Article adopted from TheMalaysianInsider.
Malaysia seen as more corrupt than ever
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 - Malaysia is now seen to be more corrupt than ever, anti-graft watchdog Transparency International said in its global corruption perception index 2009 launched today.
Malaysia now ranks 56 out of 180 countries in the world with a corruption index score of 4.5 out of 10, with 10 being the least corrupt, said the world corruption watchdog. Last year, it placed 47 with a CPI score of 5.1.
The three least corrupt countries in the world are, in order, New Zealand, Denmark and Singapore.
p/s: also refer to LimKitSiang blog of Major blow for Najib premiership – Malaysia’s worst ranking and score in 15 years in Transparency International Corruption Perception Index 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Students brainwashed by BTN of PM
Article adopted from TheMalaysianInsider.
Young Pakatan lawmakers slam BTN ‘brainwashing’
By Neville Spykerman
SHAH ALAM, Nov 18 — A group of young Pakatan Pakyat (PR) elected representatives urged the Selangor government today to stop allowing students to be sent for what they called “brainwashing propaganda” programmes conducted by Biro Tata Negara (BTN) under the Prime Minister’s Department.
According to the group of seven PR lawmakers, BTN courses — compulsory for local university students and civil servants — taught students to hate and was contrary to its original purpose as well as the Constitution.
Speaking from his own experience as a student made to attend BTN, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said they were taught that PKR members were Jewish agents, that DAP was a Singaporean Party, while PAS was labelled a deviant movement.
“There is no room for debate, and there were Chinese students in attendance during one of the programmes and I can only imagine the fear they would have felt,” said the Seri Setia assemblyman.
Teratai lawmaker Jenice Lee questioned why BTN programmes are being held in secrecy and called for the “brainwashing” to stop.
“If they have nothing to hide they should open up the programmes so the public can see for themselves.”
PKR’s Amirudin Shari said they were aware that BTN courses taught those who attended that PR were enemies of the state or foreign agents.
“From the feedback we received from those who attended BTN, a big part of the programme has nothing to do with nation building or education but is an Umno and BN race-based programme,” said the Batu Caves lawmaker.
“Participants are indoctrinated with propaganda about ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ and outside threats. There is no room to challenge what’s being said.”
He said they will urge the state government to stop sending students from Selangor-owned institutions of higher learning, including Universiti Industri Selangor (Unisel), Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor and Inpens Selangor, from attending BTN.
Young Pakatan lawmakers slam BTN ‘brainwashing’
By Neville Spykerman
SHAH ALAM, Nov 18 — A group of young Pakatan Pakyat (PR) elected representatives urged the Selangor government today to stop allowing students to be sent for what they called “brainwashing propaganda” programmes conducted by Biro Tata Negara (BTN) under the Prime Minister’s Department.
According to the group of seven PR lawmakers, BTN courses — compulsory for local university students and civil servants — taught students to hate and was contrary to its original purpose as well as the Constitution.
Speaking from his own experience as a student made to attend BTN, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said they were taught that PKR members were Jewish agents, that DAP was a Singaporean Party, while PAS was labelled a deviant movement.
“There is no room for debate, and there were Chinese students in attendance during one of the programmes and I can only imagine the fear they would have felt,” said the Seri Setia assemblyman.
Teratai lawmaker Jenice Lee questioned why BTN programmes are being held in secrecy and called for the “brainwashing” to stop.
“If they have nothing to hide they should open up the programmes so the public can see for themselves.”
PKR’s Amirudin Shari said they were aware that BTN courses taught those who attended that PR were enemies of the state or foreign agents.
“From the feedback we received from those who attended BTN, a big part of the programme has nothing to do with nation building or education but is an Umno and BN race-based programme,” said the Batu Caves lawmaker.
“Participants are indoctrinated with propaganda about ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ and outside threats. There is no room to challenge what’s being said.”
He said they will urge the state government to stop sending students from Selangor-owned institutions of higher learning, including Universiti Industri Selangor (Unisel), Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor and Inpens Selangor, from attending BTN.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Kota Siputeh BN Assemblyman is OUT
Article adopted from TheNutGraph.
Court declares Kota Siputeh seat vacant, orders fresh election
16 Nov 09 : 8.35PM
Updated at 8:35pm, 16 Nov 2009
KUALA LUMPUR, 16 Nov 2009: A fresh election will be held for the Kota Siputeh state seat in Kedah after the High Court here today declared it vacant.
Justice Datuk Alizatul Khair Osman Khairuddin ruled that the seat was vacant after incumbent assemblyperson Datuk Abu Hassan Sarif absented from two state assembly meetings this year.
Following the High Court decision, Abu Hassan will be barred from attending the state legislative assembly sitting tomorrow.
In her decision, Justice Alizatul held that the Election Commission (EC) had acted irrationally. Its decision that Abu Hassan was still the assemblyperson for Kota Siputeh and that the state seat was not vacant ought to be quashed, she said.
"While I agree that the EC has the power to determine the casual vacancy, I do not think the EC can override the power of the speaker under Article 51 of the Kedah Constitution," she said in her decision delivered at 5:30pm.
"In my view, Article 51 sets out the conditions which render the seat to be vacant, and the first respondent (Abu Hassan) had satisfied the conditions," said Justice Alizatul in allowing the judicial review filed by Kedah Speaker Datuk Dr Abdul Isa Ismail.
Abdul Isa, represented by leading counsel Sulaiman Abdullah, filed the judicial review on 1 Oct after the EC decided that there was no vacancy of the Kota Siputeh seat and that Abu Hassan was still the assemblyperson.
Abdul Isa wanted the court to declare that Abu Hassan was no longer the assemblyperson following his failure to attend two consecutive sittings of the state assembly on 19 April and 9 Aug this year, and that the seat was vacant.
In his application, Abdul Isa also sought an order for the EC to call for a by-election.
Article 51 of the Kedah State Constitution provides that if any member of the state legislative assembly is absent from the assembly without leave of the speaker for two consecutive meetings, his [or her] seat shall become vacant.
In her decision today, Justice Alizatul said it was not disputed that Abu Hassan did not obtain leave from the speaker to absent himself from two consecutive meetings, and had only issued his medical certificate to the speaker on 10 Aug 2009.
"The speaker has the power under Article 51 of the Kedah Constitution to grant leave, and he did not act unreasonably in rejecting the medical certificate dated 10 Aug 2009 after knowing that the assembly[person] had also attended a function on the same day," she said.
Justice Alizatul held that the EC had acted illegally in accepting the medical certificate issued by Abu Hassan as being the reason for his absence.
The EC had also made an irrational decision in deciding that Article 51 could only be invoked after the speaker referred the matter to the Rights and Privileges Committee, she added.
"There is no mandatory provision imposed on the speaker to do so because the decision to refer the matter to the committee or not is his discretion since leave matter is not a privilege conferred on an assembly[person]," she reasoned. — Bernama
Court declares Kota Siputeh seat vacant, orders fresh election
16 Nov 09 : 8.35PM
Updated at 8:35pm, 16 Nov 2009
KUALA LUMPUR, 16 Nov 2009: A fresh election will be held for the Kota Siputeh state seat in Kedah after the High Court here today declared it vacant.
Justice Datuk Alizatul Khair Osman Khairuddin ruled that the seat was vacant after incumbent assemblyperson Datuk Abu Hassan Sarif absented from two state assembly meetings this year.
Following the High Court decision, Abu Hassan will be barred from attending the state legislative assembly sitting tomorrow.
In her decision, Justice Alizatul held that the Election Commission (EC) had acted irrationally. Its decision that Abu Hassan was still the assemblyperson for Kota Siputeh and that the state seat was not vacant ought to be quashed, she said.
"While I agree that the EC has the power to determine the casual vacancy, I do not think the EC can override the power of the speaker under Article 51 of the Kedah Constitution," she said in her decision delivered at 5:30pm.
"In my view, Article 51 sets out the conditions which render the seat to be vacant, and the first respondent (Abu Hassan) had satisfied the conditions," said Justice Alizatul in allowing the judicial review filed by Kedah Speaker Datuk Dr Abdul Isa Ismail.
Abdul Isa, represented by leading counsel Sulaiman Abdullah, filed the judicial review on 1 Oct after the EC decided that there was no vacancy of the Kota Siputeh seat and that Abu Hassan was still the assemblyperson.
Abdul Isa wanted the court to declare that Abu Hassan was no longer the assemblyperson following his failure to attend two consecutive sittings of the state assembly on 19 April and 9 Aug this year, and that the seat was vacant.
In his application, Abdul Isa also sought an order for the EC to call for a by-election.
Article 51 of the Kedah State Constitution provides that if any member of the state legislative assembly is absent from the assembly without leave of the speaker for two consecutive meetings, his [or her] seat shall become vacant.
In her decision today, Justice Alizatul said it was not disputed that Abu Hassan did not obtain leave from the speaker to absent himself from two consecutive meetings, and had only issued his medical certificate to the speaker on 10 Aug 2009.
"The speaker has the power under Article 51 of the Kedah Constitution to grant leave, and he did not act unreasonably in rejecting the medical certificate dated 10 Aug 2009 after knowing that the assembly[person] had also attended a function on the same day," she said.
Justice Alizatul held that the EC had acted illegally in accepting the medical certificate issued by Abu Hassan as being the reason for his absence.
The EC had also made an irrational decision in deciding that Article 51 could only be invoked after the speaker referred the matter to the Rights and Privileges Committee, she added.
"There is no mandatory provision imposed on the speaker to do so because the decision to refer the matter to the committee or not is his discretion since leave matter is not a privilege conferred on an assembly[person]," she reasoned. — Bernama
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Honouring an Agreement - A government's scam
What do you say about those who do not honour their words?
Is your government acting honourably by example to all of you as citizens?
This case apparently demonstrated clearly how the concerned parties are slapping their own faces hard, in regreting the agreement they inked some years ago.
As an individuals who represented the government in the deal, it is shameful!
As a government, it is very much a despicable act no diffenrent than a con artist!
How would you expect the people believe in their government, that they will not be CONNED the same way?
You should be ashame as Malaysians. Shame on all of them in declining the rights to whose who deserved, especially upon an AGREEMENT.
Followng is an article taken from The Malaysian Insider dated 4th Oct, 2009:
The tale of two former IGPs
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 4 – One is the longest-serving top police officer Malaysia has ever known, someone who left the force with his reputation and image intact. The other is a former top cop who left the force in disgrace after an assault on former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 1998.
One is a former top cop who reached the peak of the corporate world here, and who looks the part in society pages and roundtable discussions on law and order. The other is a former top cop who shuns publicity like the plague and is shunned by the movers and shakers in government.
The contrast between Tun Hanif Omar and Tan Sri Rahim Noor is not only skin-deep. Both were signatories to two historic agreements between the Government of Malaysia and the Communist Party of Malaya in 1989, watershed agreements that ended the armed conflict between the communists and the government.
But today they occupy opposing sides of the spectrum on public opinion over Chin Peng and the Communist Party of Malaya.
Haniff is part of the strong anti-CPM lobby, the body of Malaysians who do not want Chin Peng to be allowed to step on Malaysian soil.
They argue that the communists inflicted death and suffering on many Malaysians, especially security personnel, and have right to return home.
Rahim is among a group of Malaysians who are guided by the principle that once an agreement has been inked, a line has to be drawn in the sand and the government has a duty and a legal obligation to adhere to the terms of the agreement.
No ifs and buts. No re-opening old wounds.
Hanif made clear his views recently after the High Court ruled that comments made by a former deputy minister against Chin Peng and the CPM were not defamatory.
He pointed out that the former secretary-general of the outlawed Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) had no legal standing.
“It is an illegal operation as it was not registered under the law,” said Hanif.
He said that Chin Peng was in charge of a notorious party which killed thousands of people in the most cruel way, and that a non-registered party had no right making any demands.
This response from Hanif is puzzling, to say the least. If he believed that Chin Peng and others in the CPM were evil and members of an illegal organization, why did he agree to sign the “Agreement Between The Government Of Malaysia and the Communist Party of Malaya.
The agreement reads: The Government of Malaysia and the Communist Party of Malaya, consistent with the common objective for peace, hereby agree to the following:-
Article 1 – Upon the signing of this Agreement, the Government of Malaysia and the CPM shall cease all armed activities forthwith.
Article 2 – The CPM shall disband all its armed units, destroy its arms, ammunition, explosives and booby-traps in Malaysia and Thailand.
Article 3 – Members of the CPM and members of its uits who are of Malaysian origin and who wish to settle down in Malaysia shall be allowed to do so in accordance with the laws of Malaysia.
Article 4 – Malaysian authorities shall assist members of the CPM and members of its disbanded armed units to help them to start their peaceful life afresh.
When Hanif signed the agreement witnessed by among others General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh of the Government of Thailand, did he believe that the Malaysian Government was not interested in honoring its obligations?
Rahim has so far not spoken publicly. He was lined up as a witness for Chin Peng but did not get the opportunity to testify for the 85-year-old because the High Court struck out the former CPM leader’s suit.
Still, Rahim’s friends said that he feels strongly about the sanctity of an agreement. In addition, he feels that he is duty-bound to tell the truth given that he is a signatory to one of the two agreements, and was one of the key players in getting the CPM to come to the negotiating table.
He knows that no amount of reparation or words of comfort can bring back the police and military personnel who lost their lives in the fight against the CPM.
As a former director of the Special Branch, he knows of the countless men and women who went in harm’s way to break the will of the communist movement.
Some of his men and women never returned home to their families.
There is no love lost between Rahim Noor and the CPM. But he was a signatory to the “Administrative Arrangement Between The Government of Malaysia and The Communist Party Of Malaya Pursuant To The Agreement To Terminate Hostilities’’ and believes in the sanctity of the agreement.
One is a former top police officer who seems to have forgotten that he was a signatory to a groundbreaking agreement, a rare occasion where communists laid down their arms.
The other is a former top police officer who still believes that what happened on Dec 2, 1989 in Haadyai has to be respected.
Is your government acting honourably by example to all of you as citizens?
This case apparently demonstrated clearly how the concerned parties are slapping their own faces hard, in regreting the agreement they inked some years ago.
As an individuals who represented the government in the deal, it is shameful!
As a government, it is very much a despicable act no diffenrent than a con artist!
How would you expect the people believe in their government, that they will not be CONNED the same way?
You should be ashame as Malaysians. Shame on all of them in declining the rights to whose who deserved, especially upon an AGREEMENT.
Followng is an article taken from The Malaysian Insider dated 4th Oct, 2009:
The tale of two former IGPs
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 4 – One is the longest-serving top police officer Malaysia has ever known, someone who left the force with his reputation and image intact. The other is a former top cop who left the force in disgrace after an assault on former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 1998.
One is a former top cop who reached the peak of the corporate world here, and who looks the part in society pages and roundtable discussions on law and order. The other is a former top cop who shuns publicity like the plague and is shunned by the movers and shakers in government.
The contrast between Tun Hanif Omar and Tan Sri Rahim Noor is not only skin-deep. Both were signatories to two historic agreements between the Government of Malaysia and the Communist Party of Malaya in 1989, watershed agreements that ended the armed conflict between the communists and the government.
But today they occupy opposing sides of the spectrum on public opinion over Chin Peng and the Communist Party of Malaya.
Haniff is part of the strong anti-CPM lobby, the body of Malaysians who do not want Chin Peng to be allowed to step on Malaysian soil.
They argue that the communists inflicted death and suffering on many Malaysians, especially security personnel, and have right to return home.
Rahim is among a group of Malaysians who are guided by the principle that once an agreement has been inked, a line has to be drawn in the sand and the government has a duty and a legal obligation to adhere to the terms of the agreement.
No ifs and buts. No re-opening old wounds.
Hanif made clear his views recently after the High Court ruled that comments made by a former deputy minister against Chin Peng and the CPM were not defamatory.
He pointed out that the former secretary-general of the outlawed Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) had no legal standing.
“It is an illegal operation as it was not registered under the law,” said Hanif.
He said that Chin Peng was in charge of a notorious party which killed thousands of people in the most cruel way, and that a non-registered party had no right making any demands.
This response from Hanif is puzzling, to say the least. If he believed that Chin Peng and others in the CPM were evil and members of an illegal organization, why did he agree to sign the “Agreement Between The Government Of Malaysia and the Communist Party of Malaya.
The agreement reads: The Government of Malaysia and the Communist Party of Malaya, consistent with the common objective for peace, hereby agree to the following:-
Article 1 – Upon the signing of this Agreement, the Government of Malaysia and the CPM shall cease all armed activities forthwith.
Article 2 – The CPM shall disband all its armed units, destroy its arms, ammunition, explosives and booby-traps in Malaysia and Thailand.
Article 3 – Members of the CPM and members of its uits who are of Malaysian origin and who wish to settle down in Malaysia shall be allowed to do so in accordance with the laws of Malaysia.
Article 4 – Malaysian authorities shall assist members of the CPM and members of its disbanded armed units to help them to start their peaceful life afresh.
When Hanif signed the agreement witnessed by among others General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh of the Government of Thailand, did he believe that the Malaysian Government was not interested in honoring its obligations?
Rahim has so far not spoken publicly. He was lined up as a witness for Chin Peng but did not get the opportunity to testify for the 85-year-old because the High Court struck out the former CPM leader’s suit.
Still, Rahim’s friends said that he feels strongly about the sanctity of an agreement. In addition, he feels that he is duty-bound to tell the truth given that he is a signatory to one of the two agreements, and was one of the key players in getting the CPM to come to the negotiating table.
He knows that no amount of reparation or words of comfort can bring back the police and military personnel who lost their lives in the fight against the CPM.
As a former director of the Special Branch, he knows of the countless men and women who went in harm’s way to break the will of the communist movement.
Some of his men and women never returned home to their families.
There is no love lost between Rahim Noor and the CPM. But he was a signatory to the “Administrative Arrangement Between The Government of Malaysia and The Communist Party Of Malaya Pursuant To The Agreement To Terminate Hostilities’’ and believes in the sanctity of the agreement.
One is a former top police officer who seems to have forgotten that he was a signatory to a groundbreaking agreement, a rare occasion where communists laid down their arms.
The other is a former top police officer who still believes that what happened on Dec 2, 1989 in Haadyai has to be respected.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
In love with a fair-skin?
Dark skin or fair skin, people must be accorded the same treatment.
A social responsible organisation must not provoke but promote social harmonies, and find ways to mitigate the stigmas already impacting the unfortunates.
Read more here:
Skin whiteners labeled racist
A social responsible organisation must not provoke but promote social harmonies, and find ways to mitigate the stigmas already impacting the unfortunates.
Read more here:
Skin whiteners labeled racist
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Wearing pants is indecent
This is absurd! Women arrested for wearing pants in violation of religion decency rules, and supposedly be WHIPPED. United Nation and world organizations must work harder in protecting the rights and plights of Muslim women, whom often been abused to the fancies of male-dominant societies and in the name of their religion.
Read more here:
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
BN government should be sacked
The entire BN government should have been sacked long ago to avoid continued damages done to the country and its people. As many of these politicians are decendents of some of those ex-leaders who laid a foundation of corrupt ideology.That's the general view of all consciencious people in this country as the country continues to be in a dire situation made worst with the recent unscrupulous petrol price increase though a "cheating" strategy that conned the nation to pay the same (or more) but receive lower quality product. And they still trying to justify and convince the people thinking that people of easily misled.
Refer to news report from The Malaysian Insider below:
Pakatan wants Hishammuddin sacked
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