Conspiracy To Implicate PM, Wife In Anwar Sodomy Case – Choo Keong

Monday, 01 November 2010 23:01

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Wangsa Maju, Wee Choo Keong, claims there is a conspiracy to implicate Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, in the sodomy case of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said this was clearly proven when the contents of the first statutory declaration (SD) signed by Anwar’s former private secretary, Muhamad Rahimi Osman on June 29, 2008, did not implicate anyone at all (Najib or Rosmah) in the police report made by Anwar’s aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, regarding the sodomy case.

However, he said the second SD signed by Muhamad Rahimi had amended the contents of the first SD and tried to link Najib and Rosmah to the case.

“I had been asked to become the Commissioner for Oaths in Muhamad Rahimi’s first SD, and I can say that 100 per cent of what had been said by a certain party had disappeared, the contents did not accuse anyone at all (Najib or Rosmah) of being involved in Saiful’s police report,” he said at a media conference at the Parliament lobby, here today.

When asked on the second SD, Wee denied that it was signed on the same day as the first SD, but several days later in his absence.

Wee, who is also a lawyer, emphasised that he had nothing to do whatsoever with Muhamad Rahimi’s second SD as claimed by the party’s information chief, Latheefa Koya and Kedah PKR Youth head, Saiful Izham Ramli.

‘Bleak future’ for Malaysia without Chinese support says Najib

By Lee Wei Lian

November 02, 2010

Najib Razak

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak reached out to the Chinese Malaysian community today, conceding that the developed nation by 2020 goal might fail without its support.

This comes as the prime minister recently launched the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) to ensure Malaysia achieves a high income developed nation status in 10 years.

“Malaysia would not be what it is today without the industry, expertise and dedication of the Malaysian Chinese community,” said Najib in a speech delivered by his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at the 2nd World Chinese Economic Forum here today.

“Likewise, there will be a bleak future for Malaysia without the Chinese community’s support. We would clearly fall short of reaching the goals to become a developed nation by 2020.”

He added that the community formed the backbone of the Malaysian economy through its small and medium enterprises.

The prime minister also reached out to businesses in China and encouraged them invest in the country.

“Both Malaysia and China are embarking on economic transformations,” he said. “It is in this area that I believe we will find synergies between our two countries.”

Najib also invited Chinese to consider making Malaysia their second home noting that the country is looking to attract the best talent from around the world as the Talent Corporation to be established next year is putting in place the “welcoming regulatory environment to help that happen”.

The prime minister’s remarks also come after observers and analysts noted that political resistance from conservative Malays have delayed reforms needed to restructure the nation into a high income economy.

At his party’s recent general assembly however, Najib made an attempt to dampen racial rhetoric by saying that there should be an end to racial debate.

Today's Malaysian-Chinese are not "Pendatang"

Today's Malaysian-Chinese are not "Pendatang"

It's depressing to see that the Prime Minister himself had to provide this re-assurance h e r e about the status of the Malaysian-Chinese.

Sure, a few non-Chinese from Ahmad Ismail to Anwar Ibrahim have called the Malaysian-Chinese "pendatangs" but most of them are politicians, and why do the Chinese who are Malaysians bother to give them so much credit?

The fact is, if you were born in Malaysia and you have never revoked your citizenship, then you are Malaysian. You may think you are Malay first or Malay second but if you are Malaysian then you are Malaysian. You may have been born in Singapore, Indonesia or the US but have opted to become a Malaysian citizen, you are Malaysian.

The same goes if you were born in Malaysia but you decide to hold a Green Card. For all intent and purpose, you are still Malaysian not matter how many people question your loyalty. There's talk that a very prominent politician who spends so much time abroad is a Green Card holder of the United States of America but until he revokes his Malaysian citizenship, he's still Malaysian.

Dr M: Tough for Najib to regain two-thirds majority at 13th GE

Dr M: Tough for Najib to regain two-thirds majority at 13th GE

You believe this shit coming out from this Mamak fella ? Fact is Malaysians rejoiced by giving Pak Lah an almost 90 percent support in 2004 when the Mamak fella resigned . It only shows most Malaysians simply distrust this Mamak fella .More shit coming out from him ?

Dr M okay with Najib, hates Badawi

Malaysia Chronicle

Former premier Mahathir Mohamad believes it will be tough for Prime Minister Najib Razak to regain the two-thirds parliamentary majority held by his Barisan Nasional since independence in 1957 until the landmark 2008 general election.

But the 85-year Mahathir blamed it on his immediate successor Abdullah Badawi, saying it was not Najib's fault that he "inherited a bad government".

Mahathir, the country's fourth prime minister, was mobbed by reporters on Monday amid swirling speculation that Najib would dissolve Parliament after the Chinese New Year and hold simultaneous national polls along with Sarawak, which has to conduct state elections by July 2011.

"Najib inherited a bad government. He is better than number five Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who was totally incompetent," Mahathir was quoted as saying by Malaysiakini.

"When you have two-thirds majority, it should be used for doing the right things. In the four years, 2004 to 2008 Abdullah did the wrong things so in 2008 he lost it."

The monster tidal wave Mahathir created

Mahathir also took a swipe at Opposition Leader Anwar Leader, the de-fact head of both the Pakatan Rakyat coalition and PKR party.

Anwar has found his own niche and party

"He is having a difficult time. Najib has some good ideas and some not so good ideas. I hope Najib does garner support because the alternative is that someone who is worse may take power," Mahathir said.

Anwar was Malaysia prime minister-in-waiting and an outstanding Finance minister before he was jailed on manifestly trumped-up sodomy and corruption charges in 1998.

Fearing that he would lose power, Mahathir sacked Anwar, imposed a 24-hour curfew and to prevent capital flight banned trading of the Ringgit and closed down the CLOB - an offshore trading platform for Malaysian shares.

Mahathir's drastic moves not only sparked huge losses among foreign investors, damaging until now their confidence in the BN government, but also split his Umno party down the line.

Recently, Najib hinted that a lot of the disunity problems he currently faced in the Malay community now could be traced back to the 1998 sacking and jailing of Anwar.

Ex-Anwar aide claims was forced to implicate Najib, Rosmah in Sodomy II

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

October 06, 2010

A former aide to Anwar Ibrahim, Rahimi Osman (second from right) claimed today that he was forced to implicate the Prime Minister and his wife in the Sodomy II case. – Picture by Choo Choy May

KLANG, Oct 6 — A former aide to Pakatan Rakyat (PR) defacto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim claimed today that he was forced to implicate Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Datin Seri Rosmah in the on-going Sodomy II trial.

Rahimi Osman said that he was forced to sign two statutory declarations back on June 28, 2008 which accused Najib and Rosmah of masterminding a conspiracy against Anwar.

PKR members had stormed the press conference even before Rahimi could begin and demanded that he stop the press conference.

However, a police report made by Rahimi at 3.03 pm earlier was available to The Malaysian Insider.

According to the report, Rahimi claimed that he was forced to sign two statutory declarations by PKR information chief Latheefa Koya as well as party members at Quality Hotel back in June 2008.

“I was forced to sign two statutory declarations on June 2008 about Anwar and Saiful. The declaration was not true because I did not write it.

“I was forced to sign it because I feared for my safety... at that time there were hundreds of Anwar’s supporters and right-hand men around Quality Hotel,” said Rahimi.

The former aide also claimed that he was forced to stay at the hotel for a few days after signing the SD.

Another ex-aide turns on Anwar?

A press conference believed to be linked to Anwar Ibrahim's ongoing sodomy trial by his former aide Rahimi Osman was cancelled following disruption by a rowdy group of six individuals. The press conference was to be held at the Lotus restaurant in Klang at 4pm today, but was later cancelled following the appearance of the group. Rahimi (centre) told reporters that he had lodged a police report at the Klang district police headquarters at 2pm today over two statutory declarations made in 2008. “The police report is to say that the prior two statutory declarations are not accurate,” said Rahimi's lawyer S Ravi Chandran. The statutory declarations were related to the ongoing Anwar's sodomy trial, where he was alleged to have sodomised another aide, Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

'Force to sign SD'

According to the Klang police, Rahimi had lodged a report alleging that he was pressured by Anwar's men into making the two statutory declarations.

Klang district police chief Mohamad Mat Yusop confirmed receiving the report but refused to divulge details as the matter has been transferred to the Shah Alam district police.

"I was forced to sign two declarations in June 2008 about Anwar," Rahimi said. Rahimi appeared unfazed by the tense atmosphere at the restaurant, which was packed with reporters and later joined by the group which tried to stop the press conference. "Call off the press conference. How much were you paid? We know what happened between you and Saiful," yelled a member of the group, identified as M Jayabalan, repeatedly.

Group: We are defending Anwar

Rahimi calmly replied: "This has nothing to do with (the court case). How can I negotiate with you when you are shouting?" Jayabalan was there with six others, led by PKR vice-president aspirant K Sureshkumar, who claimed to have campaigned with Rahimi during the 2008 general election. Also spotted among the group was a member of Anwar's daughter Nurul Izzah's winning team in the Lembah Pantai division polls. "We are here to stand up for Anwar. There is nothing to expose," said Sureshkumar, who is also Anwar's special assistant in charge of Indian affairs. After Rahimi decided to end the press conference, he shook hands with Jayabalan. Several police officers were also at the premises. Rahimi is Saiful's former schoolmate. He was believed to have referred Saiful to Anwar in 2008. Saiful later replaced Rahimi who left sometime that year to pursue a career in business.

Why complain 3 years later?

Contacted for comments, Anwar's counsel N Sankara denied claims that the statutory declarations were made under duress.

"Initially he is being listed as part of Anwar's defence witnesses. He voluntarily approached us to testify for us in the case.

"I emphatically wish to state that Rahimi was not forced to sign the statutory declarations. He made the SDs voluntarily and the SDs were in Anwar's favour.

"By the way, why is he making an about turn only now after about three years? This clearly smells sinister," he said.

Sankara said he reserved further comment until he sees Rahimi's police report and statutory declarations which he will then reference with those in his possession.

2Malaysia expected to challenge 1Malaysia for Umno No.1

2Malaysia expected to challenge 1Malaysia for Umno No.1

Muhyiddin vs Najib - out in the open

Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

It looks like the much-speculated power tussle between Prime Minister Najib Razak and his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin is now out in the open, known and even reported in influential foreign research reports.

According to the latest Economist Intelligence Unit report, Muhyiddin is poised to challenge Najib for the Umno presidency at the next party election in 2011 and this could create political instability in Malaysia.

“Umno tends to turn inward during leadership battles, ignoring the interests of other parties, and this is even more likely to happen at a time when its status is threatened,” the EIU said in its latest country report.

“Under these circumstances, there will be even greater resistance to economic reforms, undermining the credibility of the prime minister, Najib Razak, and even placing his position as president of Umno (and thus his premiership) at risk.”

Who is stronger, who is weaker

Indeed it has been obvious that Muhyiddin has never really been supportive of Najib’s policies from the day one even though they had both campaigned as a team in 2009 Umno election.

Ahmad Zahid

At that time, Defence minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had led the nominations for the deputy presidency but dropped out of the race at Najib’s urging to make way for Muhyiddin, who draws his strength from former premier Mahathir Mohamad.

Now, Muhyiddin and Mahathir have taken control of the powerful Umno right-wing and together with newly-formed ultra-Malay rights group Perkasa, they seem to wield greater power in Umno rather Najib.

“If you were to put it to the Malay community at large, it is not apparent that more Malays would favor Muhyiddin over Najib. I think both men would be equally rejected because both also have their own set of ‘baggage’ from past misdeeds,” Bukit Gantang MP Nizar Jamaluddin told Malaysia Chronicle.

“But because Najib is now holding the PM post, there is more attention on him, so when he flip-flops and gives in to Perkasa and Dr Mahathir, he himself is telling the whole world that they are stronger and he is weaker.”

Seat-warmer politics

Nizar was referring a recent row, where Najib’s camp had moved to sever ties with a growingly uncontrollable Perkasa, whose strident rhetoric was driving away not just the non-Malay vote but also investors in general.

Mahathir - still powerful

The manner in which Najib’s lieutenants were forced to retreat was a shock to the nation and a heavy blow to the non-Malay parties in the Umno-dominated BN coalition. MCA, Gerakan and MIC, the three biggest parties that had rushed to laud Najib for the Perkasa split, were left hanging in the air.

There is now little doubt that Najib’s much-trumpeted New Economic Model, due to be fleshed out next month, will contain little in the way of significant reforms as Mahathir has made it clear he is not in favor of any major changes to the systems he set up when he was premier from 1981 to 2003.

A good gauge of how the chips will fall in Umno is the Sarawak state elections which must be held by July 2011 at the latest, although there is strong speculation it will be held earlier in November 2010.

“If (Sarawak chief minister) Taib Mahmud delivers a strong victory for BN, then Najib can breathe a bit safer. But it still doesn’t guarantee that Muhyiddin won’t challenge him for the presidency. The thing is Mahathir wants him to take over from Najib so that his son Mukhriz can later take over from Muhyiddin,” PKR strategic director Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

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Potential Umno leadership tussle, says report

By Yow Hong Chieh

September 30, 2010

Muhyiddin is a potential challenger for Umno’s top post. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — A possible head-to-head fight between Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his deputy for the top party post at the next Umno presidential election will be a source of political instability, a country report by the influential Economist Intelligence Unit said.

The report pointed out that Najib risks losing the presidency to his second-in-command Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin if Umno fails to make up lost ground in the Sarawak state election.

The state election has to be held by July 2011, and is widely seen as a bellwether for the next general election. The Umno presidential election is expected to take place after that, in late 2011 or early 2012.

“Under these circumstances, there will be even greater resistance to economic reforms, undermining the credibility of the prime minister, Najib Razak, and even placing his position as president of Umno (and thus his premiership) at risk,” the report said, adding that the most likely contender was Muhyiddin.

The report also mentioned that Umno will likely “turn inward” during such contests, and cautioned that the ruling party might not pay heed to Barisan Nasional (BN) component party interests during this time.

“Umno tends to turn inward during leadership battles, ignoring the interests of other parties, and this is even more likely to happen at a time when its status is threatened,” it said.

The report had earlier identified political intrigues within Umno and its determination to stay in power at any cost as potential sources of political instability in the next five years.

Najib is struggling to keep control of his party as he continues to try pushing through much needed economic reforms aimed at making Malaysia more competitive and innovative.

He faces considerable opposition from conservative elements within Umno but appears reluctant — or unable — to rein in dissenting party members, who openly voice their disapproval of Najib’s New Economic Model (NEM).

The NEM is seen by some as a betrayal of the pro-Bumiputera New Economic Policy (NEP) — authored by Najib’s father and Malaysia’s second prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak — and a threat to Malay hegemony.

Malay rights group Perkasa, backed by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, has been an especially vocal critic of NEM initiatives that propose reduced Bumiputera equity quotas.

Setback in Election 1999 not my fault, says Najib

By Adib Zalkapli

October 01, 2010

Najib stressed the importance of being in the right camp to survive in politics. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 1 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak offered a glimpse today of how he suffered collateral damage in the fallout from the sacking by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from Umno and the government in 1998.

He said he was only a victim of the Barisan Nasional (BN) electoral setback in 1999 held just a year after Anwar’s sacking when he retained his Pekan seat by only 241 votes.

“There were times when I felt frustrated with the situation. Quite often, not the results of my own doing,” said Najib at a forum on Asean here.

“It’s the circumstances that you find yourself in. You are collateral damage, I don’t know if that’s the right word,” he said when asked about his political setback in 1999.

The sacking of Anwar as deputy prime minister in 1998 by then-Prime Minister Dr Mahathir led to the formation of an Umno splinter party, Parti Keadilan Nasional, which grouped together with PAS and DAP.

The opposition coalition defeated BN in Terengganu while retaining Kelantan and made inroads in Malay-majority constituencies of Perak and Selangor.

“If you look at 1999, it was kind of a strange situation. My majority dropped to, I think, 241,” said Najib.

“I couldn’t for the life of me understand, but I knew I could recover and I didn’t want to change constituency,” he added.

Najib said he had to work very hard to reverse his fortunes by winning with a thumping majority of 22,922 votes in the 2004 general election.

In Election 2008, he increased the winning margin to 26,464 votes, the highest obtained by any BN candidate that year.

“If you have the confidence, you should not be deterred by a temporary setback. What is more important is ability to recover. Fortunately I’m still around,” said Najib who was sworn in as prime minister in April last year.

He also stressed the importance of being in the right team to survive in politics.

“In politics your political life can be cut short if you are seen to be in the wrong camp,” said Najib.

“Even if you are competent, even if you have the ability, but if you are in the wrong camp it can be quite tragic,” he added.

Najib: Reject extremism

Najib: Reject extremism

Najib Razak

As we celebrate a landmark in the history of our nation of Malaysia this 16th of September, we have much to be proud of. We are a developing nation that has excelled in many sectors such as tourism, banking and finance, halal, medicine and many more. We are blessed to be able to experience different cultures, food and religions without traveling far and abroad.

While we have achieved so much, it troubles me to see a rise in issues rooted in extremism in the nation. This is not limited to racism. Extremists are groups or individuals who subscribe to radical views and actions against others. They treat anyone who is different as an enemy and engineer fear in people who don’t conform to their thoughts or ideologies and, in some cases in people who simply look different. Hence, extremism here applies to a gamut of factors, including racism, arts, culture, way of life, and more. The late U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy once said, "What is objectionable, what is dangerous about extremists is not that they are extreme but that they are intolerant. The evil is not what they say about their cause, but what they say about their opponents."

I am strongly opposed to these types of behaviour. It saddens me that despite living in an independent multi-cultural nation for over 50 years, there are still those among us who cannot tolerate, much less accept the benefits of a diverse society. It saddens me because by rejecting our diverse way of life, they reject 1Malaysia.

While these groups are often small in number, their presence is amplified through their extreme sentiments and acts. Nonetheless, the Government continues to keep a watchful eye on such groups. We have dealt effectively with a number of extreme cases in Malaysia, such as militant groups that have instigated conflicts and posed a genuine threat to national security. We will continue to protect the Rakyat and the nation from threats from outside or within, through land, sea, air or cyberspace.

We have been exposed to examples of extremist behaviour, regionally and globally. I am glad that we have abstained from such acts, and instead displayed maturity as a people, as 1Malaysia. I urge all Malaysians to be calm and rational in the face of such extremism. To respond like with like only serves to escalate tensions between our countries and becomes a hindrance to our own progress. Economies have faltered because of acts of extremism, and the road to recovery is often long and hard.

As Malaysians, we can do our part to restrict the growth of extremism on our shores. By educating ourselves and participating in mature and rational dialogue, a deeper understanding can be reached between two parties with dissimilar views. We must nurture our intellect to be open to different opinions and ideas. We must train ourselves to apply diplomacy in our daily interactions with others, and to embrace 1Malaysia as our guiding philosophy in resolving conflict. It will serve us well as a people.

Happy Malaysia Day!

Mahathir lobs Najib a Perkasa bomb

Dr M: Umno needs Perkasa to win Malay support

Sun, 12 Sep 2010 19:10

SERI KEMBANGAN: Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad reiterated today that Umno could not afford to quarrel and distance itself from non-governmental organisations such as the Malay right-wing group, Perkasa.

He said Umno needed the support of such NGOs if the Barisan Nasional lynchpin did not want to risk losing more support from the ground.

"I feel that Umno, in particular, is not that strong. We cannot afford to dismiss any group because, if we are to even lose 100 or 200 people, we may lose (in the elections). Perhaps with teaming up with Perkasa you may lose 100 or 200 votes , not the way as senile Mamakutty sees it !
"As such, we need as much support as possible. It is needless for us to quarrel with anyone (or any group). I feel we should endear ourselves to as many groups as possible," he told reporters at his Aidilfitri open house at his residence, here.

Sep 13, 10 7:27am

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'Does Najib have the political acumen and guts to do what is right for the country or will he cave in to the demands of the Umno warlords?'

Dr M: Suicidal for Umno to part from Perkasa

DOC: Here a few points to ponder on with Dr Mahathir Mohamad's persistence that Umno should work closely with Perkasa: i) Is Dr M going head on against Najib Razak and will this lead to a similar Dr M vs Pak Lah spat? ii) Najib is caught between the devil and the deep blue sea with Perkasa. Join Perkasa and he will get some Malay support, and more importantly, get Dr M off his back. But he'll lose support from the non-Malay community along with the much-needed foreign investment and the cash needed to keep Umno sharks happy and thus stay in office longer; iii) Does Najib have the political acumen and guts to do what is right for the country or will he cave in to the demands of the Umno warlords? iv) Are we witnessing the final days of Najib's term as PM?

Kgen: Mahathir is advocating racism to gain more votes for Umno. Is this correct? Racism and being ultra-Malay only drive away non-Malay voters from BN but gains very little Malay votes. Moderate and educated Malays can see how racism is destroying the country and they will move further away from Umno. PKR and PAS Malays see multi-culturalism as the way forward. The only Malays who support a right-wing Umno are already hardcore Umno supporters. So Umno gains no extra voters by being racist but BN loses non-Malay votes. Of course, this is hard to explain to a bigot who uses his racial prejudice instead of his brains. He has not given an iota of reason why Umno will disadvantage itself by snubbing Perkasa.

Singa Pura Pura: If it were suicidal for Umno to part with Perkasa, it would be 'genocidal' to sleep with it. If the Perkasa and Mahathir doctrines had taken over the Malay mind, sheer anarchy would be let loose on 'bumi' Malaysia. The 'nons' and 'bukans' would become the Bosnians of Southeast Asia.

Anonymous: Please show us the social contract. Where is it written? The constitution forms the backbone of the country and the rights of the bumiputera are clearly stated in it. The majority of the rakyat is not challenging this, they are just asking for greater transparency and accountability and good governance, for goodness' sake.

Vincent Najib Tan: What Mahathir did for 22 years is to put fear into people and threaten them. He is full of envy and doesn't want to see leaders during his time such as Lee Kwan Yew and Anwar Ibrahim getting recognition in the international arena. What a pitiful old man.

1Me: If Najib had any real will to strengthen Umno, the best he could do would be to end racism, cronyism, corruption and the NEP, abolish ISA, allow a truly independent judiciary, stop politicising Islam, stop interfering with the media, stop buying outrageously expensive military equipment that don't work, and stop allowing the building of overpriced palaces, mosques and stadiums that collapse. If he did just one of these things, Malaysians would start to feel happier about being Malaysian, Umno would reap the benefit of positive public perception, and camels would fly.

Rajm: Mahathir strongly feels Perkasa is an NGO and that Umno should listen to them. How many NGOs did he listen to during his tenure as PM? What he did was to put their leaders under the draconian ISA. Umno should work with its coalition alliance members, ie MCA, MIC, Gerakan, PPP, etc, not with a racist organisation like Perkasa. Proarte: What is the big deal if Umno decides to commit suicide? With its record of criminality, racism, wanton nastiness, corruption, and perversion of the constitution, the plundering of the riches and wealth of the Orang Asli in the Peninsula and the bumiputera of East Malaysia, the scandalous waste of public funds running into hundreds of billions, the deliberate policy of keeping Malays intellectually backward and insecure so that Umno could exploit this for support, the destruction of the rule of law, the manipulation the media, the dumbing down of our universities, the bastardisation of Islam as a means to control the Malays and to divide the races, the list is endless - all of which led to the best and brightest leaving Malaysia's shores - has Umno shown any guilt? If Umno committed suicide, it would paradoxically make people think Umno had possibly a vestige of decency so utterly lacking in Dr Mahathir.

KSN: That is the state of Umno you (Mahathir) left behind, that it needs the support of fanatics like Ibrahim Ali to survive. There is no need to say anything about the country you bequeathed to the future - it is divided, corrupt, messed up, abused, destroyed, and more. That is not a legacy any human being will take pride from. But you cannot understand that, can you, Dr M?

CTlaw: Mahathir has done this nation and the Malays wrong by harbouring and sheltering cronies, plunderers and appointing greedy incompetent Malays to lead Umno/BN. All Malaysians, and Malays in particular, have no more reasons to continue to trust Umno/BN. We deserve better politicians as our pemegang amanah (trustees) for our children. Swipenter: Dr M is distorting and revising history to suit his right-wing and exclusive politics. For all his convictions that there exist a 'social contract', he has not been able to prove that there is such a document or point out where in the constitution the 'social contract' is written. He is just interpreting history to fit his political agenda and kind of politics that he is preaching. The constitution only contain special positions of the Malays and that is not cast in stone either. The 'social contract' came to life in the 1980s when he was beginning his tenure as PM. He invented the 'social contract' and he has not stopped justifying its existence even though he can't prove its existence. It is about time we move beyond Dr M and his brand of exclusive politics and think of national unity instead of Malay unity, Chinese unity, Indian unity, etc, which have proven to be inherently divisive. This divisiveness only boiled over when he 'retired'.

Keturunan Malaysia: Dr M, it is not suicidal for Umno to part from Perkasa. In fact, it spells doom for you and your interference. All PM Najib has to do now is to ask you to show your hands, and he definitely has the cards to beat you hands down. Believe me, the bluffing is about to come to an end. As for the PM, he must call your bluff now or he will never have another golden opportunity to do so. It is an accepted fact that Perkasa is a disease nobody wants to be saddled with.

Kee Thuan Chye: Why does the media, including online media like Malaysiakini, still give this man who has done so much damage to Malaysia and Malaysian society - and still continues to do so with his divisive racial comments - so much space to spread his rubbish? If he cannot shut up - for the good of the nation - then the media should shut him out. Don't cover his press conferences. Don't ask him to comment on anything. Isolate him. Let him just write in his blog. That's his prerogative. Don't pick up anything from his blog either. We the people don't need his opinions. They are warped, anyway. They are behind the times. He says the things he does because of his vested interests. Not just in his political son, but, even more, in his not wanting Pakatan Rakyat to take over the government. If it should do so, he would be in a lot of excrement. So please don't help him spread his propaganda. Please do us this favour, media people.

Limml: People may not take this non-practising doctor's prescription seriously. If he thinks his prescription is the best for the party and the country, and he have faith in himself, then he should seek the people's mandate again in the coming election. Or he can openly support any independent Perkasa-linked candidates who wish to contest, especially against Umno candidates to see who enjoy the support of the people.

Dingy: This is a test for Najib to disagree with TDM (Tun Dr Mahathir) once and for all instead of bending backwards to please this old man. Najib is in a dilemma because he doesn't have 100 percent support from Umno. Najib can be overthrown any time by his deputy with TDM's help. Anyway, whoever is PM won't last long. Mahathir's ultimate aim is to put his son up to the very top. Unfortunately, the son is a deadwood who have no ideas of his own. He only knows how to echo what his father says.

Cascara: Umno need not fear losing Perkasa supporters' votes. If they do not vote for Umno, who else would they vote for? Unless, of course, they boycott the elections, but that is most unlikely.

Not Confused: As a European who has lived in Malaysia for eight years, try as I may, I cannot fathom why the Malays continue to need 'protection'. Protection from what? Why do they deserve more 'protection' than other races in the same financial, educational or even social position? After 52 years of BN rule and over 30 years of 'protection' under the NEP, many so-called leading lights in the establishment are still making all kinds of stupid threats that the Malays rights must be protected at all costs. From my reading of the constitution, it says nothing about 'Malay rights' but refers to the special position of the Malays. What about the rest of the Malaysians? I despair for the Malaysians who just want to be treated fairly and on a level-playing field, rather than in accordance with an accident of birth into one particular race or another. It is so sad for what was once a nation headed for greater things. Now, I am really not so sure any longer.

Malaysiasakit: It is equally suicidal for Umno to remain in alliance with Perkasa. Damn if you do and damn if you don't. This happens when you create a monster to try to dig a way out after the debacle of March 8, 2008. Surely the smart people in Umno know is no other way out except to mend its ways to stay relevant to the peoples. As the Malays say "Nasi sudah jadi bubur."

Ferdtan: If it were not for Dr Mahathir Mohamad, right-wing groups like Perkasa and Gertak would cease to exist, says Mohd Nazri Aziz. Now we get an idea of Mahathir's desperation to save both groups from the current onslaught by key Umno leaders. The support of Perkasa by Mahathir is more of self-preservation for himself and his family, rather than a fight for betterment of Malay Malaysians.

Elysium: Is not so much that Umno needs Perkasa, rather it is Mahathir that needs Perkasa and Umno to execute his objectives.

Dr M's tug-of-war with PM: More Malays tell of NEP's dark side

Dr M's tug-of-war with PM: More Malays tell of NEP's dark side

Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad’s insistence that his successors stick with the New Economic Policy to shape the country’s future has been criticized and ridiculed by economists, civil rights advocates and even top leaders within his Umno-BN coalition.

Many have been quick to suggest the 85-year old, who ruled Malaysia for 22 years from 1981 to 2003, has ulterior motives and vested interests for doing so.

But whatever Mahathir's reasons, the latest tug-of-war between himself and Prime Minister Najib Razak over whether it is the New Economic Model or the NEP which should hold sway has brought out the cockroaches from under the woodwork.

More inside stories of the NEP emerge

Various inside stories are now starting to appear as Malays who got cheated instead of being boosted by the NEP come out of the closet and warn their community against the over-simplistic rhetoric adopted by Mahathir and his henchman Ibrahim Ali, the president of ultra-Malay rights group Perkasa.

One of the most sensational revelations so far is about the privatization of Spots Toto, among the most successful gambling outfits in Malaysia.

In his article entitled Sports Toto, The Inside Story, former Bernama general manager Ahmad Mustapha Hassan tells of how he helped tycoon Vincent Tan gain control of Toto and how he was ruthlessly short-changed and dumped once the deal went through.

“I have attempted for years to recover what has been owed to me by Ananda Krishnan and Vincent Tan. Ananda owed me for my services in getting him control of Inchcape Malaysia and Vincent Tan in the privatisation of Sports Toto,” wrote Ahmad, who also authored the book The Unmaking of Malaysia.

“I have sent countless letters, e-mails and also used the services of debt collectors. I have also sought the services of eminent personalities who are close to these two businessmen. I have also repeatedly tried to meet them but it was unfortunate that I was unable to have a face-to-face meeting with them; plain and simple they refused to see me.”

Emotional words of us-against-them

Despite Islam being the official religion, gambling kings in the country such as Vincent, the MCA-linked Magnum Corp, Pan Malaysian Pools’ Ananda and the Genting casino in Pahang rake in billions of ringgit in bets per day.

This has caused unhappiness amongst the Malays because gambling is prohibited by Islam and these tycoons got their break from betting licenses dished out by the Umno-BN government. There is also fast-growing disenchantment with the NEP because of its inability to distribute wealth downwards despite having been in existence since 1971.

Nevertheless, it is still tough for Najib to beat off the race-championing tactics deployed by Mahathir and Ibrahim Ali, who have equated the scrapping of the NEP to a direct slap in the faces of the Malays.

One of the key reasons is that the majority of the community are still rural-based. They find it easier to empathize with the fiery us-against-them rhetoric spewed by the Mahathir group, even though they may grumble at the same time about receiving the short-end of the economic carrot.

But will their eyes be easier to open now that more educated Malays are beginning to speak up about their bad experiences with the NEP, and what a class and poverty trap it can be.

“It will certainly expose the shocking amount of corruption in the government and how entrenched business has become in the political arena. It is all about who you know and what you can get want and who you must pay to get what you want,” PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Akin told Malaysia Chronicle.

“The rural Malays know for themselves how tough their lives are. These who work in the towns and the cities also know it is not easy to make ends meet. Yet they can also see how some of the privileged ones are able to get everything they want just because they know so and so in Umno or other. They should not for the sake of a few sweet words from Ibrahim Ali or Mahathir get confused.”

Najib all alone at the top

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 07:51

By Zainal Epi

KUALA LUMPUR: Najib Tun Razak needs help. Najib is all alone. The prime minister cuts a lonely figure at the top as he surveys the dismal scene below: his coalition forces – the Barisan Nasional – are not backing his pet projects and concepts. Neither are the Malays.

He is carrying his causes on his shoulder and walking a solitary path while all about him his “soldiers are going in different directions”. They are not following his orders, they are deviating from the targets.

Najib needs support for his ambitious goals but so far, nothing is coming his way. He has pulled many rabbits out of his hat but two are close to his heart: 1Malaysia and the New Economic Model (NEM).

The NEM is a bold plan to “transform the Malaysian economy to become one with high income and quality growth by 2020”. Najib was all fired up with this mission and thought he would receive unqualified support from all, especially the Malays.

But a Malay right-wing NGO led by a firebrand named Ibrahim Ali shot the down the NEM. He simply told Najib to his face that the Malays have rejected the NEM for its perceived threat to their special economic rights. The maverick politician was not a voice in the wilderness. He commands wide support among the Malays who loved his extreme pro-Malay views. Even Umno members have drifted to his camp in droves.

If the Malays did not fall in love with the ugly NEM, they also did not swoon over the 1Malaysia beauty. At first the concept was greeted with a roar of approval, mostly from the non-Malays. But soon its beauty faded as the Malays turned against it, seeing it as an insidious attempt to destroy the the interests of the Malays while championing the causes of the non-Malays.

The other races read nothing sinister in 1Malaysia and were quite enthusiastic about it, even calling for equal opportunities for all. They believe the call to unity also means giving all races access to opportunities in the various fields of endeavour.

Testing the waters

Maybe Najib was testing the waters to see if his beloved 1Malaysia would be embraced wholeheartedly when he introduced it to the public. To his dismay, the response from the Malays was not encouraging. Perkasa especially smelled something fishy about the whole show. It did not like all this talk about unity since this can translate into equality for all to the detriment of the Malay status.

His isolation continues to grow. Even former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had distanced himself from Najib when he questioned the 1Malaysia concept. Matters didn't help when Najib's second in command Muhyiddin Yassin himself seems to put his Malayness first and Malaysian identity second.

Najib is caught in a bind: the Malays do not share his message of unity when the underlying theme is equality which they feel will sound the death knell for their special place in the country. By degrees, the Malays are becoming cynical: If 1Malaysia treat all races equally then why the need for vernacular schools since 1Malaysia calls for a united Malaysian race with one language? But then the Chinese and the Indian communities will not give up their vernacular education.

Are the other BN leaders helping out to translate NEM and 1Malaysia into reality? The consensus is that even Najib's partners are not doing enough to get the message across to their communities. The MCA is only pushing for a level playing field while the MIC is pressing for more rights. The two are drifting away from Najib.

Najib is all alone even among the civil servants – the backbone of the country. Their chief Sidik Hassan had recently issued a memo directing all civil servants to report to their superiors any recommendation letters from politicians for favours.

Najib appears unable to intervene or put the number one civil servant in his place. It has been the practice ever since independence for politicians who are MPs or assemblymen or ministers to submit recommendations to the government on behalf of their constituents.

As elected representatives, they are looked upon by their voters as the link to the all-important civil service force. Without their recommendations, voters will find it difficult to get civil servants to approve their application for, say, scholarship or a place in public universities for their children.

A recommendation is more often than not a passport to success. With a recommendation, civil servants can verify the applicants' background. But now with the directive from Sidik, civil servants will not dare entertain the applications.

For Najib, the Sidik directive can only spell more troubles ahead. The directive has effectively diluted the role of elected representatives as the link to the voters who are party members and supporters of the ruling coalition.

Forlorn battle

Najib had more bad news with Felda as he is fighting a forlorn battle to explain the plantation's financial position to allay fears that it had gone bankrupt. It appears to be a losing case.

Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan, who is also Deputy Minister in Prime Minister's Department, had said Felda would sue Suara Keadilan for making the allegation but until today no action was taken.

Words have it that Felda is collecting all the data before bringing the case to court but bloggers and some Malay observers are sceptical that this would happen.

“I spoke to several people in Felda and until today, I have not seen anything in the court,” said one blogger.

Several other issues are pushing Najib into a corner. His attempts to get back the states lost in the 2008 general election are turning out to be a one-man show – his allies are too busy squabbling among themselves to join forces with him.

Instead of conducting programmes to help party members and supporters understand Najib’s new policies, the fractured coalition is more interested in seeking equality for all races from Najib.

In their haste to champion the cause of their respective communities, they fail to see that they are supposed to enhance Najib’s position by strengthening his policies.

They failed to work alongside Najib to explain his policies that could enhance and strengthen unity and the economy.

In Umno, Najib is alone trying to strengthen the party while division heads continue to advance their own agenda to stay on in their posts.

With just two years to go to the next general election, Najib is still walking alone in the corridors of power. He alone is struggling with a heavy baggage filled with many unresolved issues –Altantuya Shaariibuu, Scorpion submarines, Sime Darby, Felda, cronyism... and the list goes on.

Indeed, Najib is all alone at the top.

PM 'must tread lightly' with Dr M ( 2Malaysia ) on guard

Aidila Razak
Aug 4, 10
5:01pm

After two successors and almost seven years after vowing to take the back seat and, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamed is showing no signs of doing so.

Having been a vocal critic of his handpicked successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, recent developments indicate that Mahathir may be none too happy with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak either.

A clear indication of this came earlier this week when Mahathir took a swipe at Najib, whom he had endorsed, for having failed to explain his own 1Malaysia slogan convincingly.

“They (the public) do not know which is which, which ones are for the Chinese and which ones are for the Malays. If I were to explain, how should I know? I was not the one who created the slogan,” he said.

1Malaysia has not been the only area at which Mahathir has turned up his nose.

Only a month into Najib's premiership, the veteran politician weighed in against him on the reversal on the policy to teach Science and Mathematics in English.

Through his blog, which courts several million readers, Mahathir chided the then newly-minted premier for wavering on policy decisions.

However, Mahathir had no issues with Najib's apparent policy reversal on the issue of bumiputera affirmative action due to pressure from the Malay community.

After months of apparent support, the elder statesperson took a stance against Najib's New Economic Model, which had called for the cancellation of racial quotas.

Mahathir also became patron of Malay-rights NGO Perkasa. Emboldened by his endorsement, Perkasa fronted the Malay Consultative Council to pile pressure on Najib, leading him to finally claim that nothing had been finalised on the policy.

Turning point

For political analyst Shamsul Adabi Mamat, the Perkasa episode signified a turn in the Najib-Mahathir relations which he said, has had its ebbs and flows.

“When Najib became PM, there were indications that their relations were chilly but things picked up until the Perkasa issue, which led to public perception that something is not right,” said the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia lecturer.

However, he said, Mahathir's endorsement of Perkasa is more an attack on Umno and less on Najib's performance as a prime minister.

The cheating charge against former transport minister Dr Ling Liong Sik, who served on Mahathir's cabinet, is also not likely to strain the relationship even though it may reflect badly on the former premier.

Yesterday, Mahathir said he is willing to be a witness, but that his responsibility in the matter is limited “as there are lots of things that a prime minister does not know”.

“The public may have the perception that it may cause damage (between the two) but his statement on this shows that he is willing to help the government solve the issue,” said Shamsul.

“We are still at a stage where (Mahathir) is giving suggestions which he hopes the PM will consider.”

The suggestions, he said, will not cause Mahathir's ties with Najib to turn turbulent just yet, because the PM is treading carefully.

“(Najib) knows that Mahathir can sway public opinion and he can ill-afford to have strained relations with (the latter),” he added.

'Mahathir's shadow'

Similarly, Universiti Malaya political scientist Noor Sulastry Yurni Ahmad said that Mahathir's public statements are signals to Najib.

“It seems that for Mahathir, Najib's one year as premier is not bearing the 'right' results. He is using a psychological approach by highlighting these matters publicly so Najib will take notice,” she said.

It is also likely that Mahathir's seeming 'mentor-mentee' relationship with deputy premier Muhyiddin Yassin is adding to the pressure on Najib.

“Muhyiddin (left) is like Mahathir's shadow. He knows what is right and what is not right (by Mahathir) and he tries to guide Najib,” she said.

Noor Sulastry said Najib would do well to keep the “unofficial government adviser” at bay by acting carefully, especially on economic matters.

This, she said, was among the key reasons which led to the breakdown of the Abdullah-Mahathir relations.

But with the Mahathir recently publishing a lengthy blog entry, where he poked holes in Najib's high-income economy goal, the writing may very well be on the wall.

PM’s cabinet tweak unimpressive, analysts say

By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani

June 04, 2010

Najib’s minor Cabinet reshuffle neither surprised nor impressed political watchers. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, June 4 — Two new ministers and four new deputy ministers take their oaths of office today but Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s move to appoint those who lost in Election 2008 to the executive have not impressed political analysts.

Three of the newly appointed deputy ministers had to take their oath as senators first, to be part of a wider reshuffle in Najib’s Cabinet tweak, his first since taking power in April 2009. His Cabinet now has five senators as full ministers while 11 senators are deputy ministers.

The four senators appointed as deputy ministers this week were MIC deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel (Plantation Industries and Commodities); MCA vice-president Datuk Donald Lim (Finance); People’s Progressive Party (PPP) vice-president Datuk Maglin Dennis D’Cruz (Information Communication and Culture); and MCA vice-president Gan Ping Sieu (Youth and Sports).

Analysts have dismissed Najib’s cabinet changes as unsurprising, saying the prime minister was offering nothing new with less than three years before the next general election.

Some also pointed out that the tweak was only meant to accommodate the changes in MCA leadership.

Political analyst Khoo Kay Peng said Najib did not have the political will to exert change to Barisan Nasional’s (BN) coalition politics.

“I think it is disappointing because he has stuck to the convention of Barisan Nasional especially by appointing Cabinet members according to the coalition parties. The Cabinet reshuffle also does not bode well with Najib’s premiership,” Khoo told The Malaysian Insider.

He also questioned a number of appointments that Najib announced earlier this week.

“How can he appoint Palanivel as a deputy minister when Barisan Nasional rejected him as its candidate in the Hulu Selangor by-election?

“I think this is quite questionable, and other appointments are also questionable. Like Donald Lim, he has been [there] and done that and was completely rejected in the last election,” Khoo added.

UKM political science lecturer Dr Mohamad Agus Yusoff added that ministers and deputy ministers should be elected by the public.

“Senators should not be appointed as a minister or a deputy minister but the ministers should be members of Parliament. Why should Najib give the position to a senator? What is so special about them that they have to be appointed as ministers?

“I do not see anything special about them. It is ironic that they were appointed by the prime minister but rejected by the people,” he said.

However, USM political scientist Dr Sivamurugam Pandian explained that Najib had to accommodate the coalition parties.

“In this situation, it seems that the prime minister was forced to appoint senators as deputy ministers because they have high positions within their own parties. Parties will submit their names to him and if he does not appoint them, then he may risk alienating the parties,” he said.

One analyst was, however, surprised with the appointment of MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek’s son, Labis MP Chua Tee Yong.

Nevertheless, Monash University Malaysia political scientist James Chin did not believe there would be any political repercussion even though the decision to appoint the younger Chua was highly unpopular.

“I am surprised by how blatant Chua Soi lek is because most people thought that he was quite a sophisticated political player because he already put his son in the presidential council. I think it was a bit of a surprise to appoint him straight to become a deputy minister.

“[But] I don’t think there would be any backlash from the party because MCA is like Umno. It is all based on patronage and nobody would say anything as long as Chua is the president. They will grumble behind [his] back but they would not say anything in public,” he said.

Najib and Dr Chua have defended the appointment of the latter’s son, denying there was any form of nepotism involved or that they had brokered an agreement.

Utusan must change ways, says Najib

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid

May 20, 2010

Najib urged Utusan to be more than just Umno’s mouthpiece. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — Controversial Umno mouthpiece, Utusan Malaysia, must transform itself if it wishes to stay relevant, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today.

The Malay-language daily pushes Umno’s agenda — often through racially-tinged articles against the party’s rivals — but Najib urged the 72-year-old newspaper to be more than just the party’s mouthpiece.

“I understand that sensational news sells... especially with that ‘one person,’” he said in a veiled reference to Utusan Malaysia’s constant attacks on Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“But you must also be a medium to build an intellectual culture, a critical society,” the Umno president added.

I stand by the One who walks his talks .

I have been asked countless times why I am supporting Najib ? In Umno , there are the moderates who truly wants a Malaysian Malaysia and there are the hawks , who have their personal self interests to protect . Its very clear who are the hawks in UMNO , and who wants to see Najib fails in his 1 Malaysia . All racists statements came out from people trusted by Najib , when Najib says something , these people will twist and say something else . For eg , when Najib says I am Malaysian first , somebody will say I am Malay first , Malaysian second . Then there are the rest like Nasir , etc etc .

Who are these hawks ? they have group together in the form of Perkasa where one Mamak is the advisor to this group , and who's the head ? The one who will become PM should Najib is forced out . How to get Najib out ? same tactic used during the Prematang Pauh By-election . Make sure BN candidate loses in HS and they will be spinning the Rakyat does not agree to Najib's One Malaysia .

During the Permatang Pauh by- election suddenly we have one UMNO division chairman who appeared during the last days of campaign to proclaim on stage that the Chinese are pendatangs . What was the result ? Chinese votes for BN vanished into thin air . And who is this guy ? he was once a very staunch supporter of Anwar Ibrahim . Why would someone from UMNO utter that in a ceramah ? Think ....who will be the beneficiary of the protest votes from the Chinese ?

Similarly in Hulu Selangor , to help Zaid wins ( they don't mind he wins as long as it serves their purpose of discrediting the number one ) someone did a repeat performance which was found to be very effective in P. Pauh . They lost the Chinese votes but the Indians voted for the man with the same color . That is important . But luckily some Chinese didn't fall in for their trick as was shown in the areas covered by Ong Tee Keat for the reason , we all know , ie morality issue . Pak Lah wanted to change the system when he became PM with his work with me not for me but found the under current too strong to change and in the process succumbed to the warlords and little Napoleans and got drowned in his own well . If you can remember who was the one who insisted that Pak Lah step down immediately several times ? Not Najib . Who were the drum beaters ? Well the one who cried on stage and said he made a mistake making him the PM . Who are the current drum beaters on this issue ? Same players lah ! maybe with an additional new kid on the sewage dump .

We have to look beyond the trees , where the forrest are , do not be short sighted . We must support a PM who walks his talk , does what he says will do , or do as he promises , not someone who is forever thinking and planning of how to brutus his boss like what happens in MCA .

Najib's Do or Die

Najib's Do or Die

One small step from Najib is one big step for Malaysians . That's the way to go , otherwise you'll never get to clean up the dirt and shit left behind by the Mamak .- J4otk

Hantu Laut

Well done! Mr Prime Minister.That's the way how it should be.A man who is not afraid of losing his job will do a better job.

Najib says his head is on the chopping block for purging rent seekers and political patronage and I believe him.

It's about time a leader take the bold step to stop this despicable practice of political largasse, giving huge contracts to party members,cronies, sycophants and hangers-on who do not have the capability to do the job other than sitting on their asses collecting million of ringgit by selling off the contracts.

The right thing to do is to have fair distribution of these contracts to all Malaysians and where preference for bumiputra participation are required, a special category of tender system exclusively for bumiputra contractors could be set up.There can be a two-category system, one for all Malaysian and the other exclusively for bona fide bumiputra contractors.In this way bumiputras are not deprived of the chance to share the economic pie and can compete among themselves under the new economic model.The other catergory should be opened to all Malaysians including bumiputras who think they can compete with the non-bumiputras. In the case of projects of extreme urgency or of sensitive nature the prime minister can dispense with the tender system and allow the projects to be on negotiated basis.

The present system is a 'catch penny' situation where the person given the contract is only concerned about the money but not the quality of the product.That's why, over the years, we have numerous abandoned projects and sub-standard products delivered to the government and no action taken against the culprit because he happened to be a powerful party member or a rich and powerful crony.The system has made those kind of bumiputras to become the abominable leeches, continuing to demand more and more projects to feed their insatiable greed and laziness.

The ruling party is full of them and think they should be given the handouts as of rights. Where do you think the easy money goes to? Certainly, not to fund further businesses because they have none.It goes to building palatial homes, buying posh cars and branded goods.When the money level is low they would go again for more and if they don't get, they start bad mouthing the leadership and some would even abandon the party and jump to the opposition hoping for better luck in the event the opposition won the elections and took over the government.

I have seen this happening since the formation of Malaysia and you see the same politicians being recycled over and over again.Sabah, used to be the place for recycling politicians but now politicians in the Peninsula seemed to have joined the circus and found the long-term benefits of recycling.

As I have said in my earlier article there is nothing wrong with the NEP if put to its proper use, helping the poor and needy Malays and bumiputras.

Najib needs to change the perception that the NEP is not to make the rich richer but to help give the poor and needy a decent living.The NEP should be retained for that purpose and that purpose only.Under his NEM he can create a new model to help other needy Malaysians the same way as helping needy bumiputras, therefore, providing fair and equitable treatment to all Malaysians.

There are many other things that he needs to revamp to truly show that he is serious about changing the social landscape of this nation.

Some, maybe, painful to do away with but unless he swallows the bitter pill now and takes his chances and between the risk of being castrated by his party members and the risk of no UMNO government tomorrow, I would say go for it.

Do or die!

Anwar blames Najib, Rosmah for latest PKR resignations

Apa ini ? Lousy rotten cook blames his ingredients when his cooking is shit ! What is there to blame ? another Lim Guan Eng , looks like all these PR blokes are good for nothing except balme , blame , blame !

By Neville Spykerman

PUTRAJAYA, March 1 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim accused Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor of being behind the latest resignations from PKR.

“It’s a difficult for me to understand if there’s no other circumstances, knowing that the Najib-Rosmah strategy is to try to buy people as much as possible,” the de facto PKR leader told reporters outside the Federal Court here.

Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng announced he was leaving PKR today, days after he faced a party disciplinary board over his criticisms against deputy president Senator Dr Syed Husin Ali and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Last night, former Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Mohd Fairus Khairuddin quit PKR to join Umno while former PKR secretary-general Datuk Salehuddin Hashim confirmed resigning from the party two weeks ago.

Salehuddin was seen with Tan today when the latter announced his resignation.

Another Anwar’s ally, Bayan Baru MP Datuk Seri Zahrain Hashim, quit the party two weeks ago to become an independent MP after he cited a lack of faith in the party leadership.

Salehuddin predicts exodus from PKR

UPDATED

By G. Manimaran

KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 — Former PKR secretary-general Datuk Salehuddin Hashim predicted today the resignations of more than ten lawmakers from the party, setting the stage for a major exodus which could decimate the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lynchpin.

Speaking to reporters today about speculation that ten MPs and state assemblymen were preparing to quit Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s party, he said it was “maybe more.”

“Yes (there will be those who are leaving)...take away the socialist group, take away the NGO group, take away the cronies...you can count for yourself and you will get the answer,” he said after accompanying Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng to a press conference where the Penang lawmaker said he was quitting the party.

Salehuddin, who resigned from his post in January, has also quit PKR.

His resignation from the party had come as a big blow to PKR as he once held a top post and was a senior party member, and part of Anwar’s inner circle.

Besides Tan, former deputy Penang Chief Minister Mohd Fairus Khairuddin also announced he was quitting the party yesterday. Fairus has joined Umno.

When asked today if BN could regain its two-thirds majority as a result of impending defections, Salehuddin said:

“They are leaving to become independents so Pakatan Rakyat will lose its standing of holding more than one-third of Parliament seats but this does not mean BN will get back its two-thirds majority.”

Salehuddin said he expected Anwar would do anything to persuade the remainder of PKR MPs not to leave the party.

“But don’t think that those who leave the party do not have the spirit of reformasi,” he said.

The former PKR secretary-general said the situation PKR finds itself in now was a result of the leadership’s ridicule of those who left the party.

“When you mock people for some time, then they will leave,” he said.

PM to Muslims: Respect all religions

MALACCA - Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has called on Muslims in the country to respect people of other religions in accordance with the teachings of the Quran and the practices of Prophet Muhammad.

He said Islamic teachings accorded great importance to good relationship among people, whether it was among Muslims or between Muslims and non-Muslims, and cited the example of Prophet Muhammad who had always respected people of other religions.

"The Quran contains text which specifically prohibits the spurning or sabotage of other religions, including their houses of worship.

"If we (Muslims) torch the places of worship of other religions, for example, those people (of other religions) will also do that to Muslim houses of worship," he said when opening the Asy-Syuja'ah Mosque in Merlimau Utara in Jasin, here on Thursday.

Respect each other

Najib said when individuals practise Islam in its fullness by respecting people of other religions, the people of the other faiths will also respect them.

The prime minister said the 1Malaysia concept was based on the principle of religion besides the principle of social justice.

The RM4,6mil Asy-Syuja'ah Mosque can accommodate a congregation of 3,000 at any one time.

Speking at a news conference later after a visit to a fishing village in Pantai Siring in Merlimau, Najib said the government in principle agreed to upgrade amenities at the village under the 10th Malaysia Plan. These include building three jetties and a wave-breaker.

Earlier, Jasin MP Ahmad Hamzah, who accompanied Najib on the visit, had asked the prime minister for an allocation of RM31mil to build the amenities at the village. - Malaysian Mirror

PM also pissed with the Blame Game of the Opposition

PM slams Pakatan for blame game over church attacks

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak lashed out today at Pakatan Rakyat for alleging that the arsonists involved in the Metro Tabernacle Church attack were Umno members.

Responding to a question from a reporter during a press conference after the Umno Supreme Council meeting, Najib appeared to be on the defensive as he dismissed the claims as merely another tactic by the opposition to win support.

“This point has already been answered by top Umno officials. This is what the opposition always does,” said Najib to a chorus of applause from Umno leaders present at the press conference.

The prime minister’s remarks comes amid accusations by some PR leaders claiming to have knowledge and evidence of Umno’s “hand” in the recent attack on the church which left its first floor completely gutted.

PKR vice-president Azmin Ali has claimed that at least four Umno members were involved in the arson attack on the Metro Tabernacle Church.

PAS’s HarakahDaily website quoted Azmin as saying that he was collecting evidence to back up his claims and would release it soon.

The Gombak MP had claimed that at least four of the eight remanded over the Jan 8 attack are Umno members from the Gombak and Ampang divisions, adding he would reveal the full names, Mykad numbers and Umno membership numbers of those involved as soon as possible.

“The opposition has to always blame Umno. This is their modus operandi (MO),” said Najib today in response to the claims.

Three dispatch riders were charged in the Sessions Court today for the recent firebombing of the Metro Tabernacle Church, and could face up to 20 years in prison.

The three were brothers Raja Muhammad Faizal Raja Ibrahim, 24; Raja Muhammad Idzham Raja Ibrahim, 22; and another 23-year-old, Azuwan Shah Ahmad.

They were charged under Section 436 of the Penal Code, for the offence of “mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy a building.”

All three claimed trial and the date of mention has been set for March 12.

A total of eight men had originally been detained in connection with the arson attack at the Metro Tabernacle Church here on Jan 8.

Besides the eight, police have also detained seven other men over the recent arson attempt at Taiping’s historic All Saints’ Church and the town’s Convent School.

The attacks are believed to be linked to the controversial “Allah” ruling that has riled many Muslims.

Four other men were also picked up for arson attempts on two mosques in Muar.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said this week he believed the attacks against churches, a temple and now mosques appeared to be aimed at sparking racial and religious strife.

Boar heads were reportedly found at two mosques near here, earlier this week, following the fire-bombing attacks and acts of vandalism against churches and a Sikh temple that had taken place in the wake of the “Allah” controversy.

These latest acts could be construed as attempts to escalate tensions and provoke unrest between Muslims and non-Muslims, as pigs are considered unhygienic in Islam and therefore their presence in the mosques were acts of desecration.