Pemansuhan PPSMI akan mengecewakan orang Melayu

Besok Kabinet akan memutuskan samada meneruskan PPSMI atau merubah dan membuat pembaharuan kepada satu dasar yang mula dilaksanakan pada tahun persekelohan 2003 bagi Tahun 1 dan Tingkatan 1. Ini merupakan tindakan yang berusaha untuk membuat  ‘anjakan paradigma’ bersesuaian dengan cabaran globalisasi yang dinamik. Difahamkan, Kementerian Pelajaran telah menghalusi pandangan semua pihak, pengajar, ibu bapa dan termasuk baru baru ini, Perdana Menteri Malaysia IV Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, yang juga arkitek ‘anjakan paradigma’.

PPSMI mula diperkenalkan zaman Tun Dr. Mahathir, sebagai usaha untuk meningkatkan kemahiran untuk menimba ilmu sains dan matematik, sebagai pra-penyediaan pembelajaran sains applikasi dan teknologi, dimana bahan rujukanya rata rata adalah dalam Bahasa Inggeris. Bahasa Inggeris juga merupakan bahasa teknologi dan sains applikasi paling termuka dalam dunia moden hari ini, walaupun 1,000 tahun dahulu penghormatan ini terletak dalam Bahasa Arab.

Peningkatan dalam keputusan STPM terbaru merupakan bukti  jelas bahawa perlaksanaan PPSMI berjaya. Rata rata ibu bapa pelajar Melayu tidak menafikan kepentingan untuk menguasai Bahasa Inggeris, terutama sebagai pengunaan dalam sains dan matematik. Rungutan mereka ialah pengajaran PPSMI perlu lebih berkesan, terutama bagi sekolah sekolah diluar bandar. Segala usaha untuk menafikan pelajar Melayu peluang untuk meningkatkan kemahiran penggunaan Bahasa Inggeris dalam sains dan matematik sebenarnya secara strategik merugikan Bangsa Melayu.

Jika diambil perspektif sejarah proses pembelajaran, hampir kesemua pensyarah kanan semua IPT yang mengajar dan/atau membuat penyelidikan mendapat pelajaran peringkat sekolah dalam Bahasa Inggeris. Mereka ini bukan dari kawasan bandar dan berjaya meningkat diri menimbu ilmu dan kemahiran, kadang kadang diluar negera, berbekalkan kemampuan berkommunikasi dan belajar sains applikasi dan teknologi dalam Bahasa Inggeris. Sekiranya golongan pensyarah kanan, pendidik dan sebelingan besar proferssional Melayu yang berumur lebih 48 tahun boleh mendapat pendidikan asas sains dan matematik dalam Bahasa Inggeris dan berjaya, maka ianya boleh berjaya kembali kepada generasi Bangsa Melayu bawah umur 17 tahun sekarang dan akan datang.

Penguasaan Bahasa Inggeris terutama dalam sains dan matematik merupakan salah satu kunci asas untuk bergerak kearah kejayaan Bangsa Melayu, sekarang dan akan datang, terutama dalam dinamism dan cabaran globalisasi.

Sekiranya PPSMI dimansuhkan atau ubah sekalipun, maka orang Melayu yang akan menerima kesan ini. Terutama bagi sekolah luar bandar, dimana persaingan tidak sehebat sekolah bandar, PPSMI merupakan tiket agar pelajar Melayu keluar dari kepompom yang membelengu kemampuan untuk menguasai sains applikasi dan teknologi diperingkat menara gading. Ini akan memberikan pengharapan agar pelajar lepasan sekolah dari luar bandar hanya layak untuk diterima kedalam fakulti Islam, sastera dan bahasa semata mata.

Pemansuhkan PPSMI bermaksud membawa orang Melayu kebelakang dan bukan kehadapan, sebagaimana sepatutnya berlaku.

Diharapkan keputusan yang Kabinet akan buat  tidak akan secara strategiknya mengecewakan Bangsa Melayu. Dalam era globalisasi yang amat dinamik ini, orang Melayu sebenarnya tiada masa untuk membetulkan keadaan.

*Perkembangan dikemas kini 300pm:

Kerajaan mengumumkan bahawa PPSMI akan dimansuhkan, bermula tahun persekolahan 2012. Menteri Pelajaran TPM Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd. Yasin membuat pengumuman ini selepas mesyuarat Kabinet pagi tadi.

Laporan Utusan Malaysia:

PPSMI dimansuh

08/07/2009 2:37pm

PUTRAJAYA 8 Julai – Dasar Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains dan Matematik dalam bahasa Inggeris (PPSMI) dimansuhkan.

Keputusan Kabinet itu diumumkan Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin di sini hari ini.

- Utusan

Apa yang kita di BigDogDotCom khuatiri terjadi telah berlaku.

Persoalan “Tigabelas Juta Ringgit”nya sekarang, apakah Kerajaan PM Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak lebih minat untuk menjadi populist, berbanding dengan mengambil tindakan terbaik, untuk menentukan keajayaan Bangsa Melayu dan secara automatiknya, Malaysia?

Allah s.w.t. SELAMATKAN BANGSA MELAYU

* Perkembangan dikemas kini 1000pm

Perdana Menteri Malaysia IV Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad meluahkan perasaan sedih dan kekecewaan mengenai keputusan Kerajaan memansuhkan PPSMI hari ini, setelah lam tahun ke VII perlaksanaan.

Laporan Utusan Malaysia, yang memetik laporan asal Bernama.com

Pemansuhan PPSMI jejas masa depan anak-anak – Dr.M

08/07/2009 9:15pm

PUTRAJAYA 8 Julai — Pemansuhan pengajaran dan pembelajaran sains dan matematik dalam Bahasa Inggeris (PPSMI) akan menjejas masa depan anak-anak, sekaligus menjadikan mereka mangsa kepada keputusan kerajaan itu, kata Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.

Mantan Perdana Menteri itu yang jelas tidak gembira dengan keputusan tersebut menyifatkannya sebagai tindakan yang akan menyukarkan anak-anak untuk mempelajari dan mengetahui perkembangan dunia sains pada masa depan.

“Saya sedih kerana masa depan anak-anak, anak-anak akan jadi mangsa dasar ini,” katanya pada sidang akhbar di Yayasan Kepimpinan Perdana di sini hari ini.

Dr. Mahathir diminta mengulas mengenai pemansuhan PPSMI oleh Kementerian Pelajaran berkuatkuasa 2012 di sekolah-sekolah kebangsaan.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yang juga Menteri Pelajaran hari ini mengumumkan bahawa berikutan keputussan itu, subjek sains dan matematik akan kembali diajar dalam bahasa Malaysia. – Bernama

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Tun Dr. Mahathir juga dipetik mengatakan “Sekiranya Kerajaan boleh latih guru Bahasa Inggeris, kenapa tak boleh latih guru untuk (mengajar) matematik dan sains (dalam Bahasa Inggeris)”. Beliau juga menjelaskan bahawa semasa pertemuan dengan Menteri Pelajaran TPM Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd. Yasin pada petang Isnin selama 3 jam itu, ianya merupakan taklimat semata mata dan bukan perundingan kerana “Kerajaan pun dah buat keputusan. Saya minta jika tidak dapat laksana peringkat sekilah rendah, laksana peringkat sekolah menengah. Itu pun tidak dipertimbangkan”.

“Keputusan ini akan membuat anak anak (Melayu) yang akan menjadi mangsa”.

The Malays are not ready for PM Najib’s liberalisation policies

At the recent Invest Asia 2009, Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak announced the liberalisation of the Malayisa economy.  The 30% Bumiputra control on new issue IPO and Foreign Investment Committee (FIC) mandatory requirements have been lifted.

The New York Times has the story:

Malaysia Dilutes Its System of Ethnic Preferences

By THOMAS FULLER

Published: June 30, 2009

BANGKOK — Najib Razak, Malaysia’s prime minister, announced Tuesday a major rollback in the system of ethnic preferences that has defined the country’s political system for almost four decades.

The new policy would severely weaken a requirement that companies reserve 30 percent of their shares for ethnic Malays, the country’s dominant ethnic group.

The 30-percent rule was once considered politically untouchable, and Mr. Najib described the change in policy as a “tricky balancing act.”

Malaysia has long given ethnic Malays and members of other indigenous ethnic groups — known as bumiputra, or sons of the soil — political and economic privileges. But that system has come under strain amid growing resentment by minority groups and poorer Malays.

The government offers bumiputra discounts on houses, scholarships and other perks. But some benefits, like government contracts and stock-market allocations, have been beyond the reach of working-class Malays.

Anger among Chinese and Indians, the country’s main minority groups, over the ethnic preferences was perhaps the main reason that the opposition made large gains in elections last year that nearly dismantled the governing coalition led by Mr. Najib’s party, the United Malays National Organization.

“We want to be fair to all communities,” Mr. Najib said in a speech in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital. “No one must feel marginalized.”

Mr. Najib’s success in rolling back the ethnic preferences will depend in large part on his ability to hold together his coalition and fend off a resurgent opposition led by Anwar Ibrahim, a former finance minister.

Mr. Anwar, who leads a diverse group of opposition parties, has promised to undo the system of ethnic preferences.

By positioning himself as a reformer, Mr. Najib, who came to power in April, appears to be calculating that he can stave off opposition advances and be seen as an agent of change.

“The world is changing quickly, and we must be ready to change with it or risk being left behind,” he said Tuesday.

The change would leave some ethnic preferences intact and come with caveats. But it would dilute one of the most important components of what is known as the New Economic Policy, introduced in 1971: the requirement that companies listing on the stock exchange sell 30 percent of their shares to ethnic Malays.

That requirement was scrapped for companies already listed on the stock exchange and reduced to 12.5 percent for initial public offerings. The requirement will remain in place for “strategic industries” like telecommunications, water, ports and energy.

Mr. Najib also said he would lower barriers for foreign investors. The government would eliminate a special vetting process for foreign companies wanting to invest in, merge or take over a Malaysian company, he said.

“The global economic crisis is amplifying the need to be a preferred investment destination,” he added.

Malaysia’s trade-dependent economy is expected to contract by 5 percent this year.

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The excuse is that this will pave way for greater particpation in the Malaysian economy, being the 17th most important trading nation. It came as a subsequent announcement of the liberalisation of 27 subsectors in the financial and capital markets, as PM Dato’ Seri Najib’s maiden policy shift from previous Prime Ministers.

Many thought that ultra-Malay eyes will roll for this untimely announcement. Some even regard the announcement made is not well thought through proposition, that will actually throw spanner-to-the-works. This bold move is regarded by ’siesmic’ by Malaysian-born Straits Times bureau Chief Carolynn Hong. She is ensure how UMNO, the custodian of the Malay struggle will react to this:

Will Umno buy Najib’s vision? — Carolyn Hong

JULY 3 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak took office on April 3 saddled with the image of a tired Umno politician. But that look may well be changing.

On Tuesday, just days before his 100th day in office, he dropped a bombshell of an announcement on the Malaysian economic landscape. Given how politicised the economy is, it proved to be a major whammy on the political front as well.

A key part of the Malaysian psyche was shattered when Najib announced the removal of a decades-old quota on Malay ownership of public-listed companies.

Companies will no longer need to sell 30 per cent of their shares to Malays. Instead, they will reserve at least 25 per cent of shares for sale to the public, of which half must be sold to Malays. That works out to 12.5 per cent, and if there are not enough Malay takers, the requirement will be waived.

Close watchers of Malaysian politics will recognise that it is a seismic shift.

The pro-Malay economic policy was never meant to be that narrow but Malaysia’s politicised economy meant that the 30 per cent quota had become a sacrosanct right a Malay leader ought never to question, much less quash.

In reality, it was a source of patronage and bred cronyism. Many politically connected businessmen became rich on the quota, evoking resentment among the Malay masses and minority races.

Najib disclosed that of the RM54 billion worth of shares sold to Malays from 1985 to 2004, only RM2 billion remain in Malay hands. The rest had been sold. So much for the original intent of building Malay equity.

The move breaks one major link of the patronage chain.

It comes on top of other measures like the scrapping of the Foreign Investment Committee which oversees Bumiputera participation in businesses. Earlier this year, he liberalised 27 sub-sectors of the services sector, and the financial sector.

Last week, he announced the creation of a merit-based National Scholarship.

What prompted these moves? Has Malaysia made a clean break from affirmative action?

Rita Sim of Insap, the think-tank of the MCA, says he was forced to act by circumstances.

“He has no choice. Malaysia needs to be more competitive and of course, he needs to win back support for the Barisan Nasional,” said the Insap deputy chairman.

The ruling BN was hit badly in last year’s general election when voters deserted it in droves.

An aide to the Prime Minister said Najib was concerned over Malaysia’s declining competitiveness.

“He’s made it clear that he wants to tackle the structural problems. His overarching theme is 1 Malaysia, and this can be seen from the measures,” he said.

The aide acknowledged that there was a lot more to be done for the rural masses — who account for the bulk of Umno’s support — but said Najib was starting with the big structural issues.

1 Malaysia is Najib’s slogan of sorts. It appears to mean a policy that takes into account the interests of all races. Put another way, he is attempting to shift the balance towards injecting more meritocracy without completely abandoning pro-Malay policies.

Hence, along with the liberalisation, a RM500 million private equity fund was set up to develop Bumiputera businesses.

Even the scholarship scheme is merely a new category. There will still be a racial quota in some categories.

Critics like Universiti Malaya law professor Azmi Shahrom see such changes as merely papering over the cracks, rather than any serious dismantling of policy.

He pointed out that the system is still a lopsided one.

To him, Najib’s aims are purely political — to weaken the opposition rather than to deliver real reforms.

“He needed to cut the legs off the opposition, and what better way than to hijack their platform,” he said.

But Najib supporters see it as keeping a delicate balance. There is already some dissatisfaction within Umno about these changes, though a fairly silent one so far as the government had taken pains to prepare the ground.

Over the last month, it met Malay editors and opinion-leaders to explain its policies, and the top Umno leadership was also briefed.

There is bound to be unhappiness. Years of prickly race relations have heightened sensitivities, and to some, the moves appear to be a capitulation to the minorities’ persistent demands.

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin admitted that there are rumblings on the ground.

Well-known blogger Zakhir Mohamad wrote that the new scholarship scheme challenges the notion that scholarships are part of the affirmative action policy.

Opposition PAS president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang has also raised objections.

“We want equality for all races but at the same time, the Bumiputeras must be given the strength,” he said.

Umno chieftains fear that Najib’s new approach would be used in a fear-mongering campaign among the rural Malays, especially in a by-election in Kelantan in a PAS stronghold on July 14.

Umno has decided on its message: the Malay agenda is still there but new ways are being designed to uplift the community and distribute wealth to the masses.

Some Malays agree. A Malay political analyst, for instance, says Malay self-confidence can grow organically only through genuine competition in an arena like the National Scholarship.

But it is harder to convince the masses. While surveys by the independent Merdeka Centre do show a more nuanced Malay sentiment, the overall sense of insecurity remains.

“He’ll find it very hard to keep a balance,” said Sim of Insap.

Najib, a strong party leader with widespread grassroots support, will thus have his work cut out for him to persuade his party to follow his new path.

Meanwhile, his critics remain sceptical about his ability to implement the changes.

All things considered, his image may be changing but the transformation is far from complete. — The Straits Times

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True enough, Fourth Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad was one of the first to reacxt adversely to this.

Bernama.com has the story:

Dr Mahathir Not Happy With Liberalisation Policy

By: Ramjit

PUTRAJAYA, July 6 (Bernama) — Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has admitted he is not too happy with the liberalisation policy introduced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak as he feels it will erode bumiputera interests.

He said while the New Economic Policy would not in any way hamper Malaysia’s development vis-a-vis other developing countries, the liberalisation process would stifle the progress of bumiputeras in the country.

“The fact is that the bumiputera quota has not been met, while that of non-bumiputeras has been increasing, and the new policy introduced will only worsen the situation,” he said when asked to comment on Najib’s administration which will reach 100 days on July 11.

Dr Mahathir, however, admitted that there were some good policies under Najib’s administration, for instance, the Key Performance Index aimed at improving the performance of government leaders.

“This (current administration) is better than the previous administration,” he further said.

Dr Mahathir had earlier received a visit from a delegation of the Malaysia and Singapore Vintage Car Register (MSVCR) at the Perdana Leadership Foundation office, here, Monday.

The MSCVR was formed in 1955 by a group of vintage car buffs in Melaka and is still active throughout the country.

– BERNAMA

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Already, many is talking about PM Dato’ Seri Najib is compromising what is close to the Malays for the Chinese support, which significantly eroded the 8 March 2008 12th General Elections. This politically motivated economic policy change will definitely affect the tricky manouvering of the nation busilding process with already too many variable for consideration and inadvertently redraw and allign the socio-political landscape of this nation.

Are the Malays and Bumiputras ready for the policy changes which tantamount of the dismnatling the New Economic Policy (NEP), with all the mitigating variables such as the global financial crisis, the political tsunami and the erosion of Malay support for UMNO (the lead and managing partner of BN controlled Federal Government), at this point of time?

The fact is that, NEP was introduced as an affirmative action plan to narrow the socio-economic gap between the Malays and Bumiputras, who are 65%  of the population and the Non Malays, which also include foreign owned equity back in 1971. It was crafted after the bloody racial riots of 13 May 1969, where the Malays, who were already developing a deep dissatisfaction of being under developed and felt ‘ignored’ from mainstream development, resulted to violence after being insulted with anti Malay racial tones by KL constituencies election victors DAP and Gerakan. PM Dato’ Seri Najib’s father, Second Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein managed to get almost all the representatives of the stakeholders in Malaysia to sit down and agree on an ambitious affirmative action plan that would strengthen the position of the Malays and Bumiputras, without taking into other peoples’ existing wealth and opportunities. New wealth and economic opportunities would be created for this social transformation agenda.

NEP was a in philosophy, spirit and implementation a holistic socio-economic transformation agenda which focused on rural development and poverty eradication programs. Education, infrastructure and economic development plans were the core of the bold affirmative action plan. All political parties, which include Gerakan and PAS (who were then Oppositions) agreed collectively with the plan. Chinese chauvinist DAP is the only party who was vehemently opposing to the NEP.

NEP was supposed to developed the Malays and Bumiputras from extension of the on going economic activities and not taking what is owned by others. NEP was designed to give the Malays and Bumiputras 30% share of the economic cake, which is a reduction from the foreign owned equity then. The Non Malays, primarily the Chinese would expect to get 40% of this economic cake. The remaining, would be left in the hands of the foreigners, especially the British and Europeans, who were the plantation and industrial owners during independence time.

The Malays and Bumiputras only managed to achieve 67% of what NEP started out. However, post NEP saw the Non Malays, particularly the Chinese actually owning 60% of the nation’s economic cake. This was actually more than what the NEP was set to achieve for the Non Malays.

Many felt the NEP was implemented by the Government and without willing active participation of the Non Malays. Despite being a Government policy, the nation has a whole as a moral obligation to ensure NEP is successful and comprehensively met all its objectives. The success of the NEP is pertinent to socio-political stability of a multi-ethnic/faith Malaysia. This instability has proven to be very prickly for a nation to progress, such as in Indonesia and Fiji, where indigenous people revolted against the more well placed and economically superior immigrants.

The Malays and Bumiputras still need the comprehensive programs under the NEP. In some ways, the specific programs under the NEP may have placed the Malays and Bumiputras as professionals, business onwers and even as world class corporate players. However, holistically it has not achieved what it was set to be. The NEP has a pivottal role in building a united Malaysia in diversity.  The nation building process must be made with significant and active participation of the Malays and Bumiputras, in the economy.

In actual fact, NEP is a translation of what is enshrined in the Federal Consitution. Any attempts to change the primary components of the NEP such as scholarships and the quota system must be enacted through the Parliament and with the expressed consent of HRHs Rulers.

If the Federal Government under PM Dato’ Seri Najib is approaching to revive the economy from the liberalisation of the capital markets and inducing FDIs, then the method is at least 20 years old and obsolete. The realiance on foreign funds, who is suffering from their home base and now seen to be scuttling is really not the best way to generate the economy. The country has already enough capital to sustain and generate economic growth. The more pertinent approach to weather this economic storm  is to holistically induce:

1. Create higher aggregate demand

2. Create higher value exports, in terms of products and services

3. Improve to competency, skillsets and productivity of the Malaysian work force (to cater for 1 and 2)

4. Bring back Malaysian investments and talents abroad, particularly from places like Singapore, where both is experiencing a migration to a ‘third host’

5. Further develop niche markets, such as Syariah-compliant financial and capital markets (something that Malaysia started as early as 1983 with the formation of Bank Islam and Syarikat Takaful)

The liberalisation means that foreign funds, especially in the financial and capital markets which failed in the West are now lurking for a new host. Despite suffering heavy losses in Wall Street or The City, the reminisence of these funds will easily mop up still healthy equity of the Malaysian financial and capital markets. The loss of the control of this here will have a far reaching Jewish Neo Con re-colonialisation agenda.

The thinning of the wedge started during PM ‘Flip-Flop’ Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s tenure, where previously announced mega projects that were supposed to generate growth and sustain the road map for realising the industrial status of Vision 2020 such as the double tracking railway project, the Scenic-Bridge-replacing-the-Johor-Causeway and Bakun dam and aluminium smelting plant in Sarawak were abruptly cancelled. Even successful Malaysian industries such as Proton was left to rot in favour of foreign cars importation and the potentially-knowledge-based-economic-catalyst MSC were never acticely developed. The Federal Government non-challant attitude towards projects such as the Sepang International Circuit much envied Formula One allowed rivals like Singapore to get a footing. Instead, academically-non-implementable-and-exhorbitantly-expensive economic corridors were put in place and oil royalties meant for economic development were used in worthless projects such as Moonsoon Cup were enacted. The Terengganu people got an useable mosque in the middle of the river and recently the roof of the brand new stadium collapse.

PM ‘Flip-Flop’ Abdullah adopted Western style economic policies and plans, such as making Khazanah controlled GLCs focused on ‘return on investment’ instead a tool to effectively help the nation building process, abrupt increase of retail petrol price by RM 78 sen to a whopping RM 2.70 per litre, which had a spiral effect on the economy and cost of production and living (still unable to be rectified till present!) and emphasis of trade relations with the capital-intensive-West instead of emerging economies within Asia and the under-developed-human-resource-rich nations. In pegging against the worthless but much traded US Dollar was also lifted instead of developing a strong gold-backed medium of exchange. In hindsight, all these were proven to be futile.

PM Dato’ Seri Najib should stop taking Western prescription to solve our problems. The Malay/Bumiputra element is the key of  deciding the best approach to solve our own issues. The unilateral and hasty decision dismantling of the tools to derealise what has been enshrined in spirit and letters-of-the-law will have far reaching damning effect to the nation.

The Malays and Bumiputras are 65% of Malaysians. If they are not ready for this liberalisation, then Malaysia is not ready for the liberalisation. PM Dato’ Seri Najib should realise Malaysia should objectively realise its own existing talents and capital, to revive the economy. PM Dato’ Seri Najib owes it to the Malays and Bumiputras first, who are the power base behind UMNO/BN’s all these years. It is the Malays who made these sacrifices, then its wrong to sacrifice the NEP for the people who did not ensure BN got voted in the last 12 GEs.

 

 

 

DAP chauvinism: The rakyat’s wrath against tyrants

The recent developments of DAP’s politics escalate into a very tricky turn. Both in Pakatan Rakyat controlled Penang and Kedah, the rakyat is rising against the DAP chauvinists, who are actually tyrants of power.

The Star has the story in Kedah:

Friday July 3, 2009

‘DAP not getting due respect from the Kedah govt’

PETALING JAYA: The Kedah DAP pulled out from Pakatan Rakyat because it is not getting any respect from the PAS-led state government, party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said.

The party, he said, was concerned with the issue since it was prompted by the state Pakatan Rakyat government’s failure to give equal treatment to all Kedahans.

“The Kedah DAP had never sought any titles or Datukships but had been unhappy with the lack of respect accorded by PAS to DAP in Kedah, unlike the respect accorded to PAS in Penang,” he said in a statement.

Guan Eng was reacting to the decision by the Kedah DAP on Wednesday, creating a new crisis for the Opposition pact.

He said the breakdown of trust between Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak and the Kedah DAP was a serious matter as it signalled a complete lack of respect by the state government towards the DAP.

Guan Eng said he would normally oppose such a move, especially when it was based on a single issue and if there was still room to rectify the situation.

However, he said the desperate nature of the situation and the breakdown of trust between the Kedah DAP and the Mentri Besar warranted a central executive committee meeting to be convened.

“All implications will be reviewed and studied,” he said, adding that a decision would be made whether to endorse the move.

He said he would only call for the CEC meeting after he had received the official letter confirming the Kedah state committee’s decision to tear down the illegal pig slaughterhouse.

Party adviser Lim Kit Siang described the Kedah DAP’s decision as the pact’s “second crisis of confidence.”

He had described the tension caused by the unity talks proposal between PAS and Umno as the first crisis faced by Pakatan.

He expressed shock and surprise at the decision by the Kedah DAP but said the Pakatan leadership would have to take steps to resolve it.

The elder Lim said he would meet Kedah DAP members during the weekend to look into the decision made by the state council.

“There is undoubtedly considerable frustration and exasperation felt by the Kedah DAP that their views have not been taken seriously. This is something we need to look into,” he said.

Asked if this could result in Pakatan losing Kedah, he said: “We don’t have to share our worries in public, do we?”

Other Pakatan leaders, meanwhile, have scrambled to play down the matter, saying that it did not mean that the pact was disintegrating.

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he had been informed by Azizan that they have taken the necessary action to provide an alternative site for the abattoir.

“I believe we can still discuss this issue to resolve it,” he said at the Parliament lobby.

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The Star has the story about how Penangites are furious about the non-Penangite DAP Government:

Friday July 3, 2009

Residents threaten to sabotage heritage status if state fails to stop demolition

GEORGE TOWN: Angry residents of Kampung Buah Pala have threatened to send a letter to Unesco to revoke George Town’s World Heritage Site status should the state fail to stop their village from being demolished.

Kampung Buah Pala Residents Association chairman M. Sugumaran also warned that villagers would bring their cows to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s office if he refuses to meet them to discuss their plight.

The villagers, he said, had sent a letter to Lim seeking an urgent meeting.

He claimed the state was “killing” the living heritage of the village, popularly known as Penang’s High Chaparral.

“The war has just begun. Look at what happened when the bailiffs came to serve the notice and imagine what will happen on Aug 2 when the grace period given expires,” he told a press conference after bailiffs who had come to post notices left the village yesterday.

There was a tense moment when three bailiffs arrived at about 11.30am with two court officials and an official from the developer, Nusmetro Ventures.

Villagers started shouting and tried blocking the entrance. Police personnel then escorted Nusmetro Ventures executive director Thomas Chan away.

The bailiffs began putting up the eviction notices on the gate, trees and posts but residents tore down some of them later.

Claiming irregularities in the notice served, Sugumaran said it was directed to 41 temporary occupation licence holders when Lim said there were only 23 families.

Lim said in a statement that it was wrong for the developer to fan fear among the villagers by threatening to evict them when the one-month grace period would expire only on Aug 2.

The developer, he said, should continue to find a way to reach a win-win solution.

He also said the state would not “take a single cent” of the goodwill payment as proposed by the developer unless the villagers agreed to the compensation.

Gerakan Youth chief Oh Tong Keong, meanwhile, said Lim, instead of taking measures to help the affected villagers, was focusing on bad-mouthing the previous Barisan Nasional state government, Hindraf and everyone else except his government and party.

*****************

The fact is that, the PAS Kedah Government is acting on the aspirations of the majority of Kedahan, who are Malay Muslims. This illegal pig slaughterhouse is a long outstanding issue and ample notice was issued. DAP, typically like chauvinists, want to look at it from the angle of the minorities being treated unfairly and victimised by the majority, without taking into consideration the aspirations and sentiments of the majority. Pig is a known major no-no to the Malay Muslims.

On the other hand in Penang, when in power, the DAP arrogantly couldn’t care less about the feelings and sentiments of the minorities. DAP who used to be ‘champions of the little peoples’ right’ is now showing their actual true colours: They are tyrants!

The fact is that, when push comes to shove, DAP people are just chauvinists and given power, they become tyrants. They actually have the propensity to capitalise the ‘draconian laws’ that they vehemently oppose when they did not have the power. And they are an important partner of the Pakatan Rakyat regime. Through DAP, PAS and PKR manage to obtain support from the Non Malays and often they are the deciding factor.

Now is a crossroad for the ‘infant and strange bedfellows’ PR regime. Will the DAP remain loyal to the ‘unholy alliance’ with the other PR partners, which is proven to have very adverse aspirations besides toppling the UMNO led BN Government?

The fact is that DAP got more than what they started out to achieve. Penang was a dream state, all the way since 1986. After three failed attempts of ‘Tanjong’ projects, which the last was in the April 1995 General Elections, DAP came to realise it is very difficult to realise to capture the second most wealthiest state in the Federation of Malaysia. The opportunity arises at the 8 March 2008 12th General Elections, where a sizeable group of Malaysians are simply fed up with PM ‘Flip-Flop’ Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s poor leadership.

Now these ’strange bedfellows’ are backstabbing each other and their ‘un-holy alliance’ is cracking up. When the PR ship starst to sink, these DAP chauvinists would most probably scuttle their attempt to cling on the last shred of  power that will ever be in their hands. The likeliness that they play the racial card to stir sentiments, incite and eventually rise above the occassion when chaos and pandemonium takes place, is reasonably high. After all, they are the ‘master planners’ behind the 13th May 1969 bloody racial riots.

Multi racial Malaysia don’t want chanuvisnitically tyrants like DAP.

God help us……………………………………

Kg. Berjaya slaughterhouse: The true colours of DAP’s chauvinism

The ‘Ketuanan Rakyat Craking’ episode of Kampung Berjaya pig slaughterhouse in Alor Star has illustrated very clearly the true colours of DAP’s Chinese chauvinism. The defiance of the Chinese chauvinists, upto dismantling their own ‘Opposition un-holy coalition’ says it all.

The Star has the story:

Published: Wednesday July 1, 2009 MYT 7:06:00 PM
Updated: Wednesday July 1, 2009 MYT 7:10:52 PM

Kedah DAP pulls out of state Pakatan coalition (Update)

ALOR SETAR: Kedah DAP has pulled out from the state Pakatan Rakyat coalition, saying the PAS-led government was not giving equal treatment to all Kedahans.

State DAP chairman Thomas Su said the most recent issue involved the demolition of an illegal pig slaughterhouse at Kampung Berjaya in Jalan Putra here.

He said the state government failed to handle the issue properly.

“Although the slaughterhouse was operating on land belonging to the Alor Setar City Council, the state government had the power to postpone demolition work.

“This would have given more time for the Kedah Pigs Trader and Slaughterer Association to find a new site,” he said at a press conference after witnessing the demolition work on the illegal slaughterhouse here Wednesday.

Mayor Datuk Khazali Din was quoted as saying recently that the slaughterhouse was built illegally on the site 30 years ago, and the council had ordered the association to vacate the premises several times since 1995, with the latest such directive issued in May.

However, the association had asked for a postponement until the end of June this year, to give it time to find a new place, Su said, claiming that Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak had supported its application.

Su said that the one-month grace period was not enough for the association to find a new location for the slaughterhouse.

“Another issue that we feel the state failed to handle amicably was the 50% housing quota for bumiputras in the state,” he said.

Su said that he would inform the national DAP headquarters on the state’s decision.

Azizan said the decision on the new location for the slaughterhouse should be made by the association that runs the premise.

“I was told that the association has submitted an application to the Pendang district office for a piece of land in Kampung Cina on June 26 and the district office technical team is studying the application,” he told newsmen after chairing the state executive council meeting on Wednesday.

Azizan said that decision to postpone the demolition of the slaughterhouse must be made by the council and the state government could not interfere with it.

The Pakatan council will be holding an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss the pullout.

*******************

This episode only protray that the Chinse chauvinist people of DAP will stop at nothing, as long as their interests are met. Even to a point of threatening the infant but fragile State Government coalition.

The DAP Chinese chauvinist could not careless neither the feelings and sensitivities of the majority Malay Muslims of Kedah, nor do they have respect for the authorities and law. The fact is that the illegal pig slaughterhouse was given notices to move since 1995 only shows that these Chinese chauvinists defiance to anything but to serve their own self-centred wants, and still have the cheek to give an excuse “To give the pig traders and slaughter association more time”. These insensitive minorities insensibly expect the majority to give them extra ordinary tolerance but they themselves refused to ‘give and take’, as part of their social responsibility in living in a muhibbah and majmuk Malay centric community.

On the same score, the residents of Kampung Buah Pala in Penang also made the call for Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to resign, because of “Failure to understand the feelings of the Penang people”. The majority Indian dwellers want the DAP Secretary General to leave Penang and go back to Melaka.

Bernama.com has the story:

---

July 01, 2009 21:20 PM

Kampung Buah Pala Residents Want Penang CM To Resign

 

PENANG, July 1 (Bernama) — The Kampung Buah Pala Residents Association in Bukit Gelugor Wednesday urged Lim Guan Eng to step down as Penang Chief Minister for having failed to serve and help the people in the state.

Its spokesperson, C. Tharmaraj said the association also felt that Lim who is also DAP secretary-general was not able to discharge his duties and keep his promise.

“He is a big liar and always makes contradicting statements. He doesn’t know anything about Penang because he is from Melaka.

“The promise he made to us during the last general election to return our rights on the land was never fulfilled. I think it’s better if he resigns,” he told reporters here today.

*******************

Lim was known for his role as former MP for Kota Melaka and never resided in Penang till present. The fact that when DAP wrest controlled for Penang from Gerakan-BN, they did not even have the audecity to put a Penangite as a Chief Minister.

DAP has never had any agenda for other people but their own. DAP has never had any agenda for the Malays and Bumiputras, which comprises of more than 65% of the population. Time and again, they have blatantly bulldozed their Chinese chauvinism and anti-Malay/Islam agenda. At one point of time, even now a DAP coalition partner PKR YB said something about PAP’s(DAP’s parent)  racism. When DAP had the brief control of Perak, via puppet MB Nizar Jamaluddin for 11 months, they unprecedentedly managed to dish out lands for 999 years lease for new village Chinese (who were suspiciously ’supporting’ the communists at one point of time) applicants. However, none were allocated for the Malays, especially for the ex-servicemen who actually risked their lives defending this tanahair from these brutal Communist Terrorists.

It is time to wake up to what sort of people almost half of the rakyat gave power to. These ‘Democratic Action Party’ people are neither democratic, nor for Malaysia. If they are truly for Malaysia, then 65% of any of their consideration should include the needs of the Malays and Bumiputras. They are only all for their Chinese chauvinism agenda.

Melayu Bersatu

Kebelakangan ini, timbul kesedaran ramai pengguna bloggosfera untuk memaparkan isu kepentingan bagi Bangsa Melayu dan menafikan, serta membetulkan perspesi dan fakta yang timbul akibat fenomena memutar belitkan (spin) sehingga berlaku kekeliruan, kebencian dan kemarahan kepada orang Melayu.

Sebuah blog Melayu Bersatu, diujudkan untuk memberikan pengguna bloggosfera kesedaran mengenai Melayu, terutama dari pengamatan sejarah.

Satu lagi blog The Unspinners diujudkan pula untuk menentang dakyah yang sentiasa memutar belitkan fakta dan sejarah dan merugikan Bangsa Melayu.

Pada hakikatnya, Melayu wajar sedar bahawa walaupun mereka anak pribumi tanahair ini, hari ini keadaan berbeza apabila orang Bukan Melayu diterima dan diberikan hak sama rata. Ini termasuk peranan mereka dalam pembangunan tanahair ini, walaupun orang Bukan Melayu sentiasa mengatakan mereka di’anak tiri’kan dan tidak diberikan peluang sewajarnya, apabila mereka terlibat dalam pentadbiran Kerajaan. Orang Melayu sering disifatkan sebagai rasis dan tiada fakta jelas menunjukan keadaan sebenar.

Hakikatnya tidak sedemikian.  Blogger Apanama menyenaraikan kesemua orang Bukan Melayu yang diberikan peluang untuk menjawat Panglima, dalam kesemua cawangan ATM.

Apakah sekiranya keadaan sebaliknya, apabila orang Bukan Melayu diberikan kuasa, maka peluang akan diberikan kepada orang Melayu? Singapura ialah contoh yang baik kerana setelah 44 tahun menubuhkan angkatan tentera, baru baru ini sahaja pegawai Melayu dinaikan pangkat ke jawatan Brigadier General.

Contoh kerajaan etnik Cina yang berkuasa diMalaysia pula ialah Pulau Pinang, yang dikuasai DAP, anak didik dan ‘terbitan’ PAP Singapura. Yang nyatanya, tiada seorang pun orang Melayu yang dinamakan DAP sebagai perlantikan politik dalam Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang.

Orang Melayu wajar bersatu, untuk memartabatkan Bangsa Melayu dan menjaga kepentingan sendiri, bukan bersatu untuk menafikan hak orang lain. Kesan pentingya penyatuan ini pernah berlaku tidak lama dahulu, apabila kesungguhan dan iltizam UMNO menyatu padukan orang orang Melayu pasca Perang Dunia II sehingga berjaya mengagalkan Malayan Union, melahirkan Perjanjian Persekutuan Tanah Melayu dan akhirnya, menerajui Kemerdekaan dan mengembalikan kedaulatan Raja Raja, melalui sistem demokrasi Raja Berperlembagaan.

Cogankata Persekutuan Tanah Melayu, yang kemudian menjadi Malaysia ialah “Bersekutu, Bertambah Mutu”. Pesan nenda kita dahulu yang masih lagi relevan, “Bersatu teguh, bercerai roboh”.

Is the merit-based scholarship Constitutional?

A Government scholarship scheme will be made available to all, based on merits without taking gender, ethnicity or faith into consideration. The Public Services Department (JPA) would be introducing this scholarship scheme as Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak announced this on Saturday. It will be known as ‘Biasiswa Nasional’ (National Scholarship).

The Star has the story:

Sunday June 28, 2009

Najib: Government to introduce new category of scholarships

By DHARMENDER SINGH

PUTRAJAYA: A new category of Public Service Department (PSD) scholarships will be introduced next year based purely on merit, regardless of race.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said he was sure that such a category would be welcomed by all communities, including the Chinese.

“We are restudying the distribution of scholarships under the Public Service Department scheme to introduce a new category.

“We will announce it next year and with the plan to limit the Sijil Pelajaran Malay-sia to 10 subjects, we expect to see a more level playing field,” he said in his speech at a dinner organised by the MCA and the Associated Chinese Chamber of Com-merce and Industry Malaysia here yesterday.

Najib said this would allow Malay-sia’s best students to receive aid to pursue higher studies.

“So the best of the best and the creme de la creme will get aid for higher studies.

“I believe this will be accepted well and it will allow each individual a fair chance to realise his full potential,” he said, adding, however, that he was not “letting the cat out of the bag” just yet about the scheme.

“Like all Malaysians, they also want to see their children have a good education and become successful. All this involves costs,” he said, adding that every race had its needs and if the Government could bring policies that were fair, the Chinese would continue to support the Barisan Nasional.

Najib said the Chinese were not against Malays succeeding or were opposed to efforts to help the bumiputras, but that they wanted policies which looked at the needs of all Malaysians fairly.

“And that’s why I included it in the 1Malaysia concept,” he said, adding that he would also look into MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat’s request for more government land to build Chinese vernacular schools.

****************

This announcement was made in conjunction with the Chinese Chambers of Commerce dinner. Of late, PM Najib seemed to be introducing a lot of new ‘goodies’, as a political effort to entice the Non Malays, especially the Chinese back towards supporting Government and Barisan Nasional. First it was the dissolution of Ministry of Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development (MECD), deemed as a ‘specific’ ministry to look into the Bumiputra development affairs. Then the liberalization of 27 sectors from equity quota. More liberalization is expected. Of course not with standing, the real game plan behind “1 Malaysia” has not been spelt out yet and everyone is playing the guessing game to inteprete this. Unprecedently during the opening of the Johor State Assembly HRH Sultan Johor reacted adversely on PM Najib’s proposal to look into the development of  the third bridge linking into Singapore, on the east coast of Johor.

The Government should seriously relook into this proposal. This is because, provision for scholarships has been enshrined in the Federal Constitution solely for the Bumiputras only. When scholarships are being dished out based on merit, that means Malay privileges as provided in the Federal Constitution inadvertently has been withdrawn.

The Federal Constitution states clearly that Malay privileges and quota are protected by the HRH Rulers. Any attempt to change, amend or implement it otherwise must be with the consent of HRH Rulers. It seems that PM Najib had acted ultra vires to the Federal Constitution by unilaterally announcing this scholarship scheme based purely on merit.

Excerpts of the Article 153 of the Federal Constitution:

Article 153

1. It shall be the responsibility of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to safeguard the special position of the Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and the legitimate interests of other communities in accordance with the provisions of this Article.
2. Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, but subject to the provisions of Article 40 and of this Article, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall exercise his functions under this Constitution and federal law in such manner as may be necessary to safeguard the special provision of the Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and to ensure the reservation for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak of such proportion as he may deem reasonable of positions in the public service (other than the public service of a State) and of scholarships, exhibitions and other similar educational or training privileges or special facilities given or accorded by the Federal Government and, when any permit or licence for the operation of any trade or business is required by federal law, then, subject to the provisions of that law and this Article, of such permits and licences.
3. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong may, in order to ensure in accordance with Clause (2) the reservation to Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak of positions in the public service and of scholarships, exhibitions and other educational or training privileges or special facilities, give such general directions as may be required for that purpose to any Commission to which Part X applies or to any authority charged with responsibility for the grant of such scholarships, exhibitions or other educational or training privileges or special facilities; and the Commission or authority shall duly comply with the directions.
4. In exercising his functions under this Constitution and federal law in accordance with Clauses (1) to (3) the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall not deprive any person of any public office held by him or of the continuance of any scholarship, exhibition or other educational or training privileges or special facilities enjoyed by him.

On the other hand, even if PM Najib wants to create another scholarship on top of the existing one, a totally merit-based scholarship will directly in effect challenge the scholarship which is affirmative action-based. In addition, a precedent is set in which Government scholarship can now ignore the Malay/Bumiputra privileges as stipulated in the Federal Constitution.

The fact is that, PM Najib has not sought the view and sentiment of the Malays, even through UMNO channel before prematurely annoucing this initiative. Whether or not the Malays perceive this initiative as ‘violating their privilege, as fundamental component of the Federal Constitution’ is not known yet. Many already talking about PM Najib is compromising more than previous Leaderships, for support which has yet forth coming. Now, the compromise  is about something which is explicitly provided within the Federal Constitution. Having said all that, BN should not wait until the next General Elections to painfully find out the throughly ’true’  feelings of the rakyat again, especially the Malays and Bumiputras, which comprises more than 65% of the population. Let the 8 March 2008  12 GE be a lesson learnt, where the Malays themselves turn their back against UMNO and BN.

ls this new initiative meet the objective to entice the Non Malays’ support?

Or has PM Najib exhausted all practical ideas to revive the economy, the real factor that should entice the Non Malays’ support, especially the Chinese, who are known to be materialistically centric?

PM Najib has the fondness to equate nostalgically what he is doing now to his late father, Second Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein. The visit to China last month and to the Kayan village earlier this month have been highlighted through the media. So was when he attended the FELDA dinner early this month. The ‘Thirteen Million Ringgit’ question is that would Tun Razak compromise so much of the majority’s support and gamble on winning over the minority?

Our bet is, the ‘father of unity and development’ would have done it the other way around. He would even strengthened the interests of the majority via the Federal Constitution. Malay agenda was a very important mission for Tun Razak. As he did for MARA in 1966, under the MARA Act which was enacted in Parliament. Lately, even HRH Rulers are very concerned about the development of the Malays.

Regardless, don’t let the situation escalate till a point-of-no-return, where the Government wholesomely loses the support of all. The Malays would be slighted because they felt their privileges taken away from them and the Government no longer value their support, which had been the mainstay of Perikatan/Barisan Nasional power base since 1955. On the other hand, the Non Malays would still not be satisfied (as they had been despite so many concessions made available to them – like the Chinese schools, which clearly contravene the Education Act 1996 and yet they  feel being treated as ‘2^nd class citizens’), regardless what the Government do and have done  for them. As the Malays say it, “Yang dikejar tak dapat, yang dikendong berciciran”.

Tun Dr. Mahathir: Kuatkan Kepimpinan, pulihkan semangat juang UMNO dan perangi rasuah

“Kepimpinan memainkan peranan amat penting untuk membangunkan sesebuah organsiasi”,  pesan Presiden UMNO V Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. “Kepimpinan akan menentukan nasib pengikut (rakyat) mereka. Contoh yang baik ialah Maharaja Meiji, yang berjaya meletakan asas agar negara dan bangsa Jepun untuk menjadi maju”.

“Pulihkan semangat juang UMNO”, mengulas bagaimana akar umbi UMNO sendiri tiris semangat dan kurang yakin keatas Kepimpinan, antara tahun 2004 hingga 2008 dan akibatnya, UMNO dan BN mengalami kekalahan teruk dalam Pilihanraya Umum ke XII (PRU 12) 8 Mac 2008 yang tidak pernah dilihat sebelum itu. Pemimpin UMNO peringkat akar umbi bersedia dan sanggup memberikan sokongan ‘palsu’ kepada pemimpin peringkat Bahagian dan seterusnya proses ini dipanjatkan ke peringkat Kepimpinan, tanpa menyelami aspirasi sebenar akar umbi UMNO dan rakyat.

Mesej jelas ini diamanahkan kepada akar umbi UMNO Bahagian Pandan di Institut Latihan Memperkasakan UMNO (ILMU), Janda Baik, Pahang. Ini merupakan ucapan beliau pertama secara rasmi atas platform UMNO, semenjak kembali menyertai setelah ‘keluar bersyarat’ parti nasionalis April lepas.

Isu Kepimpinan ini dikupas lebih dalam melalui  isu Jambatan-Mengantikan-Tambak-Johor kerana terdapat pemimpin UMNO yang terus memberikan sokongan kepada Kepimpinan, sehingga sanggup membelakangkan aspirasi sebenar akar umbi dan maruah negara dan bangsa dan memberikan kelebihan kepada Singapura. Pemimpin menengah menjadi golongan yang mengharapkan Kepimpinan menjaga kepentingan mereka ini sebenarnya membudayakan ’sokong Boss’ dan memberikan gambaran palsu aspirasi akar umbi UMNO dan  rakyat. Akibatnya, penyokong akar umbi UMNO Johor yang merasakan kecewa kerana Kepimpinan yang menbadik dada dan memberikan ‘gambaran’ bahawa parti amat kuat dan mendapat sokongan padu, memilih untuk meluahkan ‘perasaan’ dan ‘menyuarakan’ melalui kertas undi semasa pilihanraya. Akibatnya, UMNO dan BN  gagal mendapat undi sebagai pilihanraya yang lepas dan kecundang di enam buah negeri dan gagal mempertahankan 2/3 majoriti dalam PRU 12.

Hari ini, akar umbi UMNO mengharapkan Kepimpinan Presiden UMNO VII Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak untuk ‘membersihkan’ parti, agar proses pembangunan negara dapat diteruskan. Ini merupakan pengharapan yang besar. Perdana Menteri Malaysia VI itu mengingatkan bahawa gejala rasuah akan lebih memburukan keadaan dan rakyat akan menolak parti, yang pada masa lepas banyak berjasa kepada Bangsa Melayu dan negara. Oleh itu, usaha ‘pembersihan’ ini perlu dilakukan segara. Namun begitu, persepsi masyarakat ialah UMNO memilih pemimpin yang boleh dan terkenal dengan rasuah, walaupun parti melalui proses pemilihan Mac lepas.

“UMNO kini berada dalam keadaan cemas!” dan memberikan contoh terdapat pemimpin yang baru dipilih melalui proses demokrasi parti baru baru, dianggap sebagai terlibat dengan rasuah sehingga dihalang untuk turun berkempen (dalam pilihanraya kecil) kerana dikhuatiri akan menjejaskan persepsi rakyat dan seterusnya undi. Ini menunjukan bahawa UMNO kini berada dalam keadaan getir dan tidak lagi diterima rakyat kerana menaikan pemimpin yang dianggap ‘rasuah’ dan kontroversi.

“Kita harus memerangi rasuah!”, tegas Tun Dr. Mahathir “Tolak segala bentuk rasuah walaupun  ramai yang akan memberikan alasan “Tak palah, kita ambik duit itu tapi kita tak undi dia, kita undi orang lain”. Percayalah, orang yang mengambil duit itu akan sedikit sebanyak terasa ‘terhutang budi’ “. Beliau menyifatkan orang yang terlibat dengan rasuah ini sebagai ‘Pengkhianat’ dan ‘Menjual Bangsa’, “Apabila orang (rakyat) tidak yakin keatas pemimpin mereka (yang dianggap mengunakan rasuah untuk menentukan kedudukan mereka dalam parti), akhirnya akan timbul kebencian”.

“Diharapkan pembaharuan yang akan diperkenalkan kepada UMNO akan menerima keyakinan akar umbi dan rakyat”, beliau mengulas mengenai pembaharuan dalam UMNO yang akan diperkenalkan dan anggap sebagai ‘ lebih mendemokrasikan’, “Yang akan menghalang dari gejala rasuah ialah pegangan kita kepada Perjuangan UMNO”.

Negarawan berumur 84 tahun itu lagi mengingatkan hadirin kepentingan untuk mengenali sejarah, agar benar benar menghayati sebenar apa yang berlaku masa lepas. “Tanah air ini dikenali sebagai Semenanjung Tanah Melayu. Ini diiktriraf masyarakat antarabangsa, termasuk Barat. Maknanya, pada asal ini bumi untuk orang Melayu” dan terus mengupas bagaimana kealpaan dan perbuatan berpecah belah dan mementingkan diri sendiri mengakibatkan Raja Raja Melayu sedia mengadaikan tanahair dijajah dan kemudian penjajah membanjiri dengan immigran, untuk memenuhi keperluan pembangunan ekonomi mereka. Kebanjiran immigran ini kemudian menimbulkan ketidak sama rataan pembangunan antara etnik yang masih lagi cuba diperbaiki sehingga hari ini.

Beliau juga mengupas bagaimana orang Melayu bersatu dan mendapat kekuatan politik yang jitu apabila UMNO ditubuhkan sehinggakan Malayan Union berjaya digagalkan dan menerajui proses Kemerdekaan. “Tunku (Abdul Rahman Putra) mendapat sokongan kuat rakyat sehingga sedia memberikan satu juta orang keturunan Cina dan India kerakyatan (sebagai syarat Britain untuk memberikan Kemerdekaan)”, sambil mengupas bahawa mandat besar yang diperolehi Perikatan yang diterajui UMNO pada pilihanraya 1955, datang dari kekuatan sokongan padu orang Melayu, yang merupakan 85% pengundi berdaftar dan layak mengundi.

“Orang Melayu berkebolehan”, amanah Tun Dr. Mahathir “Orang Melayu perlu berusaha keras untuk membuktikan kebolehan yang ada. Ini tanggung jawab UMNO untuk membangunkan kebolehan orang Melayu, agar menjadi bangsa yang berjaya”.

“Jangan kerana kemewahan yang dirasai (sekarang, terutama setelah segala program pembangunan yang diusahakan UMNO berjaya membangunkan bangsa setelah Merdeka), orang Melayu menjadi leka”, beliau mengesa hadirin berfikir mengenai nasib bangsa dan berusaha keras untuk menentukan kejayaan Bangsa Melayu. “Kikis sikap yang akan merugikan kita dan jangan bergantung kepada orang lain (untuk memainkan peranan yang sepatutnya orang Melayu buat sendiri)”.

Mengulas mengenai cadangan ‘perpaduan’ dengan PAS untuk mengukuhkan orang Melayu, “Apakah PAS bersedia untuk membelakangkan kepentingan (parti) mereka demi menentukan kepentingan Melayu diutamakan?”.

Kesungguhan pemimpin unggul Bangsa Melayu ini agar UMNO dipulihkan dan kekuatan Melayu dipadukan, agar orang Melayu dapat dimajukan amat jelas apabila diakhir ucapan, beliau mengungkap “Saya tidak akan pejam mata dengan tenang selagi semua ini tidak dibetulkan”.

* Dikemas kini 230pm

Apabila ditanya dalam sidang media, Tun Dr. Mahathir mengatakan beliau lebih berminat untuk bertemu akar umbi UMNO seperti program ini dan mengukuhkan UMNO dari berkempen dalam pilihanraya kecil Manek Urai awal Julai ini.

Setuju dengan cadangan mendemokrasikan UMNO dengan membenarkan 60,000 pemimpin peringkat Cawangan mengundi memilih Kepimpinan berbanding sistem sekarang, beliau mengulangi lagi bahawa termasuk cadangan pembaharuan ini, UMNO telah melalui tiga kali pindaan perlembagaan bagi menentukan proses memilih Kepimpinan menepati aspirasi akar umbi dan gejala rasuah politik dapat dikurangkan. “Yang penting bukan pembaharuan, tetapi sikap ahli UMNO. Sekiranya mereka menghayati Perjuangan asal, maka gejala rasuah ini tidak akan berlaku”.

Petronas is the best example of Malay corporate success

Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) announced its 2008 annual results, with year ending (YE) 31 March 2009 with RM 264 Billion turnover and RM 89.4 Billion EBITDA. This is really large contribution to the nation’s coffer, as RM 74 Billion was made as payout to Federal and relevant State Governments, in terms of income tax, dividends and royalties. Undoubtably, this is a very impressive performance considering the world market oil price is no longer hovering at USD 130 per barrel.

Bernama.com has the story:

June 25, 2009 15:07 PM

Petronas’ Revenue Up 18.4 Percent To RM264.2 Billion

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) — Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) recorded another year of satisfactory performance for its financial year ended March 31, 2009, with an 18.4 percent increase in revenue to an all-time high of RM264.2 billion.

However, the group’s pre-tax profit fell 6.7 percent to RM89.1 billion while net profit declined 13.9 percent to RM52.5 billion.

At a press conference to announce the results, Petronas president and chief executive officer Tan Sri Hassan Marican said the stronger revenue was driven by higher sales volume and liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices.

The lower pre-tax profit, according to him, resulted from higher production and operating costs.

However, he said the drop was well within the decline recorded by major oil and gas companies which ranged between 6.4 and 25.7 percent.

Notwithstanding the lower profit, the group declared a total dividend of RM30 billion, which was 25 percent higher than the previous year.

Its total asset increased by 14.4 percent to RM388.1 billion from RM339.3 billion previously while shareholders’ funds rose by 15.1 percent to RM232.1 billion.

Despite the lower profit, Hassan said that Petronas continued to make higher payments to federal and state governments.

During the financial year, the group paid RM74.0 billion to governments, bringing the total payment to RM471.3 billion since its incorporation in 1974.

Of the RM74.0 billion payment for the year, RM67.8 billion went to the federal government, comprising RM30.0 billion of dividend, RM20.3 billion of petroleum income tax, RM9.1 billion of corporate income tax, RM2.2 billion of export duties and RM6.2 billion of royalty payment.

Another RM6.2 billion was paid in royalty payments to the state governments, with RM3.0 billion for Terengganu, RM2.3 billion for Sarawak and RM0.9 billion for Sabah.

The RM74.0 billion total payment to the governments represented 71.4 percent of Petronas’ pre-tax profit, royalty and export duty, with the group retaining only 21.1 percent of its profit during the year for reinvestment and the balance of 7.5 percent for foreign taxes and minority interests.

During the financial year, Petronas increased its capital expenditure to RM44.0 billion from RM37.6 billion previously.

As at Jan 1, 2009, Malaysia’s total hydrocarbon reserves rose to 20.18 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe) from 20.13 billion boe last year as a result of ongoing exploration efforts and field growth activities.

International reserves increased by 9.6 percent to 6.84 billion boe, following a number of significant gas discoveries in Turkmenistan and Mozambique.

– BERNAMA

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The fact is that since its inception 35 years ago, Petronas has dished out more than RM 471 Billion, in the form of income tax, petroleum tax, dividends and royalties to the Federal and relevant State Governments. Of which RM 263 Billion was within the last six years. For YE 2008, RM 29.4 Billion was paid as income tax to the Federal Government, which is effectively 30% of RM 88.5 Billion 2009 expected collection by the Inland Revenue Board. Petronas global turnover of RM 264.2 Billion is actually 28% more than the Federal Government 2009  expected income. Accumulated asset of Petronas amounting to RM388 Billion, if which is taken at par value is inadvertently comparable to 38% of the market capitalisation of Bursa Malaysia. If in 2007 PM ‘Flip-Flop’ Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi claimed that the Malaysian economy is calculated at RM 1 Trillion, then last year’s Petronas’s results meant that 26% of the nation’s GNP comprises from one corporation’s contribution.

At the helm of this success story is Tan Sri Hassan Merican. A chartered accountant by profession and former partner of a ‘big five’ firm, Hanafiah Raslan Mohamad, Hassan was brought in as a finance man and took over the CEOship from Tan Sri Azizan Zainal Abidin fourteen years ago. His stewardship provided clear strategic plans and initiatives, that moved  Petronas to be a global oil and gas company. Partnership and strategic alliance were formed and now, Petronas is able to compete with some its original ‘production sharing partners’, in very competitive international markets. Presently, with offices and operations in more than 64 countries, Petronas is the most respected and profitable state owned oil corporation. Not only ranked as the 95th largest corporation in the world in the renowned Fortune 500 list, Petronas is now regarded as one of the ‘New Seven Sisters’.

Petronas Dagangan Berhad, its downstream creature is now listed at Bursa Malaysia. Proud of posting over RM 800 million in profits, it has the largest network of petrol and diesel retail in Malaysia. The ‘Mesra’ convenient stores have now earned its place amongst Malaysian hearts.

Petronas not only successfully played the role as the nation’s largest ‘bread winner’. It also played role to propel the needs of the nation, which include ‘psychological bastion’ like being the highly respected super developer of KLCC and master developer of Putrajaya. Being the proud owner of the much sought after address in the KLCC complex, Petronas now calls the most prestigous and world renowned twin towers as its home. Petronas also successfully put Malaysia into the limelight of Formula 1 motorsport when it became a partner of world class racing team Sauber. Today, Petronas is a major sponsor for the BMW-Sauber team and Malay engineers have mastered some skill sets of the highly technical sporting event.

KLCC was officially dedicated on National Day, 1999. After 42 years of independence, the world’s tallest office complex is now home for the largest and most profitable Malaysian company, which is actually a Malay-run-state-owned corporation. In the dedication speech, Fourth Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad quipped, “Malaysians need to stand tall as other races of the world. KLCC is the ‘box’ that will help Malaysians stand the same level as others”. It was a demonstration of nation’s Vision 2020 policy to be a developed nation’s status by year 2020, is being geared up on the way. KLCC is Petronas’s way to announcing to the world, “We have arrived. We are here to stay, for a long time”. Its now a world renowned national icon.

Petronas success is not only a Malaysian success. It is a Malay corporate success. All of its board of directors and almost all of its executives and professionals are Malays. They do the strategic thinking, planning, negotiating and execution. The strategic partnerships forged, especially with bigger players were proven to be the key to all these success stories. These are those who originated from humble beginnings and most of them actually benefitted from the New Economic Policy (NEP), especially from the provisions of education and human capital development, which was implemented since 1971. Like the NEP, Petronas was formed during Tun Abdul Razak Hussein’s premiership (1970-1976).

Petronas’s role in making the NEP a success is best illustrated from the Vendor Development Program (VDP), which successfully nurtured many Malay companies to be suppliers, service providers and fabricators of the high technology induced and very competitive industry. Developed under the auspicious and close monitor of Fourth Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, many former oil and gas Malay professionals found opportunities to nurture their entrepreneurism from Petronas’s VDP and now able to compete at regional and international markets. The recent concluded and highly successful Oil and Gas Asia 2009 showcased hundreds of such local talents. Some of these Malay owned and managed corporations even got listed.

It is imperative that Petronas continues to be managed by professionals and independent from the clutches of personalities, who have ulterior motives. This include politicians and political appointments into the BOD and top executive positions.

The Royal Malay Regiment should be the national icon

When citizens of the world, want to know what represents Malaysia, the obvious choice of Malaysians protraying the icon of this tanahair goes to either the Petronas KLCC Twin Towers or the Sultan Abdul Samad Building.  It is not wrong to do that. However, as Malaysians, it is the right time we should portray the icon of Malaysia at the Royal Malay Regiment (RMR).

The Royal Malay Regiment has been around, defending this great nation since 77 years ago. The men fought galantly during World War II, with uncommon valour displayed at the defence of Pasir Panjang and Bukit Chandu Ridge in Sinagapore, hours before Commonwealth forces commander Lt. Gen. Arthur E. Percival surrendered to the invading Japanese army on 15 Feb 1942. Names like Lt. Adnan Saidi (later acknowldged as “Panglima”, for uncommon heroism and leadership) brought fame and pride to the unit, serving under British Forces in South East Asia under Adm. Lord Louis Mountbatten. They also fought galantly against the Communist Terrorists during the Emergency (till the Malayan People’s Liberation Army lay down arms in the Hadyaii Accord December 1989) and of course, during the Confrontation with Indonesia.

In its 77 years of illustrious history, the Royal Malay Regiment served this tanahair very well, in defending ibu pertiwi, which include missions abroad. The first mission abroad was in Belgian Congo in 1960, under the United Nation’s colours. Then it served UN further in border of Iran-Iraq, Cambodia, Somalia and of course, Bosnia Herzegovina. The Malbatt (Malaysian Battalion) in the UN sponsored mission Battambang, Cambodia was shelled by Khmer Rouge forces. In Somalia, the Royal Malay troopers heroicly cut through Somali war lord militia lines and rescued crew of a downed UH 60 Blackhawk helicopter and trapped US Army Rangers, under hostile fire. A trooper, Pte. Mat Aznan was killed in action and four APCs were destroyed. The Malaysian commander in Somalia, Lt. Jen. Aboo Samah Aboo Bakar was honoured to command the ‘blue berrets’ and received international recognition, where else the Royal Malay Regiment was validated as a world class fighting unit. The last UN peacekeeping mission the RMR parcipated was in South Lebanon in 2006, after Israeli forces attacked and killed innocent civilians that summer.

It is undoubtably the backbone of Malaysian Army infantry. It is the symbol of military colours that represent His Majesty Seri Paduka Yang DiPertuan Agong. It is also the symbol of military colours of the other HRH Sultans. Whenever HM SPB YDP Agong or any HRH Sultans need to inspects a military guard of honour, the Royal Malay Regiment would assume that ceremonial role. The Royal Malay Regiment is the first Malaysian armed forces unit to be accorded with the Royal Colours which carry the title ‘Royal’.

Many officers of the Royal Malay Regiment rose to become the Chief of Defense Forces (Panglima Angkatan Tentera – PAT) of the Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia). With the exception of Jen. Tan Sri Borhan (who was from Grup Gerak Khas – he started as a RMR officer) and Adm. Tan Sri Anwar Mohd. Nor, the others were from Royal Malay Regiment.

The Royal Malay Regiment was given the honour to ‘guard HM Queen Elizabeth II’ in 2008. For 8 weeks, the 1st Royal Malay Regiment was given the task to perfom the prestigious “London Public Duties”. It was the fourth Commonwealth unit, after Canada, Australia and Jamaica to be given the honour, ahead of larger army units from countries such as India, Pakistan and even New Zealand (which fought for the United Kingdom since World War I).

The Federal Government should seriously consider promoting the Royal Malay Regiment as the icon of the tanahair. The unmistakeable men in dashing white baju Melayu uniform with golden songket samping and black songkok should represent pride of Malaysia. Just like the Queen’s Guard is the national icon of United Kingdom. The Royal Malay Regiment represent the Malaysian identity, which encompasses the Monarch (being the symbol of unity and custodian of the Federal Constitution), might (the will and resolve of the Malaysian people to remain in liberty as an independent race of the world), discipline (the concept of Rukun Negara), trustworthy (dependable in any circumstances, even during crisis), Islam (the religion of the Federation of Malaysia). soul (the determination of the Malaysian people to have an unmistakeable identity and onwership) and tradition (a nation rich with history, heritage and culture).

This call to make and always remember the Royal Malay Regiment, “Liberator of the Federation”, as the true national hero is timely. Especially in the wake of certain near-bankrupt-political-stunts to use “Butcher of Malaya”, in a three-ring-political-circus. The Royal Malay Regiment is the mark of the pride of Malaysia. The motto “Ta’at Setia” says it all.

Tun Dr. Mahathir: If it is not just, then it is not Islamic

“If  it is not just, then it is not Islamic”.

That was Fourth Prime Minsiter Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s brief explanation on the true philosophy and perspective on how God’s law should be administered to mankind. “It was mentioned 43 times in the Al Quran about ‘Just’. So to be ‘just’ in our judgment, is submitting to Allah s.w.t.”.

This was the strong message delivered in the launching of blogger Syed Akhbar Ali’s third book, “Things In Common”.  The book dedication was done at a Malay cuisine restaurant in Sooka, KL Sentral, “Kelantan Delights” . Syed discussed at great length the similarities and resemblance between Islam and other ‘Abrahamic’ religion; Christianity and Judaism. The commonalities between the three groups of faith should be a drive and factor of co-existence and moving forward, instead of division. Tun Dr. Mahathir commended Syed for his ‘bravery’ to discuss very delicate and sometime sensitive issues, despite not agreeing entirely on how the arguments been raised and discussed. However, as Malaysia’s most prolific blogger, he was throwing support to another blogger.

As someone who had lived for 84 years, he reminded the book launch guests that sometime, some narrow minded Muslim clerics make unreasonable fatwas. Example was not too long ago, Tun Dr. mahathir recalled that some Muslim clerics disallowed electricity inside mosques. This is because electricity was popularised by Christians. Some also disallowed Muslims corpse be carried on motorised hearse and instead, insist on carried by pall-bearers all the way to the cemetry.

He went on articulating further how some Muslim’s ways to interpret God’s law within the ambit of very narrow perspective that people in some Muslim societies seeking justice end up being victimised in the process. The example he put forth was a woman, who indentified her rapist, but was unable to furnish four credible witness for the crime. The case end up with the perpertaror went scot free and the woman is damned for making fitnah (false acusation) and punished instead.

“If two persons, one a Muslim and one a non Muslim commit a theft together. The Muslim is found guilty under Hudud Law and his hand chopped off but the non Muslim is not tried under Hudud and was only imprisoned for two months. Is that just?”, insinuating PAS’s political proposal of enforcing their version of Hudud Law only to Muslims sometime ten years ago.

Many Muslims nowadays selectively use (in many cases, misuse) and hide behind the cover of Islam for their own advantage. Tun Dr. Mahathir also quipped that certain individual was acused for a sexual crime but wanted it to be tried under the Syariah Criminal Court, because the acused says he has the right to be tried as a Muslim. This individual wanted to use the ‘window’ that four credible witnesses will not be furnished to support the acusation and thus go scot free. However, Tun Dr. Mahathir also reminded that as a Muslim, this acused man vehemently refused to swear in the name of Allah s.w.t. holding the holy book Al Quran in his hand infront of an Imam, in a mosque to clear his name. Of course, the refusal was not without lame excuses.

It is so obvious he was referring to Anwar “Second-time-sodomist” Ibrahim upcoming case. The victim, Saiful Bukhari Azlan went infront of the Kuala Lumpur Mosque Imam to swear in the name of Allah. s.w.t. holding an Al Quran last August.

Tun Dr. Mahathir also admitted that he learned and deepened his knowledge of the Al Quran from interpretations in Malay and English. However, many orthodox scholars’ opined that Al Quran should be taken in the original Arabic scriptures. His argument is that, if these scholars could articulate the contents of Al Quran in Malay, then there is no reason to understand the holy book in other languages besides Arabic. He also said that if he finds the interpretations is consistent in at least three forms, he will take the intepretations as genuine and substantial.

In the media conference later, when asked about the proposed ‘third bridge’, he argued the same points we at BigDogDotCom put forth on Thursday. He also commented on the unity talks between UMNO and PAS, that the views of UMNO grassroot must be sought first and PAS must clear state their position. He also state that it is not good to have a 100% Bumiputra and Muslim Government when Malaysia is a multiracial and multifaith society.