Thursday, November 27, 2008

Pakatan Rakyat's Official Charter




















The charter appears
to deal specifically with concerns on the ground by different ethnic groups fearful of being sidelined by a PR government.

Among the highlights are the safeguarding of Bumiputera rights under Article 153 of the constitution and also religious freedom under Article 11.

Other key areas touch on PR’s political thrust, such as the
commitment to transparency and the rule of law, and the Malaysian Economic Agenda that promises to ensure that the marginalised poor of all communities are protected instead of the Bumiputera-affirming New Economic Policy in practice now.

DAP publicity chief Tony Pua told The Malaysian Insider that the charter was finalised last week and it is now simply awaiting approval.

Read Pakatan moves toward formal coalition

After 8 months of marriage now only they are coming out with marital vows?

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

KJ aka Hang Nadim

Wow! surprise Do not fear, the new Malay saviour is here! Our very own Hang Nadim coming to Temasek, oops silap... Malaya's rescue.

Excerpts:
  • Patutkah yang satu ini pun kita bunuh jadikan Hang Nadim? Akhirnya sudah tidak ada siapa lagi yang berani bangkit membela Melayu? Saat-saat seperti hari inilah bangsa Melayu memerlukan orang yang berani. Kalau dia buat silap kita tegur bukan bunuh seperti mereka cuba membunuh Tan Sri Rahim Tamby Chik.
  • Tuhan bersumpah atas nama buah tin dan buah zaiton diatas bukit Tursina, Nabi Musa gagal dibunuh oleh Firaun yang berjaya membunuh setiap anak lelaki dan turunnya kitab Taurat ‘The Ten Commandment’. Sampai bila nak berperangai macam Firaun, asal ada anak Melayu yang bijak kita pancung?

Read more at The Fabulous KJ blog, self-titled posting The Fabulous KJ . Again, wow!! applause

Somebody is working double shift nowadays, read Separating KJ from Khairy . By the way, interesting article & comments in Piggy Singh's The Darker Side here.

Updated 10.25pm

The "Selangor Prohibition": Pakatan Rakyat & Alcohol

Arak: Kejayaan pertama PAS di Shah Alam

kemaskini 2:13pm Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam (MBSA) menjadi pihak berkuasa tempatan (PBT) yang pertama di Selangor - di bawah pentadbiran Pakatan Rakyat - yang akan membataskan jualan minuman keras berkuatkuasa Januari depan.

Ia telah diluluskan dalam mesyuarat MBSA hujung bulan lepas, kata sumber-sumber majlis itu kepada Malaysiakini hari ini.

Anwar: Tiada larangan jualan alkohol di S'gor

Tiada larangan jualan alkohol di 7-Eleven, pasaraya dan kedai kopi di Selangor, kata Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim hari ini.

Bagaimanapun, keputusan untuk mengenakan sebarang larangan adalah sepenuhnya dalam bidang kuasa kerajaan negeri dan exco negeri, katanya kepada pemberita di Parlimen

Alkohol: PAS 'bongkak', kata DAP

PAS dianggap "bongkak dan sukar bekerjasama" apabila cuba memperkenalkan peraturan membataskan jualan alkohol di Selangor tanpa merujuk parti-parti lain dalam Pakatan Rakyat.

Tindakan parti Islam yang membelakang sentimen sokongan pengundi bukan Islam yang memberikan kemenangan kepada Pakatan boleh melemahkan kerajaan gabungan itu, kata ketua publisiti DAP Tony Pua.

Source: Malaysiakini

No more pakatan in the Pakatan ka? haha ... quo vadis Pakatan Rakyat? Another simple matter gets complicated in the hands of the politicians. Will they ever learn?


Updated 10.50pm

Late night brew from the PKR's MB;

SHAH ALAM: The controversy over Selangor PAS’ proposal to ban the sale of alcoholic beverages at sundry shops and convenience stores in the state has ended with an announcement by Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim on Wednesday that there will be no such ban in the state

Read No ban on alcohol sale, says Selangor MB

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Big brother is watching!

Folks, you better play nice! hahaha Don't
  • “So far, we are only telling them not to use their blogs as a mechanism to confuse people or as a weapon against those they don’t like,” he said on Tuesday when asked about bloggers posting comments on the National Fatwa Council’s edict banning Muslims from practising yoga.
  • “However, if the comments are deemed as posing a threat to public security, we will view them seriously,”
  • “The ministry is always monitoring developments in the blogosphere,”
Read Ministry keeping eye on blogs that ‘play up controversies’

Don't go gaga over yoga, ok!



Men At Work - Who Can It Be Now (1981)

Or else they got you where they want you to be in the first place ... falling for it hook, line & sinker! ... haha ... Remember now, it's the economy, the money politics & the likes, whichever you fancy, but definitely not the yoga!

Just let it rest for now. Let's not complicate matters.


Updated 5.06pm-26/11/2008


Even paklah comprehends the matter perfectly.
  • Perdana Menteri berkata, bagi umat Islam yang mengamalkan senaman yoga tetapi tidak menggunakan sebarang bentuk mantera, mereka boleh meneruskan aktiviti tersebut kerana ia adalah untuk kebaikan kesihatan mereka.
  • “Saya ingin tegaskan bahawa amalan fizikal tanpa sebarang unsur-unsur pemujaan boleh diteruskan, ertinya tidak diharamkan. Saya percaya umat Islam tidak mudah untuk disyirikkan,” katanya kepada Bernama apabila dihubungi di sini hari ini.
  • “Apa yang saya fahami daripada keputusan Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan itu adalah untuk memberi penjelasan kepada umat Islam yang terlibat dalam senaman yoga,” katanya.

Read more Jangan putarbelit intipati fatwa mengenai yoga – PM

Why can't we?

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Pahang: State Government-sponsored Bloggers

Pahang government paying pensioners to thwart slanderous remarks against the government in cyberspace. 3 pensioners as guns for hire & more to come! By the way, it took only one pensioner to rock the current establishment.

Pahang govt recruits pensioners as bloggers

TEMERLOH: The Pahang Government has appointed three pensioners as bloggers to thwart slanderous comments and allegations posted on the Internet.

State Information, Science, Technology and Innovation Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Sharkar Shamsudin said the bloggers, who would be paid allowances, would be provided with computers and the Internet access in their homes.

The pensioners can capitalise on their experience to explain the actual situation to the people besides providing feedback and opinions to the Government, he told reporters after attending the Senior Citizens Day organised by the Pahang Chapter of the Malaysian Government Pensioners’ Association here on Sunday.

“More bloggers will be appointed. We value pensioners’ thoughts in our efforts to improve the state’s economy and prosperity and unity of the people,” he said. -- Bernama

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Tahu takpe!

Ingatkan tak tahu ...

LIMA 22 NOV. – Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak menyifatkan krisis kewangan global yang melanda dunia sekarang lebih buruk daripada kegawatan ekonomi 1997 kerana ia menjejaskan keupayaan Malaysia untuk mengeksport lebih banyak produknya ke negara-negara lain.

Baca lagi Krisis kewangan global sekarang lebih buruk daripada kegawatan 1997 – Najib

Updated 8.48pm

Some pointers from Din Merican for Najib & Co., read Time to Get Serious about the Malaysian Economy: Piecemeal approaches won’t work

Friday, November 21, 2008

Kes tanah

Sibuk saya di dalam minggu ini sehingga tidak sempat mengemaskini blog yang tidak seberapa ini. Saya pohon maaf kepada semua yang telah mengunjungi blog ini mengharapkan ada posting terbaru dari saya. Saya sibuk membuat persediaan bagi satu kes. Pada hari Isnin & Selasa minggu hadapan saya akan mengendalikan satu perbicaraan penuh di Mahkamah Tinggi P.Pinang. Satu kes tanah yang mirip kepada fakta kes tersohor Boonsam Boonyanit lwn Adorna Properties Sdn Bhd. Anakguam saya telah mendapati tanah miliknya telah ditukarmilik kepada sebuah syarikat tanpa pengetahuannya oleh seorang yang juga telah menyamar sebagai beliau (menggunakan kad pengenalan palsu). Pemindahan hakmilik tanah telah dilakukan di hadapan Pendaftar Hakmilik Tanah di negeri Kedah bagi tanahnya di Pulau Pinang.

Mengikut keputusan Mahkamah Persekutuan dalam kes Boonsam Boonyanit tersebut, seandainya tiada unsur "mala fide" (niat jahat) di dalam pemindahan hakmilikan tanah daripada pihak yang membeli tanah tersebut (pemilik terbaru), walaupun memang jelas terdapat penipuan dan pemalsuan oleh orang yang menyamar dan menipu tersebut, anakguam saya tidak akan mendapat kembali hakmilikan tanahnya dan pemilik yang baru (syarikat berkenaan) akan tetap dilindungi hakmilikannya oleh undang-undang (Seksyen 340 Kanun Tanah Negara). Jadi apa yang perlu dibuktikan oleh pemilik baru tanah berkenaan adalah bahawasanya mereka sendiri tidak tahu-menahu adanya penipuan di dalam kes tersebut, amat mudah sekali beban pembuktian yang diletakkan ke atas mereka.

Begitulah dilema yang melanda salah satu cabang undang-undang tanah negara masa kini akibat keputusan Mahkamah Persekutuan di atas (walaupun ada percubaan oleh Mahkamah Rayuan baru-baru ini di dalam kes Au Meng Nam yang memberi sedikit sinar harapan kepada mereka yang teraniaya seperti kes anakguam saya, keputusan Mahkamah Persekutuan di atas masih lagi dianggap sebagai "a good law" (walaupun berbagai kritikan ilmiah dan kadangkala "case law" yang ditala ke atasnya) dan merupakan satu precedent yang mengikat di atas prinsip "stare decisis" dan wajib diikuti oleh Mahkamah yang lebih rendah hierarkinya, termasuk Mahkamah Rayuan dan Mahkamah Tinggi).

Gopal Sri Ram JCA dalam membezakan kes Au Meng Nam dan Boonsom Boonyanit, telah mengatakan sedemikian di dalam penghakimannya;

Such a decision is, of course, binding because it established a new principle of law. This is an example of a true precedent. But where you have a case which involves the interpretation of a section in an Act of Parliament the doctrine of precedent has a lesser effect. See, Carter v. Bradbeer [1975] 1 WLR 1204, per Lord Diplock.

Jadi nasihat saya kepada tuan-puan sekelian, rajin-rajinlah menjengok ke pejabat tanah dan periksalah hal-ehwal tanah milik anda selalu. Anakguam saya (seorang makcik tua) saban tahun ke pejabat tanah membayar hasil tanahnya, tetapi masih lagi teraniaya. Sedar-sedar di dalam tahun 2005, cukai tanahnya telahpun dibayar oleh sepihak yang lain. Tanah tersebut telah juga dicagarkan kepada sebuah bank oleh pemilik yang baru dengan nilai pinjaman yang begitu lumayan sekali.

Sindiket-sindiket penipuan tanah ini bukan satu hal baru di negara kita, dan pihak berkuasa sedar akan permasalahan ini, namun demikian penipuan terhadap hakmilikan tanah ini masih lagi berleluasa dan malangnya ianya dilakukan di bawah batang hidung mereka yang sepatutnya melindungi hak dan kepentingan rakyat, oleh pihak Pejabat Tanah sendiri. Disebabkan nila setititik habis rosak susu sebelanga!

Lebih malang lagi, bila diperiksa dengan pihak Polis, siasatan untuk kes yang melibatkan perihal tanah milik anakguam saya ini, yang juga telah dilaporkan kepada pihak polis sejak tahun 2005 lagi, baru berjalan setakat 20% kata pegawai penyiasat terbaru kes ini. Beginilah nasib golongan marhaen di negara ini, sudahlah menghadapi masalah di dalam perundangan sivil dan dibeban dengan kos guaman, keadilan yang yang dipohon dari mereka yang berkuasa (melalui proses di bawah acara keadilan jenayah) juga amat longlai sekali penguatkuasaannya.

Akhir sekali izinkan saya kemukakan semula sebahagian daripada penghakiman Gopal Sri Ram JCA yang memberikan cahaya dan perspektif (akibat kekalutan yang ditimbulkan di dalam kes Boonsam Boonyanit di Mahkamah Persekutuan tersebut) kepada tujuan asal seksyen 340 Kanun Tanah Negara 1965 digubal dan mengapa kepentingan dan hak mereka yang teraniaya ini perlu dilindungi;

The object and purpose of s. 340 is to protect registered proprietors of land by affording them certainty of title. This is a just result because it is unfair and unjust that the true owner of land should be deprived of it by the machinations of a rogue. When a court interprets a statute, particularly one which confers rights upon or grants protection to persons generally or a class, its duty is to derive a meaning that is fair, or in accordance with the purpose of the particular Act of Parliament. Put differently, an interpretation should not be placed which will produce an unsatisfactory or unfair result. Indeed, there is a presumption that Parliament does not intend an unfair or unjust result. See, Pesuruhjaya Ibu Kota Kuala Lumpur v. Public Trustee & Ors [1971] 2 MLJ 30; ‘The Boucraa’ [1994] 1 All ER 20; Lim Phin Khian v. Kho Su Ming [1996] 1 CLJ 529.

dikemaskini 7.38am-22/11/2008

Monday, November 17, 2008

Contractually redundant

Anwar Ibrahim reminded the people of the fact that the PR component parties have entered into an agreement between them to ensure that the Pakatan Rakyat governments will:-
  • uphold the principles in the Constitution;
  • protect the rights of bumiputras;
  • uphold the status of Islam as the official religion,
  • Bahasa Malaysia as the national language; and
  • uphold the status and rights of the Sultans.
He said this today in view of dismissing the rising fear among the people that PR governments in certain states are formulating policies and taking certain actions that will deny the bumiputeras of the above rights;

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had signed the agreement on Sept 8 as proof that all three parties would uphold Malay rights.

“We signed an agreement that cannot be changed by any party so there is no truth to claims that Pakatan Rakyat will take away the rights due to pressure from members within the coalition,”

Read more Anwar: Deal to ensure no erosion of Malay rights

There you go people, apparently Anwar Ibrahim is still that defender of the Malay rights (as he was then back in the 80s and the 90s) and by virtue of the above agreement, so does our Lim Kit Siang! Hmmm....

By the way, why do you need an agreement to ensure the rights enshrined in the Federal Constitution are to be uphold? We all know that the constitution in itself is a contract between the government and its people. As such why must there be another contract such as the one between the PR component parties to enforce the constitution? Everyone is bound by that contract, no exceptions. Surely you don't need a contract to enforce that contract!

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Penang boleh! (2)

More news from the home front, folks. My learned friend from court, Jagdeep, being the Chairman of Penang Public Accounts Committee(PAC), apparently is not taking it lying down the recent cancellation of "Kings of Tennis" event here in Penang.

“We are concerned about the damaged field at the Esplanade and we do not want taxpayers’ money to be used for repairing the damage. That’s why we are conducting the inquiry,” he said. Read more PAC inquiry into cancellation of ‘Kings of Tennis’ event

My only hope is that Penang PAC is sincere in investigating the blunder and not merely doing it for the sake of scoring political points. Then again, it is pretty obvious who should shoulder the blame for the damage done, ain't it? Provided always, at all material time, the Municipal Council concerned and/or other parties involved (this include the state government, direct or indirectly) did not play any role which leads to the impasse in staging the said event.

Recent post- "Penang boleh!" can be read here.

Updated- 8.57 pm

LGE's reaction to the above;
  • “We were neither the organiser nor the co-organiser of the event. As such, if it didn’t succeed, why blame the state government?”
  • “We told them what we could do was just to facilitate the event by waiving the RM2mil deposit for renting the field with the condition that the field must be restored to its grandeur once the event is completed.
  • “On top of that, we offered to waive the RM200,000 rental fee if the event was successful.
  • “The only problem is why was the fee was not collected before groundwork was allowed to take place,” he said.

Read more Guan Eng: Why was RM200,000 rental fee not collected?

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Kenapa perlu tolak elaun Ketua Pembangkang?

PENANG, Nov 15 — Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said today Penaga state assemblyman Datuk Azhar Ibrahim was playing politics when he turned down the monthly allowance of RM1,000 as the opposition leader in the state.

Baca Penang CM: Azhar playing politics by rejecting allowance

Alasan tidak ingin menerima elaun tersebut kerana ianya akan membebankan kerajaan negeri adalah tidak munasabah. Setakat hendak jadikan isu politik, ianya terlampau "petty" kata orang putih. Banyak lagi hal dan kepincangan dari segi kewangan lain yang boleh dijadikan bahan politik di dalam negeri ini. Mungkin bagi beliau, RM 1 ribu adalah terlalu kecil dan tidak sepadan dengan taraf beliau sebagai Ketua Pembangkang di DUN P.Pinang.

Kecil bagi beliau, besar bagi yang memerlukan. Mungkin ada satu, dua keluarga di ceruk-ceruk kampung, mungkin di Kepala Batas mahupun di celah-celah bandaraya Georgetown yang akan menadah dengan tangan terbuka RM 1 ribu sebulan tersebut. Mengapa tidak diterima sahaja elaun tersebut dan kemudiannya disedekahkan kepada mereka yang memerlukan? Setahun sudah RM 12 ribu, jumlah wang yang bukan kecil anak bagi mereka yang memerlukan. Ada lagi 4 tahun sebelum pilihanraya, jumlah keseluruhan boleh mencecah RM 48 ribu. Besar jumlah itu bagi mereka yang di dalam kesempitan dan kekurangan.


Dikemaskini 17/11/2008-7.41pm


GEORGE TOWN: The RM1,000 state opposition leader’s allowance can be channelled to the people since it was rejected by state Umno secretary Datuk Azhar Ibrahim.

Penang Ratepayers Association president Datuk Eddy Choong said money could be used to fund various community projects.

“It is well within Azhar’s rights whether he wants to accept the allowance or not, but since he has decided not to ... we can now use the funds for something else to benefit Penangites,” he said.

Baca lagi Opposition allowance can be channelled to the people

Friday, November 14, 2008

Bagaimana hendak hapuskan politik wang di dalam UMNO?

Sudah berbuih mulut berbagai lapisan manusia yang memperkatakan isu politik wang di dalam parti politik primier negara ini. Lagi dikata, lagi banyak dipersoal maka lagi galak ianya menjadi-jadi.

Saya ada beberapa cadangan bagaimana hendak hapuskan sama-sekali budaya berpolitik UMNO ini.

Apa kata kalau hapuskan cara undian yang dijalankan sekarang untuk tentukan pemenang dengan cara melambung syiling pula. Calon sendiri yang pilih "head" atau "tail". Biarkan nasib yang tentukan siapa pemenang. Kalau ada lebih daripada dua calon, lambung syiling untuk tentukan siapa yang akan mendapat bye atau bertanding di peringkat suku akhir, separuh akhir dan sebagainya. Untuk mengelakan rasuah dan me'minimize'kan kemungkinan rasuah, petugas yang akan melambungkan syiling hendaklah di' blind-folded' kan. Ataupun lantik saja Nik Aziz atau Karpal Singh sebagai hakim melambung syiling tersebut.

Satu lagi cadangan saya adalah bagi undian akan datang ini dan selepasnya, UMNO jadikan dua kemungkinan siapa yang akan dikira sebagai pemenang diantara calon-calon yang bertanding. Ianya mungkin diberikan kepada mereka yang meraih undi yang terbanyak ataupun kepada siapa yang meraih undi tercorot. Salah satu daripada dua kemungkinan tersebut. Sebelum pengundian berakhir, calon mahupun perwakilan tidak akan tahu yang mana satu kemungkinan akan berlaku. Biarkan yang menjadi calon dan bakal pengundinya pening memikirkan samada hendak suruh undi atau jangan undi. Hanya selepas pengundian, barulah MKT dihadapan kesemua perwakilan, secara live, melambungkan syiling untuk tentukan method kiraan terbanyak atau tercorot yang akan dikira sebagai pemenang untuk perhimpunan agung tersebut.

Kalau dua-dua idea diatas tidak dipersetujui saya ada cadangan ketiga. Apa kata untuk setiap calon dan perwakilan yang akan hadir ke PWTC nanti, ujian "lie detector" digunakan terhadap mereka dipintu masuk dewan sebelum mengundi Soal mereka samada mereka pernah terima wang atau berikan wang untuk tujuan meraih atau memberikan undi dengan gunakan mesin pengesan penipuan tersebut. Kalau mereka fail ujian tersebut, jangan bagi masuk dewan!

Kalau dah tak boleh juga, saya cadangkan bubarkan sahajalah parti UMNO ini.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Missing the point

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 — Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Nazri Aziz admitted today he had made a mistake in saying last week that six former Supreme Court judges, the main characters in the 1988 judicial crisis, were not sacked

Read Nazri admits mistake about former judges

It is not so much an issue whether they were sacked or otherwise, it is about the millions of taxpayers money paid to them. It is not an issue whether they were advice to retire or otherwise, it is more about these niggling questions at the back of my head on why they are still being paid with the ex-gratia payment despite being receiving pensions (let us call it "monthly compensation" instead of pension since generally from what I know a sacked employee is not entitled for pension) on the instruction of the king all the while. All that for what? Is it just for the sake of making the current regime to look better than the previous one. All that for the sake of ensuring "superficial" grand legacy for someone that has been sleeping on the job for the past 5 years? Or is all that money (I repeat, taxpayers money) just for the sake of flaunting the current government's judicial "more-cosmetic-than-substance" reforms?

Those are the issues that you must address Mr. De Facto Law Minister. Revealing the payment made is not the end of the road for transparency and accountability.

You can't always get away with an answer such as "that is not my problem" all the time.

Updated 7.30pm

Penang boleh!

Take a look at this;

BUKIT MERTAJAM - Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang pimpinan Pakatan Rakyat mengambil langkah yang drastik dalam mesyuarat exco semalam, apabila bertindak menarik balik segala kemudahan yang dinikmati pegawai-pegawai tinggi sebagai salah satu langkah berjimat cermat.

Read more (courtesy of Thinking of Life) Pulau Pinang : Tidak boleh guna tiket kelas pertama, hotel mewah - Malaysiakini

& now let's compare that with this;


GEORGE TOWN: What was touted as Big Bang, Penang has instead turned out to be Big Blow, Penang.

The seats are up, the court is ready, but with the Kings of Tennis event, scheduled to be held at Esplanade here scrapped, organisers are looking at massive losses estimated at RM17.5mil (US$5mil).

The grass on the field near the historical Fort Cornwallis was dug up and the surface tarred before the tennis court was laid. Now, the organisers have to return the field to its original condition. Read more Court ‘jesters’ turn Kings of Tennis into a joke


Penang state government BOLEH! Another classic case of penny wise, pound foolish?

Updated 10.26pm

For record purposes, I have read the state government immediate response/defence on the issue itself as reported in The Star Online & linked in my earlier posting. But in order for me to amplify my concerns here, do read Anil Netto's 10 lessons to be learnt from the Big Bang tennis flop


Wednesday, November 12, 2008

What twist?

The Malaysian Insider has it today that there exist a legal poser in the event Md Taib or Ali Rustam is the one elected as Deputy President of UMNO. By virtue of them not being an MP, the two candidates are therefore not eligible to become the Deputy PM. The Malaysian Insider article reads, inter-alia;

But only Muhyiddin is an elected Member of Parliament. Muhammad, a senator, wasn't fielded in the general election, while Ali is an elected member of Malacca's state legislative assembly.

Some analysts consider this a problem if either Ali or Muhammad wins the election, he will become, by convention, deputy prime minister and a heartbeat away from the premiership. He will also act as premier and chair Cabinet meetings in the absence of the prime minister
.

Read more Twist in race for No. 2 Umno post

What legal poser, what twist? Ali Rustam or Md Taib can still become the DP of UMNO & Najib can still appoint anyone else from the next in line that are elected to fill the 3 spots for the vice presidency. I don't think any of the two will object to that. Afterall they always fancy themselves as "loyal servants" of UMNO, isn't it? Everybody knows that it is just another convention for the PM to appoint his UMNO DP as DPM. Heck, he can even appoint someone else from MCA, MIC, PBS & what not as long as the chosen one is a member of parliament & from the ruling coalition!

...but if at all Ali or Md Taib is elected as the DP & Najib decides not to appoint his newly elected UMNO DP as DPM (by way of an unnecessary by-election & waste public funds just to make the new no.2 as MP etc.) but someone else instead, my bet is that the person won't be Muhyiddin. I have this sneaky feeling that paklah & co. still has it, you know that ever deadly tai-chi...they still can get things their way ... (wink!)

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Forum NEP (KL Seri Pacific-10 Nov 08)

Semalam saya telah dijemput bersama lebih 20 orang professional Melayu yang lain (tanpa mengira latar belakang dan kecenderungan hala politik) di bawah umur 40 tahun untuk menghadiri satu forum berkenaan dengan Dasar Ekonomi Baru (Kesan & Halatuju) di Seri Pacific Kuala Lumpur.

Program yang sepatutnya bermula jam 8 malam dan berakhir 11 malam di Bilik Seraya, Tingkat 4 Seri Pacific itu telah berlanjutan hingga ke jam 12.30 malam akibat feedback yang bersemangat daripada ahli-ahli forum.

Forum yang dianjurkan oleh Jawatankuasa Pemulihan UMNO & Barisan Nasional dan diusahakan sendiri oleh Pengerusi kedua-dua Jawatankuasa di atas iaitu DS Idris Jusoh sendiri dan pembantu khasnya Dato' Dr. Ramzi telah dihadiri dan dihangatkan lagi dengan pandangan-pandangan daripada Datuk Dr Norraesah Mohamad, Dr Mahani Zainal Abidin (Ketua Pengarah ISIS), Professor Dato Dr Zabid (Presiden/VC Unitar), Datuk Dr Awang Adek, DS Jamaluddin Jarjis, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir dan Datuk Norza Zakaria.

Forum yang dijalankan dengan secara santai tersebut saya kira telah mendapat berbagai reaksi, saranan, hujah dan idea daripada ahli-ahli forum yang saya kira amat berharga bagi pihak kerajaan amnya dan UMNO/BN khasnya untuk meneruskan dan mengolah dasar-dasar baru yang lebih relevan dengan masa dan kehendak rakyat tetapi sentiasa berteraskan undang-undang dan konvensyen negara. Mekanisma perlaksanaan perlu dibaiki dan sasaran sebenar dasar perlu dicapai. Hak dan kepentingan yang telah diperuntukan di dalam perlembagaan negara wajib diambil kira tanpa mengorbankan kepentingan yang lain.

Apa yang patut dipuji adalah kesedaran yang telah timbul dari dalam UMNO dan BN sendiri untuk berinteraksi secara langsung dengan kumpulan fokus ("focus group") tertentu dengan menganjurkan program-program sebegini. Kesedaran dan keinginan untuk terus jejak di bumi nyata ini perlu diteruskan. Usaha untuk memenangi hati rakyat sebegini amat saya alu-alukan. Terimakasih kerana sudi mendengar keluhan, saranan (walaupun pedas) dan cetusan hati ahli-ahli forum berkenaan semalam. Harapan saya janganlah nanti masuk telinga kiri, keluar telinga kanan pula. Walaubagaimanapun syabas kepada semua yang terlibat. Mungkin masih ada lagi sinar di sebalik kemendungan yang melanda parti berkenaan di masa kini.

Dikemaskini 9.17am 12 Nov 2008

Pengkhabaran ringkas yang diterima daripada Pengerusi J/K Pemulihan UMNO/BN pagi ini dan daripada pemerhatian awal berdasarkan feedback yang diterima semasa forum dijalankan, ianya adalah seperti berikut, pesanan ringkasnya berbunyi:-

YOUNG MALAY PROFESSIONAL: ( focus group study-forum 10/11/08 Seri Pacific KL)
  1. Majority masih sokong NEP.
  2. Majority of them also fail to see peranan NEP in '' EDUCATION''. Only see NEP memainkan peranan dari segi Equity & Contract.
  3. Majority also not happy with govt because of CORRUPTION, UNFAIR, DISTRIBUTION (UMNO PUTRA) & hoping for GREATER TRANSPARENCY. Bearing in mind also that world is getting more open, more liberal & more universal.

Saturday, November 08, 2008

The DP Race

It's official. It's going to be at least a two-horse race & the talk of town is that it is going to be a three-horse race by tomorrow.

Ali Rustam made it today. They say Muhamad Taib too will most likely clinch enough to scrape through by tomorrow. Interesting indeed that Paklah still has his ways in ensuring what he wishes for to come true. While advocating smooth transition for his current post, he is of the opinion that it is better for UMNOniks to fight it out when it comes to the No. 2 position. The perks are certainly getting better for those attending & voting in the next UMNO Assembly. People say, the more the merrier. While it is jolly good for those 'UMNOniks' (borrowing Sakmongkol's word), I do wonder whether it is going to be the equivalent for UMNO, the party itself.

The No. 2 position will certainly become an important indicator to Malaysian at large as to whether UMNO should still be given the mandate to lead the nation come GE 13. The nation would want someone who they feel confident enough to deputize for the premiership, as the next man in line to lead the nation. The UMNOniks have no other option but to deliver us the right man with the right credentials for the job or face the consequences when the nation votes again come next General Election.

Updated 6.45pm 9th Nov 2008

As expected, Mat Taib made it today & he said that the 3-horse race for the deputy presidency is healthy for UMNO. Good luck to him & UMNO on that! UMNO was never in such a superb condition than it is now, right? Right!

Read also kuda kepang's WAHYU MAKHLUK GHAIB DAN KEMUNGKINAN BERLELUASANYA RASUAH POLITIK DALAM PEMILIHAN UMNO

Friday, November 07, 2008

I wonder

Now that his numero uno spin maestro has been freed from the ISA & that his legal team has managed to convince the court to dismiss the application for the transfer of his sodomy case to the High Court, will Anwar Ibrahim be singing praises for Malaysian judicial system instead of (the usual) damning to hell with the same.

What if in the foreseeable near future, the appellate courts (either the High Court, Court of Appeal or the Federal Court) turn the decision by the Sessions Court around? Especially on the ground where the learned judge ruled that Paklah's intervention, by promising (to who?) that the AG would not be involved in the matter, as the decisive factor with regard to her ruling that the transfer certificate (which was signed by the AG rightfully on his administrative capacity & in accordance with Criminal Procedure Code) is invalid. Please remember that Paklah is the head of the Executives and by virtue of the Constitution, the three branches of the government are bound by the doctrine of separation of powers. There is no legitimate expectation if the same derived from a contravention of the supreme law itself. With regard to the rule of bias, with all due respect, one must remember that it is not the AG that is the one sitting on the bench.

Komathy berkata, Abdul Gani tidak sepatutnya mencampuri kes liwat berkenaan setelah Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi `berjanji’ bahawa peguam negara itu tidak akan terlibat dalam kes Anwar. Reported here

Komathy also said that it must be accepted that "there is no love lost between the accused and the AG" as "the defence contends that the AG is in a position of conflict of interest and is thereby disqualified from this case" and with the prosecution not refuting the alleged conflict of interest, the AG's involvement would contravene the rule of natural justice and give rise to bias. Reported here.

And what if the Home Ministry, again, invokes its power upon the celebrated blogger. After all there are many more highly charged writings (past, present &, highly possible, in future) from the man which is yet to be dealt with by the Home Ministry and what if the next time, the ministry makes amend of their previous shortcomings, by making good of the new detention order under Section 8 (1) of the ISA particularizing therein with valid grounds (as required by the law) instead?

At the outset of court proceedings, Justice Syed Ahmad ruled that the grounds for the detention order by Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar for the blogger did not fall under the scope of Section 8(1) of the ISA. Therefore, the judge said the Sept 22 detention order was unlawful. Reported here.

By then, will he & the gang still be rendering praises for the judiciary & the nation legal system? I wonder.

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Obama: Agen Perubahan+Jaringan Kerja Internet=Tsunami Politik landa Amerika

Hari ini sejarah tercipta di Amerika Syarikat apabila setelah lebih 200 tahun merdeka, seorang Presiden dari keturunan afro-amerika di lantik sebagai presiden. Melihat dan mendengar concession speech dari lawannya, McCain sebentar tadi, jelas kematangan berpolitik di dalam ucapannya yang saya kira perlu diteladani oleh para politikus negara ini, sama ada BN ataupun PR. Pembesar kerajaan terutamanya juga harus mengambil iktibar daripada kemenangan Obama ini bahawasanya konsep "agen perubahan" dan jaringan kerja internet adalah elemen penting dan tidak harus dipandang remeh. Tsunami politik bukan sahaja melanda negara kita, ianya juga telah melanda Amerika, lihat sahaja apa yang berlaku di kubu-kubu kuat Republikan seperti di New Mexico, New Hampshire, Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina dan sebagainya hasil daripada faktor-faktor tersebut. Walaupun Amerika bukanlah contoh terbaik kepada kita, namun apa yang dikatakan dalam ucapan ulungnya sebagai president-elect, dimana Obama telah berkata, "I will listen to you, especially when we disagree" patut dicontohi oleh semua, tidak kira pembesar (kerajaan mahupun pembangkang) serta rakyat jelata negara ini. Semoga kita juga akan bertambah matang di dalam berpolitik dan semakin progresif di dalam pelbagai bidang sebagai satu bangsa Malaysia.

"Yes we can!" menjadi laungan semangat baru rakyat Amerika masa kini. Bukankah kita terlebih dulu sebelum ini pernah berteriak, "Malaysia boleh!"?

Updated 4.48pm

Read also RantingsbyMM's Barack's Barakah

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Siapa tidak hormat siapa sebenarnya?

Setahu saya hak untuk membenarkan celahan, pertanyaan atau penjelasan adalah hak mutlak pembahas yang sedang menggulung ucapan pada ketika itu. Jika beliau tidak memberikan laluan itu adalah haknya. Tidak perlulah dijustifikasikan dengan kepentingan umum bila hampir semua soalan yang hendak ditanyakan telahpun diarak sekeliling arena siber sehinggakan jawapan yang akan diberikan pun kita sudah boleh agak. Kadangkala kita perlu bezakan kepentingan umum dengan kepentingan berpolitik tidak bertempat. Bukan semua soalan retorikal berbaur politik itu adalah untuk kepentingan rakyat, malahan seringkali ianya dihambur semata-mata untuk kepentingan siasah peribadi dan promosi politik kumpulan berkenaan itu sahaja.

Hormatkah kita kepada dewan apabila suka sangat bertindak keluar dewan beramai-ramai sekiranya tidak setuju angin dengan pihak lawan? Adakah budaya membentak sebegini tanda hormat? Pantang merajuk sedikit, sudah diajak kawan-kawan berbaris keluar dewan. Bukan sekali, sudah berkali-kali dilakukan!

Sedarlah bahawasanya gaji dan elaun yang dibayar oleh rakyat kepada ahli-ahli parlimen adalah untuk mereka berada di dalam dewan, sama ada suka atau tidak, bukannya untuk berarak beramai-ramai meninggalkan dewan semasa persidangan sedang berlangsung. Haruslah ditanya diri sendiri terlebih dahulu siapa yang tidak hormat siapa sebenarnya?

Sunday, November 02, 2008

Che Det: Transformasi UMNO (Budaya Pemilihan & Kepimpinan)

Kepada sesiapa yang tidak berkesempatan menontonnya, berikut adalah video temubual khas khas Atma Asia Khas (Astro Awani) dengan mantan PM di dalam segmen bertajuk "Transformasi UMNO: Budaya Pemilihan Baru).

Bahagian 1




Bahagian 2



Bahagian 3 (Akhir)



Apa pandangan anda pula?