How (Dis)honest Is Our Government III

Non-Malays are just not interested in government jobs - Public Services DG, 25th Dec 2007

The DG said the Government had never condoned sympathy or discrimination when hiring new staff, including those at the Diplomatic and Administration level.

Here is a third response from a non-Malay in The Star, 29 Dec 2007:


ON BEHALF of the Malaysian Association of Social Workers (MASW), I wish to comment on the views expressed by the Director-General of the Public Services Department, Tan Sri Ismail Adam in “Few non-Malays applying, says PSD” (The Star, Dec 25).

He maintains “Non-Malays are just not interested in government jobs, judging by statistics?”

I think this statement is rather misleading and has to be taken in the context of what has transpired in the arena of employment in the civil service the past 30 odd years.

Where the recruitment of social work graduates is concerned, MASW has noted, firstly, that a significant number of non-social-work graduates have been accepted for social work related jobs in the Department of Social Welfare and the Department of Health.

These are the two main government departments that can offer social work based appointments.

Secondly, among these non-social work graduates, the majority are Malay candidates as evidenced in the current staffing, despite the fact that there were many non-Malay social work graduates who were very keen to, and applied for, these jobs in the 70s and 80s.

The feedback received by MASW over the years was from non-Malay social work graduates themselves as well as from their lecturers and supervisors.

Either they were told there were no vacancies upon enquiry or they were not called for interviews upon application or they were interviewed and turned down despite being highly recommended by their lecturers and supervisors.

There may have been pertinent reasons for this, as according to Tan Sri Ismail Adam, selection is “.. based on merit or academic qualifications?”

However, this situation has, rightly or wrongly, given rise to an observation that it is difficult for non-Malay graduates to enter government service.

Thirdly, among our non-Malay members, it has also been observed that even if they were recruited into government service, promotion is not easy to come by despite good performance.

There is a tendency to promote an employee based on the fact that he/she is “going to retire” rather than on competent practice. But this criterion is not applied as a standard rule for non-Malays.

Non-Malays have to be exceptionally, significantly, hard-to-ignore, competent and excellent to be considered for promotion, especially for high-level positions such as, for example, director-general.

Among the many reports from our members, one cited a case where a non-Malay staff member with professional qualifications and more than 10 years of working experience was not selected for the position of head, but was superseded by a non-social-work-trained Malay staff who was also 10 years junior in service.

Many such incidences, which we know also occur in other government departments, have discouraged non-Malays to apply for government jobs because they were concerned they would not be given the opportunity to achieve their full career potential.

This is the actual contextual background to Tan Sri Ismail Adam’s statement.

MASW is happy to know that the PSD is “..trying to reduce the gap between the races in the civil service.” as we believe that in a multi-ethnic society such as ours, the diversities should be mirrored in the public service whose primary responsibility is to serve the society.

ELSIE LEEl,
President,
Malaysian Association of Social Workers
Petaling Jaya.


JR: Does the PSD DG care to retract his statement now or does he still wants to stand by and let his nose grow longer? Anyway, I am NOT surprised NON of the Chinese whom replied mentioned about going to MCA for help.

How (Dis)honest Is Our Government II

Non-Malays are just not interested in government jobs - Public Services DG, 25th Dec 2007

The DG said the Government had never condoned sympathy or discrimination when hiring new staff, including those at the Diplomatic and Administration level.

Here is a second response from a non-Malay in The Star, 28 Dec 2007:


I REFER to “Samy to query PSD chief over report” (The Star, Dec 27) where Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu questioned promotion opportunities for non-Malays in the civil service.

I am a Malaysian Indian and I have been working with a ministry as an assistant engineer for the past five years. I graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering with honours from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia two years ago.

I have applied for promotion to an engineer (J41) every year since graduating. The PSD hasn’t called me even once for an interview.

It never made sense to me why the PSD preferred fresh graduates when there are graduate assistant engineers waiting to be promoted.

I was voted Best Employee in 2005 with the ministry that I am now with. Even the Board of Engineers Malaysia and Institute of Engineers Malaysia have certified me as a qualified engineer. So there is no reason to turn down my application.

I look forward to the MIC president, looking into this matter as well.

MR K.
Kuala Lumpur.

Penang Councillors' Term Extended

THE Penang Government has extended the terms of all the 48 municipal councillors until June 30.

State Traffic Management, Information and Communication Committee chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan (pic) said there would be no changes to the existing line-up when the councillors' terms ended on Dec 31.

The terms of councillors of Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) and Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) were extended to facilitate completion of existing jobs, he said.

“The extension is in line with a working system introduced by the state government to facilitate administrative work in both councils,” he said.

According to state regulation, the councillors are eligible to serve for one term, and their terms can be extended to a maximum of four consecutive years.

“All the current councillors have not served that long,” he said.

Current MPPP councillors are Aziaan Ariffin, Mohamed Sabri Ali Anas, Abdul Razak Abdul Rahman, Abu Bakar Ahmad, Fadzil Shuib, Mohd Salim Abdul Bari, Datuk Jamilah Wahab, Noor Hayati Fitrah Shahril, Hamzah Ismail, Tan Yok Cheng, Loh Chye Teik, and Ooi Siaw Kok, Teh Cheng Beh, N.C Mahalingam, M. Nganana Sagaran, Goh Tian Huat, Lim Kean Guan, Teh Leong Meng, Foong Kai Choong, Tan Yeow Hong, Khaw Veon Szu, Dr. Thor Teong Gee, Azizi Zakaria and Hassan Saad.

MPSP councillors are Huzair Osman, Mohd. Noor Ahmad, Ibrahim Ismail, Ismail Umar, Mohamed Sani Bakar, Zaidi Mohd Said, Che Hussain Abdul Rahim, Shafie Kassim, Jumabi Mohamad, Siti Sarah Md. Ani, Ong Tang Chuan, Teh Lay Chuan, Lau Pek Hang, L. Krishnan, Datuk J Loga Bala Mohan, Ooi Liang Chye, Beh Kim Hee, A. Mohan, Wong Heon Thong, Dr. Lim Boon Han, Phee Boon Choon, Mokhtar Mohd Jait and Jusni Ismail.

How (Dis)honest Is Our Government?

Non-Malays are just not interested in government jobs - Public Services DG, 25th Dec 2007

The DG said the Government had never condoned sympathy or discrimination when hiring new staff, including those at the Diplomatic and Administration level.

Here is a reply from a non-Malay in The Star, 27 Dec 2007:

I REFER to your report 'Few non-Malays applying, says PSD' (The Star, Dec 25).

I am Malaysian Chinese who graduated with the Bachelor of Public Management (previously known as Public Administration) with Honours from Universiti Utara Malaysia, Kedah, many years ago.

I studied among others, Politics and Government in Malaysia, Public Policy and Fiscal Policy and Analysis. Actually, this course is to groom administrative and diplomatic officers for the Government.

Ironically, I can never be one, although I would like to serve the government. The reason is I failed in the first-level exam conducted by the Public Services Department (PSD).

Over the years, I sat for so many exams in Putrajaya. To my disappointment, each ended in failure though I do not know which paper I failed.

Our PSD director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam mentioned that the hiring process is based on merit or academic qualifications. I strongly doubt it. Mind you, I was one of the top students in my course. I was in the Dean’s List for four out of six semesters.

If that was not enough, I also hold a master's degree and a diploma. As time went by, I lost my interest to serve the government because the hiring system failed me – time and again.

AU YEONG HOW,
Kuala Lumpur.

JR: I think Au Yeong How is definitely over-qualified to be a government servant. Putting him in government service would definitely make the majority (with very poor acedemic qualifications) inside look very bad indeed. He would also have to be promoted to a high post and this will be highly improper as he belongs to the minority race. As much as PM Abdullah would like to digress, I think Au's letter clearly shows how discriminative our public service is.

If academic qualifications are indeed important our public service positions will be filled by minority races and I am sure the forces that are will not allow this to happen as they will lose their rice bowl. If PM Abdullah is not convinced (the public definitely isn't) he has only to look at the racial composition of our foreign service and explain to us why it is filled with staff from only a single race.

Crouching Dragon, Hidden Tiger?

Malaysian PM Abdullah uses ISA on activists

It could not have been more obvious. First the Bersih Rally. Then it was the Hindraf protest. Malaysian activists were out on all fronts to challenge PM Abdullah Badawi to use the ISA to detain them. They have not done anything wrong. So the only way the PM could stop them was to use the infamous Internal Security Act to lock them up - Malaysian style.

Who is behind all this? Anwar Ibrahim? Ex-PM Mahathir? Some might even venture to say that everything was engineered by hidden elements within UMNO itself, plotting the downfall of Abdullah.

Needless to say Abdullah's reputation with Western government and media will be badly hit. Not to mention there will be no love lost between him now and Malaysian Indians whom have been supporting the Hindraf activists all this while.

Abdullah's leadership will be questioned now. First he lost the mainstream Chinese support. Next he has lost whatever support he had from the local Indians. It won't be long when he finally wakes up from his Sleeping Beauty Slumber and see his own pole position all dwindled down. For there are many within UMNO itself waiting to pounce on him. Who will he use the ISA on next?

P/S: Err... has anyone tried googling for sleeping prime minister on YouTube?

Malaysian lawyers arrested for celebrating Human Rights Day

A sad day for human rights in Malaysia

If you are a rapist you might not even be caught. If you are a murderer chances are the Malaysian police are not even interested in you. If you are a robber, just try not to rob someone important. But if you are a lawyer and you want to celebrate Human Rights Day - sorry... you better lookout for the Malaysian Polis!




Human rights day celebration more of a wake

Latest: Lim Kit Siang to table motion of protest in Parliament today

Hindraf rally opening the eyes of more Malaysians

A seemingly ridiculous protest by Hindraf has now turned into an eye-opener as more Malaysians of all races realised the significance behind the rally. The issue was not the memo which was to be submitted to the British High Commissioner. The issue was more about the Malaysian Indian minorities and how they have been sidelined by the ruling government after 50 years of independence. The issue was more about how their own party which was supposed to be helping them have failed for the past 50 years. The issue was more about how the ruling party has chosen to ignore their interests all this while. The issue was about their frustrations and how nobody listens to them anymore. The issue was about how no one will listen even now.

Read Dr Toh Kin Woon's view on the rally.

Read Dr Khoo Kay Peng's views

Read IHT's report - "A Cry For Attention"

Read Time's report - "We fight for the future of our children"

Read the Malaysian PM's callowed response - "They want to kiss the orang putih"

Malaysian Minister Nazri's response - "Don't be samseng"

See who is the real samseng (gangster) here:

Malaysia still in a state of Emergency (2) ?

Unfortunately for the Malaysian government, Thierry Rommel's observation (which was strongly objected by them) has proven true again. This time it is the Hindraf rally on November 25. A seemingly innocent (and ridiculous, some might add?) protest against the British government for its treatment of Indians brought to Malaysia during its pre-independence days, again given the baton and water cannon treatment by the Malaysian government. Is this just an attempt to serve the British government a class action lawsuit or is there more to it?

And why are the Malaysian government so afraid of protests? Surely this is another sign of a weak government unable to handle protests and objections in a rational manner. One can only ask if all the Police violence were necessary. Luckily for Mr Rommel he was not a Malaysian!

The pictures speak for themselves:







Pictures from The Star and Jeff Oois' blog.

Report from The Hindu

UK local council turned their noses down on Malaysian Ministers

It would have been a great plan. Convert an old research center in Brickendonbury into a "sports center for Malaysian athletes" using the money from Malaysian pockets. The public protested, but Najib turned his nose down on mere public. The press protested (knowing fully well that it is a waste of public funds, RM 490 million and the project will only benefit a certain minority of Malaysians) but the Ministers were not listening. They were fully determined to get their "second home" in the UK.



Finally it had to come from the British local council whom were as unconvinced as the Malaysian public. Who were the Ministers trying to fool? Certainly not them. To use public funds (Malaysian funds) to renovate the research center to train a football team from a third world country? A team who couldn't even beat a group of Eskimos with their snow shoes on? Malaysia's football team (as in the case of our Universities) are ranked in the 3 figures category, if you must know.

So, thank you very much from the Malaysian public to the East Hertfordshire district council. You have helped us save a lot of money which would be better spent improving our education system, public sanitation, roadworks, etc. all of which are in pretty bad shape. But of course our Ministers prefer to spend our money elsewhere. Somewhere where they could use exclusively for themselves. God Save the Queen.

Read the Star Report and the NST Report.

Malaysians turning to the internet as its government tries to hide reality

More and more Malaysians are turning to the internet for information as the Malaysian government strives hard to "protect its citizens from receiving bad news about the government". Last week's rally shows that the Malaysian people are now smarter in the sense that they know that NOTHING will be shown on the state controlled media and so they turned to the internet and their satellite TVs for the truth.

This is what is being capitalized by the Opposition parties as they hoped that more and more Malaysians will turn off the government controlled TV stations and instead look on the internet and international news agencies for the truth about their country.

The Malaysian government which prides itself in utilizing "E-Knowledge" now finds itself at the other end of the gun's barrel. And it is definitely not coping well as seen by the half-witted response from the Information Minister to Al-Jazeera's televised coverage.



Read more from ZDNet

The 3 Wise Men To Be Judged

First we have a panel, then we have a panel to decide on the panel, next maybe we can set up a tribunal to decide whether the panel's decision on the earlier panel needs to be judged by another panel...?

The Star, 15 Nov 2007:- Three senior ministers have been appointed to study the three-man panel's report on the videoclip purportedly showing a lawyer brokering judges’ appointments during a phone conversation.

The three, appointed by the Prime Minister, are Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, Home Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad and Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.

Nazri said they were given the task by the Cabinet due to their legal background and also because all three had been in charge of law affairs in their ministerial portfolios.

JR: Why didn't they ask their good friend Lingam to join the panel? He is a lawyer too...

Read more

Latest: Govt agrees to setup Royal Commission after 58 days of pussyfooting

Malaysia still in a state of Emergency?

Reuters, Nov 13 - Malaysia is living under an effective state of emergency, an EU envoy said on Tuesday, after police used tear gas and water cannon at the weekend to break up the biggest anti-government protest in a decade.

"Today, this country still lives under emergency," the European Commission's envoy to Malaysia, Thierry Rommel, told Reuters by telephone on the last day of his mission to Malaysia.

Rommel's remarks, extraordinarily blunt for a diplomat, chime with a chorus of criticism from opposition parties and some non-government groups about the way the government handled the protest, which it called an illegal assembly of troublemakers.

Police had set up road blocks around the capital to prevent protesters converging on Kuala Lumpur for Saturday's rally, but despite these measures and heavy rain, around 10,000 people thronged the city centre to call for electoral reform.

Police later moved in with tear gas and water cannons, which fired jets of water laced with a chemical irritant, to break up the crowd. There were no reports of any serious violence.

Read the full article

If you are NOT a Malaysian you shoudn't be watching Al-Jazeera

The Star Nov 13:-
Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin has strongly criticised satellite television station Al Jazeera’s coverage of Saturday’s illegal gathering here.

Describing the coverage as biased, unfair and confusing to people living overseas...

JR: You should be watching Malaysian TV where NOTHING was shown

“The police only used water cannons and tear gas and did not shoot anyone,” he said.

JR: Did Al-Jazeera mentioned that the protestors were shot??

Zainuddin said Al Jazeera should use its base in Malaysia as an opportunity to strengthen bonds with the West rather than to portray Malaysia as anti-West.

JR: I thought the protestors were ANTI-GOVERNMENT??

JR: I really wonder who is more confused - Zainuddin or Al-Jazeera?

Read the article

Is this why Zainuddin is so mad?

Video Reports of Mass Rally in KL

The peaceful Bersih rally on November 10 shot down by Malaysian police:

Malaysians gathered for mass protest shot by water cannons

The Bersih Rally went on as scheduled and the protesters were faced with a wall of red helmeted police and their water cannons.




Where it is happening

Read the BBC Report

Latest report from Malaysiakini.com

If you are a Malaysian, you shouldn't be reading this...

You shouldn't be reading about the news of police officers with automatic rifles charging at a 100 year old Hindu temple and its devotees to demolish the building. Many were injured as a result and one victim is apparently in a coma. Some 14 persons were arrested including a 15 year old boy.

On the eve of October 31st 2007, 4 lawyers - P Uthayakumar, M Manoharan, V Ganabathy and Vethamoorthy went to Shah Alam police station to lodge a police report over the above incident.

Unbelievably, based on witness statements, they were denied entry into the police station at the gates. Shouting began and a small fracas soon followed with one of the lawyers pushed to the ground.

Finally, the lawyers were allowed in to lodge their report over the afternoon temple demolition incident. However shockingly, the Deputy OCPD then appeared and had the four lawyers handcuffed and arrested!

You shoudn't be reading this since no English newspaper is publishing this, but if you have to know then go to Tony Phua's Blog

Latest: Clip from Malaysiakini.tv

Malaysian lawyers protest will cause investors to flee the country

AP News, 29 Oct 2007 - Malaysia's prime minister has warned the country's lawyers that their demands for judicial reforms could clash with national interests and send foreign investors fleeing.

The bar council president, however, said that ensuring the rule of law via judicial reforms would be good for investment and is crucial if Malaysia wants to have a modern economy.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said in a speech late Monday that lawyers who staged a rare public demonstration last month to highlight worries about alleged judicial corruption could create "the impression that a problem has reached an intractable impasse _ even when in reality, it has not."

"Above and beyond this, it also sends negative vibes to domestic and foreign investors, undermining tireless efforts of industry and government in attracting investments," Abdullah told a conference organized by the 12,000-member Bar Council.


Malaysian lawyers chasing away foreign investors


I suppose our PM has concluded that foreign investors will flee the country if we reveal all our faults. It is better to keep all our problems hidden so that no one knows... Malaysia, truly Asia Third World!

Read more

Malaysian law continues to put kids in jail

The Star October 24th 2007:-
The teenager who was freed three months ago for murdering his tuition teacher’s daughter in 2002, went back behind bars after the Federal Court overturned the Court of Appeal’s decision.

Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim, Court of Appeal president Justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad, Chief Judge of Malaya Justice Alauddin Mohd Sheriff, Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Justice Richard Malanjum and Federal Court judge Justice Zaki Tun Azmi unanimously allowed the prosecution’s appeal and reinstated the High Court’s order that the 18-year-old be detained at the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

After the proceedings ended, the boy’s family approached the teenager, who was seated in the dock and took turns hugging him before he was handcuffed and sent back to Kajang prison.

The boy, who wore a blue long-sleeved sweatshirt and jeans, remained stoic and quietly followed the police out of the courtroom.

In 2003, the High Court found the boy, then aged 12, guilty of murdering the 11-year-old girl at her house in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur, by stabbing her 20 times and slashing her four times with a sharp object on May 30, 2002, and ordered him to be detained in prison at the pleasure of the King.

On July 25 this year, the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction but ruled that the sentencing was “unconstitutional” as Section 97(2) of the Child Act 2001, which provided for this sentence, violated the doctrine of separation of powers by consigning to the Executive the judicial power to set the term to be served by a juvenile offender.

In his 17-page written judgment yesterday, Justice Abdul Hamid said the Court of Appeal, despite declaring the sentencing unconstitutional failed to show which provision of the Federal Constitution it was inconsistent with.

“Instead the court held that the section violated the doctrine of the separation of powers, which, in its view was an integral part of the Constitution,” he said.

Justice Abdul Hamid said Malaysia’s Federal Constitution had the features of the doctrine of separation of powers but at the same time it also contained features that do not strictly comply with the doctrine as it depended on the provisions of the Constitution.

“No provision of the law may be struck out as unconstitutional if it is inconsistent with the Constitution, even though it may be inconsistent with the doctrine,” he said.

The Court of Appeal president also held that the doctrine of separation of powers was not definite and absolute.

“The extent of its application varies from country to country, depending on how much it is accepted and in what manner it is provided for by the Constitution of a country,” he said.

Justice Abdul Hamid said that even if the Federal Court held that judicial power is vested in the courts, in law, the nature and extent of the power depended on what the Constitution provided and “not what some political thinkers think”.

Outside the court, Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail said the Federal Court’s decision has endorsed the fact that the draftsman had drafted the correct position of the law.

He said this was despite the comments from the Court of Appeal that the drafters had not taken into consideration case laws.

Asked about the boy, Gani said the teenager would be detained under the pleasure of the King and he would be subjected to a yearly review by the Board of Visiting Justices.

He added that his officers and colleagues involved in the drafting division had been vindicated.

The boy’s counsel Karpal Singh said he would be filing for leave to review the Federal Court’s decision soon as there were factors that needed to be explored.

He also said there were currently 15 other children convicted of murder that were being detained under the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Ruler or the Yang di-Pertua Negri.


Is our judiciary system sinking to new lows or are our laws archaic?

Param: We need to amend the constitution

Help Save Malaysia

Make a date with true Malaysians and help save our country.

Good Judge, Bad Judge

Which is which? You decide!

A Judge of The Big Events

A Retiring(?) Judge



A scapegoat?

And in true Malaysian style - going after the whistleblower

Support The People's Petition To Save This Country

Have you signed on to the petition to His Majesty the Yang DiPertuan Agung to ask for the establishment of a Royal Commission to look into and stop the rot in the Malaysian Judiciary and to return the judiciary back to the rakyat?

If you want to read the petition or to sign up go here

Read Jeff Ooi's pictorial blog on the Malaysian Lawyers (and his) Walk Of Justice

Malaysians should not protest

The Star, Sept 30 2007:-

According to our esteemed Information Minister Malaysian lawyers should not protest against the government as they would look like they belong to the "opposition". It would seem that going by his logic all Malaysians should not protest as they would then be seen as favoring the opposition.

It seems that most of our politicians cannot comprehend that the Malaysian layman could not possibly be disenchanted with their policies and hence they should never have the notion of organizing or attending a protest. We must be seen to agree with all their policies and follow them blindly without question. Any dissatisfaction must go through the so called "proper channels". Anything else would seem to be from the hand of the so-called "Opposition".

Reminds me of the movie V for Vendetta. If you have watched the movie you will know this is scary, to say the least.

Read Zam's comments here

You can now appoint your own Judge in Malaysia

Singapore, 20 September 2007:- Anwar's video 'exposé'- Shows clip purportedly linking judge to 'appointment fixing'

THE integrity of Malaysia's judiciary has come under the spotlight once again after former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim made public a video purportedly linking a senior judge to an "appointment fixing" scandal.

The eight-minute video clip purportedly showed prominent lawyer V K Lingam discussing the appointment of judges on his mobile phone.

Supposedly filmed in 2002, the video — posted on Youtube, Malaysiakini and Keadilan's websites — was cut down from over 14 minutes to "protect its source". Mr Anwar, Keadilan's de facto leader, also showed the video to the media at a press conference at his office in Petaling Jaya yesterday.

In the clip, Mr Lingam was heard telling the other person at the other end of the line: "No, don't worry Datuk … We want to make sure our friends are there for the sake of the Prime Minister and the sake of the country."

Other well-known names mentioned in the phone conversation included a business tycoon and several prominent judges.

Mr Anwar told reporters: "This video recording implicates the highest office of judiciary ... It is mentioned in the context of a conspiracy to influence the appointment of senior judges and pervert the cause of justice ... In view of this, we have reasons to believe that whatever had transpired in this exchange in 2002 had some bearing on the outcomes in a number of judicial proceedings, including mine."

Mr Anwar, who was sacked as Deputy Prime Minister in 1998, spent six years in jail after he was convicted of sodomy and corruption charges. The sodomy conviction was later overturned but the corruption verdict still stands.

Responding to queries from Today on his next move, Mr Anwar said Keadilan would file a special appeal with the Conference of Rulers, which comprises the country's sultans, to assume their "constitutional roles" and take appropriate action. He also said that his party would be lodging a report with the Anti-Corruption Agency and the Bar Council.

In a statement yesterday, the Bar Council asked for an official investigation to be made into the video. Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan said: "With the emergence of this video clip, the concerns expressed by various quarters in relation to the judiciary can no longer be swept aside."

Read the Report From ZeeNews, India

Suspend Malaysian CJ call from Aliran

Malaysia's AG says it is no big deal

I suppose since the AG says so this must be the norm in Malaysia?

Rampant Corruption in Abdullah's Government as Malaysia Celebrates its 50th

The Star 9th September 2007 Report on the Auditor General's Annual Report:-
Would you pay RM224 for a set of four screwdrivers?

Probably not, but that was what the Government paid to supply tools for students at the eight National Youth Skills Institutes (IKBN) around the country, according to the Auditor-General’s (AG) report.

The Star shopped around and found this set of Stanley screwdrivers. They cost RM32.80. For the RM224.94 set.
The AG said the screwdrivers had a market price of RM40 and according to pictures in the report, resembled the average Philips screwdrivers you could buy in any hardware shop.

And it does not stop there – the AG went a step further by examining the prices paid for 12 other tools and equipment bought for the IKBN project, comparing it with market prices when the procurement was done in late 2002.

Among these were technical books consisting 10 titles that had a price tag of RM10,700 and a 3.1 megapixel digital camera that was bought for RM8,254.



For the 13 items that the report highlighted, the Government paid RM8.39mil more than the market price at that time.

According to the report, consultants for the Youth and Sports Ministry had reached an estimated price tag of RM399.67mil for the equipment for the IKBN project which later ballooned to RM767.98mil after two appeals by the ministry for additional allocations.

“The ministry said more money was needed in anticipation of a bigger student population and that getting equipment from the same supplier meant prices would remain the same.

“But there was no proof that market research was done to identify the prices of the items and equipment because minutes for the negotiation meetings were not prepared,” the report said.

It said without the minutes, the auditing team was unable to find out if efforts were made to reduce prices.

The AG also said that the ministry’s secretary-general (KSU) had signed off 11 contracts worth between RM7.99mil and RM74.2mil that were related to the IKBN project, on behalf of the Government.

“The KSU only has the authority to sign contracts worth less than RM5mil. Anything larger should be signed by the minister or someone to whom the authority has been given.

“However, during the audit, no such letter giving the authority to the KSU presented itself,” the report said.

The report said there were also discrepancies such as one supplier being paid more than the other for exactly the same equipment.

One example the AG highlighted showed one supplier getting RM1.24mil more than the other for identical engineering equipment.

Well, after 50 years our government has indeed excelled in hiving off the people's hard-earned money year-after-year. And they still have the gall to ask us to vote for them! I can't believe that anyone cannot but feel utterly disgusted about Abdullah's government.

I suppose this is also "How companies benefit" from our budget year-after-year.

Losing faith in Dr Koh?

The Star (27 August 2007): Barisan Nasional component parties have forgotten that the coalition was set up to reduce politicking, encourage development and bring benefits to the people, Gerakan adviser Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik said.

“Thirty-three years on, the component parties have forgotten this,” he said, adding that each party now only takes care of itself.

He was speaking at the annual state Gerakan delegates conference here yesterday.

Dr Lim said Gerakan should steer Barisan back to its original objective.

He also advised acting party president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, who was also present at the event, to move the Federal Government to quickly implement the state’s infrastructure projects such as the Second Penang Bridge, Penang Outer Ring Road and the Monorail.

“You have announced all these projects and if nothing happens for a long time, you will be blamed.

“Things must move for the people of Penang to have faith in you,” he said.

Have faith in him? Well Dr Lim is right in having doubts though!

Malaysia is neither this nor that

The Sun (Aug 27, 2007): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi says the application of Islam Hadhari does not mean Malaysia is a theocratic country.

Abdullah said the government always paid attention and implemented what is best to preserve unity and the people's interest including ensuring each Malaysian is free to practise their religion.

"All quarters receive aid from the government, whether they are Mosques, Surau's, Temple or Churches. The country's development has been implemented fairly, without any ethnic community or religious community being oppressed," he said.

Abdullah said this was what was meant by his deputy, Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, when he said that Malaysia was an Islamic country.

He reminded all that the Federal Constitution was formulated and undertaken in an understanding and cooperative manner by the three largest communities during their struggle to achieve independence and only contains articles which take into account the the needs of various communities to live in a peaceful manner.

In a written reply to Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur), Abdullah reiterated that Malaysia is neither a secular nor a theocratic country.

"Malaysia is an Islamic country which is administered based on the principles of Islam and at the same time holds strong to the principles of Parliamentary democracy guided by the highest law of the land - The Federal Constitution," said Abdullah.

So one day we are an Islamic country, the next day we are not! I guess it depends on whom is speaking and what is the topic of the day! As for the official version... who knows?

Read the full article

Blogger Jeff Ooi Joins DAP

DAP 's rocket launching into cyberspace

DAP recently welcomed renowned Malaysian blogger Jeff Ooi into its fold

DAP is taking its campaign to cyberspace by launching an e-campaign – believing that the net-savvy community will be a force to reckon with in the next general election.

"DAP believes that properly channelled, the Internet community can shape the outcome of the general election, and even reach non-Internet users," said party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

He said new party recruit and regular blogger Jeff Ooi had been appointed as the general election e-campaign director.

Check out his newly created webspace

Check out this highly entertaining campaign video for Jeff with compliments from Kenny Sia

Better Things In Store For Penang?

The Star, August 1 2007:-

THERE is little doubt that Penang is about to be transformed, thanks to the projects lined up under the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) initiative.

But when the Prime Minister arrived for the launch of the NCER, a number of those present noted the somewhat “transformed look” about Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi himself.

Abdullah was sporting a pair of rimless glasses and was much slimmer.

And it was no illusion. Abdullah has shed 9kg over the last couple of months and looks fitter and more energetic.

Some attributed it to the homely influence of Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah, who was a picture of understated elegance in her printed beige baju kurung featuring a mandarin collar and cream coloured shawl.

His aides say he has been keeping a healthy diet and exercising and planned to continue with his health regime.

But looks and transformation aside, there was definitely a sense of homecoming for the Prime Minister during the launch.

First, Penang is his home state. Second, the genesis of the NCER is said to have begun somewhere up in the air over Seberang Prai.

During the great flood of 2003, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had surveyed the flood-damaged area from a helicopter. He was very affected by the destruction and told people how water does not respect state boundaries. It is likely that the seed of the NCER was sown then.

There was also little doubt in the minds of many of those present that the Penang sector, especially, is as much a political project as an economic plan.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, who speaks fluent Malay, amused many by the way he buttered up the Prime Minister in his speech. But most of all, they noted that parts of his speech could easily be used again during the general election.

This is the best thing to happen to Penang in decades and Koh was very upbeat, describing the projects as “a gift” from the Prime Minister.

Yes, Dr Koh, this is what you do best - buttering up the PM every time he visits Penang. Is there no shame in you? After 15 years at the helm you only have a bus service to show for! Maybe we will have to wait another 15 years for a taxi service now??

Dr Koh Willing To Quit

The Star, August 3 2007 :-

PENANG Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said he would quit as Football Association of Penang (FAP) president if there was a better candidate to replace him.

He said he concurred with the opinions of several other mentris besar that they would quit their executive position in sports associations if they were asked to do so.

“I personally like football. It (the FAP) is for Penang and for the younger generation, so (that is why) we support it,” he said.

Dr Koh said that he was willing to give up the post to a person who was more qualified and capable of securing financial fundings for the association.

There are definitely many whom are more capable than Dr Koh if he is only willing to let others lead as well. Please don't think that you are the only capable person around in Penang, Dr Koh, as otherwise we are all doomed... just like what is happening in Penang now - which is so developed that today (in this 21st century on 1st August 2007) we actually have a bus service in Penang!

Penang Traffic Forced Sultan To Take A Walk

The Star - July 3, 2007:-

Kedah is sore with the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) because of its oversight that forced Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah to walk 2km to the Batu Kawan Stadium for the FA Cup final on Saturday night.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mahd-zir Khalid said FAM should have foreseen the anticipated massive jam and make the necessary ar-rangements for invited dignitaries to arrive at the destination without any hassle.

“We are deeply hurt because Tuanku, who was invited by FAM to give away prizes, had to walk such a long distance to the sta-dium,” he told a press conference yesterday.

About 20,000 vehicles were caught in a jam on the road leading to Batu Kawan Stadium as 50,000 people turned up to watch the match between Perlis and Ke-dah. The capacity for the stadium in South Seberang Prai is only 37,000. It took the Sultan 45 minutes to walk to the stadium.

Even the Regent of Perlis, Tuan-ku Syed Faizzudin Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail, had to ride pillion on a police motorcycle.

Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon had apologised to the Sultan of Kedah for having to leave his car and walk to the stadium.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rashid Abdullah said many spectators left their cars on the road when they could not enter the stadium.

“Because of these cars, other vehicles were unable to move in or out,” he said after launching the upgraded railway gate near Bandar Tasek Mutiara yesterday.

Penang Traffic Management Committee chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan said the organisers should have made alternative transport arrangements as there were no public buses servicing the route.

Penang police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Koh Hong Sun visited the stadium at 4pm yesterday but he left without speaking to the press.

Is there no end to Penang's miserable traffic and transportation problems? This is not the first time massive jams have happened at this stadium but it is NOT surprising anyway looking at the replies given by our present state govt officials...

"May 13" available at a Penang book store

I got a copy of May 13 by Dr Kua Kia Soong from a "popular" bookstore in central Georgetown today. It is not displayed on the open shelves so you have to ask the counter for it.

My advise to you is to get it before it is officially banned!



Read a blogger's review

Half a year to ‘polish’ Penang

The Star, 6 June 2007 - Half a year to ‘polish’ Penang

PENANG: A six-month target has been set by Penang Municipal Council president Datuk Zainal Rahim Seman to return the island – once dubbed the Pearl of the Orient – to its original lustre.

Zainal, who was appointed to the post last month, said those who dubbed the island Darul Sampah would soon have to change their tune. He suggested Darul Indah or Darul Mutiara instead.

“Keeping the island clean will be my top priority.

“We want to brighten up areas frequented by tourists such as Gurney Drive, Macalister Road and Little India.

“We may also do more landscaping in areas that tourists pass to get to their destinations,” he told newsmen during a media tour to see how rubbish was collected from high-rise buildings, factories and private residences. "

Why ONLY 6 months? - Penang definitely needs more than 6 months to clean up!

VW rejects "Old Maid" Proton - Is the dowry too much?

The Star, 1 June 2007:
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has asked Proton Holdings Bhd to start talks with other carmakers on a partnership because Volkswagen AG is not interested.

“I have made the decision that since Volkswagen is not interested in the proposal that Proton wants in terms of the equity participation but they want cooperation in some other form, Proton can begin to talk to others,” the Prime Minister told reporters after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting last night.

Read more

Other news:
Proton posts RM591mil loss

Poor attitude or no enforcement in Penang?

Beaches in Penang dirty due to poor attitude

Is Penang dirty because of the people's attitude or is it because there is no enforcement?

- How many times have you seen MPPP staff cleaning up a beach?
- How many times have you seen MPPP staff cleaning up your neighborhood playground?
- How many times have you seen MPPP enforcers issuing a summons to a litterbug?
- How many times have you seen MPPP administrators actually on the job, somewhere?

It is so easy just to blame it on the public. Have they checked to see if rubbish bins are easily available in major tourist spots or practically anywhere else where the public is prone to discard rubbish?

Any person walking around Penang can see that rubbish is strewn whenever there is no proper rubbish bin in sight. Can you blame the public for this?

Yes, sometimes there are those who throw rubbish everywhere especially out of their cars and on the sidewalks. So where are the enforcers? Why is MPPP so interested to enforce the meter car park system (I think there must be over a thousand summons each day on the island alone, this can be easily verified looking at the QUE system in place at the payment counter in Komtar) but there is hardly any fines on littering?

Is our meter car park system a tourist attraction?

Penang Stinks! - Comments by Arab Tourists

The Star, 3 May 2007: Malaysian Tourism Minister Gets First Hand Account From Tourists

Overcharging by taxi drivers and traders, stinking cabs and poor knowledge by unsmiling frontliners have marred Malaysia’s image among Arab tourists.

This feedback from Arab travel agents has left Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor red in the face.

He lamented that taxi drivers, sometimes, could not answer basic questions, like what the weather was like and queries on exchange rates.

“Sometimes, the taxis even stink!” he said, adding that he also received complaints from tour agencies here that the beaches in Penang and Kota Kinabalu were polluted with rubbish and sewage.

Meanwhile, Bernama reported that Malaysia has won an award as this year’s top choice summer holiday destination for United Arab Emirates (UAE) residents. (???!!)

Muslims - By Force

Al-Jazeera reports:-

Islamic authorities in Malaysia have removed a baby girl from her father's home and placed her mother in a religious rehabilitation centre in what has become the latest case to highlight the country's fragile racial and religious balance.

The case of 15-month-old Divya Darshini, and her mother, Revathi Masoosai, has cast light on the conflict between two parallel legal systems – civil and shariah - in multi-ethnic Malaysia.

Born as Siti Fatimah to a Muslim family, Revathi initially sought to legally change her name before deciding to marry the man she loved, Suresh Veerapan, in a Hindu rite in 2004.

Divya, was born about a year later.

But Malaysian law does not recognise marriages between Muslims and non-Muslims and in March religious officials, acting within Malaysian law, removed the child from Suresh's home and handed her over to Revathi's family.

Read more

Watch the Malaysiakini.TV clip or on YouTube:

Malaysian By-Election Campaigns Go Into Their Final Lap

And so the accusations and slandering starts (time to show off your laundry):

Najib accuses Khalid of being greedy (how come he wasn't accused then?)

Anwar accuses Najib of having a hand in the Mongolian murder case

Mahathir: Anwar will be PM only in his dreams

Najib's tainted defense contracts deals

Err... can anyone remember who is the other candidate in this by-election?

BBC prefers to interview Anwar rather than Pak Lah

Oooohh.... how it hurts when we put in so much effort and they don't even bother to interview us. How could they chose a "bankrupt politician" (who doesn't even have a seat in our august Parliament) over our beloved PM to interview. Tsk, tsk... the unfairness of it all!

Lots of sour grapes around. I didn't think BBC would have so much clout or influence over the Malaysian public. Now, according to our Information Minister, they do!

Apparently this was reported in The Star and China Post

Ex-PM Mahathir urges Ijok's voters to think before voting

Excerpts from the Ex-PM's interview with Malaysiakini.tv

“If you don’t think (about) what you are doing, you don’t use your vote intelligently, then of course, you are to be blamed.”

“Don’t vote BN blindly, don’t vote PAS blindly, don’t vote DAP blindly. Think. Use your faculties to think.”

“Unless you send a signal to the government that, ‘Look, if you don’t behave yourself, you may not get my vote at the next election,’ then the government will say, ‘You see? The people are voting for us. We are doing well.’

“If you vote (BN) because you get a lot of money or because you get a lot of projects, you may get a rotten government which uses money in order to buy your vote.”

Using Hooligans To Scare Voters

One would have thought this would be the tactic of the Malaysian Opposition but it is now used by the present BN government to scare the Malaysian voters into voting for them. What would they think of next?



Read more from Jeff Ooi's Screenshots

More brickbats for Penang CM from Malay contractors

The Star - 24 April 2007:-

The Penang Malay Contractors Association is upset with the Penang Municipal Council for awarding projects to contractors from outside the state since early this year.

Chairman Mohamed Fadzill Hassan said it had sent a protest letter to Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon recently.

“If nothing comes out of this we will even consider raising the matter with the Finance Ministry or Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi,” he said yesterday.

He was commenting on the council’s decision to award road sweeping, grass cutting and drain cleaning projects to several contractors from Selangor recently. The Star had reported that the council awarded the RM8mil project to 33 contractors. Of this, it is learnt that eight contractors were from Seberang Prai and four from Selangor.

Mohamed Fadzill said: “I don’t mind projects being given to those from Seberang Prai but why give them to contractors from Selangor? “Will the local authorities in Selangor award such projects to contractors from Penang or other states?” he asked. Mohamed Fadzill said it was not legally wrong for the council to award projects to outsiders. He said it was an “ethical” issue as many contractors from Penang were facing problems in securing projects.

Citing another example, he said the council had awarded an RM800,000 road resurfacing project to a contractor from Selangor early this year. “A Penang contractor submitted a lower bid but he was not chosen probably because the council feels that he could not complete the project.”

Is "Acting President" Dr Koh trying to lobby the more powerful KL-based contractors?

Blogger assaulted while having lunch with Opposition candidate

Blogger Jeff Ooi and his co-photographer was recently assaulted while having lunch with the Opposition candidate in Ijok, a small town in Selangor with an upcoming by-election.

Read his blog entry

Racial equality (inequality?) in Malaysia

They say a picture is worth a thousand words



Read about the prided effects of the so-called "power sharing" among the Malaysian politicians as portrayed by this Thai (or is he a Malaysian living in Thailand?) blogger:

Read the article at The Nation Web Blog


Read Anwar Ibrahim's view:

MCA and MIC leaders cannot fight for minority rights because they kowtow to UMNO

Sarawak CM Abdul Taib to be accused of corruption

KUCHING, April 13 (Bernama)
Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud has threatened to take legal action over newsreports linking him to RM32 million in logging kickbacks in Japan.

His press secretary, Amin Sahmat, in a one-paragraph statement faxed to the media here today, said Taib had instructed his solicitors to initiate legal action to clear his name in reference to reports in the Japanese and local newspapers alleging that the chief minister was involved in corrupt practices.

Yesterday Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was quoted as saying that he was leaving it to the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) to investigate a report of RM32 million in logging kickbacks implicating Taib.

He said he had not received any report on the matter so far and no proper report had been lodged by any party for an investigation to be carried out.

Abdullah was asked to comment on a newsreport in Japan Times which claimed that Japanese shipping companies paid RM32 million to a Hong Kong agent allegedly linked to Abdul Taib.

Meanwhile, 20 Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat members led by its liaison chairman, Wan Zainal Abidin Wan Senusi, lodged reports with the ACA and the police today over the allegations.

He told Bernama that the action was in response to Abdullah's comment yesterday that no report had been lodged by any party for an investigation to be carried out.

Here are some foreign news reports:-

Japan Times

Bloggers and Mahathir

The Star,19 April 2007 - Dr M: Bloggers should always write the truth

The former prime minister said bloggers should not tell lies and untruths, and because there were no laws governing them, their freedom to write anything could negatively affect the development of the country.

"Although bloggers are not subject to the same laws governing the mainstream media, they should write the truth all the same", he said.

OK so, bloggers should tell the truth - what about you?

In the same article:-

Dr Mahathir also apologised to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for accusing him of owning a house in Perth, Australia.

He said he got carried away when he mentioned it at a talk in Kulai, Johor, on March 29 recently and added it was based on a rumour.

He was responding after web portal Malaysia Today's Raja Petra Kamaruddin pointed out to him at yesterday's press conference that through an independent search, it was discovered that the house belonged to the wife of a prominent Malaysian businessman.

So, should we believe RPK since he is a blogger? Who is telling the truth and who is lying?

Watch the video:

Part 1:



Part 2:




Read The Sydney Morning Herald on a more balanced(?) account of this report.

Anwar Ibrahim campaining in Machap

Anwar in Machap (Part 2)





Anwar in Machap (Part 1)

Singapore has the Best Paid Ministers In The World!

Forbes.com

Singapore, which prides itself on having one of the world’s most competent bureaucracies, this week gave its top civil servants pay rises of as much as 60%, a hike that would make the world’s most generous private-sector employers blush.

Coming at a time when the income gap between rich and poor in the city-state is widening and ahead of a hike in taxes, the move provoked normally placid Singaporeans into a rare show of public outrage.

Almost 2,000 have signed an online petition against the pay hike and newspapers have been flooded with angry letters. Mild perhaps by international standards, it has nonetheless been an unusually strong public outcry in a place where rallies are banned without a permit and there is no political opposition.

Under the pay hike plan, the annual salary of the chief executive of Singapore Inc., Prime Minister Lee, will rise to 3.1 million Singapore dollars ($2 million), up from S$2.5 million now ($1.65 million), roughly five times the pay of U.S. President George W. Bush.

Lee will rank as the 102 nd-biggest earner in the city-state of about 4.5 million people under the new salary scheme, up from 164th before, but still lower than his No. 63 ranking in 2000.

But the biggest pay increase will go to entry-level ministerial officials, who will receive an annual salary of S$1.9 million ($1.25 million) by next year, up from S$1.2 million ($790,000) now.

In 1994, Singapore’s founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, created a system that pegged the salaries of top civil servants to what they might earn in the private sector.

Lee, who is the father of the current prime minister, decided that ministers would earn two-thirds of the median of the top 48 earners in six professions: lawyers, accountants, bankers, engineers and the top employees in multinational corporations and local manufacturers.

Latest news has it the their PM will give his increment portion to charity, I wonder which one - NKF?

A blogger's take on this issue

Leaving no indelible mark

The Star - 9 April 2007: Keng Yaik ends 26-year tenure as Gerakan chief

Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik has ended his 26-year tenure as Gerakan president.



Yesterday, he officially passed over the baton to Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, who will become acting party president.

Famous for his witty remarks, Dr Lim “caused a stir” after secretary-general Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye tabled three resolutions: for Dr Lim to retire as president, his appointment as national adviser and for Dr Koh to take over.

As he took the podium to deliver his farewell address at the extraordinary national delegates conference, Dr Lim told Chia: “Even before I step down (as president), you are saying this and that in the resolution. What if I don’t want to retire?”


Wouldn't you have cried too if:-
(1) Everyone was so eager for you to leave
(2) Your smiling successor says he "can't wait forever"
(3) No one mentioned anything about your achievements for the past 26 years (were there any?)

To be fair to Dr Lim, this blogger welcomes anyone who can give positive comments for Dr Lim. I for one think he was the only non-Malay Barisan MP with balls.

Dr Koh still an acting president

The Star - 9 April 2007: "I don’t want to be acting president forever"

Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, who declared that he wants party elections as soon as possible, said he did not want to be acting president for “longer than necessary.”

He said it was not true that he would be acting president until 2010 as suggested by Speaker Datuk Dr Chin Fook Weng at the start of the extraordinary national delegates’ conference here yesterday.

“I do not know how he arrived at that year but it is not the intention of the leadership to have me as acting president without a party election,” Dr Koh told members of the media before chairing the central committee meeting, his first after taking over the leadership from Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik.

Read more

Penang owes Kedah so much

The Sun (Archived June 2004)

BEFORE the 1970s, Penang island’s drinking water was sourced from within the island while Seberang Perai sourced its water from the Muda River. The Muda River has its source in the hinterlands of Kedah but discharges into the sea on the borders between Seberang Prai Utara and Kedah.

“Hence, for Penang, it seems the water has always been there for the taking,” says Malaysian Water Association president Datuk Syed Muhammad Shahabudin. Since the early 70s, Penang island found that demand had outgrown supply from within the island so it began getting some of its drinking water source from the mainland, i.e the Muda River.

“When demand for water from the Muda River escalated, there was talk about charging Penang for the water but the talk fizzled out after a while. “Besides, Penang has always held that it has a right over the water as the river flows along the borders of Penang.” Water demand from the Muda River has increased drastically over the years. The water source is used mainly for irrigation of padi fields in Kedah and Penang and for domestic and industrial consumption.

Syed Muhammad says it is quite logical for Kedah to charge Penang for the water it is using considering the amount of money and work the state has to spend in ensuring adequate and quality supply, not only for its own use but for Penang.

“Kedah ensures that the river water is regulated and there is enough stored to be released during a drought. “If nothing is done in the upper reaches, the water may not be enough to reach Penang during the dry season. So in a way, Kedah is providing a service to Penang by regulating the water in the upstream in order for water to reach Penang,” says Syed Muhammad.

He also believes that one reason Penang is able to keep its water tariffs is because it does not have to spend so much on operating or maintaining water infrastructures like dams in the upper reaches. It should not be forgotten that Penang was once part of Kedah. Kedah ceded Penang island in 1796 and Province Wellesley (now known as Seberang Perai) to the British in 1800 for a sum of 10,000 Spanish dollars a year.

Today, a token sum of RM10,000 is paid annually by the state government to Kedah.

It is "good" to know that our subsidy mentality is still alive and healthy!


More water news from NST and Bernama

So who's weak and who's not?

Datuk Shahrir and Dr M traded barbs recently on who's calling who weak.

The Star - 1 April 2007:-
It is insulting to suggest that Johor Malays are weak and incapable of competing with others in the Iskandar Development Region (IDR), said Johor Baru MP Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad.

He was commenting on a recent statement by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who said that he was not confident that the Malays could compete with the people coming into the IDR.

Shahrir said it was not fair to say that Johoreans were weak.

While he has respect for Dr Mahathir’s views, he felt that the former premier had himself created such a situation and was now complaining about it.

“This is the result of his own strategies and policies. The present Government is just building upon what he has created.

Shahrir noted that Kedahan Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary had control over much of the logistic hubs in the IDR with his ownership of the Johor Port, Senai airport and 70% of Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP).

“Maybe its true that we are weak and since he (Dr Mahathir) is Kedahan, maybe that is why he decided to give the ports to a Kedahan.

“That’s why he has always taken advantage of us, but we intend to prove him wrong,” he said.

Geez... I am still trying to read between the lines

Read more

Trying hard to find a suitor for Proton

PM going to play role of Mak Andam to match our "old maid" away to VW

The Star - 2 April 2007:-
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is expected to meet top officials from Volkswagen over the future of national automaker Proton, a senior official said.

“A high-level meeting is expected soon. It is being arranged,” the official who is familiar with the talks on a possible tie-up said yesterday.

Proton going "lock, stock and barrel"?

Read more

Thank you - and see you in court?

Can someone please explain to me how you can thank someone for his services rendered and at the same time investigate him for corruption?

Malaysian politics is weird isn't it??!

Read this article on our outgoing ACA Director

Dr Koh still wanted by Penangites?

Is Dr Koh losing sight of his ambitious Federal post?

The Star - 31 March 2007:-

"Outgoing Gerakan president Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik has hinted that his successor Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon will most likely continue as Penang Chief Minister to keep the Perak-Penang balance in the party.

Keng Yaik said he had made his views known to Dr Koh, who will be acting Gerakan president on April 8, that he should consider the Perak-Penang factor.

He said that it was important for Dr Koh to keep the balance because Perak was still a fortress and there was a need to ensure Penang was not lost in the next general election."

Dr Koh also said he would not "run away" from his constituency.

Is Gerakan so short of capable leaders?


Read more

More Rubbish Surfacing In Penang

Penang's pride filled with trash.

The Star - 31 March 2007:-
The scenic Gurney Drive used to be the pride and joy of many Penangites.



However, unsightly mudflats and the putrid stench of sludge and rotting garbage now greet joggers and visitors at one of the state’s most popular tourist destinations.

One observer noted:
“The state has focused much of its efforts in upgrading roads and building five-star hotels and malls at Gurney Drive but the most important attraction – the seafront – has been neglected.”

Read more

No price reduction for petrol despite world oil price falling

Is this the same PM the nation elected 3 years ago?
Is this the voice of a "caring" government?

NST 27 March 2007:-:
"PETROL and diesel prices will not go down although the price of crude oil has fallen.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the price of crude oil was still unstable and unpredictable.

'Because of that, the government does not plan to reduce our petrol and diesel prices,' the prime minister, who is also finance minister, said.

All sums received by the government from Petronas is put into a combined provident fund and used by the government in the nation’s management and development expenses in the annual budget for the benefit of the public."

Read more of this "sad" story

Penang now famous for its rubbish

Another proud achievement for the Gerakan party. For how long can we tolerate them?

New Straits Times - Malaysia News Online:
"NST 26 March 2007:- Penang’s level of cleanliness has earned the wrath of key tourism players from Germany."

The Berlin-based tourism players voiced their displeasure about the state’s filthiness, particularly along the famous Batu Ferringhi beachfront, during the recently completed 2007 edition of the International Tourism Bourse (ITB), the world’s largest travel fair, held from March 5 to 11.

This is not the first time Penang received such negative remarks and there is fear among the travel trade industry here that the state would risk losing visitors from Germany if authorities do not take the comments seriously.



Read more of this "sad" article

Federal Govt Finally Helping To Save Penang

With the election looming nearer, BN is now sending their Top Guns to minimize the damage done by CM Koh Tsu Khoon. First they came to check our rivers and declared that Sg Pinang is now "beyond salvage" and now they are trying to salvage Penang's bus system - no thanks to the inefficient Gerakan state leaders whom have been inept at solving those problems but very good at spending.

Now they are suddenly "all ears" and finally listening to the grouses of the public and especially from "Cepat" whose complaints until recently have fallen on "deaf ears".

From The Star - 19 March 2007:

"PENANG will set up a public transportation advisory panel soon to assess and gather feedback on RapidPenang and the proposed monorail system.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said the panel would comprise representatives from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the state government.

The state would provide concessions to senior citizens, students and the disabled, he told reporters after attending a meeting with Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop here yesterday."

Read more


Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop was also at hand in Butterworth to salvage another blemish in Gerakan's leadership i.e. the Butterworth bus terminal which was destroyed by fire 6 years ago and left to rot by the present state govt.

From The Star - 19 March 2007:-

“We have also discussed with Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) as part of the land (where the terminal is to be built) belongs to the company. It has agreed to our plans,” he told reporters after meeting with Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and PPSB managing director Datuk Ahmad Ibnijhajar.

Nor Mohamed said the project would be carried out in three or four phases, with the first phase to be completed in two years.

He said details of the project would be announced later.

Read more

Malaysians Feeling Good Now?

How can we feel good when:

(1) Our bloggers are being persecuted
(2) Our PM is being called a liar by our Ex-PM
(3) Our ministers and state councilors are being accused of corruption
(4) Our ACA Chief is being accused of corruption
(5) Our police officers are known to be most corrupt

I am sure all of you can add more to the above list of Malaysian achievements since Pak Lah took over from Dr M.

I can't believe how any one can possibly feel good about the above and if our PM can there must be something very wrong about our country or is it just him?

I can just imagine a very twisted Pak Lah doing the twist and singing "I feel good..." every time someone in his cabinet is accused of wrongdoing. Is he still the same Pak Lah you guys (not me) voted in 3 years ago??


From The Star, 13 March 2007 -
Earlier, in his briefing to the press, Abdullah said the economy was doing well, remained strong and resilient with many domestic sectors growing, and that there was a general “feel good” atmosphere.

However, when asked if such conditions were an indication that the polls would be called, Abdullah said:

“The feel-good factor is better now than before, but when (it is time to call an) election, it should be an even better feeling.”

MCA President Worried Party Will Not Be Relevant Anymore

How can they be relevant when they are still harping on communal issues when it is now the 21st century (hello...?) and it is now a border less world.

The same goes to UMNO and MIC. Are they still relevant or are they just fighting for their piece of pie which is getting smaller each day?

From The Star, 12 March 2007 -

MCA leaders and members have been urged to adopt the “automatic renewal system” to ensure that the party would be more effective, innovative and attractive.

“The people's expectation of the party is higher nowadays and it is facing more complicated challenges. In order for the party to stay close to the community, we should continue the renewal progress so that MCA will always be relevant to the community,” he said in his speech at the party's 58th anniversary at Wisma MCA here yesterday.

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Malaysians fooled by their PM again?

Don't tell me you bought shares on the 21st Feb 2007 right after the KLSE reopened after the CNY break?

Don't tell me you did it because our PM and Bursa's CEO Yusli mentioned that all Malaysians should support the market?

If you did you would have fallen into a similar trapped laid by our previous PM in 1997 just before the Asian markets spectacular collapse!

Anyway, you should not blame either of them as both of them have no inkling as to how markets would behave.

From The Sun 02 March 2007 -
BUKIT MERTAJAM (March 2, 2007): DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng says the prime minister should reprimand Bursa Malaysia CEO Datuk Yusli Mohamed Yusoff and demand an apology for his insensitive remarks that steep losses of RM80 billion in market capitalisation of the bourse the past three days is a "healthy correction" for the market.

"For Yusli to say the drop in market capitalisation is a healthy correction' is irresponsible and scant cold comfort to retail investors who has suffered RM80 billion paper losses following the drop in Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) of 92 points over the last three days.

"What does Yusli mean by healthy correction'? Does he mean that the KLCI is too high at 1,280 points, which directly contradicts (prime minister Datuk Seri) Abdullah (Ahmad Badawi)'s previous assertion that the KLCI should breach 1,350 points? If so then Yusli should indicate what is the lower healthy level for KLCI?"

Lim said Abdullah must bear full responsibility for stockmarket investors who lost money after entering the market on the fourth day of Chinese New Year following his advice that the KLCI might breach 1,350 points.

"With the first indication in history by a Malaysian prime minister that the KLCI might breach 1,350 points, Abdullah's comments on Chinese New Year kicked off a buying frenzy on Feb 21 with the KLCI rising by 16 points to 1,278 points on a total volume of 4.7 billion shares. 4.8 billion shares were traded the following day and 3.2 billion shares on Feb 23.

"Normally trading during Chinese New Year is slow but with volume of 12.8 billion shares on the first three days of trading of Chinese New Year showed the significant impact of Abdullah's comments," he added.

Lim said the prime minister would lose all credibility and may even face legal suits from investors claiming losses from the premier if the KLCI did not hit 1,350 points.

"Many investors tell me that they would not have entered the stock market on the fourth day of Chinese New Year were it not for the prime minister's stock tip which appears to guarantee quick profits," said Lim at the opening of the Bukit Mertajam DAP office today.