KL112: The Winners and Losers

January 13, 2013

by Malaysiakini@http://www.malaysiakini.com

For the past few decades, the authorities had placed numerous obstacles for Opposition parties to gather en masse, citing security concerns and traffic as the usual reasons.

The People’s Uprising Rally (KL112), in keeping with its revolutionary theme, saw the authorities essentially giving opposition parties free passage to do almost whatever they wanted.

Obviously, there was a political gamble at play in view that the 13th general election is around the corner. Malaysiakini examines who had most to gain from this high stakes gamble.

WINNERS

Pakatan Rakyat

Even before the rally was concluded, photographs of an overflowing Stadium Merdeka had gone viral over the Internet, proving to undecided voters that the coalition does enjoy mass public support and is a legitimate candidate for Putrajaya. What Pakatan needs to do now is to take advantage of momentum and spread the central message of the rally – the ten point declaration – throughout the country.

Civil society
Several key civil society movements, especially for environmental causes, have grown exponentially in strength over the past years and command a sizeable following, which was displayed during KL112.

Evolving from the initial not-in-my-backyard (Nimby) philosophy, Malaysia’s various green movements have now gone national as people begin to recognise the importance of civil society in shaping the nation.

Tan Sri Ismail Omar

In the run up to KL112, the Police released several statements in an accommodating tone, to the extent of promising that they had set a ‘zero casualty’ target. The whole time, Inspector-General of police Ismail Omar didn’t say a single word, leaving the talking to his subordinates.

Had things turned sour, Ismail would have taken the rap as usual. But now, he will be remembered for the fact that his men stayed true to their word.

Traders near Stadium Merdeka

Save for one stall owner selling gas masks, traders who set up shop around Stadium Merdeka were all smiles because they were enjoying brisk sale of T-shirts, drinks and food.

Previously, one group of traders claimed BERSIH 3.0 had cost them great losses. Perhaps they should sharpen their eye for opportunities.

LOSERS

Najib Abdul Razak

In the past, Pakatan wasn’t able to fill half of the 25,000 capacity MBPJ Stadium in Kelana Jaya. Was the Prime Minister hoping for the same this time round, so he could ridicule them later?

Internally, UMNO die-hards are probably curious to know why their President allowed the event to proceed when it could have been dealt with, by many old and proven methods.

More importantly, the public will also be questioning Najib and his party on whether they can pull off a similar spectacle without paying the participants.

UMNO and BN

From sodomy to a Christian conspiracy to eroding Malay rights, UMNO and BN component parties have slung mud in every shape and size at Pakatan since 2008.If the turnout was an indicator of reputation, nothing appears to be sticking.

Mainstream Media organisations

Save for Sinar Harian and all the Chinese media organisations, the focus was not on turnout nor the message of the rally but the various infractions chalked up by the rally organisers.

Unfortunately for them, videoclips and photographs – in particularly an aerial shot by AFP capturing the scene in and around Stadium Merdeka – are being widely circulated online, helping the public to have a clearer understanding of what transpired.

Thumbs Up for PDRM, But it flubs out on its math test

January 13, 2013

by Terence Netto@http://www.malaysiakini.com

COMMENT: This time round, the Police Force passed the test of its public relations skills in handling a major protest rally. Some things do change, after all, in Malaysia.

After the PR disasters of its handling of the BERSIH rallies of July 2011 and April 2012, the Police tackled the ‘People’s Uprising’ rally that was staged at the Stadium Merdeka yesterday by the Opposition Pakatan Rakyat with intelligence and restraint.

But, as if to make the point that this panache was an aberration rather than a characteristic, the Force proceeded to flunk its math test. It revised downwards its initial estimate of the crowd at the rally to 45,000. One supposes it had to make things easy for its political masters.

If the Police had allowed their initial estimate that the crowd in the stadium proper at the height of the rally was 80,000, then the numbers of people who were headed to the venue from multiple directions but could not get in, and the numbers massed in the parking area of the stadium would inflate the overall attendance to past the 100,000 figure.

So, the force had to sugarcoat things for its political commissars and revise its final estimate of the crowd to almost half its initial calculation.

When full to the brim, Stadium Merdeka, as anyone old enough to remember hockey’s World Cup final in 1975 will agree, can hold 50,000 people. If the green sward of its oval is filled with people, as it was yesterday at the height of the rally, then you can add another 30,000 to number already in the terraces.

That would have made the 80,000 of the Police Force’s initial estimate a credible calculation, but somewhere in its immediate post-rally cogitation of events, the force had to make things easy for its UMNO masters to manipulate – it revised its estimate downwards.

The Force declined the opportunity that beckoned to go the full distance in giving Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s ballyhooed ‘transformation of government and the economy’ projects the bite it had lacked.

After, uncharacteristically, passing its PR test in handling the ‘People’s Uprising’ rally, it flubs out on its math – the better to coddle an UMNO-BN neurosis.

This is that big crowds at Opposition-organised rallies presage electoral reverses for UMNO-BN. This was how the huge protest rallies of BERSIH and Hindraf in November 2007 wound up for UMNO-BN at the polls in March the following year.

Electoral dice is rolling against BN

In the final lap to the country’s 13th general election, a huge rally for Pakatan, seen against the backdrop of the throngs that attended the Bersih rallies of July 2011 and April 2012, will only reinforce intimations of impending electoral defeat for UMNO-BN.

Never mind, such intimations have already prompted record levels of capital flight from the country – RM200 billion in 2010 alone, the second highest in the world after China, according to Global Financial Integrity.

The lucre accumulated by the guilty classes can be stashed abroad with impunity, although that demonstration with their wallets is actually a vote of no-confidence in their UMNO-BN political patrons.

But ordinary Malaysians, attenuated from the Internet-updated world, must be told a different story about the size of Opposition-inspired rallies held in the business capital of the country.

That was probably why the Police had to revise their initial estimate of yesterday’s crowd. They cannot be too candid when the electoral dice is rolling against their patrons.

But election pundits will make their own calculations, based on reports and videos taken of yesterday’s rally. Extrapolations would be made and predictions a little more optimistic that what the chief economist of Bank Islam made at a forum in Singapore last week would be aired. The economist predicted a slight victory for UMNO-BN.

The speed with which his employers dissociated the bank from the prediction was indicative of the jitters of anybody with links to the government over any action of theirs that may undermine the magnificent delusion the government wants foisted – that UMNO-BN, despite inauspicious signs, will win the 13th general election.

Based on the actual turnout, not the revised one of the Police, the next fortnight would see that delusion come in for severe jolting.

Najib’s Reassuring Christmas 2012 Message

December 25, 2012

Najib’s Reassuring Christmas 2012 Message to Malaysian Christians

by Razak Ahmad
razak@thestar.com.my

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has assured the country’s Christians that he will remain open to hearing their concerns, hopes and ideas.

In his Christmas message, the Prime Minister acknowledged the country’s Christian community for its role in Malaysian society especially in Sabah and Sarawak.

“We are very fortunate that Malaysia continues to enjoy peaceful relations between different faiths and races. This doesn’t happen without our continued efforts to keep it that way, so I will always be open to hearing any hopes, concerns and ideas that members of the Christian community may have,” Najib said in his message that was posted on his blog (1malaysia.com.my/blog/).

Wishing all Malaysian Christians a Merry Christmas, Najib said that he would be having the pleasure of joining members of the faith in a Christmas Day tea party today where he will listen to their views.

He said that although Malaysia was a Muslim-majority country, some people might not realise that around one in 10 Malaysians was a Christian. Since becoming Prime Minister, Najib said he had placed much emphasis on the unifying concepts of 1Malaysia and the Global Movement of the Moderates. While the concepts were partly about establishing a dialogue, Najib said he was also determined that they lead to real action.

They include his meeting with Pope Benedict XVI last year, after which Malaysia formally established diplomatic relations with Vatican City.

“I very much enjoyed meeting Pope Benedict XVI in person, and now look forward to following his tweets!” said Najib, referring to the Pope who recently set up a Twitter account to communicate with his followers.

Najib said another step forward came last week when the Government announced that it would ensure any Malaysian Christian who wishes to travel to Jerusalem for a pilgrimage would be able to do so.

Tracing the roots of Malaysia’s Christians, Najib said Persian and Turkish traders brought Nestorian Christianity to the country as early as the 7th century. They were followed by the Portuguese who brought Catholicism in the 15th century and the Dutch who spread Protestantism in the 17th century.

“As Christmas comes in the last week of the year, it is also a good time to reflect on what has been and will be,” said Najib.

Obama’s Invigorated Second Term

November 8, 2012

Obama’s victory is just the latest chapter of his remarkable story. It remains to be seen if he can deliver his promises of change and renewal to America – but no one can doubt that he has revolutionised its political scene, perhaps forever.–Karim Raslan@www.thestar.com.my

New York Times Editorial: An Invigorated Second Term for Barack Obama

Early Wednesday morning, as sleep-deprived supporters rallied for a final cheer, President Obama concluded his re-election campaign with a promising glimpse at what the fight was all about: a second-term agenda that can make real progress on issues neglected in the first.

Without question, the President intends to build on and improve the significant accomplishments of the last four years, particularly the full implementation of health care reform and the use of government policy to keep the economy growing. But the President went beyond that in his victory speech and added some less familiar words to his policy vocabulary.

Children should live in a world that is not burdened by debt or weakened by inequality, he said, but also one “that isn’t threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet.” That suggests he knows he has an opportunity to address climate change with more vigor, going beyond auto-mileage standards and renewable-energy jobs to possibly advocating tougher carbon emissions standards.

The President also said he was looking forward to working with Republicans to fix the immigration system, giving him a chance to do more than promote the Dream Act for young immigrants. He could lead the way to comprehensive reform that combines strong enforcement with a path to citizenship for immigrants already here. He also hinted that combating poverty might move higher on his priority list.

And he spoke of tax reform, an issue that will immediately begin to grow louder with the expiration of the Bush-era tax cuts at year’s end.

Mr. Obama won re-election on an unambiguous promise not to renew those cuts for incomes of $250,000 or more, and his supporters expect him to stick to that vow. In coming months, after he persuades Congress to keep taxes from rising on the middle class, he should push to restore a fair estate tax and raise the low capital gains rate to the level of ordinary income.

He even mentioned the need to fix a balloting system that left thousands of people standing in long lines to vote this week, a tantalizing hint that electoral reform might become a priority.

All these agenda items require the same ingredient: ending his standoffish attitude toward Congress and working closely with any leader or lawmaker willing to make real progress. That may be easier now that Senate Democrats (and their independent allies) have expanded their majority by two seats to 55, many of them filled with newcomers more liberal and feisty than their predecessors, most notably Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.

The new Democratic caucus’s first order of business should be a reform of the filibuster that prevents its routine abuse by Republicans, and the majority leader, Harry Reid, suggested Wednesday that he supported some modest changes. The newcomers, along with the White House, should forcefully advocate that he go as far as possible.

A newly energized Obama administration and Senate could have the effect of isolating the supply-side dead-enders in the House. John Boehner, the House speaker, announced Wednesday that nothing had changed; he and his caucus still oppose higher tax rates for the rich and still want to pursue Mr. Romney’s defeated goal of raising revenue by lowering rates and cutting unspecified loopholes.

Standing up to Republican recalcitrance on this and many other issues will require bringing to bear political pressure from the coalition that gave Mr. Obama a commanding victory in the Electoral College on Tuesday.

The President’s victory was decisive, and many who didn’t support him nonetheless told pollsters that they agreed with his positions on taxes, health care and immigration. He now needs to use the power that voters have given to him to enhance and broaden his agenda.

A version of this editorial appeared in print on November 8, 2012, on page A22 of the New York edition with the headline: An Invigorated Second Term.

Obama Wins but Washington remains divided as ever

by Peter Baker (11-07-12) @http://www.nytimes.com

After $6 billion, two dozen presidential primary election days, a pair of national conventions, four general election debates, hundreds of Congressional contests and more television advertisements than anyone would ever want to watch, the two major political parties in America essentially fought to a standstill.

When all the shouting was done, the American people on Tuesday more or less ratified the status quo that existed at the start of the day: they returned President Obama to the White House for another four years, reaffirmed Republican control of the House and kept the Senate in Democratic hands. As of Wednesday, the margins in the House and the Senate had each changed by just two or three seats.

The tie in effect went to the Democrats, who had more to lose but did not. Not only did they retain the presidency, they held off a concerted drive to take over the Senate and instead added slightly to their majority.

The Republicans lost a signal opportunity to win Senate seats in states that by most measures should be their territory — Indiana, Missouri and North Dakota — while losing seats they had held in Maine and Massachusetts.

For his part, Mr. Obama won a clear victory but less decisively than other presidents who were re-elected. He garnered just 50 percent of the popular vote, three percentage points lower than in 2008, in a sign of just how divided the country remains over his leadership. His margin in the Electoral College was stronger, but even if he wins Florida, which remained too close to call, he will be the first president since Franklin D. Roosevelt to win a second term with fewer electoral votes than in his first election, suggesting a narrowing of his coalition.

The bottom-line scorecard left Washington as divided as ever, with no resolution of most of the fundamental issues at stake. The profound debate that has raged over the size and role of government, the balance between stimulus spending and austerity and the proper level of taxation has not been settled in the least. The next two years could easily duplicate the last two as the parties battle it out.

At least in public, the two sides were pledging on Wednesday that things would change. In his victory speech, the president said he was “looking forward to reaching out and working with leaders of both parties to meet the challenges we can only solve together: reducing our deficit, reforming our tax code, fixing our immigration system, freeing ourselves from foreign oil.”

Speaker John A. Boehner, Republican of Ohio, struck a conciliatory tone Wednesday afternoon, saying he was ready to accept a budget deal that raised federal revenues if it was linked to an overhaul of entitlement programs and an overhaul of the tax code.

If nothing else, one issue does seem resolved by the election. The president’s health care program, which Mitt Romney had vowed to begin dismantling on the first day of his presidency, now seems certain to survive. While House Republicans continue to oppose it and may find ways to attack it through legislation, they now know that they do not have the ability to overturn it.

It also may be possible for the two sides to come together on another big issue: immigration. In his victory speech, Mr. Obama listed revamping the system as one of four specific goals. While he made little mention of immigration during campaign speeches, Democrats argue that Republicans may now be willing to find compromise given the election results and the growing power of the Latino vote. Some moderate Republicans agree, although it is not clear whether the party as a whole has come to that conclusion.

But it will be the fiscal issues that will play out in the short term, and both sides quickly moved to define the election results as a validation of their viewpoint.

Neera Tanden, the president of the liberal research group Center for American Progress, called the election “a decisive mandate for a fair tax system where the wealthy contribute to address our deficit challenges.”

Chris Chocola, the President of the conservative antitax group Club for Growth, congratulated House Republicans who had won and praised their “record of fighting to limit government and pass pro-growth policies.”

For now, uncertainty will probably continue for at least a few weeks as the newly re-elected president and re-elected Republicans circle warily and plot their next moves. Whether the talk of cooperation translates into action remains unclear, but many are already skeptical.

Dale Brown, the president of the Financial Services Institute, cited the “closeness of the election results” in urging Mr. Obama to tread lightly on any new regulatory initiatives, a priority for his group. But looking at the enormous fiscal issues confronting the country, Mr. Brown noted that “the next 13 months are critical” because after that, “Congress will be back in re-election mode and will not tackle anything that could put their own re-elects in jeopardy.”

A version of this news analysis appeared in print on November 8, 2012, on page P3 of the New York edition with the headline: Smoke Clears to Show a Battlefield Little Changed.

RIO+20 is a Milestone for Sustainable Development

June 13, 2012

by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon

Next week, world leaders gather for a momentous occasion — the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro. Will it be a success? In my opinion, yes.

To be sure, the negotiations have been lengthy. Even now there is more disagreement than agreement on the details of the so-called “outcome document” that will emerge. Yet that will not be the defining measure. Far more important is what the Rio conference has already accomplished. And that is to build a global movement for change.

Rio+20 is a milestone on a long road. The famous 1992 Earth Summit put sustainable development on the global agenda. Today, we have come to a broader and more nuanced understanding of this age-old imperative: how to better balance the development needs of a growing world population — so that all may enjoy the fruits of prosperity and robust economic growth — with the necessity of conserving our planet’s most precious resources: land, air and water.

At Rio, more than 100 heads of state and government will join an estimated 25,000 participants to map our way ahead. For too long we have sought to burn and consume our way to prosperity. That model is dead. At Rio, we must begin to create a new one — a model for a 21st century economy that rejects the myth that there must be a zero-sum trade-off between growth and the environment.

Increasingly, we understand that, with smart public policies, governments can grow their economies, alleviate poverty, create decent jobs and accelerate social progress in a way that respects the earth’s finite natural resources.

In this larger sense, I believe that momentum for change is already irreversible. The evidence is all around, hiding in plain sight in countries large and small, rich and poor. Barbados, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea and South Africa, among many others, are already adopting “green growth” strategies that use limited natural resources more efficiently, create jobs and promote low-carbon development.

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Kenya, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Senegal and Ukraine are applying new green-growth technologies in a variety of industries, from agriculture to tourism. China has committed to supply 16 percent of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2020 and plans to invest more than US$450 billion (RM1.35 billion) in waste recycling and clean technologies under its current five-year plan.

In Brazil, waste management and recycling employs more than 500,000 people, most of whom live on society’s margins. Under its new National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, India has begun paying people to better manage natural resources, such as forests and fresh water.

Wherever you look, national and local authorities are adopting principles and practices that, taken together, could help move us from a prospect of environmental ruin and growing social inequality toward a new era of inclusive and balanced sustainable growth.

Governments and nation-states are not alone in driving this transformation. At Rio, more than 1,000 corporate leaders from all continents will deliver a common message: business as usual no longer works.  Many are members of the United Nations Global Compact — volunteers in a growing private-sector movement that understands that 21st-century corporate responsibility means corporate sustainability.

Thus Nike (a champion of so-called “closed loop” manufacturing that minimizes industrial pollution) has initiated a new program called Mata no Peito — a Portuguese colloquialism for “taking on a challenge” by helping protect Brazilian forest ecosystems. Unilever has pledged to source all its raw materials from sustainable sources by 2020.  Kenya’s Safaricom has integrated gender equality into its internal policies to create a mother-friendly environment.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has announced it will soon go carbon-neutral. China’s Broad Group produces non-electric air conditioning units that are 200 percent more energy efficient; it is now diversifying into other energy-saving products and sustainable buildings.

ToughStuff from Mauritius seeks to bring affordable and reliable solar energy to 33 million people in Africa by 2016, and the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company is working to provide rural electrification in Afghanistan and the South Pacific island nation of Tonga.

Energy will be a major focus at Rio. I call it the “golden thread” that connects the dots to a sustainable future — the key driver for development, social inclusion and environmental protection, including climate change.

That is why, in 2011, I established a new initiative called Sustainable Energy for All. Our aim: to ensure universal access to modern energy services for the one in five people worldwide who lack them; to reduce energy waste by doubling energy efficiency; and to double the share of renewables in the global energy mix.

In Rio, leaders from government, business and civil society will announce a galaxy of actions to advance these goals, from promoting cleaner, more efficient cook-stoves to helping governments scale up their geothermal and other renewable energy potential. Sustainable Energy for All is the partnership model of the future.  The principle is simple but powerful: the United Nations uses its unrivalled convening power to bring all relevant actors to the table so they can work in common cause for the common good.

At bottom, this is what Rio+20 is all about. Yes, the negotiations themselves are very important. Agreements that can be committed to paper today will shape the debates of tomorrow. But Rio+20 goes beyond that.

It is the expression of a dynamic global movement for change — and a big step forward toward the future we want.

* Ban Ki-moon is Secretary-General of the United Nations

NFC could influence GE-13 outcome

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

March 16, 2012

NFC could be a decisive factor in GE-13 outcome if poorly handled, says Daim

by www.malaysiakini.com

UMNO Veteran and former  Finance Minister  (Tun)Daim Zainuddin warned that if the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) scandal is not managed properly, it will affect the BN’s fate in the next general election.

“Generally, people tend to forget an issue after 14 days but ‘Cowgate’ is different, regardless of ethnicity, whether Malay, Chinese or Indian, they all know what a cow is about, the rural folk also know the value of a cow.

“You have to be careful, ‘Cowgate’ can affect many votes,” he told Sin Chew Daily in an exclusive interview published today.

The NFC scandal has a far greater impact compared with the Lynas rare earths plant issue, said Daim (left), because taxpayers’ money is used in the cattle breeding project.

The rare earth plant at Gebeng, Pahang, will not impact much on other states, he opined.

On the possible political landscape after the next polls, Daim said it will be most unfortunate if UMNO manages to maintain its support but with both MCA and Gerakan wiped out by voters.

It will show that the electorate is voting along racial lines instead of as Malaysians, and the country will continue to be divided by racial differences, he elaborated.

As a close colleague of former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Daim was UMNO treasurer from 1984 to 2001.

He served as Finance Minister from 1984 to 1991 and as minister with special functions at the Prime Minister’s Department in 1998, before being re-appointed as finance minister in 1999. He retired in 2001.

A year before the 2008 general election, Daim warned that BN will lose Penang, Selangor and Kedah and the ‘Daim prophecy’ proved true when the coalition was hit by the ‘political tsunami’ on March 8 that year.

“In victory, magnanimity”, Netto counsels

December 15, 2011

“In victory, magnanimity”, Netto counsels Lim Guan Eng and Pakatan

by Terence Netto@http://www.malaysiakini.com

COMMENT : “In victory, magnanimity.” Winston Churchill’s wartime counsel ought to be Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s guide in the flush of his court victory yesterday over Utusan Malaysia.

This victory may be overturned on appeal; the appellate courts in the country are not known to be Pakatan Rakyat-friendly, having upheld appeals against decisions awarded by courts in favour of the opposition.

Nevertheless, Lim’s success in the Utusan case ought to be occasion for the lifting of a ban on the UMNO-owned paper’s coverage of his public functions. To be sure, there was some justification for the ban: the paper had adopted a ‘hostility first, objectivity take the hindmost’ attitude towards DAP, particularly its Penang wing.

From the time the DAP-led government was installed in Penang, Utusan had adopted a stance of rabid hostility towards Pakatan, particularly the DAP, selecting Lim for specially morbid coverage.

The DAP secretary-general had sued the paper a year ago for defamation over a speech he had delivered at the Pakatan convention in Kepala Batas on December 19.

Based on that speech, Utusan had published an article by correspondent Zulkiflee Bakar in its December 20 edition that High Court judge GV Varughese yesterday found to be defamatory towards Lim.

The judge ruled in Lim’s favour, awarding the Chief Minister RM200,000 in damages and ordering Utusan to pay RM25,000 as costs. The judge was unmoved by Zulkiflee’s plea that he could not verify the claims he had made in his article because the Chief Minister had imposed a bar on Utusan journalists covering his functions.

Media ban unwise

This bar was always unwise though it may have given enormous psychic satisfaction to its enforcers. The withdrawal of access, the banning of the attendance and circulation of hostile media, are not infrequently the responses of newsmakers when faced with inveterately hostile members of the fourth estate.

Not just the Penang CM’s cohort has enforced this boycott against Utusan, but PKR had also imposed this ban on the paper covering their functions held at the party headquarters in Tropicana.

There were grounds to impose the ban: a shrill Utusan has often been malevolent in its coverage of the Pakatan parties. When appeals to Utusan to be responsible in their coverage fell on deaf ears, both DAP and PKR resorted to barring journalists from the paper.

Still, it’s a kneejerk reaction of dubious value. In Utusan’s case, it did not lead to amended behaviour; in fact, the hostility only mounted.

Sure, it is easy to be high-minded when you are not at the end of the receiving line of abuse, particularly vitriol of the kind that can fan racial and religious tensions, as Utusan’s bilge manifestly has been.

But a ban on established media covering public functions is an action that cannot avoid being viewed as anything else but arbitrary; just as the press’s abdication of its duty of responsible journalism cannot avoid censure for being contemptible.

Both lapses from what is considered decorous are notably difficult to police, the interface between elected authority and the fourth estate in a democracy being an area that inherently defies parsing.

The area is best left disheveled, with the courts as the recourse to parties that feel libeled, or in the case of Utusan, impeded in pursuit of their function.

The gold standard

Pakatan should not resort to the ban towards hostile members of the fourth estate. Pakatan, which have suffered much from repression by the ruling UMNO-BN, and knowing how vital freedom of the press is to a democracy, should renounce such devices as boycotts and bans when faced with the adversarial press, no matter how implacable the hostility of members of the latter tribe gets.

Two decades back, the late president of PAS, Fadzil Noor (right), displayed admirable understanding and composure during an annual assembly of the party when the perceived negative reporting of certain media drew angry threats from delegates to burn the publications and their representatives.

Fadzil interjected during assembly proceedings to remind irate delegates that members of the offending publications could not be held responsible for their biased coverage because they were merely hewers of wood and drawers of water.

He said the editors and owners of the press were the culpable ones so that action against their representatives at the assembly would only victimise those who were, in a sense, victims themselves.

Fadzil displayed commendable perspicuity at a point when the threat of harm to some journalists assigned to cover the PAS assembly was real. Present-day Pakatan leaders ought to adopt the attitude of one of the coalition’s founding lights as the gold standard in relations with a hostile press.

Najib, like Badawi, lacks conviction

September 22. 2011

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

by Liew Chin Tong, DAP MP for Bukit Bendera

Like his predecessor Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the ultimate challenge facing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is not an external one. It is internal. In fact, it is an issue of personality. Najib simply lacks conviction.

A hundred foreign public relations firms doing a function similar to what the bright young advisers of Putrajaya’s fourth floor did during Pak Lah’s era won’t be able to solve the myriad of problems facing the Prime Minister.

Najib’s reform announcement on the eve of Malaysia Day has the potential to transform the country into a mature nation… something that Malaysians have been yearning for two decades.

His promises, among others, include putting an end to the various Emergency declarations, repealing the notorious Internal Security Act, and removing the annual licensing requirement for newspapers under the still very restrictive Printing Presses and Publications Act.

Since the beginning of discussions on Vision 2020 and “Melayu Baru” in the early 1990s, Malaysians of all backgrounds, Malays included, have been wanting Malaysia to be a normal democracy in which basic human rights are respected and due processes followed.

Anti-corruption and anti-cronyism, good governance, and fairer access to opportunities were the shared themes of the last three general elections (in 1999, 2004 and 2008) since the Asian economic crisis. This trend was highlighted all the more when Abdullah succeeded only by hijacking the reform platform in 2004.

While no one expected Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to reform the outdated institutions during his rule, many Malaysians, in particular Malays, tolerated his excesses in the 1990s as they hoped the then-Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would take over and liberate the system. But the future did not come and the past still refuses to go away.

Expectations for major institutional reform were particularly high after Abdullah assumed the premiership in October 2003, and stayed that way when Najib took over in April 2009.

Both Abdullah and Najib failed to deliver on the reforms they promised, and both had their credibility badly dented by their respective mishandling of the Bersih rallies of November 2007 and July 2011.

Najib effectively ended Abdullah’s tenure through meetings on September 17 and 26, 2008, citing the threat of Anwar’s September 16 claim and Abdullah’s diminishing popularity.

In the first instance, Abdullah conceded his much-coveted finance portfolio to Najib and, blood having been drawn, at the UMNO supreme council meeting a week later, Abdullah was forced to hasten his retirement plan.

Ironically, Najib’s fate seems to be a repeat of his predecessor’s, especially after a Merdeka Center survey revealed on August 29, 2011 that his popularity had dived further south. Sensing that the knives may already have been drawn, Najib sought desperately for some way to steer his fate away from the same path that he forced Abdullah onto.

Dr Mahathir was already seen lurking in the background. Note that he had already scheduled himself to give a huge television interview on Malaysia Day. I strongly suspect that this was what prompted Najib to make his big announcement on the eve of the big day.

Both Abdullah and Najib began their premiership cognizant of the fact that their success would be determined by the extent to which they could reform the oldest elected government in the world that is still in office.

Yet, none of them wanted to be a Mikhail Gorbachev or a B.J. Habibie. Perhaps glasnost has a bad name.

Few knew that autocrats in Taiwan and South Korea conceded Emergency powers under pressure from democratic uprisings in 1987 but managed to delay regime change for more than a decade by competing in reasonably clean and democratic elections, with the huge financial and administrative resources that were at their disposal.

South Korea saw a complete break only in 1997 with the election of Kim Dae-Jung while Taiwan’s regime change happened only in 2000. But, as I said, both Najib and Abdullah lack conviction. Without conviction there is no coherent agenda, not to mention determination and imagination — these are leadership qualities that define most reformers. 

Abdullah relied on the fourth-floor boys while Najib depends on one after another expensive foreign consultants. There is a strong tendency at all levels to mistake media advisers sitting in air-conditioned rooms for street-wise political strategists.

Top-level sophisticated strategists and operatives with stature among the UMNO rank and file such as Daim Zainuddin (above left), Sanusi Junid (right), the late Megat Junid and Aziz Samsuddin(below left) or a propagandist like the late Mohamed Rahmat who were active during Dr Mahathir’s time have no equivalent within both Abdullah and Najib teams.These individuals were extremely good at what they did and were ably led by Mahathir.

The previously effective political machine of UMNO which saw generations of brilliant political operatives at all levels from the top down to the village level has given way to a chase for contracts and nothing else.

Najib is now entering his “Pak Lah moment”, and unless he can reshape his game by at least changing his Cabinet, his future is already here for all to see.

Malaysian Diplomacy in Islam Hadhari Style

September 5, 2011

http://www.malaysiakini.com

Malaysiakini reports:  Pak Lah’s ‘Working Visit’ has US envoys scratching heads

Then Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s 2006 visit to St Vincent and the Grenadines  failed to convince US diplomats of the absence of shady deals involving the Caribbean nation’s Premier Ralph Gonsalves.This was after Gonsalves’ visit to Malaysia, deemed by the US as part of “globetrotting” which St Vincent and the Grenadines could “ill-afford”, raising suspicion of financing by “third parties”.US Deputy Chief of Mission to Barbados Mary Ellen T Gilroy (left) made this observation in a diplomatic cable from the US embassy in Bridgetown, leaked by whistleblower website WikiLeaks.

According to the cable classified as “sensitive”, Abdullah’s visit from April 29 to May 2 “was really a vacation”, and not a “working visit” as claimed by Wisma Putra as there was “no concrete agenda”.

The cable was leaked on August 30, a day before current Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s now scrutinised visit to Perth, Australia.

The PM was conspicuously missing from Malaysia on National Day, but the jet said to be his official plane was spotted by a Malaysiakini reader at the Perth Airport on Aug 31.

Malaysiakini contacted PM’s aides to get confirmation but was repeatedly refused the information. However, national news agency Bernama had on the following day reported that he was there for physiotherapy for a knee injury and held a meeting with Malaysian students in Perth.

Working visit included vacation on luxury islands

In the cable, Gilroy wrote that Abdullah had “vacationed for a few days on the Grenadine islands Mustique and Canuoan” after meeting with Gonzalves, who had also accompanied him on a fishing trip.

She noted that the Grenadine islands of Mustique and Canuoan are “stylish” compared to the “squalid” main island of St Vincent.

Mustique is a private island containing private villas, most of which owned by international celebrities, while Canuoan is home to high-end resorts and a golf course developed by mogul Donald Trump.

Gilroy observed that besides the initial meeting with Gonsalves upon Abdullah’s arrival, Abdullah’s only official undertaking on the trip was an address to the St Vincent parliament, before departing to Jamaica on May 2.

According to a Bernama report in April 2006, Abdullah is expected to “address the House of Assembly, meet ordinary Vincentians and be briefed about Malaysian investment projects in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines”.

The delegation included then works minister S Samy Vellu, then youth and sports minister Azalina Othman Said, then higher education minister Mustapa Mohamed and then deputy foreign minister Joseph Salang “as well as senior officials of the Prime Minister’s Office, Foreign Ministry and other government agencies”.

“The visit would enable the PM to establish personal contact and forge closer rapport and understanding with both Gonsalves and (Jamaican PM Portia) Simpson Miller.

“He will also evaluate potential areas of cooperation and seek ways to enhance trade and investment activities between Malaysia and the two Caribbean countries,” Bernama reported.

Najib’s Approval Rating Drops

August 30, 2011

Najib’s Approval Rating drops to 59 Per Cent

by Nigel Aw@www.malaysiakini.com
Aug 29, 11
1:12pm

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s approval rating has declined six points to 59 percent, according to the latest report by independent pollster Merdeka Center for Opinion Research.

Merdeka Center attributes the decline to increased concerns over the spiraling cost of living as consumers begin to feel the impact of recent increase in fuel and electricity prices. The pollster also acknowledged that the way the government handled the Bersih 2.0 rally had generated some “adverse” negative perceptions and eroded the Prime Minister’s support.

The latest announcement puts the Prime Minister’s approval rating at its lowest point in nearly two years. Najib’s approval rating has been on a steady decline since June 2010, after having achieved a record high of 72 percent.

This is the first time that his approval rating hits below 60 percent since September 2009 when he scored 56% – his second lowest after his not-so-impressive showing of 45% in May, a month after he took the helm from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi [see below].

On the up side, the number of people who are dissatisfied with the Prime Minister remained unchanged at 27 percent.The survey period was between Aug 11 and Aug 27 which coincided with the announcement of the proposed parliamentary select committee on electoral reform, and a month after the Bersih rally of July 9.

Down three points

The survey, based on 1,027 respondents, found that slightly more than half – 51 percent – felt that the country was going in the right direction, down three points. Along ethnic lines, Najib’s support among ethnic Malays declined slightly by four points, down from 73 percent, whereas support from the ethnic Chinese tumbled, dropping a whopping 11 points to 38 percent.

The outlook of Indian Malaysians on the direction the country has taken also took a dive from 54 to 39 points, but interestingly, they are the only group to have increased their support for Najib, up two points from 67 percent.

Based on the survey, almost one third of respondents are worried about the rising cost of living, a concern that cuts across ethnic lines.

Najib had on July 27 announced that the seventh National Key Results Area will be introduced to the Government Transformation Programme to address the spiraling cost of living, but the Government appears to have done little to soothe concerns.

NAJIB’S POPULARITY RATING (2009-2011)       

2009  

May – 45%
June – 65%
July – 64%
Sept – 56%
Dec – 66%

2010

March – 69%
May – 72%
Nov – 69%

2011

March – 67%
May – 65%
Aug – 59%

Perutusan Khas Hari Raya Aidilfitri Dan Hari Kemerdekaan

August 29 ,2011

PERUTUSAN KHAS HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI DAN HARI KEMERDEKAAN OLEH
YAB. DATO’ SRI MOHD. NAJIB TUN ABDUL RAZAK
PERDANA MENTERI MALAYSIA
29 OGOS 2011

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh dan Salam Aidilfitri serta Salam Kemerdekaan,

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Walillah hil Hamd.

Pertamanya, segala ucapan tahmid dipanjatkan ke hadrat Allah SWT justeru selesai sebulan kita melaksanakan ibadah puasa dalam satu perjalanan spiritual mentarbiyyah rohani dan menguji fizikal. Maka, dengan tibanya fajar Syawal yang mulia, umat Islam hari ini dengan penuh rasa kesyukuran menyambut satu kemenangan mujahadah yang tertinggi pengertiannya seperti disifatkan oleh Rasulullah SAW yakni jihad bagi melawan nafsu.

Pada tahun ini, ditaqdirkan sesuatu yang bitara dan unik, sebagai rakyat Malaysia kita bertuah dapat menyambut gema Aidilfitri berselang sehari dengan ulangtahun sambutan kemerdekaan negara yang ke lima puluh empat. Kedua-dua perayaan ini mempunyai signifikan begitu besar kepada negara yang mempunyai kemajmukan amat kompleks seperti Malaysia di mana bukan sahaja wujud perbezaan daripada segi etnik tetapi juga teranyam indah dengan kepelbagaian agama, budaya, bahasa dan taraf sosioekonomi.

Pucuk pangkalnya, rakyat Malaysia yang berlainan agama, anutan dan kepercayaan mempunyai banyak sebab untuk bersyukur dan berterima kasih. Hakikat bahawa, Malaysia telah dan sedang dirahmati nikmat keamanan juga kemakmuran tidak mampu disangkal oleh mana-mana pihak. Jelas sekali, kita ibarat sebuah oasis di tengah-tengah dunia berkecamuk sedang dilanda badai politik dan kegoncangan ekonomi yang bertali arus.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

Hari ini, seperti yang kita maklum, ketika gergasi ekonomi dunia seperti Amerika Syarikat dan juga beberapa negara anggota Kesatuan Eropah yang dikelompokkan sebagai ekonomi maju sedang bergelut dengan krisis kewangan serius sehingga memerlukan penyelamatan atau “bailout”, sebaliknya, Malaysia hasil pengurusan yang berhemah serta cekap, masih mampu bukan sahaja untuk mengembangkan ekonomi dan mencipta peluang pekerjaan baru tetapi juga untuk memberikan setengah bulan bonus kepada satu perpuluhan empat juta kakitangan awam yang menelan belanja dua bilion ringgit menjelang sambutan istimewa perayaan Aidilfitri dan Hari Kemerdekaan.

Sungguhpun yang demikian, kita tidak boleh sekali-kali terbuai dan berpuas hati dengan ehwal kejayaan tersebut. Untuk itu, sepanjang tempoh dua tahun yang lepas, pancang-pancang telah dipasak oleh kerajaan bagi memastikan penciptaan kekayaan baru, pertumbuhan ekonomi berterusan dan penciptaan pekerjaan berganjaran tinggi selaras dengan kemahiran yang semakin meningkat. Apa yang diimpikan adalah sebuah negara yang makmur dan sejahtera dimana setiap individu sanggup bekerja keras, meningkatkan kemahiran secara istiqomah dan beriltizam menggunakan segala peluang dengan bijak agar dapat mencorak sebuah kehidupan bahagia berkelangsungan hingga cucu cicit kita kelak.

Peri pentingnya, setiap seorang daripada kita hendaklah mengetahui bahawa, matlamat tertinggi kerajaan adalah untuk mendahulukan kebajikan seluruh rakyat, sebagai suatu urutan keutamaan yang telah menjadi wawasan nasional semenjak negara mencapai kemerdekaan. Dari itu, sebagai kerajaan yang merasai denyut nadi rakyat, lagi prihatin terhadap kegundahan serta resah gelisah warganya dan memahami kebimbangan mereka, kita sedar tentang fenomena kos kehidupan semakin meningkat sekaligus kita maklum terhadap harga bahan makanan yang semakin naik. Lantaran itu, kerajaan telah dan akan terus mengambil tindakan memperbaiki dan memperelok keadaan ini secara berperingkat serta menyeluruh demi kepentingan rakyat.

7. Pokoknya di sini, sekalipun fenomena kenaikan harga bahan makanan bersifat global, namun sebagai kerajaan bertanggungjawab kita tidak akan berpaling daripada menghadapi sebarang cabaran. Misalannya, sebagai langkah awal kita telah menjadikan matlamat menangani kos kehidupan yang semakin meningkat sebagai satu lagi Bidang Keberhasilan Utama Negara atau NKRA yang terbaru. Satu Jawatankuasa Kabinet Mengenai Bekalan dan Harga Barang juga telah ditubuhkan dengan dipengerusikan sendiri oleh YAB. Timbalan Perdana Menteri. Sememangnya, langkah-langkah ini membuktikan komitmen kerajaan bagi memastikan program yang bakal digubal serta dilaksanakan akan benar-benar mampu membantu rakyat.

Selain daripada itu, kerajaan akan meneruskan dasar memberi subsidi secara langsung atau tidak langsung. Ini terutamanya, subsidi bahan makanan yang terpilih seperti beras, minyak masak, tepung gandum dan gula. Begitu juga bahan bakar seperti Petrol RON95, Diesel dan LPG serta perkhidmatan kesihatan dan pendidikan. Akan tetapi, kita berhasrat melakukannya dengan lebih cermat dan bijaksana tanpa menjejaskan kesihatan fiskal negara dengan mendukung prinsip bahawa mereka yang lebih memerlukan dan berkelayakan akan didahului serta diutamakan.

Sehubungan itu, baru-baru ini saya telah mengumumkan beberapa inisiatif awal bagi membantu mengurangkan bebanan yang ditanggung. Antaranya, Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia di mana barang-barang keperluan berjenama 1Malaysia mampu dibeli dengan harga yang lebih rendah berbanding harga pasaran. Di Klinik-Klinik 1Malaysia pula rawatan asas boleh diperolehi dengan bayaran seringgit dan yang mutakhir melalui Program Kebajikan Rakyat 1Malaysia atau singkatannya KAR1SMA sejumlah 1.4 Bilion akan diperuntukan kepada lima ratus ribu warga emas, orang kelainan upaya, ibu tunggal serta balu polis atau tentera yang berkelayakan.

Sesungguhnya, usaha kerajaan tidak terhenti sekadar itu sahaja. Selanjutnya, insyaAllah melalui Bajet 2012 yang akan dibentangkan pada awal Oktober nanti, saya akan mengumumkan pula langkah-langkah susulan bersifat lebih komprehensif bagi menangani masalah yang memberi kesan kepada isi keluarga yang berpendapatan rendah dan pertengahan.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

Dalam syiar meriahnya perayaan dan besarnya jiwa kemerdekaan, saya menyeru kepada semua agar tidak sekali-kali melupakan pengorbanan, darah, keringat dan air mata bapa-bapa kita para pejuang kemerdekaan negara serta anggota pasukan keselamatan negara dari dahulu hingga sekarang. Beringatlah yakni semuanya tidak terjelma dengan berwenang-wenang ataupun kekal lestari jika bahtera keramat kemerdekaan Malaysia tercinta ini terbiar hanyut tidak dikemudi dengan tulus, tidak dihargai dan musnah tanpa dipelihara. Oleh yang demikian, kita dengan ini menolak dan mengecam sekeras-kerasnya sebarang pernyataan dan usaha oleh mana-mana pihak yang ingin mempersenda atau memperlekeh pengorbanan mulia para wirawan dan wirawati negara serta keluarga mereka. Kita berasa kesal kerana mereka sebaliknya pula memperagungkan Parti Komunis Malaya yang anti Tuhan, anti agama dan anti Nasional.

Jadi, di atas segala-galanya, bagi memastikan apa yang terlimpah dan tercurah ke atas kita dan bumi Malaysia kekal berkesinambungan, maka perpaduan nasional perlu terus dibajai dan diperkukuhkan. Mudah-mudahan jua atas keinsafan ini makin tersepuh dan menebal semangat patriotisme dan kecintaan yang kukuh kepada pertiwi di setiap nubari kita.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

Bertolak dari situ, pada hemah saya, dua sambutan yang bersesekali ini sewajarnya membawa permaknaan dan pengertian yang mendalam tentang betapa besarnya kurniaan Ilahi kepada Malaysia yang makmur, bebas dari sebarang ketakutan dan kebimbangan terhadap keselamatan sama ada keselamatan diri kita mahupun keluarga disamping dapat meraikan hari-hari kebesaran sebegini dalam keadaan kecukupan dan kelimpahan.

Kata orang dulu-dulu, sempena hari baik bulan baik ditambah pula hembusan Merdeka, kita buanglah yang keruh, kita ambillah yang jernih. Di musim perayaan ini, marilah kita bersatu sebagai sebuah keluarga besar Malaysia supaya dapat menjadi contoh kerukunan hidup kepada seantero dunia.

Lantas, sempena bulan yang mulia dan semangat sambutan Hari Kebangsaan ini, ayuhlah kita terus menyemarakkan tradisi murni kunjung mengunjung dan mengadakan rumah terbuka. Seperti yang sering dinyatakan, bukalah pintu rumah dan pintu hati seluasnya dengan menjemput rakan-rakan berlainan kaum, kepercayaan dan agama ke rumah masing-masing. Di sinilah tergubah dan terlukisnya sebuah citra Malaysia yang kita damba-dambakan.

Akhir kata, saya dengan rasa kerendahan hati bagi pihak diri, isteri, anak-anak dan seisi keluarga mengambil kesempatan ini menyusun jari nan sepuluh memohon kemaafan zahir dan batin atas apa jua kesalahan mahupun kekhilafan yang dilakukan. Turut dihulurkan salam istimewa Hari Kemerdekaan kepada seluruh rakyat Malaysia dimana jua Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan berada. Semoga Tuhan sentiasa merahmati kita semua.

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar Walillah hil Hamd.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri dan Selamat Hari Kemerdekaan.

Wabillahi Taufiq Walhidayah Wassalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

 

The FBC Controversy widens

August 28, 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/

Press corps in Kuala Lumpur all knew FBC had close links to the Malaysian government with special access

By Ian Burrell, Media Editor

Friday, 26 August 2011

One of America’s most prestigious magazines, the 154-year-old The Atlantic, has become the latest high-profile news organisation to launch an investigation into its relationship with a media company that was allocated millions of pounds by the Malaysian government.

The Washington-based magazine and website is “reviewing all transactions” it had with FBC, a media company that also produced television programmes for the BBC and the business channel CNBC. The Independent revealed this month that FBC had been hired by Malaysia in a “global strategic communications campaign”.

The FBC programmes broadcast on BBC World News dealt with contentious issues including Malaysia’s treatment of its indigenous peoples, its management of rainforests and its controversial palm-oil industry. The BBC said: “FBC has now admitted to the BBC that it has worked for the Malaysian government. That information was not disclosed to the BBC as we believe it should have been when the BBC contracted programming from FBC. Given this, the BBC has decided to transmit no more programming from FBC while it reviews its relationship with the company.”

The Atlantic has ordered a “full review” into its own relationship with FBC. Justin Smith (right), president of Atlantic Media Co, publisher of the magazine, has resigned from the board of FBC. FBC’s founder Alan Friedman, a long-term friend of Mr Smith’s, blogged for The Atlantic from this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos. Mr Friedman also encouraged The Atlantic to host an event in March in which the Malaysian Prime Minister, Najib Razak, was interviewed by a correspondent of The Atlantic.

Natalie Raabe, director of communications for The Atlantic, said Mr Smith’s role at FBC was unpaid and “largely nominal”. She said that the magazine was “reviewing all interactions it has had with FBC and its chairman,” including blogs Mr Friedman wrote about Indonesia. “We have found several instances in which Friedman wrote positively about the Indonesian government and its representatives. Our internal process will seek to determine whether Friedman was representing Indonesia at the time he wrote for TheAtlantic.com.”

She said the company was also examining blog comments made by Mr Friedman(left with Najib) on Malaysia and had now attached an online reference to inform readers that he was working for the Malaysian government “at or around the time he wrote them”.

FBC also made a half-hourly weekly programme for CNBC, part of the American NBC network. Many of its episodes featured Malaysia. CNBC has withdrawn the programme “indefinitely” and “immediately initiated an examination of FBC and its business practices”. Since publication of The Independent’s investigation, the newspaper has been contacted by numerous correspondents based in Kuala Lumpur, who complained that the broadcasters should have taken action earlier.

One senior international journalist with a decade of experience in Malaysia, said FBC’s relationship with the Malaysian government was “common knowledge among the press corps in KL”. He said: “The real scandal is the failure by BBC and CNBC to police the outsourcing of their programmes. They need to answer some hard questions.”

The BBC said it had “acted swiftly to suspend the broadcasting from FBC” and pointed out that “all independent TV companies who produce programmes for BBC World News have to sign strict agreements”.

A former correspondent for a prominent US magazine said that correspondents became accustomed to seeing FBC granted access to “notoriously press-shy” senior political and business figures who would not speak to other sections of the media. “Knowing FBC and their modus operandi, it was pretty clear how it happened,” he said. The Independent has established that FBC also hired the Washington-based American lobbying company APCO Worldwide for the purpose of “raising awareness of the importance of policies in Malaysia that are pro-business and pro-investment as well as the significance of reform and anti-terrorism efforts in that country”.

FBC denies impropriety in any of its programme-making. Its lawyers said in a letter that “at no time have the television programmes made for the BBC ever been influenced or affected by our client’s commercial activities”. It said that FBC ran production and commercial divisions, which “are and always have been quite separate and distinct”. The BBC, CNBC and the media regulator Ofcom continue to investigate.

Rosmah Mansor not a liability to the Prime Minister

August 17, 2011

Rosmah Mansor not a liability to the Prime Minister, says Merdeka Center Oracle

by Hazlan Zakaria@http://www.malaysiakini.com
Aug 17, 11
10:34am

INTERVIEW Despite negative connotations hovering over ‘First Lady’ Rosmah Mansor, a pollster believes she may not be the liability to husband, premier Najib Abdul Razak, that many think she is.

“A lot of stuff is said about Rosmah. (The) mainstream media paint her as a very caring, concerned person, and she is being covered in the media on a frequent basis,” said Merdeka Centre director Ibrahim Suffian.

“(But) the media not aligned to the government paint her as a very negative person.”

Whether or not her negative image will drag down her husband’s political career would depend on the battle for media coverage, Ibrahim said. “It depends on what part of the news reaches the voters,” he argued, pointing out that the traditional media’s coverage is wider than that of new media.

Ibrahim (right) conceded, however, that the antics of people close to a leader could lead to the individual’s downfall.

As an example, he related how former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi received a very positive reaction from the people when he took office.

“But towards the end, political attacks on those around him, the ‘fourth floor boys’ and so on, gained traction.”

Similarly he believe that there is the possibility that the forces at play will try to paint Rosmah in a negative light and succeed in attacking Najib through her. “It all depends on how well the media is engaged. But, at the end of the day, it could very well backfire for the opposition as well, if whatever they are saying is untrue,” he cautioned. If this happens, this may strike a blow at the credibility of her detractors instead.

‘Attacks may backfire’

He cited the consistent attacks on Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim as one example how personal attacks may backfire.

“A lot of people may think that it is easy to villify someone, but look at Anwar, he has been attacked non-stop since 1998. But he is still there, an influential figure who commands support from a segment of the public.”

Ibrahim contends that, if accusations against Rosmah turn out to be untrue, her accusers would lose out.

“But if (their claims are) true, then they (PM and Rosmah) have a lot of explaining to do.”

Happy Independence Day, Indonesia

August 17, 2011

Bhinneka Tunggal Ika.

Happy Independence Day (August 17, 2011): The Republic of Indonesia

To the President, HE President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the People of the Republic of Indonesia,

Your friends, my wife Dr. Kamsiah and I in Malaysia extend to you our warmest wishes and congratulations on the occasion of your Independence Day –your 66th Year of Liberation and Freedom–which falls on August 17, 2011.

We admire your many achievements as a democratic  G-20 country and a gallant people, and appreciate your sterling contributions to the maintenance of regional peace and stability in Southeast Asia. Indonesia has played a pivotal role in the creation of an ASEAN Community.

We also note that despite occasional hiccups, the relations between our countries, Indonesia and Malaysia, remain good and hope with time, our two countries will be able to prosper together, and contribute to the socio-economic development of our region. May God Bless Indonesia and we wish you great success in the years to come. –Din Merican

Jealous of ‘national asset’ Rosmah

August 7, 2011

G Vinod@www.freemalaysiatoday.com (August 5, 2011)

The Premier’s wife hogs the limelight for all the wrong reasons, and those who defend her claim that critics cannot digest the fact that she is an intelligent woman.

Unlike his predecessors, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has a unique problem. Most of the time, his wife appears to be more popular than him.

But Rosmah Mansor is more infamous than famous, with the accusations ranging from having Najib wrapped around her finger, splurging millions on her lavish lifestyle, to more serious crimes.

According to observers, she, unlike her predecessors, has become a political liability to the Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional.

So FMT posed the question why Rosmah has become everyone’s favourite target. For the Coalition of Malay Students in Peninsular Malaysia (GPMS), the answer is simple. Her critics are envious.

Its secretary-general Zambri Mohd Isa said the opposition and its supporters cannot stand the fact that Rosmah is pro-active in her approach, leading them to hurl baseless allegations against her.

“If she sits quietly, no one will say anything. However, Rosmah wants to contribute to society. Is it wrong for her to do that?” he asked.

As for the diamond ring scandal, he said it is shameful that the opposition accused Rosmah of purchasing the ring when it was later “proven” that the item was brought here for an exhibition.

What has Wan Azizah done?

Zambri also drew a comparison between Rosmah and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, claiming that the latter has done nothing for Malaysians.

“While Rosmah is busy promoting Malaysia to the international community, Wan Azizah only does what she knows best, defending (her husband) Anwar (Ibrahim),” he said.

On the accusation that Rosmah went on frequent trips abroad, Zambri said being the wife of a Prime Minister, she has no choice but to accompany Najib on his working trips.

“And people say she is taking the spotlight from Najib. Tell me, if she just keeps to herself, would not the foreign dignitaries think she is being pompous?” he asked.

He then praised Rosmah, saying she has contributed a lot to the Malaysian badminton squad and children, through her Permata programme. “If anyone accuses Rosmah of defending her cronies, I would agree. Her cronies are the children in the Permata programme,” he added.

‘Hilarious slander’

Echoing Zambri’s sentiments, Selangor Coalition of NGOs against Corruption (GAPS) chairman Hamidzun Khairuddin described Rosmah as an asset to the country.

Her ideas, he said, can help in the nation’s administration. “And just because she is brainy, the opposition picks on her,” he added.Hamidzun pointed out that the wives of previous Prime Ministers also contributed to society but there was a lack of media coverage then.

“With the presence of the Internet, we can now get a lot of news, good and bad,” he said. Calling the diamond ring scandal ridiculous, Hamidzun said the matter was just a figment of someone’s imagination.“It’s a hilarious slander. The price is just too high for her to purchase the ring. Next time someone wants to lie about something, please do it wisely,” he added.

Hamidzun said that Malaysian women now play a vital role in the nation’s development and that included Rosmah.

“Even Bersih 2.0 is led by a woman (Ambiga Sreenevasan). But of course, she has her own agenda,” he added. Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali blamed the new media for the accusations against Rosmah.

“The whole thing is ridiculous. The mainstream media would never publish such nonsense as there is no proof to the allegations. It is the new media that loves to harp on rumours,” he said.

Describing Rosmah as someone who has the welfare of the people close to her heart, Syed Hassan praised her for working hard for the sake of all Malaysians.“But it is normal for opposition parties to attack her as it fits their agenda well,” he said.

US airs concerns on Malaysia’s crackdown

July 14, 2010

The United States on Wednesday voiced concern about Malaysia’s weekend crackdown on an opposition-backed rally and said it would keep an eye on developments.

Riot police fired tear gas and water cannons to end Saturday’s rally to demand electoral changes and arrested more than 1,600 people. One demonstrator was killed.

“We do have some concerns,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters. “We… continue to stand for the right for people to freely express their democratic aspirations and express their views freely.”

“I would stress that those must be peaceful demonstrations,” Toner said. “We continue to monitor the situation closely.”

Malaysia has promised to investigate allegations of police brutality. Prime Minister Najib Razak has defended the police, saying the rally was a ploy to tarnish the country’s image.

International human rights groups strongly criticized the crackdown and urged the United States and other countries to put pressure on Malaysia to ensure accountability.

Malaysia has been looking to build closer relations with the United States amid an effort by President Barack Obama’s administration to reach out to Southeast Asia.

Malaysia and the United States have long been major trading partners but political relations have been uneasy, particularly during the 22-year-rule of Mahathir Mohamad — an outspoken critic of US foreign policy.

The United States has also been concerned about the treatment of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim who spent six years in jail and is again on trial on allegations of sodomy, which is illegal in the Muslim-majority nation. Anwar says that the charges are politically motivated.

Obama invited Najib to Washington in April 2010 for a major summit on nuclear security and met him on the sidelines. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Malaysia in November.

BERSIH2.0′s Response to Chandra Muzaffar

July 3, 2011

July 9 Rally: The BERSIH2.0 Show will Go On

Let us listen to the political humour of Hishamuddin Rais. This is followed by a serious message from Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan.

United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton said of her: “… Ambiga Sreenevasan, has a remarkable record of accomplishment in Malaysia. She has pursued judicial reform and good governance, she has stood up for religious tolerance, and she has been a resolute advocate of women’s equality and their full political participation. She is someone who is not only working in her own country, but whose influence is felt beyond the borders of Malaysia. And it is a great honor to recognize her ...”

Dato’ Ambiga explains the mission of BERSIH2.0 and also why the show must go on, despite recent actions by our government. In the same breadth, both Hishamuddin and Dato Ambiga answer Dr. Chandra Muzaffar.

Article 10(1) grants freedom of speech, the right to assemble peaceably and the right to form associations to every Malaysian citizen but such freedom and rights are not absolute: the Constitution itself, by Article 10 (2), (3) and (4), expressly permits Parliament by law to impose restrictions in the interest of the security of the Federation, friendly relations with other countries, public order, morality, to protect the privileges of Parliament, to provide against contempt of court, defamation, or incitement to any offence.

Article 10 is a key provision of Part II of the Constitution, and has been regarded as “of paramount importance” by the judicial community in Malaysia.

Hishamuddin Rais in Action

Dr McCoy speaks his mind

Mrs Bhupalan Speaks

Civil Society Led-BERSIH2.0

Thank You, Dato A. Samad Said from Your Generation of Malaysians

Finally, I am posting a picture of Dato’ A Samad Said with his controversial poem Unggun Bersih.

Dato’ Samad (born in 1935) is a Malaysian intellectual of my generation and our internationally respect poet and novelist who, in May 1976, was named by Malay literature communities and many of the country’s linguists as the Pejuang Sastera [Literary Exponent] receiving, within the following decade, the 1976 Southeast Asia Write Award and, in 1986, in appreciation of his continuous writings and contributions to the nation’s literary heritage, or Kesusasteraan Melayu, the title Sasterawan Negara.

To you, dear Dato’, I say thank you for showing men and women of our generation that activism is not out of date, even at our age. Let us do it for the generations after us. We did what we had to do before but are now called upon to do it all over again for freedom, democracy and justice. Allah Selamatkan Malaysia, Negara tercinta.–Din Merican