Joining UMNO proved futile for junior Muslim 'scholars' now in 'terror list'

Jul 26: Several PAS leaders have rubbished the claim by the National Security Council that the country was faced with a so-called 'Wahhabi' terror threat endorsed by among others former Perlis Mufti Asri Zainul Abidin and many junior UMNO-leaning Islamic graduates.

"This is the BN's narrow propaganda, and it affects Malaysia's image at the international arena," said PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu(right) in response to reports claiming that the NSC had briefed state muftis and religious agencies, warning them against Wahhabism and accusing the Saudi Arabian government of being behind its activities.

Wahhabism, often used derogatorily on followers of Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab, was a radical reform movement aiming to fight what it called were innovative practices that had creeped into Islamic teachings. The movement, which was founded in the early stage of the Saudi dynasty in the 1700s, had the support of Muhammad ibn Saud who adapted Wahhabi teachings in its administration in appreciation of its political support to the Saudi family's bid to take control of Makkah and Madinah.

Although other Islamic reform movements have since emerged with similar views as Ibn Abdul Wahhab's, the latter's teachings were considered divisive by most Islamic scholars due to its refusal to engage different schools of thought within Islam.

Earlier, several news portals said the NSC meeting had focused solely on the issue of 'Wahhabism' and 'terrorism'.

"It was decided that those with links to this belief may head towards terrorism,” The Malaysian Insider quoted a source.

This is not the first instance Asri, who often criticise certain unIslamic practices among Malays, has found himself being thrown the Wahhabi label.

Joined UMNO to avoid ISA

According to a reliable source, several junior Muslim scholars who graduated from the Middle East and espoused Wahhabi-leaning views had prior to this been under a government watch list.

The source added that the Home ministry was said to be preparing to arrest many among them under the draconian Internal Security Act, which in the past had also been used against followers of the Shi'ite school of thought.

Sensing this, it was suggested that the graduates declare their support to UMNO in a bid to thwart any action under the ISA.

In an act of desperation, the suggestion was accepted, and in June last year, several of these young scholars - forty according to one figure - joined UMNO in a ceremony arranged by former Perlis Menteri Besar Shahidan Kassim. Since then, the group has been known as UMNO's "young ulama", led by one Fathul Bari who only recently was tasked with campaigning against electoral reforms movement Bersih.

Yesterday, Asri (left) lashed out at the government for accusing the same young Islamic graduates of terrorism despite their decision to support UMNO.

“I have also been included (in the watch list), but I don’t care.

"What is strange is that the 40 young UMNO ulamas are also in the terrorist list, especially Fathul Bari, in spite of working hard to defend the UMNO government," he commented on his Facebook page.

Asri had recently clashed with the group by stating his support for Bersih's demands, and stressing that Islam encouraged peaceful political rallies.

Meanwhile, PAS vice president Husam Musa said the latest allegation by the government could hurt ties with some Arab governments including Saudi Arabia.

“Furthermore, we are already fighting France,” quipped Husam, in an apparent reference to the government's deportation of French rights lawyer William Bourdon last Friday.

Another PAS vice president Mahfuz Omar echoed Husam's concern, saying Malaysia was risking its ties with these countries.

“Seen from the perspective of Islamic spirit, this is not good,” he said.

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Britain's police chief resigns as hacking scandal escalates

LONDON, Jul 18: Britain's top police officer has resigned and turned on the prime minister in a dramatic escalation of the phone hacking scandal. In a carefully-worded resignation speech that appeared aimed directly at Downing Street, Sir Paul Stephenson (above), the commissioner of the Metropolitan police, said the prime minister risked being "compromised" by his closeness to former  News of the World editor Andy Coulson. Number 10 stressed that David Cameron had not been pressing in private for Stephenson to stand aside. But he was caught by surprise by the attack, which came just while the prime minister was on a plane en route to South Africa. Stephenson denied that he was resigning over allegations that he accepted £12,000 worth of hospitality from Champney's health spa, focusing instead on his decision not to inform the prime minister that the Met had employed Coulson's former deputy Neil Wallis as a strategic adviser. "Once Mr Wallis's name did become associated with Operation Weeting [into phone hacking],  I did not want to compromise the prime minister in any way by revealing or discussing a potential suspect who clearly had a close relationship with Mr Coulson," he said. "I am aware of the many political exchanges in relation to Mr Coulson's previous employment. I believe it would have been extraordinarily clumsy of me to have exposed the prime minister, or by association the home secretary, to any accusation, however unfair, as a consequence of them being in possession of operational information in this regard." To emphasise the point, Stephenson went on: "Unlike Mr Coulson, Mr Wallis had not resigned from the News of the World or, to the best of my knowledge been in any way associated with the original phone hacking investigation." The shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper seized on that issue saying: "People will wonder why different rules apply for the prime minister and the Met, especially as Sir Paul said that 'unlike Andy Coulson', Neil Wallis had not been forced to resign from the News of the World." Senior police sources confirmed the attack had been intentional and showed the anger at Scotland Yard that Stephenson has been willing to resign over the scandal while the political class has failed to take responsibility in the same way. An ally of Stephenson said: "The commissioner thought if the prime minister is happy employing Andy Coulson, and Neil Wallis has bid the lowest price, what reason would we have not to employ him?" Stephenson had been due to appear before the home affairs select committee tomorrow. His sudden exit increases the pressure on assistant commissioner John Yates, the officer who led the phone hacking inquiry, to quit. The crisis over hacking engulfing News Corporation began to turn toxic for Stephenson on Thursday after the arrest of Wallis, who was the News of the World's deputy editor during the period when it is alleged phone hacking was widespread at the paper. Hours after Wallis was arrested, it emerged that he had worked for the Met. The Guardian has learned that Scotland Yard chiefs invited Wallis to apply for a senior communications post with the force in 2009, a decision Stephenson was aware of. Wallis was approached to apply for the two day a month contract by the Met, following discussions involving the forces's most senior figures. A source with close knowledge of the Yard's thinking at the time said part of Wallis's attraction was his connection to former News of the World editor Coulson, who was a leading aide to Cameron, then in opposition and expected to become prime minister. Part of the Met's thinking was that Wallis's connections would help the force's relationship with Cameron: "One [Wallis] is a lot cheaper and gives you direct access into No 10," the source added. Stephenson was facing the prospect of a difficult Commons statement by Theresa May, the home secretary, and anxiety expressed by the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, about confidence in the Met because of the failure to tackle the scandal. In his resignation statement , Stephenson stressed his integrity and dismissed weekend claims that it was compromised by accepting a free stay at a luxury health spa where Wallis had been hired as a PR consultant. Stephenson said: "I have taken this decision as a consequence of the ongoing speculation and accusations relating to the Met's links with News International at a senior level and in particular in relation to Mr Neil Wallis who as you know was arrested in connection with Operation Weeting last week. "I have heard suggestions that we must have suspected the alleged involvement of Mr Wallis in phone hacking. Let me say unequivocally that I did not and had no reason to have done so. I do not occupy a position in the world of journalism; I had no knowledge of the extent of this disgraceful practice and the repugnant nature of the selection of victims that is now emerging; nor of its apparent reach into senior levels." John Prescott, the former deputy prime minister who had called for Stephenson to resign, wrote on Twitter: "I always thought the Met and News International were too close and now we see how close they were. Another green bottle has fallen – more to come."

 

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Tengku Razaleigh agreed with Bersih's demands, condemns rally crackdown

KUALA LUMPUR, Jul 20: UMNO veteran and Gua Musang member of parliament 
Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (above) has lent support to Bersih's 
eight demands for electoral reforms, saying a clean and fair election 
was for the good of the people.


“This way, when people go to vote for their candidates they like, they can vote 
without intimidation and there will be no complaints over the results later,” 
he said in a recorded interview over the weekend in Simpang Pulai, Gua Musang.


Razaleigh said Bersih's demand for 21 days of campaigning for the general election 
was reasonable because the current 7 days campaign period was too short and as 
such the people could not make an informed decision before going to the polls.


“If it’s seven days, it’s not enough, so how can we say it is fair when one side is not 
allowed to appear on radio and television. 
"Hence the demand that all parties are given fair amount of time to 
give their comments or views on certain matters on television and mainstream 
media controlled by the government,” added Razaleigh.


Razaleigh said UMNO should should consider all the eight demands made by the electoral reforms coalition.


“I don’t know what their intentions are. I don’t know them personally. 

"But it is not like they are for toppling the government,” he said on intense accusation against 
Bersih in the media.


The former Finance minister also condemned the police action during Bersih's 
massive rally in the capital on July 9, describing the actions as violation of human rights.


“How can we say we are developed when our mentality is not developed? 
Control here and control there ... we should not do this. It is against human rights,” he added.



Bersih 2.0, a coalition of more than sixty non-governmental organisations, is calling on The Election Commission for a total reform of the controversial postal votes, the use of indelible ink and a minimum campaign period of 21 days. It also wants an open-minded mainstream and broadcast media, reform of public institutions including the police and Attorney General's Chambers, eradication of corruption and vote buying practices, and a stop to "gutter politics". 

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LETTER FROM PRISON Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj

Jeyakumar: 'We need to empower the marhein of the world'

LETTER FROM PRISON Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, currently detained without trial together with six others under the draconian Emergency Ordinance, writes on his political convictions and his belief that the current economic system favouring big cooperation was at the cost of ordinary people.

“Hey Kumar! Still tilting at windmills are you?” a doctor friend greeted me at an MMA function 4 years ago. There had been some news regarding the Parti Sosialis Malaysia in the media that previous week.

For many, the socialist experiment had already been assigned to the dustbin of history and only deluded people would still work towards socialism.

But in the PSM, we believe that socialism has an important, even crucial, role to play in averting a colossal economic-ecological disaster that will occur within the next 30-60 years!

We believe that the world has to find a workable alternative to an economy driven by corporate greed. We advise 3 main arguments for this position.

1. Malaysia’s current economic course recommends to a “Race of the bottom”

The global owners of capital and technological expertise who control market access are a relatively small number of corporations – about 500 to 1000. They have become all powerful in the unipolar world of today and they can “bargain hunt”. Even the biggest governments can’t control them.

The measures that Malaysia is taking to attract investors into Malaysia include

•    Lowering corporate tax and supplementing tax income by enacting a GST. The tax burden is being shifted onto ordinary Malaysians.

•    Enhancing “labour flexibility”. This is a misnomer - it undermines job security and workers’ rights through allowing contractualising of labour and by weakening unions.

•    Privatisation of basic services such as health care and tertiary education.

All these measures pile economic pressure on the lower 70 per cent of the population.

And these are measures other developing countries are also taking — each outdoing the neighbour in the mad rush for FDI. It is very difficult to build a caring society within this framework of development.

2. Chronic under consumption leading to massive growth of financial capital and increasingly volatile financial “bubbles”

The ability of large corporations to “bargain hunt” in the cheapest sites to station their factories has meant mega-profits for these corporations but at the same time has stunted the aggregate consumption power of the global economy. When a US or European firm lays off 100 US workers by shifting to China and hiring 100 Chinese workers at 1/7 the wage, the total buying power of the working class is reduced.

The absence of robust growth in consumer demand dictates that the profits of the corporations cannot be invested in the production of more consumer goods. So the corporations need to try other alternatives to make money such as the Futures Market, Currency Trading, the Share Market, and other financial products like derivatives.

This tendency is highlighted by the fact that “Quantitative Easing” – the release of more money into the US economy in an effort to stimulate industrial production thus reducing unemployment — has backfired into the creation of more financial bubbles in various parts of the world. The problem is sluggish consumer demand, not a lack of productive capital.

The issue here is not insufficient regulations but a misdistribution of the world’s wealth! To address this problem, the power of the corporations has to be challenged!

3. We are reaching the environment limits of growth

The global economy is heavily dependent on petroleum. This commodity is going to run out within the next 50 years or so. We urgently need to think not only of alternatives sources of fuel, but also of much greater fuel efficiency!

Global warming is with us. How soon and how fast sea levels are going to rise is still a matter of conjecture — but does that mean we can afford to ignore the issue if it only impacts our grandchildren and not us?

An economic model that requires a global average rate of growth of 4% per year to avoid downturns is clearly not sustainable! Not for the next 50 years! We need to redistribute the wealth we already are creating more equitably. We have to cut down waste! Growth cannot be endless. 

All of these are only possible if we are ready to challenge the paradigm that unchecked greed will lead to the best possible outcome for the world’s majority because Adam Smith’s “Invisible Hand” is still operating in today’s corporate led globalisation.

The ordinary people of the world need to take power to dictate the direction of the national or world economy away from the hands of the 560 richest corporations of the world.

We need to empower the marhein of the world to take on these tasks through a democratic process. These are the tasks facing 21st century socialism. These are not easily attainable goals.

But the problems we are facing are extremely serious. Unchecked they could lead to an ecological, food or climatic disaster that will lead to a decimation of the world’s population.

This is not the world that I wish to bequeath my grandchildren. That is why I am a socialist and intend to remain so despite the EO/ISA arrest!

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Suaram wants help to complete Altantuya puzzle

KUALA LUMPUR, May 31: Local rights group Suara Rakyat Malaysia or SUARAM has appealed to the public to help finance the legal cost in its investigation to unearth the truth behind some RM500 million  in commissions associated with the RM7 billion submarine purchase from France.





The investigations, now undertaken by French authorities, would also shed light on the grisly murder of Mongolian defence negotiator Altantuya Shariibu in 2006.

“SUARAM’s latest application, once approved by the court, would allow it to become party to the enquiry and have official access to every element of the enquiry, including access to the evidence which allegedly links DCNS to the issuing of commissions to government officials,” said SUARAM director, Kua Kia Soong (above) in a statement.

Altantuya (below), who had an affair with an aide to prime minister Najib Razak, Abdul Razak Baginda, was murdered and her body exploded in a jungle clearing near Shah Alam.

Razak's private investigator Bala Subramanium has however issued a damning statutory declaration detailing links between her murder and the purchase of the Scorpene submarines from DCNS.

While the court had sentenced to death two members of an elite police squad for the murder, it failed to establish a motive behind the murder.

SUARAM had meanwhile applied through its French lawyers as a civil party for a judicial review in November 2009 in the French courts. The case is still in the enquiry phase.

SUARAM said it welcomed donation so that it could file the new application to upgrade it to the “instruction phase” where an investigative judge would be appointed.

“The examining judge can conduct investigations into serious crimes or complex enquiries. As members of the judiciary, they are independent of the executive branch. The judge questions witnesses, interrogates suspects, and orders searches or other investigations.
"The examining judge's goal is to gather facts, and as such their duty is to look for all the evidence. Both the prosecution and the defence may request the judge to act and may appeal the judge's decisions before an appellate court,” explained Kua.


'114 million euros bribe'

According Kua, the investigations thus far revealed contradictions in the Malaysian government’s explanation about the 114 million Euros paid to a company Perimekar, where the plaintiffs of the case had claimed that it was not the company Armaris that paid the sum to Perimekar, but rather the Malaysian government, "with the sole purpose of circumventing the OECD Convention.”

The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD came into force in France in 2000, to stop corruption of foreign public officials with ten years' imprisonment and a 150,000 Euro fine.

“Following this complaint, a preliminary investigation was conducted by the prosecution: the hearings were made and searches were made at the premises of DCNS and Thalès. As was the case for contracts won by the DCN for submarines to Pakistan and frigates to Taiwan, there are increasing suspicions of 'reversed commissions' to French political parties," he said.

He said following Suaram's filing of a suit at the Paris court in 2009, state prosecutor Jean-Claude Marin opened a preliminary investigation, on suspicion that a bribe of 114 million Euros had been paid by the company Armaris (a subsidiary of DCNI and Thalès) to Malaysian parties through the company Perimekar.

Defence minister Zahid Hamidi recently said he would be willing to testify in court on the government’s controversial Scorpene submarine deal if the cabinet allowed him to do so.

“They may. They may raise funds. They may challenge us in court. They may do anything. We would like to be more transparent. The allegations made by them, let the court reveal the justice. If the Cabinet doesn’t allow it, then I don’t have to go,” he said.

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French lawyer probing ALTANTUYA-linked 'kickbacks' is in town

KUALA LUMPUR, Jul 20: French rights lawyer William Bourdon is in town, ready to push local political temperature even higher when he speaks at three events under rights group Suaram's latest project 'Ops Scorpene'.

Bourdon's arrival is part of Suaram's efforts to seek a closure to the murder case of Altantuya Shariibuu, the Mongolian who had an affair with Abdul Razak Baginda, a close aide of Najib Razak, who was found brutally murdered in November 2006.

The trial concluded two years ago with the conviction of two close security personnel whose faces were carefully concealed by the police from media glare up to the last day when they were handed out the death sentence. Questions however remain on the motive of her murder, as well as several claims and counter claims on Najib's alleged personal involvement.

Central to these was the RM7.3 billion purchase of two French 'Scorpene' submarines. It was claimed that Altantuya's murder had to do with unpaid kickbacks owed to her. This, according to a private detective hired by Razak Baginda, was a reason why Altantuya had been hounding Razak at his office in the days leading to her brutal murder.



Perimekar is said to be linked to Razak Baginda and his wife Mazlinda, who is one of its directors


The purchase contract was signed by the Malaysian government in 2002 with French DCNS and Spanish Navantia, through direct negotiation undertaken by Perimekar, a company linked to Razak Baginda, who left for Britain soon after he was acquitted of the murder charge. This and the fact that Perimekar was only set up in 2001 fanned speculation that it was the middleman to receive kickbacks from Malaysia and France.

On 23 December 2009, Suaram through its networks in France linked up with leading human rights lawyers there to file a complaint with the French judicial system, in the hope that a preliminary investigation could be launched on the submarines sale.

The action was to enable revelation of facts behind the murder of Altantuya, as well as her role in the purchase deal leading to her murder, the motive of which the lengthy murder trial had failed to establish.

In April 2010, Suaram was informed that the courts had accepted the request to investigate the claim of corruption amounting to 114 million Euro from DCNS to Perimekar. A recent report said that money in Perimekar had been transferred to other unknown accounts.


Trial to prise open 'government secrets'

According to Suaram, such a trial would enable access to information, about government contracts involving Perimekar, as well as other information deemed as government secrets.

Suaram said both submarines, named KD Tuanku Abdul Rahman and KD Tun Razak, were now parked at the Sepanggar naval base in Sabah, and as of July last year had yet to undergo the necessary tropical water trial dive.

Meanwhile, Bourdon (above), who represents Suaram in the impending French trial, will brief the latest developments surrounding the case at a hotel in Penang Thursday evening, to kick off a series of fund-raising events to collect RM100,000 to finance the trial.

On Friday evening, he will share the stage with PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu at the Civic Hall in Petaling Jaya.

This will be followed by an event in Ipoh on Saturday.

Contacted by Harakahdaily, a source in Suaram said the trial could be brought to open court in France as early as next month.

“It will depend on the success of the fund-raising events these few nights to fund the trial," it added.

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202020: Anti-Najib Facebook page passes magical number

KUALA LUMPUR, Jul 18: The Facebook page set up in the wake of the crackdown on the Bersih rally on July 9 to demand prime minister Najib Razak's resignation continues to swell with fans, reaching Malaysia's favorite figure this afternoon.

At 2:07 pm today, the page, which aimed to bring together 100,000 "Like" clicks from Facebook users, has recorded 202,020 fans, growing by more than 80,000 in a short span of a week.

The rapid growth of its fans would probably make it the single most popular Facebook page with a political campaign in Malaysia. Another Facebook page set up last year to oppose Najib's announcement of the construction of a 100-storey tower in the heart of the city has todate managed to gather close to 300,000 fans.


Since then a spate of Facebook pages with a cacophony of anti-government themes have been set up, everything from poking fun at Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor to urging unity to support Muslim scholars. At least three recent ones are targeted against Najib's deputyMuhyiddin Yasin, Home minister Hishammuddin Hussein and MCA president Chua Soi Lek, all of whom have publicly condemned Bersih sympathisers.

None have however emerged as successful as the one calling for Najib's removal. The page calling for Hishammuddin’s resignation managed to gather a little more than 16,000 fans at press time, just 8 percent of the anti-Najib page.

Not to be outdone, UMNO loyalists have also resorted to making their presence felt using the social media.

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'I have never been so contemptous of govt' – Samad Said

KUALA LUMPUR, Jul 19: National laureate A Samad Said said he had never felt so much contempt for the present government as he was currently.



AND IT WAS CALLED YELLOW ... Pak Samad entertains autograph requests at the event


“Never before I felt so disgusted at the government," Samad told the audience at the launch of the 'Yellow Saturday' campaign at PAS's centre in Taman Melewas last weekend.

The award-winning veteran poet, affectionately known as Pak Samad among the Malaysian public, described the police's handling of the peaceful demonstrators as ‘bengis’ (fierce), and this he said had led to Malaysians continuously condemning the Barisan Nasional and police brutality.

He hit out at UMNO leaders who defended the police action during the massive rally for electoral reforms called by Bersih on July 9, which saw some 50,000 people defying a lockdown in Kuala Lumpur.

“Their words have hurt Malaysians deeply and I believe UMNO-BN will be buried in the 13th general election,” he told the crowd.

The 'Yellow Saturday' campaign is among a series of programmes by PAS to maintain public momentum for Bersih. A similar campaign by PAS Youth, called "Ramadan the Clean Month", also aims to organise information sessions and roadshows to explain the importance of fair elections.

Recalling his experience on July 9, Pak Samad said he attempted to pass the Bersih 2.0 memorandum to the Agong at the National Palace which was heavily fortified by the police in a bid to prevent the memorandum from being delivered.

“I waited whole day from morning to deliver the memorandum on behalf of the people, until I was stopped by police about 300 metres away from the National Palace in the afternoon.

"My eyes were hurt due to the tear gas. When I was approached by them (the police and FRU), it was as if they had wanted to devour me,” he said, adding that the Bersih rally was more challenging compared to the protest in 2007 against the government's decision to teach science and mathematics in English, a movement which he spearheaded with other activists.

Nike footwear Pak Samad said during the rally, he lost his footwear in the fracas that ensued after police attacked protesters with tear gas. “Not only my sandals, but also my other stuff such as salt, small towel and mineral water which I had brought for my safety," said Pak Samad, who said he had to give up the 'first aid' kit to other protesters affected by tear gas. "I was walking bare footed for miles. Then, a few youngsters spotted me and one of them offered his Nike shoes, but I declined thinking the pair was just too nice. "Later, another young man gave me a pair of slippers. I accepted the offer as there was a long walk ahead and many more challenges before we could deliver the memorandum to the Agong. It was bitter and I will never forget it,” he added. Pak Samad also said he was touched by the unity shown by the youngsters who came from different ethnic backgrounds. “It was very encouraging. I reminded repeatedly to the young generation that they must be committed and work together to change the country at the 13th general election for the sake of our children,” he said.

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5,000 doctors want Dr Jeyakumar's release

KUALA LUMPUR, Jul 19: The Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Associations (FPMPAM), which brings together more than 5,000 doctors nationwide, has urged Home minister Hishammuddin Hussein to release Sungai Siput member of parliament Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj (right) and five other activists who are currently detained without trial.

"It is with trepidation that we, as fellow doctors are writing to vouch for Dr. Michael Jeyakumar’s loyalty to the nation, a true Doctor dedicated to the welfare of his patients and an Honorable Member of Parliament," reads a letter signed by its president Dr. Steven KW Chow.

"Indeed it would be a great loss to the nation to deny him his freedom and to deprive the country of his services and the thousands of patients that so desperately need his care and expertise as their doctor and chest physician," it added.

Describing Jeyakumar as a "law-abiding, competent, kind and diligent doctor", the Federation said he was far from "a threat to our society".

Dr Jeyakumar, who has since been warded for his heart condition at the National Heart Insitute in Kuala Lumpur, together with five other members of Parti Sosialis Malaysia, have been detained under the draconian Emergency Ordinance for "waging war against the Agong".




FPMPAM, founded in 1976, is the national body representing doctors in private practice in Malaysia, grouping seven state-level associations comprising of over 5.000 members.

The latest statement by the doctors is the second such open criticism from the medical fraternity over the government's handling of events leading to the Bersih protest as well as the police handling of the massive rally for electoral reforms on July 9.

Last week, eleven doctors and surgeons condemned the police action of firing teargas into the compounds of the Tung Shin and Chinese Maternity hospitals along Jalan Pudu, a charge which the Health ministry and police had both denied in spite of video evidences.

The letter by FPMPAM meanwhile described Jeyakumar as continuing his family's tradition of serving the public through charitable deeds.


"Dr Jeyakumar himself has been known for his social work since his days as a medical student when he volunteered his time giving tuition to poor children from squatter and estate families.  He subsequently served with the Ministry of Health spending considerable time in rural postings all over the country and selflessly serving the rakyat," it said, adding that Jeyakumar's present private practice served mainly the underprivileged from all ethic backgrounds.

As such, FPMPAM said Jeyakumar's "immense social conscience and the highest ethical professional duty to the country" should be honored.

"In his career as a Member of Parliament, he ran his campaign honorably and peacefully. He is not known to advocate anything that is illegal or unlawful.

"This is a man of integrity who is law-abiding and honest," the letter went on, and also called on others who had been detained alongside Jeyakumar to be released, adding that the people "will no doubt respond positively to your political acumen and astuteness."


TRANSFORMER SAID:


Are you sure RAKYAT not support BERSIH?

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Did RAKYAT know this?

PM house renovation RM$65 million, NCR land survey RM$20 million

Yet another fat budget renovation for PM’s house

KUALA LUMPUR – Bukit Bendera member of parliament Liew Chin Tong, fresh from exposing mistakes and misinformation in the just-tabled 2011 budget, has questioned a colossal allocation of RM65 million to renovate the Prime Minister’s official residence in Putrajaya.

Seri Perdana, the sprawling complex completed 11 years ago at a cost of RM201 million at a time when the country faced its worst financial and political crisis, had already been renovated during the premiership of Abdullah Badawi, said Liew.

The current cost of renovation under Najib Razak – a whopping RM65 million – was three times the figure spent by Abdullah.

DayakBaru: said

• Do you really think the government really care for the problem that the Dayak are facing. The Dayak leaders are jumping with joy when Najib gave RM$20 million to do NCR perimeter survey after waiting for 47 years. For the Government, to use $RM65 million to renovate PM house is small matter.
• This indicate the priorities of our government. Do you know where most of the money come from? From tax and oil and gas. Do we have people who are poor and in need of help? Yes. Do you think Najib care? No, he doesn’t give a damn.
• It is another sad day for Sarawak and its very poor people.

Change WE Must is no more an option.

The revelation of the cost got an immediate response from former Perak chief minister Nizar Jamaluddin.

“RM65 million to renovate Seri Perdana which Pak Lah just finished spending, is this a suggestion from RM,” he asked, referring to the now-popular abbreviation to refer to Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor.

UMNO is wasting our money

“What is Najib’s justification? Wastage in UMNO!” added the Bukit Gantang MP.

On the maintenance of the residence, which was an idea of the fourth prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Liew revealed that the annual rental paid to Putrajaya Holdings including maintenance amounted to RM6 million, while for the annual cost for the deputy prime minister’s residence stood at RM4 million.

“PM’s residence – one should remember that Seri Perdana is just taxpayers funded home, not even offices in disguise of No 10 or White House,” reminded Liew.  -

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No kidding, it is actually called the 'Ibrahim Ali Award'!

KUALA LUMPUR, Jul 18: Heaven and earth may be closer than Ibrahim Ali and ivory tower, but that did not stop UiTM to name one of its awards after the Perkasa leader.

 

Five thousand ringgit: That is the amount Ibrahim Ali is offering. Any takers?

While Ibrahim Ali's antics may evoke anger among a section of people, most Malaysians have come to terms with the staunchly pro-UMNO independent member of parliament's rhetoric, welcoming him as comic relief in a political environment that has been otherwise littered with vile and personal allegations.

And his most recent antic notwithstanding - his weeks-long threat to hold a counter gathering to stop Bersih's rally on July 9, only to disappear during the peak of Bersih's massive rally which saw more than 1,600 arrests.

For Pahang PAS commissioner who is also the Islamic party's information chief, the announcement of the award came as embarrasing though retaining all the humour that accompanies any news about the Pasir Mas MP.

Understandably so, since Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (above pic) was once attached to the same university as a lecturer.

"Those leaders who strove hard to make UiTM well-known and respected would have been more deserving of awards being named after them. Tan Sri Arsyad Ayub, Tan Sri Ani Arope, Dato Ishak Mohamad, Dr Awang Had Salleh, and Tan Sri Ibrahim Abu Shah (former UiTM vice chancelor) will also be smiling to find out that there is an award named after Ibrahim Ali!" said Tuan Ibrahim in response to a report today.

Earlier today, online news site Malaysiakini reported that UiTM's Institut Pemikiran dan Kepimpinan Melayu was offering the 'Ibrahim Ali Award' in the form of a cash prize sponsored by the Perkasa chief.

Among the criteria sought by the award is that students must have "clear and consistent" principles in upholding their race. In addition, they must also help UiTM encourage students to join activities related to "upgrading the honour and reputation of the race".

Tuan Ibrahim however predicted that the award would die a natural death.

"It is unfortunate when an institute of higher learning does something without any background check on someone. Ibrahim Ali is not a person who is held in esteem by the people.

"An award recipient should feel proud of the award. If an award only invites scorn that will later become a stigma on the recipient, I am sure such an award will fail," he added.

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Perish the BN this time

Why the Barisan Nasional (BN) are afraid of BERSIH 2.0 Assembly, July 9, is it true he is a JANTAN' child? BN is actually afraid of their own shadows. BN can be silent, no need to panic by associating the name of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, claimed that chaos and using the police to a collection of provocative, if the party's own JANTAN' children.

Its chairman Datuk Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak, would not have to claim the opposition is not a JANTAN' child because it is not organized by the opposition, but organized by NGOs associated with the people and their demands from all walks of life.

BN and his cowardly attitude when there is blatant evidence of phantom voters in the latest electoral rolls released the Election Commission (SPR) disclosedMay 13 and Gombak MP, James Ali in Parliament recently.

It was later certified by the SPR itself. Why BN quiet? Why not act on the evidence by making the cleaning of the electoral roll.

BERSIH claim 8 things, why not accept the claims that have been submitted since 2008 again. BN not a JANTAN child as not transparent and open to correction. If you receive such a claim, BN believes he will lose the election.
Fear of what if we lose an election in the right. Today, people hate us open and transparent attitude, tomorrow people will be like the attitude is. That is the attitude of the JANTAN child.
So, clearly the BN rule over fraud, abuse of power, corruption, diktatorship, greed, fear of losing and fear to lose power as he said, hard to be runner-up as his speech at a ceremony recently.

He quipped, and BN had a situation reflects the depressed and 'pessimistic'(desperate) to draw support from the general public who are fed up with the whims ofthe party's rule.

While BN is already at a crossroads. BN no longer relevant to support the aspirations and expectations of the public to see a fair and good rule because the party did not support the aspirations of the people.

The party was so difficult to change the color of dark and ugly implicated in the face all this in the near future because the people already know who is also Umno BN or Barisan Nasional party's core. If you come to the people in, grovel even more difficult it is received, unless they receive all of the people advice to be fair and clean elections.

But the effect is against the BN, if satisfied of the claim, which lost the election. BN is afraid of losing because if we lose elections, they say 'died BN. The party was living with fraud and abuse. Without the party's death. so if the party is clean as BERSIH 2.0 A collection of claims, and all the dirty will be lost.

The leaders  is like defending the dirt because they live in the dirt.

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