Miba: Give multiracial politics a chance

Miba: Give multiracial politics a chance
Thu, 20/03/2008 - 18:28 — lucid

[via malaysiakini.com]
RK Anand | Mar 20, 08 6:06pm

The Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba) has appealed to all Malaysians to give multiracial politics a chance to grow in this country.

Its president, P Sivakumar said this brand of politics is beneficial for the country and the economy.

"We live in the age of globalisation. At the end of the day, we are all human beings and citizens of the world," he told Malaysiakini today.

Sivakumar also said it is wrong to claim that the New Economic Policy (NEP) has benefitted all the races.

"NEP did little for the Indians," he said, adding that the community achieved successes due to its own effort.

"Otherwise, why would 30,000 Indians take to the streets despite the police warning that it is an illegal gathering?" he asked in reference to the Nov 25 rally organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

Sivakumar said the abuses, weaknesses and implementation of the NEP were never monitored or debated in the Parliament or mass media.

"For instance, take the Indian community's issues pertaining to rights and equal opportunities in government jobs, education, training and business. These were swept under the carpet," he said.

The Miba president said former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad had lent credence to this assertion when he stated just before the 12th general election that MIC president S Samy Vellu never raised such issues during his administration.

"However, it will be a total lie to say that Samy Vellu did not raise any issues at all. But the serious and sensitive issues which have been growing over time had been sidelined.

"This drove the Indian community to demonstrate against their faithful friend, Barisan Nasional, and bring about Samy Vellu's defeat in Sungai Siput as well as demanding his resignation as MIC president," he said.

Voted for change

Sivakumar said the electorate had given their verdict on March 8.

"The majority has signalled that multiracial politics is the way forward. So why should some minority groups protest against this. Are they questioning the majority's decision?" he asked.

He urged these groups to take a moment to reflect and visualise how Malaysia should be over the next 20 years or so.

"Do they wish to see a communalism-riddled society without an identity or a beautiful single Malaysian race? "If you love Malaysia, love Malaysians," he said.

Calling on these groups to look at past Umno presidents, Sivakumar said Tun Abdul Razak had introduced the NEP in the 1970s to restructure society and eradicate poverty regardless of race.

"His successor Hussein Onn resigned because he did not want to accept communal politics and Mahathir, a real champion of the Malays, in his final years as Umno president had also advised the Malays to shed the 'crutches' mentality.

"What about the founder of Umno? The venerable Onn Jaffar, who called on Umno, MCA and MIC to form a non-communal party, to unite all races under one roof for the common good of all and to avoid communal bickering and racial tension," he added.

On that note, Sivakumar said there is nothing wrong if PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim comes out with a new affirmative policy to help the poor of all races.

"A policy which protects the interest of the poor from cronyism," he added.

PKR has rejected the NEP in favour of what it calls the Malaysian Economic Agenda (MEA) to help the poor regardless of colour or creed.

However, Anwar has come under fire from Umno over this and protests have been held in the wake of the March 8 polls which saw an additional four states falling into opposition control.

Exco S'gor & Exco Perak angkat sumpah Isnin ini

Exco S'gor angkat sumpah Isnin ini
Mar 20, 08 2:02pm

Barisan exco kerajaan negeri Selangor akan mengangkat sumpah di Istana Alam Shah di Klang Isnin depan, kata Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

Menurutnya, beliau akan mengumum nama-nama barisan exco berkenaan selepas majlis angkat sumpah tersebut.

Beliau memberitahu pemberita demikian selepas menghadiri majlis sambutan Maulidur Rasul di Shah Alam hari ini.

Menurut Bernama, majlis sambutan tersebut dihadiri oleh Sultan Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

Khalid enggan mengulas lanjut mengenai komposisi barisan exco negeri, tetapi berkata: "Kami (PKR, DAP and PAS) telah dapat menyelesaikannya."

Mengenai jawatan timbalan menteri besar, Khalid berkata beliau akan menjelaskan perkara itu selepas majlis angkat sumpah ahli exco Isnin depan.

Para penyokong 12 badan bukan kerajaan telah mengadakan demonstrasi secara aman di Dataran Shah Alam semalam untuk mendesak Khalid supaya tidak melantik timbalan menteri besar.

Kumpulan tersebut yang diketuai oleh Ketua Pemuda Umno Selangor, Abdul Shukur Idrus, meminta Khalid supaya jangan melantik bukan Melayu ke jawatan tersebut serta mengekalkan kuota ahli exco Melayu seperti dalam kerajaan negeri sebelum ini.

Exco Perak

Manakala barisan exco Perak pula dijangka diumumkan esok dengan majlis angkat sumpah jawatan mungkin diadakan Isnin ini.

Pengerusi DAP Perak Ngeh Koo Ham berkata dua timbalan menteri Besar Perak yang akan dipilih dari kalangan 10 barisan Exco yang bakal dilantik, juga akan diumumkan pada hari yang sama.

"Pakatan DAP, PKR dan PAS hampir memuktamadkan senarai berkenaan. Kita hanya perlu memperkemaskan beberapa portfolio lagi yang kita jangka akan selesai pada satu mesyuarat yang akan diadakan lewat hari ini," katanya yang juga Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Sitiawan, kepada pemberita.

Katanya satu mesyuarat antara ketiga-tiga parti berkenaan sebelum ini telah memutuskan PKR diberikan tiga jawatan Exco dan DAP enam dan PAS satu selain jawatan menteri besar yang telah diisi oleh Muhammad Nizar Jamaluddin.

Umno, BN siasat cubaan lompat parti

Umno, BN siasat cubaan lompat parti

Mar 20, 08 5:37pm, Malaysiakini.

Walaupun Perdana Menteri yakin wakil-wakil BN tidak akan melompat kepada parti-parti pembangkang, Umno bagaimanapun akan menyiasat kemungkinan wujudnya usaha berbuat demikian dalam kalangan pemimpin Umno.

tengku adnan mansor 041007Setiausaha agung baru Umno Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor berkata pihaknya akan menghantar ejen risikan untuk memastikan dakwaan bahawa kini wujud percubaan memujuk ahli-ahli parlimen meninggalkan BN.

"Wakil-wakil rakyat kita sedar bahawa BN dan Umno satu-satunya gabungan dan parti untuk mereka," katanya hari ini.

Beliau bagaimanapun memberi amaran kepada parti pembangkang agar "jangan jadi bodoh" untuk menghasut wakil-wakil BN melompat parti, lapor laman web Star Online.

Tengku Adnan mengulas kenyataan penasihat PKR Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim bahawa pihaknya menyambut baik wakil-wakil rakyat BN yang ingin berpindah parti.

abdullah ahmad badawi pak lah 110907Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi hari ini dilaporkan menyedari usaha memujuk wakil-wakil BN lompat parti dan yakin tiada sebab kerajaan pimpinannya tumbang kerana ia kuat dan mendapat sokongan rakyat.

Sementara agensi berita Bernama melaporkan BN akan mengirim pasukan risikannya ke Sabah dan Sarawak tidak lama lagi untuk .

Memetik kenyataan Tengku Adnan, laporan itu menyebut BN memerlukan maklumat sahih untuk menilai perkembangan mutakhir.

"Maklumat yang diterima setakat ini ada yang sahih dan tidak sahih. Ada kata gini, ada kata gitu," beliau dipetik sebagai berkata.

Usaha menarik wakil BN kepada pembangkang muncul selepas parti itu gagal memperolehi majoriti dua pertiga, sementara parti-parti pembangkang pula hanya memerlukan 30 kerusi di Dewan Rakyat untuk memerintah dengan majoriti mudah.

BN mendapat 140 kerusi dan pembangkang 82 kerusi parlimen.

lim guan engMengulas isu yang sama, Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang, dan juga setiausaha agung DAP, Lim Guan Eng hari ini meminta Perdana Menteri membuat laporan polis jika ada bukti parti pembangkang "membeli" wakil-wakil BN.

Lim berkata, ia harus dilaporkan kepada polis kerana "membeli" wakil rakyat satu kesalahan di sisi undang-undang dan dianggap rasuah.

"Kalau ada bukti, saya harap beliau boleh tunjukkan supaya tindakan boleh diambil," katanya selepas menghadiri majlis sambutan Maulidur Rasul peringkat negeri itu.

Lim menafikan DAP terlibat dalam kegiatan seumpama itu.

Beberapa hari lalu, Anwar menyatakan beliau kini sedang mengadakan rundingan dengan sejumlah wakil BN yang berhasrat berpindah parti.

"Mereka datang dan mendekati kita," kata Anwar.

anwar ibrahimBekas timbalan perdana menteri itu menambah, beliau telah bercakap dengan "sejumlah" wakil rakyat BN dan memaklumkan bahawa sokongan mereka tidak akan diberikan ganjaran.

"Jika mereka mahu menukar parti dengan sejumlah harga, nampaknya mereka telah memilih parti yang salah," katanya.

Tambahnya, mereka dialu-alukan beralih parti "jika mereka menerima agenda kita".

Anwar mengesahkan beliau kini sedang mendapatkan dukungan ahli-ahli parlimen BN dari Malaysia timur, kumpulan sokongan besar yang boleh menumbangkan parti itu jika berlaku pertukaran parti.

MP Serian keluar BN, sertai PKR?

MP Serian keluar BN, sertai PKR?

Tony Thien | Mar 20, 08 5:18pm, Malaysiakini.

Ahli parlimen Serian, Richard Riot telah keluar dari Supp - parti komponen Barisan Nasional (BN) - bersama ramai ahli parti itu dari kawasannya selepas beliau tidak dilantik sebagai timbalan menteri di peringkat pusat.

richard riot 200308Richard, seorang Bidayuh, telah menjadi ahli parlimen Serian selama lima penggal. Beliau menang kerusi Serian sebagai calon bebas pada 1990 dan menyertai Supp untuk mengekalkan kerusinya sebagai ahli parlimen BN kerana Serian merupakan kerusi tradisi Supp.

Richard menyerahkan surat keluar parti kepada Presiden Supp, Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam pada hari yang sama Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi mengumumkan barisan kabinetnya.

Seorang ahli veteran parti itu, yang bertindak sebagai jurucakap ahli parlimen Serian itu, mengesahkan kepada Malaysiakini desas-desus bahawa Richard telah keluar parti bersama ramai penyokongnya dari lima cawangan Supp kawasan tersebut.

Setiap cawangan mempunyai lebih 1,000 ahli.

Jurucakap tersebut yang tidak mahu namanya disebut berkata, selepas surat itu diserahkan kepada Chan, presiden Supp itu menghantar setiausaha agungnya, Sim Kheng Hui pergi memujuk Richard.

"Tetapi Richard tidak dapat ditemui," tambahnya.

Menurut jurucakap itu lagi, ramai ahli Supp di Serian, sebahagian besarnya suku kaum Bidayuh, telah memulangkan kad keahlian mereka dan menghantarnya dalam sebuah beg kepada presiden parti bersama dengan surat keluar parti.

Bendera parti Supp di pejabat Serian telah diturunkan dan dibakar oleh ahli-ahli yang marah.

'Tidak dipenting'

Dalam suratnya itu, Richard dikatakan telah memberitahu Chan - salah seorang timbalan ketua menteri Sarawak - bahawa parti itu tidak mementingkan kaum Dayak.

Chan dituduh mengemukakan empat nama dari parti tersebut untuk pertimbangan perdana menteri sedangkan beliau (Chan) sendiri tahu kuota untuk parti itu hanya tiga jawatan - seorang menteri penuh dan dua timbalan menteri.

Empat nama tersebut ialah ahli parlimen Miri, Datuk Peter Chin, Datuk Robert Lau (Sibu), Datuk Yong Khoon Seng (Stampin) dan Richard Riot.

Richard memang kerusi Serian untuk penggal kelima dengan majoriti besar 13,427 undi, mengalahkan calon Snap, Sylvester Belayong Jayang. Parlimen Serian mempunyai 27,901 pemilih berdaftar - 80 peratus daripadanya suku kaum Bidayuh.

Ekoran keputusan Richard itu, Supp kini hanya mempunyai lima ahli parlimen - semua kaum Cina. Parti itu kalah kerusi parlimen (Bandar Kuching) kepada penyandang dari DAP, Chong Chieng Jen.

Richard tidak dapat dihubungi tetapi jurucakapnya memberitahu Malaysiakini bahawa beliau telah pulang ke kampungnya dan tidak akan menemui sebarang pemimpin Supp.

Beliau dijangka menjadi ahli parlimen bebas walaupun terdapat laporan yang mengatakan beliau telah menunjukkan minat untuk menyertai PKR.

12 proposals for parliamentary reform and modernization

In 2004, I had made 12 proposals for parliamentary reform and modernization for Malaysia to have a “First World Parliament” not only in infrastructure, but mindset, culture, practices and performance.

These 12 proposals for First-World Parliament should be adopted as the parliamentary agenda of both the Barisan Nasional and the Opposition in the 12th Parliament when it convenes for its first meeting in May, viz:

- live telecast of parliamentary proceedings;

- daily two-hour question time;

- Prime Minister’s Question Time twice a week;

- Opposition MP heading the Public Accounts Committee (PAC);

- some 30 specialist Parliamentary Select Committees with a Select Committee for every Ministry;

- about ten general Parliamentary Select Committees to produce annual reports on progress, trends and recommendations on national integrity, IT, women’s agenda, environment, mass media, corruption, etc;

- allocation of certain days a week specifically to deal with Opposition business;
research and constituency staffing for MPs;

- an Opposition Deputy Speaker;

- modernization and democratization of Standing Orders;

- code of ethics for all MPs;

- Ministers’ Parliamentary code of conduct.

The political tsunami of March 8, 2008 general election is an unmistakable mandate and demand for far-reaching changes in Malaysia after 50 years of nation-building, including the creation of a vibrant, vigorous and truly representative First-World Parliament.

At the meeting of PKR, PAS and DAP leaders in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday night, I had proposed that PKR President Datin Seri Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail be the Parliamentary Opposition Leader of the new Parliament until Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim regains his full civil liberties and is re-elected to Parliament, and the proposal was agreed by the leaders of the three parties.

DAP MPs and I will give full support to Azizah and the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz who is now fully responsible for parliamentary affairs, to turn the Malaysian Parliament into a First-World Parliament – as it is better to be late than never.

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Do not disturb Penangites' peace

Do not disturb Penangites' peace

Concerned Penang Citizen | Mar 19, 08 4:13pm, Malaysiakini.

I refer to the Malaysiakini report Umno holds one-hour protest at Komtar.

Elected by Penang people, the Chief Minister YB Mr Lim Guan Eng is the overall head of the state of Penang; and therefore the security of the state must come under his control. Although this newly formed state government allows the freedom for peaceful demonstrations, Umno and its leaders should not raise sensitive racial issues while doing so. We the people of Penang of all races condemn such actions.

I refer to the SMSes that some parties are planning to hold to hold a rally/demonstration at the Penang State Mosque tomorrow. Are they trying to stir the communities’ feelings?

The BN Government has been denied the chance by the people of Penang of all races to rule the state of Penang in the recent 12th General Election. As is our right, we demand that they leave the running of the state to our elected representatives; and do not hold whispering campaigns in mosques to disturb the peace enjoyed by Penangites.

Recently, Umno party members had demonstrated at Komtar in Penang. Wasn't this an illegal gathering without a police permit? And wasn't it ‘not their culture’ to do so? How come the police allowed the demonstration to proceed? This was unlike the Hindraf rally on Nov 26 when police's brutality was the rule of the day. Is our PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and the BN Government practicing double standards here? If so, what a shame that Malaysia ruled by Umno is a disgrace to the international community.

Aggrieved Tun Dr Mahathir urges Ku Li to challenge Adullah Ahmd Badawi!

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Aggrieved Tun Dr Mahathir urges Ku Li to challenge Adullah Ahmd Badawi!

Tun Dr Mahathir aggrieved with the political situation urges Ku Li to the rescue!



Ku Li can engage the Malay opposition when facing common enemies!




Hey people!

My deep cover source in Pak Lah's camp confirmed that this prime minister is feeling it so bad already to realize that his one wish to resign will not and can never be achieved, but unless he "drops" dead!
"He is so, so afraid of his inner circle that he cannot even dare to utter the word resign," this source said. I was also told that when he found out Ku Li was going to mount a challenge him at the next Umno elections he started to wheeze.
Other reliable source also told me it was Tun Mahathir who prompted Ku Li to mount a challenge on Dollah Badawi in view of the critical last general elections that saw BN component parties, which includes Umno, being defeated so bad that it prompted Ku Li to say, as quoted by the NST: "Haven't Umno members realised we've lost five states? Are they all still sleeping."
Then Mahathir had met with Ku Li and it was then decided that the latter must challenge Dollah to save Umno and Malays from falling over into a political oblivion.
Ku Li's camp said the post of the deputy president will not be touched as it will belong to Najib for sure!
In view of this recent development, in supporting Ku Li, I have now decided to forgive Mahathir for his major faux pas in choosing Dollah Badawi as his deputy that have lead the country into a political turmoil where DAP has now the power to even ridicule the Malay sultanate system!

A bit of a cheers today.
Posted by Pasquale at 10:17 AM