Oleh Arshad Khan
KUALA LUMPUR 15 April - Satu perbincangan tidak rasmi melibatkan tiga parti terbesar mewakili kaum Melayu iaitu UMNO, Pas dan Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) akan diadakan bagi memperhalusi cadangan permuafakatan untuk mempertahankan hak serta hala tuju orang Melayu.
Ahli Majlis Tertinggi UMNO, Datuk Mohamad Norza Zakaria berkata, beliau sendiri akan mengambil langkah permulaan untuk mengadakan perbincangan tidak rasmi dengan pemimpin pembangkang bagi menghalusi cadangan permuafakatan kaum Melayu.
Katanya, kesanggupan semua parti secara dasarnya untuk bermuafakat adalah langkah pertama yang harus disusuli dengan pertemuan untuk bertukar-tukar pendapat.
Langkah itu ujarnya, amat perlu untuk mengenal pasti asas penting sebelum menganjurkan sebarang cadangan ke peringkat yang lebih tinggi di pihak masing-masing.
"Permuafakatan merupakan satu cabaran kepada kita orang Melayu dan ini bukan satu usaha yang mudah dalam memastikan matlamat itu tercapai.
"Namun usaha kolektif pemimpin UMNO, Pas dan PKR adalah perlu agar tamadun orang Melayu dapat berkembang sealiran dengan tamadun bangsa lain di dunia," katanya dalam kenyataan akhbar di sini hari ini.
[More at http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2008&dt=0416&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Politik&pg=po_05.htm]
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
UMNO-Pas-PKR akan bincang pertahan hak Melayu - Utusan
Hishammuddin: Pressure Won't Jeopardise Transition Process - Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 (Bernama) -- Umno Youth head Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said Tuesday the pressure placed by certain groups on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to step down as Umno president would not jeopardise the transition of power to the Umno deputy president.
Hishammuddin, who is also the Education Minister, said that just like the general election, the process of expressing opinions and throwing proposals was a normal one and should be carried out with sincerity so that appropriate changes could be implemented.
"This is the process that we are going through now to look at ourselves and listen to the things that need to be done to meet the party's cause and the changes occurring within the party to meet the aspirations of the people and the grassroots members," he said after the celebration to mark the success of athletes from the Malaysian Education Ministry (KPM) at the 24th SEA Games and the 4th Asean Para games in Korat, Thailand, at a hotel, here.
He said such pressures were normal in politics although Abdullah had already announced that the transition of power would be carried out by naming Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also Umno deputy president, as his successor.
However, Hishammuddin said placing pressure was not the practice and culture in Umno.
He said that beginning Thursday, he would go down on the ground to seek views from the Youth leaders on the changes going on in the party.
"The views from the grassroots will eventually be brought to the attention of the party president and deputy president and I believe this is the best approach for them to discuss again the transition so that the implementation will be proper and with decorum," he said.
[More at http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=327053]
Royal comment "on the verge of sedition" - The Sun
By Tan Yi Liang
PETALING JAYA (APRIL 15): DAP chairman Karpal Singh has taken to task the Tengku Mahkota of Kelantan, Tengku Mohammad Faris Petra Sultan Ismail Petra for making political statements that were "on the verge of sedition".
"The Tengku Mahkota should have known better than to issue statements with a political flavour", said Karpal.
"Royalty in the country must stay apolitical. Conventionally, royalty is required to do so," he said, adding that "the tone of the statements of the Tengku Mahkota is an affront to the other races in the country."
Speaking at a Maulidur Rasul Malay unity celebration last Saturday, the Tengku Makhota had said the special rights and privileges of Malays were not to be questioned and that it was inappropriate for other races to demand equal privileges just because they had gained Malaysian citizenship.
Tengku Mohammad Faris had claimed the special rights and privileges of the Malays as a "quid pro" (exchange) for providing Malaysian citizenship to 2.7 million people of other races who joined the Malay Federation.
Describing the Tengku Mahkota's comment as "unwarranted", Karpal said citizenship itself grants the other races the standing to claim equal rights and privileges.
"The other races in the country acquired citizenship after Merdeka, and are, therefore entitled to enjoy the rights and privileges which flow from that citizenship," Karpal added.
[From http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=21504]
RTM Broadcasts News Based On Merit Not Quota, Says Ahmad Shabery - Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 (Bernama) -- News broadcasts by Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) are based on merit or news value and not according to any quota or designated programme slots, said Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek.
He said the broadcasts also had a consistent pattern and did cater to particular personalities.
"I know parties like PAS, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and DAP do not like quota systems, but why in this matter (RTM's broadcasts) they want quota allocations. News broadcasts must be based on merit... this is the direction we want to take.
"Other states although controlled by the Barisan Nasional (BN), we do not allocate any quotas for the menteris besar or chief ministers. In this matter, I hope the state governments concerned understand the policy practised by RTM," he told Bernama.
Ahmad Shabery, who made a visit to Bernama's headquarters here Tuesday, was commenting on a request by Perak Menteri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin for the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) states to be allocated specific slots in RTM's programming.
As an example, he said RTM might cover an activity or programme he attended, but it need not necessarily be broadcast as news.
"There has been many cases like this, which I consider professionalism on the part of RTM. It's news value that must determine the broadcast of news," he said.
Ahmad Shabery said it was also not a question of bias because the states were governed by the PR.
[More at http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=327039]
莫哈末泰益：不曾討论‧巫统无意与反对党对话 - Sin Chew Daily
（雪兰莪‧八打灵再也）针对反对党要和巫统討论马来人权益的问题，巫统宣传主任丹斯里莫哈末泰益表示，巫统党员不时都会与反对党成员喝茶聊天，进行非正式交流，不过，巫统未曾討论过要与反对党举行正式討论会。
他是针对马来西亚前锋报报导，回教党及公正党表明已做好准备，欲和巫统商议马来人权益课题一事，接受《星洲日报》访问时说，他並不瞭解反对党这番言论的意思与目的。
马来西亚前锋报引述回教党青年团团长沙拉胡丁，基本上回教党同意与巫统进行这样的会谈，因为这对马来人及回教徒都有好处。
莫哈末泰益说，巫统没有针对此事进行任何討论，因此，他无法代表党回应究竟会否，或能否与回教党及公正党举行討论会。
询及回教党青年团团长沙拉胡丁声称，马来西亚前锋报多次致函巫统要求针对捍卫马来人权益及討论马来人未来走向等问题进行会面，但都没有下文，莫哈末泰益说，任何正式会面的要求都必须通过党內同意。
“我不知道他（沙拉胡丁）要討论的问题是从甚么角度出发，但巫统没有討论过要与他们会面。”
[From http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/62021]
Resurgent Anwar piles pressure on Malaysia PM - AFP
Malaysia's struggling leader faced a new and serious challenge Tuesday after opposition chief Anwar Ibrahim's dramatic claim that he is supported by enough government defectors to seize power.
Analysts said turmoil in Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's ruling coalition could hasten an exodus of lawmakers and propel Anwar to power after last month's stunning general election gains by the opposition alliance.
Anwar, the former deputy prime minister who was sacked and jailed a decade ago, said at a rally late Monday that he had enough support to form a government but would not act until he had a more comfortable majority.
"Yes, we have enough MPs to topple the government," he told reporters after police broke up the rally, which drew more than 10,000 supporters to celebrate the end of his ban from politics.
"We are saying here for the first time that we are ready (to rule)," he said. "But we will only enter when the majority is comfortable."
"When we take over we want to initiate the move. Do we want to be a government with a two- or five-seat majority?"
Police Tuesday summoned Anwar's wife and Keadilan party president Wan Azizah Ismail, Selangor state chief minister Khalid Ibrahim and several others to investigate a complaint about the rally.
"We consider the police action against the Keadilan leaders as an act of intimidation and provocation," party deputy president Syed Husin Ali told AFP.
[More at http://news.my.msn.com/regional/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1344110]
Media alternatif perlu bertanggungjawab - Shabery - Utusan
KUALA LUMPUR 15 April — Orang ramai tidak boleh beranggapan bahawa media alternatif kebal daripada tindakan undang-undang, kata Menteri Penerangan Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek hari ini.
Beliau berkata sungguhpun orang ramai ada hak untuk menulis apa sahaja secara dalam talian seperti penulis blog, kerajaan juga ada hak untuk membela orang lain daripada penulisan yang tidak benar dan memfitnah.
“Orang anggap media alternatif boleh lakukan apa sahaja. Ini tidak benar.
Baru-baru ini ada kes terhadap sesetengah penulis blog ini.
“Walaupun hak menulis apa sahaja ada pada semua, kita juga masih ada hak mempertahankan orang yang dimalukan dengan kata-kata yang tidak betul,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas melancarkan Fellowship Kewartawanan Antarabangsa Pertama yang dianjurkan Institut Akhbar Malaysia (MPI) di University Malaya (UM) di sini.
Beliau menambah bahawa dengan adanya teknologi hari ini, forensik siber boleh dikesan dan dikenalpasti penulis atau yang memfitnah dalam talian walaupun mereka menggunakan Internet atau nama lain sebagai pelindung.
Mengenai media alternatif lebih popular di kalangan orang ramai yang ragu-ragu berbanding dengan media tradisi seperti surat khabar dan televisyen, Shabery berkata media tradisi hendaklah membina reputasi dan kredibiliti mereka.
[More at http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2008&dt=0415&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Terkini&pg=bt_04.htm]
Black 14 Dinner Turns Into Illegal Gathering, Say Police - Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 (Bernama) -- A so-called Black 14 dinner organised by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) at the Sultan Suleiman Club in Kampung Baru Monday night turned into an illegal gathering of what police estimated to be 7,000 people.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Muhammad Sabtu Osman said the people began to gather at 8.30pm and dispersed at 10.30pm on the orders of Dang Wangi police chief ACP Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman.
"The application made to the police on April 8 stated that a dinner was to be held and that only three top leaders of the party would give speeches but there was no dinner for the people, only for the party leaders," he told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters here Monday night.
He said the three top party leaders who were to have spoken were PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and Sultan Suleiman Club deputy chairman Datuk Mokhtar Ahmad and not PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The gathering was held to celebrate the end of the five-year ban on Anwar holding public office following his conviction on corruption charges. Anwar was convicted of corruption after he was sacked as the deputy prime minister and finance minister in September 1998 and sentenced to six years in jail.
Asked why a permit was required for a gathering at a private club, Muhammad Sabtu said it was not a function held indoors.
[More at http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=326843]
Anwar Asks PM To Conduct Open Investigation On Dr M - Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 (Bernama) -- Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim Monday night asked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to conduct an open investigation on Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for alleged excesses when he was the prime minister for 22 years.
Anwar alleged that Dr Mahathir had destroyed the judicial system, abused power and misused public funds, including for his children.
The PKR de facto leader addressed about 10,000 people at a so-called Black 14 gathering at the Sultan Suleiman Club in Kampung Baru here to celebrate the end of the five-year ban on his holding public office following his conviction on corruption charges.
Anwar was convicted of corruption after he was sacked as the deputy prime minister and finance minister in September 1998 and sentenced to six years in jail.
At Monday night's gathering, Anwar asked his supporters to be patient for two more weeks for his announcement on whether he would contest a by-election to become an elected representative.
[From http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=326842]
Anwar: We have numbers to topple gov't - Malaysiakini.tv
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim last night said he has the support of enough defectors from the ruling coalition to seize power, although he will not act until he has a bigger majority.
Be on your best behaviour, PM tells Barisan reps - The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Stay clear of racist remarks, don’t be corrupt or arrogant and serve the people well.
These are part of the guidelines outlined by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when he gave Barisan Nasional elected representatives a pep talk yesterday.
He said it was important for Members of Parliament and state assemblymen to understand the rules of debate, adding they should understand government policies in order to be effective during the sessions.
“It is also important that they conduct themselves with decorum to ensure the debates are of substance and quality,” he told reporters after the meeting yesterday.
“I also reminded them that the Sedition Act could be enforced if there are issues which are racially sensitive. They are not free to say whatever they want and which are against the law.”
He said that being in Parliament did not give them immunity to say whatever they liked on race and religion in a way which could create tension and problems among the communities.
[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/15/nation/20953283&sec=nation]
All Penang schools to pay RM1 quit rent - NST
GEORGE TOWN: The state government plans to gazette a law that will allow non-profit educational institutions not sited on state land to pay RM1 in quit rent.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the matter would be discussed during the state executive councillors meeting tomorrow.
At present, government-owned schools pay RM1, while schools not on state land pay quit rent according to market rates. The quit rent is assessed once every 10 years.
Lim urged such schools to apply to the state Land and Mines Department for the lower rate.
"I will seek approval from all exco members to gazette the legislation, which will benefit all streams, including Chinese schools, Tamil schools and Sekolah Agama Rakyat," he said.
"It has always been the DAP-PKR state governemnt's policy not to discriminate. We also believe that education should not be politicised."
[From http://www.nst.com.my/Tuesday/National/2214000/Article/index_html]
Anwar: 20% royalties for Sabah if Pakatan forms govt - The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: If Pakatan Rakyat forms the Federal Government, Sabah will get up to 20% of royalties from oil and gas and timber, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
More schools would be built and help would be given to the poor there, he told reporters after a rally to celebrate the end of his exile from active politics at the Sultan Sulaiman Club field here last night.
Asked if he would run for Parliament, he said it was too premature to talk about it because the MPs had not been sworn in yet.
He said he needed about a couple of weeks as defections could only take place after the swearing-in.
He reiterated that the Pakatan Rakyat government is ready to form the Federal Government and was now waiting for the right time and the right numbers.
He said they had already secured the number of MPs but Pakatan Rakyat wanted to form the Federal Government with a strong majority and that none of the MPs had been bought over.
As to who from Pakatan Rakyat should be the Prime Minister, he said he did not see why PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail could not be the first Malaysian woman Prime Minister.
However, he cautioned that any decision made by Pakatan Rakyat would be done through consensus.
[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/15/nation/20954768&sec=nation]
Liu: RM27mil gone in 50 days - The Star
By Edward Rajendra
KLANG: All the 54 Barisan Nasional assemblymen in the previous state administration finished their combined annual allocation of RM27mil for 2008 in the first 50 days of the year, Selangor exco member Ronnie Liu revealed.
“There was shock and disbelief when the state executive councillors found out that the allocation of RM500,000 each meant for repairing roads and drains had been used up by February,” he said.
The state government would ask the 36 former Barisan assemblymen and the 18 who retained their seats to explain how the allocations were used, the State Local Government, Study and Research Committee chairman told reporters after visiting the Klang Municipal Council here yesterday.
Liu said Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim decided last week to seek an explanation from the assemblymen to ensure accountability.
“Letters will be sent out to the assemblymen within the week, and they must give a detailed account on how the allocation was used and who the contractors were,” he said.
“We want to know how the ratepayers’ money was used.”
[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/15/nation/20955526&sec=nation]
Don’t get upset over Nizar’s mistake, Karpal urges Sikhs - The Star
PENANG: DAP chairman Karpal Singh has come to the rescue of Perak Mentri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, saying he referred to Sikhs as Bengalis “in ignorance.”
Urging the Sikh community “not to get upset”, Karpal Singh said that although Sikhs and Bengalis were different, it was a very “trivial” matter.
“In Malaysia, both are commonly referred to as the same, so there is no need to be offended. After all, a rose would smell as sweet by any other name,” he said after attending Vaisakhi prayers at the Gurdwara Sahib yesterday.
However, Khalsa Dharmic Jatha Gurdwara vice-president Baljit Singh disagreed.
“That very utterance has made the Sikhs a laughing stock of other communities. How can we expect society to know the difference between the two communities when the leaders themselves cannot?” he said, adding that Nizar owed Sikhs an apology.
Nizar, who made the reference at a PAS function in Ipoh on Sunday, later admitted his mistake.
In Malaysia, Sikhs have been mistakenly referred to as Bengalis for decades.
[From http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/15/nation/20949770&sec=nation]
MCA opposes regent’s remarks - The Star
PETALING JAYA: MCA has strongly opposed remarks that it is inappropriate for non-Malays to seek equal rights.
Party president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said such statements would destroy the unity and harmony that existed among the various races.
“For the past 50 years, the various races have worked hard together to attain the goals of nation-building, for which they have also contributed vastly to the country’s development.
“They too have equal rights as enshrined in the Constitution,” he said in a statement in response to remarks by the Tengku Mahkota of Kelantan Tengku Mohammad Faris Petra Sultan Ismail Petra that the special rights and privileges of the Malays should not be questioned.
Tengku Mohammad Faris made the statement in his opening address at a Malay unity gathering which was held in conjunction with the Maulidur Rasul celebration at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.
Ong stressed that the statement was inconsistent with Barisan Nasional’s stand on racial unity, which stands for fair and equal partnership.
[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/15/nation/20951122&sec=nation]
