The controversial about BTN Assitant Director Hamim Hussin telling Puteri UMNO that the Malays must rule the country brought upon a lot of foul cry, coming from the Oppositions and BN component parties alike. On Tuesday Hamim gave a closed door talk to 500 Puteri members in an UMNO staged event, held in party headquarters’ covention centre PWTC.
The Malaysian Inisder report on the story:
Malays must rule the country, says BTN rep
UPDATED @ 01:43:24 PM 27-09-2010By Boo Su-Lyn September 27, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 — National Civics Bureau (BTN) deputy director Hamim Husin today proclaimed Malay rights as a mandate to rule the country amid a spike in Malay rhetoric.Former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad recently warned Malays that they would lose power if Pakatan Rakyat (PR) took control of Putrajaya.
“The rights of Malays, is to rule the country. Simple,” Hamim told Puteri Umno delegates in a closed-door function today.
“Malays must unite in the face of threats,” he added.
The BTN Federal Territory deputy director cited an example where the Malay ruling party failed to act during a purportedly seditious demonstration by non-Muslims in Kuala Lumpur a few years ago.
“The Hindus marched to Parliament to send a memorandum. They, like Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Force), are groups that spread sedition,” said Hamim.
“Where was the political party then?” he asked.
About 30,000 protestors from the Hindu non-governmental organisation Hindraf had rallied in the city in November 2007 to submit a memorandum to the British embassy, where they demanded for the Queen’s Counsel to represent sidelined Malaysian Indians.
Today, Hamim underscored the importance of Malay unity in view of a possibility that snap polls may be called as early as next year.
The ‘si mata sepet’ that has never gone to a mosque or surau only has one vote. The ‘si botol’ that only knows how to go up to Batu Caves up and down only has one vote.
“The general election is coming soon. If there is still disunity, we cannot have events like this… where we can say what we want,” he said.
Last Tuesday, Dr Mahathir said the Malays were not aware of the political threat facing them as they were divided into three groups (PAS, PKR, Umno), where no one group could obtain a percentage of Malay votes that can secure power for the community.
He also claimed that the political marginalisation of the Malays had already become a reality in PR-controlled states even though those administrations were led by Malays.
The former Umno president, who still commands widespread influence among party members and the larger Malay community, pointed to the former PR mentri besar in Perak Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin as an example of how Malay politicians had been sidelined by PR.
Dr Mahathir also implied that a Chinese or an Indian could become prime minister if PR took federal power because there was no constitutional restriction on race for the position.
Today, Hamim also urged Puteri Umno to make sacrifices in a bid to defend Malay rights.
“In the context of Malay rights, don’t just demand for your rights. You must ask, ‘what must I sacrifice to defend my rights?’” he said.
Hamim stressed that the Malays could not rule the country without co-operating with the non-Malay communities as each citizen only carried a single vote.
“Malays cannot rule the country by themselves. That’s why we make friends with the MCA and MIC,” he said.
“The ‘si mata sepet’ that has never gone to a mosque or surau only has one vote. The ‘si botol’ that only knows how to go up to Batu Caves up and down only has one vote,” said Hamim, using apparently derogatory terms to describe the Chinese and Indian communities in Malaysia.
“So Puteri Umno must make friends with youths who are not Malays,” he added.
He also exhorted Puteri Umno to recruit youths born from marriages with foreigners into their party.
“There are many foreigners who have children here. Their daughters and sons who have turned 18 should be in Puteri and Putera Umno,” said Hamim.
“You are losing them… thousands of them. You should be collecting them and network with them,” he added.
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The anti Malay elements went to town with this.
The fact remains that Puteri UMNO who organised the event did announce that the talk was a closed-door affair. It means that it was meant for party members only. However, The Malaysian Insider journo disguised herself as a Malay woman (complete in Baju Kurung and tudung) and smuggled herself in to listen to the closed-door talk.
This is very unethical of Boo Su-Lyn, even if it is ‘investigative journalism’. She should not have stayed after the announcement was clearly made. It is trespassing through private property and being present in a company that was clearly not welcomed. Otherwise she would not have troubled herself wearing the selendang.
What is more damning is The Malaysian Insider editorial allowed these sort of unethical journalism to be published. It is suspiciously pointing towards the online portal of its anti-Malay agenda.
Here is her tweet exchanges about being boastful of her ‘unethical’ journalism:
If it was true that Hamim did say “Everyone has equal votes, whether the Malays, mata sepet or botol kicap”, then this reporting demonstrated the wicked agenda to demonise a Malay officer holding the authority, just the like strategic agenda of the Oppositions namely DAP and PKR to demonise the credibility and integrity of all Malay led authorities, particularly the law enforcement agencies. The essence was about encouraging Puteri UMNO to promote healthy democracy, from the positive fashion of befriending against allienation.
The use of the word ‘Mata Sepet’ was insinuating no different than renowned film and advertisement director Yasmin Ahmad in her depiction of the typical Malaysian life in “Sepet”.
The context was the same. And yet none of the political parties, which include the ones jumping about this week on this Hamim-talk event made a political issue of it at all. In fact, “Sepet” was lauded as an exemplary work of art.
If Hamim did utter such words (which have yet to be proven except for Boo’s reporting), then what about Namewee’s “Nah” video clip or other vulgar-infested ‘work of art’ to insult the Malay authority?
Where is DAP and PKR in this issue? Where is MCA and MIC in this issue? The video is there to insult on an anti-Malay notion and the emotions were not spared.
Then again the DAP and PKR has been on the anti-Malay thread for too long, that it has become a norm. Especially against the Malay led authorities like the Police, AG’s Chambers, MACC and other law enforcement agencies. Where is The Malaysian Insider when the Oppositions were systematically testing and provoking the Police?
Bottomline, this a The Malaysian Insider agenda for the ‘politics of hate’ which the Oppositions ride on for the ‘destruction’ of socio-political structure that was built on understanding, tolerance and acceptance.
If Soo’s reporting was true, then the message that Hamim was extending to the Puteri UMNO is about the Malays must work hard to preserve the democracy, which include befriending the Non Malays instead of alienating them. There is no ill intent in that and sowing the spirit of nationalism the basis of UMNO’s Perjuangan. Advicing UMNO members to be friends and inclusive with non members and Non Malays are ‘1 Malaysia’ virtues.
This positive ‘1 Malaysia’ angle was completely missed out from the Malaysian Insider reporting of the event.
Historically, the Malays are very generous and welcoming people. They treat the Non Malays well, as long the Non Malays do not over-extend themselves as ‘guests’ (as the saying goes, “Familiarity breach contempts”) and worse still, to the level of ‘Kurang Ajar’ness. Then again the Malays as the majority readily extended their grace to accept 1 million ‘stateless persons’ as fellow citizens when the nation achieved its independence and never meant to treat them as ‘second class’ citizens. As a docile race, when provoked the Malays will naturally react.
This is another The Malaysian Insider agenda to provoke and arouse ‘heat’, so that the ‘ripples are maintained when the water should be calm’. That can only be seen as an intent of malice.
*Updated Friday 1 October 0900am
Sime Darby Forensic Audit: Another BOD cover up?
Sime Darby Bhd. announced to Bursa Malaysia yesterday evening that they will not make the findings public of the recently concluded forensic audit that was carried out after the Board of Directors fully realised of the losses incurred in Bakun, Qatar Project, Maersk Oil Qatar and the “Marine Project” on 13 May 2010. In that extra long special BOD meeting, President and Group CEO Dato’ Seri Ahmad Zubir Mursyid was asked to leave.
BOD Chairman Tun Musa Hitam announced that a ‘forensic audit’ would be immediately carried out to determine the cause and those who are responsible of these “irregular practices which resulted to extra ordinary losses”. Accounting firms KPMG and Deloitte were appointed and Musa promised to fully conclude the findings, which was thenthe forensic audit expected to be completed by August.
The forensic audit found that there were misconduct and breaches of duty in these projects, which included element of criminal intent by some of the senior management of the Sime Darby Energy and Utilities Division.
The Sime Darby BOD have now decided to not make public of the findings. It was said that making the forensic audit public would hamper the effort to bring all those involved and responsible for the ‘misconduct and criminal intent’ to face the music and according to a Sime Darby insider “Probably would impair the initiatives to recover some of the losses and realise as much as possible”. It was believed that this decision to keep mum made by the BOD yesterday was under advice by their legal advisers. Legal issues to recover some of the monies from irregular deals within the three projects were some of the excuse given.
Tun Musa announced that Sime Darby would make public the findings. He even promised to resign if he is accountable for the losses.
The first thing that struck our mind when we learnt of this non disclosure of the ‘forensic audit’ is: Is this another cover up? Who are the people the BOD “Trying to protect”? Are these members who are being ‘protected’ are some of the BOD themselves?
The forensic audit should able to gather enough evidence to get the perpetrators for what they did to Sime Darby. If making it public would allow these perpetrators to find ways to cover themselves, then the forensic audit isn’t comprehensive and water-tight enough. ‘White collar’ crimes leave behind trails, usually documents and information.
The Sime Darby BOD comprises of “2 Tuns, 5 Tan Sris and 4 Dato’s” already failed their fiduciary duty as stewards and custodian for the shareholders when they allowed the management (in this case, CEO Zubir) to “Mislead and give wrong information about the three ‘sick’ projects” all the while. But then again, isnt it the BOD’s responsibilities to ask the right questions and demand for answers for the progress and status of these projects as they went along, especially when people in the ‘market’ were openly mocking Sime Darby for these projects as something “Not to do”?
Sime Darby BOD now already faces perception issues of not able to carry out their duty properly. There are strong demands that they resign and allow other persons ‘untainted’ to complete what they had to do in the first place. Keeping mum about this forensic report, especially after Musa promised to ‘reveal all’ isn’t their best option.
Probably safe guarding the integrity of the Sime Darby BOD and public faith on largest public listed company in the country and coming out with very bold steps of control and reporting system to prevent this from happening in the future, is more important than recovering some of the RM 1.7 billion losses.
Sime Darby has enough reserves to underwrite these losses and still not impiar its obligations against the annual dividends that schemes such as ASB and ASN under PNB depend on and its ability to meet its commitments. Giving shareholders and stakeholders comfort is far more important than these ‘water under the bridge’ losses.
We hope the shareholders exercise their rights in this upcoming annual general meeting sometime in November. This include getting most of the ‘extraordinarily illustrious’ members of the Sime Darby to go and face the music for their failure to safeguard the interests of the company and shareholders.