For more than a week after the Ministry of Finance the sale of a 60% Bandar Malaysia interest to a consortium led by Iskandar Waterfront Holdings (IWH) collapsed, the Prime Minister’s Department media strategists worked overtime to limit the damage caused by the negative publicity.
They fed unnamed and uncorroborated stories to key correspondents with news leaks that the real reason why the IWH deal will terminated was because a much bigger deal was to be signed.
It was The Star who first picked up the “rumour” quoting “some sources” saying “that entity could be Dalian Wanda Group Co Ltd, a Chinese multinational conglomerate corporation and the world’s biggest private property developer” on 6 May 2017.
But it was The Singapore Straits Times who was the first to flesh out the story on 9 May 2017 and created an unreal buzz that Dato’ Seri Najib Razak has all but tied up the deal with Dalian Wanda, hence the urgency to dump IWH.
The Singapore Straits Times wrote that “Government officials and financial executives close to the situation told The Straits Times that negotiations with the Dalian Wanda Group to take a central role as master developer have reached an advanced stage…”
“Malaysian government officials noted that the new deal would be substantially higher than the previous RM12.3 billion valuation tag for the entire project. According to financial executives familiar with ongoing talks, Wanda has proposed to use half of the development for tourism and entertainment-related ventures valued at roughly US$8 billion,” the Singapore paper added.
All media outlets, online and print, including The Star, quoted the Singapore report with expectations of an agreement to be signed with Wanda in Beijing this week hitting a feverish pitch.
However, with expectations set so high, the stage was set for a spectacular flop. The press conference announcement yesterday afternoon between Dato’ Seri Najib Razak and Wanda’s Chairman Wang Jianlin in Beijing turned up a damp squib.
Despite the Prime Minister’s over-the-top praise for Wanda, Wang’s brief response was measured in pure diplomatic speak.
"Today, I also talked to the Prime Minister about this project. It is a large project worth over US$10 billion and we have not finalised a deal yet. We are very optimistic about Malaysia's investment and commercial climate. We are willing and ready to contribute our share to Malaysia's economic development and to create the one and only unique commercial centre in Malaysia," he said.
Not even a face-saving, typically broadly-worded, non-committal Memorandum of Understanding was signed.
The reason is likely quite simple. Dalian Wanda might be one of the richest private companies in China, making them an attractive target to sell perhaps, a grossly overpriced piece of real estate. But in all likelihood, Dalian Wanda became one of the most profitable companies in the world precisely because it doesn’t pay over-the-top prices of real estate – even if it is indeed prime real estate, especially if the seller is way more desperate than Wanda is interested.
With the IWH deal dead and no super-wealthy knight-in-shining-armour in sight, the Ministry of Finance needs to go back to the drawing board on its plans for Bandar Malaysia. The priority must not be to sell the land at the highest possible price with the intended purpose for the funds to bailout 1MDB. The priority to the land must be a economically sustainable development which will not only empower the Malaysian business community, but also in turn create meaningful job opportunities for ordinary Malaysians.
Showing posts with label Media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Media. Show all posts
Sunday, May 14, 2017
Friday, March 31, 2017
Dato’ Seri Najib Razak undisputed King of Obfuscation, carefully wording parliamentary replies with selected choice facts
Meanwhile, crucial details are deliberately omitted, calculated to present an alternate reality for the media and the rakyat.
At first, I was both amused and bemused by yesterday’s headline on Malaysiakini story, “PM: 1MDB has cleared its bank debts, short-term debts”. The headline is factually correct, although it needs an alert and informed reader to read between the lines.
Later however, I was stumped and stupefied by the headlines of The Star and The New Straits Times (NST), screaming “Najib: 1MDB is now debt free” and “1MDB now debt free: Finance Ministry”.
I immediately sought out my colleague, Member of Parliament for Bakri, Er Teck Hwa for a copy of Dato’ Seri Najib Razak’s parliamentary reply to his question, which was the basis for the above news stories.
He had asked the Finance Minister to state, among other things, “debts and assets of 1MDB in and out of Malaysia for the years, 2015 and 2016”.
Dato’ Seri Najib Razak responded that 1MDB made full settlement amounting to RM229.5mil for a revolving credit facility to Affin Bank in November, 2015.
Last year, 1MDB has also successfully repaid a RM950mil in a standby credit facility from the Federal Government, a RM2bil term-loan facility from Marstan Investments N.V and a US$150mil term financing facility from Exim Bank.
With the RM3.8 billion worth of debts repaid, the Finance Minister further added that 1MDB no longer have any borrowings with banks, nor any other short-term debts.
As if on cue, knowingly or unknowingly, The Star and The NST fell for it hook, line and sinker by declaring that “1MDB is now debt free”, painting most beautiful alternate reality which the Prime Minister would like you to believe.
Except the reality is so exceedingly different, that you can only conclude that Dato’ Seri Najib Razak’s reply was deliberately designed to obfuscate the truth to achieve the effect convincing Malaysians of the biggest lie of them all, that “1MDB is debt free”.
Dato’ Seri Najib has conveniently and mischievously failed to disclose the multiple elephants squeezed into the room - that 1MDB still have outstanding
(i) a 30-year RM5 billion bond which is guaranteed by the Federal Government
(ii) two 10-year US$1.75 billion bonds which was guaranteed by Abu Dhabi’s International Petroleum Investment Corporation (IPIC) but have since been indemnified by the Ministry of Finance, Incorporated (MoF Inc)
(iii) a 10-year US$3.0 billion bond, guaranteed with a “Letter of Support” issued by the Minister of Finance
(iv) a US$1.0 billion advance by IPIC, indemnified by MOF Inc
(v) at least US$230 million worth of interest payments by IPIC on behalf of 1MDB, indemnified by MOF Inc.
Hence, the total amount of 1MDB debt still outstanding, and directly or indirectly guaranteed by the Federal Government are RM5.0 billion and at least US$7.73 billion, or a total of more than RM39 billion!
This is despite the fact that the Federal Government has already bailed out 1MDB’s real estate division by assuming 1MDB’s RM2.4 billion worth of sukuk and another RM800 million borrowed from SOCSO.
In addition, the RM39 billion is still outstanding despite the fact that 1MDB has already disposed of its power plant assets for a total of RM9.83 billion.
Hence it complete defies belief that Dato’ Seri Najib Razak was less than truthful with the material omission of more than RM39 billion worth debt in his reply to my Bakri colleague. Instead, the Prime Minister chose to extol 1MDB’s RM3.8 billion repayments, barely a-tenth of the scandal-ridden fund’s total debts.
He even carefully worded his happy conclusion, that 1MDB no longer owes any bank any money or any other short term debts, to skew the impression and perception of those who are not alert or informed. If this does not crown Dato’ Seri Najib the devious King of Obfuscation in Malaysia, then I certainly don’t know what would.
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Instead of making the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia the bastion of truth and integrity, Datuk Seri Salleh Keruak has made it the Ministry of Fake News and Miscommunications
There cannot be greater irony when the Minister of Communications and Multimedia, Datuk Seri Salleh Keruak warned in his blog exactly a month ago against posting “fake news”:
However, the Minister seems to have picked up a different lesson from the above analysis that he cited. It appears that the prevalence and popularity of “fake news” which helped President Trump with the American elections is the exact approach he would take to help Dato’ Seri Najib Razak defend his kleptocratic administration.
Two days ago, I have countered Datuk Seri Salleh’s attempt to shrivel 1MDB’s scandal into a peanut-sized RM1 million. The Minister even presented the alternative fact that 1MDB was in possession of RM51 billion in assets and hence is a healthy “going concern”.
I’ve detailed the Auditor-General’s findings that the Federal Government has guaranteed, directly and indirectly, RM39.8 billion of 1MDB’s monster debts of which the Ministry of Finance wholly-owned subsidiary has no ability to repay.
I’ve also cited the fact that even 1MDB’s auditors, Deloitte have renounced the 1MDB March 2013 financial statements which provided the RM51 billion asset figure. This was after various international agencies, including the US Department of Justice (DOJ) provided documents demonstrating that at least US$5.6 billion have been stolen and laundered from 1MDB via fraudulent transfers and fake companies.
Despite the Minister’s normally quick responses, Datuk Seri Salleh Keruak has failed to respond to the cited facts, much less provided any shred of evidence to counter the allegations.
Instead, the above only proved that the Minister has corrupted his position to become the official Ministry of Fake News and Miscommunications, consistent with many of his earlier statements defending the indefensible Prime Minister and 1MDB.
The award of the fakest news of all perpetrated by Datuk Seri Salleh Keruak has to be his continued insistence, even after the mountain of evidence presented by the US DOJ on US$731 million finding its way into Dato’ Seri Najib Razak’s personal bank account in Ambank, that “after comprehensive investigations by many authorities, it has been confirmed that the funds were a donation from the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia”.
The problem is, Datuk Seri Salleh Keruak is learning from the best, Nazi Hitler who wrote, “Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.” The Minister presented not an iota of proof to continue asserting that the siphoned funds actually originated from “the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia”.
It is the sacred task and duty of all right-thinking Malaysians to stand up for the truth and defeat the ‘big lies’ of the Najib administration to protect our country from crooked dictators, and ensure that our children do not pay for our indifference.
I’ve said this before and I will say it again – verify before you vilify your source of news information. It is very unfortunate to know that many people still cling on to mistaken beliefs and theories that could even be decades old!
Fabricated news stories and irresponsible online news sources spread misinformation in order to mislead and/or make money when others click on the site or article. This makes fake news much more insidious than real news.
According to an analysis by BuzzFeed, a leading independent digital media company, hoaxes about the US politics were among the top-performing fake news content on Facebook in 2016. BuzzFeed News Media Editor, Craig Silverman said that twenty-three of the 50 top-performing fake news hoaxes found on Facebook, were focused on US politics.
However, the Minister seems to have picked up a different lesson from the above analysis that he cited. It appears that the prevalence and popularity of “fake news” which helped President Trump with the American elections is the exact approach he would take to help Dato’ Seri Najib Razak defend his kleptocratic administration.
Two days ago, I have countered Datuk Seri Salleh’s attempt to shrivel 1MDB’s scandal into a peanut-sized RM1 million. The Minister even presented the alternative fact that 1MDB was in possession of RM51 billion in assets and hence is a healthy “going concern”.
I’ve detailed the Auditor-General’s findings that the Federal Government has guaranteed, directly and indirectly, RM39.8 billion of 1MDB’s monster debts of which the Ministry of Finance wholly-owned subsidiary has no ability to repay.
I’ve also cited the fact that even 1MDB’s auditors, Deloitte have renounced the 1MDB March 2013 financial statements which provided the RM51 billion asset figure. This was after various international agencies, including the US Department of Justice (DOJ) provided documents demonstrating that at least US$5.6 billion have been stolen and laundered from 1MDB via fraudulent transfers and fake companies.
Despite the Minister’s normally quick responses, Datuk Seri Salleh Keruak has failed to respond to the cited facts, much less provided any shred of evidence to counter the allegations.
Instead, the above only proved that the Minister has corrupted his position to become the official Ministry of Fake News and Miscommunications, consistent with many of his earlier statements defending the indefensible Prime Minister and 1MDB.
The award of the fakest news of all perpetrated by Datuk Seri Salleh Keruak has to be his continued insistence, even after the mountain of evidence presented by the US DOJ on US$731 million finding its way into Dato’ Seri Najib Razak’s personal bank account in Ambank, that “after comprehensive investigations by many authorities, it has been confirmed that the funds were a donation from the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia”.
The problem is, Datuk Seri Salleh Keruak is learning from the best, Nazi Hitler who wrote, “Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.” The Minister presented not an iota of proof to continue asserting that the siphoned funds actually originated from “the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia”.
It is the sacred task and duty of all right-thinking Malaysians to stand up for the truth and defeat the ‘big lies’ of the Najib administration to protect our country from crooked dictators, and ensure that our children do not pay for our indifference.
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Dato’ Seri Najib Razak makes rare appearance in Parliament; fails miserably to address twin scandals of 1MDB and RM2.6 billion
The Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Najib Razak made a rare appearance today in the Parliament to answer a question posed by the Member from Ketereh, Tan Sri Annuar Musa, who happens to be the new UMNO information chief.
Tan Sri Annuar had asked how Malaysia will collaborate with ASEAN countries to overcome the economic uncertainties we face today.
I had the opportunity to ask a supplementary question, where I raised the fact that the economic uncertainties and the crisis of confidence facing Malaysia today have been caused to a large part by the twin RM55 billion 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and RM2.6 billion “donation” scandals.
I emphasized to the House that there has been an unprecedented degree of negative foreign media interest in Malaysia as a result of the Prime Minister’s failure to address these unanswered scandals. The clearest example would be the journalists from Australia Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) taking a flight all the way to Kuching just to seek a comment from the Prime Minister “if you could explain the hundreds of million in your account?”
For their troubles they were detained by the police for 6 hours and had their passports temporarily confiscated. The attempt to further charge them for allegedly obstructing public officials from their duties, before they were subsequently withdrawn and the journalists deported further disgraced the nation in the eyes of the global community.
The refusal by Dato’ Seri Najib Razak to answer the simple question further cement the perception of guilt and wrongdoing not only among Malaysians but to the entire world.
Hence I asked, what was the Prime Minister going to do to address these scandals to reduce the economic uncertainty and crisis of confidence affecting the country’s economy.
Unfortunately, Dato’ Seri Najib Razak failed miserably to use the golden opportunity in Parliament, on live television to reveal the truth behind the scandals and silence all vehement critics on these matters.
The Prime Minister chose to paint the so-called attacks as an “orchestrated campaign”against his government and only promised that "I am responsible to the people... The process of accountability in the country will continue".
Even his re-assertion that he will let the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) decide on the RM2.6 billion “donation” and 1MDB scandals rings hollow after singing the same tune for more than a year, where he had pro-actively stifled the investigations on these matters, including the sacking of the former Attorney-General.
Malaysians do not want to hear Dato’ Seri Najib promising investigations. Malaysians want to hear from the Prime Minister himself with regards to these scandals because more than RM2.6 billion was found to have appeared in his own personal bank account.
Hence the question everyone is asking is, why the heck can’t Dato’ Seri Najib Razak let Malaysians know why these obscene sums of money were found in his personal account himself? Why does he need investigators to tell him why the money appeared in his account in order to tell Malaysians and the watching world? This is particularly since it has been more than 8 months since the scandals were exposed?
The above proved that Dato’ Seri Najib Razak has failed to be accountable as the Prime Minister of Malaysians, and further justify why all Malaysians should sign and support the Citizen’s Declaration seeking the removal of the Prime Minister and institutionalise reforms in the Malaysian Government.
Tan Sri Annuar had asked how Malaysia will collaborate with ASEAN countries to overcome the economic uncertainties we face today.
I had the opportunity to ask a supplementary question, where I raised the fact that the economic uncertainties and the crisis of confidence facing Malaysia today have been caused to a large part by the twin RM55 billion 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and RM2.6 billion “donation” scandals.
I emphasized to the House that there has been an unprecedented degree of negative foreign media interest in Malaysia as a result of the Prime Minister’s failure to address these unanswered scandals. The clearest example would be the journalists from Australia Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) taking a flight all the way to Kuching just to seek a comment from the Prime Minister “if you could explain the hundreds of million in your account?”
For their troubles they were detained by the police for 6 hours and had their passports temporarily confiscated. The attempt to further charge them for allegedly obstructing public officials from their duties, before they were subsequently withdrawn and the journalists deported further disgraced the nation in the eyes of the global community.
The refusal by Dato’ Seri Najib Razak to answer the simple question further cement the perception of guilt and wrongdoing not only among Malaysians but to the entire world.
Hence I asked, what was the Prime Minister going to do to address these scandals to reduce the economic uncertainty and crisis of confidence affecting the country’s economy.
Unfortunately, Dato’ Seri Najib Razak failed miserably to use the golden opportunity in Parliament, on live television to reveal the truth behind the scandals and silence all vehement critics on these matters.
The Prime Minister chose to paint the so-called attacks as an “orchestrated campaign”against his government and only promised that "I am responsible to the people... The process of accountability in the country will continue".
Even his re-assertion that he will let the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) decide on the RM2.6 billion “donation” and 1MDB scandals rings hollow after singing the same tune for more than a year, where he had pro-actively stifled the investigations on these matters, including the sacking of the former Attorney-General.
Malaysians do not want to hear Dato’ Seri Najib promising investigations. Malaysians want to hear from the Prime Minister himself with regards to these scandals because more than RM2.6 billion was found to have appeared in his own personal bank account.
Hence the question everyone is asking is, why the heck can’t Dato’ Seri Najib Razak let Malaysians know why these obscene sums of money were found in his personal account himself? Why does he need investigators to tell him why the money appeared in his account in order to tell Malaysians and the watching world? This is particularly since it has been more than 8 months since the scandals were exposed?
The above proved that Dato’ Seri Najib Razak has failed to be accountable as the Prime Minister of Malaysians, and further justify why all Malaysians should sign and support the Citizen’s Declaration seeking the removal of the Prime Minister and institutionalise reforms in the Malaysian Government.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Malaysia enters new age of darkness as the Najib administration brutally suppresses press freedom
Never has the media in Malaysia faced a greater onslaught than it faces today since the dark days of Operasi Lalang where The Star, Sin Chew Jit Poh, Watan was suspended on 29 October 1987.
Today, in a bid to put a lid on a barrel of crawling worms, the Najib administration has taken the most drastic and draconian action to date by blocking Malaysia’s most popular English news portal, The Malaysian Insider.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has confirmed that The Malaysian Insider has been officially banned “on the grounds of national security”. The notice posted by the respective Internet Service Providers claimed that the website is “not available in Malaysia because it violates National Law(s)”.
The Malaysian government has gotten increasingly brazen with abusing its powers by previously blocking whistle-blower websites such as The Sarawak Report and even the Medium channel for publishing The Sarawak Report news. It has previously blocked the Bersih.org website and more recently, the anti-establishment Malaysia Chronicle blog.
The latest block against the mainstream news portal The Malaysian Insider is clearly a sign of the Malaysian government upping the ante against any news outlets deemed to provide free and fair coverage of politics and Malaysia.
Worse, the MCMC has blatant flouted the very laws it claims to protect by taking action against the website without even any charges pressed against them. The Malaysian Insider has stated that it has no knowledge of being investigated for any of its reports, nor has it been sought to assist in clarifying any matters deemed sensitive by the authorities.This goes to prove the complete disregard for the rule of law by the Government.
The unannounced block by MCMC is a blatant show of naked force to not only to shut down “misbehaving” news sites, it is also intended to frighten and threaten all other news portals into submission and compliance.
President Barrack Obama had spoken up on the need of media freedom to preserve meaningful democracy during the World Press Freedom Day last year. "Journalists give all of us as citizens the chance to know the truth about our countries, ourselves, our governments," he said. "That makes us better, it makes us stronger, it gives voice to the voiceless, it exposes injustice, and holds leaders like me accountable."
The increasing brute and brazen attempts by the Najib administration to tear down the fourth estate, a critical pillar to check and balance those who are in power will only go to demonstrate how we are closer to a banana republic than we think we are. The world will now see in our full naked glory, how Malaysia is run by an utterly corrupt and shameless regime.
The DAP calls upon the MCMC and the Najib administration to lift the ban on all news portals. It will not only to return Malaysia to some semblance of the rule of law, but also to prevent a further drain in confidence in the country by local and foreign investors which will crush our fragile economy today.
Today, in a bid to put a lid on a barrel of crawling worms, the Najib administration has taken the most drastic and draconian action to date by blocking Malaysia’s most popular English news portal, The Malaysian Insider.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has confirmed that The Malaysian Insider has been officially banned “on the grounds of national security”. The notice posted by the respective Internet Service Providers claimed that the website is “not available in Malaysia because it violates National Law(s)”.
The Malaysian government has gotten increasingly brazen with abusing its powers by previously blocking whistle-blower websites such as The Sarawak Report and even the Medium channel for publishing The Sarawak Report news. It has previously blocked the Bersih.org website and more recently, the anti-establishment Malaysia Chronicle blog.
The latest block against the mainstream news portal The Malaysian Insider is clearly a sign of the Malaysian government upping the ante against any news outlets deemed to provide free and fair coverage of politics and Malaysia.
Worse, the MCMC has blatant flouted the very laws it claims to protect by taking action against the website without even any charges pressed against them. The Malaysian Insider has stated that it has no knowledge of being investigated for any of its reports, nor has it been sought to assist in clarifying any matters deemed sensitive by the authorities.This goes to prove the complete disregard for the rule of law by the Government.
The unannounced block by MCMC is a blatant show of naked force to not only to shut down “misbehaving” news sites, it is also intended to frighten and threaten all other news portals into submission and compliance.
President Barrack Obama had spoken up on the need of media freedom to preserve meaningful democracy during the World Press Freedom Day last year. "Journalists give all of us as citizens the chance to know the truth about our countries, ourselves, our governments," he said. "That makes us better, it makes us stronger, it gives voice to the voiceless, it exposes injustice, and holds leaders like me accountable."
The increasing brute and brazen attempts by the Najib administration to tear down the fourth estate, a critical pillar to check and balance those who are in power will only go to demonstrate how we are closer to a banana republic than we think we are. The world will now see in our full naked glory, how Malaysia is run by an utterly corrupt and shameless regime.
The DAP calls upon the MCMC and the Najib administration to lift the ban on all news portals. It will not only to return Malaysia to some semblance of the rule of law, but also to prevent a further drain in confidence in the country by local and foreign investors which will crush our fragile economy today.
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
1MDB Interim Report Will Silence Dato' Husni Hanadzlah's Lies
Second Finance Minister, Dato’ Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah blatantly lied that the preliminary report by the Auditor-General “has found no evidence of wrong doing” against 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB)
As a member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), we have been asked by the Auditor-General (AG) to embargo the findings and information provided in the Interim Report on 1MDB. The members of PAC hence refrained from making comments to respect the wishes of the AG while awaiting the completion of the full report.
However, I read with complete shock that the Second Finance Minister, Dato’ Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah issued a statement yesterday that “the Auditor-General investigating 1MDB’s activities has found no evidence of wrong doing”.
Why did the Minister have the special privilege of publicly commenting and concluding on the Interim Report when the PAC members were told to keep our mouths shut?
What is worse however, is the fact that the Minister blatantly lied about the findings in the Auditor-General’s Report. While I will continue to refrain from referring to the specifics of the Interim Report, any normal person reading the report will be stunned by the sheer number and scale of infractions and transgressions committed by 1MDB and its officers cited in the report.
Hence it boggles the mind as to why Dato’ Seri Husni Hanadzlah saw it fit as to make the unilateral announcement that the AG “found no evidence of wrong doing” to create the false impression that 1MDB has been cleared of all its alleged shenanigans.
The Second Finance Minister even took the trouble to point out that the “transfer of USD700 million to certain individual does not arise”. However, we don’t know if Dato’ Seri Husni was referring Dato’ Seri Najib Razak or Low Taek Jow as he who must not be named.
Regardless of who the Minister was referring to, the AG never cleared the “transfer of USD700 million” in the Interim Report. On the contrary, the USD700 million transaction raises many questions which the National Audit Department said it needed to investigate further before making its final conclusions.
Therefore, while the Minister had hoped that “all the baseless allegations will be put to rest”, the reverse holds greater truth. I have been very encouraged by the efforts which were made by the National Audit Department to discover the truth, despite the lack of cooperation given by 1MDB.
If the Minister still believes he is right and justified, I would echo the call made by the DAP Parliamentary Leader, Lim Kit Siang, for the Interim Report to be made public for all to judge.
At the end of the day, after reading the Interim Report, I am now convinced that all the lies, denials, mismanagement and misappropriations by 1MDB and all who are involved in the decision-making process will be duly proven and exposed.
Tony Pua
Tuesday, July 02, 2013
There are Lies, Damned Lies, and Utusan
Rencana Awang Selamat semalam dalam Mingguan Malaysia menuduh bahawa “pemimpin DAP, Tony Pua dalam reaksinya mengeluarkan kenyataan provokatif. Beliau mencadangkan pasar Ramadan turut ditutup kerana didakwanya menyebabkan kesesakan lalu lintas.”
Awang Selamat menulis bahawa “kenyataan” saya “ternyata menyinggung perasaan umat Islam lebih-lebih lagi menjelang Ramadan. Awang tidak terkejut. DAP memang parti paling rasis dan selalu mencabar kepentingan Islam.”
Awang Selamat berkata bahawa saya “mengambil mudah kesabaran orang Islam, yang ada batasnya… elok sahaja beliau berhijrah ke Taiwan atau Hong Kong.”
Ada pepatah orang putih yang berbunyi “there are lies, damned lies and statistics”. Saya rasa lebih sesuai jika pepatah tersebut diubah menjadi “there are lies, damned lies and Utusan”. Utusan Malaysia merupakan sebuah akhbar tanpa moral, yang lidah bercabang bagai biawak.
Terlebih dahulu, saya ingin menyatakan secara terus-terang bahawa saya tidak pernah meminta supaya pasar Ramadan ditutup. Oleh sebab itu, isu “menyinggung perasaan umat Islam” atau “mengambil mudah kesabaran orang Islam” langsung tidak terbangkit.
Utusan Malaysia hanya mengemukaan pembohongan dan memutar-belitkan segala kenyataan pemimpin DAP secara 180 darjah, untuk memberikan persepsi palsu bahawa DAP merupakan “parti rasis” yang sentiasa “mencabar kepentingan Islam”.
Dalam persidangan media di Parlimen pada Rabu, 26hb Jun 2013 minggu lalu bersama Ahli Parlimen Bukit Katil dan Kota Melaka, Shamsul Iskandar dan Sim Tong Him, kami tidak pernah mendesak penutupan pasar Ramadan.
Sebaliknya, selain daripada isu Jonker Walk, kami telah membangkitkan isu bahawa kerajaan UMNO Melaka telah mengeluarkan arahan untuk menutup bazaar Ramadan di Taman Cempaka, di kawasan parlimen Bukit Katil. Kami telah membantah tindakan kerajaan UMNO Melaka yang menganiayai lebih daripada 300 penjaja-penjaja di bazaar Ramadan Taman Cempaka yang merupakan antara terbesar dan terpopular di Melaka. Malah lesen-lesen yang telahpun ditawarkan kepada pihak penjaja di sana telah ditarik balik tergesa-gesa.
Walaupun kedua-dua pasar Jonker Walk dan bazaar Ramadan Taman Cempaka mempunyai sejarah selama 13 tahun, ia ditutup oleh kerajaan UMNO kerana MCA tewas di Kota Melaka, dan UMNO, yang diwakili oleh bekas Ketua Menteri Melaka, Datuk Seri Ali Rustam tewas di Bukit Katil. Ini merupakan tindakan balas dendam oleh Ketua Menteri Melaka yang baru, Datuk Idris Haron, yang mungkin masih didalangi oleh Datuk Seri Ali Rustam, yang tidak puas hati dengan rakyat yang memberikan sokong kepada Pakatan Rakyat.
Sidang media kami pada 26hb Jun jelas menunjukkan bahawa UMNO sendiri yang telah menutup bazaar Ramadan, dan bukannya DAP atau Pakatan Rakyat yang tidak berkuasa berbuat begitu.
Saya telah merujuk semula video sidang media hari tersebut dan mencatat perkataan-perkataan yang saya telah sebut, yang telah diputar-belitkan oleh Utusan Malaysia.
Saya mencabar Utusan Malaysia untuk memperbetulkan tuduhan liar mereka. Saya akan memberikan peluang kepada Utusan untuk menerbitkan berita bahawa sekarang, adalah Ahli Parlimen DAP yang mempertahankan hak orang Islam untuk mengekalkan pasar Ramadan yang selama 13 tahun disambut baik oleh rakyat di Melaka. Saya juga mencabar Utusan untuk membongkarkan kebenaran bahawa yang menutup bazaar Ramadan, “yang menyinggung perasaan umat Islam lebih-lebih lagi menjelang Ramadan” adalah kerajaan UMNO-Barisan Nasional di Melaka.
Awang Selamat menulis bahawa “kenyataan” saya “ternyata menyinggung perasaan umat Islam lebih-lebih lagi menjelang Ramadan. Awang tidak terkejut. DAP memang parti paling rasis dan selalu mencabar kepentingan Islam.”
Awang Selamat berkata bahawa saya “mengambil mudah kesabaran orang Islam, yang ada batasnya… elok sahaja beliau berhijrah ke Taiwan atau Hong Kong.”
Ada pepatah orang putih yang berbunyi “there are lies, damned lies and statistics”. Saya rasa lebih sesuai jika pepatah tersebut diubah menjadi “there are lies, damned lies and Utusan”. Utusan Malaysia merupakan sebuah akhbar tanpa moral, yang lidah bercabang bagai biawak.
Terlebih dahulu, saya ingin menyatakan secara terus-terang bahawa saya tidak pernah meminta supaya pasar Ramadan ditutup. Oleh sebab itu, isu “menyinggung perasaan umat Islam” atau “mengambil mudah kesabaran orang Islam” langsung tidak terbangkit.
Utusan Malaysia hanya mengemukaan pembohongan dan memutar-belitkan segala kenyataan pemimpin DAP secara 180 darjah, untuk memberikan persepsi palsu bahawa DAP merupakan “parti rasis” yang sentiasa “mencabar kepentingan Islam”.
Dalam persidangan media di Parlimen pada Rabu, 26hb Jun 2013 minggu lalu bersama Ahli Parlimen Bukit Katil dan Kota Melaka, Shamsul Iskandar dan Sim Tong Him, kami tidak pernah mendesak penutupan pasar Ramadan.
Sebaliknya, selain daripada isu Jonker Walk, kami telah membangkitkan isu bahawa kerajaan UMNO Melaka telah mengeluarkan arahan untuk menutup bazaar Ramadan di Taman Cempaka, di kawasan parlimen Bukit Katil. Kami telah membantah tindakan kerajaan UMNO Melaka yang menganiayai lebih daripada 300 penjaja-penjaja di bazaar Ramadan Taman Cempaka yang merupakan antara terbesar dan terpopular di Melaka. Malah lesen-lesen yang telahpun ditawarkan kepada pihak penjaja di sana telah ditarik balik tergesa-gesa.
Walaupun kedua-dua pasar Jonker Walk dan bazaar Ramadan Taman Cempaka mempunyai sejarah selama 13 tahun, ia ditutup oleh kerajaan UMNO kerana MCA tewas di Kota Melaka, dan UMNO, yang diwakili oleh bekas Ketua Menteri Melaka, Datuk Seri Ali Rustam tewas di Bukit Katil. Ini merupakan tindakan balas dendam oleh Ketua Menteri Melaka yang baru, Datuk Idris Haron, yang mungkin masih didalangi oleh Datuk Seri Ali Rustam, yang tidak puas hati dengan rakyat yang memberikan sokong kepada Pakatan Rakyat.
Sidang media kami pada 26hb Jun jelas menunjukkan bahawa UMNO sendiri yang telah menutup bazaar Ramadan, dan bukannya DAP atau Pakatan Rakyat yang tidak berkuasa berbuat begitu.
Saya telah merujuk semula video sidang media hari tersebut dan mencatat perkataan-perkataan yang saya telah sebut, yang telah diputar-belitkan oleh Utusan Malaysia.
“Akhir sekali, kalau katakan satu-satu pasar malam, atau pasar tani, atau bazaar Ramadan akan menyebabkan kesesakan lalulintas, maka saya rasa semua pasar-pasar, semua pasar tani di Melaka, di mana-mana negeri pun patut dibatalkan secara langsung.
Kenapa tutup saja di Jonker Walk atau di Taman Cempaka? So kita rasa segala tindakan yang diambil oleh kerajaan negeri Melaka adalah tindakan politik yang langsung tidak mengambil kira keperluan rakyat di Malaysia dan hanya mengambil (kira) kepentingan Umno mereka sendiri.”Konteks kenyataan saya yang menyoal tindakan kerajaan UMNO Melaka adalah jelas. Hanya yang bodoh, atau yang berniat jahat sengaja memberikan maksud lain kepada apa yang saya sebut. Saya telah menyindir logik Ketua Menteri Melaka yang memberikan alasan tidak wajar bahawa pasar Jonker Walk dan Taman Cempaka ditutup untuk menyelesaikan kesesakan jalanraya. Kami tidak boleh terima alasan tersebut kerana alasan tersebut akan menyebabkan semua pasar malam, pasar tani dan bazaar Ramadan ditutup, dan bukan sahaja di Jonker Walk dan Taman Cempaka.
Saya mencabar Utusan Malaysia untuk memperbetulkan tuduhan liar mereka. Saya akan memberikan peluang kepada Utusan untuk menerbitkan berita bahawa sekarang, adalah Ahli Parlimen DAP yang mempertahankan hak orang Islam untuk mengekalkan pasar Ramadan yang selama 13 tahun disambut baik oleh rakyat di Melaka. Saya juga mencabar Utusan untuk membongkarkan kebenaran bahawa yang menutup bazaar Ramadan, “yang menyinggung perasaan umat Islam lebih-lebih lagi menjelang Ramadan” adalah kerajaan UMNO-Barisan Nasional di Melaka.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Friday, August 10, 2012
Full Support for CIJ "Internet Blackout Day"
The DAP would like to fully support the campaign launched by The Centre for Journalism (CIJ) Malaysia to hold Malaysia’s first ever internet blackout day to protest against the introduction of the Evidence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2012.
On May 9 2012, the Evidence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2012 was passed in the Dewan Negara and gazette by the Law Minister last month. We deem the amendment as a blatant intrusion upon the fundamental human rights of Malaysia’s internet users and thus urge the government to repeal this amendment immediately.
Section 114(A) severely infringes upon the freedom of online expression and undermines the civil liberties of Malaysia’s internet users. We believe the amendment may be construed as an attempt by the powers that be to censor and police what can and cannot be said on the Internet. Such regulation passed with an ulterior motive in mind, only serves to undermine the purpose of the internet to disseminate information and facilitate an environment of open discussion.
Due to the broad scope of the terminology employed in the amendment, situations may arise where the act may impair the delivery of justice to wronged parties and even be used to persecute them. Internet subscribers may be held accountable for any comments or content deemed slanderous or offensive published through their internet connection even though it was published by somebody else without their consent. Victims of online identity theft may be charged under the act if offensive content is published online using their stolen accounts.
It is plain for all to see that the act just makes it easier for the prosecution to find scapegoats when dealing with cybercrimes instead of finding the real perpetrators. Under this act, identity thieves, con-artists and hackers will remain at large so long as they ply their trade using an internet connection that is attached to somebody else’s name.
Furthermore, the following sentence “is presumed to have published … unless the contrary is proved” found in Section 114(A) places the burden of proof on the defendant. This runs counter to the principle of law where the defendant is innocent until proven guilty.
The act also openly discourages people from sharing their internet be it access to their internet connections or to the websites they operate. Hotels, restaurants and even cyber cafes will no longer be able to offer internet access to its patrons for fear of falling afoul of the law. This clearly runs contrary to the objective of making Malaysia one of the most “connected” countries in the world.
Thus, we would hereby like to reiterate our support for CIJ’s initiative to launch an Internet blackout day on 14 August to voice our protest and dissatisfaction against the implementation of the Evidence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2012.
On May 9 2012, the Evidence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2012 was passed in the Dewan Negara and gazette by the Law Minister last month. We deem the amendment as a blatant intrusion upon the fundamental human rights of Malaysia’s internet users and thus urge the government to repeal this amendment immediately.
Section 114(A) severely infringes upon the freedom of online expression and undermines the civil liberties of Malaysia’s internet users. We believe the amendment may be construed as an attempt by the powers that be to censor and police what can and cannot be said on the Internet. Such regulation passed with an ulterior motive in mind, only serves to undermine the purpose of the internet to disseminate information and facilitate an environment of open discussion.
Due to the broad scope of the terminology employed in the amendment, situations may arise where the act may impair the delivery of justice to wronged parties and even be used to persecute them. Internet subscribers may be held accountable for any comments or content deemed slanderous or offensive published through their internet connection even though it was published by somebody else without their consent. Victims of online identity theft may be charged under the act if offensive content is published online using their stolen accounts.
It is plain for all to see that the act just makes it easier for the prosecution to find scapegoats when dealing with cybercrimes instead of finding the real perpetrators. Under this act, identity thieves, con-artists and hackers will remain at large so long as they ply their trade using an internet connection that is attached to somebody else’s name.
Furthermore, the following sentence “is presumed to have published … unless the contrary is proved” found in Section 114(A) places the burden of proof on the defendant. This runs counter to the principle of law where the defendant is innocent until proven guilty.
The act also openly discourages people from sharing their internet be it access to their internet connections or to the websites they operate. Hotels, restaurants and even cyber cafes will no longer be able to offer internet access to its patrons for fear of falling afoul of the law. This clearly runs contrary to the objective of making Malaysia one of the most “connected” countries in the world.
Thus, we would hereby like to reiterate our support for CIJ’s initiative to launch an Internet blackout day on 14 August to voice our protest and dissatisfaction against the implementation of the Evidence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2012.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
UMNO Must Apologise to Guan Eng's Son
Khairy Jamaluddin must apologise and UMNO must take stern actions against its members
The UMNO bloggers are individuals with absolutely no scruples or morals. They are willing to sink to despicable depths to achieve their political goals. They are the bottom feeders of the society, and are a complete disgrace to their race, religion and country.
They have attempted to defame the 16 year old son of Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng and humiliate his family with a completely fictitious sexual harassment story. These bloggers even attempted to lend credibility to the concoction by putting up the picture of a young girl.
Nobody from the school of Lim’s son knew who she was, including the principal and teachers. It is not surprising, especially since, the girl never studied in Penang, and “better” still, is not even a Malaysian resident!
With some quick sleuthing work by Goh Kheng Teong, our IT Manager at the DAP Headquarters, we soon discovered that the girl in question is not only a foreigner, but also a high achiever. Anya Corke has been Hong Kong’s national champion of chess for many years as a teenager, and is now a 21 year old 3rd year student at a top liberal arts college in the United States.
The above proves beyond doubt that all the accusations by these UMNO cybertroopers are nothing by barbaric lies. They are willing to destroy the life of an innocent 16 year old and bring the country into disrepute by defaming a foreign top achiever for political ends.
UMNO Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin must immediately withdraw his tweet yesterday which said “Mungkin dia roboh Kampung Buah Pala sebab nak ganti dengan Kampung Buah Dada”. His snide remark was not only crass, he was perpetuating the vicious lies to his 64,000 followers on Twitter.
As an UMNO Youth Chief who is a role-model for many Malaysian youths, and who claim to be an example of “new politics”, he must take responsibility for his callous action and publicly apologise, especially to the victimised 16-year-old son of Lim Guan Eng. The failure to do so will only further taint his character in the eyes of Malaysians.
We would also like to call upon all UMNO cybertroopers who have concocted the lies and making Malaysia a centre for gutter politics to repent for their actions.
The UMNO disciplinary committee must also take harsh and stern actions against the UMNO members and leaders who perpetrators of the above slander to prove that UMNO is not beyond redemption. The failure to take actions against these rogue and vulgar members such as Dr Novandri Hassan Basri and “Papagomo” will only lead to the conclusion that UMNO is the real culprits behind these concerted efforts to slander and libel Pakatan Rakyat leaders, even if young innocent boys and girls become collateral damage in the process.
The UMNO bloggers are individuals with absolutely no scruples or morals. They are willing to sink to despicable depths to achieve their political goals. They are the bottom feeders of the society, and are a complete disgrace to their race, religion and country.
They have attempted to defame the 16 year old son of Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng and humiliate his family with a completely fictitious sexual harassment story. These bloggers even attempted to lend credibility to the concoction by putting up the picture of a young girl.
Nobody from the school of Lim’s son knew who she was, including the principal and teachers. It is not surprising, especially since, the girl never studied in Penang, and “better” still, is not even a Malaysian resident!
With some quick sleuthing work by Goh Kheng Teong, our IT Manager at the DAP Headquarters, we soon discovered that the girl in question is not only a foreigner, but also a high achiever. Anya Corke has been Hong Kong’s national champion of chess for many years as a teenager, and is now a 21 year old 3rd year student at a top liberal arts college in the United States.
The above proves beyond doubt that all the accusations by these UMNO cybertroopers are nothing by barbaric lies. They are willing to destroy the life of an innocent 16 year old and bring the country into disrepute by defaming a foreign top achiever for political ends.
UMNO Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin must immediately withdraw his tweet yesterday which said “Mungkin dia roboh Kampung Buah Pala sebab nak ganti dengan Kampung Buah Dada”. His snide remark was not only crass, he was perpetuating the vicious lies to his 64,000 followers on Twitter.
As an UMNO Youth Chief who is a role-model for many Malaysian youths, and who claim to be an example of “new politics”, he must take responsibility for his callous action and publicly apologise, especially to the victimised 16-year-old son of Lim Guan Eng. The failure to do so will only further taint his character in the eyes of Malaysians.
We would also like to call upon all UMNO cybertroopers who have concocted the lies and making Malaysia a centre for gutter politics to repent for their actions.
The UMNO disciplinary committee must also take harsh and stern actions against the UMNO members and leaders who perpetrators of the above slander to prove that UMNO is not beyond redemption. The failure to take actions against these rogue and vulgar members such as Dr Novandri Hassan Basri and “Papagomo” will only lead to the conclusion that UMNO is the real culprits behind these concerted efforts to slander and libel Pakatan Rakyat leaders, even if young innocent boys and girls become collateral damage in the process.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
TV1 False "Murtad" Report
TV1 last nite reported in its 8pm prime-time news on the existence of "Murtads in Malaysia & Singapore" Facebook group. What is most despicable and sickening is TV1 highlighting the alleged association of DAP leaders such as Tan Kok Wai, Charles Santiago, Dr Boo Cheng Hau, Ean Yong Hian Wah with the Group. TV1 even placed the spotlight on the chairman of Parti Socialis Malaysia (PSM) and ADUN for Kota Damansara Dr Nasir Hashim insinuating the betrayal of his own faith.
The “news” report is obviously calculated to inflame sentiments and anger among Malays and Muslims in the country, especially towards Pakatan Rakyat whose leaders’ names were “found” to be part of the group.
The problem is those responsible in TV1 obviously did not bother to find the truth to the story but went ahead to make the baseless insinuations above. TV1 either were too ignorant to know, or did not want to know the fact that the “add to group” function in Facebook is such that you cannot prevent a group administrator from adding you to any group. There is no requirement to secure one’s permission or approval for adding a Facebook member to a Group.
Therefore all of the accused “supporters” of the Facebook page did not intend to, or never knew they had “joined” the Group. TV1 was completely unethical in its reporting by not first verifying the above information with the relevant people who were “implicated” by the Facebook page, especially since they were Pakatan Rakyat leaders who were easily accessible.
Hence instead of making a news report to cite the existence of the “Murtads in Malaysia & Singapore” Facebook page and criticising the administrators for wantonly adding Pakatan Rakyat leaders to the page and to cause anger among the people, TV1 chose to emphasize the supposed support shown by these leaders to the page. TV1 must be charged for making and disseminating false news to incite hatred among ordinary Malaysians.
The false TV1 news report follows closely another fake news aired by TV3 on 21 August which claimed the proselytization by a tuition centre in Old Klang Road after complaints by a non-existent “Surau Al-Musyrikin”.
It is absolutely clear that the above incendiary and seditious false news reports by the Government-owned and UMNO-associated media organisations are part of a systematic and orchestrated campaign to divide the people and retain power for Barisan Nasional in the next general elections. The desperation of the Najib administration is so deep that “to win at all cost”, BN is willing to not only spread false news, but also to use the highly-charged religious sentiments to tear the country apart.
We condemn the actions of the TV stations in the strongest possible terms and demand that the Minister of Information, Communications and Culture Dato’ Seri Dr Rais Yatim apologise on behalf of the TV stations for making false and seditious news reports. Dr Rais must also conduct an immediate investigation into the completely lack of professionalism in both TV1 and TV3 and insist that the responsible parties are removed from the posts.
The “news” report is obviously calculated to inflame sentiments and anger among Malays and Muslims in the country, especially towards Pakatan Rakyat whose leaders’ names were “found” to be part of the group.
The problem is those responsible in TV1 obviously did not bother to find the truth to the story but went ahead to make the baseless insinuations above. TV1 either were too ignorant to know, or did not want to know the fact that the “add to group” function in Facebook is such that you cannot prevent a group administrator from adding you to any group. There is no requirement to secure one’s permission or approval for adding a Facebook member to a Group.
Therefore all of the accused “supporters” of the Facebook page did not intend to, or never knew they had “joined” the Group. TV1 was completely unethical in its reporting by not first verifying the above information with the relevant people who were “implicated” by the Facebook page, especially since they were Pakatan Rakyat leaders who were easily accessible.
Hence instead of making a news report to cite the existence of the “Murtads in Malaysia & Singapore” Facebook page and criticising the administrators for wantonly adding Pakatan Rakyat leaders to the page and to cause anger among the people, TV1 chose to emphasize the supposed support shown by these leaders to the page. TV1 must be charged for making and disseminating false news to incite hatred among ordinary Malaysians.
The false TV1 news report follows closely another fake news aired by TV3 on 21 August which claimed the proselytization by a tuition centre in Old Klang Road after complaints by a non-existent “Surau Al-Musyrikin”.
It is absolutely clear that the above incendiary and seditious false news reports by the Government-owned and UMNO-associated media organisations are part of a systematic and orchestrated campaign to divide the people and retain power for Barisan Nasional in the next general elections. The desperation of the Najib administration is so deep that “to win at all cost”, BN is willing to not only spread false news, but also to use the highly-charged religious sentiments to tear the country apart.
We condemn the actions of the TV stations in the strongest possible terms and demand that the Minister of Information, Communications and Culture Dato’ Seri Dr Rais Yatim apologise on behalf of the TV stations for making false and seditious news reports. Dr Rais must also conduct an immediate investigation into the completely lack of professionalism in both TV1 and TV3 and insist that the responsible parties are removed from the posts.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Utusan Loses the Plot
Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia has completely lost the plot with its daily extensive attacks against DAP and is the single largest hindrance to national unity
Never before in history has the DAP, a party Utusan Malaysia has previously regarded as irrelevant, become the object of obsession to the Umno-owned newspaper. In the last 3 of 4 days, the DAP made the front page of Utusan Malaysia with headlines like “Muslihat DAP”, “Guan Eng dikecam” and “Umat Islam perlu tolak DAP” on the 18, 20 and 21 December respectively.
Not only did the DAP and its leaders consistently make the frontpage, Utusan dedicated dozens of columns to DAP with titles such as “DAP perkudakan Anwar”, “DAP alat politik negara asing”, “DAP salur matlumat kepada Kuan Yew?”, “DAP gentar dengan 1Malaysia”, “DAP tiru strategi PAP”, “DAP yang sebenarnya memperalatkan 3R”, “DAP amal politik ala aparteid”, “Kebiadapan Guan Eng”, “Guan Eng semakin bersikap perkauman”, “Guan Eng perlu cermin diri” and more.
The above hasn't taken into account the fact that for the past year, Utusan has often granted DAP leaders exclusive frontpage coverage to Karpal Singh, Teo Nie Ching and even myself, for daring to suggest that the housing discount for the wealthy bumiputeras be channelled towards helping the bumiputera poor.
In fact, if one were to conduct a search of “DAP” in Utusan on Google based on the year of publication, 2007 will return 291 results, 2008 - 876 results, 2009 - 12,400 results and 2010 will give a record 29,800 results to date.
It is most laughable when Utusan had to plead to its readers not to boycott the paper due to “political sentiments” (“Pembaca akhbar tidak boleh terikut-ikut tindakan memboikot Utusan Malaysia kerana sentimen politik...”) and blame Pakatan Rakyat for its affected business. Circulation for Utusan has plummeted drastically in recent years from 256,247 in 2004 to 213,445 in 2006 and 169,548 in 2009 or a 33.8% drop in 5 years. Profit before tax for the newspaper group has also plunged from RM21 million to RM7 million over the past 4 years.
It appears that Utusan is attempting to rationalise its loss of readership due to external factors instead of looking inwards at their incessant racial posturing, outright lies and inflammatory headlines such as “Bangkitlah Melayu” as being the main causes. In fact, based on the statistics above, there is a correlation between the rapidly increasing attacks against the DAP and the rapidly declining circulation of the newspaper.
National Union of Journalists (NUJ) president Hata Wahari, who himself is a Utusan journalist had demanded that Utusan Malaysia abolish editorial policies which go against “journalistic ethics” in order to tackle a severe drop in its readership circulation. He claimed that the Malay daily’s reporting was “biased” in nature, saying that positive coverage revolved around Barisan Nasional (BN) while negative reports were specifically reserved for Pakatan Rakyat (PR). He added that Utusan also does not give an opportunity for an accused to answer certain allegations by choosing not to publish it.
Even the Minister in the Prime Minister’s department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz had accused Utusan of becoming “racist” in its reporting in September this year.
In fact, Utusan is a proven liar with leading opposition figures, MP for Pokok Sena, Mahfuz Omar and Tenaganita Director, Irene Fernandez, awarded RM120,000 and RM200,000 in damages respectively in defamation suits against the paper. Dozens of other defamation suits are still waiting to be disposed in the courts.
The relentless attacks on the DAP only serves to prove that DAP and Pakatan Rakyat are making major inroads in proving to the people that we are not only competent in governance, we have proven that despite having a DAP chief minister in Penang, Malays and Muslims enjoy greater rights and benefits than under a BN administration. This is due to a more caring government, which is able to fund its welfare policies through more effective and efficient administration, as well as reducing wastage and corruption through open tenders for all government projects.
I had on 1 November 2010 challenged Utusan Malaysia to an open debate on its many allegations against the “racist” DAP. Unfortunately, the editors chose not to defend their allegations with facts and figures in the open but continued to throw baseless, wild and wicked accusations against the DAP. This proves that Utusan's cowardly agenda is to flood its readers with lies and half-truths against the DAP and Pakatan Rakyat for it has no ability or courage to withstand impartial public scrutiny.
The Prime Minister, despite his call for “moderation” in reporting, has failed to reign in his party's newspaper and his 1Malaysia policy will only fail as a result of Utusan's extremist and racist reporting.
Never before in history has the DAP, a party Utusan Malaysia has previously regarded as irrelevant, become the object of obsession to the Umno-owned newspaper. In the last 3 of 4 days, the DAP made the front page of Utusan Malaysia with headlines like “Muslihat DAP”, “Guan Eng dikecam” and “Umat Islam perlu tolak DAP” on the 18, 20 and 21 December respectively.
Not only did the DAP and its leaders consistently make the frontpage, Utusan dedicated dozens of columns to DAP with titles such as “DAP perkudakan Anwar”, “DAP alat politik negara asing”, “DAP salur matlumat kepada Kuan Yew?”, “DAP gentar dengan 1Malaysia”, “DAP tiru strategi PAP”, “DAP yang sebenarnya memperalatkan 3R”, “DAP amal politik ala aparteid”, “Kebiadapan Guan Eng”, “Guan Eng semakin bersikap perkauman”, “Guan Eng perlu cermin diri” and more.
The above hasn't taken into account the fact that for the past year, Utusan has often granted DAP leaders exclusive frontpage coverage to Karpal Singh, Teo Nie Ching and even myself, for daring to suggest that the housing discount for the wealthy bumiputeras be channelled towards helping the bumiputera poor.
In fact, if one were to conduct a search of “DAP” in Utusan on Google based on the year of publication, 2007 will return 291 results, 2008 - 876 results, 2009 - 12,400 results and 2010 will give a record 29,800 results to date.
It is most laughable when Utusan had to plead to its readers not to boycott the paper due to “political sentiments” (“Pembaca akhbar tidak boleh terikut-ikut tindakan memboikot Utusan Malaysia kerana sentimen politik...”) and blame Pakatan Rakyat for its affected business. Circulation for Utusan has plummeted drastically in recent years from 256,247 in 2004 to 213,445 in 2006 and 169,548 in 2009 or a 33.8% drop in 5 years. Profit before tax for the newspaper group has also plunged from RM21 million to RM7 million over the past 4 years.
It appears that Utusan is attempting to rationalise its loss of readership due to external factors instead of looking inwards at their incessant racial posturing, outright lies and inflammatory headlines such as “Bangkitlah Melayu” as being the main causes. In fact, based on the statistics above, there is a correlation between the rapidly increasing attacks against the DAP and the rapidly declining circulation of the newspaper.
National Union of Journalists (NUJ) president Hata Wahari, who himself is a Utusan journalist had demanded that Utusan Malaysia abolish editorial policies which go against “journalistic ethics” in order to tackle a severe drop in its readership circulation. He claimed that the Malay daily’s reporting was “biased” in nature, saying that positive coverage revolved around Barisan Nasional (BN) while negative reports were specifically reserved for Pakatan Rakyat (PR). He added that Utusan also does not give an opportunity for an accused to answer certain allegations by choosing not to publish it.
Even the Minister in the Prime Minister’s department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz had accused Utusan of becoming “racist” in its reporting in September this year.
In fact, Utusan is a proven liar with leading opposition figures, MP for Pokok Sena, Mahfuz Omar and Tenaganita Director, Irene Fernandez, awarded RM120,000 and RM200,000 in damages respectively in defamation suits against the paper. Dozens of other defamation suits are still waiting to be disposed in the courts.
The relentless attacks on the DAP only serves to prove that DAP and Pakatan Rakyat are making major inroads in proving to the people that we are not only competent in governance, we have proven that despite having a DAP chief minister in Penang, Malays and Muslims enjoy greater rights and benefits than under a BN administration. This is due to a more caring government, which is able to fund its welfare policies through more effective and efficient administration, as well as reducing wastage and corruption through open tenders for all government projects.
I had on 1 November 2010 challenged Utusan Malaysia to an open debate on its many allegations against the “racist” DAP. Unfortunately, the editors chose not to defend their allegations with facts and figures in the open but continued to throw baseless, wild and wicked accusations against the DAP. This proves that Utusan's cowardly agenda is to flood its readers with lies and half-truths against the DAP and Pakatan Rakyat for it has no ability or courage to withstand impartial public scrutiny.
The Prime Minister, despite his call for “moderation” in reporting, has failed to reign in his party's newspaper and his 1Malaysia policy will only fail as a result of Utusan's extremist and racist reporting.
Monday, November 01, 2010
A Challenge for Utusan to Debate
DAP mencabar “Awang Selamat” untuk mengadakan pembahasan terbuka mengenai isu “DAP dan Melayu”
Sekali lagi pihak penyunting dan pemilik Utusan Malaysia menggunakan kolum “Awang Selamat” untuk melontar pelbagai fitnah, pembohongan dan tuduhan liar terhadap parti DAP. Ruang beliau dalam Mingguan Malaysia yang diterbitkan semalam mendesak bahawa
Sesungguhnya DAP adalah parti paling rasis di dunia. Pada Awang, ancaman DAP adalah jauh lebih berbahaya daripada apa-apa ancaman sekalipun yang pernah dihadapi dalam sejarah tanah air. Cuma bentuk penjajahan mereka lebih halus, berselindung atas slogan demokrasi dan tanpa menggunakan senjata. Tetapi implikasinya amat besar. Perlembagaan termasuk kedudukan Islam dan institusi beraja menjadi taruhan, yang akhirnya membawa Malaysia menuju negara republik. Apakah itu yang kita mahu?
Penyerangan Utusan yang dimiliki oleh Umno terhadap DAP kian lama kian ekstrim dan keterlaluan. Penyerangan mereka termasuklah penyerangan terhadap kerajaan Pulau Pinang atas dasar kebajikan, pengambil-alihan tanah untuk membina hub pendidikan, isu penjaja-penjaja dan lain-lain perkara di mana kami dituduh menghalau orang Melayu dari Pulau Pinang. Utusan Malaysia juga telah menyerang bertubi-tubi terhadap pemimpin DAP yang lain termasuklah Ahli Parlimen Serdang, Teo Nie Ching yang difitnah memberikan takzirah dalam surau, dan juga saya sendiri yang dikatakan berniat untuk menghapuskan hak diskaun beli rumah bumiputera.
Demi mengemukakan kebenaran dan keadilan, saya ingin mencabar “Awang Selamat”, yang boleh diwakili oleh sesiapa daripada Utusan Malaysia untuk mengambil bahagian dalam satu perbahasan terbuka mengenai desakan-desakan Utusan dan Umno mengenai “DAP dan Melayu”.
Penyunting dan pemilik Utusan Malaysia tidak sepatutnya menyembunyikan diri mereka yang sebenar di belakang nama pena dan meluahkan pelbagai tuduhan tanpa berasas seperti penembak curi. Kami ingin memberikan peluang terbuka kepada pihak Utusan Malaysia untuk membela pendirian mereka seperti hulubalang kaum yang tulen, dan bukannya bertindak sebagai pengecut apabila menghadapi cabaran.
Kami dari DAP ingin membuktikan bukan sahaja bahawa kami tidak bertindak rasis, kami telah bersama dengan rakan seperjuangan kami di Pakatan Rakyat, menambah baikkan nasib orang Melayu bukan sahaja di Pulau Pinang tetapi juga di negeri lain di mana DAP merupakan sebahagian daripada kerajaan negeri.
Kami ingin membongkarkan bukti-bukti yang kukuh yang menunjukkan sesungguhnya Utusan Malaysia merupakan suratkhabar yang paling rasis di seluruh dunia ancaman Utusan adalah jauh lebih berbahaya daripada apa-apa ancaman sekalipun yang pernah dihadapi dalam sejarah tanah air.
Kami berani kerana benar dan kami berharap supaya pihak Utusan mempunyai keberanian yang mencukupi untuk menghadapi pihak DAP yang dikatakan sebagai musuh utama mereka. Penolakan peluang untuk pembahasan terbuka ini hanya akan menunjukkan bahawa pihak Utusan tidak berintegriti, dan tidak mampu mempertahankan pendirian mereka yang bersifat fitnah dan rasis.
Pembahasan ini boleh dianjurkan oleh mana-mana pihak bebas termasuk Kesatuan Wartawan Nasional (NUJ) ataupun TV3 dan format pembahasan boleh dipersetujui sebelum acara tersebut. Kami sedia menunggu berita baik daripada pihak Utusan Malaysia.
Sekali lagi pihak penyunting dan pemilik Utusan Malaysia menggunakan kolum “Awang Selamat” untuk melontar pelbagai fitnah, pembohongan dan tuduhan liar terhadap parti DAP. Ruang beliau dalam Mingguan Malaysia yang diterbitkan semalam mendesak bahawa
Sesungguhnya DAP adalah parti paling rasis di dunia. Pada Awang, ancaman DAP adalah jauh lebih berbahaya daripada apa-apa ancaman sekalipun yang pernah dihadapi dalam sejarah tanah air. Cuma bentuk penjajahan mereka lebih halus, berselindung atas slogan demokrasi dan tanpa menggunakan senjata. Tetapi implikasinya amat besar. Perlembagaan termasuk kedudukan Islam dan institusi beraja menjadi taruhan, yang akhirnya membawa Malaysia menuju negara republik. Apakah itu yang kita mahu?
Penyerangan Utusan yang dimiliki oleh Umno terhadap DAP kian lama kian ekstrim dan keterlaluan. Penyerangan mereka termasuklah penyerangan terhadap kerajaan Pulau Pinang atas dasar kebajikan, pengambil-alihan tanah untuk membina hub pendidikan, isu penjaja-penjaja dan lain-lain perkara di mana kami dituduh menghalau orang Melayu dari Pulau Pinang. Utusan Malaysia juga telah menyerang bertubi-tubi terhadap pemimpin DAP yang lain termasuklah Ahli Parlimen Serdang, Teo Nie Ching yang difitnah memberikan takzirah dalam surau, dan juga saya sendiri yang dikatakan berniat untuk menghapuskan hak diskaun beli rumah bumiputera.
Demi mengemukakan kebenaran dan keadilan, saya ingin mencabar “Awang Selamat”, yang boleh diwakili oleh sesiapa daripada Utusan Malaysia untuk mengambil bahagian dalam satu perbahasan terbuka mengenai desakan-desakan Utusan dan Umno mengenai “DAP dan Melayu”.
Penyunting dan pemilik Utusan Malaysia tidak sepatutnya menyembunyikan diri mereka yang sebenar di belakang nama pena dan meluahkan pelbagai tuduhan tanpa berasas seperti penembak curi. Kami ingin memberikan peluang terbuka kepada pihak Utusan Malaysia untuk membela pendirian mereka seperti hulubalang kaum yang tulen, dan bukannya bertindak sebagai pengecut apabila menghadapi cabaran.
Kami dari DAP ingin membuktikan bukan sahaja bahawa kami tidak bertindak rasis, kami telah bersama dengan rakan seperjuangan kami di Pakatan Rakyat, menambah baikkan nasib orang Melayu bukan sahaja di Pulau Pinang tetapi juga di negeri lain di mana DAP merupakan sebahagian daripada kerajaan negeri.
Kami ingin membongkarkan bukti-bukti yang kukuh yang menunjukkan sesungguhnya Utusan Malaysia merupakan suratkhabar yang paling rasis di seluruh dunia ancaman Utusan adalah jauh lebih berbahaya daripada apa-apa ancaman sekalipun yang pernah dihadapi dalam sejarah tanah air.
Kami berani kerana benar dan kami berharap supaya pihak Utusan mempunyai keberanian yang mencukupi untuk menghadapi pihak DAP yang dikatakan sebagai musuh utama mereka. Penolakan peluang untuk pembahasan terbuka ini hanya akan menunjukkan bahawa pihak Utusan tidak berintegriti, dan tidak mampu mempertahankan pendirian mereka yang bersifat fitnah dan rasis.
Pembahasan ini boleh dianjurkan oleh mana-mana pihak bebas termasuk Kesatuan Wartawan Nasional (NUJ) ataupun TV3 dan format pembahasan boleh dipersetujui sebelum acara tersebut. Kami sedia menunggu berita baik daripada pihak Utusan Malaysia.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Najib Must Ask Utusan To Apologise
Utusan Malaysia has continued its campaign to slander and libel Pakatan Rakyat leaders and in particular, the DAP with baseless allegations and insinuations with the specific intent to poison the minds of its readers and sow the seeds of racial hatred.
In a report earlier, Utusan Malaysia quoted a Mohd. Zahid Md. Arip who tried to implicate DAP as being connected, even if remotely to the ghastly murders of Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and 3 others. The report in its final 2 paragraphs wrote:
Secondly and more importantly, it is a disgusting attempt by the Umno-owned newspaper to insinuate and allege through its “news” report that the murder suspects are life-members of DAP, with no attempt at all to confirm the veracity of the allegations. We would like to put the record straight that both the suspects, Pathmanabhan Nalliannen and Surendran Nalliannen, are not members of the party at any point of time.
However, even if they were a member of a political party, whether the DAP or BN, the political affiliation have absolutely no relation whatsoever to the heinous crime which they are alleged to have committed. A crime is a crime, and even Umno has its own leader who has been found guilty for murder.
The unethical and downright unscrupulous attempt by Utusan Malaysia to use any and every opportunity to slander and publish lies about the DAP with the sole intent to incite racial hatred among its largely Malay readers signifies the utter desperation of the Umno leaders to maintain its hold on power, even if it were to mean using immoral means. In recent weeks, Utusan has headlined inflammatory and slanderous stories such as “Nama Guan Eng ganti Agong” and alleging that the MP for Serdang, Teo Nie Ching had delivered a religious sermon in a surau, which were all based on manipulated lies.
Despite that obvious, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak has repeated defended Utusan Malaysia. In September 18 last year, he had at a breaking fast function at Sri Utusan Printing Complex hailed Utusan for “ethical and unbiased” reporting. Just earlier this month, he told the public while breaking fast at The New Straits Times headquarters to “trust the mainstream media and not the alternative media which are based on half truths.”
The Government Transformation Plan (GTP) launched by the Prime Minister himself has called for an “all-inclusive 1Malaysia media” which will “instil and internalise a commitment to journalistic professionalism” to prevent writers from “abusing the greater freedom of expression now available to
use terms and express feelings that are racist or inflammatory in nature and tone”.
Instead of just expressing his “sadness” on the “rise of extremism” in the country without naming those guilty of the so-called “extremism”, Datuk Seri Najib should openly reprimand parties who repeatedly lie and slander to harness the feelings of ill-will and extremism among the rakyat, especially Umno's own Utusan Malaysia. The Prime Minister's failure to act will not only mean blanket approval for Utusan to continue its reckless actions against the DAP and Pakatan Rakyat, but it will also mean the height of irresponsibility by jettisoning of his own “1Malaysia” goal.
To protect the good name of the party, the DAP is left with no choice by to instruct its lawyers to review this latest defamatory report and take all necessary actions against Utusan Malaysia, including suing the newspaper for damages in the court of law.
In a report earlier, Utusan Malaysia quoted a Mohd. Zahid Md. Arip who tried to implicate DAP as being connected, even if remotely to the ghastly murders of Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and 3 others. The report in its final 2 paragraphs wrote:
Dalam pada itu, Mohd. Zahid mempersoalkan kenapa DAP langsung tidak bersuara bagi mengutuk pembunuhan kejam tersebut, sedangkan sebelum ini parti berkenaan gah mendakwa organisasi mereka sebagai sebuah parti yang memperjuangkan hak semua pihak.First of all, the question of DAP not condemning the murders does not arise. The party condemns all crimes, much more so heinous crimes such as the above and we have been at the forefront both in and outside parliament to call for the Royal Malaysian Police to increase their efficiency and effectiveness in fighting crime in this country. It is however the Barisan Nasional government who has been extremely pleased with the crime situation in Malaysia which has escalated to record levels before declining recently according to official government statistics.
"Apakah tindakan membisu ini mempunyai kaitan dengan dakwaan yang mengatakan bahawa suspek utama adalah ahli seumur hidup parti tersebut. Jika benar (dakwaan itu), ternyata DAP sebuah parti hipokrit yang hanya memperjuangkan kepentingan kaum tertentu sahaja," katanya.
Secondly and more importantly, it is a disgusting attempt by the Umno-owned newspaper to insinuate and allege through its “news” report that the murder suspects are life-members of DAP, with no attempt at all to confirm the veracity of the allegations. We would like to put the record straight that both the suspects, Pathmanabhan Nalliannen and Surendran Nalliannen, are not members of the party at any point of time.
However, even if they were a member of a political party, whether the DAP or BN, the political affiliation have absolutely no relation whatsoever to the heinous crime which they are alleged to have committed. A crime is a crime, and even Umno has its own leader who has been found guilty for murder.
The unethical and downright unscrupulous attempt by Utusan Malaysia to use any and every opportunity to slander and publish lies about the DAP with the sole intent to incite racial hatred among its largely Malay readers signifies the utter desperation of the Umno leaders to maintain its hold on power, even if it were to mean using immoral means. In recent weeks, Utusan has headlined inflammatory and slanderous stories such as “Nama Guan Eng ganti Agong” and alleging that the MP for Serdang, Teo Nie Ching had delivered a religious sermon in a surau, which were all based on manipulated lies.
Despite that obvious, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak has repeated defended Utusan Malaysia. In September 18 last year, he had at a breaking fast function at Sri Utusan Printing Complex hailed Utusan for “ethical and unbiased” reporting. Just earlier this month, he told the public while breaking fast at The New Straits Times headquarters to “trust the mainstream media and not the alternative media which are based on half truths.”
The Government Transformation Plan (GTP) launched by the Prime Minister himself has called for an “all-inclusive 1Malaysia media” which will “instil and internalise a commitment to journalistic professionalism” to prevent writers from “abusing the greater freedom of expression now available to
use terms and express feelings that are racist or inflammatory in nature and tone”.
Instead of just expressing his “sadness” on the “rise of extremism” in the country without naming those guilty of the so-called “extremism”, Datuk Seri Najib should openly reprimand parties who repeatedly lie and slander to harness the feelings of ill-will and extremism among the rakyat, especially Umno's own Utusan Malaysia. The Prime Minister's failure to act will not only mean blanket approval for Utusan to continue its reckless actions against the DAP and Pakatan Rakyat, but it will also mean the height of irresponsibility by jettisoning of his own “1Malaysia” goal.
To protect the good name of the party, the DAP is left with no choice by to instruct its lawyers to review this latest defamatory report and take all necessary actions against Utusan Malaysia, including suing the newspaper for damages in the court of law.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Hadi v Pua?
Utusan Malaysia had a field day claiming that Datuk Seri Hadi Awang, PAS President specifically opposed my position with regards to the "controversial" suggestion at the Selangor state budget dialogue to remove discounts for luxury properties for bumiputeras.
UMNO's Muhyiddin and MCA leaders joined in the fun by claiming that Pakatan is inherently unstable due to policy or opinion differences. MCA's criticism's quite funny because, they don't have any opinion on any issues deemed controversial and will just submit to UMNO's views.
But before, we get into the act of throwing daggers at one another, here's a relook at what exactly Datuk Seri Hadi Awang said, as reported by HarakahDaily. In fact, if you don't trust the reporting by Harakah, then view the interview video for yourself here.
Hadi: Race-based policies to help poor un-Islamic
Harakahdaily
KUALA TERENGGANU, Aug 9: PAS president Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang has reiterated his stance that any policy to help the poor should not be race-based, and similarly the issue of giving discount for properties should be looked at in the same perspective.
Commenting on a proposal by Petaling Jaya Utara member of parliament Tony Pua to abolish Bumiputera discount for luxury residential properties above RM500,000, Hadi said although the suggestion was yet to be discussed, it was agreed that the focus should be on helping the poor regardless of race and address the mismanagement of the economy.
“We have yet to discuss anything on it in Pakatan Rakyat. We need to discuss it in the top leaderships council,” Hadi told reporters at a launching event of his latest book in Terengganu.
On whether he agreed that the current practice of giving discount to Bumiputeras even for high-end residential and commercial properties should be abolished, Hadi stressed that discounts for purchase of properties should be extended to all Malaysians and not just Malays.
“What’s happening today is that it did not reach the target group, it only benefited UMNO leaders,” he said.
'Not at the cost of others'
Saying it was understandable that most of the lower-income group were found among the Bumiputera who formed the majority in the country, Hadi said it helping them should not be at the cost of other communities.
“We need to consider the majority of the people who is plagued by poverty.
"At the same time, we (Muslims) must help other races which are also poor and in need of defence,” he added, saying it was wrong for Muslims to oppress other races while protecting the interest of the Malays only.
He further pointed out that the root of the problem could be found in Barisan Nasional's mismanagement of the economic system.
“I cannot understand the principles and the economic system adopted by the Barisan Nasional.
"We have a lot of subsidies, but there are too many mismanagement and leakages – hence, the problems are not subsidies but poor management."
Hadi also said Pua's suggestion may have stemmed out of unhappiness such mismanagement.
“Maybe he is not pleased with the management (of Bumi’s discount) but we need to look into implementation," he said.
Earlier, Hadi's statement appeared to have been taken out of context, with UMNO mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia reporting that he supported the practice of giving discounts for Bumiputeras to purchase high-end properties.
UMNO's Muhyiddin and MCA leaders joined in the fun by claiming that Pakatan is inherently unstable due to policy or opinion differences. MCA's criticism's quite funny because, they don't have any opinion on any issues deemed controversial and will just submit to UMNO's views.
But before, we get into the act of throwing daggers at one another, here's a relook at what exactly Datuk Seri Hadi Awang said, as reported by HarakahDaily. In fact, if you don't trust the reporting by Harakah, then view the interview video for yourself here.
Hadi: Race-based policies to help poor un-Islamic
Harakahdaily
KUALA TERENGGANU, Aug 9: PAS president Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang has reiterated his stance that any policy to help the poor should not be race-based, and similarly the issue of giving discount for properties should be looked at in the same perspective.
Commenting on a proposal by Petaling Jaya Utara member of parliament Tony Pua to abolish Bumiputera discount for luxury residential properties above RM500,000, Hadi said although the suggestion was yet to be discussed, it was agreed that the focus should be on helping the poor regardless of race and address the mismanagement of the economy.
“We have yet to discuss anything on it in Pakatan Rakyat. We need to discuss it in the top leaderships council,” Hadi told reporters at a launching event of his latest book in Terengganu.
On whether he agreed that the current practice of giving discount to Bumiputeras even for high-end residential and commercial properties should be abolished, Hadi stressed that discounts for purchase of properties should be extended to all Malaysians and not just Malays.
“What’s happening today is that it did not reach the target group, it only benefited UMNO leaders,” he said.
'Not at the cost of others'
Saying it was understandable that most of the lower-income group were found among the Bumiputera who formed the majority in the country, Hadi said it helping them should not be at the cost of other communities.
“We need to consider the majority of the people who is plagued by poverty.
"At the same time, we (Muslims) must help other races which are also poor and in need of defence,” he added, saying it was wrong for Muslims to oppress other races while protecting the interest of the Malays only.
He further pointed out that the root of the problem could be found in Barisan Nasional's mismanagement of the economic system.
“I cannot understand the principles and the economic system adopted by the Barisan Nasional.
"We have a lot of subsidies, but there are too many mismanagement and leakages – hence, the problems are not subsidies but poor management."
Hadi also said Pua's suggestion may have stemmed out of unhappiness such mismanagement.
“Maybe he is not pleased with the management (of Bumi’s discount) but we need to look into implementation," he said.
Earlier, Hadi's statement appeared to have been taken out of context, with UMNO mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia reporting that he supported the practice of giving discounts for Bumiputeras to purchase high-end properties.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Tweet Tweet!
I've been on Twitter for more than a year now. However, it was only in the last month or two I become a little more active in interacting on Twitter, especially after getting my Blackberry Curve.
How influential are Tweets? Frankly, I don't know. Do they have limited reach to the electorate?
Before the last general elections, I would have told you that the blogs and Internet will only have limited reach to the urnab areas like Klang Valley. I was wrong. Will twitter and Facebook make a difference. So we'll see. ;-)
Anyway, below is a report of a Twit exchange between Khairy Jamaluddin, internet trailblazer Lim Kit Siang with myself butting in published by The Edge Malaysia.
DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang and Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin have been trading barbs on the micro-blogging site Twitter, over a series of questions that Lim has dubbed an “acid tests” on the 1Malaysia concept.
In a speech in parliament yesterday, Lim posed a series of questions to Cabinet ministers and said their answers would show whether they were sincerely and seriously committed to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia concept.
The questions are:
“[This is a] sad day for Malaysia after 53 years since Independence. Umno MPs find it so difficult to answer these three acid tests of 1Malaysia,” he wrote on his Twitter page.
In response to that, Khairy slammed Lim for avoiding the question for Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s regarding the APCO issue.
Anwar recently claimed the 1Malaysia concept was from APCO Worldwide, an international strategic communications company that was engaged to assist the Malaysian government in strategic communication. The opposition leader claimed that the idea originated from APCO ’s involvement in conceptualising the “One-Israel” slogan for the Israeli government.
DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua stepped in to advise Khairy to direct the question to Anwar instead of Lim, while Lim called Khairy the “Pathetic Umno Youth chief” for diverting attention to Anwar-related matter.
“On Anwar-APCO , I have no information. Let's see who is right, but this cannot justify disappearance after coming on so powerfully righteous until punctured like tyre with no air by three questions,” Lim quipped.
“Pathetic DAP dino who cannot even understand when someone has answered his ‘trick’ question. Better luck next time old man,” Khairy responded on Twitter.
Pua later added that he was proud to be a Malaysian first before considering his race and religion, “unlike all the Umno tools who don’t even believe in their own 1Malaysia rhetoric”.
Unhappy with the term “Umno tools”, Khairy told Pua he had no intention of starting a quarrel with the latter and that he should step aside.
In Lim’s tweets, the DAP man challenged the “Oxford lad” to answer the questions “if he is capable of answering them”, while Khairy called Lim a “revisionist historian as usual”.
Lim continued firing Khairy for being “the world's only Oxford grad who could not answer three simple questions”.
“The supremacy of the Constitution is the basis of 1Malaysia,” Khairy responded the three with an answer.
“Perhaps you no longer uphold the Constitution. It’s like asking a vegetarian to choose between chicken and beef for lunch. False choice. Nice try,” Khairy twitted.
Following the explanation, Lim hurled a fourth a fourth at Khairy to suppress his “attempt to evade by mouthing generalities about the Constitution”.
The fourth question was whether Khairy would accept a Malaysian Constitution founded on the supremacy of Malaysians and not Malay supremacy.
Khairy responded by saying that Lim was just extending his false-choice question and he “was getting under Lim’s skin”. He added the crux was that “1Malaysia gets broad-based and multi-ethnic support. Malaysian Malaysia does not”.
How influential are Tweets? Frankly, I don't know. Do they have limited reach to the electorate?
Before the last general elections, I would have told you that the blogs and Internet will only have limited reach to the urnab areas like Klang Valley. I was wrong. Will twitter and Facebook make a difference. So we'll see. ;-)
Anyway, below is a report of a Twit exchange between Khairy Jamaluddin, internet trailblazer Lim Kit Siang with myself butting in published by The Edge Malaysia.
DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang and Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin have been trading barbs on the micro-blogging site Twitter, over a series of questions that Lim has dubbed an “acid tests” on the 1Malaysia concept.
In a speech in parliament yesterday, Lim posed a series of questions to Cabinet ministers and said their answers would show whether they were sincerely and seriously committed to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia concept.
The questions are:
- Whether he or she agrees to the establishment of an Opposition-headed Parliamentary Select Committee on 1Malaysia;
- Is he or she prepared to declare that the basis of 1Malaysia is “ketuanan rakyat Malaysia” and not “ketuanan Melayu”; and
- Is he or she prepared to endorse the objective of 1Malaysia as defined by the 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme (GTP) Roadmap to create a nation where every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first, and by race, religion or region second.
“[This is a] sad day for Malaysia after 53 years since Independence. Umno MPs find it so difficult to answer these three acid tests of 1Malaysia,” he wrote on his Twitter page.
In response to that, Khairy slammed Lim for avoiding the question for Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s regarding the APCO issue.
Anwar recently claimed the 1Malaysia concept was from APCO Worldwide, an international strategic communications company that was engaged to assist the Malaysian government in strategic communication. The opposition leader claimed that the idea originated from APCO ’s involvement in conceptualising the “One-Israel” slogan for the Israeli government.
DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua stepped in to advise Khairy to direct the question to Anwar instead of Lim, while Lim called Khairy the “Pathetic Umno Youth chief” for diverting attention to Anwar-related matter.
“On Anwar-APCO , I have no information. Let's see who is right, but this cannot justify disappearance after coming on so powerfully righteous until punctured like tyre with no air by three questions,” Lim quipped.
“Pathetic DAP dino who cannot even understand when someone has answered his ‘trick’ question. Better luck next time old man,” Khairy responded on Twitter.
Pua later added that he was proud to be a Malaysian first before considering his race and religion, “unlike all the Umno tools who don’t even believe in their own 1Malaysia rhetoric”.
Unhappy with the term “Umno tools”, Khairy told Pua he had no intention of starting a quarrel with the latter and that he should step aside.
In Lim’s tweets, the DAP man challenged the “Oxford lad” to answer the questions “if he is capable of answering them”, while Khairy called Lim a “revisionist historian as usual”.
Lim continued firing Khairy for being “the world's only Oxford grad who could not answer three simple questions”.
“The supremacy of the Constitution is the basis of 1Malaysia,” Khairy responded the three with an answer.
“Perhaps you no longer uphold the Constitution. It’s like asking a vegetarian to choose between chicken and beef for lunch. False choice. Nice try,” Khairy twitted.
Following the explanation, Lim hurled a fourth a fourth at Khairy to suppress his “attempt to evade by mouthing generalities about the Constitution”.
The fourth question was whether Khairy would accept a Malaysian Constitution founded on the supremacy of Malaysians and not Malay supremacy.
Khairy responded by saying that Lim was just extending his false-choice question and he “was getting under Lim’s skin”. He added the crux was that “1Malaysia gets broad-based and multi-ethnic support. Malaysian Malaysia does not”.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Malaysia Pertengahan: Utusan Threatened?
Utusan Malaysia must be feeling the heat. The UMNO owned paper has been at the forefront of extremist views in Malaysia, to stir communal sentiments and create the atmosphere of tension and intolerance in the country. While other mainstream newspapers are forced to be put on a tight leash, Utusan gets complete freedom to defame, outrage and promote its views on racial supremacy.
But our shifting the debate to "Middle Malaysia" must have spooked Utusan, to the extent that it feels sufficiently threatened to actually dedicate a column by 'Awang Selamat' to DAP, entitled "Melayu sokong DAP?" In the years past, we wouldn't have expected Utusan to have paid that much attention to DAP, so I must say we must be doing something right. ;-)
But our shifting the debate to "Middle Malaysia" must have spooked Utusan, to the extent that it feels sufficiently threatened to actually dedicate a column by 'Awang Selamat' to DAP, entitled "Melayu sokong DAP?" In the years past, we wouldn't have expected Utusan to have paid that much attention to DAP, so I must say we must be doing something right. ;-)
... Ada yang menyatakan Middle Malaysia mempunyai agenda rasis. Menurut satu tulisan: “Sekiranya diterjemahkan Middle Malaysia ke dalam bahasa Mandarin, ia membawa maksud tersirat ‘Malaysia untuk kaum Cina’. Ini boleh ditafsirkan kaum Cina mahu menjadi ‘tauke Malaysia’ kerana Chung adalah sinonim dengan ‘Penguasa Cina’ di Malaysia.”Below are excerpts from a commentary written by our MP for Rasah as well as our DAPSY chief, Sdr Anthony Loke on "what is 'Middle Malaysia'?", but in Bahasa Malaysia. Read both articles to see who's the extremist in this country, DAP or UMNO/Utusan Malaysia.
Awang tidak pasti sejauh mana kebenarannya. Namun tanpa hujah seperti itu pun, Awang memang tidak mempercayai DAP. Jika DAP benar-benar menjadi parti untuk semua kaum, Awang tidak akan mempersoalkannya tetapi itu semua hanya pembohongan dan tipu daya. Banyak tindak tanduk parti itu membahayakan asas kenegaraan kita, ia umpama musuh dalam selimut.
Tindak-tanduk DAP menyerang secara konsisten agensi awam di bawah kepimpinan Melayu seperti Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM), Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM), Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR), Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM), institusi perundangan Islam dan banyak lagi, menyerlahkan lagi belang parti itu.
Sikap keterlaluan DAP memanipulasi isu yang membakar sentimen bukan Melayu juga tidak boleh diterima. Lihat sahaja isu kematian Teoh Beng Hock, penggunaan kalimah Allah oleh pihak gereja Katholik dan kejadian gereja dibakar, amat tidak bertanggungjawab.
Pada Awang, DAP adalah parti paling ekstrem, yang berselindung di sebalik nama demokratik tetapi agendanya ultra Cina. Selagi parti itu tidak komited untuk menjunjung dan mempertahankan Perlembagaan negara, selagi itu Awang tidak akan terpengaruh biarpun pemimpinnya memetik ayat al-Quran dan hadis. Biarlah Melayu yang tidak sedar diri dan yang punya agenda peribadi dipergunakan oleh DAP. Awang bukan jenis itu.
...Namun, konteks yang ingin dipertengahkan oleh DAP melalui “Malaysia Pertengahan” adalah lebih luas daripada pengertian ciri-ciri pentadbiran ekonomi semata-mata. Kata kunci dalam konteks “Malaysia Pertengahan” ialah kesederhanaan. Dalam menangani sebarang isu dan dasar yang memberi impak kepada masyarakat umum, prinsip kesederhanaan perlu dititikberatkan. Dalam kata-kata Guan Eng, “Malaysia Pertengahan” mengutamakan “kerjasama daripada konflik”, konsultasi daripada konfrontasi” dan sebuah masyarakat yang inklusif bukannya eksklusif. Ini merupakan prinsip-prinsip utama dan pendekatan utama yang perlu dibawa oleh DAP dan Pakatan Rakyat. Sekiranya pendekatan dan prinsip ini dapat diterjemahkan dalam erti kata yang sebenarnya, tidak mustahil majoriti rakyat Malaysia akan menyokong agenda perubahan yang ingin dibawa oleh Pakatan Rakyat.I suppose in the eyes of extremists, everyone else who believes in the Middle way are "extreme" in their views.
DAP sering dilabelkan oleh UMNO sebagai sebuah parti cauvinis yang ekstrem, sebuah parti orang Cina yang ingin menguasai segala-galanya di bumi Malaysia dan parti yang agendanya anti-Melayu dan anti-Islam. Sememangnya label-label ini menyebabkan ramai pengundi di kalangan masyarakat Melayu yang berwaspada terhadap DAP dan ramai yang menjauhinya selama ini. Walaupun DAP tidak pernah berfikiran sedemikian, namun ketiadaan peluang untuk DAP melaksanakan dasarnya selama ini tidak memungkinkan parti tersebut dapat mengubah persepsi negatif masyarakat Melayu terhadapnya. Kemunculan kerajaan negeri di bawah Pakatan Rakyat khususnya di Pulau Pinang membuka satu lembaran baru buat DAP.
Satu contoh yang baik ialah pendekatan yang diambil dalam menangani isu agama. Umum diketahui bahawa pendirian DAP yang tidak bersetuju dengan penubuhan Negara Islam dalam konteks Malaysia. Ia juga merupakan senjata yang sering digunakan oleh BN untuk melaga-lagakan hubungan DAP dengan PAS selama ini. Namun, ia sama sekali tidak bermakna bahawa DAP menentang agama Islam. Malah DAP telah secara terbuka menyatakan komitmennya mendukung status Islam sebagai agama rasmi persekutuan seperti yang termaktub dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Pendirian ini jelas dinyatakan dalam Dokumen Dasar Bersama Pakatan Rakyat yang dipersetujui bersama pada bulan Disember lepas. Komitmen ini bukan sahaja dinyatakan di atas kertas namun telah dimanifestasikan dalam pentadbiran kerajaan negeri yang dipimpin sendiri oleh Lim Guan Eng.
Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang telah menggandakan peruntukan tahunan untuk tujuan agama Islam sehingga RM24.3 juta untuk tahun 2010 berbanding RM12.5 juta pada tahun 2008 di bawah kerajaan terdahulu yang dipimpin BN. Bukankah ini bukti kukuh bahawa kedudukan agama Islam bukan sahaja tidak tergugat malah didukung dan diperkukuhkan oleh sebuah kerajaan yang diterajui oleh DAP? Bukan sahaja peruntukan ditambah, malah Guan Eng memberi sokongan padu untuk menubuhkan sebuah Majlis Syura yang mengumpulkan sekumpulan pakar agama Islam untuk menasihati Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang dalam hal-ehwal agama Islam. Pada masa yang sama, perkembangan agama-agama lain tidak disekat dan dimudahcarakan seperti bantuan kewangan kepada tokong, kuil dan gereja. Permohonan tanah untuk pembinaan tempat beribadat pula diluluskan tanpa banyak karenah birokrasi. Ini tidak sama sekali mengugat kedudukan Islam sebagai agama rasmi di negara kita. Inilah pendekatan “Malaysia Pertengahan” untuk mewujudkan sebuah masyarakat pelbagai agama yang harmoni.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Utusan Bent On Stirring Shit
I've been quietly told by some of the printed press that they will not be able to print comments relating the controversial 'Allah' issue. As such, I'm unable to write about it in my newspaper columns as well. Fair enough, if the rule is applied to all, in order for the heated atmosphere to "cool" down.
However, it's clear that while there are rules for newspapers in general, there are no rules for UMNO-owned Utusan Malaysia who continues to carry biased, one-sided and incendiary reports on the issue. Today's report carried another so-called "tokoh Kristian" who not only asked for the 'Allah' term to be dropped by Christians but also claimed that the purpose of 'The Herald' to be printed in Bahasa was to convert and mislead Muslims!!!
How is this Webley Disim a "tokoh Kristian"? He's the Chairman of the Sabah Bumiputera Chamber of Entrepreneurs, and the Deputy Chairman of the Malaysian Bumiputera Chamber of Enterpreneurs. And somewhere at the bottom, he's also reveal to be "bekas Setiausaha Politik kepada Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan".
If Hishammuddin wants to take action against anybody, the first people he must take action against for persisting in stirring shit and threatening Malaysia's harmony is against Utusan Malaysia and its extremist editors, for they will stop at nothing to achieve racist superiority.
An excerpt of article is reproduced as follows:
However, it's clear that while there are rules for newspapers in general, there are no rules for UMNO-owned Utusan Malaysia who continues to carry biased, one-sided and incendiary reports on the issue. Today's report carried another so-called "tokoh Kristian" who not only asked for the 'Allah' term to be dropped by Christians but also claimed that the purpose of 'The Herald' to be printed in Bahasa was to convert and mislead Muslims!!!
How is this Webley Disim a "tokoh Kristian"? He's the Chairman of the Sabah Bumiputera Chamber of Entrepreneurs, and the Deputy Chairman of the Malaysian Bumiputera Chamber of Enterpreneurs. And somewhere at the bottom, he's also reveal to be "bekas Setiausaha Politik kepada Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan".
If Hishammuddin wants to take action against anybody, the first people he must take action against for persisting in stirring shit and threatening Malaysia's harmony is against Utusan Malaysia and its extremist editors, for they will stop at nothing to achieve racist superiority.
An excerpt of article is reproduced as follows:
Lagi tokoh Kristian gesa gugur kalimah AllahDigusting and disgraceful.
Oleh ZULHISHAM ISHAK
pengarang@utusan.com.my
KOTA KINABALU 13 Jan. - Seorang lagi tokoh Kristian dari negeri ini, Webley Disim, yang juga Yang Dipertua Dewan Usahawan Bumiputera Sabah hari ini menggesa akhbar Herald-The Catholic Weekly menggugurkan kes tuntutan penggunaan kalimah Allah di mahkamah.
Tegasnya, langkah itu, penyelesaian terbaik bagi mengelak pertelingkahan atau konflik antara agama terus berlaku sehingga mencetuskan ketegangan.
"Sebagai tanda hormat kepada agama rasmi negara ini iaitu Islam dan juga masyarakat pelbagai kaum, Herald-The Catholic Weekly wajar menimbang tindakan ini," katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.
Ahad lalu, Presiden Majlis Jaksa Pendamai Malaysia, Datuk Clarence Bongkos Malakun menyarankan akhbar itu menggugurkan kes berkenaan sebagai jalan penyelesaian yang terbaik.
Menurut tokoh Kristian dari Sabah itu, tindakan tersebut perlu, memandangkan perkembangan isu berkenaan semakin membimbangkan sehingga mengakibatkan beberapa gereja dibakar dan turut menerima ugutan.
Webley yang juga Naib Presiden Dewan Usahawan Bumiputera Malaysia mengakui, tindakan akhbar itu sememangnya mempunyai motif untuk menarik penganut Islam kepada Kristian.
"Saya difahamkan oleh rakan-rakan dari Kuala Lumpur, tindakan akhbar itu adalah untuk menguji orang Melayu dan Islam, dengan menyatakan 'kita' menyembah tuhan yang sama iaitu Allah," katanya.
Menurutnya, perbuatan tersebut akan mengelirukan umat Islam kerana Allah bagi penganut Islam dan Kristian adalah berbeza mengikut kepercayaan masing-masing.
"Ini tidak baik, kenapa perlu menarik orang yang sudah beragama, sepatutnya kita (Kristian) menarik orang yang masih tiada agama seperti Orang Asli di Semenanjung atau Bumiputera di Sabah atau Sarawak," katanya...
Monday, August 10, 2009
Najib: Doublespeak Extraordinaire
We have seen how Barisan Nasional under new Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib's leadership is currently stoking racial sentiments and playing with fire. On the one hand he says, "Malaysia is for all" under his "1Malaysia" slogan. On the other his Deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin plays the supporting role to rile up racial sentiments among the Malay-Muslim community with incendiary comments.
But the doublespeak isn't limited to the No. 1 and No. 2. No. 3, Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi plays the blatant role as well.
On the one hand, Najib says out loudly and benevolently that "ISA will not be used to detain politicians" just last Friday, as reported proudly by the Star.
However within 2 days of the above, under the covers of UMNO mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia today, Zahid threatens DAP Socialist Youth Chief, Anthony Loke Siew Fook with the ISA for allegedly 'insulting Islam' by putting words in Anthony's mouth! What hypocrisy!
In the Malay blogosphere, including that of the rabid UMNO Malay nationalist, Rocky Bru, the issue is currently rife that the Rasah MP has been making all sort of statements which insulted Islam. Read Anthony's blogpost here.
This is shocking, this is ugly, this is disgusting gutter politics at its very worst propagated by UMNO and Barisan Nasional, led by none other than Datuk Seri '1Malaysia' Najib Abdul Razak.
But the doublespeak isn't limited to the No. 1 and No. 2. No. 3, Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi plays the blatant role as well.
On the one hand, Najib says out loudly and benevolently that "ISA will not be used to detain politicians" just last Friday, as reported proudly by the Star.
However within 2 days of the above, under the covers of UMNO mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia today, Zahid threatens DAP Socialist Youth Chief, Anthony Loke Siew Fook with the ISA for allegedly 'insulting Islam' by putting words in Anthony's mouth! What hypocrisy!
In the Malay blogosphere, including that of the rabid UMNO Malay nationalist, Rocky Bru, the issue is currently rife that the Rasah MP has been making all sort of statements which insulted Islam. Read Anthony's blogpost here.
This is shocking, this is ugly, this is disgusting gutter politics at its very worst propagated by UMNO and Barisan Nasional, led by none other than Datuk Seri '1Malaysia' Najib Abdul Razak.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
NTV7 Point of View: New Economic Policy
I was on the NTV7 "Point of View" programme a few months back discussing Malaysia's New Economic Policy. Have a listen ;-)
Interestingly enough, this episode was never made available on the NTV7 website which carries electronic versions of all previous episodes ;-)
Interestingly enough, this episode was never made available on the NTV7 website which carries electronic versions of all previous episodes ;-)
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