Apr 7, 08 3:58pm
Umno deputy president Najib Abdul Razak today said that the party had no definite proof as to the identity of its members who had sabotaged the party during the recent general election.
He however said that the party had an idea on the individuals who were allegedly involved in sabotaging activity.
"We have heard stories from party members and the defeated candidates but these are not sufficient for us to initiate disciplinary proceedings on any party member because there must be written reports (to the disciplinary committee)," he said today.
Najib, also the deputy prime minister, urged members with information on these saboteurs to lodge a formal complaint with the disciplinary committee so that investigation can be carried out and disciplinary action taken against those involved.
He added that so far the committee had not received any written complaints from anyone on the matter.
He also said if these saboteurs were proven guilty, they could face stern action including permanent expulsion from the party. Najib added that whatever action that would be taken would be based on concrete evidence and not based on unfounded allegations.
He also admitted that such acts of sabotage occurred every time there was an election, citing members’ unhappiness over the choice of candidates and the political situation in certain areas as reasons for members to rebel.
However, he said that members should not have resorted to acts that could result in the defeat of the party no matter what their reasons were.
"The question of money not getting down to the ground (misappropriation of campaign fund) is a factor, but what is more serious is when we do things that can be construed as sabotage which resulted in the party being defeated," he said.
36 seats lost
Yesterday party president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, also the prime minister, said that internal saboteurs were the reason for the party to lose at least 14 parliamentary seats and 22 state seats in the March 8 general election.
Abdullah said that these seats were earlier labelled as safe seats and were lost as a result of party members working against the party in those constituencies.
Abdullah added that if these seats were won, as projected initially, BN would have regained its two-thirds majority in Parliament as well as retained Kedah and Perak.
As it stands, the Umno-led BN is eight seats short of attaining a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
The ruling coalition also managed to win only 14 state seats in Kedah with the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition winning the remaining 22 to take control of the state. Meanwhile in Perak, BN won 28 of the 59 state seats, again losing marginally to the opposition.
BN also lost control of Penang and Selangor and failed to regain Kelantan from PAS.
On another matter, Najib said that he would be visiting all Umno divisions and branches to listen to the views and suggestions from the grassroots leaders on their dissatisfactions.
"They may want to express their dissatisfaction against party members in their own areas and if there are any complaints, I will suggest that they lodge a formal report and submit it to the disciplinary committee for investigation to be carried out to determine the action to be taken," added the chairperson of the party's management committee.
As part of the nationwide visit, Najib will be heading towards Penang and Kedah on April 10. He is then scheduled to visit Selangor on April 14.
Umno, especially Abdullah, has come under tremendous pressure following the party’s worst ever setback in the general election. Of the 117 parliamentary seats which the party contested, it only won 78.
Campaigning for the opposition
Meanwhile party vice-president Muhyiddin Yassin said that any action taken against the alleged saboteurs must be fair and based on facts and not hearsay.
He echoed Najib in saying that the party needed to gather evidence before a case was brought to the Umno disciplinary board for investigation to prove the allegations.
When asked by Bernama as to what entailed an act of sabotage, he said the matter was still being studied but did not dismiss that it could be linked to dissatisfaction over the choice of candidates in certain constituencies.
"Does sabotage mean refusing to campaign for the chosen party candidates? It can also mean campaigning for the opposition. We need to look at the factors."
"Although unhappy with the choice of candidates, the party members should have just accepted the top leaders' decisions. This is because the party is more important than the candidates," he said.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Don't take it out on tourists, MBs tick off Azalina
Apr 7, 08 6:54pm
The leaders of Selangor and Penang in a joint press conference today ticked off Tourism Minister Azalina Othman for punishing voters in the wake of the last month's national polls.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng urged Azalina to reverse her decision to terminate memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Pakatan Rakyat state governments.
At a joint press conference after his first official meeting with Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, he said the decision would affect tourists.
“We’re very curious as to why the minister wants to take it out on tourists if she is unhappy with the results in the elections,” he said.
“We feel that this action is not well thought out and I don’t think it is in the national interest especially that of the people.”
Last week, Azalina terminated the tourism MoUs along with the Tourism Action Councils in states where Barisan Nasional state executive councillors had previously held the tourism portfolio.
Her decision affected four states - Selangor, Penang, Kedah and Perak - and would result in cutting millions of ringgit of federal funding for tourism promotion campaigns in these states.
The DAP leader said the decision is contradictory to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s assurance that all federal programmes would run as planned, without any changes, after the two met in Putrajaya last Thursday.
“We hope (Azalina’s decision) can be reconsidered so it does not give the wrong impression that this is only being done because (BN wants to show what happens) when people make their choice,” Lim said.
Meanwhile, Khalid said it is time to distinguish between money given for political activities and money allocated through the consolidated fund of the federal government for the states.
“I do not think any minister can discriminate on the basis of a state having different political leadership,” he told reporters.
“As menteri besar, I am answerable to all people of Selangor irrespective of their political association, and funds will be channelled to all the needy. This standard of thinking must be for the whole country.”
Joint investment efforts
Khalid also said Selangor would learn from Penang’s efficient water supply management and discuss investment opportunities.
Penang has been providing water to residents through a listed company, at a lower cost than in Selangor, he said.
“We want to know the potential for, say, management of a water treatment plant. We want to know the technical part and experience for Selangor. Then we will know which is more efficient and we can adopt such method to make our system more efficient.
“If we can reduce the cost of water, the people will benefit. In Penang, their cost is better than Selangor, so we want to share our strengths.”
He said the Selangor government’s objective is to have a ‘continuous improvement’ in the style of management.
On investments, he said both states would identify development opportunities toward improving economic activity in both states and domestic productivity.
“Penang can invest in Selangor and Selangor can invest in Penang. We’ll have joint presentations for foreign investors but for now I suggest taking the relevant exco-members to visit Penang to discuss this,” he said.
Asked to comment on whether Sungai Pinang state representative Teng Chang Khim would be appointed speaker in the state assembly, Khalid said he did not want to speculate.
“I think the issue now is that the selection of the speaker will be done prior to our legislative assembly on April 22.
“I do not want to speculate but my colleagues from DAP have their own nominee. The best time to announcement the appointment is following the selection of the people at the assembly because this is how the assembly selects the candidate.”
Probed whether this matter had been discussed during his meeting with Lim, Khalid replied: “It’s private.”
Sources said Teng is tipped to be appointed the first non-Malay Speaker, but this has not been confirmed.
The leaders of Selangor and Penang in a joint press conference today ticked off Tourism Minister Azalina Othman for punishing voters in the wake of the last month's national polls.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng urged Azalina to reverse her decision to terminate memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Pakatan Rakyat state governments.
At a joint press conference after his first official meeting with Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, he said the decision would affect tourists.
“We’re very curious as to why the minister wants to take it out on tourists if she is unhappy with the results in the elections,” he said.
“We feel that this action is not well thought out and I don’t think it is in the national interest especially that of the people.”
Last week, Azalina terminated the tourism MoUs along with the Tourism Action Councils in states where Barisan Nasional state executive councillors had previously held the tourism portfolio.
Her decision affected four states - Selangor, Penang, Kedah and Perak - and would result in cutting millions of ringgit of federal funding for tourism promotion campaigns in these states.
The DAP leader said the decision is contradictory to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s assurance that all federal programmes would run as planned, without any changes, after the two met in Putrajaya last Thursday.
“We hope (Azalina’s decision) can be reconsidered so it does not give the wrong impression that this is only being done because (BN wants to show what happens) when people make their choice,” Lim said.
Meanwhile, Khalid said it is time to distinguish between money given for political activities and money allocated through the consolidated fund of the federal government for the states.
“I do not think any minister can discriminate on the basis of a state having different political leadership,” he told reporters.
“As menteri besar, I am answerable to all people of Selangor irrespective of their political association, and funds will be channelled to all the needy. This standard of thinking must be for the whole country.”
Joint investment efforts
Khalid also said Selangor would learn from Penang’s efficient water supply management and discuss investment opportunities.
Penang has been providing water to residents through a listed company, at a lower cost than in Selangor, he said.
“We want to know the potential for, say, management of a water treatment plant. We want to know the technical part and experience for Selangor. Then we will know which is more efficient and we can adopt such method to make our system more efficient.
“If we can reduce the cost of water, the people will benefit. In Penang, their cost is better than Selangor, so we want to share our strengths.”
He said the Selangor government’s objective is to have a ‘continuous improvement’ in the style of management.
On investments, he said both states would identify development opportunities toward improving economic activity in both states and domestic productivity.
“Penang can invest in Selangor and Selangor can invest in Penang. We’ll have joint presentations for foreign investors but for now I suggest taking the relevant exco-members to visit Penang to discuss this,” he said.
Asked to comment on whether Sungai Pinang state representative Teng Chang Khim would be appointed speaker in the state assembly, Khalid said he did not want to speculate.
“I think the issue now is that the selection of the speaker will be done prior to our legislative assembly on April 22.
“I do not want to speculate but my colleagues from DAP have their own nominee. The best time to announcement the appointment is following the selection of the people at the assembly because this is how the assembly selects the candidate.”
Probed whether this matter had been discussed during his meeting with Lim, Khalid replied: “It’s private.”
Sources said Teng is tipped to be appointed the first non-Malay Speaker, but this has not been confirmed.
Hindu temples hit by 'cabinet ban'
Apr 7, 08 12:02pm
Devotees of the Hanuman temple in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, have eagerly been anticipating a spanking new structure by year’s end.
Construction work by specialist builders from India have been progressing smoothly, with about 40 percent of work completed on schedule to date.
But temple officials now foresee problems in completing the work as the immigration department has refused to extend the work-permits of the builders.
Worse, the department has given the workers one month to leave the country, and has refused to entertain applications to bring in new workers.
“We are stuck. The temple is only half-built. If these workers go, who will finish the work?” asked temple treasurer M Suresh.
“The department wants us to hire local workers. What they don’t realise, or choose to ignore, is that not everyone can build temples. You need skilled and specialist workers.”
He has another problem - what to tell the devotees who have donated huge sums of money for the temple construction.
This is not an isolated case. Across the nation, many Hindu temples face same problems with the immigration department refusing to renew work permits of builders, priests and musicians.
Its reason is that locals can be hired to do these jobs, a claim that many temple officials reject.
Half-built temples
Temple builder P Malairaju said about 10 of his projects are stuck as a result of this new policy.
“When we apply to bring in expert builders, we submit a huge dossier involving the work schedule and the need for these workers. Only after going through these documents, would the department approve a permit.
“Each worker is given an initial six-month permit which can be renewed for up to five years. However now, at the end of the six months, these workers are being told to pack up and leave,” he told Malaysiakini.
He said the decision can be appealed and an extension could be granted for up to three months, but not in all cases.
He said that he has about nine expert workers at the Hanuman temple and about 90 more working at temples in other locations.
“When we asked the department why the renewal applications have been rejected, we were merely told to hire locals. Why can’t they refer to our dossiers and see for themselves why we brought in these workers in the first place?”
He added that local workers still lacked the necessary skills to build temples and its intrinsic works.
“This is not like building an apartment or a building. You need to know the work,” he added.
He also said that the department has also refused to entertain new applications to bring in workers to continue the stalled projects.
“What is going to happen is that there will be half-built temples all around the country. I pity the temple officials who have to face the wrath of devotees,” he said.
Suresh agreed, saying that even now some of the devotee at the Hanuman temple were blaming the temple officials for “siphoning off the donation and slowing down the temple construction”.
‘We are stuck’
Other temples have been caught by the denial of renewed work permits for priests from India, thus forcing prayers and weddings to be conducted without priests.
The Sri Ayyanar Temple in Jalan Genting Klang is among those in this quandary. Its priest and a musician have been told to leave soon.
“How do we find replacements? Local priests are not interested in working full time. We don’t have enough qualified musicians as well. And this temple is fully booked for the coming wedding season,” said temple secretary A Gothandapaandi.
Similarly the Sri Subramaniam temple in Bandar Sunway is facing difficulty after its musicians were told to leave and applications for new musicians and priests were rejected.
“We are stuck. I fear for the future. We don’t have enough local priests or musicians. The government should have some sense in this matter,” said temple chairperson R Manivasagam.
Officials in other temple committees urged the government to end the ‘ban’.
“Is there an unwritten code to stop the growth of Hindu temples in this country?” asked a temple secretary from Ipoh.
Sri Sivan temple secretary V Palani from Klang said: “Trained local musicians and priests prefer to work on freelance basis so that they can earn more. Temples need full time musicians and priests so that we can serve the needs of our devotees at all times.”
When contacted, an immigration official said this is a cabinet-level decision and that all questions should be directed to the home ministry.
Back to cabinet
Last week MIC president S Samy Vellu raised the matter with the minister concerned, Syed Hamid Albar, who said the matter would be discussed in the cabinet before a decision is made.
Malaysia Hindu Sangam is also worried about the trend and has asked the government to revoke the cabinet decision, which was made late last year.
Hindu Sangam president A Vaithilingam said that the affected temples were all big, popular and registered temples.
“This sudden decision has caused a lot of unhappiness and had damaged the operations of especially larger temples,” he said.
“We feel that the decision is very unfair especially when considering that there are two million foreign workers in the country, whereas the requirement of the temples for a few hundred foreign skilled workers is not being entertained,” he added.
He also said that it takes many years to train highly-skilled priests and temple musicians.
“Unfortunately, the temples are not able to find locals with suitably high qualifications and skills to work for the pay that the temples can afford,” he said.
Vaithilingam also said the Hindu Sangam is making efforts to meet Syed Hamid to resolve this problem.
This issue first cropped up last December when then minister in charge of foreign workers Radzi Sheikh Ahmad said that there is no ban on foreign workers - including priests, musicians and sculptors - from India.
He insisted that no applications from Indian priests, musicians or sculptors had been rejected, but admitted the government is trying to reduce foreign labour.
"Our policy is that we want locals to take up the jobs as priests, musicians and sculptors," he was reported as saying.
Temple officials, however, say that based on what’s happening now, it is clear that there is indeed a ban in place.
Devotees of the Hanuman temple in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, have eagerly been anticipating a spanking new structure by year’s end.
Construction work by specialist builders from India have been progressing smoothly, with about 40 percent of work completed on schedule to date.
But temple officials now foresee problems in completing the work as the immigration department has refused to extend the work-permits of the builders.
Worse, the department has given the workers one month to leave the country, and has refused to entertain applications to bring in new workers.
“We are stuck. The temple is only half-built. If these workers go, who will finish the work?” asked temple treasurer M Suresh.
“The department wants us to hire local workers. What they don’t realise, or choose to ignore, is that not everyone can build temples. You need skilled and specialist workers.”
He has another problem - what to tell the devotees who have donated huge sums of money for the temple construction.
This is not an isolated case. Across the nation, many Hindu temples face same problems with the immigration department refusing to renew work permits of builders, priests and musicians.
Its reason is that locals can be hired to do these jobs, a claim that many temple officials reject.
Half-built temples
Temple builder P Malairaju said about 10 of his projects are stuck as a result of this new policy.
“When we apply to bring in expert builders, we submit a huge dossier involving the work schedule and the need for these workers. Only after going through these documents, would the department approve a permit.
“Each worker is given an initial six-month permit which can be renewed for up to five years. However now, at the end of the six months, these workers are being told to pack up and leave,” he told Malaysiakini.
He said the decision can be appealed and an extension could be granted for up to three months, but not in all cases.
He said that he has about nine expert workers at the Hanuman temple and about 90 more working at temples in other locations.
“When we asked the department why the renewal applications have been rejected, we were merely told to hire locals. Why can’t they refer to our dossiers and see for themselves why we brought in these workers in the first place?”
He added that local workers still lacked the necessary skills to build temples and its intrinsic works.
“This is not like building an apartment or a building. You need to know the work,” he added.
He also said that the department has also refused to entertain new applications to bring in workers to continue the stalled projects.
“What is going to happen is that there will be half-built temples all around the country. I pity the temple officials who have to face the wrath of devotees,” he said.
Suresh agreed, saying that even now some of the devotee at the Hanuman temple were blaming the temple officials for “siphoning off the donation and slowing down the temple construction”.
‘We are stuck’
Other temples have been caught by the denial of renewed work permits for priests from India, thus forcing prayers and weddings to be conducted without priests.
The Sri Ayyanar Temple in Jalan Genting Klang is among those in this quandary. Its priest and a musician have been told to leave soon.
“How do we find replacements? Local priests are not interested in working full time. We don’t have enough qualified musicians as well. And this temple is fully booked for the coming wedding season,” said temple secretary A Gothandapaandi.
Similarly the Sri Subramaniam temple in Bandar Sunway is facing difficulty after its musicians were told to leave and applications for new musicians and priests were rejected.
“We are stuck. I fear for the future. We don’t have enough local priests or musicians. The government should have some sense in this matter,” said temple chairperson R Manivasagam.
Officials in other temple committees urged the government to end the ‘ban’.
“Is there an unwritten code to stop the growth of Hindu temples in this country?” asked a temple secretary from Ipoh.
Sri Sivan temple secretary V Palani from Klang said: “Trained local musicians and priests prefer to work on freelance basis so that they can earn more. Temples need full time musicians and priests so that we can serve the needs of our devotees at all times.”
When contacted, an immigration official said this is a cabinet-level decision and that all questions should be directed to the home ministry.
Back to cabinet
Last week MIC president S Samy Vellu raised the matter with the minister concerned, Syed Hamid Albar, who said the matter would be discussed in the cabinet before a decision is made.
Malaysia Hindu Sangam is also worried about the trend and has asked the government to revoke the cabinet decision, which was made late last year.
Hindu Sangam president A Vaithilingam said that the affected temples were all big, popular and registered temples.
“This sudden decision has caused a lot of unhappiness and had damaged the operations of especially larger temples,” he said.
“We feel that the decision is very unfair especially when considering that there are two million foreign workers in the country, whereas the requirement of the temples for a few hundred foreign skilled workers is not being entertained,” he added.
He also said that it takes many years to train highly-skilled priests and temple musicians.
“Unfortunately, the temples are not able to find locals with suitably high qualifications and skills to work for the pay that the temples can afford,” he said.
Vaithilingam also said the Hindu Sangam is making efforts to meet Syed Hamid to resolve this problem.
This issue first cropped up last December when then minister in charge of foreign workers Radzi Sheikh Ahmad said that there is no ban on foreign workers - including priests, musicians and sculptors - from India.
He insisted that no applications from Indian priests, musicians or sculptors had been rejected, but admitted the government is trying to reduce foreign labour.
"Our policy is that we want locals to take up the jobs as priests, musicians and sculptors," he was reported as saying.
Temple officials, however, say that based on what’s happening now, it is clear that there is indeed a ban in place.
ISA-held state rep: Let me be sworn in before sultan
Apr 7, 08 6:05pm
Kota Alam Shah state representative and ISA detainee M Manoharan today demanded to be freed so he can be sworn into office.
Lawyer Manoharan and four other Hindu rights activists have been held without trial under internal security laws since December after organising an unprecedented mass rally claiming discrimination against ethnic Indians.
In March 8 general election he contested for the state seat in Selangor representing the opposition DAP, soundly beating the incumbent in what was seen as a protest against the draconian legislation.
The ruling Barisan Nasional coalition suffered unprecedented setbacks in the elections, with voters angry over its handling of ethnic tensions as well as rising inflation and crime.
"I have written to his majesty the Sultan of Selangor asking for my immediate release so that I could better serve the constituents," Manoharan said in a statement from the Kamunting detention centre.
However, attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail told the country's highest court last week that the five activists, who are under a two-year detention order, should not be released as they are a threat to national security.
Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar has said that Manoharan could be sworn in before the state legislature's speaker at Kamunting, as has been done twice in the past when detainees won office.
Minister warns Hindraf
But Manoharan said the government's refusal to release him before the swearing-in ceremony for the Selangor state government, scheduled for April 22, undermined democracy and was disrespectful to the state's royal ruler.
"I therefore demand and insist that, as a lawfully elected state assemblyman, I be take taken to the state legislative assembly for the purpose of swearing-in. There should be no compromise," he said.
"The purpose of taking oath is an important aspect and element of our... democratic process."
Syed Hamid today also cautioned the Hindraf activist group, of which Manoharan is a leading member, against organising any more rallies.
"Please do not threaten the welfare of the country. The government will then have no choice but to act protect the country," he said according to the state Bernama news agency.
Kota Alam Shah state representative and ISA detainee M Manoharan today demanded to be freed so he can be sworn into office.
Lawyer Manoharan and four other Hindu rights activists have been held without trial under internal security laws since December after organising an unprecedented mass rally claiming discrimination against ethnic Indians.
In March 8 general election he contested for the state seat in Selangor representing the opposition DAP, soundly beating the incumbent in what was seen as a protest against the draconian legislation.
The ruling Barisan Nasional coalition suffered unprecedented setbacks in the elections, with voters angry over its handling of ethnic tensions as well as rising inflation and crime.
"I have written to his majesty the Sultan of Selangor asking for my immediate release so that I could better serve the constituents," Manoharan said in a statement from the Kamunting detention centre.
However, attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail told the country's highest court last week that the five activists, who are under a two-year detention order, should not be released as they are a threat to national security.
Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar has said that Manoharan could be sworn in before the state legislature's speaker at Kamunting, as has been done twice in the past when detainees won office.
Minister warns Hindraf
But Manoharan said the government's refusal to release him before the swearing-in ceremony for the Selangor state government, scheduled for April 22, undermined democracy and was disrespectful to the state's royal ruler.
"I therefore demand and insist that, as a lawfully elected state assemblyman, I be take taken to the state legislative assembly for the purpose of swearing-in. There should be no compromise," he said.
"The purpose of taking oath is an important aspect and element of our... democratic process."
Syed Hamid today also cautioned the Hindraf activist group, of which Manoharan is a leading member, against organising any more rallies.
"Please do not threaten the welfare of the country. The government will then have no choice but to act protect the country," he said according to the state Bernama news agency.
Gerakan: the decadence of an idealist party
Mar 28, 08 2:15pm
Gerakan acting president Dr Koh Tsu Koon finally acts tough.
After a briefing with the party’s central delegates last Sunday, Tsu Koon told the press "certain Umno leaders’ deeds, words and actions in the past two years have resulted in a feeling of resentment".
No one should be surprised at Tsu Koon's assessment. What is truly puzzling is that the former Penang chief minister only realised this after Gerakan suffered a crushing defeat on March 8.
Would it have been different had the Penang-based party chosen to speak out fearlessly when Khairy Jamaluddin and Hishammuddin Hussein indulged themselves in racist remarks and gestures at the Umno general assemblies?
Hardly.
Gerakan’s ignominious rout was already in the making before the March election. As I wrote a few months ago, my advice for some party faithful to contemplate a withdrawal from the rotten Barisan Nasional coalition to preserve their dignity went unheeded. With the benefit of hindsight, even a last minute pullout by Gerakan, as what had happened to Parti Bersatu Sabah on the eve of the 1990 election, would not have saved the party from the electoral massacre.
Tsu Koon was willy-nilly over the choice of his successor as chief minister, and it irked the Penang voters. Worse, in passing the ball to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, he was being utterly insensitive to their anger, which only reinforced the impression of him serving as Umno stooge.
The Penangites could not care less if it was the wishy-washy Chia Kwang Chye, the dreary Lee Kah Choon, the seasoned Teng Hock Nam, or even the young and articulate Teng Chang Yeow, as they had decided to do an "all change" and vote all of them out.
Pretty much like what the Australian voters did to John Howard last November, the voters had to decide for Tsu Koon since he could not make up his own mind. I salute the Penangites for their boleh spirit and discernment that Malaysia as a nation of sheep had begotten a government of wolves.
For idealists, elite socialists
Still, I could not help feeling sorry. In 1968, Gerakan was founded on the firm basis of multiracialism, with stalwart intellectuals like the late Syed Hussein Alatas and Wang Gungwu among its top leaders. Dr. J B Peter and Madam Ganga Nair were there too. Dr Tan Chee Khoon, latterly Mr Opposition, even ditched the Labour Party and joined Gerakan, which was almost a natural home for idealists and elite socialists at the time.
Also in 1968, Dr Seenivasegam of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) presided over a public debate on Malaysian Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur between representatives from Gerakan and the Democratic Action Party (DAP). Those were the days when ideologues held sway.
The electoral debut of the still fledgling party could not have been more splendid, as it went on to capture Penang in the 1969 election. Who says ideology never matters in Malaysian politics?
But who could have foreseen a party that once offered so much hope for multiracial politics in the deeply racialised and divided nation of Malaysia would later become a spent force?
Today, Gerakan can only showcase second rate politicians like Mah Siew Keong, the youth leader whose waving of the Basic Foundations of our Nationhood as a clumsy protest over the keris-brandishing of his Umno counterparts was a joke.
Or what about a political dwarf in Lim Si Pin, son of the former Gerakan president Dr Lim Keng Yaik, who would not even take up the challenge for a minor debate in public? It is certainly not an unlucky coincidence that both Mah and Lim Jr. lost in the election.
To be fair, Gerakan’s betrayal of its multiracial roots did not begin with Keng Yaik, who was party president for more than 25 years. But it was under Lim that the party’s loss of multiracial outlook became most marked.
A populist, Lim had no time for polemics and was disdainful of intellectuals. Under his leadership, Gerakan became ideologically vacuous, and behaved increasingly like Umno’s lieutenant. When Dr Mahathir Mohamad declared Malaysia an Islamic state at the Gerakan general assembly in September 2001, Lim did not even raise an eyebrow.
Because Lim was beholden first to Mahathir and then to Abdullah, his party’s response to communal and religious controversies was paltry at best. In the state constituency of Bukit Gasing that is made up of sizeable populations of Catholics and Christians, former Gerakan assemblyman Lim Thuan Seng was conspicuously silent on many religious issues.
Under the BN’s kidnap-style control that hardly tolerates even a semblance of critique, few can escape unscathed for speaking their own mind, just look at Zaid Ibrahim of Umno, Sothinathan of the MIC and Loh Seng Kok of the MCA.
Keng Yaik - a MCA reject
That Keng Yaik is bereft of democratic beliefs can be seen from his desperate but failed attempt to save his son’s campaign in the Batu parliamentary seat recently. Knowing that Lim Si Pin could lose, Lim resorted to relentless personal attacks on Tian Chua, the PKR candidate. It backfired and his son lost big.
Even in Beruas, which Keng Yaik represented for over 20 years, his political protege Chang Ko Youn was defeated by Ngeh Koo Ham of the DAP. When campaigning for Gerakan heavyweight Teo Kok Chee in the state assembly constituency of Skudai, Johor, Lim assured the audience Teo was "Abdul Ghani’s godson" and Skudai would receive special attention from the menteri besar. Too bad, that the voters punished Lim’s tawdriness with a stunning victory for Boo Cheng Hau, another DAP state leader - a majority of 12,854 votes.
Keng Yaik might have been able to fool mainstream journalists with his tasteless jokes and entertain them with his hearty laughs, his "glories" are fading fast nonetheless.
Not only has Gerakan lost the will to harness Umno, the party has also become "sinicized" over the years. For all the fanfare and pomp at his retirement last year, Keng Yaik is in fact an MCA reject. Kicked out of the Chinese party by Tan Siew Sin in 1973, Keng Yaik brought the mavericks – including Paul Leong Khee Seong - into Gerakan and continued his battle with his enemies in the MCA.
As Gerakan leader, Keng Yaik effectively turned Gerakan into a Chinese chauvinist party. In December 2003, he openly thanked Abdullah for giving his blessing to a future merger between Gerakan and the MCA, and vowed to do his part to persuade those who had reservations about the proposal. His blatant disregard of the non-Chinese grassroots was bordering on arrogance.
Tsu Koon’s multiethnic credentials are equally questionable. Last December, Dr. Toh Kin Woon and S Paranjothy, a Gerakan Youth leader, both lent their support to Hindraf’s demands. Tsu Koon defended Toh’s remarks as a personal opinion, but referred Paranjothy to the party’s disciplinary committee for further action.
The fact was, Paranjothy had openly chastised Umno Youth leaders, putting Tsu Koon in a difficult position. Paranjothy’s fate clearly indicates that Gerakan can no longer represent the interests of the non-Chinese; it also reveals the home truth that the party exists at Umno’s mercy.
If not for the series of evil laws that curtail media freedom, coupled with the habitual manipulation of the electoral system by the government, the myth of Gerakan as the BN’s conscience would have been busted long ago. Throughout the 13-day campaign, Lim and Koh launched one personal attack after another against Anwar Ibrahim, but the biggest irony is that PKR is now much more genuinely multiracial than Gerakan, winning support from voters of all walks of life!
Even Dr Toh, for decades a conscientious voice in Gerakan, concedes the party had lost its multiracial identity when all its candidates fielded for the recent election were Chinese.
Meanwhile, DAP has been successful in garnering enough non-Chinese votes to come to power in Penang. Should Lim Guan Eng perform well, the feeble argument that only a Penangite could ensure effective governance in the state will be proven wrong.
Localness, after all, is the last refuge of an ambitious but brainless politician.
Return to what ideology?
Tsu Koon has also said his party will not be celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Instead, there is a lot of soul-searching and self-criticism awaiting the rank and file, as well as the need to "go back to the basics of our ideology".
Very fine and well. But what ideology does the acting president have in mind? Despite Gerakan’s claim to social democracy, I only know Keng Yaik was among the most capitalist-minded cabinet ministers, a torchbearer of the BN’s neo-liberal agenda who could not cease salivating at lucrative privatisation deals.
And guess what? A click on the word "ideology" on the party’s website returns nothing. Absolutely nothing.
I am curious to know what would Syed Hussein Alatas and Tan Chee Koon have to say on this six feet under?
Lest we forget, Gerakan and PPP were at each other’s throat over the right to contest in the Taiping parliamentary constituency. M Kayveas won the battle but lost the war; his political future now hangs in a balance.
But Gerakan is certainly not the one having the last laugh, for who knows the once great promising and idealist party, should it continue to be subservient to the racist and domineering Umno, will not suffer the fate of PPP in the not too distant future?
Gerakan acting president Dr Koh Tsu Koon finally acts tough.
After a briefing with the party’s central delegates last Sunday, Tsu Koon told the press "certain Umno leaders’ deeds, words and actions in the past two years have resulted in a feeling of resentment".
No one should be surprised at Tsu Koon's assessment. What is truly puzzling is that the former Penang chief minister only realised this after Gerakan suffered a crushing defeat on March 8.
Would it have been different had the Penang-based party chosen to speak out fearlessly when Khairy Jamaluddin and Hishammuddin Hussein indulged themselves in racist remarks and gestures at the Umno general assemblies?
Hardly.
Gerakan’s ignominious rout was already in the making before the March election. As I wrote a few months ago, my advice for some party faithful to contemplate a withdrawal from the rotten Barisan Nasional coalition to preserve their dignity went unheeded. With the benefit of hindsight, even a last minute pullout by Gerakan, as what had happened to Parti Bersatu Sabah on the eve of the 1990 election, would not have saved the party from the electoral massacre.
Tsu Koon was willy-nilly over the choice of his successor as chief minister, and it irked the Penang voters. Worse, in passing the ball to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, he was being utterly insensitive to their anger, which only reinforced the impression of him serving as Umno stooge.
The Penangites could not care less if it was the wishy-washy Chia Kwang Chye, the dreary Lee Kah Choon, the seasoned Teng Hock Nam, or even the young and articulate Teng Chang Yeow, as they had decided to do an "all change" and vote all of them out.
Pretty much like what the Australian voters did to John Howard last November, the voters had to decide for Tsu Koon since he could not make up his own mind. I salute the Penangites for their boleh spirit and discernment that Malaysia as a nation of sheep had begotten a government of wolves.
For idealists, elite socialists
Still, I could not help feeling sorry. In 1968, Gerakan was founded on the firm basis of multiracialism, with stalwart intellectuals like the late Syed Hussein Alatas and Wang Gungwu among its top leaders. Dr. J B Peter and Madam Ganga Nair were there too. Dr Tan Chee Khoon, latterly Mr Opposition, even ditched the Labour Party and joined Gerakan, which was almost a natural home for idealists and elite socialists at the time.
Also in 1968, Dr Seenivasegam of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) presided over a public debate on Malaysian Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur between representatives from Gerakan and the Democratic Action Party (DAP). Those were the days when ideologues held sway.
The electoral debut of the still fledgling party could not have been more splendid, as it went on to capture Penang in the 1969 election. Who says ideology never matters in Malaysian politics?
But who could have foreseen a party that once offered so much hope for multiracial politics in the deeply racialised and divided nation of Malaysia would later become a spent force?
Today, Gerakan can only showcase second rate politicians like Mah Siew Keong, the youth leader whose waving of the Basic Foundations of our Nationhood as a clumsy protest over the keris-brandishing of his Umno counterparts was a joke.
Or what about a political dwarf in Lim Si Pin, son of the former Gerakan president Dr Lim Keng Yaik, who would not even take up the challenge for a minor debate in public? It is certainly not an unlucky coincidence that both Mah and Lim Jr. lost in the election.
To be fair, Gerakan’s betrayal of its multiracial roots did not begin with Keng Yaik, who was party president for more than 25 years. But it was under Lim that the party’s loss of multiracial outlook became most marked.
A populist, Lim had no time for polemics and was disdainful of intellectuals. Under his leadership, Gerakan became ideologically vacuous, and behaved increasingly like Umno’s lieutenant. When Dr Mahathir Mohamad declared Malaysia an Islamic state at the Gerakan general assembly in September 2001, Lim did not even raise an eyebrow.
Because Lim was beholden first to Mahathir and then to Abdullah, his party’s response to communal and religious controversies was paltry at best. In the state constituency of Bukit Gasing that is made up of sizeable populations of Catholics and Christians, former Gerakan assemblyman Lim Thuan Seng was conspicuously silent on many religious issues.
Under the BN’s kidnap-style control that hardly tolerates even a semblance of critique, few can escape unscathed for speaking their own mind, just look at Zaid Ibrahim of Umno, Sothinathan of the MIC and Loh Seng Kok of the MCA.
Keng Yaik - a MCA reject
That Keng Yaik is bereft of democratic beliefs can be seen from his desperate but failed attempt to save his son’s campaign in the Batu parliamentary seat recently. Knowing that Lim Si Pin could lose, Lim resorted to relentless personal attacks on Tian Chua, the PKR candidate. It backfired and his son lost big.
Even in Beruas, which Keng Yaik represented for over 20 years, his political protege Chang Ko Youn was defeated by Ngeh Koo Ham of the DAP. When campaigning for Gerakan heavyweight Teo Kok Chee in the state assembly constituency of Skudai, Johor, Lim assured the audience Teo was "Abdul Ghani’s godson" and Skudai would receive special attention from the menteri besar. Too bad, that the voters punished Lim’s tawdriness with a stunning victory for Boo Cheng Hau, another DAP state leader - a majority of 12,854 votes.
Keng Yaik might have been able to fool mainstream journalists with his tasteless jokes and entertain them with his hearty laughs, his "glories" are fading fast nonetheless.
Not only has Gerakan lost the will to harness Umno, the party has also become "sinicized" over the years. For all the fanfare and pomp at his retirement last year, Keng Yaik is in fact an MCA reject. Kicked out of the Chinese party by Tan Siew Sin in 1973, Keng Yaik brought the mavericks – including Paul Leong Khee Seong - into Gerakan and continued his battle with his enemies in the MCA.
As Gerakan leader, Keng Yaik effectively turned Gerakan into a Chinese chauvinist party. In December 2003, he openly thanked Abdullah for giving his blessing to a future merger between Gerakan and the MCA, and vowed to do his part to persuade those who had reservations about the proposal. His blatant disregard of the non-Chinese grassroots was bordering on arrogance.
Tsu Koon’s multiethnic credentials are equally questionable. Last December, Dr. Toh Kin Woon and S Paranjothy, a Gerakan Youth leader, both lent their support to Hindraf’s demands. Tsu Koon defended Toh’s remarks as a personal opinion, but referred Paranjothy to the party’s disciplinary committee for further action.
The fact was, Paranjothy had openly chastised Umno Youth leaders, putting Tsu Koon in a difficult position. Paranjothy’s fate clearly indicates that Gerakan can no longer represent the interests of the non-Chinese; it also reveals the home truth that the party exists at Umno’s mercy.
If not for the series of evil laws that curtail media freedom, coupled with the habitual manipulation of the electoral system by the government, the myth of Gerakan as the BN’s conscience would have been busted long ago. Throughout the 13-day campaign, Lim and Koh launched one personal attack after another against Anwar Ibrahim, but the biggest irony is that PKR is now much more genuinely multiracial than Gerakan, winning support from voters of all walks of life!
Even Dr Toh, for decades a conscientious voice in Gerakan, concedes the party had lost its multiracial identity when all its candidates fielded for the recent election were Chinese.
Meanwhile, DAP has been successful in garnering enough non-Chinese votes to come to power in Penang. Should Lim Guan Eng perform well, the feeble argument that only a Penangite could ensure effective governance in the state will be proven wrong.
Localness, after all, is the last refuge of an ambitious but brainless politician.
Return to what ideology?
Tsu Koon has also said his party will not be celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Instead, there is a lot of soul-searching and self-criticism awaiting the rank and file, as well as the need to "go back to the basics of our ideology".
Very fine and well. But what ideology does the acting president have in mind? Despite Gerakan’s claim to social democracy, I only know Keng Yaik was among the most capitalist-minded cabinet ministers, a torchbearer of the BN’s neo-liberal agenda who could not cease salivating at lucrative privatisation deals.
And guess what? A click on the word "ideology" on the party’s website returns nothing. Absolutely nothing.
I am curious to know what would Syed Hussein Alatas and Tan Chee Koon have to say on this six feet under?
Lest we forget, Gerakan and PPP were at each other’s throat over the right to contest in the Taiping parliamentary constituency. M Kayveas won the battle but lost the war; his political future now hangs in a balance.
But Gerakan is certainly not the one having the last laugh, for who knows the once great promising and idealist party, should it continue to be subservient to the racist and domineering Umno, will not suffer the fate of PPP in the not too distant future?
Dr M: Vote for him and you'll destroy Umno
Apr 6, 08 2:42pm
Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad called on Umno members today to muster enough courage to ‘cut off' the diseased part of the party before the malignant sickness spreads and leads to the demise of the party.
Speaking to about 500 Umno members at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Mahathir said given that Umno president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has been less than willing to step down voluntarily, he should be forced to do so.
"The doctor's prescription is to cut the sick leg in order to save the other parts so that the whole body can get better and does not die," he said at the talk organised by the Pusat Bandar Taman Cempaka Umno branch.
"I feel that if nothing happens, if surgery is not done and we do not discard the gangrenous part, Umno will not be brought back to its former health," argued Mahathir, who is a trained medical doctor.
Mahathir said Abdullah's follies have culminated in the ruling coalition's unprecedented setback in the March 8 general election, where even Barisan Nasional sympathisers voted either for the opposition or spoiled their ballots.
According to the former premier, Abdullah has taken it for granted that he has support from the party given the general unwillingness of those around him to "tell him the truth".
"I am sure that if we do not do anything and let things go as they are, if we continue to rush to kiss such leaders' hands and express our support for them... (and) when we do try to rehabilitate Umno, it would be impossible to do so," he said.
The key to this ‘movement' to rehabiliate Umno is for Umno's branch and division leaders to "stick out their necks" and tell Abdullah that it is time for him to resign, said Mahathir.
"If we hope that these people (Abdullah and his supporters) will rehabilitate (the party), it will not happen. The only ones who can solve the problems (facing the party) are those brave enough to do so.
"There are still many Umno members who are not courageous enough to stick their necks out," he lamented.
"If only one person did it, (then) that person may be put under the ISA (Internal Security Act). But if it was 1,000 or 100,000 people, there would be no space to detain them all."
Supreme council all ‘yes men'
Mahathir spoke for about one hour before taking about another hour to answer questions from the floor.
Asked what concrete steps can be taken to follow through his call for leadership change, Mahathir said it was crucial for Umno members to raise and discuss the issues "whenever and wherever the opportunities arise".
Another step is for division and branch members to elect delegates to the party's annual general meeting in December those leaders who will voice the grievances of the grassroots, said Mahathir.
"Or else the (party's) supreme council members can decide to convene an extraordinary general meeting, but I am less than confident (of this because) the supreme council is made up of ‘yes men'," he said.
When asked whether he still backs Umno's deputy president and Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak to replace Abdullah, Mahathir reiterated that there was no hurry to name Abdullah's successor.
"I feel that if we succeed (in changing the party leadership), there will no lack of candidates to replace people," he said.
"I have said before that Abdullah's replacement is Najib, but I have also said in a previous gathering that it is better to wait and see whether there are other people with the potential," he added.
Asked to comment on criticisms by Abdullah today about Mahathir's own role in the erosion of judicial independence and press freedom, the former strongman told the audience that Abdullah was merely seeking to point out other people's faults while ignoring his own.
"Vote for this person (in the AGM) and you will destroy Umno."
At the press conference held shortly after his talk, Mahathir said PKR's claim it had convinced 30 BN MPs to defect to the Pakatan Rakyat opposition coalition does not necessary mean its de facto leader, Anwar Ibrahim, would come to power.
Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad called on Umno members today to muster enough courage to ‘cut off' the diseased part of the party before the malignant sickness spreads and leads to the demise of the party.
Speaking to about 500 Umno members at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Mahathir said given that Umno president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has been less than willing to step down voluntarily, he should be forced to do so.
"The doctor's prescription is to cut the sick leg in order to save the other parts so that the whole body can get better and does not die," he said at the talk organised by the Pusat Bandar Taman Cempaka Umno branch.
"I feel that if nothing happens, if surgery is not done and we do not discard the gangrenous part, Umno will not be brought back to its former health," argued Mahathir, who is a trained medical doctor.
Mahathir said Abdullah's follies have culminated in the ruling coalition's unprecedented setback in the March 8 general election, where even Barisan Nasional sympathisers voted either for the opposition or spoiled their ballots.
According to the former premier, Abdullah has taken it for granted that he has support from the party given the general unwillingness of those around him to "tell him the truth".
"I am sure that if we do not do anything and let things go as they are, if we continue to rush to kiss such leaders' hands and express our support for them... (and) when we do try to rehabilitate Umno, it would be impossible to do so," he said.
The key to this ‘movement' to rehabiliate Umno is for Umno's branch and division leaders to "stick out their necks" and tell Abdullah that it is time for him to resign, said Mahathir.
"If we hope that these people (Abdullah and his supporters) will rehabilitate (the party), it will not happen. The only ones who can solve the problems (facing the party) are those brave enough to do so.
"There are still many Umno members who are not courageous enough to stick their necks out," he lamented.
"If only one person did it, (then) that person may be put under the ISA (Internal Security Act). But if it was 1,000 or 100,000 people, there would be no space to detain them all."
Supreme council all ‘yes men'
Mahathir spoke for about one hour before taking about another hour to answer questions from the floor.
Asked what concrete steps can be taken to follow through his call for leadership change, Mahathir said it was crucial for Umno members to raise and discuss the issues "whenever and wherever the opportunities arise".
Another step is for division and branch members to elect delegates to the party's annual general meeting in December those leaders who will voice the grievances of the grassroots, said Mahathir.
"Or else the (party's) supreme council members can decide to convene an extraordinary general meeting, but I am less than confident (of this because) the supreme council is made up of ‘yes men'," he said.
When asked whether he still backs Umno's deputy president and Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak to replace Abdullah, Mahathir reiterated that there was no hurry to name Abdullah's successor.
"I feel that if we succeed (in changing the party leadership), there will no lack of candidates to replace people," he said.
"I have said before that Abdullah's replacement is Najib, but I have also said in a previous gathering that it is better to wait and see whether there are other people with the potential," he added.
Asked to comment on criticisms by Abdullah today about Mahathir's own role in the erosion of judicial independence and press freedom, the former strongman told the audience that Abdullah was merely seeking to point out other people's faults while ignoring his own.
"Vote for this person (in the AGM) and you will destroy Umno."
At the press conference held shortly after his talk, Mahathir said PKR's claim it had convinced 30 BN MPs to defect to the Pakatan Rakyat opposition coalition does not necessary mean its de facto leader, Anwar Ibrahim, would come to power.
PM blames saboteurs for BN setback
Apr 6, 08 1:58pm
Umno president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today blamed internal saboteurs for the party’s horrendous showing in last month's general elections.
Speaking to reporters after a closed-door briefing to about 1,000 party grassroots leaders at the Putra World Trade Centre this morning, Abdullah said that the acts of sabotage were the "main reason" for the party to suffer heavy losses.
He added that the saboteurs resulted in the party losing 14 parliament and 22 state seats - all previously declared safe seats by the party.
According to him, if the 22 state seats were retained, the party would not have lost Kedah and Perak to the opposition.
The Umno-led BN managed to win only 14 state seats in Kedah with the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition winning the remaining 22 to take control of the state.
Meanwhile in Perak, BN won 28 of the 59 state seats, again losing marginally to the opposition.
Similarly, Abdullah added that the 14 parliament seats would have also resulted in BN retaining its two-thirds in the Parliament. At present BN is eight seats short of attaining a two-thirds majority.
"Although there are other weaknesses within the party, the main reason we lost was due to acts of sabotage by Umno members,” he said.
"In our analysis, there were at least 14 parliamentary and 22 state seats which we were guaranteed to win. But as a result of sabotage, we lost them."
Abdullah, who is also the prime minister, said that disciplinary action would be taken against the saboteurs. However, he declined to comment on their reasons for sabotaging the party.
No rejection from voters
The meeting today is widely seen as Abdullah's first step towards explaining Umno and Barisan Nasional's setback in the 2008 general election.
Umno division chiefs, wing leaders from the Wanita, Pemuda and Puteri and information heads formed the major segment of the attendees. Also present was Abdullah's deputy Najib Abdul Razak.
"We received very good support during the 2004 elections due to our manifesto which promised many good proposals. And there was high expectation and hope that we could do something about it," said Abdullah.
"I admit that the last four years, the government under my leadership have not been able to fully accomplish and implement all of the proposals."
The government has nevertheless brought many good changes to the economy, he said.
"For without a strong economy, we will not be able to implement other proposals."
He said that steps will continue to be taken to improve judicial integrity, racial harmony, police and public administration.
"Despite all this, the voters did not reject us and the opposition is not the government of the day. At the federal government level, we were eight seats short of two-thirds majority - a benchmark for success in Barisan Nasional," said Abdullah.
He also blamed former Umno vice-president Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who has expressed his intention to oust him as president, for the party's inability to wrest Kelantan back from PAS.
Razaleigh, who is Kelantan's Gua Musang division chief, lambasted Abdullah's leadership when opening his division's extraordinary general meeting on Friday.
Abdullah strikes back at Dr M
Abdullah also came out swinging with both hands at today's press conference in response to attacks against him by his predecessor, Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
He pointed out that it was Mahathir who clamped down on press freedom as well as launching the Operation Lallang mass crackdown against political dissidents in 1987.
"Questions were also raised about the lack of freedom during my leadership and about me being lembik (soft). But if I'm a softie, why would there be a lack of freedom," said Abdullah.
"Some of these allegations are totally baseless. Were there not restrictions during his administration?" he asked.
"I know that reporters were told (after Mahathir had taken over) that pictures and stories of (former premier) Tun Hussein Onn cannot be carried anymore.
"(And) who's responsible for Operation Lalang? There are already enough bloggers and opinions given on who was responsible for those events and I don't need to add more," he said.
He added that he cannot accept a party split at this time and has asked the members to back him so that he can accomplish his tasks for the good of the country.
On Mahathir's stinging attacks lately, Abdullah returned fire by accusing his former boss of abusing his position.
"When we won 92 percent in 2004, he said this (lack of opposition) is not good. Did he tolerate opposition during his reign?
"When the opposition has grown stronger, he now directs his attack at us. Menang banyak tak boleh, menang sikit pun tak boleh. Apa yang boleh? (Win handsomely, he complains, win less, also he complains. What to do?)," said Abdullah.
On whether action will be taken to investigate his predecessor for his role in the 1987 judiciary crisis and other matters, the prime minister said that it depended on the proof.
"As far as this government is concerned, our stand is if there is proof, the agencies can go ahead and charge anyone."
Action against saboteurs
During the press conference, Umno information supreme Muhammad Muhd Taib was asked when action would be taken against the saboteurs.
He answered that it would be "after the disciplinary committee has investigated the matter".
Delegates who attended the briefing told Malaysiakini that the two-hour party briefing however did not include a question-and-answer session despite that it was on the agenda.
"Although microphones were there but when it came to the Q&A portion, Muhd Taib said that Abdullah's clarification was very good and asked if the Q&A session could be scrapped," said the grassroots leader.
"Although some disagreed, after a quick show of hands, he quickly announced that the majority of the members did not want to ask questions. And that was the end of it."
Similarly, questions posed to Muhd Taib on the recent calls for the abolition of Umno quota system as well as the demand for an extraordinary general meeting to discuss the polls setback were quickly dismissed.
According to Muhd Taib, you don't change the rules while in the middle of a football game.
Duelling leaders lock horns over poll losses
Apr 6, 08 5:36pm
Malaysia's past and present prime ministers today traded barbs and accusations over responsibility for the ruling party's disastrous performance in the recent general elections.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi accused his predecessor of abusing his influence to destroy the ruling party while former premier Mahathir Mohamad said he will not ease off until Abdullah steps down.
Abdullah said Mahathir's recent attacks against the ruling Umno leadership could destroy the party and weaken the government.
"It can, why not? It can. He says he's powerful, he is undeniably powerful but he is abusing that power," Abdullah told reporters.
"Give us a chance to do our best for the party and the country," he said after addressing a crowd of more than 1,000 Umno members at the party's headquarters in Kuala Lumpur to explain the dismal election results.
Abdullah has been battling for his political life since poor results in March 8 general elections by the Umno, which leads the Barisan Nasional coalition.
Government ministers and Abdullah supporters have lashed out at Mahathir, accusing him of being responsible for the losses, saying his open criticism of Abdullah was a major factor in voters backing the opposition.
But the feisty 82-year-old veteran politician hit back.
"Vote for him (Abdullah) and you will destroy Umno," Mahathir told more than 2,000 cheering Umno members at a talk in the city's suburbs of Ampang.
"I will stop, honestly, if they (Abdullah and his supporters) will stop doing what is wrong, which has caused Umno to lose in this election," he said.
Mahathir accused Abdullah of corruption, nepotism and weakness in his administration and said they were reasons voters snubbed the Umno-led coalition.
"We have never had such a bad election result in our history and we are supposed to support these people who led to the defeat so they can completely destroy the party?" he asked.
Abdullah: He's a hypocrite
Abdullah, however, accused Mahathir of double standards, saying that when the BN won a landslide victory in 2004, it was Mahathir who complained that the government was too powerful and needed a stronger opposition voice.
Abdullah, 68, was Mahathir's handpicked successor when he stepped down in 2003 but has been attacked by the elder statesman after Abdullah scrapped several of his high-profile projects.
In renewed criticism today, Abdullah held Mahathir accountable for muzzling the press during his 22 years in power and accused him of masterminding a controversial police operation dubbed "Operasi Lalang" in 1987 to weed out dissent, resulting in more than 100 arrests under tough security laws.
He said calls by activists and the opposition for Mahathir to be investigated for alleged abuse of power during his leadership would be considered if there were enough evidence.
"If there are any proven accusations against anyone, we cannot just close our eyes. It is a matter for the agencies, the ACA (Anti Corruption Agency), if they find sufficient evidence," he said.
In the biggest opposition win since 1969, former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim led a three-party alliance to seize four states along the country's west coast in last month's vote, while the Islamic party PAS kept control of Kelantan.
Anwar is moving to form a new government with the help of defectors from BN from Sabah and Sarawak, a plan that Abdullah casually dismissed.
"He calls himself a leader-in-waiting. He can wait. I'm the leader today," Abdullah said.
Malaysia's past and present prime ministers today traded barbs and accusations over responsibility for the ruling party's disastrous performance in the recent general elections.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi accused his predecessor of abusing his influence to destroy the ruling party while former premier Mahathir Mohamad said he will not ease off until Abdullah steps down.
Abdullah said Mahathir's recent attacks against the ruling Umno leadership could destroy the party and weaken the government.
"It can, why not? It can. He says he's powerful, he is undeniably powerful but he is abusing that power," Abdullah told reporters.
"Give us a chance to do our best for the party and the country," he said after addressing a crowd of more than 1,000 Umno members at the party's headquarters in Kuala Lumpur to explain the dismal election results.
Abdullah has been battling for his political life since poor results in March 8 general elections by the Umno, which leads the Barisan Nasional coalition.
Government ministers and Abdullah supporters have lashed out at Mahathir, accusing him of being responsible for the losses, saying his open criticism of Abdullah was a major factor in voters backing the opposition.
But the feisty 82-year-old veteran politician hit back.
"Vote for him (Abdullah) and you will destroy Umno," Mahathir told more than 2,000 cheering Umno members at a talk in the city's suburbs of Ampang.
"I will stop, honestly, if they (Abdullah and his supporters) will stop doing what is wrong, which has caused Umno to lose in this election," he said.
Mahathir accused Abdullah of corruption, nepotism and weakness in his administration and said they were reasons voters snubbed the Umno-led coalition.
"We have never had such a bad election result in our history and we are supposed to support these people who led to the defeat so they can completely destroy the party?" he asked.
Abdullah: He's a hypocrite
Abdullah, however, accused Mahathir of double standards, saying that when the BN won a landslide victory in 2004, it was Mahathir who complained that the government was too powerful and needed a stronger opposition voice.
Abdullah, 68, was Mahathir's handpicked successor when he stepped down in 2003 but has been attacked by the elder statesman after Abdullah scrapped several of his high-profile projects.
In renewed criticism today, Abdullah held Mahathir accountable for muzzling the press during his 22 years in power and accused him of masterminding a controversial police operation dubbed "Operasi Lalang" in 1987 to weed out dissent, resulting in more than 100 arrests under tough security laws.
He said calls by activists and the opposition for Mahathir to be investigated for alleged abuse of power during his leadership would be considered if there were enough evidence.
"If there are any proven accusations against anyone, we cannot just close our eyes. It is a matter for the agencies, the ACA (Anti Corruption Agency), if they find sufficient evidence," he said.
In the biggest opposition win since 1969, former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim led a three-party alliance to seize four states along the country's west coast in last month's vote, while the Islamic party PAS kept control of Kelantan.
Anwar is moving to form a new government with the help of defectors from BN from Sabah and Sarawak, a plan that Abdullah casually dismissed.
"He calls himself a leader-in-waiting. He can wait. I'm the leader today," Abdullah said.
Gov't eyes cut in subsidies for higher grade petrol
Apr 6, 08 2:56pm
With oil prices near record highs, the government could cut subsidies for higher grades of petrol in order to keep prices down for middle income groups and the poor.
The government expects to spend RM35 billion on fuel subsidies this year if oil stays around US$100 per barrel, and has already indicated there would be some cuts ahead.
Consumer Affairs Minister Shahrir Samad was quoted saying the bulk of the subsidies would go for a new octane 95 fuel for use in most vehicles, while a higher octane petrol for luxury cars and SUVs would get less state support.
According to the New Straits Times, Shahrir said the government would save costs by mainly subsidising only one type of fuel. It currently subsidises two types, octane 92 and octane 97.
The rich have options
"The goal is to have subsidies targeted and more focused at those who need it, such as the lower and middle-income group, and giving a choice to the rich on what petrol they want to fill in their tanks," he said.
"The system is a shift in how we price petrol, but it is necessary if we are to lessen the burden on the lower and middle-income groups," the paper quoted him as saying.
Malaysia imposed its highest-ever fuel price rises in February 2006, citing the spiralling cost of crude oil. The move was condemned by political and civil groups, arguing it was unnecessary as the country is a net exporter of oil.
The central bank recently said that rising prices of fuel, commodities and food will see headline inflation for the year rise to 2.5-3 percent from 2.0 percent in 2007.
With oil prices near record highs, the government could cut subsidies for higher grades of petrol in order to keep prices down for middle income groups and the poor.
The government expects to spend RM35 billion on fuel subsidies this year if oil stays around US$100 per barrel, and has already indicated there would be some cuts ahead.
Consumer Affairs Minister Shahrir Samad was quoted saying the bulk of the subsidies would go for a new octane 95 fuel for use in most vehicles, while a higher octane petrol for luxury cars and SUVs would get less state support.
According to the New Straits Times, Shahrir said the government would save costs by mainly subsidising only one type of fuel. It currently subsidises two types, octane 92 and octane 97.
The rich have options
"The goal is to have subsidies targeted and more focused at those who need it, such as the lower and middle-income group, and giving a choice to the rich on what petrol they want to fill in their tanks," he said.
"The system is a shift in how we price petrol, but it is necessary if we are to lessen the burden on the lower and middle-income groups," the paper quoted him as saying.
Malaysia imposed its highest-ever fuel price rises in February 2006, citing the spiralling cost of crude oil. The move was condemned by political and civil groups, arguing it was unnecessary as the country is a net exporter of oil.
The central bank recently said that rising prices of fuel, commodities and food will see headline inflation for the year rise to 2.5-3 percent from 2.0 percent in 2007.
Azmin: 'Close to 30' BN reps in the bag
Apr 5, 08 4:22pm
PKR vice-president Mohd Azmin Ali claimed today that the party has already persuaded “close to 30" Barisan Nasional members of Parliament to reject the leadership of its chairperson Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Declining to say how many exactly or where these elected representatives are from, the Gombak parliamentarian said they all agreed the country lacks a “strong and credible” leadership.
“Their concern is (for) the country, the nation. They want someone who is strong and credible to lead the country,” Azmin told reporters after a thanksgiving gathering in Keramat, Kuala Lumpur.
“To them, even the non-Malays - the Chinese, Indians, Ibans and Kadazans - accept the fact that the leader has to be a Malay Muslim, but at the same time, that particular person has to be accepted by the other communities.
“In this context, they feel the best person is Anwar Ibrahim,” said Azmin in reference to PKR’s de facto leader.
In the March 8 polls, BN lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament when its candidates won only 140 seats. Opposition parties PKR, DAP and PAS won 82 seats.
The three parties - now dubbed the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition - also captured four states while PAS retained its control over Kelantan.
Since the elections, PKR is said to have been courting BN MPs, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, in a bid to wrest the required 30 parliamentary seats from the ruling coalition to form the federal government.
Other options available
Reiterating that there was “no money or (other) transaction involved at all in these discussions”, Azmin said these BN MPs, including from Umno and ordinary members at the party’s grassroots level, were “generally dissatisfied with the leadership of Abdullah” .
He also disclosed that ‘hopping’ to PKR is not the only option available for these disgruntled parliamentarians.
Other than stepping down to make way for a by-election, they may also vote as BN MPs on a motion of no-confidence against Abdullah as BN chairperson, said Azmin.
He said this option is open to those BN MPs who fear they may be disqualified from their parliamentary or state seat or otherwise punished in the event an “anti-hopping” law was passed.
“We told the BN and Umno leaders, ‘Don’t worry. Even if there is (the anti-hopping) law, we can resolve this... Umno members, generally, and on the ground, feel dissatisfied with the leadership of Abdullah,” said Azmin.
“(We told them,) ‘What you do is, you enter Parliament, as an Umno MP, you stand up, and say ‘I am a member of Umno but I don’t have confidence in the leadership of Abdullah’. They need not jump,” he added.
Azmin also said while there are 31 PKR parliamentarians who are willing to give up their seats to make way for Anwar to become Opposition leader, they are in no hurry to do so.
“They (Umno) are working against time. Not us. We have ample time to work on this.”
PKR vice-president Mohd Azmin Ali claimed today that the party has already persuaded “close to 30" Barisan Nasional members of Parliament to reject the leadership of its chairperson Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Declining to say how many exactly or where these elected representatives are from, the Gombak parliamentarian said they all agreed the country lacks a “strong and credible” leadership.
“Their concern is (for) the country, the nation. They want someone who is strong and credible to lead the country,” Azmin told reporters after a thanksgiving gathering in Keramat, Kuala Lumpur.
“To them, even the non-Malays - the Chinese, Indians, Ibans and Kadazans - accept the fact that the leader has to be a Malay Muslim, but at the same time, that particular person has to be accepted by the other communities.
“In this context, they feel the best person is Anwar Ibrahim,” said Azmin in reference to PKR’s de facto leader.
In the March 8 polls, BN lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament when its candidates won only 140 seats. Opposition parties PKR, DAP and PAS won 82 seats.
The three parties - now dubbed the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition - also captured four states while PAS retained its control over Kelantan.
Since the elections, PKR is said to have been courting BN MPs, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, in a bid to wrest the required 30 parliamentary seats from the ruling coalition to form the federal government.
Other options available
Reiterating that there was “no money or (other) transaction involved at all in these discussions”, Azmin said these BN MPs, including from Umno and ordinary members at the party’s grassroots level, were “generally dissatisfied with the leadership of Abdullah” .
He also disclosed that ‘hopping’ to PKR is not the only option available for these disgruntled parliamentarians.
Other than stepping down to make way for a by-election, they may also vote as BN MPs on a motion of no-confidence against Abdullah as BN chairperson, said Azmin.
He said this option is open to those BN MPs who fear they may be disqualified from their parliamentary or state seat or otherwise punished in the event an “anti-hopping” law was passed.
“We told the BN and Umno leaders, ‘Don’t worry. Even if there is (the anti-hopping) law, we can resolve this... Umno members, generally, and on the ground, feel dissatisfied with the leadership of Abdullah,” said Azmin.
“(We told them,) ‘What you do is, you enter Parliament, as an Umno MP, you stand up, and say ‘I am a member of Umno but I don’t have confidence in the leadership of Abdullah’. They need not jump,” he added.
Azmin also said while there are 31 PKR parliamentarians who are willing to give up their seats to make way for Anwar to become Opposition leader, they are in no hurry to do so.
“They (Umno) are working against time. Not us. We have ample time to work on this.”
Ramasamy's mission impossible
Apr 5, 08 12:53pm
No one understands the phrase ‘mission impossible’ better than Penang deputy chief minister Prof P Ramasamy when he faced off Gerakan powerhouse Dr Koh Tsu Koon on March 8.
The DAP leader narrated his daunting task in last month’s general election when launching a book by academician Dr Ooi Kee Beng, ‘Lost in Transition: Malaysia under Abdullah’, on Thursday.
Ramasamy, who had resigned from his research position with Singapore’s Institute of Southeast Asian Studies - where Ooi is also based - to contest in Penang, said he was uncertain of his chances.
“I was sure of running, but I was unsure about winning,” the former political science professor conceded to the 80-odd audience.
“The party told me that I would be running in Batu Kawan but when it was announced later by Gerakan that the Penang CM himself would contest there, I knew it was over for me,” he recollected.
In late January, Koh had opted to leave Penang after helming the state for 18 years to take up a federal post.
To do so, he needed to contest in a parliamentary seat and chose the mixed-race Batu Kawan constituency in the mainland. The seat is made up of 20.5% Malay, Chinese (56.3%) and Indians (22.8%).
“When I found out about that, I knew I was preparing for an early exit. There was no way I can defeat Koh,” said Ramasamy, who wore an informal white long-sleeve shirt and black pants to the book launch.
However, the former Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia lecturer nevertheless put up a good fight and campaigned tirelessly.
According to Ramasamy, he did ‘lightning’ ceramah to avoid problems with the police.
“I would get on top of a truck with a loud-hailer and give a five to 10-minute ceramah wherever I went.
“The response from the people of all races was very encouraging - that kept me going. I had tremendous support from all races, and I wanted to give it my all,” he said.
Ramasamy then related on polling day, he was told that the police Special Branch had reported that Koh would win by 3,000 votes.
“But then when the results started coming in and I found I was leading in most polling streams.”
He said the opposition did not detect the ‘political tsunami’ which swept through the electorate.
“It was a surprise. It is still a surprise that I have beaten him in all streams except for one, which I lost by one vote,” he mused.
Only three hours of sleep
In the contest, the Perak native bagged 23,067 votes and defeated Koh by a 9,485 majority.
DAP also won 19 state seats with its secretary-general Lim Guan Eng taking over as the new Penang CM.
Ramasamy also won in Perai - a state seat under the Batu Kawan constituency - by a 5,176 majority against MIC and an independent candidate.
He created history as the first Indian Malaysian to be a deputy chief minister, when he was tapped by Lim for the post.
“I still haven’t recovered from the elections. Then I had two, three hours of sleep. Now there is just so much work to be done,” said Ramasamy, who took on a new look by shaving his professorial-style beard.
There will be no opportunity for the political scientist to rest as Parliament is beginning on April 28, and he still has his hands full with state issues, especially in helping to revive the island state’s moribund economy.
“These elections show that the nature of our political landscape is changing. I’m sure it will give Kee Beng more information for his third book,” he quipped.
Ramasamy was referring to former colleague Ooi’s second book on Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the launch ceremony.
State gov't unhappy with reports on workers' layoff
Apr 6, 08 7:24pm
The Penang government took to task a couple of local dailies for misrepresenting the facts on the recent spate of workers’ layoff in several foreign and local companies in the state.
The Pakatan Rakyat state government’s Investors Relations Coordinator Jeff Ooi said the local dailies – English tabloid Star and Chinese daily Kwong Wah Jit Poh - should have double-checked with the state administration before publishing the facts and figures, rather inaccurately, on the retrenchments that took place in March.
Although it was true that 1,000 workers were retrenched in these companies, he said the dailies were incorrect to construe the incidents as signs that foreign investors were moving out from Penang due to lack of confidence in the new administration.
He said the companies were retrenching to downsize their operations and due to outsourcing their production line. He added such changes in company operations were part and parcel of corporate-driven economy.
Japanese-Malaysian joint venture company, Renesas Semiconductor (M) Sdn Bhd has retrenched 14 workers due to its outsourcing programme.
“Since the company has outsourced a particular production line to local vendors, it retrenched its workers, whose jobs have become redundant,” said Ooi.
“The state government’s responsibility is to ensure that all retrenched workers were duly compensated with adequate retrenchment benefits and re-employed elsewhere.
“All affected workers were paid off sufficiently,” he assured, while adding that the affected workers’ compensation amounted to RM6.7 million.
He added that relevant government agencies in the state would coordinate to provide new jobs for the out-going employees.
Check with us
Meanwhile, American company, WD Media (M) Sdn Bhd from Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone retrenched the largest number of workers, 700 employees altogether, followed by Taiwanese wholly owned ASE Electronics (M) Sdn Bhd, which retrenched 300 workers.
Other companies were Malaysian companies, Permanis Sandilands Sdn Bhd and Boustead Emasewa Sdn Bhd, and foreign owned Applied Material Sea Pte Ltd and Lighthouse Worldwide Solutions (M) Sdn Bhd.
The companies retrenched a total 10 workers.
Last week, the newspapers published the facts and figures released by the state manpower department on the retrenchment.
“The dailies have blew the issue out of proportion.
"Their incorrect reports have caused unnecessary anxiety to the public and industrial sectors.
“Please double check with us first before publishing such stories,” said Ooi, who is also the chief of staff in the Chief Minister’s Office.
He said the manpower department should have consulted the state government before releasing the statement.
“We would ask the department to do just that the next time,” said the blogger-cum-politician.
The Penang government took to task a couple of local dailies for misrepresenting the facts on the recent spate of workers’ layoff in several foreign and local companies in the state.
The Pakatan Rakyat state government’s Investors Relations Coordinator Jeff Ooi said the local dailies – English tabloid Star and Chinese daily Kwong Wah Jit Poh - should have double-checked with the state administration before publishing the facts and figures, rather inaccurately, on the retrenchments that took place in March.
Although it was true that 1,000 workers were retrenched in these companies, he said the dailies were incorrect to construe the incidents as signs that foreign investors were moving out from Penang due to lack of confidence in the new administration.
He said the companies were retrenching to downsize their operations and due to outsourcing their production line. He added such changes in company operations were part and parcel of corporate-driven economy.
Japanese-Malaysian joint venture company, Renesas Semiconductor (M) Sdn Bhd has retrenched 14 workers due to its outsourcing programme.
“Since the company has outsourced a particular production line to local vendors, it retrenched its workers, whose jobs have become redundant,” said Ooi.
“The state government’s responsibility is to ensure that all retrenched workers were duly compensated with adequate retrenchment benefits and re-employed elsewhere.
“All affected workers were paid off sufficiently,” he assured, while adding that the affected workers’ compensation amounted to RM6.7 million.
He added that relevant government agencies in the state would coordinate to provide new jobs for the out-going employees.
Check with us
Meanwhile, American company, WD Media (M) Sdn Bhd from Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone retrenched the largest number of workers, 700 employees altogether, followed by Taiwanese wholly owned ASE Electronics (M) Sdn Bhd, which retrenched 300 workers.
Other companies were Malaysian companies, Permanis Sandilands Sdn Bhd and Boustead Emasewa Sdn Bhd, and foreign owned Applied Material Sea Pte Ltd and Lighthouse Worldwide Solutions (M) Sdn Bhd.
The companies retrenched a total 10 workers.
Last week, the newspapers published the facts and figures released by the state manpower department on the retrenchment.
“The dailies have blew the issue out of proportion.
"Their incorrect reports have caused unnecessary anxiety to the public and industrial sectors.
“Please double check with us first before publishing such stories,” said Ooi, who is also the chief of staff in the Chief Minister’s Office.
He said the manpower department should have consulted the state government before releasing the statement.
“We would ask the department to do just that the next time,” said the blogger-cum-politician.
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