Sabah, S’wak activists lodge rights complaint with UN

Activists from Sabah and Sarawak have lodged an official complaint with the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on April 20 over allegedly widespread and gross human rights abuses and violations in the two Malaysian Borneo states.

The official complaint at the UN was lodged by two representatives from Borneo who earlier held preliminary briefings at the Netherlands Parliament on April 18 and the Belgium Parliament on April 19. These parliaments, in turn, have pledged to brief the European Parliament in Brussels.

The Belgian visit also included a look at the preparations being made within the law by the Flemish-speaking areas in Belgium to secede in the near future.

“We held a public forum in London, to sum up, before returning home,” said Human Rights Foundation Malaysia (HuRiFoM) Advisor Daniel John Jambun from Sabah last night upon his return home. “This will be followed by a trip to Washington in June for another briefing on the worsening human rights situation in Sabah and Sarawak and the European parliament in Sept.”

Jambun was accompanied on his trip by the United Kingdom-based HuRiFoM’s Borneo Director, Kanul Gindol, who is also the organizing secretary for the Common Interest Group Malaysia (CigMA). Jambun is CigMA chair for the 2011-2012 term.

Others who called at the UN together with Jambun and Kanul were London-based Hindraf Makkal Sakthi chair P. Waythamoorthy and the two co-founders of The Sarawak Report website and Radio Free Sarawak, Care Rewcastle Brown and Peter John from Sarawak.

Jambun presented UN representatives with several documents including resolutions passed at a minority rights conference in Kuala Lumpur on Jan 23, a 17-page Sabah paper prepared by him, an executive summary which was also given to the respective parliaments in Amsterdam and Brussels and several pertinent books and reports from Sabah and Sarawak.

The Sabah activists, according to Jambun, petitioned the UN to impress upon the Malaysian Government that “it was imperative to hold a Royal Commission of Inquiry on the presence of 1.7 million illegals in the state”.

“This is the mother of all issues in Sabah,” said Jambun. “Today, the 1.5 million Sabahans have effectively been marginalized and disenfranchised in their own land by the illegal immigrants because the Federal Government chooses to do nothing.”

Jambun warned that the presence of a large number of illegal immigrants in the state cannot be allowed to continue unchallenged as it involved the future and well-being of genuine citizens. These citizens, he stressed, ran the risk of being swamped by the number of illegals with MyKads and entered in the electoral rolls.

“We have to consider that these illegal immigrants are also being allowed to pass off as natives which means that ownership of native customary rights (NCR) lands and the privileges under Article 153 of the Federal Constitution are at extreme risk,” fumed Jambun.

There are specific international laws against a state being complicit in the marginalization and disenfranchisement of its own citizens, he added.

Three other related issues on marginalization and disenfranchisement reportedly brought to the attention of the UN were the gerrymandering of electoral boundaries to reduce the number of non-Muslims seats, Sabah and Sarawak being at a disadvantage in the Malaysian Parliament in terms of representation, and non-Muslim natives being denied Article 153 benefits.

Still on marginalization and disenfranchisement, continued Jambun, “was the snowballing problem of Sabahans denied Malaysian personal documents and living in a legal twilight zone in their own land through no fault of their own”. He reiterated that this was one of the many areas where the Malaysian Government stands accused of being in non-compliance with the 1963 Malaysia Agreement.

Notwithstanding the Malaysian Government’s non-compliance with the 1963 Malaysia Agreement, the Sabah and Sarawak activists want the UN to probe whether the said agreement indeed still exists “given Singapore’s exit from the Federation in 1965”.

“We briefed the UN that life in Sabah and Sarawak were generally better before Malaysia in 1963,” said Jambun. “We are referring to the fact that we did not live in a police state with draconian laws, race relations were excellent and everybody respected the religious rights of others. No race was left out.”

Elsewhere, the Sabah Sarawak activists pointed out that non-Muslims were denied the opportunity to be Governor in their own state and that even the Chief Minister’s post was being denied them through colonial divide-and-rule tactics fostered in the two states by the Federal Government in Putrajaya.

The Federal Government forcibly taking away 95 per cent of the oil and gas revenue from Sabah and Sarawak in the inner waters, and 100 per cent from the outer waters, all other revenue, and the dubious distinction of both states being the poorest states in Malaysia were among other salient points raised in Geneva.

“We also complained to the UN that the Malaysian Government and the state governments of Sabah and Sarawak were ignoring our Adat (customary law),” said Jambun. “Ignoring the Adat has been to facilitate the forcible confiscation of NCR land under one pretext or another by the state governments, government agencies and GLCs.”

Jambun pledged that HuRiFoM would continue to raise the plight of Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysia at the UN and at international forums to bring all relevant issues to the attention of the international community and world governments.

Written by Joe Fernandez MalaysiaChronicle

French probe ignites interest in Altantuya death row duo

When Najib Abdul Razak was Malaysia’s Defense Minister from 2000 to 2008, his grand plan to upgrade the nation’s armed forces included the purchase of three submarines from the French defense shipbuilder, DCN.

Little did he know at the time, that the spectre of Altantuya Shaariibuu, the Mongolian who served as translator for the Malaysian government, would surface like one of the faulty submarines which refused to submerge and still haunt him five years later.

Next month, the inquiry by Parisian prosecutors on behalf of the Malaysian human rights organization Suaram, will be confined to bribery allegations involving the Scorpene submarines and will not look into the 2006 murder of Altantuya.

Altantuya had served as a translator in Paris for the Malaysian government's US$1 billion purchase of three French submarines. The deal was brokered by a firm owned by Abdul Razak Baginda, who belonged to Najib’s inner circle and which netted Baginda a €114 million commission.

The 28-year-old Mongolian was also Razak Baginda's jilted lover, and in a letter found after her death, she admitted she was attempting to blackmail Razak Baginda for US$500,000.

Altantuya was shot in October 2006 and her body was blown up with military explosives by two bodyguards attached to Najib's office. When Altantuya kept pestering Baginda for money, at his home, Baginda asked Najib's chief of staff, Musa Safri, to help keep her away from him.

Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar who served as bodyguards in the elite police unit supervised by Najib, were sent to apprehend Altantuya.

The two men were aided by Lance Corporal Rohaniza Roslan, who was Azila's former girlfriend. They packed Altantuya into a red Proton Wira from whence she was never seen alive again.

The private detective hired by Baginda, an ex-policeman called P. Balasubramaniam aka Bala, was detailed to prevent Altantuya from harassing him. Bala swore in a detailed statutory declaration that Baginda told him Altantuya had been Najib’s lover initially but when he had designs on becoming Prime minister, Baginda took over as her lover to prevent Najib from further sexual scandals.

Bala also said that Baginda told him she liked anal sex. In the declaration, Bala said he had seen text messages from Najib after Altantuya’s disappearance advising Baginda to “be cool” and that the matter would soon be resolved.

After delivering his statutory declaration, Bala was forced to withdraw the document. After this, Bala and his entire family disappeared.

Meanwhile, Baginda was acquitted in November 2008 and left Malaysia for England.

However, High Court Judge Zaki Yasin said that the two bodyguards were “unbelievable” as “each blamed the other” and convicted the two of murdering Altantuya sometime between Oct. 19 and Oct. 20, 2006. Zaki said, “They failed to raise any reasonable doubt of the prosecution's case”.

The case is mired in controversy as there was no attempt to establish their motive for killing her despite a confession by one of them, which was not allowed in court, but which said they would be paid a large sum of money to get rid of her.

In Sirul's cautioned statement, he said that Azhar informed him that Najib's chief of staff, Musa Safri, had ordered them to pick up the young woman.

Azhar’s first suggestion was the Hotel Malaya, where Altantuya and her cousin and friend were staying, to kill them all. The presence of closed-circuit cameras prevented this from happening.

How deep and to what extent is Musa's involvement?

In addition, what is the relationship of these two men with Najib?

The press conference in London, in July 2010, held by Bala and his team of lawyers, was supposed to be a platform to discuss issues raised during a scheduled interview of Bala by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). When the MACC cancelled at the last minute, their non-appearance generated more questions than answers.

According to lawyer Manjeet Singh Dhillon, “What we intended to do if MACC had turned up in London, was for Balasubramaniam to highlight a whole series of events surrounding this Altantuya matter that pointed to the centre of a conspiracy web. A conspiracy at the very highest level to keep out all references to Najib.”

So next month, in Paris, the sordid details of Najib’s submarine deals will surface. Back in Malaysia, our attention will focus on the two bodyguards, charged with Altantuya’s murder.

Some say that the two are convenient scapegoats. Others say that it is curious their faces were hidden from the glare of journalists and say this is because the men will have an identity change and be free to rejoin society under an assumed name. Many questions remain unanswered.

In fact, we have no proof that they men are who they claim to be. No one knows them and has vouched for them. Who knows if they are masquerading as Azilah and Sirul? At the end of the day, it does not matter who the men really are.

It is all a smokescreen for in our part of the world, those in charge of dispensing justice end up protecting those in power. We expect criminals to be experts at keeping secrets and telling lies, but few expect those who are entrusted with keeping law and order, to lie. Governments of all types have a tendency to manipulate information and hide the truth.

Not convinced? Remember the Bank Bumiputra scandal in 1980 when a Bank Bumiputra official was murdered to prevent information about corrupt practices from being unearthed? Bank Bumiputra lost millions and had to be bailed out by taxpayers money. The country that prosecuted one of the accused was Hong Kong.

No, not Malaysia. We tend to shield the guilty. - Malaysia Chronicle

Written by Mariam Mokhtar, Malaysia Chronicle

Will DAP end up eloping with SNAP

DAP is considering a merger with SNAP, amidst howling protests from all sides. With mixed reactions from the public, DAP should tread with care. On a positive note, a merger would enhance Pakatan Rakyat’s chances to gain a firmer foothold in Sarawak. It would also mean the stretching of DAP’s limited resources to set up branches in all the SNAP constituencies deep in the recesses of Sarawak.

A merger with SNAP will also allow DAP to make inroads into unknown territory, boosted by SNAP’s influence and an increment of seats to contest.

This however, will not go down well with PKR who are eyeing the same. Overstretched by its recent commitment to contest in 46 Sarawak seats, and the last minute blow by SNAP to contest on its own, PKR is still smarting from the antics of SNAP during the 416 election.

Apart from that, the party is unhappy over the perceived selfishness of their DAP colleagues in refusing to share the burden of the 'non-winnable' seats and insisting on taking only the good ones.

There is also a deep-seated that the Pakatan might become infiltrated through SNAP. PKR's fears are not unfounded or unfair because two activists - UK-based Sarawak Report and Haris Ibrahim of the MCLM - had warned that SNAP leaders had succumbed to monetary enticements from BN-linked sources.

Yet in many of his arguments, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang has not considered this factor. Perhaps to his peril.

DAP must really take into consideration SNAP’s stand in the past, and how it conveniently dumped PKR to contest 24 of the seats contested by PKR. SNAP went on to lose with disastrous results, leaving itself reeling in defeat, and its reputation seriously taking a back seat.

With 24 candidates losing their deposits and their total tallied votes less than the independent candidates that contested, this clearly shows SNAP's dwindling reputation. The party is again back to square one with most people writing them off as an 'obsolete and mosquito' party.

Their last minute U-turn was a big blow to PKR and PR. From the initial 3 seats requested they went on to contest 24, of which they knew they had absolutely no chance to win. It goes to show their egoistical pride, and perhaps confirms the dark allegations against them. Yet despite the thunder and fear, their blatant vote-splitting actually had little impact.

But it sure paved the way for a tremendous amount of negative publicity for the PKR. Now that the polls are over, even DAP is using the spectre of multi-corner fights to gain public support for their proposal. This obviously heaps more negative publicity onto the PKR, which rightfully is outraged by such inconsiderate and intemperate behaviour.

Sarawak BN also eyeing SNAP

SNAP is also eyeing offers by Sarawak BN to join its fold, and any slight hesitation by DAP, will see SNAP snapped up by Sarawak BN. Others believe given this situation, SNAP should just dissolve and leave its members free to join whichever party they are eyeing.

For SNAP to merge with DAP whole, the package will also come with its own bad baggage. This the DAP can do without, although it is currently on such a high after its 12-seat win, it may no longer sense the ground below it. But for sure, certain leaders within SNAP will prove a big headache for DAP, and the possibility of another U-turn cannot be discounted in the next general election when vital parliamentary seats will be up for grabs.

In view of this, SNAP being politically weak with hardly a strong election machinery and resources, is unlikely to benefit DAP or Pakatan in the long run. And the merger will not sway much of the electorate’s decision in the next election either.

Voters will not change their mind for the candidate, but will be tempted to vote for change. SNAP has shown clearly that it does not appeal to the people. It does not symbolise change but the old school rather.

The SUPP factor

Some people however feel that an SUPP merger will be of benefit to Pakatan Rakyat. Given that SUPP still has the support of the electorate despite its poor showing, SUPP will be of greater advantage to Pakatan if the merger succeeds.

But again, apart from whether SUPP would really switch sides, such a tie-up is unlikely to get past the DAP. Despite its claims, DAP is very much like SUPP - Chinese predominat party that derives the greatest bulk of its support from the urban electorate. As such, DAP is unlikely to welcome such a rival into Pakatan.

At the end of the day, DAP should seek the support of its Pakatan Rakyat colleagues before it decides its next move. It should have the undivided blessings of Pakatan before plunging headlong into the SNAP love affair.

Failing to do so will only force the other coalition partners to retaliate and generate more ill-feeling. Secondly, it should not be a tussle for seats or an attempt to strengthen their power base.

Pakatan Rakyat has got to learn to share and take equal responsibility if it wants to survive. BN for that matter has been united enough to last half a century.

In its lust for SNAP - just like Umno has again begun making eyes at PAS - and closing an eye to the knowledge that SNAP has already ruthlessly snubbed the Pakatan pact in the past, the DAP must come to terms that in doing so it will very likely open up a Pandora’s Box. Both for itself and for Pakatan.

Knowing how eager the BN is to pry open this Pandora's box, DAP leaders must have the wisdom to keep the underlying arguments for such a questionable merger to the barest minimum. Otherwise, Pakatan leaders will find that they are only embarrassing themselves in their quest for power.

Written by Iskandar Dzulkarnain, Malaysia Chronicle

Pemilihan perlu tampil ramai muka baru, kata pemimpin PAS

KUALA LUMPUR, 28 April — Pemimpin-pemimpin PAS pusat menyambut cadangan Datuk Husam Musa bahawa parti Islam itu perlu “disegarkan” dengan disuntik elemen-elemen baru termasuk membawa masuk muka-muka baru dalam barisan kepimpinan parti itu.

Selain bersetuju agar Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang dikekalkan sebagai presiden parti, pemimpin-pemimpin PAS juga mahu lebih banyak ruang diberikan kepada pemimpin muda dan perubahan dilakukan agar parti itu mampu bersaing dalam era globalisasi.

Minggu lalu Husam, ahli jawatankuasa kerja PAS pusat mempertahankan kepimpinan Hadi dengan menegaskan parti Islam itu hanya perlu “disegarkan” dengan elemen-elemen baru yang boleh memperkukuhkan parti tersebut.

Beliau berkata kepimpinan pusat ini berkata, kepimpinan Hadi selaku presiden parti masih diperlukan, cuma ia perlu mengambil tindakan untuk memperkasakan kedudukannya.

Selain itu, Husam juga berkata, Hadi yang juga Ahli Parlimen Marang perlu memberikan ruang kepada profesional dan muka baru supaya terlibat dalam barisan kepimpinan PAS.

Menurut Ahli Parlimen Parit Buntar Dr Mujahid Yusuf Rawa, cadangan yang berikan Husam itu amat bernas memandangkan kepimpinan Hadi selaki presiden parti sangat diperlukan ketika parti Islam itu dilihat menjadi serangan politik Umno-Barisan Nasional (BN).

“Saya setuju dengan pandangan Husam bahawa soal Hadi dicabar atau tidak, itu tidak timbul kerana kepimpinan Hadi masih diperlukan, malah beliau telah membawa banyak perubahan semenjak memegang jawatan itu.

“Jadi apa yang paling penting adalah kepimpinan hari ini perlu mampu memberi keyakinan kepada golongan pelapis yang bawa hasrat pembaharuan dan golongan-golongan ini perlu diberi peluang untuk melonjakkan PAS dalam konteks politik sekarang.

“Ini bukan bermaksud pemimpin muda tapi adalah muka-muka baru yang boleh membantu melonjakkan PAS, saya yakin kepimpinan Hadi mampu memberi lebih ruang sebab selama ini beliau (Hadi) banyak memberi ruang agar perubahan dilakukan dalam parti,” katanya.

Tegas ahli jawatankuasa kerja PAS pusat itu, elemen-elemen dan muka-muka baru dalam PAS boleh membawa satu perubahan besar, terutamanya untuk meyakinkan rakyat terutamanya orang Melayu bahawa parti itu bersedia untuk melakukan perubahan tanpa meninggalkan asas perjuangan iaitu menegakkan Islam.

“Jika PAS boleh melakukan pembaharuan dan perubahan sama ada dari segi pendekatan atau kepimpinan parti tidak mampu untuk menjadi sebuah parti yang kuat, kukuh dan diyakini rakyat di negara ini.

“Sebab itu, saya kata kepimpinan PAS bukan terletak atas bahu presiden tapi keseluruhan kepimpinan perlu memikul tanggungjawab ini tanpa meninggalkan dasar perjuangan parti . . . jadi amat jelas sekali PAS perlu melakukan perubahan ini, jika kita mampu melonjakkan PAS, maka ia akan kekal releven di masa mengundi dan pada masa sama ia boleh membuktikan kepada rakyat bahawa PAS menuju ke arah perubahan yang lebih besar,” kata Mujahid yang juga penulis buku “Menuju PAS Baru: Krisis, Peluang dan Dinamisme”, yang dihasilkannya dengan hasrat untuk memperbaiki organisasi parti.

Sementara itu Yang Dipertua PAS Shah Alam Khalid Samad berkata pada pemilihan PAS Jun ini perwakilan perlu memilih pemimpin yang boleh memikul tanggungjawab yang diberikan itu.

“Perwakilan kena ambil kira tugas yang hendak dimainkan pemimpin yang akan mereka pilih, perwakilan perlu pilih pemimpin yang boleh memainkan jawatan itu... pemimpin yang boleh memikul tanggungjawab yang diberikan itu.

“Perwakilan perlu lihat jawatan dengan peranan yang akan dipikul, jawatan bukan penghormatan tapi adalah tugas yang harus dipikul jika dipertanggungjawabkan,” katanya.

Ahli Parlimen Shah Alam itu juga berkata PAS perlu melakukan perubahan yang lebih dinamik dalam menarik sokongan rakyat.

“Kita perlu pemimpin yang sentiasa sensitif terhadap imej parti dan juga orang di peringkat akar umbi, kita perlukan fikirkan keadah yang baru untuk tarik perhatian rakyat serta untuk menafikan setiap tuduhan yang dilemparkan lawan kepada kita.

“Untuk melakukan perubahan dan menghadapi suasana baru kita memerlukan kaedah-kaedah baru, pemimpin yang lebih segar dan kita tidak lagi boleh menggunakan keadah lama,” katanya.

Ketua Penerangan Pemuda PAS pusat Suhaizan Kaiat memberitahu, dalam menghadapi cabaran politik semasa PAS perlu menampilkan lebih banyak kaedah dan pendekatan yang lebih “segar” sekiranya mahu menjadi sebuah parti dinamik dan diterima rakyat.

“Saya melihat dalam menghadapi cabaran politik sekarang, maka PAS memerlukan lebih ramai tenaga muda serta mempunyai pendekatan dan kaedah lebih kreatif, inovatif dan dinamik.

“Justeru dalam menghadapi cabaran politik semasa, maknanya PAS perlu ada muka-muka baru supaya kita nampak lebih segar, bukan bermaksud tukar semua pemimpin tapi menampilkan tenaga-tenaga baru dalam parti,” katanya.

Selain itu, beliau berkata PAS juga perlu berubah dari segi pendekatan atau kaedah yang digunakan untuk mendekati rakyat yang mana parti Islam itu tidak boleh terlalu bergantung kepada strategi lama seperti ceramah dan penyebaran risalah.

“Dalam konteks politik sekarang, kita banyak cabaran baru dalam negara dan ia memerlukan satu buah fikiran yang baru, cara kreatif dan inovatif untuk menghadapi cabaran-cabaran ini.

“Dulu kita hanya parti pembangkang tapi sekarang kita adalah bakal menjadi kerajaan, jadi masalah-masalah semasa yang berkaitan dengan negara dan sebagainya memerlukan kita sentiasa melakukan perubahan...kalau tiada penyegaran kita akan jadi tepu,” katanya.

Oleh itu, tegas Suhaizan, sekiranya PAS gagal untuk melakukan perubahan atau transformasi seperti mana yang dilakukan DAP sudah pasti parti Islam itu tidak mampu bersaing terutamanya dalam menghadapi pilihan raya umum ke-13.

“Itu akan jadi masalah, sebab itu kita perlukan perubahan dan pembaharuan seperti bagaimana untuk menggerakkan negara, keperluan idea yang lebih kreatif dan penyegaran dari segi pendekatan dan kepimpinan parti.

“Sudah cukup dari segi penyegaran parti, kalau kita tak buat perubahan kita takut akan jadi parti yang mundur, pada saya semua parti politik mesti kena sentiasa ada suasana dinamik dalam parti,” katanya.

Seorang lagi ahli jawatankuasa kerja PAS pusat Mazlan Aliman berkata parti itu memerlukan pemimpin yang sentiasa peka dengan perkembangan semasa selain bijak dalam mengangani setiap itu yang berbangkit.

Menurut beliau, dalam era globalisasi ini pemimpin-pemimpin PAS perlu sentiasa bergerak satu langkah di hadapan dan boleh menjangka apa yang akan berlaku.

“Saya sokong kenyataan beliau (Husam), yang mana kalau kita lihat arus pembangunan negara yang sentiasa berubah dan cabaran yang semakin besar memerlukan kita melihat dunia ini secara intelektual dari pelbagai sudut dan pandangan.

“Sebab itu, kita perlukan barisan kepimpian yang pantas untuk menghadapi cabaran-cabaran semasa selain harus memiliki kepekaan yang tinggi terhadap perkembangan semasa dan setiap pemimpin harus bijak menangani apa jua cabaran semasa,” katanya.

Tegas Mazlin, sekiranya pemimpin parti lambat bertindak untuk melakukan perubahan sudah pasti banyak perkara tidak dapat diselesaikan.

“Kalau lambat tangani masalah, nanti rakyat akan jadi korban sebab itu kepimpinan PAS harus peka dan sentiasa berada di hadapan selain boleh membaca apa yang akan berlaku.

“Kalau kita pasif, kita akan gagal untuk memahami kehendak rakyat dan apa yang kita mahu lakukan juga akan gagal,” katanya.

Mazlan yang juga Pengerusi Persatuan Anak-Anak Felda Kebangsaan (Anak) bersetuju agar muka-muka baru ditampilkan untuk membawa perubahan dalam PAS.

“Saya sokong bahkan kita harus beri ruang kepimpinan dalam parti dengan muka-muka baru, bukan hanya golongan profesional tapi aktivis-aktivis parti juga kerana kita perlukan kepimpinan yang boleh mewarnai politik masa depan.

“Selain itu ruang untuk berinteraksi pada masa sekarang begitu banyak . . . kita tidak boleh berceramah dan mengedarkan risalah tapi kita peru menggunakan kaedah-kaedah baru seperti Internet dan sebagainya untuk menyebarkan maklumat, kalau lambat kita akan ketinggalan,” katanya.

jangan klik atau baca opinion exec IDEAS tolol ni >> Hadi wajib tolak pencalonan presiden PAS
Oleh Syed Mu’az Syed Putra
TMI

Lim Guan Eng jamin tiada loji nuklear di negeri PR

Hanya Pakatan Rakyat (PR) adalah satu-satunya yang akan mengutamakan kesihatan rakyat dan kepentingan umum dari mengejar keuntungan syarikat dengan memastikan tiada kemudahan nuklear mahupun projek pemprosesan nadir bumi (rare earths) di Pulau Pinang. Sangat mengejutkan apabila kerajaan negeri Perak secara senyap telah bersetuju dengan sebuah syarikat di Hong Kong untuk membenarkan projek pelombongan nadir bumi dibina di negeri itu sedangkan kemarahan orang ramai masih timbul ke atas kontroversi pembinaan Kilang Lynas di Gebeng, Pahang.

Dalam laporannya kepada Bursa Saham Hong Kong bertarik 18 Mei, CVM Minerals Limited telah mengumumkan bahawa satu memorandum persefahaman (MoU) telah ditandatangi bersama dengan Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Perak (PKNP) bagi melaksanakan projek tersebut di Bukit Merah, Ipoh.

Syarikat Hong Kong tersebut melalui anak syarikat tempatan, CVM Metal Recycle Sdn Bhd telah memohon lesen kepada Pejabat Tanah dan Galian Negeri bagi membolehkan mereka meneroka kawasan yang dijangka meliputi 250 hektar bagi melombong nadir bumi.

Bukit Merah juga merupakan kawasan bagi loji nadir bumi di Malaysia 20 tahun lalu, yang masih berhadapan dengan kerja-kerja pelupusan sisa radioaktif yang berjumlah RM300 juta. Sebaik memperolehi lesen, CVM Mineral dan PKNP akan menandatangani perjanjian bagi menetapkan terma dan syarikat dalam melaksanakan projek tersebut. Menurut sumber, CVM Mineral akan menjadi pemegang saham utama sementara PKNP akan menguruskan 135, 300, 000 saham CVM iaitu kira- kira 4.73% dari keseluruhan saham syarikat itu.

Aktivis alam sekitar telah menimbulkan kebimbangan akan sisa radioaktif yang bakal dikeluarkan dan disimpan di kompleks loji pemprosesan Lynas di Gebeng dengan merujuk kepada nasib yang menimpa Asian Rare Earth Milk yang dikaitkan dengan lapan kes leukimia termasuk tujuh kematian. Baru- baru ini kerajaan Persekutuan telah mengumumkan bahawa laporan lengkap sebulan dari Lynas hampir siap dan diikuti dengan peraturan dan langkah-langkah keselamatan.

Bukan hanya rakyat Perak malah seluruh rakyat Malaysia menentang keputusan yang pendek fikiran ini.

Jelas Barisan Nasional (BN) terlalu mengejar keuntungan sehingga buta dalam mengutamakan masalah lingkungan hidup, keselamatan dan kesihatan yang terpaksa ditanggung oleh rakyat. Rakyat Perak harus bangkit semula bagi mengembalikan kerajaan PR di bawah pimpinan Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin bagi mengelakkan projek pelombongan nadir bumi terus beroperasi di Perak.

Pada mulanya Pahang dan sekarang Perak. Pelombongan nadir bumi ini sememangnya tidak boleh dipandang ringan tanpa mengadakan rundingan yang sewajajarnya kerana risiko yang bakal ditanggung amat tinggi. Hanya negeri diperintah Pakatan Rakyat (PR) yang mengambil sikap tegas dan tanpa berkrompomi menentang pemprosesan dan pelombongan nadir bumi ini.

Pakatan Rakyat seperti Pulau Pinang telah berlengah telah bertindak lebih maju dengan terlebih dahulu menulis surat kepada Kerajaan Persekutuan umtuk menentang setiap kemudahan loji nuklear untuk ditempatkan di negeri ini. Kerajaan negeri Pulau Pinang telah menulis surat kepada Menteri Tenaga, Teknologi Hijau dan Air, Peter Chin pada 21 Mac 2011 sebagai bantahan terhadap pembangunan kilang nuklear di Malaysia. Kerajaan negeri Pulau Pinang juga turut menyatakan pendirian kerajaan negeri untuk tidak membenarkan sebarang kemudahan seperti itu di Pulau Pinang.

Selepas berlakunya bencana nuklear di negara secanggih Jepun, kerajaan BN seharusnya menghentikan projek tersebut. Bagaimana BN boleh memastikan tiada risiko berbahaya sejurus pembinaan loji nuklear kepada kesihatan dan keselamatan awam ketika kerajaan BN tidak boleh membina bumbung stadium tanpa runtuh dan memastikan atap Parlimen tidak bocor?

Melalui surat yang dibalas kepasa saya pada 20 April 2011, Peter Chin mengatakan bahawa adalah mustahil untuk membina loji nuklear di Pulau Pinang kerana kepadatan penduduknya yang tinggi. Namun tekad kerajaan BN adalah untuk meneruskan pembangunan loji nuklear menjelang 2020 di kawasan lain di Malaysia.

Rakyat Pulau Pinang boleh tidur dengan aman dan yakin tentang keselamatan anak- anak mereka selagi PR memerintah. Malangnya kepada mereka yang tinggal di negeri- negeri di bawah pemerintahan BN kerana negeri tersebut berkemungkinan mempunyai loji nuklear menjelang tahun 2020. Jelas BN telah memperjudikan kesihatan dan keselamatan rakyat.

Hanya negeri Pakatan Rakyat (PR) seperti Pulau Pinang tidak sanggup menanggung risiko tersebut. Atas alasan ini jugalah rakyat Perak, Pahang serta negeri- negeri BN lain harus belajar bahawa hanya kerajaan pemerintahan PR dapat memastikan bahawa projek pemprosesan nadir bumi serta sebarang pembinaan loji nuklear dibina yang boleh mengancam kesihatan dan keselamatan keluarga mereka.

*Kenyataan media oleh Lim Guan Eng (gambar kiri) selaku Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang.

MerdekaReview

Kesan fitnah, Shamsul ingatkan kisah Juraij

KUALA LUMPUR : Ketua Angkatan Muda KEADILAN, Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin mengingatkan rakyat Malaysia terutamanya orang Melayu dan Islam untuk merenung kembali kisah Juraij yang menjadi mangsa hasutan fitnah.

Kisah itu katanya, dicatat dalam kitab Riyadhus-Solihin yang ditulis Imam Nawawi.

Beliau memberikan reaksi demikian memandangkan media arus perdana termasuk akhbar Utusan Malaysia dan TV3 secara tidak bertanggungjawab meneruskan fitnah terhadap Ketua Umum KEADILAN, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“Telah banyak kisah dan pesanan terdahulu yang dibawa, termasuk yang diriwayatkan oleh Abu Hurairah r.a mengenai kisah fitnah, seperti yang menimpa seorang pemuda bernama Juraij.

“Dia adalah seorang yang tekun beribadat sehinggakan orang-orang di sekitarnya menyebut tentang kealimannya. Namun, dia diuji apabila didatangi oleh pelacur untuk mengajaknya melakukan maksiat.

“Akibat penolakannya, Juraij difitnah melakukan zina bersama pelacur itu sendiri sehingga kononnya melahirkan seorang bayi.

“Tempat ibadatnya dimusnahkan oleh orang-orang di sekitarnya. Tetapi, atas kuasa Allah SWT, bayi yang masih kecil itu sendiri berkata-kata dan mengakui bahawa Juraij bukan bapanya,” jelas Shamsul.

Menurut Shamsul, kisah yang berlaku kepada Juraij itu, kini berulang semula dan terjadi kepada Anwar yang menjadi mangsa fitnah dan konspirasi politik sejak 1998.

“Seperti mana skrip fitnah pada tahun 1998 yang direka oleh bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Mahathir, ia diulang sekali lagi pada kali ini,” kata Shamsul.

“Tetapi, mengapa sehingga ke hari ini, tidak seorang pun di antara mereka yang berani untuk berhadapan dengan Mahkamah Syariah apabila diadukan mengenai laporan Qazaf,” tegas Sahamsul

Dalam pada itu, beliau menambah, masa depan generasi muda, turut bergantung kepada situasi politik yang dicorakkan pemimpin hari ini.

“Anak-anak kita dan bakal pemimpin negara di masa hadapan seolah-olah dididik untuk melakukan perkara yang sama, tanpa melalui proses undang-undang sebenar.

“Apakah kita telah hilang perasaan jijik dengan memaparkan contoh membentuk kepimpinan melalui cara tersebut, seolah-olah mereka telah hilang rasa hormat?

“Tidak ada jaminan bahawa masa depan negara tidak akan lebih parah dari hari ini,” ujar Shamsul.

KeadilanDaily

RPK nafi dakwaan 'peras ugut' Deepak

Penulis blog kontroversial Raja Petra Kamaruddin menafikan dakwaan yang dibuat oleh Deepak Jaikishan bahawa beliau dibayar RM50,000 untuk mengeluarkan beberapa artikel mengenai ahli perniagaan itu dari laman web Malaysia Today dan diberikan sebuah komputer riba Sony.

"Jika dia bayar saya RM50,000 untuk mengeluarkan artikel-artikel itu, dia cuma bazirkan wangnya kerana artikel tersebut masih di Malaysia Today... ia kini di arkib.

“Jika awak melayari Malaysia Today dan taip 'Deepak', semua artikel yang saya tulis mengenainya masih di sana,” kata Raja Petra kepada Malaysiakini melalui wawancara video Skype pada Ahad lalu.

Beliau juga menafikan bahawa menerima sebuah komputer riba daripada Deepak.

"Saya lebih canggih, saya gunakan Macbook Pro. Jika awak hendak rasuah saya, ia mestilah sebuah a Macbook Pro dan iPhone... saya memilih barangan terkini... tolong, berilah saya lebih kredit daripada ini,” kata penulis blog itu dalam nada menyindir.

Deepak membuat dakwaan itu dalam satu kenyataan akhbar dan diulanginya pada satu wawancara dengan media pada 16 April lalu. Dakwanya, penulis blog itu yang juga popular dengan nama RPK diperkenalkan kepadanya melalui seorang tengah yang bergelar 'datuk' di sebuah restoran di Subang Jaya.

Ketika itu, Deepak mendakwa beliau membayar Raja Petra bagi mengeluarkan beberapa artikel tertentu dengan bayaran RM50,000 dan sebuah komputer riba Sony. Beliau juga menuduh RPK cuba memeras ugut dan mencari keuntungan menerusi tulisannya.

Ditanya mengenai perkara berkenaan, RPK mengakui beliau berjumpa dengan 'datuk' berbangsa Cina itu di sebuah restoran di Subang Jaya selepas ditahan mengikut ISA tiga tahun lalu dan menambah 'datuk' itu adalah kenalan rapat keluarganya lebih 30 tahun.

Beliau juga mengakui seorang lelaki berbangsa India yang tidak diundangnya tiba-tiba menyertai pertemuan mereka tetapi berkata beliau tidak tahu siapa individu itu dan mengapa beliau juga datang.

"Sepatutnya hanya keluarganya (datuk Cina itu) dengan keluarga saya. Tiba-tiba ada seorang lelaki ini, saya tidak mengenalinya. Beliau duduk bersama dan menyertai kami untuk makan malam. Saya tidak diperkenalkan,” dakwa penulis blog itu.

Hazlan Zakaria & Arvind Raj
[Baca berita penuh]

Tukar kerajaan selesai masalah rasuah

KUALA LUMPUR, 28 April : PAS berpendapat hanya dengan menukar parti pemerintah sahaja akan mampu menyelesaikan masalah rasuah dalam negara.

Bercakap dalam wacana anjuran Sinar Harian bertajuk 'Rasuah Pemusnah Tamadun' di Shah Alam petang semalam, Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin (gambar) berkata, masalah rasuah dalam negara kita sukar diatasi kerana berpunca dari peringkat pemimpin atasan negara.

Ujarnya, ia berbeza dengan prinsip Pakatan Rakyat yang menolak amalan rasuah dan telah dibuktikan pada negeri-negeri diperintah mereka.

"Faktor terpenting kenapa terjadinya rasuah adalah kerana pemimpin itu sendiri melakukannya. Oleh itu perubahan mesti dibuat dari peringkat atasan.

"Dalam konteks Malaysia, satu-satunya cara memerangi rasuah adalah dengan menukar kerajaan sedia ada. Jika perkara ini tidak boleh dilakukan, jangan mimpi gejala rasuah ini boleh diselesaikan," katanya yang juga AJK PAS Pusat.

Selain Nizar, wacana tersebut turut menampilkan Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM, Datuk seri Abu Kassim Mohamed, Ahli Dewan Negara, Senator Ezam Mohd Nor dan Pengasas ESQ Leadership Centre, Dr Ary Ginanjar Agustian.

SPRM perlu jadi badan bebas

Abu Kassim pula dalam hujahnya berkata, apa yang perlu diperjuangkan oleh seluruh rakyat dan pihak yang menentang rasuah adalah undang-undang bagi membolehkan SPRM manjadi sebuah badan bebas.

Hanya dengan itu katanya, SPRM mampu menjalankan tugas membenteras jenayah rasuah dengan lebih berkesan.

Sebelum ini, Jawatankuasa Khas SPRM yang ditubuhkan di bawah parlimen turut mengesyorkan kepada kerajaan agar hak pendakwaan kes rasuah diberikan sepenuhnya kepada pihak SPRM dan bukan lagi di bawah kuasa Peguam Negara, bagi menjadikan badan itu lebih bebas.

Materialistik punca utama rasuah

Sementara itu, Dr Ary Ginanjar berkata punca utama rasuah di negara ini adalah sikap individu yang terlalu materialistik.

Rakyat negara ini katanya terikut-ikut dengan amalan negara barat sehingga mengenepikan nilai murni.

"Apabila hati sudah terbentuk, tiadak mustahil rasuah akan selesai.

"Sebenarnya kekuatan kita apabila kita mengabdikan diri kepada Allah," katanya.

Harakahdaily

PAS must stay with Pakatan - for now

The Islamic party realises that it cannot go it alone in any general election and must continue to align itself with its allies in the opposition alliance.

KUALA LUMPUR : PAS is not expected to “sever” ties with its allies DAP and PKR in the unregistered alliance of Pakatan Rakyat.

The party is expected to reiterate this stand when it holds its muktamar (annual general assembly) here from June 3 to 5. This is simply because it is not strong enough on its own to produce the desired results in any general election.

The Islamic party is expected to “put on hold” whatever “doubts” it has on DAP’s political philosophy and the so-called “Chinese traits” as well as PKR’s “irreparable credibility” just so to continue surviving in the country’s intriguing political scene.

The party leaders – clerics or veteran fundamentalists – know that the party has to depend on its allies in any electoral outing.

Going by the records, the party had won several seats in past general elections only when it was aided by another Malay-based party or when it aligned itself with another opposition party.

In 1991, the party made a good showing because it was aided by an Umno splinter party, Semangat 46. In 2008, the party again performed well when it aligned itself with PKR and DAP.

The party has had several runs on its own but failed to capture any state or win more than five parliamentary seats as grassroots support was insufficient to see it through.

It is common knowledge that in its bastions in Kelantan and Terengganu and other Malay-majority states like Kedah and Perak, the party lost to its traditional rival Umno by merely a few hundred votes in most seats – either state or parliamentary.

The party captured Kelantan and Terengganu when it was aided by Semangat 46 led by former Umno stalwart Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, but lost Terengganu later when it was on its own as Semangat 46 disbanded and its members rejoined Umno.

The few hundred votes which the party needed to win in a majority of the seats it contested always came from its ally – 1991 (Semangat 46) and 2008 (PKR and DAP).

PAS realised that it has to broaden its appeal, especially among the Chinese voters. Hence, its leaders, especially veteran fundamentalists such as president Abdul Hadi Awang and secretary-general Mustafa Ali, decided in the 1980s to set up a Chinese Consultative Council, aimed at winning Chinese votes.

When this venture did not quite succeed, the party last year formed a non-Muslim wing with the same objective but it appears that even this latest move is getting nowhere.

Playing it cool

With DAP being considered as the champion of the Chinese cause as reflected in the recently concluded Sarawak state election, PAS moderate approach and Islamic philosophy failed to attract Chinese or Indian voters.

Thus, PAS has no choice but to continue “playing cool” with its Pakatan allies despite the fact that the veteran fundamentalists in the party would like very much to disassociate itself from the brand of politics practised by DAP and PKR.

That was why PAS did not blow its top when PKR deputy president Azmin Ali hit out at Mustafa for making the statement that PAS would review its stand in Pakatan after the police have completed their investigations into the sex video scandal implicating Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Mustafa coolly replied that Azmin was under intense pressure which resulted in the outburst and added that Azmin did not have the perseverance of de facto PKR leader Anwar or his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is the party’s president.

Mustafa’s “toned-down” reply shows that PAS does not want to break away from Pakatan, not at least until the next general election because PAS cannot go it alone.

Zainal Epi FMT

Isu video seks Soi Lek punca MCA, SUPP kalah

Sudahlah Soi Lek dipalitkan dengan isu video seks di mana beliau sendiri mengakui melakukannya, para perwakilan MCA pula terus melantik beliau sebagai presiden - Ibrahim Ali.

PETALING JAYA : Isu video seks Presiden MCA Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek menjadi salah satu punca kenapa masyarakat Cina menolak MCA dan SUPP dalam pilihan raya umum (PRU) 2008 dan pilihan raya negeri (PRN) Sarawak pada 16 April lalu.

Presiden Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa) Dato’ Ibrahim Ali berkata, sudahlah Soi Lek dipalitkan dengan isu video seks di mana beliau sendiri mengakui melakukannya, para perwakilan MCA pula terus melantik beliau sebagai presiden.

“Faktor ketiga kenapa pengundi Cina berpaling dari mengundi MCA dan SUPP ialah kerana ramai pemimpin MCA dihadapkan ke mahkamah atas dakwaan rasuah,” katannya dalam satu kenyataan media.

Ibrahim yang juga Ahli Parlimen Bebas-Pasir Mas bekata demikian ketika membidas kenyataan Senator Datuk Heng Saei Kie yang menyalahkan akhbar Utusan Malaysia dan Perkasa sebagai punca masyarakat Cina menolak MCA dan SUPP.

Heng mendakwa peranan Utusan Malaysia dan Perkasa menyebabkan kaum Cina menolak MCA dalam PRU 2008 dan SUPP dalam PRN Sarawak baru-baru ini.

Beliau berkata, “saya nak ingatkan beliau (Heng) bukan Perkasa yang menyebabkan orang-orang Cina menolak MCA pada Mac 2008 kerana Perkasa belum wujud lagi pada PRU ke-12.

“Perkasa hanya didaftarkan pada 12 September 2008, kira-kira lima bulan selepas PRU ke-12. Perkasa juga tidak menyebabkan SUPP tewas banyak kerusi di Sarawak. Perkasa tidak ambil bahagian dalam kempen di Sarawak,” katanya.

Dalam PRN Sarawak, SUPP hanya memenangi tiga kerusi dan kalah semua kerusi di kawasan majoriti pengundi Cina.

Sambil memberi amaran kepada para pemimpin MCA, Ibrahim berkata, “jangan lagi sakiti orang Melayu kerana undi orang Melayu juga penting.

“MCA mendapat kemenangan juga kerana undi orang Melayu kerana MCA memenangi kerusinya di kawasan majoriti orang Melayu,” tegas beliau.

Beliau turut menyatakan peri pentingnya undi masyarakat Bumputera berbanding undi masyarakat Cina kepada Barisan Nasional (BN) di Sarawak berikutan kejayaan BN membentuk kerajaan negeri baru-baru ini.

Berhubung hal ini, Ibrahim menyoal, “mana yang lebih penting…..100% sokongan daripada Bumiputera atau 100% sokongan Cina?”

Lantaran itu, beliau menyokong saranan Yang DiPertua Perkasa Sarawak Abang Nasser Abang Hadari agar pemimpin Cina tidak diberi tempat di dalam kabinet kerajaan Sarawak.

Kenyataan media ini dikeluarkan Ibrahim beberapa hari selepas sekumpulan pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) Melayu mengadakan demonstrasi di depan ibu pejabat MCA, Kuala Lumpur.

Demonstrasi itu diadakan ekoran parti perkauman Cina itu menyalahkan akhbar Utusan Malaysia dan Perkasa yang membangkitkan isu perkauman hingga menyebabkan mereka tewas dalam pilihan raya.

K Pragalath FMT

Malaysia must stop its porn politics - it's now or never

It is mind blowing. It is absolutely unbelievable. That a nation that proclaims to have a multi-cultural society with centuries old religious values enshrined in its many aspirations canopying the social and political fabric of the nation, is suddenly so obsessed with porn politics.

Malaysian politicians and the various responsible machineries of government must not only put an immediate stop to all these degrading, humiliating and despicable porn episodes after episodes, but must also be seen to be making urgent redress to the severly soiled and tattered reputation of Malaysians.

The Honorable Prime Minister as the Head of government must call the shouts loud and clear. Since the Sodomy I saga, years ago, we are continuing to witness so many sex and porn related sagas in the public domain. And of recent it has just gone too far for any decent human soul to accept.

We cannot go on and on assasinating political opponents through such base, inhuman, uncouth and despicable avenues like resorting to porn politics and doing so in the public domain.

The government and its entire team of honorable, God-fearing, people-respecting cabinet members too must rise to do battle with all the scum and porn politics that is making honest, loyal, humble and practicing faithfuls of the various denominations to cringe with pain and disgust.

Why are we allowing all these porn politics that now have hit another disgusting low of implicating and derogating the daughter of the opposition leader? Please, where is the strong arm of the law?

If all the leaders, guardians of law and order, and justice cannot plug this unending spewing of porn politics into the public domain that risks and corrupts the dignity of the young and old, then the religious leaders and all their faithfuls must take the bull by the horn.

If our chosen leaders cannot raise our human dignity in the eyes of our children and the world community then the citizens must take up the broom themselves and clean up all these porn political practices that seem to be the most favoured checkmate-startegy among certain quarters.

Citizens and leaders what do you say? How long more must we be wayside witnesses to these horrifying porn political games? Do we stop it or do we let it be? Do our leaders want to stop it or must the citizens rise together with responsibility and get that job done?

Or do we all lay back, relish and savour all these sickening, chocking and morally disgusting filth? Malaysians must make a decision. The choice to rescue our image and reputation is a categorical imperative. Either the elected leaders do it or the citizens must assume that responsibility to put the nation back on more respectable benchmark.

- J. D. Lovrenciear is a well-known commentator and a reader of Malaysia Chronicle

Islam tidak bercanggah dengan fitrah manusia

Berhibur mengikut hukum syarak mendapat pahala

KUALA NERUS - Orang-orang muda diseru membuat perubahan dengan menolak Umno dan Barisan Nasional (BN) serta tidak bimbang dengan dasar-dasar Islam yang dibawa oleh PAS.

Menurut Naib Ketua Dewan Pemuda PAS negeri Terengganu, Ustaz Ridzwan Hashim, ia adalah kerana Umno adalah sebuah parti sekular yang hanya mementingkan keduniaan semata-mata.

Katanya, Islam adalah agama fitrah yang tidak bercanggah kehendak naluri manusia.

"Kita kena berani membuat perubahan dan anak-anak muda jangan bimbang (untuk berubah) kita (PAS) ini bawa Islam, dasar-dasar kita (adalah) dasar-dasar Islam,

"Islam agama fitrah (dan) Islam tidak akan bawa satu undang-undang, satu peraturan yang bercanggah dengan kehendak fitrah manusia,"ujarnya ketika berucap pada Malam Kesenian Islam, di Padang Bola Batu Enam, disini, 25 April.

Oleh itu, beliau selaku Ketua Pemuda PAS Kuala Nerus berkata Islam membenarkan umatnya berhibur dan bersukan bahkan anya mendapat pahala sekiranya dilakukan mengikut hukum syarak (Islam)

Sebaliknya, menurutnya, PAS tidak berkompromi dengan aktiviti sukan dan hiburan yang melalaikan sebagaimana yang dianjurkan oleh Umno-BN.

Katanya Umno-BN menganjurkan pelbagai program semata-mata untuk kepentingan politik tanpa mengira dosa dan pahala.

Malam Kesenian Islam anjuran Pemuda PAS Kuala Nerus telah menampilkan kumpulan nasyid tempatan Shoutul Amal dan artis yang juga pendakwah, Mohd Radzi Abdul Hamid, bekas vokalis kumpulan rock tahun 90an.

Persembahan Radzi yang diselang selikan diantara nyanyian berunsur nasihat dan ketuhan dengan ceramah tazkirah telah menarik minat lebih 500 orang anak muda sekitar pekan Batu Enam.

BO

Keadaan Rasuah Negara Membimbangkan

SHAH ALAM 28 APRIL : Budaya rasuah yang semakin berleluasa di Malaysia kini berada dalam keadaan yang membimbangkan seolah-olah ia tidak dapat dibendung lagi, kata Ahli Parlimen Bukit Gantang, Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin.

Malah katanya, budaya ini juga mula menular sejak 24 tahun lalu terutamanya ketika berada dibawah pemerintahan Mantan Perdana Menteri Malaysia, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.

Nizar berkata, gejala rasuah ini bukan sahaja akan menyebabkan keruntuhan sistem pentadbiran negara malah ia turut disifatkan seperti najis.

“Budaya rasuah telah wujud dalam Negara kita sejak 20 hingga 23 tahun yang lepas. Jawatankuasa Disiplin Umno Tengku Ahmad Rhithaudden sendiri mengakuinya bahawa rasuah telah lama berleluasa di negara ini. Ini bermakna ia bermula sejak bekas Presiden Umno, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad memimpin negara pada ketika itu, sekali gus berkembang dan terus membiak,” katanya.

Nizar yang juga AJK PAS Pusat berkata, sebagai contoh pengalaman di Rusia dan Filipina termasuk Arab yang dahulunya mempunyai tamadun sendiri turut tumbang berikutan desakkan rakyatnya sendiri yang menolak rasuah.

“Ya, memang benar rasuah boleh menjatuhkan tamadun. Sekiranya rasuah ini tidak dibendung dan dibasmikan di Malaysia, maka kita juga mungkin akan turut sama jatuh,” katanya.

Nizar berkata demikian ketika menjadi panelis Wacana Rasuah Pemusnah Tamadun di Auditorium Kumpulan Media Karangkraf (KMK), Shah Alam, semalam.

Turut serta dalam wacana tersebut adalah adalah Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM, Datuk Seri Abu Kassim Mohamed, Senator Ezam Mohd Nor dan Pengasas ESQ Leadership Centre, Dr Ary Ginajar dan Zulkifli Bujang sebagai moderator dari Bernama TV.

Jelas Nizar, perubahan yang dilakukan oleh Mantan Perdana Menteri, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dengan menukar Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR) kepada Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah (SPRM) Nizar berkata, tindakan tersebut sedikitpun tidak memberi apa-apa kesan yang baik seperti mana yang dijanjikan kepada rakyat.

“Apabila penerajuan SPRM diambil, rakyat Malaysia dijanjikan dengan satu paradikma baru dimana amalan bukan sahaja akan dikurangkan malah ia akan terus dibasmi," katanya.

"Malangnya, apa yang kita lihat sekarang indeks rasuah semakin hari semakin menurun dan terus menurun," ujarnya.

“Janji yang ditaburkan kepada rakyat selepas Parlimen meluluskan Akta SPRM dan jawatankuasa ditubuhkan ia bukan sahaj gagal malah rasuah terus berleluasa,” tegasnya.

Mengulas lebih lanjut, Nizar berkata sewajarnya SPRM dan Peguam Negara tidak berada di bawah nasihat Perdana Menteri Najib Tun Razak yang juga Presiden Umno.

Soalnya, bagaimana mungkin kedua-dua badan itu boleh menyiasat perkara yang menyentuh kepentingan politik pemimpin-pemimpin Umno-BN.

Tegasnya, oleh yang demikian, Pakatan Rakyat meminta semua agensi kerajaan seperti SPRM, Peguam Negara, Ketua Polis, Pengerusi Felda, Petronas dan sebagainya haruslah dilantik oleh dan diletakkan di bawah Parlimen.

Menjawab soalan sama ada PAS ingin meniru bentuk kebangkitan rakyat di negara luar untuk melakukan demontrasi jalanan sehingga tertumbangnya pemerintah zalim, Nizar dengan tenang menidakkannya.

"Pakatan tidak pernah meminta rakyat untuk meniru kebangkitan rakyat sehingga jatuh beberapa negara terbabit kerana rasuah dan salah laku.

"Rakyat inginkan perubahan dalam hal-hal berkaitan rasuah, contohnya, kenapa hanya ikan bilis sahaja yang terkena siasatan dan hukuman sedangkan bagaimana dengan isu Khir Toyo dan Taib Mahmud," ujarnya.

Lebih 200 orang hadir bagi menyaksikan wacana rasuah ini sehingga menyebabkan kelancaran majlis ini beberapa kali terganggu dengan pekikan kuat dipercayai dilakukan kumpulan sorak yang dibawa oleh pihak tertentu untuk membuat bising terutamanya ketika Nizar memberikan hujah mantapnya.

Ketika Dr Ary Ginanjar berkata, malangnya dalam suasana wacana itu, iblis dan syaitan juga turut serta, mereka tidak ingin agar rasuah itu dibanteras.

Ditulis oleh Mohamad Nor Syafiqtvsnews

Najib’s no match for wily old Taib

COMMENT

The moment he got wind of Umno KL's plans to replace him, he swiftly moved to consolidate his grip over Sarawak.

It’s time for the boys on our side to rethink what has happened in Sarawak. A victorious and accordingly emboldened Taib Mahmud is now a cause for more headaches to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Umno.

Let’s replay the behind-the-scene incidents on April 16. On that night, after making sure he already had the numbers, Taib called the house asking family members to get ready.

He warned them that much depended on speed and that there was no time to lose. Taib then called the governor informing the latter to get ready by 10.30pm.

He arrived 15 minutes past 10.30pm and was sworn in as chief minister, even before the people in Kuala Lumpur could savour the win.

Taib had got wind of rumours that he will be replaced by someone more docile and favourable to Umno.

The man Umno had in mind is said to be deputy Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president .

Abang Jo is a Sarawakaian Malay and earmarked to be Umno’s man in Sarawak. But he wasn’t the first choice. Umno had discovered Salleh Jafaruddin and much hope was now placed on him.

Raziah’s choice

Najib’s intelligence people had reported that Taib was a much despised person in Sarawak and needed to be replaced lest the “fixed deposit state” vanished.

Najib’s political secretary who had been spending months on end in Sarawak had also returned to Putrajaya with the same prognosis. Taib simply must go, if Barisan Nasional (BN) is to retain its “fixed deposit”.

While Taib may not have as yet “chosen” his successor, probably because he’d prefer to die in office, his sister Rosie Genied (Raziah Mahmud Geneid), however, had other ideas. Her own main man was Planning and Resources Management and Public Utilities Minister Awang Tengah Ali Hassan.

According to reports, while Taib was busy being a newly-wed, it was the team of Rosie and Awang Tengah who vetted through the list of BN candidates for the April 16 polls.

One of the early casualties was Salleh. He was recommended as a candidate by Umno. They saw him as a possible replacement for Taib if he had stood on PBB ticket.

For that, Salleh was given a few million ringgit. If he had won, he could always be inducted later into PBB and installed as the pliant CM of Sarawak.

But Salleh’s appearance raised suspicion within Taib’s camp.

Umno plant

All of a sudden, this chap who was linked to the infamous Ming Court conspiracy in 1987, seemed to have a reversal of fortunes of sorts.

Salleh is known as a compulsive gambler and is a man of straw. The fact that he suddenly had money to contest in the state election raised suspicion that he must be funded by some people.

Taib went along, agreeing that Salleh be fielded as a PBB candidate. He was actually buying time to uncover what earthly plot has been hatched against him.

He didn’t have to think hard. Sister Rosie and her favourite horse, Awang Tengah, smelled a rat in Salleh. They suspected Salleh to be a plant by Kuala Lumpur to eject Taib.

If Taib goes, Awang Tengah, Rosie and company will also have to go. No more land grabs, no more yachts, no more salacious soirees. This simply meant that Salleh had to be guillotined.

When it became clear to Umno that Salleh wasn’t on the list validated by Team Rosie, it was decided then to field him as an independent.

With Salleh gone, Plan B was placed on alert.

Abang Johari’s shortcomings

This time it was decided that someone deep inside the ranks of PBB must be identified. They zeroed in Abang Johari. He’s no handsome Joe, but he serves the interest of Kuala Lumpur.

Abang Johari is a Sarawakian Malay, a man who can be counted upon to further the political interests of Umno.

Never mind his facial appearance. That doesn’t factor in peoples’ minds as there are several ministers at the federal level with Down’s Syndrome looks.

Not relevant, too, are Abang Johari’s shortcomings such as being damaged by the business excesses of his friends. He is also said to suffer from the same affliction affecting Pak Lah. He sleeps through his job.

But THE most important factor is that he is MALAY. With him at the helm, Umno can move into Sarawak.

Double dealing

Having “uncovered” a possible coup, Taib’s people rushed to brief him about Kuala Lumpur’s double dealing. Politically savvy Taib would now show these KL knuckleheads who’s the “taikor” in Sarawak.

He prepared his team to campaign on local issues and if this fails, PBB will go after personalities. And if everything else failed, then cheat-to-win would be the final alternative.

Unbeknown to Kuala Lumpur, Taib had got a firm grip on PBB’s 35 seats well before the polls on April 16.

He had his people all over the place. He had the local ketua kampungs (village chiefs), the tuai rumah (longhouse chiefs) and kapitan (community leaders) on his side.

Taib has a huge war chest and most of all he had better information than the misinformation that Najib’s intelligence people were conveying to Najib.

The moment Najib boldly announced that Taib will retire, the CM knew Najib’s intelligence people had been sleeping through their task.

Perhaps they had too much tuak, gawai dayaks and so forth. But the knowledge was enough to embolden Taib.

Taib’s countermand

Each time Najib reassured Sarawakians that Taib would go, Taib would come out in open defiance countermanding Najib. “I will deliver the coup de grace,” said Taib and so he did!

Taib had done sterlingly in the highly charged polls. He retained all the 35 seats PBB contested.

Other than Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), which lost most of its seats, his other coalition partners won splendidly. Najib’s own BN over in the peninsula did dismally.

MCA had 15 seats in 2008 general election. Gerakan was all but wiped out – saved from extinction by the sad presence of its president Koh Tsu Koon, who incidentally also lost his seat.

MIC, meanwhile, is going around with bowl-in-hand chanting ritualistic assurances that the Indians are back in BN.

So, now comes the pain for Najib. How can Najib expedite the exit of Taib? He can’t force Taib out of office by using corruption as an issue.

If he does, then people will come back and ask him: “If you knew all along that Taib is corrupt, then why did you agree for Taib to stand as candidate? Wouldn’t that be like deceiving the people?”

Sarawakians are not Malay

The fact remains that Najib is powerless to deal with Taib and for many reasons. To begin with, there is the general sentiment of the Borneo people. They are not Malaya people. Sarawakians are not Malay people!

Sarawakians resent the dictates and high-handedness of the Malaya people. Secondly, Taib is not an Umno member and therefore not subject to any arm-twisting or enforcement of discipline. He doesn’t answer to the Umno president.

Thirdly, he has the numbers behind him. He won all the 35 seats his party contested. That’s more than what Umno can ever counter.

But the most important deterent to Najib’s possible voyage into Sarawak is what Taib holds – the key to Najib’s fixed deposit state.

Sarawak has 31 parliamentary seats. And Taib controls at least 25 of them. Can any of the boys on our side comprehend the implications of this awesome power?

Taib owns 25 parliamentary seats which he can deliver in any direction he so wants. If Taib decides to abandon ship, Najib becomes the opposition leader in the next Parliament. So indeed, a victorious Taib is no joy coming to town.

Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz FMT