Politik, Legislatif, Dasar dan Tadbir Urus

The MCA has welcomed a decision by prime minister and Umno president Najib Tun Razak to widen the scope of the Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate the death of Teoh Beng Hock, MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek said. We remember that during the funeral of Beng Hock, MCA promised to pushed for the Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate the death of the political aide to the Selangor state executive councillor. But when a less effective magistrate's inquest came into picture and dragged the case for more than one year, the MCA and its leaders are nowhere to be seen at all to show their commitment and to pressure the federal government to take drastic action to resolve this case. Then when the magistrate's inquest released its verdict and found that Beng Hock was neither murdered nor committed suicide, MCA was quick to come out in support of the verdict saying that there is no need for any further effort to establish Royal Commission of Inquiry onto this case anymore. And wh...

By Francesca Sharp Corporate responsibility innovators are increasingly looking beyond traditional communications approaches to engage with their stakeholders. Whilst annual voluntary reporting remains an important part of any organisation's sustainability communications, leading organistions are now communicating at the rapid speed of social media. Social media offers businesses the chance to speak directly to their stakeholders as they go about their daily lives and more importantly, to develop innovative sustainability ideas by listening to those using their products and services. Pioneering agencies such as IDEO, the innovation-based consultancy, are doing this successfully through their own web portals such as the Open IDEO site. The introduction of more open source platforms such as Quora , a Wikipedia-style question and answer site, allows businesses to reach further into their stakeholder’s online lives. Constant sustainability communication...

Just what kind of BN campaign is this at the Tenang state constituency by-election? The MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek said that the PAS candidate Normala Sudirman wore gloves during her campaign rounds and shaking hands with the voters is a big issue because it symbolize PAS' extremism. And then Umno deputy president Muhyddin Yassin later quickly told the press that the issue of the PAS candidate wearing gloves while shaking hands with the public was actually not an issue at all. So, what is what from the BN now? Why isn't BN campaigning as one? Like what they had claimed all this while. How did this get out of the way then? Does the BN really have two sets of campaigning agendas i.e. one for the Malay, while the other is for the Chinese community? And it looks so, it was true. The MCA was supposed to go to the Chinese community to inform them on the dangers of Islam and the religious extremism but somehow those so-called "Chinese Only" campaign words went off too lou...

By J.D. Lovrenciear The BN federal government has announced that the cyberlaws would soon make its way into the Malaysian lives which undoubtedly is already soaked with so many restrictive laws. Malaysians and their neighbours wonder why all the haste to bring the cyberlaws on, fast track. One would have expected 'Chastity Laws' given the many sex scandals, both true and alleged, that have been flying around for some time. The minister's explanation makes it seem that the Malaysian citizens are just a whole bunch of hopeless people who need laws to be kept on a tight rein. Without the laws we may become amok and run like headless chicken causing havoc all over the country. When almost every other developing nation is taking great strides to showcase their citizenry as forward looking , peace loving and enjoying civil liberties, we are back tracking into showing the world just the opposite. The proposed (rather imminent) cyberlaws will make the nation a laughing stock of t...

By Tony Pua The BN federal government provided between RM6.2 billion to RM 8.1 billion of gas subsidies to the Independent Power Producers annually over the past 5 years. These subsidies however did not reach the man-in-the-street in terms of cheaper electricity prices. On the other hand, these subsidies allow the IPPs to make billions additional profits per annum. The IPPs have often refuted the fact that the subsidies benefited them and they are "passed through" to the consumers. However a comparison of electricity prices in the region based on subsidies provided and the types of fuel used clearly shows that Malaysia is relatively much more expensive. A very good example is Thailand where 70% of the fuel used is natural gas just like Malaysia. When we compare the electricity tariffs between the two countries, Malaysia's average rate of RM31.31/kWh is only 8% cheaper than that of Thailand's at RM34.11/kWh. Worse, the commercial electricity tariff in Thailand is RM38....

By Thing Siew Shuen Penang Gerakan chief Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan has finally revealed Gerakan’s true colours in opposing the “no free plastic bags” green initiative of the Pakatan Rakyat-led Penang government even when they benefit the people, the environment and our future generations. By opposing the Penang PR state government’s “No Free Plastic Bag” initiative beginning 2011, Teng shows that Gerakan has lost all direction and is merely opposing for the sake of opposing. What alternative does Gerakan have and what right does Gerakan have to criticise this green initiative when Gerakan had no courage to implement any green proposals when Teng was an exco member? When the “no free plastic bags” ruling came under fire from the Malaysian Plastic Manufacturers Association (MPMA), who planned to distribute not only leaflets but also 150,000 free plastic bags, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng urged NGOs and green groups to counter the MPMA’s campaign. After the chief minister expressed his...

It looks like terrorism had finally found its way easily into our nation, Malaysia. The motivation to terrorize our nation by these groups are high. Why? Because the authorities here are not doing much or not going all out to demotivate them. Again why do we say that? The growing religious discrimination, intolerance, hatred, extremism, fanaticism, violence and soon to be - terrorism. If you look into the aspects of terrorism, here is only one sentence to buy-off this issue: It is easy to start something but it would be impossible to control it later when things go out of the context. Terrorism is indeed taking root in our nation growing from a race-based political party to a particular NGO, then spreading its influence and methods to the other right-wing extremist organization all around the nation, thus endangering the lives of our peace-loving and law abiding citizens. The latest to be in the news, a member of parliament from Selangor was given a death threat by the so-called "...

Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching had received an unexpected threat from the terrorists. The note, penned in Bahasa Malaysia using red ink and pasted on the grille door leading to her upper-floor service branch, was found at about 8am by the DAP Sungai Chua Branch office. A dead chicken hung on the grill door of the said office. The note said "Ingat!!! Ini satu Peringatan,Teo Nie Ching, Tentera Jihad". It seems that these terrorist won't stop short at keeping up its attack and threat on elected representatives. Malaysia is a nation based on democratic principles where our members of parliament and state legislative assemblymen are elected by the people through general elections. If these terrorist want to prove their worth, then come out and show yourselves, contest in the general elections to see if you got elected or otherwise. The act that they are advocating now is an act of a coward, terrorist and a political insane.

According to MCA central committee member and Port Klang Authority (PKA) chairman Datuk Lee Hwa Beng, the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) would go bankrupt sooner by next year if the mega project still fail to repay its loan granted by the finance ministry incorporated. Datuk Lee said ever since PKFZ had commenced operations about three years ago, the project still failed to generate any substantial income as its free zone capacity had yet to be fully occupied because the occupation in the light industrial unit is only 50 percent, and the office lots is only about 5 percent occupied, while a hotel and a multi purpose international standard convention centre are yet to be fully operational. The rest of the facilities in PKFZ are also still largely empty and remain unoccupied. According to Datuk Lee again, the cost of the project is expected to increase from the current RM1.96 billion to RM12 billion following the ineffective recovery of PKFZ. The PKFZ scandal has been dragged for decades wi...

Gerakan president Dr Koh Tsu Koon had recently turned to the People's Republic of China to help convince our Malaysians that 1Malaysia is a good concept. After numerous fail efforts by BN leaders to convince our people on the 1Malaysia concept, Dr Koh had decided to turn to China for help, reasoning that because China also had been applying the same concept in handling its multi-ethnic affairs. It shows that the BN federal government had failed to convince our people on the workings of the 1Malaysia concept. They just didn't know why? And that is why they are turning to China for help and to learn from them as well. They didn't know why they failed to convince us on the 1Malaysia concept? Let us explain to them. The people here did not overall accept the 1Malaysia concept because this idea is completely a fraud. It is a carbon copy of the 1Israel concept promoted and advocated by the Israeli government. 1Malaysia had not basis of a Malaysian stand. This concept did not full...

A soundly look violent group of 100 Malay demonstrators congregated in front of Masjid al-Ikhlasiah in Kampung Kerinchi here today to protest against a lawyer from the MCA who purportedly applied pressure to stop the mosque from using loudspeakers to play the Muslim call to prayer. The group, consisting of members from Muslim welfare group Pekida and Malay rights NGO Perkasa, claimed that a “Chinese lawyer” had demanded the mosque stop the “azan” (call to prayer) recital. One thing that we do not understand is, why were they carrying the flag of the Iraqi Kurdistan during the protest? Has it got anything to do with Kurdistan? This group of demonstrators seems to be carrying a confusing message to our people. First, they protested over the loud azan issue which was brought up by a lawyer from MCA, secondly, they are calling him to be detained under the ISA and third, they are carrying the flag of the Iraqi Kurdistan in support of the Kurdistan freedom fighters. We wonder if the Kurds a...

By Opalyn Mok The Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) wants the authorities to devise a comprehensive plan to preserve historical burial sites and memorials in Penang, and to prevent the exhumation of ancient graves belonging to historical figures. "Cemeteries are a part of our heritage and culture, so it is something that should not be neglected and forgotten," said PHT secretary Clement Liang. Referring to the recent exhumation of tombs from a private plot within the Batu Lanchang Hokkien cemetery, Liang said the tombs and memorials are vital, as they serve as a physical link to the past. He said all burial sites, tombs, memorial monuments and cenotaphs that are over 50 years old have significant historic value and should automatically come under the state's legal protection. "There should be a record and listing of all historical sites, monuments and tombs in the state," he added. Speaking at a press conference at the PHT today, Liang said tombs with historical value...

By Dzulkarnain Taib Experienced legal practitioner Chan Kok Keong tells us that if your employer does not want you, your employer cannot (or should not) be forced to have you. Sod off. 1. The legal answer to the status of the State Secretary is very simple indeed. 2. Who is the State Secretary? He is an employee of the government. Indeed, he signs off his letters as your obedient servant. In the case of Mohd Khusrin, he wants to work for the Selangor State Government, who will therefore be his employer. 3. The crucial question is this: can he demand or insist that he works for the Selangor Government? 4. In common law, no servant can enforce a contract of employment against his employer. Similarly, in layperson’s terms, can a Filipino domestic helper insist that she wants to work for an employer who does not want her? 5. The State Secretary can be said to be the top civil servant of the State. But he must be acceptable to his employer, the State Government. 6. Let us take another examp...

Spiraling inflation and increase in prices of grocery have started to affect the lower income group, prompting DAP into launching a signature drive to protest price hikes. The signature campaign launched in Ipoh is to oppose the recent price hike in oil, gas, sugar, flour, seafood, onions and other food materials, which have severely affected the people especially those from the lower income group. “Based on the figures provided by the Prime Minister’s Department, 40 percent of families in Malaysia have income lower than RM2,300 a month, in which 192,000 families in Perak come under this category. "Hence, the rising oil prices and the side effects had worsened the living condition (of these poor families),” said Taiping member of parliament, Nga Kor Ming. Nga who led the signature campaign in Ipoh Timur, said it was unfortunate for Malaysia as a petroleum producing country with income to the tune of RM60 billion, to bring up oil prices, which saw an increase by RM1.10 a litre over...

By J.D.Lovrenciear Mirror, mirror on the wall, what is happening to Malaysia please tell it all. The dawn of 2011 in Malaysia has been pock-marked with dents and even cracks arising from the usual wrong battles that have been the practice since 2008. Racial, religious, corruption, sin – you name it we have it all in the Malaysian saga of politics, social and economic thrusts. Politics is no more about respect, tolerance, acceptance and forward moving with cooperation. Today, we witness yet another debacle – this time in Selangor. Only not too long ago we saw the same deterioration in Perak. The Courts of Justice are inundated with all kinds of legal battles. One wonders how on earth can, the judiciary ever be efficient and productive given the extraordinary rise in cases for deliberation. Any management guru worth his penny will be able to predict that quality and productivity will suffer when the load tips. The rakyat are also bombarded with heavy doses of news – one in support of the...

Remember, when the National Union of Journalist (NUJ) president Hata Wahari who also works in the Utusan Malaysia as an ordinary journalist, made a statement calling on Utusan Malaysia to address its nationwide drop on public circulation and urge its editorial management to end its racist articles and reports. A few weeks later, on the instruction of Umno as the largest shareholder of the newspaper, Utusan Malaysia management then issued a show-cause letter to Hata Wahari purportedly relating to his statement, and later decided to put Hata onto the company's domestic inquiry hearing. In this way, Umno and the Utusan editorial hope to kill Hata of his career thus ending his role as NUJ president should the verdict against him is guilty and he is expelled from the company. A well-planned career assassination on Hata. Hata is acting in his capacity and role as the NUJ president spoke and issued those statements in defense of press freedom, journalistic integrity and the welfare of all...

MCA president Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek had recently echoed that there is no need for a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to investigate the murder of a Selangor state executive councillor's political aide Teoh Beng Hock. We could recall, that during the funeral of Teoh Beng Hock about more than a year ago, MCA as well as the leaders of other BN component parties visited and paid their last respects to Teoh's family promising them that they will push for the establishment of a royal commission of inquiry to investigate Teoh's death at the MACC headquarters and to seek justice for him and his family. And now, Dr Chua reversed his party's pledge and promises by saying that the RCI was not needed anymore to investigate Teoh's death. He thinks that everyone of us had forgotten what the BN leaders particularly from Umno, MCA and Gerakan had pledged on that very day. First Najib promised that the magistrate's inquest would not take a year to settle the case and identify t...

Dah beberapa kali kita semua dah mendengar dan membaca karya-karya penulisan para pengarang Utusan Malaysia bagi pihak Umno dan kerajaan persekutuan pimpinan Datuk Seri Najib Razak dan didapatinya semua hasil penulisan para pengarang akhbar tersebut jelas menunjukkan bahawa akhbar tersebut sememangnya inginkan perpecahan dan peperangan di dalam negara kita ini. Beginilah program 1Malaysia yang dicipta oleh Datuk Seri Najib. Adakah program ini benar-benar menggambarkan penyatuan dan perpaduan?Adakah program ini benar-benar telah memberikan manfaat kepada rakyat?Apakah dasar yang sebenarnya yang ingin ditujukan oleh Datuk Seri Najib kepada rakyat jelata? Katanya 1Malaysia itu adalah untuk penyatuan dan perpaduan antara kaum, keharmonian masyarakat yang berbilang bangsa dan agama, rakyat didahulukan dan pencapaian diutamakan, tetapi apa yang diamalkan secara fizikal adalah benar-benar berlainan sama sekali. Kini agenda 1Malaysia lebih diibaratkan sebagai satu langkah untuk memecahbelahkan...

Despite shown in the federal and state constitutions, some pro-Umno and BN lawyers who claimed themselves to be "legal experts" kept on insisting that the Sultan has the powers as a chief executive in the state. They are insisting that this nation is an absolute monarchy. And there it goes, come the same old subject of labelling this person and that person as "penderhaka" or treasonous. Now Umno and BN leaders, including those extremist NGOs aligned to the racist party had came out in full force to condemn the Selangor state government as treason, calling for the death of some state leaders who made accurate statements pertaining to the state establishment. The sole purpose of such move, was certainly based on racism. Remember, Utusan Malaysia in its recent article called on the Malays to rise and defend the state from the alleged "intervention from the Chinese government". Then Umno, BN, and the extremist NGOs like Perkasa and GAPS leaders called on the M...

Legal experts disputed today the Selangor palace’s claim over executive power, declaring that it is the Menteri Besar — and not the Sultan — who is the state’s chief executive. They claimed that in the Sultan’s role as the constitutional monarch, the Ruler should be viewed as a “figure of unity” and any attempt by him to wade into state administrative matters could be misconstrued as a political move. Lawyer Chan Kok Keong said that the Sultan had no executive power and maintained that the mentri besar was the prime authority in any matter concerning the state administration. Chan's statement was also later affirmed by a constitutional expert, Abdul Aziz Bari in his latest statement today afternoon. Therefore, what has been claimed by the Sultan's private secretary Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani that the Sultan of Selangor is the state's chief executive was baseless and aimed at misleading the people and the entire nation. Again, we want to affirm that not only the Sultan of Sela...

Throughout the end of the year 2010, BN chairman and prime minister Datuk Najib Razak again shown the true colours of 1Malaysia to our people. On 25 December 2010, that is Christmas Day, the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) had invited Najib to their Christmas Day celebration in Bukit Nanas and gues what, Najib accepted the invitation. But that invitation didn't come as a happy one as it was expected by the CFM leaders and the Christian communities. Prior to Najib's arrival, his senior officials had deliberately instructed CFM and church officials to take down the crucifixes and the other Christian symbols that was displayed at the celebration's ground. Apart from that the hymns and prayers event arranged for that day was also banned, as instructed by the senior officials of the prime minister's department. In the name of 1Malaysia, Najib was working against the spirit of unity by attempting to de-Christianize the Christmas Day celebration. If Najib was so uncomfo...

By Adib Zalkapli National Union of Journalists (NUJ) president Hata Wahari blamed Utusan Malaysia editors and what he called their racial rhetoric for the daily’s declining sale. He also called on the authorities to act against Utusan Malaysia editors for fanning racial sentiment in its reports. “Utusan Malaysia which used to enjoy daily circulation of 350,000 has now become government’s propaganda tool in playing up racial issues and creating discord among the people of various races,” said Hata (picture) in a statement today. “NUJ Malaysia also calls on the authorities to act against the chief editor and other editors of Utusan Malaysia for undermining racial harmony in the country,” he added. Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) figures for the full year ended June 30, 2010 showed that Utusan Malaysia’s circulation dropped from 181,346 to 170,558, or a drop of 5.9 per cent. “NUJ Malaysia hopes that the chief editor and editors of Utusan Malaysia will revert to the objectives of the ne...