| Suara Sri Andalas Posted: 03 Feb 2014 11:06 PM PST
| Mounting Speculation Over Delay In Charging Ex-Umno Political Aide with Corruption Posted: 03 Feb 2014 02:45 AM PST There is mounting speculation of political intervention or selective prosecution in the delay in charging a former Umno political secretary arrested last Monday for misappropriating RM1.1 million from three foundations.
Sources say the former political aide and a director of one of the foundations were linked to investigations that money from the foundations was diverted for political purposes instead of being used to help the poor.
"This is an explosive investigation and just the tip of the iceberg. Some Umno people don't want to see this case go to court," a source told The Malaysian Insider. He was referring to a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) statement last week, saying it had arrested two men, including a former political secretary with a datuk title, and were expected to charge them on Tuesday. But hours later, the MACC said there had been a mistake and the men would be charged at an undetermined date. Both were released on RM50,000 bail. "The power of prosecution lies with the Attorney General's Chambers and any MACC statement is only issued after they agree," another source said. "MACC is ready but no one knows why there is a delay. It might happen this week but who knows," he added. According to the MACC statement issued by Investigations Director Commissioner Datuk Mustafar Ali, the two men in their 30s and 50s were to be charged in the Sessions Court last Tuesday with criminal breach of trust amounting to some RM1.1 million and cheating involving RM1 million. The ex-political secretary and director were arrested on January 27 morning and evening and released on bail ahead of their charges. The three foundations involved in the case were set up in the 1980s and three years but were registered as limited companies and not as welfare bodies, it added. The two were the directors and trustees of the foundations and MACC said the money was taken out against the foundations' objectives. The statement said another director with a datuk title was also held for offences under the Companies Act in an investigation related to the foundation. Several Putrajaya insiders say the Attorney General's Chambers must act quickly to dispel the impression of selective prosecution in high-profile cases, noting that former MCA president Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik had brought up that complaint last month. "People are watching the government. They must be fair and charge all, not just those outside Umno," said one insider. It is understood that the case is related to the detention of Datuk Suhaimi Ibrahim, the former political secretary to former women, family and community development minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil (pic), who confirmed last September that he was detained for investigations by MACC. Suhaimi had said that he was investigated for allegedly misappropriating funds meant for the poor under the 1Azam programme, adding that at least seven other ministry officials were called in. "I have nothing to hide. Yes, I was arrested but the information which was published in blogs and online portals was not entirely true," he had said. Reports stated that MACC seized 10 luxury vehicles from Suhaimi, but he denied that they belonged to him. "Those vehicles are not mine," said the 54-year-old businessman. "If there are questions about my wealth, my house, as mentioned in a blog, it was all through my hard work. I have been a businessman since 1995 and that was where the money came from," said Suhaimi, who was the former Benta state assemblyman in Pahang. The 1Azam programme is a government initiative under the jurisdiction of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry. It was introduced in January 2010 to provide employment opportunities to the hardcore poor in the business, services and agriculture sectors. The Welfare Department has spent RM1.35 billion so far to provide aid to 473,928 recipients nationwide.
Source: TheMalaysianInsider | | UMCEDEL - Anwar Dijangka Menang Majoriti Besar PRK DUN Kajang Posted: 03 Feb 2014 02:30 AM PST SHAH ALAM 3 FEB : Pusat Kajian Demokrasi dan Pilihan Raya (Umcedel) menjangkakan Calon Pilihan Raya Kecil DUN Kajang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mampu memperolehi majoriti yang lebih besar berbanding PRU-13 lepas.
Pengarah Pusat Kajian Demokrasi dan Pilihan Raya (Umcedel), Prof Datuk Dr Mohammad Redzuan Othman, berkata isu dalaman yang berlaku dalam PKR tidak akan mempengaruhi undi kepada Ketua Umum PKR itu.
Katanya, kehadiran pemimpin itu sebagai calon di DUN Kajang adalah penyelesaian kemelut isu terbabit.
"Isu krisis dalaman parti itu tidak memberi kesan kepada pengundi di Kajang, malah beliau akan menang dengan majoriti yang besar. "Mengikut kajian sejak 1999, pilihanraya adalah perkara yang ditunggu rakyat, tidak ada soal tidak suka atau sebaliknya," katanya memetik laporan Umdecel. Dalam laporan itu juga memaklumkan, isu dalaman PKR perlu diselesaikan segera sebelum Pilihan Raya Umum ke 14 akan datang. Beliau berkata tindakan terbabit juga membabitkan Putrajaya, sehubungan itu wajar meletakkan Anwar di DUN Kajang untuk menyelesaikan kemelut yang akan mencetuskan pelbagai masalah di negeri itu masa depan. AnwarAnwar diumumkan menjadi calon DUN Kajang oleh Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim selepas Adunnya, Lim Chin Cheh meletak jawatan. Pada pilihan raya umum ke-13 Mei tahun lepas, PKR menang kerusi itu dengan majoriti 6,824 undi dalam pertembungan enam penjuru dengan BN, Berjasa dan tiga calon bebas.
Sumber: TheMalaysianInsider | | SPR Selar Ahmad Maslan Mahu Jadikan Isu Liwat II Bahan Kempen di Kajang Posted: 03 Feb 2014 02:15 AM PST Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) hari ini menyelar kenyataan Ketua Penerangan Umno Datuk Ahmad Maslan yang mahu membabitkan kes rayuan Liwat II Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dan video seks seorang lelaki menyerupainya sebagai modal kempen Barisan Nasional (BN) dalam Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Kajang tidak lama lagi.
Pengerusi SPR Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof (gambar), yang menganggap perbuatan itu menyalahi peraturan pilihan raya, berkata SPR akan memantau tempoh berkempen selain meminta tiada sebarang unsur provokasi dilakukan sepanjang tempoh itu.
"Perkara itu belum pun lagi berlaku tetapi kita ada peraturan. Fitnah, pembohongan, memalukan dan mengaibkan tidak dibenarkan. Kita akan pantau. "Perkara ini saya lihat lebih kepada serangan peribadi dan ia tidak dibenarkan," katanya kepada The Malaysian Insider. Semalam, Ahmad, yang juga Timbalan Menteri Kewangan, berkata pengundi di Kajang perlu diingatkan bahawa calon PKR adalah seorang yang dibebani kes mahkamah yang belum selesai. Katanya, Anwar tidak boleh menghalang sesiapa jua yang mahu menggunakan kontroversi berkenaan sebagai modal berkempen kerana kes liwat pemimpin pembangkang itu belum selesai. "Persepsi terhadap beliau masih ada tentunya sebab dia belum disahkan Mahkamah Rayuan dan selepas itu belum lagi disahkan di Mahkamah Persekutuan. "Jadi, dia tak boleh menghalang sesiapa untuk bercerita bahawa dia adalah seorang yang masih lagi mempunyai kes di mahkamah," katanya dilapor Malaysiakini. Ahmad menyeru jentera pilihan raya Umno melipat gandakan usaha bagi mendedahkan wajah sebenar Anwar. "Kes video belum selesai, kes liwat belum selesai. Jadi, lepas itu pergi ke masjid, orang masjid pun dengar, orang masjid pun fikir, dia ini dah lepas. Tak betul. Dia ini belum lepas. Saya sebut ini tentang fakta. "Masuklah dalam Malaysiakini, The Malaysian Insider ke, kalau nak highlight apa yang saya sebut ini benar," katanya seperti dilapor Malaysiakini. Dalam mengulas kenyataan Ahmad, Abdul Aziz menggesa semua pemimpin politik agar menasihatkan pengikutnya agar tidak melakukan sebarang bentuk provokasi. Katanya, apa yang lebih membimbangkan adalah apabila penyokong parti politik cendrung melanggar peraturan pilihan raya yang telah ditetapkan pada hari penamaan calon. "Kami boleh memberikan kawalan tetapi parti politik perlu memberikan kerjasama untuk menasihati pengikut mereka. "Kebanyakan mereka ini, cakap lain, buat lain. Semasa hari penamaan calon diingatkan adalah dilarang memberikan ceramah politik dan menggunakan pembesar suara," katanya yang meminta segala bentuk keganasan yang pernah berlaku dalam PRK sebelum ini tidak diulangi. Sebelum ini, Naib President PKR N. Surendran mendesak SPR mengutuk kempen Umno itu selain meminta Najib memberikan penjelasan berhubung kenyataan Ahmad. Katanya, Abdul Aziz perlu lebih pro aktif dalam mempertahankan integriti proses pilihan raya. "Kegagalan SPR berbuat demikian membuktikan mereka 'tidak bertaring' dan cenderung menyebelahi BN," kata Ahli Parlimen Padang Serai itu. Sementara itu, Abdul Aziz berkata SPR akan mengkaji bentuk perundangan yang dapat menghalang mana-mana wakil rakyat meletak jawatan tanpa alasan munasabah. Katanya, seseorang wakil rakyat yang dipilih rakyat perlu bersedia untuk berkhidmat dalam tempoh lima tahun dan bukan sewenang-wenangnya menyalahgunakan sistem demokrasi. "Mereka ini jika disahkan sakit tenat, tidak mengapa. Ini telah menyalahgunakan kebebasan. Sewajarnya mereka harus bersedia untuk tempoh lima tahun. "PRK bukan sahaja merugikan pihak tertentu tetapi juga media, jabatan kerajaan dan anggota polis," katanya yang mengesahkan PRK Kajang akan diadakan setelah penyandang kerusi itu memaklumkan kepada Speaker DUN Selangor, Hannah Yeoh. Sebelum ini, PKR menyifatkan PRK Kajang sebagai satu mekanisme pengukuhan Pakatan Rakyat (PR) walaupun terpaksa membelanjakan wang untuk menjalankan pilihan raya. | | Analysts - Sex Issue Will Backfire on Umno Posted: 03 Feb 2014 02:00 AM PST PETALING JAYA: Umno's strategy of highlighting Anwar Ibrahim's alleged sexual issues in the run-up to the Kajang by-election will either backfire on the party or leave voters indifferent, said political analysts.
"The Kajang electorate is not your typical east coast kampung electorate. A lot has been said about the sex scandal already, and it's been saturated," said Dr Lim Teck Ghee, director of Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI).
"What voters want to hear is how the BN is going to improve conditions of life in Kajang and Selangor, rather than focus on any kind of personal smear campaign. I'm sure it's going to backfire on BN."
The analyst was responding to Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan's remarks yesterday that the ruling coalition would expose Kajang voters to the 'truth' about the Opposition Leader, who is contesting in the by-election.
"His sodomy case with (his former aide) Mohd Saiful (Bukhari Azlan) and his video case… so the Kajang voters must be told about these," Ahmad was quoted as saying yesterday.
The High Court had acquitted Anwar of the sodomy charges in 2012, but the government has since appealed against the decision. The hearing of the prosecution will be on Feb 12 and 13 at the Court of Appeal.
If the Court of Appeal overturns Anwar's acquittal, it will not affect his Kajang candidacy nor his position as the state assemblyman should he win, as he can still apply for a stay of the decision and file an appeal at the Federal Court.
But speaking at an Umno closed-door briefing, Ahmad said yesterday that people should know and think carefully, as they could not regard Anwar as totally absolved and acquitted.
Professor Dr James Chin of Monash University said that Umno was better off using different angles, namely the wastage of public funds due to the by-election, which PKR had admitted to engineering.
"Using the sex angle won't work. Kajang voters won't care. BN did it before in the 2008 general election, in 2013, and it didn't work.
"If it was effective as a strategy, then why would Anwar keep winning his Permatang Pauh parliamentarty seat? And Permatang Pauh is a rural area," said Chin.
Voters in Kajang – a suburban town not as affluent as its neighbours Petaling Jaya or Sunway – would be more concerned with the rising cost of living rather than their leader's alleged sex scandals, said Chin.
"Transportation and the traffic jam is a serious issue for Kajang voters. The main road that runs through the town also passes the KTM station, and it is always congested. There are also municipal problems as well.
"A more interesting angle for Umno to use is: 'If Anwar comes in, will all these issues in Kajang be resolved?'" said Chin.
Uphill task
Anwar is expected to have his hands full should he win the Kajang by-election, given that he already holds the position of Permatang Pauh MP as well as Opposition Leader.
Talks is rife that he is contesting the Kajang state seat to allow him to replace Abdul Khalid Ibrahim as Selangor Menteri Besar.
Should this become a reality, it may be an uphill task for Anwar to juggle his constituents' concerns with his numerous other responsibilities.
However, PKR Selangor chairman Azmin Ali has told Kajang voters they should be grateful that Anwar, "a world class leader" had agreed to stand as a candidate there.
The Kajang state seat fell vacant following the resignation of incumbent assemblymen Lee Chin Cheh of PKR on Jan 27. The EC has announced that it would meet on Feb 5 to discuss the nomination and polling date.
The state seat comprises 38,965 registered voters. At the last general election in May, 2013, the seat saw a voter turnout of 87.9% with 541 spoilt votes. It has 48% Malay voters, Chinese 41%, Indian 10% and others 1%.
In the 2013 general election PKR's Lee garnered 19,571 votes followed by Lee Ban Seng (Barisan Nasional-MCA) with 12,747 votes and Mohamad Ismail (Berjasa) 1,014 votes.
The three independent candidates who contested the seat are Mohd Iwan Jefrey Abdul Majib (249 votes), Ong Yan Foo (85 votes) and Mohd Khalid Kassim (83 votes).
Lee won the seat with a comfortable 6, 824 vote majority. Except for the MCA candidate all other aspirants lost their deposits in the polls.
Kajang is located in the eastern part of Selangor in the Hulu Langat parliamentary constituency. It has a 342,657 population, consisting 60.4% Malays, 19.3% Chinese, 9.7% Indians, and 10.6% other ethnic groups.
To date only Anwar Ibrahim has declared his candidacy to contest the by-election.
The by-election will not have a bearing on who runs the state as Pakatan Rakyat has 44 seats in the 56-seat Selangor state assembly. The remainder 12 are held by the Barisan Nasional.
Pledge a clean campaign
Meanwhile, PKR vice president N Surendran urged the Election Commission to take action against Umno over the 'sex and smut' campaign as proposed by Ahmad Maslan.
He said that Umno president and prime minister Najib Tun Razak must have approved such a campaign, and urged the EC to summon Najib for an explanation.
"It is a shame and embarrassment to our country that the prime minister has allowed this type of foul and underhand campaign to be conducted by his own political party.
"The EC must urgently respond and condemn Umno's 'sex and smut' campaign plan," he said in a statement today.
He also urged Najib and Umno to publicly withdraw their plans of a 'sex and smut' campaign, and pledge a clean and fair campaign in the Kajang by-election.
However when contacted, the EC said it has no power to stop any smear campaign prior to the nomination day of a particular by-election.
Its chairman Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said that the commission could only bear responsibility during the campaign period.
Source: FreeMalaysiaToday | | Kajang - Ahmad Maslan Hanya Tambah Hodoh Wajah Umno Posted: 03 Feb 2014 01:45 AM PST KUALA LUMPUR: Ketua Penerangan Umno, Ahmad Maslan semalam tampil dengan satu lagi 'kecerdikannya' menjelang kempen Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Dun Kajang yang bakal diadakan tidak lama lagi.
Selepas mengadakan taklimat tertutup anjuran Umno Hulu Langat, beliau memberitahu, kes liwat Anwar Ibrahim yang masih belum selesai di mahkamah dan isu video yang menyerupai Ketua Pembangkang itu akan menjadi bahan kempen utama sepanjang pilihanraya itu nanti.
Mengulas kenyataan Ahmad yang juga Timbalan Menteri Kewangan itu, blogger Shahbudin Husin menyifatkan dengan awal-awal lagi sudah memberi signal akan membangkitkan dan menjaja cerita liwat mengenai Anwar Ibrahim yang bakal bertanding di Dun Kajang, ia tidak lain memperlihatkan Umno dan BN benar-benar sudah kekeringan modal untuk menghadapi PRK itu. Menurutnya, isu liwat yang melibatkan Anwar telah gagal mempengaruhi pengundi dan langsung tidak mendatangkan kesan untuk melemahkan kekuatan Anwar serta Pakatan Rakyat berdasarkan keputusan PRU13 lalu. Justeru ulas Shahbudin, melalui CGPA 3.85 yang dimilikinya, Ahmad Maslan sepatutnya juga harus sedar bahawa kemenangan BN di banyak kerusi dalam pilihanraya umum lalu adalah atas sumbangan pengundi luar bandar dan kampung yang tidak terdedah kepada maklumat internet dan ia berbeza sama-sekali dengan pengundi Kajang. "Bagi kebanyakan pengundi Kajang dan rakyat ketika ini, isu yang membelenggu mereka ialah berkenaan kenaikan harga barang dan beban kos hidup serta beberapa isu lain seperti kerajaan yang baik, pentadbiran yang telus, pemimpin yang berjiwa rakyat dan seumpamanya," tulisnya di dalam blog http://shahbudindotcom.blogspot.com/ semalam. Bagi beliau, dengan tidak menjaja isu video itu sekurang-kurangnya wajah hodoh Umno dan kerajaan kerana 'terlebih cerdiknya' Ahmad dapat dielakkan.
Sumber: HarakahDaily | | Kajang - Kit Siang Anggap Tuduhan Zam Kebudak-budakan Posted: 03 Feb 2014 01:00 AM PST KUALA LUMPUR: Ketua Parlimen DAP, Lim Kit Siang mengecam bekas Menteri Penerangan, Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin yang cuba menyalakan sentimen perkauman dalam berhubung Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Kajang.
Beliau menyatakan demikian sebagai respons kepada kenyataan Zainuddin dalam blognya semalam bahawa PRK kali ini adalah peluang masyarakat Cina memperbetulkan persepsi orang Melayu bahawa mereka tidak boleh dipercayai sebagai rakan politik.
Bekas menteri yang dikenali sebagai Zam juga berkata, "sesungguhnya tidak dapat dinafikan keyakinan ini telah dicarik-carikkan oleh Tsunami Cina".
Kit Siang yang juga Ahli Parlimen Gelang Patah berkata, kenyataan itu menunjukkan sikap perkauman yang ada pada pemerintah dan pihak yang berkaitan dengan mereka, yang menjadi punca sebenar polarisasi kaum yang semakin buruk di Malaysia. "Zam boleh berharap agar majoriti pengundi yang memilih Pakatan pada PRU lalu berpihak kepada BN nanti, tapi apa logik beliau menjadikan PKR sebagai isu perkauman? "Beliau perlu hormat hak demokrasi majoriti yang mengundi Pakatan di Selangor, Pulau Pinang dan Kelantan, dan paling penting 51 peratus atau 5,624,084 yang mengundi Pakatan seluruh negara, tanpa menjadikannya isu kaum," tegasnya dalam satu kenyataan dipetik Roketkini. Beliau yang menyifatkan tuduhan itu sebagai kebudak-budakan, berkata, tindakan Zam yang cuba menghidupkan persepsi 'Tsunami Cina' juga bercanggah dengan 'Rekonsiliasi Nasional' yang dilaungkan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Persepsi itu juga disangkal oleh banyak pihak dan tokoh, antaranya bekas Ketua Pengarang Kumpulan New Straits Times, Datuk A Kadir Jasin yang menyatakan BN ditolak seluruh rakyat Malaysia tanpa mengira kaum. Pendapat itu juga dikongsi Pengarah Institut Kajian Etnik UKM, Datuk Dr Shamsul Amri yang menjelaskan BN ditolak majoriti penduduk bandar dan golongan kelas pertengahan. Sehubungan itu Kit Siang menggesa kerjasama antara BN dan Pakatan perlu diadakan secepat mungkin bagi menangani isu kaum dan agama, selepas Kabinet Rabu lalu memberi maklum balas positif terhadap pelwaan Pakatan berhubung isu itu.
Sumber: HarakahDaily | | Anwar - Cabaran Politik Selangor Berat Buat Khalid Posted: 02 Feb 2014 01:30 AM PST Ketua Umum PKR Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menepis dakwaan beliau mengintai kerusi DUN Kajang semata-mata untuk menyelesaikan masalah dalaman parti, seperti mana kritikan pelbagai pihak.
Dalam sidang medianya di Masjid Al-Nadhoh di Seberang Perai, malam tadi, Anwar menjelaskan adalah di luar keupayaan Menteri Besar Selangor Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim untuk menangani cabaran politik di negeri itu khususnya propaganda dan tekanan kerajaan persekutuan.
Anwar berkata strategi keseluruhan di belakang "Gerakan Kajang" bahawa ia adalah penting bagi Selangor untuk menjangkaui hanya menjadi negeri yang cekap, dan untuk mengekalkan status quo. "Untuk dilihat sebagai model ialah mampu menahan propaganda yang berterusan dan tekanan yang berterusan daripada kerajaan persekutuan, yang menyebabkan banyak program kita ditangguhkan atau tergelincir," kata Anwar selepas berucap kira-kira 800 di Kubang Semang, di Seberang Perai, Pulau Pinang.
Sementara itu, Bernama melaporkan Anwar berkata parti-parti sekutu dalam pakatan pembangkang memang telah membuat perancangan untuk mengosongkan kerusi DUN Kajang bagi memberi laluan kepadanya bertanding di kawasan itu.
Beliau berkata peletakan jawatan ADUN Kajang Lee Chin Cheh pada 27 Jan lepas juga dilakukan menerusi rundingan terlebih dahulu, dan bukan secara mengejut.
"Dia (Lee) meletak jawatan itu bukan tanpa rundingan. Dia letak (jawatan sebagai ADUN) itu memang nak bagi ruang kepada saya untuk bertanding. Kerajaan negeri Selangor juga mengetahui tentang perkara itu.
"Dalam politik kena ada kejutan, dan ini (peletakan jawatan Lee) dianggap sebagai satu strategi kita (Parti Keadilan Rakyat - PKR)," katanya kepada kira-kira 200 ahli jawatankuasa cabang Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK) dan cabang wanita di Yayasan An Nahdoh, di Kubang Semang.
Anwar juga mengakui bahawa kerajaan negeri Selangor memang berhadapan dengan masalah dalaman tetapi ia dalam keadaan terkawal.
"Walaupun kerajaan negeri Selangor ditadbir dengan baik dari aspek urusan ekonomi, tetapi masalah gereja dan bible merupakan masalah yang paling berat di Selangor, jadi saya perlu bantu untuk selesaikan masalah itu," katanya.
Anwar juga berkata beliau akan membuat penjelasan secara terperinci mengenai hasratnya bertanding di DUN Kajang Isnin ini, di Kajang bersama Menteri Besar Selangor Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim dan Timbalan Presiden PKR Azmin Ali.
Lee memenangi kerusi itu pada pilihan raya umum Mei lepas dengan majoriti 6,824 undi dalam pertembungan enam penjuru dengan BN, Berjasa dan tiga calon bebas.
Sumber: MalaysiaKini | | BN Policies Not Lazy Malaysians the Cause of Unemployment Posted: 02 Feb 2014 01:15 AM PST By Lim Guan Eng DAP Secretary-General and Bagan MP. He is also the Chief Minister of Penang
DAP strongly disagrees with Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan who blamed 'lazy Malaysians' of adding to the country's unemployment rate by refusing to take up job opportunities thus leading to the influx of foreign workers.
According to the Statistics Department, the unemployment rate is at 3.4 per cent as at November last year, or 484,600 of the 14.2 million of the country's total labour force.
Referring to the jobless, Ahmad Maslan had said, "They are worse than just lazy. There are around 300,000 of them, who are just sitting and doing nothing". This attack, to us, is not only unfair but also incorrect. Barisan Nasional leaders should realise that it is not lazy Malaysians who add up to the country's unemployment rate, but lazy BN policies with low pay and low productivity especially for 3D (Difficult, Dirty and Dangerous) jobs. BN has failed to implement robust and proactive labour policies to improve wage, productivity and work conditions for workers by importing foreign workers. How can there be pride in work when it is lowly paid and placed on the same level as unskilled foreign migrant workers? It is no surprise that a declining economy coupled with price hikes in sugar, petrol, power tariffs and highway tolls have caused both financial hardships to working Malaysians and caused unemployment to climb up from 2.8% in June 2013 to 3.4%. Although there are 2.1 million registered foreign workers in the country, the number of illegals could actually be doubled. Foreign remittances by these foreign workers amounted to RM20 billion in 2012. The full implementation of the minimum wage policy (RM900 in peninsular Malaysia and RM800 in Sabah and Sarawak) in 2014 affecting nearly 1.8 million workers, mostly migrant workers, as compared to 1.5 million workers in 2013 will only cause the foreign remittances to rise to RM30 billon this year. The Malaysian Employers Federation estimated that the increased labour cost of foreign workers in Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) will result in an increase in total costs for some SMEs by up to 10%. The average increase in productivity by 2-3% per year will be insufficient to compensate for the increase in costs of 10%. The impact from the minimum wage would come from higher overtime charges for foreign employees who work an average of four hours of overtime per day as well as on rest days and public holidays. DAP proposes that the minimum monthly wage be increased to RM1,100, combined with a grace period to SMEs for five years from extending this to foreign workers. This would help to increase income for 14.2 million Malaysian workers and help economic growth by protecting Malaysian SMEs. This proposed rise in mimimum wage for Malaysian workers will help to offset rising prices and also encourage more Malaysians to seek work. RM1,100 monthly is acceptable to Small and Medium Entreprises(SMEs) provided that it does not cover foreign workers. After the five-year grace period, SMEs have to pay the same minimum monthly wage to all foreign and local workers. When people are unemployed, usually people blamed the government. Here, it was the other way around where BN government blamed the unemployed! Is being unemployed now considered wrong? Ahmad Maslan should withdraw his statement and apologise for such insensitive and focus on creating more higher paying jobs.
Source: fz.com | | Bekas Timbalan Menteri Akui Umno Lebih Awal Membazir Untuk PRK Posted: 02 Feb 2014 01:00 AM PST Bekas Timbalan Menteri Pengajian Tinggi Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah (gambar) mengakui Umno-Barisan Nasional lebih awal melakukan pembazirkan dalam pilihan raya kecil (PRK) sekaligus menolak dakwaan parti itu yang menuduh Pakatan Rakyat (PR) hanya membuang duit rakyat bagi mengadakan PRK Kajang.
Katanya ini adalah ketika PRK di kawasan Parlimen Kuala Selangor dan DUN Permatang pada tahun 1997 apabila Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna ketika itu, Datuk Abu Hassan Omar meletakkan jawatan menggantikan Tan Sri Muhhamad Taib sebagai Menteri Besar Selangor.
Saifuddin berkata situasi yang berlaku dahulu apabila Muhammad terpaksa melepaskan jawatanya kerana berdepan dengan pertuduhan di mahkamah Australia ekoran kegagalannya mengisytiharkan wang tunai sebanyak RM2.4 juta ketika meninggalkan Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Brisbane pada Disember 1996. Abu Hassan kemudiannya meletakkan jawatan sebagai anggota Parlimen Kuala Selangor untuk bertanding di kerusi DUN Permatang yang ketika itu disandang Datuk Jamaluddin Adnan. Pada PRK 29 Mei 1997 itu, BN berjaya mengekalkan kedua-dua kerusi di mana Jamaluddin menerajui kawasan Parlimen Kuala Selangor dan Abu Hassan dilantik menjadi Menteri Besar pada 6 Jun. "Kalau hendak dikatakan membazir, maka Umno lebih awal membazir kerana berlaku dua (PRK) di Selangor suatu ketika dahulu iaitu Parlimen Kuala Selangor dan DUN Permatang. "Ini bermakna bukan kali pertama ada wakil rakyat letak jawatan bagi memberi laluan PRK diadakan," katanya memetik dalam portal Detik Daily. Beliau berkata demikian dalam sebuah diskusi "Demokrasi di Malaysia" anjuran kerajaan negeri Kelantan di Dewan Konvensyen, Kelantan Trade Centre (KTC) malam tadi Selain beliau, anggota Parlimen Shah Alam Khalid Samad turut diundang sebagai speaker manakala Prof Madya Datuk Dr Mohammad Agus Yusoff bertindak sebagai moderator . Beliau berkata lagi, bukan sesuatu yang pelik apabila berlaku perletakan jawatan wakil rakyat bagi memberi laluan kepada PRK dengan memberi contoh apa yang berlaku di Perak pada pilihan raya umum 2008. Khalid juga mempertahankan tindakan Ketua Umum PKR Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yang memutuskan untuk bertanding dalam PRK Kajang. Beliau menegaskan penyertaannya itu bagi memperkukuhkan parti itu dan mendakwa Umno kini berhempas pulas merampas Selangor selepas misi mereka pada pilihan raya umum lepas tidak menjadi kenyataan. "DatukSeri Anwar Ibrahim dibawa untuk memperkukuhkan kedudukan Pakatan di Selangor. Dengan kedudukan sebagai wakil rakyat, beliau boleh berperanan dengan lebih rasmi lagi.Sebelum ini beliau tidak boleh bertindak secara rasmi kerana tidak ada kedudukan di peringkat DUN," katanya. Malam semalam di hadapan kira-kira 500 penduduk tempatan Permatang Pauh, Anwar memberi penjelasan mengenai keputusannya bertanding pada PRK Kajang. Anwar berkata, sejak beberapa bulan negeri itu diserang beberapa isu yang menguji kepimpinannya seperti isu Allah apabila Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (Jais) menyerbu Persatuan Bible Selangor serta isu air di mana pelantikannya sebagai Adun dilihat mampu menangkis ribut tersebut yang tidak boleh dilakukan menteri besar sedia ada Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim. Katanya, Selangor perlu menjadi negeri model PR yang mampu bertahan dengan pelbagai propaganda dan tekanan berterusan daripada Putrajaya. "Ada banyak program ditangguhkan atau dilengahkan. Seperti isu air, Khalid sudah melakukan sebaik mungkin di bawah kuasanya tetapi masih belum berjaya. Sama juga dengan beberapa perkara yang berada di bawah kuasa persekutuan. "Khalid sudah menunjukkan kemampuan dan keberkesanannya dalam beberapa bidang tetapi masih ada perkara yang berada di luar keupayaannya," katanya. Lee Chin Cheh daripada PKR meletak jawatan sebagai Adun Kajang Isnin lalu dan keesokan harinya Anwar diumumkan sebagai calon dalam PRK yang masih belum diumumkan. Pencalonan Anwar menyebabkan spekulasi tersebar luas bahawa Anwar sedang meninjau untuk mengambil alih tugas menteri besar Selangor daripada Khalid untuk menyelesaikan pertelingkahan antara Khalid dengan Pengerusi PKR Selangor dan Adun Bukit Antarabangsa, Azmin Ali.
Sumber: TheMalaysianInsider | | Pengkritik ‘Serampang Kajang’ Gagal Memahami Politik Demokrasi Posted: 01 Feb 2014 01:00 AM PST Oleh: N Surendran Naib Presiden PKR dan Ahli Parlimen Padang Serai
Saya rujuk kritikan berkenaan perletakan jawatan bekas ADUN Kajang, CC Lee dan keputusan KEADILAN untuk meletakkan DS Anwar Ibrahim sebagai calon.
Banyak kritikan yang diterima hingga kini lebih bersifat reaksi menyentap, belum difikirkan dengan mendalam dan kurang memahami politik kepartian dan pilihan raya.
Pilihanraya merupakan asas strategi bagi mana-mana parti politik di dalam sesebuah demokrasi moden. Ianya hak sesebuah parti politik untuk meminta rakyat membuat pilihan sebagai satu langkah strategi politik, sama ada melalui pilihanraya kecil atau pilihanraya umum. Dengan menggunakan pilihanraya untuk meraih kelebihan politik, KEADILAN/Pakatan Rakyat sebenarnya memperkukuh sistem demokrasi sedia ada. Penggunaan pilihanraya sebagai langkah strategi yang sihat perlu dipupuk dan digalak. Pakatan Rakyat berniat menambah kekuatan dengan penggunaan sistem pilihanraya secara sah. Ini berbeza apabila dibandingkan dengan BN yang melemahkan pilihanraya, dan menyalahguna kuasa eksekutif untuk menindas dan menganiaya musuh untuk terus memegang kuasa. Pilihanraya kecil merupakan satu cara yang amat baik untuk mendengar suara rakyat; setiap pilihanraya kecil yang diadakan mengukuhkan demokrasi, dan mengiakan demokrasi penyertaan. Pengkritik 'Serampang Kajang' mungkin gagal mengamati bahawa sebuah demokrasi moden tidak boleh berfungsi dengan baik tanpa pertandingan sihat antara parti-parti politik yang menginginkan kelebihan politik. Kelebihan ini boleh diperolehi melalui cara-cara yang sah dan dibenarkan, termasuklah pilihanraya kecil. Mereka turut terlupa kata-kata dan semangat yang termaktub di dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang menimbang malah membenarkan situasi-situasi sebegini. Perkara 51 membenarkan seseorang wakil rakyat untuk meletakkan jawatan tanpa sebab atau syarat. Perkara 51 ditulis untuk membolehkan pilihanraya kecil sebagai satu strategi politik. Memaksa berlakunya pilihanraya kecil adalah strategi politik yang diamalkan di pelbagai negara demokrasi matang. Pada 2008, Ahli Parlimen David Davis telah meletakkan jawatan dari House of Commons, UK untuk memaksa berlakunya pilihanraya kecil demi memberi fokus kepada isu kebebasan awam. Pada tahun 1986, kesemua Ahli Parlimen Unionist telah meletakkan jawatan dari parlimen UK sebagai satu strategi politik. Berbeza dari apa yang dikatakan pengkritik, tiada apa-apa kesalahan dalam memaksa berlakunya pilihanraya kecil sebagai satu strategi politik. Mereka yang berkata pilihanraya kecil itu membazir wang ringgit mungkin tidak faham bahawa wang ringgit memang terpaksa dibelanjakan demi menghidupkan sesebuah demokrasi. Fokus mereka sepatutnya kepada pilihanraya yang bersih, bukannya demokrasi yang murah. Akhir kata, 'Serampang Kajang' merupakan strategi politik untuk mengalahkan BN yang korup dan zalim. Ini tidak bercanggah dengan hasrat dan kemahuan rakyat; malah, ianya adalah demi kepentingan rakyat. | |
| Anwar Ibrahim Posted: 03 Feb 2014 07:22 PM PST
| ‘Kajang bid not to distract from sodomy case’ Posted: 02 Feb 2014 08:38 PM PST Malaysiakini The decision by PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim to contest in the Kajang by-election is not to divert attention from his sodomy case appeal this month, but to bring Selangor to greater heights, a senior academician has said. Universiti Malaya Centre for Democracy and Elections (Umcedel) director Professor Mohammad Redzuan Othman (left) opined that Anwar is already immune to court cases as he has faced a slew of them since 1998. "Since 1998, Anwar has been in and out of courts and I do not think his move to contest in Kajang is to divert the attention away from then prosecution’s appeal to his sodomy II acquittal as he is already used to being in and outside of courtrooms and has even served jail term. "The fact is, the people are also aware of other high-profile cases like the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal and other matters that sees the failure of the prosecution (to garner convictions) and government's handling of them (by not appealing) compared to Anwar’s case," he told Malaysiakini. | | Haul up Najib for okaying sex and smut campaign, polls body urged Posted: 02 Feb 2014 08:15 PM PST TMI The Election Commission (EC) was today urged to summon Datuk Seri Najib Razak to explain Barisan Nasional’s sex and smut election campaign against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the Kajang by-election. PKR vice-president N. Surendran said such a strategy would have had the prime minister's backing. Najib should bear responsibility for it. Yesterday, Umno information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan said it was important to explain to voters all of Anwar’s previous cases, including the appeal of his acquittal over a sodomy charge. Ahmad said the disclosure was so that voters could make an informed choice on polling day. ”There are a few instances, including his sodomy case and his videos, which should be explained to the public so they know Anwar's character. “Is this the type of leader that Pakatan Rakyat can offer?” he said at a news conference after a closed-door meeting with the Selangor Barisan Nasional machinery on Sunday. Surendran said Najib must be held responsible for Umno’s decision to conduct such a campaign as it could not have been taken without the connivance and approval of its party president. “This is an unethical, dirty and desperate bid by Umno to challenge Anwar and Pakatan Rakyat in the crucial Kajang by-election,” Surendran, who is also Padang Serai MP said, in a statement. He said Umno was afraid of the impact from the rising cost of living and had to resort to vilification and character assassination. “This is also a desperate bid by Umno against a backdrop of widespread corruption.” He said the sodomy allegations and alleged sex videos of Anwar were part of a baseless smear campaign orchestrated by Umno and the BN since 1998. “In short, Umno plans to use their own fabricated allegations against Anwar to cheat and mislead voters during the by-election.” Surendran said it was unprecedented for a major political party to announce publicly that it would be running a sex and smut campaign against a political opponent. The “sickening” election strategy degraded public discourse and undermined democratic debate, he added. “The EC must respond and condemn Umno’s sex and smut campaign and summon Najib for an explanation over Ahmad’s announcement.” Surendran said EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof (pic) must be proactive in defending the integrity of the election process. “It is his (Abdul Aziz) constitutional duty to do so under Article 113 of the Federal Constitution and failure to do so will prove that the EC is a toothless tiger and is biased in favour of BN,” said Surendran, urging Najib and Umno to withdraw their plans of a sex and smut campaign and pledge a clean and fair one. | | Anwar, Karpal slam police for ‘half-baked probe’ into BN candidate’s bribery claim Posted: 02 Feb 2014 08:14 PM PST TMI Opposition leaders Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Karpal Singh have taken the police to task for failing to classify as sedition their reports against a Barisan Nasional election candidate who last year accused both leaders of bribing prosecutors and judges. Karpal accused the police of dragging their feet over the case, saying the investigation not only began half a year after the reports were lodged, but was also half-baked. “What sort of rubbish is this? We will not easily let them off the hook because our integrity as politicians is at stake," said the veteran lawyer. Mazlan Ismail, the BN candidate who was defeated by Anwar in Permatang Pauh last year, had claimed to have received more than 6,000 anonymous letters alleging that Anwar had paid Karpal more than RM50 million since 2008 as legal fees and bribes to judges and prosecutors. Karpal is Anwar’s lawyer in the latter’s sodomy trial involving Anwar’s former aide Saiful Bukhari Azlan. Karpal said both Anwar and he would not settle anything less if Mazlan was not investigated for sedition. They also want the media which carried Mazlan’s allegations to be investigated for publishing false news. “We will write to the Attorney General to compel the police to reclassify the case. At this juncture, it looks like the police are not serious,” the DAP chairman told The Malaysian Insider. Last month, investigating officer ASP Mohd Zulkefli Mohd Mukhtar from the Seberang Prai district police informed Anwar and Karpal that their reports had been classified as criminal defamation, which carried a jail term of up to two years or fine, or both, upon conviction. This followed the duo’s letter to AG Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail on the status of their reports against Mazlan at the Petaling Jaya police on August 4 last year, after Karpal complained of no response from the Petaling Jaya police. Karpal had repeatedly urged the police and the public prosecutor to act on the case as it also involved the judiciary and the Attorney General’s Chambers. “I would have expected Gani to give special attention to this case as Mazlan had also implicated the judiciary and his officials,” he said. He said Mazlan should have brought the matter to the police or the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. Saying Mazlan and several media have committed offences under the Penal Code, Sedition Act and the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, Karpal said he would also file defamation suits against Mazlan, Utusan Malaysia and TV3. | | Tunisia’s Hopes Near Realization Posted: 02 Feb 2014 07:26 PM PST Huffington Post By: The year 2013 was a difficult year for Tunisia and for Arabs and their hopes of liberation. Tunisians placed high hopes on the revolutions they sparked in 2010. They placed high hopes on their ability to create a new model of peaceful change, one that could achieve a revolution that takes neither a step back into repression nor strays into violence. They placed high hopes on the national dialogue launched by political leaders, trade unions and civil society organisations in September to take the democratic transition out of the crisis into which it was driven by the assassinations of two political leaders in six months. These hopes are nearing their realization. This week, Tunisia took the penultimate step to solidifying its transition to democracy with the adoption of the greatest constitution in its history, which embraces the values of freedom, dignity and justice, and with the handover of power from the elected government to an independent, technocratic government that will manage the period leading to legislative and presidential elections and the transition to a full-term democratically elected government. Going back a little, the flame of the Arab Spring, sparked in Tunisia three years ago, opened a horizon of hope that politics could be different in this country where dictatorship had reigned for over half a century. It gave hope to Arabs that they could enjoy freedom and democracy, far from the despotism that had held back their progress and stifled every effort at reform. On the third anniversary of the sparking of that flame, the principal question is: has the Tunisian model for democratic transition succeeded in placing Tunisia on the path of democracy? And what are the principal features of this model that make it successful? The revolution granted everyone freedom – the fruit of sacrifices made by generations, particularly youth, from across the spectrum. However, freedom brings diverse possibilities – just as it can bring the blessings of peace, security, democracy and prosperity, it can also bring chaos, brutality, division and failure, if it is not practiced with responsibility and awareness. The Jasmine Revolution has been fighting poisonous winds and waves of counter-revolutions. The democratic process has more than once faced the risk of collapse as a result of internal and external challenges, including the weakness of the democratic heritage and experience of most political players, both in power and opposition, in a democracy that has not yet completed its third year. The process of democratic change is a long and complex one, requiring patience, long-term vision and willingness to put aside immediate partisan interests in order to build a shared system respectful of, and respected by, all. The intense transitional process Tunisia has undergone is that of building consensus around a common architecture for managing public life – drafting a new constitution in which every Tunisian can see herself or himself, establishing key institutions such as the Election Commission, Media Commission, Human Rights Commission, Local Government Council and others that establish new rules that safeguard and embody the principles of peaceful alternation of power, participatory democracy and respect for rights and freedoms. This process is one of painstakingly building shared institutions, mechanisms and rules that give life to the values of the revolution and the burning demands that drove people to the streets three years ago – freedom, dignity and justice. This process of constructing a new body politic through consensus has been complicated by the dialectic of struggle between the old system that the revolution sought to bring down and a new system that is being built. This tension is found in every post-revolutionary phase. In Tunisia, we sought to strengthen the dynamic for change by building an alliance between those parties committed to democracy and the struggle against dictatorship. Building a coalition government of moderate parties, secular and Islamist, was an important step for overcoming ideological differences that could weaken the democratisation process. Building consensus and sharing power require compromise. After the tragic assassination of Mohammed Brahmi, a member of the assembly, in July, opposition voices called for cancelling the entire democratic process by undoing all the new democratic institutions that emerged out of the 23 October 2011 elections, including the assembly, the government and the presidency. Most opposition parties withdrew from the Assembly, making their return conditional on the government’s resignation. The withdrawn deputies constituted less than a third of the total number of deputies which meant that the Assembly could have continued its legislative, and even constitutional work without them. However, Ennahdha Party and its partners in government chose to enter into discussions with the opposition to secure their return to the constitution-drafting process. We did not want to push through a constitution that would not represent all Tunisians and would have divided society. More than just being a document, drafting a constitution is a process by which society establishes a common coherent understanding of their core values and the aims, ends and means of government. The final text must reflect and encompass the demands and aspirations of all sections of society so that all have a place and can see themselves within its vision. For those reasons, we chose to hand over power in order to preserve the integrity and continuity of our transition. Our legitimacy is clear – an elected government formed out of free and fair elections and supported by a broad parliamentary majority and popular support. We chose to strengthen the transition by building it on a higher level of legitimacy – one based on consensus, not majority. We chose to hand over power to an interim technocratic government for the sake of something far dearer: placing Tunisia firmly on the path to democracy, writing a constitution for all Tunisians, building common institutions, and organizing elections whose results would be accepted by all since they would be held under a neutral government whose ministers will not stand for election. The moving scenes of celebration at the adoption of Tunisia’s first democratic constitution proved the success of this model of coexistence. Today, we have a new constitution for a modern Tunisia, adopted by an elected democratic representative body, drafted with the participation of citizens and civil society, and signed by three Presidents of the coalition government of different political trends. The constitution is something all Tunisians can be proud of, enshrining civil liberties and social, economic and cultural rights for which they had fought. The constitution is pioneering in many ways, protecting environmental rights and the rights to free healthcare and education, promoting equality between regions and ensuring equal participation of women and men, going further than many constitutions worldwide in the protection of social and economic rights. Just as the Tunisian model, based on consensus and cooperation between political trends, has succeeded in founding the first Arab democracy of its kind, we hope it will succeed in protecting the fundamental bases for a dignified life for all citizens. This achievement also crowns a number of significant steps this year, including the passing of the transitional justice law and the establishment of several important institutions such as the independent commission against torture, the first such body in the Arab world. We, Tunisians, can be proud of what we have achieved, of presenting a new model of peaceful revolution to the world. This model of consensual democracy has taken the country to the shores of safety. Tunisia, a country small in its geography, population and natural resources, has, through the work and sacrifices of its people, its great cultural and intellectual heritage, and the ability to dialogue to overcome challenges, given its region and humanity a new, unique model in democracy-building. | |
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