US move still excludes political solutions

Midweek
By BUNN NAGARA

Civilian casualties mount in Afghanistan and Pakistan with no change in US policy

RECENT reports tend to focus on President Barack Obama’s withdrawal plans for Iraq, but the bigger news is the escalation of war in Afghanistan and (unofficially) Pakistan.

Obama has said the fight against terrorism must be waged in Afghanistan and Pakistan rather than Iraq.

The increasingly bitter battle between the status quo and insurgents in both countries lies at the core of a vicious cycle.

The situation is unravelling through steady upsurges in violence and victims.

All sources report growing mayhem in every category of fighting, combatants and civilian bystanders.

Obama has inherited a deepening conflict that is also increasingly complex.

It is no longer just a war or even a civil war in one country like Iraq, but a widening conflict across two countries in their common border regions.

Over the weekend, US military leaders observed that Obama is more analytical than George W.Bush. Any strategic value-added which comes with that remains to be seen.

The festering problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan demand urgent and competent attention.

For example, a lull or reduction in fighting in one country need not be an advantage because it may only mean an increase in violence in the other.

Pakistan on Saturday said its forces had beaten back the Taliban in a border region near Afghanistan.

That usually means the Taliban had only withdrawn to their alternate Afghan bases to re-group, better to strike in Pakistan again.

For such elusive victories to be so common is bad enough.

That Pakistan is also nuclear-armed increases the incentive to destabilise it for any self-respecting terrorist.

An obvious solution would then be simultaneous strikes against rebel strongholds in the border regions.

But because of the multitiered political processes needed for sharp coordination between all the concerned governments and their armed forces, that prospect remains a distant reality.

So the Obama administration seems stuck with the old Bush tactic of attacking border villages suspected of harbouring the enemy.

This typically involves pilotless US drones that identify homes supposed to be legitimate targets for bombardment.

Every such operation incurs more civilian casualties, official displeasure and further losses in political, moral and other terms.

In the process, US officials rile both governments, alienate both peoples, offend all local leaders and nurture more sympathy for what is being seen as the armed resistance.

The result is to develop fertile ground for Taliban and al-Qaeda sentiments and operatives.

In continuing and extending the Bush military doctrine of “shock and awe,” US forces may be winning the military battle only to lose the political war.

Even to handle a Third World country in dire straits like Afghanistan, the US superpower now has to look to China.

Last weekend, the Pentagon announced that it hoped for more cooperation from Beijing through the US-China Defence Policy Coordination Talks.

That provides a welcome opening for China in cultivating its already considerable global clout.

A Pentagon source reportedly said its statement neither mentioned nor precluded the role of Chinese military forces, but added that China was interested in that prospect.

That would take some US heat off China over its rising military expenditure.

Beijing should now enjoy freer rein in that particular sector.

Late last week, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the “Afghan mission” would be a major test of Nato.

For the United States to encourage a rising superpower like China militarily would add a new dimension to that test.

Last month, Nato Secretary- General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer lamented the meagre European response to the largely US mission of “taming Afghanistan.

” But if leading EU countries like France and Germany seem to come up short, who would blame China for filling in? Recent days have also seen a dispute in Afghanistan over the timing of the coming election.

After everyone had been preparing for it in August, President Hamid Karzai brought it forward to April.

Protests continue against the earlier date, on grounds that a free and fair election could not be organised in time.

But if the Taliban and al-Qaeda continue to make significant gains, what purpose would any election serve anyway?

2 years, RM2b for new LCCT? Right! - The Malaysian Insider

MARCH 10 - The good news: A new RM2 billion low cost carrier terminal will be built at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport by Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad.

The bad news: The new facility may not be built by 2011 and the government should prepare for a cost overrun.

Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today announced in Parliament the country's worst kept secret: that the KLIA East project has been consigned to the scrap heap of history. He said that MAHB will build the new LCCT at KLIA by 2011.

His statement will end speculation on the cost and site of the new LCCT project. But it is unlikely to be the final word on a project which has

been mired in controversy since Sime Darby Berhad and Air Asia proposed late last year to build a new LCCT in Labu. That plan set off a firestorm of protests with several parties including Khazanah Nasional questioning the need for another airport away from the main KLIA complex.

Air Asia maintained that it needed a new facility to cater to its passenger growth. It said that it would raise the RM1.6 billion financing to build the new LCCT on land owned by Sime Darby. On its part, Sime Darby agreed to bear the cost of the supporting infrastructure for the project,

believing that the airport project would be a catalyst for its Vision Valley development.

But the government-linked company buckled under pressure and said that it would only sell the land in Labu to Air Asia.

The KLIA East project was canned ostensibly because of financing issues.

Najib played peacemaker with several parties including MAHB and Air Asia in January and a broad framework of cooperation was cobbled together.

This alternative plan would see MAHB build the new LCCT while Air Asia would be allowed to give its input in the construction of the new facility as well as benefit from lower charges.

But The Malaysian Insider has learnt from government officials that the nuts and bolts of the new LCCT in KLIA have yet to be nailed down, with the Finance Ministry still trying to narrow the gap between MAHB and Air Asia. With some issues on the table, it is questionable whether the new LCCT can be built by 2011.

Also, the site picked for the new LCCT is a piece of swampy land opposite the Bunga Raya VIP complex. The land will need to be rehabilitated, a process which will take time and money.

Najib's announcement in Parliament today will end all talk about KLIA East. But Malaysians have not heard the last about the new LCCT.

Dr M nasihat Pak Lah 'fikir dulu'.

Dr M nasihat Pak Lah 'fikir dulu'... Feb 4, 09 2:38pm

Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad menasihatkan Presiden Umno, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi supaya 'fikir dahulu' sebelum menerima bekas ahli dewan undangan negeri (Adun) PKR di Perak menyertai Umno.

"Presiden Umno berkata Umno sedia untuk menerima siapa sahaja untuk menjadi ahli. Ini memanglah dasar parti," katanya.

Bagaimanapun, Dr Mahathir menulis dalam blognya hari ini, kedua-dua Adun PKR itu mempunyai masalah kerana mereka dituduh terlibat dengan rasuah.

Beliau mengulas tindakan dua Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) PKR, Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (Behrang) dan Osman Jailu (Changkat Jering) yang keluar parti dan kini menjadi wakil rakyat bebas.

"Apakah Umno begitu terdesak sehingga tidak dapat tunggu keputusan mahkamah berkenaan tuduhan terhadap mereka sebelum menerima mereka?" soalnya.

Jamaluddin dan Osman menghadapi tuduhan menerima rasuah berhubung kelulusan permohonan projek perumahan bernilai RM180 juta di Sri Iskandar, Perak Tengah.

Perbicaraan kes berkenaan akan bermula di Mahkamah Sesyen di Ipoh selama tiga hari bermula 10 Februari ini.

Dr Mahathir berkata, jika mereka diterima sekarang dan kemudian mereka didapati tidak bersalah, maka kerajaan pimpinan Umno (lebih kurang) akan dituduh mempengaruhi mahkamah.

"Benar tidak benar bukan soalnya. Pada pandangan masyarakat tuduhan ini tetap akan dipercayai. Ia akan punyai kesan dalam PRU13," tambahnya ketika mengulas perkembangan terkini di Perak sekarang.

"Umno sudah dianggap bergelumang dengan rasuah, selalu mungkir janji, mengutamakan kroni Perdana Menteri di Terengganu.

"Jika kepada semua ini ditambah pula dengan penerimaan orang yang dituduh melakukan rasuah seks, imej Umno akan jadi lebih buruk," kata Dr Mahathir.

"Dato Abdullah Presiden Umno, fikir dahulu sebelum beria-ia nak terima orang yang seperti ini," katanya.

__,_._,___

Perak State Assembly emergency sitting

A group of people believed to be Barisan supporters blocking Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen including Nizar (top right) and their supporters from marching towards the State Secretariat building in Ipoh yesterday. - 4 March, 2009

FRU personnel guarding the entrance of the Perak State secretariat building on Tuesday. - 3 March, 2009

Perak state speaker V. Sivakumar putting the meeting papers on the bonnet of a car before holding the state assembly meeting under a tree. - 3 March, 2009

Perak state assembly speaker Sivakumar putting on his robe before holding the state assembly meeting under a tree after they were denied entry to the State Secretariat building on Tuesday. - 3 March, 2009

Pakatan Rakyat state assemblymen clashing with Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel in front of Perak state secretariat building in Ipoh. - 3 March, 2009

Pakatan Rakyat state assemblymen attending a state assembly meeting under a tree after they were denied entry to the State Secretariat building on Tuesday morning. - 3 March, 2009

Pakatan Rakyat state assemblymen passing a motion during the emergency sitting held at a vacant lot on Tuesday morning. - 3 March, 2009

State Assembly Speaker V. Sivakumar (wearing songkok and robe) holding an emergency sitting attended by all Pakatan Rakyat state assemblymen after they were denied entry to the State Secretariat building on Tuesday. - 3 March, 2009

Perak Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen attended an emergency sitting at a vacant lot under a tree on Tuesday morning. - 3 March, 2009

It's about now, not later — The Malaysian Insider

MARCH 10 — Its the now that matters.

Although the mini Budget surprised everyone with its size and duration, it fell short of major structural changes to the Malaysian economy.

Sure, there was some vague references to tweaking the Foreign Investment Committee (FIC) rules, but the focus was on the short term. There was no big overhaul of policies that hamper investments or spur entrepreneurs in the long run, that restructure the economy for a trading world vastly different from the past.

Gleaning through the mini-Budget, incoming prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak’s main thrust was to save jobs, create jobs and ensure the government will continue its heavy subsidy policies and even price controls.

Amongst others, the Finance Minister proposed RM674 million in subsidies to avert price rises in necessities such as sugar, bread and wheat flour.

“Without these subsidies, the price of sugar will increase RM0.47 per kilogramme, wheat flour RM0.60 per kilogramme and a 400-gramme loaf of bread by RM0.26,” Najib said.

He also pointedly proposed to provide RM480 million to ensure toll rates remain as they are, following a flap late last month over mandatory increases in toll charges at several highways.

All in all, the government will allocate RM27.9 billion for subsidies in 2009, which is just under half of the entire stimulus package. In 2008, the allocation for subsidies was RM34.1 billion or 22 per cent of the operating expenditure.

The thing is, although the subsidies and price controls distort the economy, the government cannot afford to remove the social safety nets now. Especially when the focus is on keeping jobs and the confidence levels up at a time when everything is going south.

Nothing saps confidence like the loss of jobs and the government is going all out, like in 1982 during the Operasi Isi Penuh when the recession prompted then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to fill the civil service.

Najib is not doing anything different weeks before taking over.

While the civil service is bloated at 1.2 million people, he has proposed to recruit 63,000 more to fill vacancies and serve as contract officers, including 4,500 as census enumerators for the national census due next year.

Despite the efforts, Najib readily admitted that the unemployment rate for 2009 will rise to 4.5 percent compared with 3.7 percent last year.

But Najib and the Barisan Nasional are counting on the mini-Budget to fix the symptoms first rather than cure the ills that ail the national economy. Fixing the economy that hits a bump every decade takes more than a patch-up job.

Najib must know that. Now.

RM60b to save jobs, even his own - The Malaysian Insider

MARCH 10 - Let's face it. The RM60 billion stimulus package for now until 2010 won't save us from the looming recession.

We are still staring at, and at a stretch, a possible one per cent GDP growth from the rather optimistic 3.5 per cent forecast earlier.

Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak also had to admit that GDP growth could shrink to -1 per cent.

Go through every line of the 84-paragraph speech and you will note that it's about saving jobs. Our jobs, your jobs, even his job as the Prime Minister and Finance Minister.

Job loss leads to confidence loss.

Najib disclosed in his speech that since October 2008, 25,000 workers have been retrenched while another 30,900 were temporarily laid-off and 23,900 took pay cuts.

Some 100,000 others have also not been given overtime during the period, leading to income loss.

Factories in Penang have shuttered down, some ostensibly for repairs and renovations. Others have just brought forward their plans to close plants at a time when their products are not moving off the shelves at all.

So, Najib's mini-Budget is going to create 163,000 training and employment opportunities, of which 100,000 are training and job placements.

Of the RM60 billion, he is allocating RM700 million for this purpose.

He has also proposed to recruit 63,000 people to fill vacancies or serve as contract officers with the 1.2 million-strong civil service. Of the figure, 4,500 will be census enumerators, something already factored in every decade or so.

Of course, all these measures to save and create jobs will not stop the jobless rate rising to 4.5 per cent in 2009 from 3.7 per cent in 2008.

But the pledge to protect jobs will go down well with the people after the mauling Barisan Nasional received in Election 2008.

Najib confidently believes that the ruling coalition's experience in past recessions in 1982 and 1998 will ensure it can continue to manage the economy this time.

It is something which even Pakatan Rakyat have taken to heart with Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng spending the past few months seeking federal funds for infrastructure projects and to keep the retrenched in training to tide the bad times.

Otherwise, both know that they will join the jobless in the next general elections.

So, apart from jobs, the mini-Budget really does not address the structural ailments of the national economy.

It does not redress or overhaul the inequities of the system or move us away from a heavily-subsidised economy.

It is RM60 billion - a mix of some real money and just guarantees - to throw for the next two years to keep jobs and confidence for those in the danger of losing one or both, particularly the politicians.

In short, Malaysia blew the chance of doing something better for the future with the money.

It decided to stick a finger in a collapsing dike instead of building a brand new dam.

THE DAMNED UNITED

ASTAGHFIRULLAH...Apa la nak jadi dengan negara aku nie..minggu nie sahaja penuh dengan caci maki hamun...

Haji Hadi, Des hormati Tuan Guru yang penuh dengan ilmu agama di dada serta warak dalam beribadat mahupun bekerja. Sekali semua orang dia maki dengan celaka. Habih tempias celaka Haji Hadi kena pada semua guru yang sedang mengajar di sekolah-sekolah. Kasihan, niat di hati nak mengajar anak-anak didik bagi pandai, tapi kena sembur dengan celaka dan pengkhianat bangsa pulak. Apa boleh buat, mereka ada kuasa, yang di bawah ni cuma menurut perintah. Yang menyokong diam-diam pun tak terlepas, semuanya celaka, macam pakai Ridsect sembur nyamuk daaaa...nyamuk tersembunyi pun tak terlepas lari.

Presiden PAS, Dato' Seri Tuan Guru Haji Hadi Awang mengelarkan mereka yang masih mahu meneruskan Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains dan Matematik dalam Bahasa Inggeris (PPSMI) sebagai golongan celaka. -Harakahdaily

Syaitan Karpal juga tak lepas untuk mengikut jejak langkah Haji Hadi. Tapi beliau lebih menjurus dengan menghina kepada Pemuda UMNO. Tak pasal-pasal jadi kacau bilau di Parlimen. Orang dah pesan, jangan hina Melayu lebih-lebih tanpa ada bukti, orang Melayu nie dia bukannya boleh kena jentik sikit pasal benda-benda macam ni.

Pemuda Umno celaka. Don't disturb me - Here

Tapi tidak semua Melayu begitu, ada juga Melayu yang benar-benar celaka menyanjungi Karpal Singh. BELA jangan tak BELA! Ampu jangan tak ampu, nanti tanggung la kerusi roda si cacat tuh naik ke rumah!

Jangan la bagi orang Melayu mengamuk, bukannya apa, MENGAMUK is the Melayu's middle name. You don't believe me? Tengok kamus la, perkataan amok tak dapat diterjemahkan oleh Mat Saleh sebab itu bukan dalam kehidupan mereka, amok hanya berlaku pada masyarakat Melayu. Nak rasa lagi ka?

Apa la nak jadi...wallahuallam..

pilihan-anda.blogspot.com

The politics of language

MARCH 9 — It may have been overshadowed by a farcical constitutional crisis and a prehistorically sexist fixation on the bedroom time of a politician, but the groundswell of popular dissent over the use of English in schools — which drew thousands of protestors out onto the streets of KL and prompted the long-delayed reappearance of the PDRM tear gas canister — is one of the most serious conundrums facing the interminably conundrum-infested issue of Malaysian identity.

If Umno’s higher-ups know anything about political strategy — and they do, despite having grown lazy and arrogant over the years thanks to a shortage of potent external challenges — they will be exceedingly worried about this, since it further reduces the credibility of their traditional base message of Malay-above-all.

When it comes to politics, nothing beats a tried-and-tested trick, which is why despite exiting the empire we Malaysians have continued to organise ourselves along the ethno-linguistic lines that the British utilised — for one, it makes us easier to govern. While it is obvious how our loose consociation benefits the ruling elites, they are not the only ones to have gained; the force of our mistrust for one another — which, despite what your parents or grandparents may have told you, has always influenced the course of our young nation — causes us to see good sense in these communitarian divisions. At least at face value, they give us the solace of secure democratic representation for our race and, perhaps more importantly, prevent each of our cultural temples from being defaced or even demolished by the presence of hordes of conniving/lazy/avaricious/dirty/stupid/miserly Others.

Languages have always been the cornerstones of these temples. The fear that our children may lose the lingo of our ancestors — and the attendant fear that such a loss will be caused by their adoption of inferior alien tongues — has led to conflicts about the sanctity of vernacular schools and, most recently, this uproar due to Bahasa Malaysia being usurped by English in maths and science classes.

This unwise and short-sighted policy was met with no more than sporadic grumbling when it was first introduced five years ago, but disgruntlement has apparently festered in the background and now, in the midst of the eventful politics of the past year, conditions have arisen which are conducive to the transition from discontent to mass action.

There are good arguments in support of the protests — there is no reason to assume that the teaching of Science and Maths in English will do much to increase standards of English in the country, and neither is it likely to increase the competitiveness of Malaysian students in a global context — both of these goals are far more likely to be achieved by an efficient, comprehensive and ruthless overhaul to improve standards of teaching, curriculum and infrastructure across all subjects and schools.

One does not have to look far to find countries that do not have English as a medium of instruction in schools and yet are fertile beds of research and development and remain supremely competitive in the global economy. Furthermore, Bahasa Malaysia is a precious national commodity that deserves to endure as a full-fledged language, equipped with the mechanisms for lexical expansion that can only be provided by constant and widespread usage. Cut BM out of the teaching of maths and science in schools, and you will slowly but inexorably cut it out of those fields for good.

At this point some readers will be scoffing at the description of BM as a precious national commodity. Sadly, for many Malaysians — of all races, although this attitude is less common among Malays — Bahasa Malaysia is an insignificant language, lacking the depth of a properly serious tongue. More than anything else, this attitude stems from a need to justify racist stereotypes by stretching them to cover every aspect of a culture, so that they appear systemic and coherent and thus true. For many it is beyond question that English is richer in tradition, more aesthetic, more sophisticated and ultimately more important than Bahasa Malaysia.

It is true that BM has a remarkably simple grammatical structure; the American radio host and polyglot Barry Farber once described it as the easiest language for a foreign speaker to pick up. However while some take this as a sign of its backwardness, it is in fact a source of great elegance. No other language exposes so damningly the superfluity of the complex tense structures that underlie English — the human mind can work out temporal context so effectively that such tense systems are scarcely more than decorative.

This does not at all mean that BM lacks decorative value. Its vocabulary is rich and unbelievably intricate and precise in its expressions (just try to locate the English equivalents for geram and dengki and you’ll see what I mean), and the quirks of its agglutinative apparatus allow one to shape any given verb or noun to express a wide variety of nuances — try using English to say terbeli or berkasut with similar brevity. This is not just elegant, but lends a barycentric quality to the main vocabulary of nouns and verbs that is nowhere near as prominent in English. Not that we should disregard English — it remains an evocative and useful part of our nation’s heritage, which we would be foolish to reject. But proficiency in English need not come at the cost of restricting the role BM plays in our public lives.

Unfortunately, the politicians and bureaucrats who have claimed over the years to be Bahasa Malaysia’s protectors and champions have done more than anyone else to sully its image in the minds of Malaysians. They have constructed a curiously schizophrenic national language ideology that forces BM upon non-Malays while at the same time preventing them from ever claiming full ownership of it. Non-Malays are told that to be Malaysian is to speak BM, and yet the language is depicted as the sacred property of the Malays.

While it is entirely desirable that the nation requires a competency in BM, there is no good reason to demand that it be referred to as Bahasa Melayu instead of Bahasa Malaysia, or to deny its roots and its tradition of mongrelry. BM shares its genes with Tagalog, Tongan and Chamorro, while its oldest influence is likely to have been Sanskrit. Over the centuries it has proved a consummate and shameless appropriator, pinching terms from Portuguese, Tamil, Dutch, Arabic, Hokkien, Persian and English — a practice that continues to this day. Yet students of BM in Malaysian schools are never taught any of this, and for all they know the language emerged fully formed out of some ark of Malay culture to which UMNO alone holds the key.

A radical reinvention of our national language policy has long been overdue, to finally put an end to these enduring colonial tensions. While precedents are few in number, Switzerland presents us with a very instructive model. Born out of a diversity of cantons flung together by a shared desire not to be conquered, Switzerland was a nation built out of nothing, formed in 1848 around a constitution that was intended, for pragmatic reasons, to give equal footing to German, French and Italian, the three main languages (later four, with the inclusion of the local indigenous language of Romanche).

There are many differences between Switzerland’s situation and our own; a crucial one is that they are the product of alliance rather than colonialism, and are only now coming to deal with the tensions that arise from incorporating immigrant communities within their national identity. However, their project to form a Willensnation, or ‘nation created by its own will’, is something that Malaysia can turn to for inspiration. Thanks to an insistence on pervasive multilingualism within the Swiss schooling system, as well as a firm adherence to the belief that their nation is founded in consensus, Switzerland now possesses a concrete national identity based around fairness, neutrality and humanitarian ideals (not to mention the concealment of dodgy monies from all over the world).

The creation of a Malaysian Willensnation requires that we all take on responsibilities towards the cultures and languages of this land. All that is required is a shared act of will.

Who will keep BM alive and vital if not us? Who else will use it to teach science and maths, history and philosophy, law and botany? The nation will be well served by the gradual introduction of a single, unified, multi-lingual education system modelled on the Swiss arrangement, which uses BM as the main language of instruction, while also offering proper instruction in — at the very least — Mandarin, Tamil and English.

Non-Malays who believe that the languages of their ancestors will languish because of this are simply suffering from paranoia, while those who believe that the academic standards of their community will drop if they cannot be taught in their own language are simply being parochial and racist. Equally, though, Malays need to accept — as the English have done — that while they can rightfully take pride in the language of their ancestors, they are no longer its sole proprietors. History has handed us all an equal share.

LEGAL DRAMA...

HANG TUDUH AKU, AKU TUDUH HANG!

PERAK DAH MACAM TIDAK PUNYA SULTAN LAGI....
APA DAH JADI NI?

http://pilihan-anda.blogspot.com

High hopes on Suhakam which has little power

ANALYSIS
By AZMI SHAROM

Malaysians have this thing where they hope some mighty champion will sweep down from the mountains and solve their problems for them.

LAST weekend I was at a public forum organised by ERA Consumer. It was held in Johor Baru. I have not been to JB for many years and I found that it has the largest concentration of modified Protons I have ever seen.

That’s not the point of this article though. The forum was held to get feedback from the public regarding ERA Consumer’s report on Suhakam’s 2006 Annual Report.

What I noticed from the comments of the audience was a very strong desire for Suhakam to “do more” in the field of human rights.

Underlying the comments is a sense that Suhakam is a body that the citizens of this country can look to for assistance, and if Suhakam can’t get the attention of the government, then what hope is there for ordinary folks like you and me?

This is an understandable sentiment, but perhaps a little unrealistic. Suhakam does not have any real powers. It is not a body that can start prosecutions, for example. Its role is largely advisory and also educational.

For Suhakam to be able to “do more” would thus require an amendment to the Act which created it. Any dramatic changes are unlikely.

And even today the Suhakam annual report is not given any debate time in Parliament. Be that as it may, perhaps some simple changes could be pushed for.

For example, the appointment of Commissioners could be narrowed down from any old “eminent persons” that the Act specifies, to “eminent persons with a record of human rights work”.

As it stands, the Commission is large and filled with people who are not necessarily experts on human rights.

However, even without a change in the law, Suhakam can make itself more relevant by being more proactive in its endeavours. Education is well and good, but really it should push its power to conduct inquiries.

The Bandar Mahkota Cheras inquiry into the alleged police brutality inflicted on a young man was emphatic in its condemnation of the police and clearly stated that a wrong was committed.

So far (according to its website) Suhakam has only conducted three public inquiries. By focusing on these inquiries, Suhakam would be working on real cases of immediate concern to the citizens. And furthermore, it can start an inquiry on its own volition if it so chooses.

It is of course wonderful if Suhakam were to have real powers and play the hero for us, but another thing I noticed at the public forum in Modified Proton Land, is what I call the “Hang Tuah Complex” raising its little head again.

I have noticed that Malaysians have this thing where they are constantly hoping for some mighty champion to sweep down from the mountains and solve their problems for them. The way I see it, Suhakam is merely one cog in the wheel of human rights activism.

Sure they are pretty powerless but there is nothing to stop civil society from using its findings. Raise the findings, publicise them and demand they be acted upon.

After all, Suhakam is not some loony NGO. It is a legally constituted body created by the Government. Surely what it says must have some kernel of truth.

If the Government does not want to take what Suhakam says seriously, then we have every right to ask why not.

Dr Azmi Sharom is a law teacher. The views expressed here are entirely his own.

Perak Speaker sues EC

Sivakumarfilling his suit at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today. - Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, Mar 10 — Perak Assembly Speaker V Sivakumar is suing the Election Commission (EC) for refusing its duty to hold by-elections in three state seats despite being informed they are vacant.

The embattled speaker personally filed the suit at the High Court here this afternoon.

Sivakumar wants the court to order the EC to cancel its earlier decision and to immediately hold by-elections in Behrang, Changkat Jering and Jelapang.

He is also suing the three elected representatives for the seats, Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (PKR-Behrang), Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu (PKR-Changkat Jering) and Hee Yit Foong (DAP-Jelapang), whom he maintains are no longer the lawful assemblypersons.

He wants the high court to bar the three state lawmakers from acting out the official duties, function and tasks required of a member of the state assembly; to order them to prove they are still lawful assemblypersons; and a declaration their state seats are vacant.

Speaking to reporters in the courthouse lobby after filing his suit, Sivakumar said he had received and accepted the three state lawmakers’ resignation letters early last month.

He added he had written to inform the EC of the vacancies, which would normally pave the way for fresh elections, which must be held within 60 days of the seat being unoccupied.

“But I got a letter from the EC saying my decision is being doubted,” said the speaker.

“This clearly shows there is an overlap of power,” he added, explaining it breached the doctrine of separation of powers among the three arms of government.

Sivakumar said he was “disappointed” with the EC’s decision.

Sivakumar, who is facing several lawsuits of his own at the Ipoh High Court, told The Malaysian Insider the reason he filed the suit at the high court here and withdrew the earlier one in Ipoh is because “we want to find justice here”.

Asked if he saw the high court here as more independent, he smiled and said: “I hope it can be.”

Sivakumar arrived at the Jalan Duta court complex about 3.20pm and was immediately escorted by Perak DAP chief Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham and party state secretary Nga Kor Ming to the mezzanine level to file his suit for a judicial review at the Appellate and Special Powers division of the High Court.

Puteri dark horse banks on change

ANALYSIS
By JOCELINE TAN

A virtual unknown is leading in the battle for the leadership of Puteri Umno leaving her more seasoned and glamorous rivals trailing.

THE contest for the leadership of Puteri Umno has more than its share of young and quite glamorous figures but a virtual unknown, whom few had paid much attention to, has pulled ahead in the race.

Ida Rahayu Md Noor, one of six contestants for the post, has become the classic dark horse of the contest, galloping ahead of her much more seasoned rivals.

The Selangor-based businesswoman may just stun everyone by winning the top post.

The pint-sized and plain-looking lady does not seem to believe in wearing make-up but she runs Eurofine (M) Sdn Bhd, a film distributing company.

Her competitive position in the race was unexpected because she had not been active in Puteri, at least not in the way that her rivals had been.

“When she was nominated for the post by her PJ Utara division, I had to ask my friends who she was,” said a Puteri official from Kuala Lumpur.

However, she is said to be close to outgoing Puteri chief Datuk Noraini Ahmad, who had sat on the Eurofine board.

Noraini resigned from the board when she was appointed a deputy minister after the general election.

Ida Rahayu had also been awarded an entrepeneurship award during a Puteri assembly two years ago.

The other contestants are the wing’s incumbent deputy chief Datuk Rosnah Shirlin Abdul Rashid, information chief Datuk Shahaniza Shamsuddin, treasurer Bibi Sharliza Mohd Khalid, exco member Datin Ismalina Ismail and Seputeh member Saarah Ali Bashah.

Unlike Ida Rahayu, most of the other contestants have the track record and were founding leaders of the movement.

But the simplest ideas are sometimes the most effective, and Ida Rahayu’s campaign seems hinged on that.

For instance, everyone in Umno knows that Puteri’s performance in the last four years has been so disappointing that some leaders no longer take it seriously.

Ida Rahayu has exploited the sentiment and campaigned on the line that she is not like the pioneer group of Puteri leaders and that she will be doing things differently.

She went from state to state, with a Powerpoint presentation explaining her plans for the wing if she wins.

In Kota Kinabalu last Sunday, at the function for Umno election candidates to meet delegates from Sabah, there was thunderous applause when she was introduced to the crowd, leading some of those present to claim she had brought her supporters to the event.

Others dismissed it as the “politics of applause”.

Such is the threat that she now poses to her rivals.

Rosnah, who is also Papar MP in Sabah, had been the favourite at the start of the contest, thanks largely to the perception that as the incumbent No 2, she should naturally move up to No 1.

But she has since faced stiff competition from Shahaniza, a lawyer and assemblyman from Pahang, who has carried herself very well over the years.

Not far behind is Ismalina, an articulate graduate of the International Islamic University.

Ismalina is said to be doing well but her problem is that her husband Datuk Reezal Merican, a political secretary to the Prime Minister, is contesting the No 2 post in Umno Youth and some have reservations about having too many family members at the top.

Bibi, who comes from a well-known family in Negri Sembilan, is finding it tough although she is an assemblyman and is familiar with the Puteri ground.

But Saarah, a wealthy businesswoman, is trailing badly in her second attempt at the post.

Her first attempt failed because she could not even secure the two nominations needed to contest.

Apparently, Ida Rahayu is said to be in such a commanding lead that supporters of the other contestants are urging them to strike a compromise so that only one of them will remain to take her on.

But few see a compromise among the four ambitious women.

The campaign is too advanced.

A lot of time and money has been invested and besides, there is the tantalising prize dangling at the finishing line – the victor will get a cushy government post.

Puteri’s pioneer chief Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said was made a minister while Datuk Noraini Othman was appointed deputy minister.

The final lap has started and all the contestants hope their name will be on the prize.

Agama Hindu ciptaan Yahudi - Tulisan tukang karut

Nak tengok tukang karut dalam Islam menulis sejarah Yahudi dan Hindu bolehlah baca artikel di bahawa. Andaian terlalu mudah 1) Yahudi - Samiri menyembah 'jla, anak lembu 2) Hindu sembah lembu Kesimpulan mudah Yahudi ajar orang Hindu sembah lembu. Sedangkan penulis ini sendiri tidak jelas tentang Baqarah dan 'Ijla, tidak ada kaitan dengan lembu, bahkan kaum Yahudi yang sembah lembu itu telah bertaubat dengan membunuh diri2 mereka, berasaskan nas Al-Quran yang menjelaskan isu ini. Kepada pengarang usahlah dok mengarang cerita merapu, tulislah benda yang berfaedah kepada umat, ini dok tak habis2 dengan Teori Konspirasi Sesuatu yang pasti dan Pasti dilalui adalah Kematian. Setiap patah perkataan yang kita tulis Ada yang menghisabnya. Ahmus

Abdullah: New stimulus package will save nation from recession

KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 — The RM60 billion second stimulus package tabled in the Dewan Rakyat today will generate economic activities and insulate the economy from slipping into recession, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today.
The Prime Minister said the package or mini-budget covering all sectors was a balanced package that would provide the much-needed boost to the national economy.

“The measures taken, if implemented effectively and efficiently, will help the economy recover. The measures taken will help strengthen the economy.
“InsyaAllah (God Willing), the pre-emptive measures will not lead us into recession,” he told reporters after his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak tabled the second stimulus package in the Dewan Rakyat.
Abdullah said that for a big budget involving RM60 billion, certainly it would require serious, thorough and effective planning involving all segments of the government machinery and the private sector.
“Cooperation between the two sectors is very crucial as the successful implementation of the projects and programmes will yield immense benefits to the people,” he said.
Abdullah said an effective implementation that really benefited the people was the end-result that would help the economy recover and accelerate the pace of development.
“God Willing, our nation is resilient enough to withstand the pressures and challenges that may surface following the worsening economic crisis,” he said.
Abdullah said his deputy had stressed the importance to understand the gist of the stimulus package to ensure a bright future for the nation and to ease difficulties for the people.
He said the people’s support in ensuring success of the stimulus package was crucial besides efficient implementors in the public and private sectors.
“If we are united and cooperated with one another and did not think anything else besides focusing our mind and objective to implement the stimulus package successfully.
The Prime Minister said the RM60 billion second stimulus package would be sourced from internal financial sources to be implemented this year and next year.
On Nov 4 last year, Najib unveiled a RM7 billion stimulus package to reinforce the economy from external pressures from global economic crisis.
The government envisages the Growth Domestic Product to be at 3.5 percent.
The RM60 billion, close to nine percent of the GDP, will increase the federal government’s deficit to 7.6 per cent from 4.8 per cent.
Implementation of a stimulus package of this financial size is the first in the country’s economic history. — Bernama

PERLEMBAGAAN OH PERLEMBAGAAN!

Terus terang cakap...Des bukan seorang peguam, apatah lagi hakim yang bijak memahami bahasa-bahasa undang yang tertulis di dalam buku-buku perundangan. Bahasa yang diolah oleh mereka yang bijak pandai, memang hanya bertujuan untuk mereka-mereka sahaja. Golongan bawahan ni hanya mendengar dan cuba akur dengan segala keputusan yang diputuskan.

Tetapi, apabila terbitnya pergolakan politik di Perak, semua masyarakat seolah-olah dipaksa mempelajari semua gaya bahasa tersebut. Maka dengan itu, muncullah dengan pelbagai andaian dan spekulasi, serta penterjemahan mengikut selera sendiri.

Di sini, Des cuba mencari jawapan yang sebenar bagi memahami pertikaian makhluk-makhluk yang bergelar pemimpin di atas sana yang sibuk dengan pergolakan mencapai sesuatu yang dikatakan KUASA.

Siapa yang betul dan siapa yang salah, masyarakat di bawah masih lagi tertanya-tanya. Nizar sekarang sibuk dengan tournya mencanang-canangkan bahawa beliau masih lagi Menteri Besar yang sebenar, walaupun telah menyerahkan kunci kediaman rasmi Menteri Besar tanpa kunci kereta! Alasan beliau masih lagi Menteri Besar yang sah adalah berlandaskan beberapa ayat yang tertulis di dalam Undang-undang tubuh Negeri Perak.

If the Menteri Besar ceases to command the confidence of the majority of the Legislative Assembly, then, unless at his request His Royal Highness dissolves the Legislative Assembly, he shall tender the resignation of the Executive Council

Entah apa maksudnya ayat ini hinggakan ianya dijaja oleh Nizar ke merata-rata tempat beliau berceramah. Terjemahan ayat ataupun artikel di atas nampak gayanya hanya di tafsir mengikut keperluan beliau. Mengapa hanya ayat ni sahaja yang di war-warkan. Bukankah banyak lagi artikel berkenaan dengan Sultan perlu diperjelaskan. Apa yang Des ingin bertanyakan di sini adalah...

APAKAH KESALAHAN DAN KESILAPAN SULTAN PERAK YANG MEMPUNYAI KUASA DALAM BEBERAPA ASPEK PERUNDANGAN NEGERI YANG TELAH DILAKUKAN SEHINGGAKAN POLITIK NEGERI PERAK MENJADI HURU HARA?

Pada yang arif lagi bijaksana, tolonglah rungkaikan persoalan merah di atas, memang Des kurang arif, tetapi sedikit terkilan apabila suasana menjadi begitu kelam kabut dengan suasana Dewan Undangan Negerinya, Keputusan Sultan yang tidak diendahkan, dan bermacam-macam suasana lagi.

Wallahualam...

pilihan-anda.blogspot.com

RM60 billion stimulus for next two years

By Shannon Teoh and Lee Wei Lian

KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 - Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced today a RM60 billion stimulus package but the government still projected a contraction of the economy and all but confirmed the country was in recession.

The whopping sum will be spent over two years as the country faces up to the reality of falling exports and drastically lower revenue.

The package, announced in Parliament today, includes RM3 billion in tax incentives, and will see RM10 billion of equity investments and RM15 billion in fiscal injections, as well as RM25 billion in guaranteed funds.

A total of RM29 billion has been allocated for private sector assistance, while RM5 billion has been set aside for a working capital guarantee scheme to provide capital to companies with an equity of under RM20 million.

A financial guarantee institution will also be established.

"This RM60 billion accounts for almost 9 per cent of the GDP. The implementation of such a large stimulus package is unprecedented in the nation's economic history," he told Parliament.

Of the RM15 billion fiscal injection, Najib said RM10 billion is allocated for 2009 and RM5 billion for 2010.

The RM10 billion for 2009 consists of RM5 billion for operating expenditure and RM5 billion for development expenditure. The higher expenditure will increase the Federal Government budget deficit from 4.8 per cent to 7.6 per cent this year.

"The Government is confident that the deficit can be financed from domestic sources, given the ample liquidity in the domestic financial system. In addition, the Federal Government debt ratio is still at a prudent level," said Najib.

He said the financing of the deficit will not crowd out the private sector in sourcing funds, particularly from the bond market, which has expanded rapidly and is currently the second largest in the East Asia region.

Najib, who is set to become prime minister on March 31, said the government's growth forecast for 2009 was projected to be between a contraction of 1 percent and a 1 per cent expansion, down from a forecast of 3.5 per cent.

Malaysia is a heavily export dependent country and job losses have been increasing as more and more multinationals have started closing plants because of lower global demand for products.

Najib will be hoping that the new stimulus package will offer him some political room to operate as he prepares to take over as prime minister and Umno president at a time when Barisan Nasional (BN) faces three crucial by-elections.

In his speech, Najib said the unemployment rate for 2009 will be 4.5 per cent compared with 3.7 per cent in 2008.

Since October 2008, a total of 25,000 workers have been retrenched, while 30,900 have been temporarily laid-off and 23,900 had to take pay cuts.

In addition, about 100,000 workers have not been given overtime work, resulting in significant reduction in income.

The government will introduce a number of retraining schemes, set up jobs centres and will recruit up to 63,000 permanent and contract civil servants.

Najib said the government will establish a Working Capital Guarantee Scheme totalling RM5 billion to provide working capital to companies with shareholder equity below RM20 million.

The Government will provide guarantee in the ratio of 80:20 that is 80 per cent will be guaranteed by the Government and 20 per cent by financial institutions.

"I often receive complaints from companies regarding their difficulties in obtaining loans from financial institutions, even for viable projects. With this fund in place, the government is confident that financial institutions will provide more loans to companies.

"It is important that, in the current economic downturn, financial institutions do not restrict credit flows to companies or impose tighter conditions."

A Financial Guarantee Institution will also be set up to provide credit enhancement to companies that intend to raise funds from the bond market.

The government-owned company will have an initial paid-up capital of RM1 billion, which will subsequently be raised to RM2 billion. It is expected that bonds totalling RM15 billion will be raised under this facility.

"The government is confident that the strategies and measures outlined in this stimulus package are comprehensive to prevent our economy from slipping into deep recession.

"We cannot depend on orthodox economic recovery policies. We must be bold in formulating innovative approaches to deal with the crisis."

(Full text of Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak's mini-Budget speech )

PERSIDANGAN NEGERI PASIR DUA BUTIR...

Dalam sidang tergempar yang diadakan di bawah pokok di kawasan letak kereta berhampiran bangunan sekretariat kerajaan negeri di Ipoh, wakil rakyat Pakatan meluluskan usul menyokong Datuk Seri Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin sebagai menteri besar serta meluluskan Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Perak.

Sementara itu di Pesuruhjaya Kehakiman di Mahkamah Tinggi Ipoh, Ridwan Ibrahim memberitahu peguam Speaker V Sivakumar bahawa mereka tidak boleh mewakili speaker, yang sepatutnya diwakili oleh penasihat undang-undang negeri.

Baca rentetan peristiwa di S.I.N.I

DES: KEMARUK KUASA TAHAP KETERLALUAN DAH NI...TERUK-TERUK!

pilihan-anda.blogspot.com

One down, two to go — Selangor and Kedah next

By Khalid Samad

FEB 19 — The above summarises the psy-war which the BN through its various channels is trying to put forward to the public. However, as can be confirmed through a cursory glance in the media, the Perak issue is far from settled. What may have originally been considered a simple issue by the BN has developed into something far more complicated than what it bargained for.

The statement by the “pretender MB of Perak” that he will refer the issue of being called up by the Special Privileges Committee to his lawyer is a sign that what is currently happening was not expected by the BN. It seemingly forgot that the position of the speaker and all the committees formed during the earlier sessions are still technically intact. They can only be disbanded and reappointed, if that is what the BN wishes to do, through a sitting of the state assembly.

It is quite clear that should the “pretender MB” and his exco refuse to attend, the speaker through the Special Privileges Committee can take disciplinary action against them. This may include being suspended from the assembly. Should this happen, BN will find itself in the minority and a “vote of confidence” for Datuk Seri Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin be passed in the assembly. Should they decide to attend, they will find themselves at the mercy of the SP Committee and again be suspended from the assembly due to their accepting their appointments without first referring the process of change to the assembly in the first place. This would appear to be a classic case of "damned if I do and damned if I don't".

As we now know, the SP Committee has suspended the “pretender MB” for 18 months and his six excos for 12 months each from the state assembly. The decision was made in their absence. It will be interesting to see how they get out of this sticky situation. My guess would be, again, by a total disregard of any law, written or otherwise, by invoking the name of Sultan of Perak and by chanting the age-old Umno mantra of “Hidup Melayu!”

The proper way out of this mess, as has always been stressed by the PR, is for new state elections be held. As we are aware, even if the force their way out of this mess which they created for themselves, the stability of the state government hinges on the three independent state assemblymen whose eligibility to attend the assembly is itself in question. Based on their previous behaviour, they are far from dependable.

Similarly, in both Selangor and Kedah, for all the hype, the facts on the ground are that the BN has made little if any headway. If the strength of a political party is measured by the support it has from the public, it may even be surmised that the BN is continuing to lose ground in all three states. The current developments pertaining to Elizabeth Wong in Selangor has only galvanised support for her and the PR. There is even talk of ensuring that the BN candidate, whoever he or she will be should there be a by-election in Bukit Lanjan constituency, will lose his/her deposit! Such is the anger and frustration over the BN tactics and no amount of denial will convince the public that the BN was not in any way involved in the smear campaign. Such is the reputation of the BN.

For the two upcoming by-elections, the PR machinery is already moving. Umno however is bogged down with its upcoming party elections. There will be little time for them to do anything after that, given that the by-elections will be held a day after their general assembly. We hope to see a battle-weary, torn and tattered BN machinery emerging from the general assembly, weary from the backstabbing, money-grubbing campaigning which has emerged as their trade mark over the years.

Without wanting to sound over-confident, as I never believe in under-estimating my opponent, I feel that the Malay proverb "sepandai-pandai tupai melompat, akhirnya jatuh ke tanah juga" is very apt in this situation. All that the BN has managed to do is convince the public that it has not yet learnt its lesson and is therefore in dire need of another trouncing. In this matter, I believe we Malaysians will be very happy to oblige.

Khalid Samad is MP for Shah Alam. He is also head of the Shah Alam Pas division and also a member of the Pas political bureau which is the most powerful bureau in the party. His website is www.khalidsamad.com

Stimulus needed now, not tomorrow or next year

MARCH 9 – Have you ever engaged in animated conversion with friends, debating intently on a point, only to find out later how off tangent the discussion had become?

How about a time when asked what was the original point of contention, all involved in the little discussion somehow had trouble answering the question?

Well, something like that has happened to the discussions surrounding the stimulus package for Malaysia.

I think I have seen a fair share of suggestions and criticism related to the composition of an economic stimulus. The perception I have is that a majority of them involves the typical tools of macroeconomics: fiscal and monetary policies.

Between the two, the debate on fiscal policy is probably the one that takes centre stage, as proponents of government spending and tax cuts rattle sabres, only to come to a uneasy compromise of having a little bit of both.

While the two giants wage an intellectual war against each other, a notable minority refuse to participate in the age-old debate. Instead, they are convinced that in order to stimulate a faltering economy, we must go beyond fiscal and monetary policies.

Almost always, in place of those policies, they propose long-term measures, which perhaps nobody can argue against.

It is impossible to say no to them because, more often than not, they touch on the need to improve economic framework of the economy. This includes improvement of rules and regulations in the country.

The enlightened few cite Nobel laureate Douglass North on emphasising the need for strong working institutions, which sadly, Malaysia sorely lacks these days, if events of recent weeks are anything to go by.

Others call for improvement of the real income of Malaysians by pushing industries in the country up the value chain.

To put a cherry on top of the cake of wonderful ideas, CIMB group CEO Nazir Razak suggested that country focus on strategies, and not just fiscal and monetary policies.

These paths beyond fiscal and monetary policies must be taken and that is for sure. The crucial caveat is that they have to be taken, regardless of the prevailing economic situation.

Sure, as the cliché goes, behind every crisis there is an opportunity. It is in times of crisis when it is easiest to stress the importance of these efforts.

We saw how the inefficient fuel subsidy regime in Malaysia – as well as in other countries – was finally reformed, much to the benefit of the long-term health of the economy.

Without the energy crisis, such liberal reform would be unlikely and Malaysia would continue to waste good money on artificially supporting the economy rather than investing in things that matter – like in our education and our security – that really build up the economy.

One, however, does not have to wait for disaster to strike to commit to structural improvements.

To commit and begin those improvements only in times of crisis is to take that cliché too close to heart and miss the entire reason for those structural improvements.

Those structural improvements, be it diversification of export markets, closer integration among Asean members states for a European Union-style entity, revision of the New Economic Policy, strengthening of the judiciary, greater investment in human capital by way of having better curriculum and teachers, etc, are developmental in nature.

That is right. These measures beyond the traditional fiscal and monetary policies are meant to develop the countries in the long run. It takes time, almost definitely far longer than it is required to complete a business cycle.

That, of course, does not mean any of those improvement, if it has not started yet, should be delayed.

The point which I want to stress again is that these structural improvements of the economy should take place regardless of business cycle. Because it is developmental in nature, it takes the noble long term view.

I am reluctant to quote Keynes mostly because I abhor half-baked Keynesianism practiced in far too many places at the moment by newly self-discovered Keynesians, which is worse than Keynesians calling for proper Keynesian counter-cyclical policy. Nevertheless, his words here at this juncture are most appropriate for rhetorical purpose: “Long run is a misleading guide to current affairs. In the long run, we are all dead.”

Malaysian trade fell by about 30% in January on year-on-year basis. How exactly do these long-term proposals deal with immediate fall in external demand?

In the first week of March, Flextronics shared news that nearly 1,400 workers of its workers in Shah Alam, Selangor, had been laid off. How exactly do these long-term proposals deal with the immediate increase in unemployment rate or the immediate reduction of disposal income among Malaysians?

Structural improvements do not address these immediate concerns. If a person’s goal is to address immediate concerns, then he or she will face an obvious temporal problem.

That very reason is why most structural improvement of the economy – while it may help in no little way in future crises – does little to address the current crisis.

The idea of a stimulus is to address these immediate concerns. It does not seek to address developmental concerns, which forward looking structural reforms – regardless of philosophies – are meant to do.

Notwithstanding criticism directed at government spending as a stimulating tool that I personally agree with, it at least seeks to solve immediate problems. So too is tax cuts except that it seeks to do it in a faster manner while manoeuvering away from the weaknesses of government spending.

The effect of monetary policy is probably even faster in this age of light speed communication. One announcement by the Governor and everybody – from single individuals to large institutions – will quickly react to it.

This is why fiscal and monetary policies will remain the thrust of the economic stimulus in Malaysia, or any stimulus anywhere, for that matter.

The pillars of economic stimulus will remain revolve around fiscal and monetary policies, even if the very mention of these terms have become stale and frustrating.

Hence, the fixation with fiscal and monetary policies is not a symptom of short-termism, as some have taken to ridiculing advocates of government spending, tax cuts and monetary policy.

Quite the contrary, the focus on fiscal and monetary policies is about putting one’s feet on the ground and settings eyes on the targets at hand.

Hafiz Noor Shams is daydreaming at maddruid.com

Elizabeth Wong Wakil PKR:Skandal Foto Pula!

Calon-calon PKR nampaknya bermasalah.Dimulakan dengan Osman Jailu(Changkat Jering) dan Jamaluddin Radzi (Behrang) yang ditahan kerana rasuah seks.

Kemudian,diikuti dengan V Arumugam yang menghadapi masalah perkahwinan.Menurut banyak cerita, Arumugam tersangkut kerana berkahwin dua yang melanggar undang-undang perkahwinan bukan Islam.Kes ini dimainkan penduduk seTaman dengannya yang mengatakan V Arumugam bersekedudukan.

Kali ini,Elizabeth Wong pula yang sangkut.Foto-foto bogelnya disebarkan umum.Katanya oleh bekas teman lelakinya dan gambar itu diambil sewaktu dia sedang tidur.

Walaupun,Elizabeth bukan seorang Muslim yang tentunya undang-undang zina ataupun khalwat tidak terpakai, tetapi PKR sepatutnya menyelidiki peribadi Elizabeth.Tidak salah mempunyai teman lelaki,tetapi mempunyai teman lelaki sehingga boleh mengambil gambar sewaktu tidur boleh menimbulkan suatu tanda-tanya.

Walaupun dari pandangan peribadi Elizabeth tidak salah mempunyai teman lelaki sehingga boleh masuk ke lewat malam sehingga boleh mengakibatkan peristiwa itu berlaku, tetapi ia salah sekurang-kurangnya kepada majoriti umat Islam yang dipimpinnya di Bukit Lanjan.

Tiada bukti yang Elizabeth,ADUN Bukit Lanjan, turut dilenjan bekas teman lelakinya sebelum peristiwa ini berlaku,tetapi perkara ini menimbulkan seribu satu persoalan kepada PAS.

Bolehkah PAS mengharapkan Hudud terlaksana dengan PKR yang wakil-wakilnya mempunyai seribu satu skandal dari pemimpin Agungnya Brother Anwar Bin Ibrahim sehinggalah machai-machainya di bawah?

maharajazhou

Anwar promises proof of BN blackmail

By Lee Wei Lian

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 18 — Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says he will expose how threats and inducements are used against Pakatan Rakyat state assemblymen and members of parliament in his speech in parliament tomorrow.

“I am going to show proof of blackmail in my parliament speech tomorrow,” the federal representative for Permatang Pauh told reporters today.

Pakatan Rakyat leaders have been under ferocious pressure with talk of defections rife ever since three Perak state representatives switched their support from the fledging coalition earlier this month giving BN a lead in the state assembly and causing the ouster of Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaludin.

It is speculated that the proof that Anwar plans to present tomorrow will be related to the resignation of PKR’s Bukit Selambau state assemblyman V Arumugam on February 8. The resignation was allegedly due to pressure exerted by BN on Arumugam to defect.

Arumugam had lodged a police report on various threats he received but claims no police action was taken.

Apart from Kedah, BN is also rumoured to be on the prowl in Selangor where a PKR led Pakatan government holds an eight seat advantage over BN.

Last week, PKR’s Port Klang assemblyman Badrul Hashim Abdullah had to deny allegations that khalwat charges are being used against him in order to force a defection to BN.

Most recently, naked photographs of PKR’s Bukit Lanjan state representative Elizabeth Wong have been leaked to the media and Pakatan Rakyat has been quick to label the photos as BN’s attempt at gutter politics aimed at discrediting the Selangor state government with which Wong was a state executive councillor.

In a possibly related incident, a man named Ramlan Haji Abu Bakar who claims to be president of Gerakan Reformasi Rakyat Malaysia (Reformis) met with reporters in Parliament today and told them that he was issuing PKR vice president Azmin Ali with an ultimatum to meet him within five days or he would expose what he claims would be damaging secrets of the Selangor government.

In response, Azmin told reporters that he had been away performing his umrah in Mecca and then preoccupied with the political crisis in Perak which was the reason why he was not able to get in touch with the president of Reformis.

Azmin also told reporters that he installed a CCTV system in his house two days ago due to security concerns as his house was broken into four times within a year and both brake hoses in his car were recently cut. “When my house was broken into, it was not an ordinary burglary,” he says. “They wanted to put something into the house.”

On a separate topic, Azmin said that PKR would continue to defend embattled state representative Wong, and that all PKR members of parliament and state representatives would be meeting tonight to discuss the issue.

Sidang DUN Sivakumar Macam Kerajaan Pasir Dua Butir Daaa…

Sehingga berita ini ditulis,”Arwah” MB Perak,Nizar Jamaluddin dan Speaker DUN Perak, V Sivakumar masih gagal memasuki Bangunan Dewan Undangan Negeri.Berita ini disahkan oleh Malaysiakini dan juga Tukang Jual Lambang Lelaki Sejati,Harakahdaily.

Ternyata, menurut hemat penulis, pihak pembangkang akan memainkan beberapa isu:

1.Polis tidak demokratik kerana menutup DUN dari dimasuki oleh wakil rakyat

2.Wakil rakyat adalah suara rakyat,maka tindakan polis dan kerajaan negeri menutup mulut rakyat

3.Kerajaan BN yang bertanggungjawab mengarahkan halangan terhadap “Arwah” MB Perak dan Speaker DUN Perak.

Pada pukul 10.15 dikatakan wakil rakyat pembangkang sedang berhimpun di luar pagar untuk mengadakan sidang ter”gempar”. Memang ia menggemparkan kerana ia laksana seperti sidang pemerintahan negeri Pasir Dua Butir,Filem Laksamana Do Re Mi sahaja yang beratapkan daun-daun pokok.

Beginilah gamaknya,V Sivakumar dan rakan-rakan mengadakan Sidang ter”gempaq” DUN Perak di bawah sepohon pokok di sebelah Bangunan Darul Ridzuan umpama kabinet Kerajaan Pasir Dua Butir Laksamana Do Re Mi.Memang lawak zam-zam ala kazam Nizar dan rakan-rakan!

Namun, harus diingat bahawa jikalau ada keputusan dari persidangan ini,ia tidak sah, kerana mengikut tafsiran pembangkang sewaktu menolak perlantikan MB Zambry,ia mesti dilakukan di dalam Dewan Undangan Negeri.Mereka menganggap perlantikan Zambry tidak sah kononnya ia dilakukan di luar DUN, dan apa yang mereka cuba lakukan pada hari ini sebenarnya menempelak tindakan mereka sendiri menolak MB Zambry.

PAS sedang menggambarkan bahawa peristiwa ini berlaku angkara Barisan Nasional.Tetapi persepektif ini tidak tepat.Ia bukan MB Zambry menentang Speaker DUN tetapi di antara Kerajaan Negeri Perak di bawah naungan Sultan Azlan Shah dan pelaksananya,SUK Negeri Perak.

Cubaan untuk menggambarkan perkara ini oleh Harakah Pengiklan Terbesar Minyak Maharaja adalah salah.Sekarang ini, birokrat Perak telah menyingsing lengan untuk bertempur dengan “kerajaan haram” Pakatan Rakyat.

En. Abdullah Antong Sabri, Setiausaha Speaker DUN, dipecat dan digantikan dengan Misbahul Munir Masduki.Tetapi, kita tidak yakin bahawa kerajaan negeri akan membayar gaji kepada Misbahul Munir.

Sivakumar dan Nizar macam Menteri Pasola yang menderhaka.Adakah SUK dan pegawai-pegawai kerajaan negeri Perak akan berjaya seperti Do mengalahkan Menteri Pasola yang durhaka ini?

Seperkara lagi yang harus diingat oleh V Sivakumar dan rakan-rakan.Usul undi percaya terhadap Nizar hanya oleh wakil rakyat DAP,PKR dan PAS.Dan lebih kelakar lagi apabila mereka ini membubarkan DUN Perak.

Masalahnya, adakah SPR akan menerima perintah ini?Adakah Sultan akan berkenan dengan pembubaran DUN ala-ala negeri Pasir Dua Butir ini?Peruntukan manakah yang akan digunakan untuk mengadakan pilihanraya semula?Dari kocek Nizar?Lelong Camry?

Siapa yang akan mengundi?Adakah rakyat Perak akan turun mengundi?Kalau SPR tak setuju, adakah Nizar boleh cari tong sampah untuk ganti peti undi?Beranikah SPR bersetuju dengan mengadakan pilihanraya tanpa izin Sultan?

Siapa yang akan kirakan undian?Unit Amal?Pemuda DAP?AMK?

Bagi penulis, semakin degil Nizar dalam isu ini, semakin kelakar jadinya politik Perak.Nasihat penulis, hentikanlah lawak-lawak ala-ala Laksamana Doremi zam-zam alakazam ini.

Penulis juga ingin menasihatkan V. Sivakumar agar meletakkan jawatan sebagai Speaker.Mungkin tersiratnya setelah,”DUN dibubarkan” barangkali jawatan Speaker pun sudah terlucut dari Sivakumar dan wakil-wakil rakyat PR pun bukanlah wakil rakyat?

Oleh itu, kita menggesa Sivakumar agar meletakkan jawatan secara rasmi supaya nasib rakyat dan negeri Perak bakal terbela.

maharajazhou

RASAKSA SAHAJA...

MARI HURU HARAKAN MALAYSIA INI...!

Des : Lepas berkumpul bawah pokok untuk huru harakan politik negeri Perak, meh kita huru harakan satu Malaysia pulak dengan berhimpun bersama rasaksa!

pilihan-anda.blogspot.com

Just beat it

MARCH 9 – Michael Jackson. Bank of England. Malaysia. Perak. What do they all have in common?

The one-time King of Pop is attempting a 10-concert run in London this summer, singing his hits list that can raise some RM1.48 billion to pay off his debts and beat the blues that have afflicted him these past years.

The Bank of England has announced a plan to pump up to RM780 billion into the British economy by buying government bonds or gilts to beat the recession. Effectively printing money, some RM390 billion or 5.4 per cent of the British GDP will come in the next three months to stem the effects of the global financial crisis.

Malaysia's next Prime Minister Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak will table for second reading the second stimulus plan or mini-Budget for RM10 billion in the country's efforts to beat the looming recession. A combination of tax cuts and incentives will push up the plan to about RM35 billion apart from the RM7 billion announced last November.

With Perak, almost everyone across the country and cyberspace is now a constitutional expert, offering free unsolicited advice, particularly on the Internet, and beating up each other’s opinions.

For the moment, at least in Malaysia, most have forgotten that the most important issue is the economy. Many seem to forget that a democracy cannot survive without a good economy to enrich its citizens.

Fact is, the public preoccupation with politics has been very harmful to our economy as it polarizes the country. The Malaysian Insider reported yesterday that a year on after the March 2008 general elections, the country remains divided.

Both the Barisan Nasional government and the Pakatan Rakyat have not given any comprehensive proposal other than giving direct monetary handouts to lessen the burden of economic stress and to provide short-term relief to the public.

Frankly, I am not surprised at the lack of ideas on the magic bullet to solve our economic woes because there is no other short- term solution.

Michael Jackson is hoping that his 10 concerts will change his bottom line from red to black permanently, just as the Bank of England hopes printing money will fill the yawning black hole of an economic crisis.

The United Kingdom, like Malaysia and many countries around the world, is struggling to find effective solutions to counter the downturn caused by the lack of demand for manufactured goods.

The repressed global economic situation requires governments all over the world to incur massive borrowing to inject funds into their banking systems. The liquidity injection is a short term measure to stabilise the lifeblood of most countries around the world.

Without it, many economies will fail because of the inter-connectivity of the world's financial system. The global financial system today is a product of the Keynesian cyclical economic policies adopted by most governments in the world.

However the global economic problem that we face today is caused by a fundamental shift in demand for goods and can no longer be fixed by the extreme boom and bust spending policies. Like musicians who must keep churning hits to stay popular and in the black rather than disappear after just scoring one hit.

Most economists have proposed that the current structure of the world economy be reformed to prevent similar crisis from repeating in the future. Malaysia has had that experience in the Asian Financial Crisis more than a decade ago.

But things are not as bad for us in Malaysia. Many companies and banks here had taken the opportunity to restructure and practice prudent lending policies in the aftermath of the 1997 currency crisis.

That is why Malaysia has not seen a more drastic downturn as Singapore and some of our Asean neighbours. It is because the government has been prudent in its economic management.

Add to that the fact that most Malaysians have continued to be cautious and save a bigger portion of their income.

But we have to remain vigilant. The government should take the opportunity to plan the future direction of the Malaysian economy and take into account our positioning in the world in general and Asean specifically.

The future of the country's economy still depends on our productivity and ability to move up higher in the value chain of manufacturing and services.

The government must take measures to mobilise the large pool of savings to direct it into productive sectors of the economy and avoid foreign borrowing which comes at a hefty premium due to the credit crunch.

This is also the best time for the incoming Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to review our economic fundamentals as opposed to the global situation and propose a new direction for our economy to fit into the new world economy.

In my opinion our economic strategy should still be underpinned by the following factors.

* The government should structure our economy on a low interest rate platform to allow corporations to flourish and create employment.

* Lower interest rates should also help our exporting companies to lower their costs and be stronger to compete overseas.

* The government should continue to actively assist in the creation and development of entrepreneurs who will be the corporate giants of the future especially in the areas of technology.

* The policy of currency depreciation should be reviewed and adjusted to a higher rate to reflect our higher value added manufacturing export capabilities.

* The government should stop the ringgit peg to the US dollar as this policy may import inflation as the US dollar is expected to depreciate in the longer term.

* The government must be more proactive to incentivise our existing manufacturers to move up the value chain and move their lower end manufacturing to our ASEAN neighbours to take advantage of the tax free environment.

This strategy would also reduce our dependence on foreign labour to man the factories which would be drain our foreign exchange , social and security resources.

In the short term, the proposed economic stimulus budget package to be announced tomorrow should be targeted to productive sectors that would generate a large multiplier effect.

There should be less emphasis on large scale construction projects which require foreign workers and equipment and cause payment outflows from the country. Such thinking will not contribute to stemming the red ink now.

Sabah and Sarawak should be given a big share of the funds to develop infrastructure like roads, water and electricity to spur economic growth and generate local jobs.

And lastly, the government should cut corporate and personal taxes to ensure tax payers keep a larger portion of their income and spend it in the local economy. The fact of the matter is, only about one million Malaysians pay personal taxes totalling RM4 billion which is just a few per cent of the government's budget.

Because, this great economic thriller is just about beating the recession. Just beat it, beat it ...

Perlukah Elizabeth Wong Letak Jawatan?

Katakanlah tiba-tiba,tengah Tuan Guru PAS,Datuk Seri Haji Hadi buang air kecil di PUTIK,ada tangan-tangan jahat yang memetik kamera dan mengambil gambar Tuan Guru PAS itu.

Lalu,disebarkan gambar Tuan Guru dengan anunya terjulur kepada khalayak ramai.

Jikalau dalam keadaan tersebut,penulislah yang pertama akan membela Tuan Guru,kerana ia dilakukan dalam keadaan teraniaya malah bukan setakat berdiri tetapi tertungging terbalik pun penulis akan sokong Haji Hadi.Malahan,jikalau ada “gambar” Haji Hadi dengan salah seorang isterinya dalam “posisi intim” pun penulis akan sokong Haji Hadi kerana ia adalah hak dan soal kekudusan hidup Tuan Guru.

Itu Haji Hadi.Sama juga kalau berlaku pada Khir Toyo,Khairy Jamaluddin,Mukhriz Mahathir,Najib Razak,Pak Lah hatta Karpal Singh.Kita tidak mempersoalkan soal teraniaya.Kita menyokong orang teraniaya.

Kita menyokong sebarang usaha Elizabeth untuk menghalang maruahnya dipertontonkan,tetapi sebagai pemimpin,dia perlu menjawab persoalan moral bagaimanakan mulanya gambar maruahnya itu diambil!

Penyebaran foto bogel Elizabeth wajar dihentikan kerana ia hak peribadinya.Orang yang mengambilnya wajar dikenakan hukuman berat.Bukan sahaja Elizabeth Wong,jikalau Rizal Pramugara Terlampau pun jika gambarnya dalam keadaan bogel dan berposisi intim diambil tanpa kebenarannya pun kita akan sokong Rizal.

Tetapi,Elizabeth Wong adalah pemimpin.Oleh itu,kita tidak seharusnya melihat keputusan akhir tetapi juga kepada proses.Bagaimana gambar itu awalnya boleh ditangkap?

Sebagai pemimpin,Elizabeth mempunyai tanggungjawab sosial untuk menunjukkan tingkah laku yang mulia.Tidak perlu bercakap dari sudut Islam,jikalau bercakap dari pandangan Konfusius sendiri,pun beliau amat rigid dari segi persoalan moral.

Oleh itu, masyarakat ingin bertanya,apakah pandangan Elizabeth Wong tentang seks bebas ataupun seks sebelum nikah?Bolehkah Elizabeth menafikan mempunyai hubungan intim dengan teman lelakinya sehingga menyebabkan gambar itu boleh diambil?

Jika Elizabeth orang biasa,kita menganggap itu adalah kehidupan peribadinya.Tetapi,jikalau sudah menjadi Adun Bukit Lanjan,Elizabeth mempunyai tanggungjawab sosial untuk menjaga tingkah lakunya.

Sebagai pemimpin dan “hamba masyarakat”,kerja yang baik sahaja tidak mencukupi!

Jika Elizabeth gagal menjawab tentang soal hubungan intim di luar nikah,maka eloklah Elizabeth menyahut cabaran Khir Toyo tersebut!

maharajazhou

Dunia-Politik.blogspot.com - PARTAI LAMA DENGAN LOGO BARU YANG MENARIK......!!!! [4 Attachments]

[Attachment(s) from Under World included below]

Ada yang mau mengomentari Logo Baru ini??? Monggoo....

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