmin turut membangkitkan persoalan siapakah pegawai tertinggi Kementerian Pertahanan yang meluluskan penggunaan ‘bom C4’ yang di bawah kawalan kementerian terbabit, yang digunakan untuk meletupkan Altantunya bagi memusnahkan bukti dan anak dalam kandungannya.
“Sebab atas prinsip Datuk Seri Najib sebagai Menteri Pertahanan, beliau kena menjawab persoalan ini.”
Tambahnya, rakyat juga inginkan jawapan, siapakah yang memberikan arahan kepada Jabatan Imigresen untuk memadamkan rekod perjalanan Altantunya ke negara ini.
Malah, kata Azmin, Najib juga perlu disiasat berhubung pemberian kontrak pembelian kapal selam yang diberikan kepada Razak dengan komisyen berjumlah RM530 juta, seperti yang didedahkan Anwar.
“Bank Dunia mengesahkan dengan Datuk Seri Anwar bahawa ini adalah komisyen tertinggi yang pernah direkodkan dalam dunia,” ujarnya.
Sementara itu, Azmin berkata Ketua Polis Negara,Tan Sri Musa Hassan, pula perlu melaksanakan tugas secara berprinsip dan bertanggungjawab, kerana akhirnya beliau akan berdepan dengan Allah S.W.T.
“Dan Musa Hassan, jangan kamu kecualikan Datuk Seri Najib dan jangan kamu mangsakan pegawai UTK ini.
“Kenapa sehingga sekarang kenyataan bertulis pihak polis daripada Datuk Seri Najib tidak diambil?”
Secara sinis, beliau yakin Musa mempunyai kehebatan luar biasa untuk memperolehi bukti sepertimana beliau menjumpai ‘bulu’ dalam kes Anwar dulu.
“Wahai Musa Hassan, yang sekarang menjadi Ketua Polis Negara, kamu ada kekuatan dan kebolehan yang luar biasa, (kalau) kamu boleh jumpa bulu, maka kamu boleh jumpa bom…”
“Saya tuntut, Keadilan tuntut dan rakyat tuntut supaya Datuk Seri Najib diheret ke balai polis untuk memberi keterangan kepada polis, bagaimana UTK beliau terlibat dalam kes pembunuhan Altantuya dari Mongolia.
“Saya tidak mahu tuduh Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Timbalan Perdana Menteri. Saya tidak mahu buat fitnah sebab saya mangsa fitnah, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mangsa fitnah, saya cuma nak tanya Datuk Seri Najib.
“Sebab daripada orang politik sehinggalah pemandu teksi, semuanya mengaitkan (kes tersebut) dengan Timbalan Perdana Menteri,” tegasnya pada ceramah di Batu Maung, dekat sini, Ahad lalu.
“Najib kena jawab, bagaimana ‘unit komando’ beliau boleh terlibat dalam kes tersebut.”
Jelasnya, pengalaman beliau selama 12 tahun dengan Anwar selaku Timbalan Perdana Menteri, memang ada kawalan khas dari UTK di kalangan komando.
“Mereka tidak menerima arahan daripada pegawai lain, melainkan daripada Timbalan Perdana Menteri.
“Apakah UTK ini mendapat arahan daripada ketuanya ?” soal Azmin.
Tambahnya, Altantuya dikatakan berkenalan dengan Razak Baginda, maka kenyataan juga harus diambil, iaitu selepas Razak Baginda siapa …..?
“Saya tidak mahu tuduh, sebab kita tahu selepas Razak Baginda, Altantuya diserahkan kepada orang lain, siapa orang lain tersebut?”
Azmin turut membangkitkan persoalan siapakah pegawai tertinggi Kementerian Pertahanan yang meluluskan penggunaan ‘bom C4’ yang di bawah kawalan kementerian terbabit, yang digunakan untuk meletupkan Altantunya bagi memusnahkan bukti dan anak dalam kandungannya.
“Sebab atas prinsip Datuk Seri Najib sebagai Menteri Pertahanan, beliau kena menjawab persoalan ini.”
Tambahnya, rakyat juga inginkan jawapan, siapakah yang memberikan arahan kepada Jabatan Imigresen untuk memadamkan rekod perjalanan Altantunya ke negara ini.
Malah, kata Azmin, Najib juga perlu disiasat berhubung pemberian kontrak pembelian kapal selam yang diberikan kepada Razak dengan komisyen berjumlah RM530 juta, seperti yang didedahkan Anwar.
“Bank Dunia mengesahkan dengan Datuk Seri Anwar bahawa ini adalah komisyen tertinggi yang pernah direkodkan dalam dunia,” ujarnya.
Sementara itu, Azmin berkata Ketua Polis Negara,Tan Sri Musa Hassan, pula perlu melaksanakan tugas secara berprinsip dan bertanggungjawab, kerana akhirnya beliau akan berdepan dengan Allah S.W.T.
“Dan Musa Hassan, jangan kamu kecualikan Datuk Seri Najib dan jangan kamu mangsakan pegawai UTK ini.
“Kenapa sehingga sekarang kenyataan bertulis pihak polis daripada Datuk Seri Najib tidak diambil?”
Secara sinis, beliau yakin Musa mempunyai kehebatan luar biasa untuk memperolehi bukti sepertimana beliau menjumpai ‘bulu’ dalam kes Anwar dulu.
“Wahai Musa Hassan, yang sekarang menjadi Ketua Polis Negara, kamu ada kekuatan dan kebolehan yang luar biasa, (kalau) kamu boleh jumpa bulu, maka kamu boleh jumpa bom…”
Why I am thankful for what I have now
Durian feast at Pak Lah’s media party
PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi played host to more than 1,000 people from the print and electronic media in the grounds of his official residence, Laman Sari, here last night.
While there was an array of local favourites and delicacies, the drawing point was a boat-shaped trough with a heap of durians.
The Prime Minister showed how he could deftly prise the King of Fruits with his fingers.
Besides the glorious food – that included satay, fried noodles, kuew teow, laksa, putu bambu, tahu bakar, rojak and chicken rice – there was also the frosty ais kacang and a variety of local fruits.
The world famous Kun Seng Keng lion and dragon dance troupe and a gambus group entertained guests as they dined and chatted with the Prime Minister, who also encouraged them to make contributions to flood victims in Johor and other badly-affected states.
In a brief speech, Abdullah thanked the media, adding that he had just visited flood victims in Batu Pahat, the worst-affected district in Johor.
He hoped the floods would start receding soon so that everyone at the relief centres could get back home.
ON THE OTHER HAND...
Wheelchair-bound Chan works hard for his money
EVEN THOUGH the act of begging by underprivileged disabled members of society is generally accepted in this country, wheelchair-bound Chan Ming Lai wants nothing to do with it.
Instead, the 35-year-old resident of the Beautiful Gate Foundation in Paramount Garden, Petaling Jaya, is out to prove that disabled people like him are also able to earn a living for themselves.
Chan, who hails from Kelantan, goes out on his motorised wheelchair three times a week to sell handicraft like keychains and souvenirs made by the foundation’s handicapped residents.
His favourite spot for selling his wares is the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC).
Unfortunately, he was wrongly identified as a beggar in a StarMetro report headlined “Beggars spoiling KLCC's image” on Jan 4.
“I am not a beggar. I sell these items to benefit the disabled people.
This is my bread and butter.
“Some of the money that I make will be given to those who made these handicraft,” he said Chan, who was struck with cerebal palsy just four days after his birth, said he had wanted to be independent and mobile from a young age and never stopped aiming for it.
He received his first motorised wheelchair in 1995 when he came to the Beautiful Gate Foundation. It was also here, after seeing that there were other people worse off than him, that he became motivated to do more for himself and the disabled community.
To sell souvenirs, Chan would ride his motorised wheelchair from the Foundation in Jalan SS2/59 at lunchtime to the Paramount LRT Station. From there, he would take the train to the KLCC LRT station and would only return home at about 10pm.
Chan is such a familiar face that even the ticketing counter personnel and security guards at both ends of the LRT station know him.
Upon arrival at KLCC, he would station himself at a regular spot and display his souvenirs for sale. This routine of his has been going on for the last two years.
“I want to prove that disabled people can fend for themselves and be independent at the same time,” he said.
He expressed sadness that the disabled were sometimes wrongly perceived as beggars.
“I want to give the public a good image of disabled people. We just want to be accepted as part of society,” he added.
Chan occasionally sells the souvenirs at the SS2 night market on Monday and Thursday.
source : www.thestar.com.my
Penangite comments: I am nowhere near the status of the PM and yet I am not as unlucky as a determined God's gift like Chan. This proves there are still many 'beautiful assets' in the world and our world is not in a mess just yet...
PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi played host to more than 1,000 people from the print and electronic media in the grounds of his official residence, Laman Sari, here last night.
While there was an array of local favourites and delicacies, the drawing point was a boat-shaped trough with a heap of durians.
The Prime Minister showed how he could deftly prise the King of Fruits with his fingers.
Besides the glorious food – that included satay, fried noodles, kuew teow, laksa, putu bambu, tahu bakar, rojak and chicken rice – there was also the frosty ais kacang and a variety of local fruits.
The world famous Kun Seng Keng lion and dragon dance troupe and a gambus group entertained guests as they dined and chatted with the Prime Minister, who also encouraged them to make contributions to flood victims in Johor and other badly-affected states.
In a brief speech, Abdullah thanked the media, adding that he had just visited flood victims in Batu Pahat, the worst-affected district in Johor.
He hoped the floods would start receding soon so that everyone at the relief centres could get back home.
ON THE OTHER HAND...
Wheelchair-bound Chan works hard for his money
EVEN THOUGH the act of begging by underprivileged disabled members of society is generally accepted in this country, wheelchair-bound Chan Ming Lai wants nothing to do with it.
Instead, the 35-year-old resident of the Beautiful Gate Foundation in Paramount Garden, Petaling Jaya, is out to prove that disabled people like him are also able to earn a living for themselves.
Chan, who hails from Kelantan, goes out on his motorised wheelchair three times a week to sell handicraft like keychains and souvenirs made by the foundation’s handicapped residents.
His favourite spot for selling his wares is the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC).
Unfortunately, he was wrongly identified as a beggar in a StarMetro report headlined “Beggars spoiling KLCC's image” on Jan 4.
“I am not a beggar. I sell these items to benefit the disabled people.
This is my bread and butter.
“Some of the money that I make will be given to those who made these handicraft,” he said Chan, who was struck with cerebal palsy just four days after his birth, said he had wanted to be independent and mobile from a young age and never stopped aiming for it.
He received his first motorised wheelchair in 1995 when he came to the Beautiful Gate Foundation. It was also here, after seeing that there were other people worse off than him, that he became motivated to do more for himself and the disabled community.
To sell souvenirs, Chan would ride his motorised wheelchair from the Foundation in Jalan SS2/59 at lunchtime to the Paramount LRT Station. From there, he would take the train to the KLCC LRT station and would only return home at about 10pm.
Chan is such a familiar face that even the ticketing counter personnel and security guards at both ends of the LRT station know him.
Upon arrival at KLCC, he would station himself at a regular spot and display his souvenirs for sale. This routine of his has been going on for the last two years.
“I want to prove that disabled people can fend for themselves and be independent at the same time,” he said.
He expressed sadness that the disabled were sometimes wrongly perceived as beggars.
“I want to give the public a good image of disabled people. We just want to be accepted as part of society,” he added.
Chan occasionally sells the souvenirs at the SS2 night market on Monday and Thursday.
source : www.thestar.com.my
Penangite comments: I am nowhere near the status of the PM and yet I am not as unlucky as a determined God's gift like Chan. This proves there are still many 'beautiful assets' in the world and our world is not in a mess just yet...
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
MyTEAM - believe in possibilities
Khairy Jamaluddin has loved football since he can remember. He desperately wanted to be a footballer but ended up as an investment banker and politician.He is Deputy Leader of the ruling United Malays National Organisation’s Youth Wing(UMNO Youth)and a director at ECMLibra, one of Malaysia’s leading financial services company.
Prior to this, he served in the Government for five years. Rising to the position of Director of the Policy and Communications Division in the Office of the Prime Minister where he was responsiblefor coordinating strategic policy initiatives of the Prime Minister.
His main focus in UMNO Youth has been in the field of education and how the party can complement the efforts of the Government to bring better quality education to the rural areas. He is also the Chairman of Akademi Pemuda, UMNO Youth’s think tank, which is responsible for formulating action plans and grassroots programmes for the younger generation.
At ECM Libra, Khairy is a director for investment banking and has coordinated and originated several transactions including Malaysia’s biggest Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) listing to date and several initial public offerings in the auto and aviation sectors on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia.
It all started for Jason Lo in a small town called Kuching, on the island of Borneo, Sarawak. A mix of Chinese and Irish parentage. Educated in Singapore and the United Kingdom. Jason Lo Achieved a degree in Accounting and Finance and a Masters in Management and Business before returning back home to Malaysia to pursue a carrier in music. Since Returning in 1998, Jason Lo has gone on to become the most influential and successful English local rock act in Malaysia, a well-known hitz.fm DJ, a TV talk show host, CEO of his very own record label and events company (Fat Boys Records/events), six Rock The World concerts under his belt, producing Disagree’s debut album, bringing in the first Mobile Stage for Touring into Malaysia, and his involvement in Musiccanteen.com, has not only fueled his passion for music but has also helped to create many platforms for local acts to showcase their talents.
Now with Maya Team, Jason is using his recipe of success to fuel his other passion… Football. With MyTEAM, Jason hopes to directly or indirectly help the local football scene get out of its current rut and return to it’s glory days. The hope is for MyTEAM to be a platform for local football talents to achieve their goals, and put pride back into Malaysia football.
Two friends with a passion for football. That’s how it all started. Jason Lo and Khairy Jamaluddin set together discussing their favorite topic, football one day when they came up with an idea. That idea was called MyTEAM, a search for the countries best hidden football talents and pitting them against the Malaysian national team. FAM have accepted the challenge. It will be a challenge they will never forget.
Penangite comments: Maybe KJ and Jason Lo can also organize a national futsal game=)
Another Quote of the Day
“Saya sangat merindui kehadiran pembangkang di Batu Talam kerana saya mahu mencatat keputusan hattrik 3-0 selepas pilihanraya kecil Kuala Berang (Terengganu) dan pilihanraya kecil Pangkalan Pasir (Kelantan),”
- Khairy Jamaluddin, Naib Ketua Pemuda UMNO merangkap Menantu Perdana Menteri
- Khairy Jamaluddin, Naib Ketua Pemuda UMNO merangkap Menantu Perdana Menteri
Quote of the day
"...apa lapuran yang mengarut tu? mana ada? pitnah tu…kalo ada bukti, tunjuk dan kita akan ambik tindakan, kalo tak ada, sedia untuk terima padahnya…”
- YAB Datuk Seri Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi, Perdana Menteri Malaysia ke-5.
- YAB Datuk Seri Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi, Perdana Menteri Malaysia ke-5.
'Sandiwara' Dr M
... saya ingin mengambil kesempatan ini untuk mengumumkan ... mengumumkan.. satu... perletakan jawatan saya (tersebak sambil meminum air) perletakan jawatan saya sebagai Presiden UMNO dan semua jawatan-jawatan... yang dipegang oleh saya... dalam parti, perletakan (jawatan) saya sebagai pengerusi BN dan semua jawatan dalam BN ...
--- Mahathir Mohamad
Semasa itu, seluruh perwakilan dalam Dewan Merdeka terpaku dan tersentak, dan serentak itu suasana kecoh berlaku dalam dewan itu - para perwakilan tidak bergerak dari Dewan Merdeka.
Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz , orang pertama yang menerpa ke arah Dr. Mahathir di rostrum sambil berkata, why? Why?
Dalam keadaan kelam kabut itu, Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi menyambar mikrofon secara spontan dari tempat duduknya dan berkata, kita tidak boleh terima ini... kita minta Datuk Seri tarik balik.
Dr. Mahathir menjawab, No..no.. I have decided... I have decided... dah lama dah.
Serentak itu, Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein turut meluru ke rostrum sambil menangis memegang bahu Dr. Mahathir dan kesemua ahli MT menyerbu dan mengelilingi Perdana Menteri.
Dr. Mahathir yang dikerumuni oleh para anggota MT, kelihatan sebak, menangis dan menggeleng-gelengkan kepalanya seolah-olah sebagai tanda beliau tidak mahu berganjak dengan keputusannya.
Setiap tahun sejak Persidangan Agung UMNO disiarkan secara langsung di Televisyen, seingat saya, saya tidak pernah melepaskan peluang untuk mendengar ucapan dasar dan ucapan penggulungan oleh Presiden UMNO ke 5. TDM mempunyai daya penarik tersendiri di dalam ucapannya, bersahaja tetapi keras dan pedas. Terutama sekali di dalam ucapan penggulungannya yang sering membuat saya tidak kering gusi.
Bahkan saya dapati bukan saya sahaja, ramai kawan-kawan dari bangsa lain turut menanti untuk mendengar ucapan penggulungan TDM. Ianya seolah satu sumber hiburan berkualiti tinggi.
Dan hari bersejarah itu, saya masih ingat, saya tergesa-gesa kembali ke rumah untuk menonton siaran langsung ucapan penggulungan TDM, dan waktu saya mula menontonnya, TDM sedang di tengah-tengah ucapannya. Saya cepat-cepat betulkan kedudukan di sofa dan entah mengapa dengan tidak semena-mena Tun berkata “saya ingin mengambil kesempatan ini untuk mengumumkan ... mengumumkan.. satu... perletakan jawatan saya” selainnya sejarah yang kita sudah tahu.
Saya memandang ke arah isteri saya dan kami tercengang. Segera saya panggilkan anak-anak saya supaya duduk diam-diam di hadapan TV. Bila mereka bertanya kenapa, jawab kami serentak “Che Det letak jawatan”, “Apa tu letak jawatan mummy”, tanya anak saya yang nombor dua, “Dia dah tak mau jaga kita lagi…” jawab isteri saya.
“Kenapa Che Det tak mau jaga kita lagi mummy”, tanya yang sulong. “habis sapa nak jaga kita mummy?”, celah yang anak saya yang kedua tadi.
Persidangan Agung UMNO selepas era Mahathir sudah tawar dan tiada apa yang nak dinantikan di dalam ucapan dasar Presiden, apa lagi di dalam ucapan penggulungannya. Mendengar Abdullah (saya dah tak mau kutuk dia lagi LAH) berucap, saya seperti mendengar nenek saya membebel sambil mengejar ayam di bawah rumah waktu pagi-pagi di kampung dulu. Saya akan tarik selimut dan tarik bantal telangkupkan ke kepala. Tak ada faedahnya, membosankan. Dan apabila tiap-tiap tahun anda mendengar benda yang sama, anda mula tertanya kepada diri anda, orang tua ni dah desperado sangat ke? Tak habis-habis, duduk nak ingatkan orang tentang sumbangan dia. Tapi apa sumbangan dia yang kita nak diingat. Tak habis-habis nak isi bakul dan angkat sendiri sebab rakyat tiada yang memujinya. Tetapi itulah rumusannya.
Abdullah memanglah seorang pemimpin yang sah menerusi proses undang-undang, tetapi adalah baiknya kalau orang macam Abdullah ini balik sahaja ke kampung dan kejar ayam di bawah rumah tu, mungkin lebih berfaedah kepada ayam-ayam itu dan juga kepada orang kampung daripada tanpa segan silu mengaku dia tidak mahu jadi Perdana Menteri untuk satu penggal. Memanglah, majoriti rakyat Malaysia pun tidak mahu Abdullah menjadi Perdana Menteri untuk satu penggal, kami mahu dia bersara sebelum cukup satu penggal.
Tujuan saya menulis malam ini bukanlah untuk mengutuk Abdullah, lebih baik saya tidur dari bercakap tentang kaki tidur, tetapi saya mahu mengingatkan kembali detik-detik perletakkan jawatan TDM secara mengejut. Bagaimana ia memberi kesan kepada kita semua. Bagaimana ia meragut kebahagian yang kita miliki sebelum itu.
Saya sering terfikir, ke manakah Tun Dr. Mahathir akan bawa kita jika sepuluh tahun pertama pemerintahannya, TDM tidak perlu berdepan dengan kemelut penentangan oleh Tengku Razaleigh, Musa Hitam, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dan separuh dari kabinetnya.
Ke manakah Tun Dr. Mahathir akan mampu membawa kita, jika di penghujung sepuluh tahun pertamanya itu, dia tidak perlu membahagikan masanya di dalam memerintah negara dan pada waktu yang sama membina semula parti UMNO Baru.
Saya sering terfikir, di manakah puncaknya pemerintahan Tun Dr. Mahathir, jika di sepuluh tahun kedua pemerintahannya, dia tidak perlu berdepan dengan arus kebangkitan Melayu Wawasan yang penuh kontroversi. Di manakah puncaknya pemerintahan beliau jika di dalam tempoh itu beliau tidak perlu membahagikan masa memerintah negara dan pada waktu yang sama membuang masa kerana terpaksa mencuci berak orang-orang seperti Osman Arrof, Muhammad Muhammad Taib, Rahim Tamby Chik, Abu Hassan Omar, Annuar Musa, Sabaruddin Chik dan lain-lain Menteri Kabinet, Ketua Menteri dan Menteri Besar.
Saya sering terfikir, sejauh manakah Tun Dr. Mahathir dapat membawa kita menakluki dunia ini, jika di sepuluh tahun terakhirnya, tidak timbul Buku 50 Dalil Mengapa Anwar Tidak Boleh Jadi PM. Jika sepuluh tahun terakhirnya dia tidak perlu berhadapan dengan penentangan Anwar Ibrahim dan penyokong reformasi.
Saya sering terfikir, sehebat manakah bangsa Malaysia di kaca dunia, jika di penghujung pemerintahannya, Tun Dr. Mahathir tidak perlu berkerat rotan dengan Tun Daim Zainuddin yang amat disanjungnya, dan terpaksa berdepan dengan keruntuhan empayar korporat Melayu.
Dan saya sering berfikir, apakah yang difikirkan oleh orang-orang seperti Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Musa Hitam, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Osman Arrof, Muhammad Muhammad Taib, Abu Hassan Omar, Annuar Musa, Sabaruddin Chik, Anwar Ibrahim, Daim Zainuddin, Halim Saat, Tajuddin Ramli dan ramai lagi. Apakah yang mereka difikirkan bila pada 22 Jun 2002, seorang insan bernama Mahathir mengumumkan perletakkan semua jawatannya di dalam parti dan kerajaan. Tidakkah mereka melihat betapa lafaz-lafaz itu di isi dengan nada yang penuh kekecewaan? Tidakkah mereka merasa mereka adalah sebahagian dari kekesalan itu. Tidakkah mereka terfikir, andainya mereka tidak pernah wujud di dalam dunia pemerintahan Mahathir, betapa jauhkan negara ini dapat di pacu oleh Mahathir?
Sayang, Seribu kali sayang. Sepanjang dua dekad pemerintahannya, terlalu banyak najis-najis Menteri Kabinet, Pembesar Negeri, Kakitangan Kerajaan Pusat dan Negeri yang terpaksa di bersihkannya. Tun Dr. Mahathir, pemimpin agung kita, terpaksa menghabiskan sebahagian dari pemerintahannya sebagai pencacai mengangkat najis mereka ini. Aduh… kesal saya.
Tun, terlalu banyak sumbanganmu yang saya dan keluarga saya nikmati. Terlalu sedikit yang dapat kami pulangkan untuk mu menikmatinya.
Perjuanganmu bukan mencari Al Ghazali, bukan juga mencari damai di hati, perjuangan mu sungguh tulus, perjuangan mu mencari damai hakiki buat bangsa dan tanah air mu. Demi itu, kau bakar dirimu.
Source : kickdefella
--- Mahathir Mohamad
Semasa itu, seluruh perwakilan dalam Dewan Merdeka terpaku dan tersentak, dan serentak itu suasana kecoh berlaku dalam dewan itu - para perwakilan tidak bergerak dari Dewan Merdeka.
Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz , orang pertama yang menerpa ke arah Dr. Mahathir di rostrum sambil berkata, why? Why?
Dalam keadaan kelam kabut itu, Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi menyambar mikrofon secara spontan dari tempat duduknya dan berkata, kita tidak boleh terima ini... kita minta Datuk Seri tarik balik.
Dr. Mahathir menjawab, No..no.. I have decided... I have decided... dah lama dah.
Serentak itu, Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein turut meluru ke rostrum sambil menangis memegang bahu Dr. Mahathir dan kesemua ahli MT menyerbu dan mengelilingi Perdana Menteri.
Dr. Mahathir yang dikerumuni oleh para anggota MT, kelihatan sebak, menangis dan menggeleng-gelengkan kepalanya seolah-olah sebagai tanda beliau tidak mahu berganjak dengan keputusannya.
Setiap tahun sejak Persidangan Agung UMNO disiarkan secara langsung di Televisyen, seingat saya, saya tidak pernah melepaskan peluang untuk mendengar ucapan dasar dan ucapan penggulungan oleh Presiden UMNO ke 5. TDM mempunyai daya penarik tersendiri di dalam ucapannya, bersahaja tetapi keras dan pedas. Terutama sekali di dalam ucapan penggulungannya yang sering membuat saya tidak kering gusi.
Bahkan saya dapati bukan saya sahaja, ramai kawan-kawan dari bangsa lain turut menanti untuk mendengar ucapan penggulungan TDM. Ianya seolah satu sumber hiburan berkualiti tinggi.
Dan hari bersejarah itu, saya masih ingat, saya tergesa-gesa kembali ke rumah untuk menonton siaran langsung ucapan penggulungan TDM, dan waktu saya mula menontonnya, TDM sedang di tengah-tengah ucapannya. Saya cepat-cepat betulkan kedudukan di sofa dan entah mengapa dengan tidak semena-mena Tun berkata “saya ingin mengambil kesempatan ini untuk mengumumkan ... mengumumkan.. satu... perletakan jawatan saya” selainnya sejarah yang kita sudah tahu.
Saya memandang ke arah isteri saya dan kami tercengang. Segera saya panggilkan anak-anak saya supaya duduk diam-diam di hadapan TV. Bila mereka bertanya kenapa, jawab kami serentak “Che Det letak jawatan”, “Apa tu letak jawatan mummy”, tanya anak saya yang nombor dua, “Dia dah tak mau jaga kita lagi…” jawab isteri saya.
“Kenapa Che Det tak mau jaga kita lagi mummy”, tanya yang sulong. “habis sapa nak jaga kita mummy?”, celah yang anak saya yang kedua tadi.
Persidangan Agung UMNO selepas era Mahathir sudah tawar dan tiada apa yang nak dinantikan di dalam ucapan dasar Presiden, apa lagi di dalam ucapan penggulungannya. Mendengar Abdullah (saya dah tak mau kutuk dia lagi LAH) berucap, saya seperti mendengar nenek saya membebel sambil mengejar ayam di bawah rumah waktu pagi-pagi di kampung dulu. Saya akan tarik selimut dan tarik bantal telangkupkan ke kepala. Tak ada faedahnya, membosankan. Dan apabila tiap-tiap tahun anda mendengar benda yang sama, anda mula tertanya kepada diri anda, orang tua ni dah desperado sangat ke? Tak habis-habis, duduk nak ingatkan orang tentang sumbangan dia. Tapi apa sumbangan dia yang kita nak diingat. Tak habis-habis nak isi bakul dan angkat sendiri sebab rakyat tiada yang memujinya. Tetapi itulah rumusannya.
Abdullah memanglah seorang pemimpin yang sah menerusi proses undang-undang, tetapi adalah baiknya kalau orang macam Abdullah ini balik sahaja ke kampung dan kejar ayam di bawah rumah tu, mungkin lebih berfaedah kepada ayam-ayam itu dan juga kepada orang kampung daripada tanpa segan silu mengaku dia tidak mahu jadi Perdana Menteri untuk satu penggal. Memanglah, majoriti rakyat Malaysia pun tidak mahu Abdullah menjadi Perdana Menteri untuk satu penggal, kami mahu dia bersara sebelum cukup satu penggal.
Tujuan saya menulis malam ini bukanlah untuk mengutuk Abdullah, lebih baik saya tidur dari bercakap tentang kaki tidur, tetapi saya mahu mengingatkan kembali detik-detik perletakkan jawatan TDM secara mengejut. Bagaimana ia memberi kesan kepada kita semua. Bagaimana ia meragut kebahagian yang kita miliki sebelum itu.
Saya sering terfikir, ke manakah Tun Dr. Mahathir akan bawa kita jika sepuluh tahun pertama pemerintahannya, TDM tidak perlu berdepan dengan kemelut penentangan oleh Tengku Razaleigh, Musa Hitam, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dan separuh dari kabinetnya.
Ke manakah Tun Dr. Mahathir akan mampu membawa kita, jika di penghujung sepuluh tahun pertamanya itu, dia tidak perlu membahagikan masanya di dalam memerintah negara dan pada waktu yang sama membina semula parti UMNO Baru.
Saya sering terfikir, di manakah puncaknya pemerintahan Tun Dr. Mahathir, jika di sepuluh tahun kedua pemerintahannya, dia tidak perlu berdepan dengan arus kebangkitan Melayu Wawasan yang penuh kontroversi. Di manakah puncaknya pemerintahan beliau jika di dalam tempoh itu beliau tidak perlu membahagikan masa memerintah negara dan pada waktu yang sama membuang masa kerana terpaksa mencuci berak orang-orang seperti Osman Arrof, Muhammad Muhammad Taib, Rahim Tamby Chik, Abu Hassan Omar, Annuar Musa, Sabaruddin Chik dan lain-lain Menteri Kabinet, Ketua Menteri dan Menteri Besar.
Saya sering terfikir, sejauh manakah Tun Dr. Mahathir dapat membawa kita menakluki dunia ini, jika di sepuluh tahun terakhirnya, tidak timbul Buku 50 Dalil Mengapa Anwar Tidak Boleh Jadi PM. Jika sepuluh tahun terakhirnya dia tidak perlu berhadapan dengan penentangan Anwar Ibrahim dan penyokong reformasi.
Saya sering terfikir, sehebat manakah bangsa Malaysia di kaca dunia, jika di penghujung pemerintahannya, Tun Dr. Mahathir tidak perlu berkerat rotan dengan Tun Daim Zainuddin yang amat disanjungnya, dan terpaksa berdepan dengan keruntuhan empayar korporat Melayu.
Dan saya sering berfikir, apakah yang difikirkan oleh orang-orang seperti Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Musa Hitam, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Osman Arrof, Muhammad Muhammad Taib, Abu Hassan Omar, Annuar Musa, Sabaruddin Chik, Anwar Ibrahim, Daim Zainuddin, Halim Saat, Tajuddin Ramli dan ramai lagi. Apakah yang mereka difikirkan bila pada 22 Jun 2002, seorang insan bernama Mahathir mengumumkan perletakkan semua jawatannya di dalam parti dan kerajaan. Tidakkah mereka melihat betapa lafaz-lafaz itu di isi dengan nada yang penuh kekecewaan? Tidakkah mereka merasa mereka adalah sebahagian dari kekesalan itu. Tidakkah mereka terfikir, andainya mereka tidak pernah wujud di dalam dunia pemerintahan Mahathir, betapa jauhkan negara ini dapat di pacu oleh Mahathir?
Sayang, Seribu kali sayang. Sepanjang dua dekad pemerintahannya, terlalu banyak najis-najis Menteri Kabinet, Pembesar Negeri, Kakitangan Kerajaan Pusat dan Negeri yang terpaksa di bersihkannya. Tun Dr. Mahathir, pemimpin agung kita, terpaksa menghabiskan sebahagian dari pemerintahannya sebagai pencacai mengangkat najis mereka ini. Aduh… kesal saya.
Tun, terlalu banyak sumbanganmu yang saya dan keluarga saya nikmati. Terlalu sedikit yang dapat kami pulangkan untuk mu menikmatinya.
Perjuanganmu bukan mencari Al Ghazali, bukan juga mencari damai di hati, perjuangan mu sungguh tulus, perjuangan mu mencari damai hakiki buat bangsa dan tanah air mu. Demi itu, kau bakar dirimu.
Source : kickdefella
BN vs 'Independent' 22 year old SPM certificate holder
According to a malaysiakini news report, there is a speculation that Umno is allegedly ‘making arrangements’ to field an independent candidate so that the Batu Talam by-election can proceed. It is not illogical for that to happen because only when there is a contest, there is campaigning and only when there is campaigning, members and supporters of Umno and/or other BN component parties could cari makan as contractors or sub-contractors of mini-projects, advertising agents, writers and printers of propaganda materials, party's electoral office clerks, door-to-door campaigners, polling and counting agents, drivers of campaign vehicles as well as field suppliers of food and drink, etc. For them to field an 'independent' candidate to challenge their own party's official candidate could be a very lucrative business or profitable investment.
The Opposition boycott of the Batu Talam by-election seems to have achieved more than it originally expected or calculated. Without contest, there is no campaigning and many ad hoc jobs and mini-projects planned and allocated for BN's supporters have to be re-negotiated, postponed or even cancelled consequently. Should those who have already been paid cash return their money to their paymasters even though no-contest is not their fault? It is really ironical to know that the financial well-beings of many BN supporters ultimately depend on whether the Opposition challenges their own 'beloved' parties or not in general or by-elections.
Pak Lah smashes many more M'sian rice bowls.
Source : James Wong
Naib Ketua Pemuda Umno, Khairy Jamaluddin hari ini menyifatkan pemimpin pembangkang, termasuk Penasihat Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sebagai penakut kerana tidak berani turun berdepan dengan pengundi di pilihanraya kecil Batu Talam.
Source : Malaysiakini
Later, looking shy and nervous during a press conference, Ng asked the Batu Talam voters to give him a chance.
“I hope not to lose my deposit,” he said, adding that he was not representing any opposition parties in the by-election. He however admitted that he was strongly influenced by his father’s political ideologies.
SPM certificate holder Ng spoke very little at the press conference and relied heavily on his father to respond to questions from the media.
The senior Ng said that decision to field his son as an Independent candidate was only made late last night.
Source : jelas.info
I gave the reason as AAB and UMNO party itself currently suffering from such bad publicity and serious unpopularity, that they badly need an uplifting shot in their arms, indeed very desperately, in the form of a combative victory over a visible opponent. UMNO hopes the blood of the loser a la Roman circus would have a carry-forward influencing effect into the coming general election.
As I commented, a win in an opposition-boycotted by-election would be, given the circumstance, a hollow victory that would taste like kucing kurap (cat) piss in a victory toast. And then, the Malaysian public would probably say the walkover victory was fixed.
Therefore the walkover would add on to the rotten image UMNO now has.
That has been why UMNO has been raving and ranting about the opposition denying the voters of Batu Talam a ‘democratic choice’. Such an unheard-of and unbelievable UMNO protestation is like the Israelis insisting on sovereign statehood for the Palestinians, or George Bush demanding the Israelis respect the democratically elected Hamas government.
Source : Ktemoc
For more news and picture of the two candidates, visit :
http://bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=241589
Penangite comments : Niamah, graduan SPM also can contest, wow! this is good! proves that u dun need a degree to contest but whether or not ppl will vote for u is another matter. may just be another wayang or sandiwara of the govt and oppo. can u imagine the 22 year old sitting in the Dewan Undangan Negeri Pahang?! why not? hehe.
The Opposition boycott of the Batu Talam by-election seems to have achieved more than it originally expected or calculated. Without contest, there is no campaigning and many ad hoc jobs and mini-projects planned and allocated for BN's supporters have to be re-negotiated, postponed or even cancelled consequently. Should those who have already been paid cash return their money to their paymasters even though no-contest is not their fault? It is really ironical to know that the financial well-beings of many BN supporters ultimately depend on whether the Opposition challenges their own 'beloved' parties or not in general or by-elections.
Pak Lah smashes many more M'sian rice bowls.
Source : James Wong
Naib Ketua Pemuda Umno, Khairy Jamaluddin hari ini menyifatkan pemimpin pembangkang, termasuk Penasihat Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sebagai penakut kerana tidak berani turun berdepan dengan pengundi di pilihanraya kecil Batu Talam.
Source : Malaysiakini
Later, looking shy and nervous during a press conference, Ng asked the Batu Talam voters to give him a chance.
“I hope not to lose my deposit,” he said, adding that he was not representing any opposition parties in the by-election. He however admitted that he was strongly influenced by his father’s political ideologies.
SPM certificate holder Ng spoke very little at the press conference and relied heavily on his father to respond to questions from the media.
The senior Ng said that decision to field his son as an Independent candidate was only made late last night.
Source : jelas.info
I gave the reason as AAB and UMNO party itself currently suffering from such bad publicity and serious unpopularity, that they badly need an uplifting shot in their arms, indeed very desperately, in the form of a combative victory over a visible opponent. UMNO hopes the blood of the loser a la Roman circus would have a carry-forward influencing effect into the coming general election.
As I commented, a win in an opposition-boycotted by-election would be, given the circumstance, a hollow victory that would taste like kucing kurap (cat) piss in a victory toast. And then, the Malaysian public would probably say the walkover victory was fixed.
Therefore the walkover would add on to the rotten image UMNO now has.
That has been why UMNO has been raving and ranting about the opposition denying the voters of Batu Talam a ‘democratic choice’. Such an unheard-of and unbelievable UMNO protestation is like the Israelis insisting on sovereign statehood for the Palestinians, or George Bush demanding the Israelis respect the democratically elected Hamas government.
Source : Ktemoc
For more news and picture of the two candidates, visit :
http://bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=241589
Penangite comments : Niamah, graduan SPM also can contest, wow! this is good! proves that u dun need a degree to contest but whether or not ppl will vote for u is another matter. may just be another wayang or sandiwara of the govt and oppo. can u imagine the 22 year old sitting in the Dewan Undangan Negeri Pahang?! why not? hehe.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Crime rates are increasing dramatically
Nowadays, even politicians/ex-politicians themselves are not free from the attack of criminals:
PETALING JAYA: Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Lim See Ching’s family was robbed by two men armed with parang.
Petaling Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Mazlan Mansor said the two men managed to flee with cash, jewellery and mobile phones from the house at Jalan SS21/3, Damansara Jaya, yesterday.
He said Lim was not at home at the time as he was on his way to Kulai, Johor.
Lim’s wife, her sister and sister-in-law were in the house with their maid when the incident happened.
According to ACP Mazlan, the two men tied the four women with telephone wires before ransacking the house.
“However, nobody was injured in the incident,” he said, adding that they took almost RM30,000 worth of valuables.
Lim, when met at the house, said he was on his way to Kulai when his son called to inform him about the robbery.
“My wife managed to untie herself and called my son,'' he said.
Source : thestar.com.my
Sometime ago, the son of former Health Minister Dato' Chua Jui Meng was nearly kidnapped.
In Johor, there is already a flood crisis, more of humanity crisis actually, army personnel asking for bribes to evacuate people, looters roam freely, stealing and vandalising become the norm. Memang sudah jatuh ditimpa tangga bagi penduduk Johor.
The destructive flood is certainly a bad sign from mother nature. we are beginning to face her wrath. I dread the future.
PETALING JAYA: Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Lim See Ching’s family was robbed by two men armed with parang.
Petaling Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Mazlan Mansor said the two men managed to flee with cash, jewellery and mobile phones from the house at Jalan SS21/3, Damansara Jaya, yesterday.
He said Lim was not at home at the time as he was on his way to Kulai, Johor.
Lim’s wife, her sister and sister-in-law were in the house with their maid when the incident happened.
According to ACP Mazlan, the two men tied the four women with telephone wires before ransacking the house.
“However, nobody was injured in the incident,” he said, adding that they took almost RM30,000 worth of valuables.
Lim, when met at the house, said he was on his way to Kulai when his son called to inform him about the robbery.
“My wife managed to untie herself and called my son,'' he said.
Source : thestar.com.my
Sometime ago, the son of former Health Minister Dato' Chua Jui Meng was nearly kidnapped.
In Johor, there is already a flood crisis, more of humanity crisis actually, army personnel asking for bribes to evacuate people, looters roam freely, stealing and vandalising become the norm. Memang sudah jatuh ditimpa tangga bagi penduduk Johor.
The destructive flood is certainly a bad sign from mother nature. we are beginning to face her wrath. I dread the future.
More reasons why NS should be abolished
NS trainees tasked to help out victims
PETALING JAYA: National Service (NS) trainees have already been mobilised from camps in affected areas in Johor to help flood victims at relief centres.
NS Training Department director-general Abdul Halim Abdul Hamid said that as of noon yesterday, about 100 trainees from four camps had been sent to help out until 6pm.
“We sent one busload of trainees from each camp in Kluang, Air Hitam, Pagoh and Kota Tinggi to relief centres nearest to the camps,” he said, adding that the trainees would be at the centres again at 9am today.
Abdul Halim said that this was the NS Training Department’s immediate response to the call by Women, Family and Community Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil (who called the IGP 3 times in fear of drowning) for NS trainees to help.
-Star Online, Monday January 15, 2007
They are talking about sending the National Service trainees to Johor to help the flood victims. Why the National Service trainees? These are but schoolchildren. Have they been trained in how to handle emergencies and national disasters? Why not send the army, riot police, police field force, or any other men who have been properly trained and are being paid to risk their lives? Why send schoolchildren to what may result in their deaths? Is this because schoolchildren cost nothing while uniformed personnel need to be paid and the government has disallowed overtime and outstation allowances?
Yes, there are whispers that government personnel have been told to cut down their outstation trips because the government no longer has any money to pay them this extra cost. Whenever it is unavoidable and the personnel are forced to make trips away from the office, then they are supposed to pay for the cost from their own pockets and claim back the expenses on their return. But not many government officers want to do this because they would be reimbursed many months later.
-Raja Petra Kamarudin
PETALING JAYA: National Service (NS) trainees have already been mobilised from camps in affected areas in Johor to help flood victims at relief centres.
NS Training Department director-general Abdul Halim Abdul Hamid said that as of noon yesterday, about 100 trainees from four camps had been sent to help out until 6pm.
“We sent one busload of trainees from each camp in Kluang, Air Hitam, Pagoh and Kota Tinggi to relief centres nearest to the camps,” he said, adding that the trainees would be at the centres again at 9am today.
Abdul Halim said that this was the NS Training Department’s immediate response to the call by Women, Family and Community Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil (who called the IGP 3 times in fear of drowning) for NS trainees to help.
-Star Online, Monday January 15, 2007
They are talking about sending the National Service trainees to Johor to help the flood victims. Why the National Service trainees? These are but schoolchildren. Have they been trained in how to handle emergencies and national disasters? Why not send the army, riot police, police field force, or any other men who have been properly trained and are being paid to risk their lives? Why send schoolchildren to what may result in their deaths? Is this because schoolchildren cost nothing while uniformed personnel need to be paid and the government has disallowed overtime and outstation allowances?
Yes, there are whispers that government personnel have been told to cut down their outstation trips because the government no longer has any money to pay them this extra cost. Whenever it is unavoidable and the personnel are forced to make trips away from the office, then they are supposed to pay for the cost from their own pockets and claim back the expenses on their return. But not many government officers want to do this because they would be reimbursed many months later.
-Raja Petra Kamarudin
Now, that's better =)
Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng have been invited to speak on “The state of the Malaysian economy” at a ceramah perdana on Wednesday, 24 January 2007 at the Penang Chinese Town Hall beginning 8.00 pm.
This is the first time the former Deputy Prime Minister and Parti Keadilan Rakyat advisor is invited to speak at a ceramah organized by the DAP Penang State Committee.
It is also a rare opportunity to see these three top Opposition leaders sharing the same stage, speaking on important issues of the country as we celebrate 50 years of nation-building.
Anwar has advocated that the NEP be abandoned. To replace the NEP, Anwar has mooted a New Economic Agenda, which emphasizes justice for all Malaysians and eradicating poverty regardless of race.
Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang said recently a “soprano” Prime Minister, “keris-wielding” Education Minister, “half-past six” Cabinet, “Little Napoleon” civil service ad “stupid” politicians are not recipe for greater international competitiveness and First World developed nations for Malaysia.
DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng proposed the Malaysian First concept as a continuation of DAP’s original struggles for a Malaysian Malaysia. Malaysian First stresses the dual purpose of achieving national unity and economic prosperity among all Malaysians.
Come and listen to these top Opposition leaders on 24 January.
Admission is free.
This is the first time the former Deputy Prime Minister and Parti Keadilan Rakyat advisor is invited to speak at a ceramah organized by the DAP Penang State Committee.
It is also a rare opportunity to see these three top Opposition leaders sharing the same stage, speaking on important issues of the country as we celebrate 50 years of nation-building.
Anwar has advocated that the NEP be abandoned. To replace the NEP, Anwar has mooted a New Economic Agenda, which emphasizes justice for all Malaysians and eradicating poverty regardless of race.
Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang said recently a “soprano” Prime Minister, “keris-wielding” Education Minister, “half-past six” Cabinet, “Little Napoleon” civil service ad “stupid” politicians are not recipe for greater international competitiveness and First World developed nations for Malaysia.
DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng proposed the Malaysian First concept as a continuation of DAP’s original struggles for a Malaysian Malaysia. Malaysian First stresses the dual purpose of achieving national unity and economic prosperity among all Malaysians.
Come and listen to these top Opposition leaders on 24 January.
Admission is free.
Bab 4 (Edisi Khas) : ANWAR-KHAIRY vs NAJIB-HISHAM
More analysis to come...but first...some prelude...from Malaysia-Today's Gerakan Anti-Najib:
According to talk on the ground, there is a movement called Gerakan Anti-Najib or GAN. The mission and vision of GAN is to see the ouster of Najib and a new Deputy Prime Minister installed in his place. According to one Chief Minister in his SMS to me a few days ago, Anwar Ibrahim has aligned himself to the Prime Minister’s son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, and is part of the ‘team’ that will make its move on Najib. I replied, “Not possible,” and he responded, “You of all people should know Anwar better and if you say no, then it must be false.”
A day later, Anwar called for a press conference at his home in Bukit Damansara and urged the government to widen its investigation on the murder of the Mongolian model. Anwar also urged Najib to clear his name as the talk on the ground is that Najib is in someway involved in the murder. Wow! That took even me by surprise and considering that I am a most controversial personality it is very difficult to surprise me. Was this a mere coincidence? Just a day earlier a man very high up the Umno ladder told me of the alliance between Anwar and Khairy to oust Najib. Rumours are abundance in Malaysia and I have a hard time separating the husk from the rice. And this talk of an anti-Najib alliance between Anwar and Khairy is certainly husk rather than rice. But now I am not so sure anymore, though I would still keep an open mind on the matter until I get more tangible evidence.
According to one of Najib’s boys, the GAN or Anti-Najib Movement does exist. There are serious moves to oust Najib and it may not quite be as far-fetched to achieve if they can successfully link Najib to the Mongolian model’s murder.
Wow, I thought I was the great spinner of stories. It looks like even I have not yet attained that level of the greatest spinner of stories. Could this all really be true? Maybe we should after all ask why Tun Dr Mahathir refuses to meet Najib. Maybe it is not as unimportant as we first thought. Is it really because Tun Dr Mahathir is upset that Najib is in London trying to meet him when he should instead be back in Malaysia coordinating the flood relief in Johor? Or is it because Tun Dr Mahathir knows that Najib is a dead man walking?
Those at the top echelons of Umno say it is only a matter of time before Najib resigns from office. According to these people, the pressure on Najib is just too great and there is no way he can hold on to his post. He can of course do what Anwar Ibrahim did back in 1998. He too can stubbornly hold on to his post and refuse to resign. But then he too will meet the same fate as Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar’s stubbornness came with a very heavy price. Najib too will have to pay that same price if he remains stubborn. The only safe way out would be for him to resign. Of course, this would then mean he would never become Prime Minister. But then this would also mean he does not run the risk of being sent to the Sungai Buloh Prison to share the next cell with his left-hand man, Abdul Razak Baginda.
Penangite comments : Who is the Chief Minister who sent RPK the sms? i wonder, hehe. there are only 4 CMs namely, Dr Koh, Ali Rustam, Taib Mahmud and Musa Aman. unless if he includes Menteri Besars as Chief Ministers then we have more guesses. anybody wanna try?:P
According to talk on the ground, there is a movement called Gerakan Anti-Najib or GAN. The mission and vision of GAN is to see the ouster of Najib and a new Deputy Prime Minister installed in his place. According to one Chief Minister in his SMS to me a few days ago, Anwar Ibrahim has aligned himself to the Prime Minister’s son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, and is part of the ‘team’ that will make its move on Najib. I replied, “Not possible,” and he responded, “You of all people should know Anwar better and if you say no, then it must be false.”
A day later, Anwar called for a press conference at his home in Bukit Damansara and urged the government to widen its investigation on the murder of the Mongolian model. Anwar also urged Najib to clear his name as the talk on the ground is that Najib is in someway involved in the murder. Wow! That took even me by surprise and considering that I am a most controversial personality it is very difficult to surprise me. Was this a mere coincidence? Just a day earlier a man very high up the Umno ladder told me of the alliance between Anwar and Khairy to oust Najib. Rumours are abundance in Malaysia and I have a hard time separating the husk from the rice. And this talk of an anti-Najib alliance between Anwar and Khairy is certainly husk rather than rice. But now I am not so sure anymore, though I would still keep an open mind on the matter until I get more tangible evidence.
According to one of Najib’s boys, the GAN or Anti-Najib Movement does exist. There are serious moves to oust Najib and it may not quite be as far-fetched to achieve if they can successfully link Najib to the Mongolian model’s murder.
Wow, I thought I was the great spinner of stories. It looks like even I have not yet attained that level of the greatest spinner of stories. Could this all really be true? Maybe we should after all ask why Tun Dr Mahathir refuses to meet Najib. Maybe it is not as unimportant as we first thought. Is it really because Tun Dr Mahathir is upset that Najib is in London trying to meet him when he should instead be back in Malaysia coordinating the flood relief in Johor? Or is it because Tun Dr Mahathir knows that Najib is a dead man walking?
Those at the top echelons of Umno say it is only a matter of time before Najib resigns from office. According to these people, the pressure on Najib is just too great and there is no way he can hold on to his post. He can of course do what Anwar Ibrahim did back in 1998. He too can stubbornly hold on to his post and refuse to resign. But then he too will meet the same fate as Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar’s stubbornness came with a very heavy price. Najib too will have to pay that same price if he remains stubborn. The only safe way out would be for him to resign. Of course, this would then mean he would never become Prime Minister. But then this would also mean he does not run the risk of being sent to the Sungai Buloh Prison to share the next cell with his left-hand man, Abdul Razak Baginda.
Penangite comments : Who is the Chief Minister who sent RPK the sms? i wonder, hehe. there are only 4 CMs namely, Dr Koh, Ali Rustam, Taib Mahmud and Musa Aman. unless if he includes Menteri Besars as Chief Ministers then we have more guesses. anybody wanna try?:P
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