Isnin, 28 Februari 2011

Lim Kit Siang

Lim Kit Siang


Is CSL going to apologise for producing a MCA President and MCA Deputy President who betrayed the trust of the people and country as Transport Minister in the RM12.5b PKFZ “grand corruption”?

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 11:48 PM PST

MCA President Datuk Dr. Chua Soi Lek astounded Malaysians and the world with his smug reaction to the corruption charges against a second MCA Minister yesterday – former MCA Deputy President and former Transport Minister Tan Sri Chong Kong Choy – in connection with the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) "scandal of scandals". [...]

London protesters want Taib’s assets frozen

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 08:56 PM PST

Mar 1, 11 Malaysiakini Some 20 protesters comprising Malaysians and foreigners have staged a ‘Stop Timber Corruption’ demonstration in the British capital to highlight alleged abuses of long-serving Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud. The demonstration, organised yesterday by NGO Bruno Manser Fund (BMF), was held outside a property company controlled by the Taib family, [...]

History’s shifting sands

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 03:05 AM PST

The revolutions sweeping the Arab world indicate a tectonic shift in the global balance of people power by Mark LeVine Aljazeera 26 Feb 2011 For decades, even centuries, the peoples of the Arab world have been told by Europeans and, later, Americans that their societies were stagnant and backward. According to Lord Cromer, author of [...]

Charles Santiago

Charles Santiago


FTA with EU will kill HIV patients’

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 05:57 PM PST

Source: Free Malaysia Today

Prices of medicine will be beyond reach to many once talks are concluded and they are likely to die as a result.

KUALA LUMPUR: A Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU) will significantly raise prices of much-needed anti-HIV medicine, according an advocacy group.

Positive Malaysian Treatment Access and Advocacy Group director Edward Low said that cheaper, generic HIV medicine cannot be sold in Malaysia after EU-FTA talks conclude.

"The FTA would stop locally-made generic medicine, or even from India, to be imported here," said Low during an anti-FTA protest in front of the Prince Hotel here today.

About 50 Oppressed People's Network (Jerit) and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members also joined in the protest.

PSM officials said that EU representatives and government officials were going to engage in FTA negotiations at the hotel, but they were told the meeting would only be held tomorrow.

The group later presented a memorandum to the EU office along Jalan Tun Razak. More than 10 police officers were present at the protest, though they did not interfere.

Acoording to a Jerit brochure, medicine prices would increase in the face of an FTA because of tightened Intellectual Property protections.

The brochure added that medicine prices in Guatemala had upped multi-fold after it entered into a FTA with the United States.

Low said that more than 93,000 out of an estimated 150,000 HIV patients depended on cheap anti-retroviral drugs to keep them alive.

"If we stop using these drugs, we'll die," he said, adding that the drugs were currently subsidised by the government, allowing patients to collect them for free.

He said that an FTA would force generic drug-companies out of the market, and penalise the Malaysian government for dealing with them.

This, he said, would make HIV medicine too expensive for most patients to buy.

SMEs also threatened

DAP economist Charles Santiago said that an FTA would enable a foreign company to take the Malaysian government to court in the event of a business infringement.

He also said that a FTA would end government procurement, and spell the death knell of the country's Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

"When an FTA is signed, both workers and SMEs will lose their jobs… because it destroys their livelihood," he said.

"After a FTA, government procurement will be opened to foreign companies to come in to compete for tenders."

"The government would also have to follow the dictates of the EU when it comes to policies," added the Klang MP.

PSM-Sungai Siput MP Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj said that it was better for Malaysia to enter into a FTA with less powerful regions such as Africa and Asean.

"We can't play with rich nations," he said. "If they wanted to lower their tariff, we would have to lower our tariffs."

Devaraj also said that a FTA would be more favourable to large corporations, and would sideline low-income workers such as farmers.

According to the Jerit-drafted memorandum, a EU-FTA would insist that Malaysia cut its agricultural tariffs.

"This will expose local chicken and other farmers to subsidised imports from the EU and sold at prices below Malaysia's cost of production, discouraging them from farming," said the memo.

It added that Ghana's chicken farmers ended up with a mere 11% domestic market share as opposed to the previous 95% market share when country's chicken tariffs were cut and was flooded with subsidised EU chicken.

"If this happened in Malaysia, it would leave it more dependent on imported food and made vulnerable when such imports dry up in times of shortage," it said.

 


Let's move Penang Forward

Let's move Penang Forward


许子根把民政党带到荷兰去!

Posted: 27 Feb 2011 07:40 PM PST

Philosophy Politics Economics

Philosophy Politics Economics


RM6 billion OPVs: The Navy Can Sue Me

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 06:12 AM PST

Utusan Malaysia proves to be the master of "putar-belit" with its article published on the 24 February entitled "TLDM akan saman Tony Pua" when the only comment made by the Navy Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar was that he does not rule out the possibility of filing a defamation suit against me. To quote Utusan itself, "Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) tidak menolak kemungkinan akan memfailkan saman fitnah terhadap Setiausaha Publisiti Kebangsaan DAP, Tony Pua."

But then again, we are already used to the lies spun by Utusan Malaysia.

Nevertheless, given the possibility that I may be sued for alleged defamation by the Navy, I'll make the open declaration that I'm ready to face any suit filed against me, in the line of my duty as a Member of Parliament.

When Defence Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi announced the order for 6 units of offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) for the amount of RM6 billion from Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd, he did so without any accompanying details. Given the size and scale of the expenditure with the tax-payers' money, it is imperative for an MP to be demand for the details of such an acquisition. This is especially so in the light of the fact that there are different types of "patrol vessels" priced between RM100 million to RM1 billion or more.

Malaysian citizens have a right to know what exactly we are getting for our money's worth especially given the less than stellar track record of our Ministry of Defence which is engulfed in scandals after scandals over the past decade, including the purchase of 6 offshore patrol vessels for RM5.35 billion in 2000 which was not only delayed for nearly 2 years, but had a major cost overrun of 26.2% or RM1.4 billion, costing the people a total of RM6.75 billion.

Tan Sri Abdul Aziz who subsequently clarified that the new patrol vessels purchased were very powerful and heavily equipped vessels which could take part in surface-to-air, surface-to-surface and anti-submarine warfare in the class of "littoral combat ships (LCS)".

Assuming that Boustead is indeed supplying 6 LCS for the Malaysian Navy which is worth an average of RM1 billion each, the Minister of Defence will still have to answer as to the rationale behind such extravagant purchases for our security needs.

In fact, there are only 2 Littoral Combat Ships in operation today in the world, the USS Independence and USS Freedom in the United States (US). Due to budget constraints, the US Navy had to undergo months of negotiations with the US Congress in the House of Representatives and Senate which voted against various plans before finally securing approval to place an order of 2 ships in 2010, another 2 in 2011 and more subsequently with 2 world-class military defence companies, Lockheed Martin and Austal.

While the United States which faces threats and fights wars in all parts of the world is cutting back on defence spending, owns only 2 LCS, Malaysia has chosen to spending RM6 billion to build 6 LCS in a region not anticipated to be facing threats or confrontation for a foreseeable future.

Worse, the proposed spending comes at a time when the Government is fighting to reign in the budget deficit, control the country's ballooning RM406 billion debt and has imposed austerity measures by cutting subsidies and increasing taxes of basic goods and services.

The Government needs to practice what it preach in the Government Transfrmation Programme (GTP) and New Economic Model (NEM) which called for accountable and transparent procurement practices. The threat of a lawsuit is not a first, for I have been similarly sued by SYABAS for calling upon the company to return its water concession to the Selangor state government to protect the interest of the rakyat, and I will continue to ask pertinent and uncomfortable questions to our Ministers to check on the excesses of the BN Government.

Chong Chieng Jen's Blog

Chong Chieng Jen's Blog


选民若拒绝人联非“造反”、而是希望“以廉制贪”

Posted: 27 Feb 2011 10:00 PM PST

人联党秘书长沈庆辉日前表示,指选民"即使'造反'也要有理由"的说辞,根本是典型的封建政治文化。现代民主政治的核心精神,就是选民才是"老板",即选民有权利透过手中的一票,来决定谁出任政府,并且享有有宪政保障的权利,通过每5年一次的选举将不称职的政府拉下马来。

选民如果在来届大选拒绝人联党,不是要"造反",也不是要"弄死"砂州政府中的华人代表,而是要迎来"以廉制贪"的新政治文化,以终结砂州极度贪婪和腐朽的国阵政权。

遗憾的是,沈庆辉连这么简单的道理都不懂,可见人联党执政40周年,已经忘记了民主精神的真谛,所以才会将选民拒绝人联党形容成是'造反'。难道沈庆辉认为人联党和砂州国阵的"天下"是世袭的,选民是奴隶,只能永世支持主子,绝对不能反对,一旦想要改变,就是'造反'?

人联党此时此刻恐吓华裔选民不可"造反",可见该党的领导层,已经失去反思的能力。"人联党看来不仅不知道华人到底要什么,甚至不知道华人到底拒绝什么。"

人联党是砂州国阵的一份子,是砂州不公平和贪腐施政的组成部分。"人联党是贪腐政治的共犯,不论他代表的什么民族。事实上,只有让国阵崩盘,砂州的清廉和民主政治才有希望。而'以廉制贪'的新政治文化是超越民族藩篱的,保障全民的公共资源和利益。"

如今中东国家的茉莉花开万里香,而这一轮所谓"中东波"的民主化浪潮,让砂州国阵也感到恐慌。所以沈庆辉威胁人民"不可造反","不可弄死人联党"是自然的条件反射。

如果一个政权是清廉的,根本无需害怕茉莉花浪潮,如瑞典、挪威、芬兰这些民主和清廉的国家,需要害怕茉莉花浪潮吗?甚至亚洲的香港特区政府,台湾,韩国,新加坡,也很有自信面对茉莉花浪潮。偏偏就是人联党和国阵感到惊慌。可见此地无银三百两!

越贪婪的政权,越要镇压人民力量。越腐败的政权,越害怕改朝换代,因为民主化将会终结他们所有见不得光的利益,清算他们霸权时期所非法敛取的不义之财。

魏宗贤文打烟之声 Gwee Tong Hiang for Bentayan

魏宗贤文打烟之声 Gwee Tong Hiang for Bentayan


油棕被盗采, 园主不满

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 12:33 AM PST

Ahad, 27 Februari 2011

Charles Santiago

Charles Santiago


கொள்ளையர்களின் அச்சுறுத்தல்

Posted: 27 Feb 2011 08:25 PM PST

மூலம்  :- மலேசிய நண்பன்

 

 

 

 


போலீஸ் அலட்சியம் தொடர்ந்தால் அமைதி போராட்டம் தொடரும்.

Posted: 27 Feb 2011 08:00 PM PST

மூலம்  :- மலேசிய நண்பன்


தடை விதிப்பது நியாயமல்ல

Posted: 27 Feb 2011 07:47 PM PST

மூலம்  :- மலேசிய நண்பன்

 


Interlok Arrests: Najib Should Walk the Talk

Posted: 27 Feb 2011 02:38 AM PST

A protester was pushed down, his face rubbed against the road, kicked and then arrested.

I am not writing about what happened in Libya. This scene took place in Kuala Lumpur, a couple of minutes away from KLCC, Malaysia’s symbol of growth and prosperity.

Ahead of time, the police had locked-down Kuala Lumpur to prevent members of Human Rights Party  and supporters from gathering to stage a protest, calling for the ban of Interlok.

Friends who were on location around the KLCC said that the police verbally abused the protesters including media workers.

Indians sighted around the Shangri-La Hotel and KLCC area were stopped, interrogated and even had their identity cards scrutinized.

Journalists were asked to show their media passes and shouted at for filming the violent arrests.

A few days back Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak slammed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi for unleashing violence on his people who were opposed to his rule.

“We believe he should not use violence. What is important for us is to take into account the aspirations of people…The system should be legitimate, it has to be based on support of people” –

These are Najib’s words.

His deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin, called on Gaddafi to allow the people to demonstrate peacefully.

Therefore, what happened on the streets of Kuala Lumpur today clearly shows that the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional government practices double standards.

Interlok contains racial slurs against the Indians.

It is a slap on the face of Malaysian Indians and clearly a play of racial politics, crafted to please the ultra-Malays.

It’s me or chaos – this the mantra of Gaddafi. Toe the government line or face abuse is the slogan of Barisan Nasional and particularly UMNO leaders.

And if Ghaddafi says that the Al-Qaeda instigated his people to take to the streets, UMNO says that issues raised against Interlok were carved out by the opposition.

This is a joke.

In Northern Africa and the Middle-East, we are seeing an uprising as people stand up to re-claim their rights.

Here, Malaysian Indians are fighting to retain their dignity against a piece of literature which is derogatory. And if UMNO cares about democracy, the leaders would allow for legitimate dissent instead of trying to keep a lid on it.

As I write this, the whereabouts of the 109 protestors who have been arrested are unknown.

This further caricatures the abuse of power by the police force. And bins Najib’s 1Malaysia policy which zeroes in on national integration through racial unity.

Opposition politicians and non-governmental organizations have repeated calls for the setting-up of an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

The recent high-handed behaviour of the police at peaceful protests signals the crucial need for an independent body to act as a check and balance on the force.

I, therefore, call on the government to immediately set-up the IPCMC and release all those detained at the protest.

Charles Santiago

Member of Parliament, Klang.


இண்ட்ராப் பேரணி: “மலேசிய இந்திய சமூகத்தின் குரல்”, சார்ல்ஸ் சந்தியாகோ

Posted: 27 Feb 2011 02:27 AM PST

மூலம் :- மலேசியா இன்று

26 Feb | செய்தி.

நமது தலைவர்களும் மக்களும் மலேசியா ஒரு ஜனநாயக நாடு என்று மார் தட்டிக்கொள்கின்றனர். ஆனால், உண்மையில் ஜனநாயகம் கடைபிடிக்கப்படவில்லை என்று கூறுகிறார் டிஎபி கிள்ளான் நாடாளுமன்ற உறுப்பினர் சார்ல்ஸ் சந்தியாகோ.

எதிர்வரும் ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமை இண்ட்ராப் நடத்த திட்டமிடிருக்கும் பேரணியை நடத்த அனுமதிக்கக்கூடாது என்றும் அதில் பங்கேற்பவர்கள் மீது போலீசார் சட்ட நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும் என்று துணைப் பிரதமர் முகைதின் யாசின் கூறியிருப்பதைச் சுட்டிக் காட்டிய சார்ல்ஸ், "இவரின் கூற்று வேடிக்கையாக இருக்கிறது. மலேசியா ஒரு ஜனநாயக நாடு; நமக்கு பேச்சு உரிமை இருக்கிறது. ஆனால், இண்ட்ராப் பேரணி நடத்தக்கூடாது. இது அரசாங்கம் மக்களின் உரிமையைப் பறிப்பதாகும்", என்றார்.

இண்ட்ராப் நடத்தும் பேரணிக்கு போலீஸ் பாதுகாப்பு வழங்குமாறு கேட்டால், அக்கோரிக்கையை நிராகரித்து விட்டு இது சட்ட விரோத நடவடிக்கை; மீறினால் சட்ட நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும் என்று மிரட்டுதல் சிறிதளவும் ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள முடியாத ஒன்று என்று அவர் மேலும் கூறினார்.

"சர்ச்சைக்குரிய இண்டர்லோக் நாவலுக்கு எதிராக நடத்தப்படும் பேரணிக்கு தடை போடுவது ஒட்டுமொத்த இந்தியர்களையும் அவர்களது உரிமைகளையும் அரசாங்கம் உதாசீனப்படுத்துகிறது என்பதைக் காட்டுகிறது. இது எங்கள் உரிமை. இப்பேரணி மலேசிய இந்திய சமூகத்தின் குரல். அதைத் தடுக்கும் அரசாங்கத்தின் செயல் கண்டிக்கத்தக்கது.

"இண்டர்லோக் நாவல் விவகாரத்தில் அரசாங்கம் மௌனம் காப்பதும், இந்தியர்களையும் அவர்களின் உணர்ச்சிகளையும் பொருட்படுத்தாமல், மதிக்காமல் இருப்பது இந்தியர்களின் மனதை மேலும் நோகச் செய்கிறது.

"ஆகவே, இந்தியர்களின் கோபத்திற்கு முற்றுப்புள்ளி வைக்கும் வகையில் இண்ட்ராப் பேரணி நடத்த அனுமதியும் பாதுகாப்பும் வழங்குவது மட்டுமில்லாமல், இண்டர்லோக் நாவலை மீட்டுக்கொள்ள வேண்டும் என்று அரசாங்கத்தைக் கேட்டுக்கொள்கிறேன்", என்றார் சார்ல்ஸ்.


Lone judge wants Putrajaya to answer for water deal

Posted: 27 Feb 2011 02:19 AM PST

Source :- themalaysianinsider
By Melissa Chi
February 25, 2011

Water was a basic necessity of life, said the appeals court judge. — Reuters pic

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 25 — The public has a legitimate expectation to know how water tariffs are determined, a dissenting judge in the Court of Appeal said today, disagreeing with a majority decision to keep secret the details of a concession deal between a private water company and the federal government.

Datuk Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus said the court action to demand public disclosure of the deal was considered public interest litigation.

"Water is a basic necessity of life and any increase in tariffs will have an important impact on their lives.

"If one has to pay in order to have water, then the charge must be extremely nominal and affordable to the citizens. Then the process of determining the water rates or tariffs must be transparent. The citizens have a legitimate expectation to know the process involved in determining any increase of tariffs," he said.

Hishamudin accepted the respondents' argument that the government has a legal responsibility to the citizens and that good governance requires transparency, particularly in matters pertaining to basic human needs such as treated water.

Earlier today, the Court of Appeals had decided today to keep secret the concession agreement between Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) and the federal government as well as an audit on the firm.

The majority decision was made by two of the three-man panel comprising Datin Paduka Zaleha Zahari, Datuk Seri Abu Samah Nordin and Hishamudin.

In 2007, Klang MP and co-ordinator for the Coalition Against Water Privatisation (CAWP), Charles Santiago, had filed for the judicial review seeking to declare the audit report and the 2004 concession agreement signed by Syabas, the Selangor government and the federal government as public documents.

In a landmark judgment, the High Court on June 28 last year ordered the contents of the documents to be disclosed, as requested by CAWP.

Judicial commissioner Hadhariah Syed Ismail had stated she was not convinced such a disclosure would be harmful to national security or public interest, as claimed by Syabas and the Ministry of Green Technology, Energy, and Water.

CAWP comprises the Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) and 13 others from Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, including Santiago himself.

In his dissenting judgment today, Hishamudin also said the federal counsel appeared unaware of clause 45 of the concession agreement.

"But it is disclosed in the submission that according to clause 45, none of the three parties to the agreement namely, one, the federal government; two, the state government; and three, Syabas, may disclose the contents of the agreement to third parties without a mutual agreement of all three parties unless it is right by law," he said.

In this case, the state government and Syabas have no objection to the disclosure of the concession agreement, he said.

"The High Court judge had examined both the concession agreement and the audit report, and has come to the conclusion that there is nothing that is detrimental to the national security or public order, are disclosed except that the disclosures might invite public criticisms," he said pointedly.

He said that prior to the Cabinet meeting inquest, the audit report was already in existence and has never been classified as an official secret.

"The audit report was never prepared solely for the purpose of Cabinet discussion.

"To my mind, it cannot be the law that just [because] subsequently this audit report was discussed by the Cabinet, it just then becomes an official secret. There is no basis for the minister to withhold this audit report from the public," Hishamudin said.

CAWP lawyer, Ang Hean Leng, today said the High Court judgment should have been upheld as average users would be "adversely affected", adding that today's ruling meant consumers "do not have legal standing to request for information related to the water supply and water rates".

"We have to wait for the judgment to see what the majority [said]," Ang said, before adding that today's decision had baffled them.

Syabas was allowed to raise water tariffs after the company said it had complied with the requirement to reduce non-revenue water by five per cent.

Non-revenue water is the difference between water produced and water lost through leakages, faulty meters and theft.

The energy, water and communications minister had earlier rejected the coalition's request on the grounds that the concession agreement was confidential and the audit report, an official secret.

Syabas provides water for Selangor and both the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya


Interlok Arrests: Najib Should Walk the Talk

Posted: 27 Feb 2011 02:13 AM PST

A protester was pushed down, his face rubbed against the road, kicked and then arrested.

I am not writing about what happened in Libya. This scene took place in Kuala Lumpur, a couple of minutes away from KLCC, Malaysia’s symbol of growth and prosperity.

Ahead of time, the police had locked-down Kuala Lumpur to prevent members of Human Rights Party  and supporters from gathering to stage a protest, calling for the ban of Interlok.

Friends who were on location around the KLCC said that the police verbally abused the protesters including media workers.

Indians sighted around the Shangri-La Hotel and KLCC area were stopped, interrogated and even had their identity cards scrutinized.

Journalists were asked to show their media passes and shouted at for filming the violent arrests.

A few days back Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak slammed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi for unleashing violence on his people who were opposed to his rule.

“We believe he should not use violence. What is important for us is to take into account the aspirations of people…The system should be legitimate, it has to be based on support of people” –

These are Najib’s words.

His deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin, called on Gaddafi to allow the people to demonstrate peacefully.

Therefore, what happened on the streets of Kuala Lumpur today clearly shows that the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional government practices double standards.

Interlok contains racial slurs against the Indians.

It is a slap on the face of Malaysian Indians and clearly a play of racial politics, crafted to please the ultra-Malays.

It’s me or chaos – this the mantra of Gaddafi. Toe the government line or face abuse is the slogan of Barisan Nasional and particularly UMNO leaders.

And if Ghaddafi says that the Al-Qaeda instigated his people to take to the streets, UMNO says that issues raised against Interlok were carved out by the opposition.

This is a joke.

In Northern Africa and the Middle-East, we are seeing an uprising as people stand up to re-claim their rights.

Here, Malaysian Indians are fighting to retain their dignity against a piece of literature which is derogatory. And if UMNO cares about democracy, the leaders would allow for legitimate dissent instead of trying to keep a lid on it.

As I write this, the whereabouts of the 109 protestors who have been arrested are unknown.

This further caricatures the abuse of power by the police force. And bins Najib’s 1Malaysia policy which zeroes in on national integration through racial unity.

Opposition politicians and non-governmental organizations have repeated calls for the setting-up of an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

The recent high-handed behaviour of the police at peaceful protests signals the crucial need for an independent body to act as a check and balance on the force.

I, therefore, call on the government to immediately set-up the IPCMC and release all those detained at the protest.

 

Charles Santiago

Member of Parliament, Klang.