:: Ilusi Dalang :: All The World's A Stage..

Now It's Glory 'Round The Fields of Anfield Road : Justice For The 96

2009-03-27T19:16:00.003+08:00

Fields of Anfield Road

Outside the Shankly Gates
I heard a Kopite calling
Shankly they have taken you away
But you left a great eleven
Before you went to heaven
Now it's glory round the Fields of Anfield Road.

All round the Fields of Anfield Road
Where once we watched the King Kenny play (and he could play)
We had Heighway on the wing
We had dreams and songs to sing
Of the glory round the Fields of Anfield Road

Outside the Paisley Gates
I heard a Kopite calling
Paisley they have taken you away
You led the great 11
Back in Rome in 77
And the Redmen they are still playing the same way
All round the Fields of Anfield Road
Where once we watched the King Kenny play (and he could play)
We had Heighway on the wing
We had dreams and songs to sing
Of the glory round the Fields of Anfield Road

With the 20th anniversary of the tragic Hillsborough disaster fast approaching, artists John Power of the La’s and Cast fame, Peter Hooton of The Farm, Mick Head of Shack, Nick Kilroe from Echo and the the Bunnymen, James Walsh of Starsailor and Rob Taylor of the Troubadours have joined forces to record a song to commemorate the occasion.

Several Liverpool legends also appear on the track as Kenny Dalglish, Bruce Grobbelaar, Phil Thompson and John Aldridge all participated in the making of the record.

The song will be available to download from April 6, with all proceeds going directly to the Hillsborough Families Support Group.

Mualaf

2008-11-21T19:08:00.001+08:00

MJ converts to Islam, says British tabloid

Jackson is due to give evidence on Monday in a £4.7million (RM25 million) lawsuit brought by Prince Abdulla Al-Khalif of Bahrain. — AP pic
LONDON, Nov 21 — Michael Jackson has become a Muslim — and changed his name to Mikaeel. The skint superstar, 50, donned Islamic garb to pledge allegiance to the Quran in a ceremony at a pal’s mansion in Los Angeles.

Jacko sat on the floor wearing a tiny hat after an imam was summoned to officiate — days before the singer is due to appear at London’s High Court where he is being sued by an Arab sheikh.

A source told last night how Jacko, brought up as a Jehovah’s Witness, decided to convert as he used a studio at the home of his chum to record a new album.

The star — whose hits include “The Way You Make Me Feel” — was spotted looking “a bit down” by a producer and a songwriter who had both embraced Islam.

The source said: “They began talking to him about their beliefs, and how they thought they had become better people after they converted. Michael soon began warming to the idea.

“An imam was summoned from the mosque and Michael went through the shahada, which is the Muslim declaration of belief.”

Mikaeel is the name of one of Allah’s angels.

“Jacko rejected an alternative name, Mustafa — meaning ‘the chosen one’”.

British singer Yousef Islam, 60 — who was called Cat Stevens until he famously converted — turned up to help Jacko celebrate.

It was his pals David Wharnsby — a Canadian songwriter — and producer Phillip Bubal who counselled Jacko.

The pair’s new names are Dawud Wharnsby Ali and Idris Phillips.

Jacko now prays to Mecca after the ceremony at the Hollywood Hills home of Toto keyboard player Steve Porcaro, 51, who composed music on the singer’s Thriller album.

Jacko, who rarely ventures out without a mask, is due to give evidence on Monday in a £4.7million (RM25 million) lawsuit brought by Prince Abdulla Al-Khalif of Bahrain.

The sheikh claims he bankrolled the singer’s lavish lifestyle in exchange for an exclusive recording contract. The billionaire sent songs for him to record but claims he was blanked.

He told the court yesterday: “Many times he confirmed to me he would pay me back.” — The Sun

Source

Prince Of Burma

2008-11-07T00:15:00.001+08:00

Police display photo of the uncut ruby, known as the "Prince of Burma."

Jewel thieves caught with $4M ruby

VIENNA, Austria (AP) -- A raid on a suspected gang of international jewel thieves has recovered an uncut ruby known as the "Prince of Burma" worth 3.2 million euros ($4.1 million), Austrian authorities said Thursday.

Two men and a woman were arrested in the raid Tuesday afternoon in the southern town of Villach, Austria's federal criminal investigations bureau said.

The three are suspected of stealing the ruby along with diamonds and and other gems recovered in the raid from a German jewelry dealer in Milan, Italy in August.

The dealer, identified only as a man from the German city of Idar-Oberstein, was tricked into going to Milan by the female suspect and was seriously injured by a car during the theft, investigator Gerhard Joszt said.

Police said the stolen jewels are worth an estimated 3.5 million euros ($4.5 million) in total.

The arrests were made in a joint operation with German authorities

Source

Journey To The Center Of The Earth

2008-10-29T14:54:00.003+08:00

Crystal forest: People clambering through the Cave of Crystals in Mexico wearing suits and backpacks of ice-cool air to cope with the 112F temperature

The giant obelisks are formed from groundwater saturated in calcium sulphate which filtered through the cave system millions of years ago

The Cave of Crystals discovered 1,000ft below a Mexican desert

By Victoria Moore

Until you notice the orange-suited men clambering around, it's hard to grasp the extraordinary scale of this underground crystal forest.

Nearly 1,000ft below the Chihuahua Desert in Mexico, this cave was discovered by two brothers drilling in the Naica lead and silver mine. It is an eerie sight.

Up to 170 giant, luminous obelisks - the biggest is 37.4ft long and the equivalent height of six men - jut across the grotto like tangled pillars of light; and the damp rock of their walls is covered with yet more flawless clusters of blade-sharp crystal.

They are formed from groundwater saturated in calcium sulphate which, warmed by an intrusion of magma about a mile below, began filtering through the cave system millions of years ago.

When, about 600,000 years ago, the magma began to cool, the minerals started to precipitate out of the water, and over the centuries the tiny crystals they formed grew and grew until 1985, when miners unwittingly drained the cave as they lowered the water table with mine pumps.

Because the crystals resemble giant icicles, the picture suggests it must be very cold inside the Cave of Crystals - but appearances can be deceptive.

In fact, the temperature is a sweltering 112F, with a humidity of 90-100 per cent.

This is why cavers wear protective suits and carry backpacks of ice-cooled air.

Such conditions, and the fact that it takes 20 minutes to drive to its entrance through a twisting mine-shaft, haven't deterred would-be looters - one of the crystals bears a deep scar where someone has tried, and failed, to cut through it.

But the cave has now been fitted with a heavy steel door, the better to preserve this beautiful wonder for generations to come.

Source

*Macam dalam movie set pulak.

Balasungkawa : Samad Lefthanded : Al-Fatihah

2008-10-23T16:43:00.002+08:00

Rock band Lefthanded’s guitarist Abdul Samad Mian dies

KUALA LUMPUR: A guitarist with rock band Lefthanded, Abdul Samad Mian, died after collapsing at his brother's office in Ampang here, on Thursday. He was 45.

Samad’s wife, Norliza Sumairi said he collapsed at 12.45pm and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Ampang Hospital.

Samad will be buried at the Hulu Langat Muslim Cemetery later on Thursday.

He is survived by his wife and four children aged between six and 18 years.

Born in Johor Baru, he was a part-time lecturer at the National Arts, Culture and Heritage Academy and was instrumental in Lefthanded winning the best rock album award at the Malaysian Music Industry Awards in 1995. Bernama

Source

*Al-Fatihah. Semoga roh beliau ditempatkan dikalangan orang-orang beriman.

Easy Caffeine Fix

2008-10-21T21:00:00.002+08:00

Hey! Who Put the Caffeine in My Soap?

By JOHN CLOUD John Cloud – Mon Oct 20, 6:35 pm ET

Most adults know how many cups of coffee they can have before they get twitchy. We're a race of well-practiced, high-functioning junkies. After all, regular human consumption of caffeine began at least 2,000 years ago, and until recently there was no reason to think our little global addiction posed any threat.

But recently companies began unleashing a barrage of unfamiliar products packed with extreme amounts of caffeine. The trend started with super-caffeinated energy drinks in the '90s, but more recently scientists and marketers have created caffeinated foods and even personal-hygiene products. In the past five years, according to the market research giant Mintel, firms have launched at least 126 caffeinated food products for sale in the U.S. Twenty-nine such products have been introduced this year alone. The offerings include things like Morning Spark oatmeal, NRG potato chips and - my favorite, if only for the brazen attempt to draw kids into caffeine culture - Jelly Belly's Extreme Sport Beans, which the company calls "Energizing Jelly Beans." You can also now buy caffeinated toiletries like Bath Buzz Caffeinated Lotion.

Public-health officials are worried about the new products for two reasons: first, people might simply add the new products to their typical ration of coffee or tea. That could increase their risk for caffeine intoxication, a condition that causes symptoms like nervousness, insomnia, tachycardia and psychomotor agitation. Caffeine intoxication is not uncommon: according to a 1998 study in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 7% of caffeine users have experienced it. The symptoms usually abate quickly when people quit caffeine, but in rare cases the symptoms can lead to death.

The larger problem with the new caffeinated inventions is that their labels don't typically disclose how much caffeine they contain. And yet some of them are crammed with the drug: Sumseeds, a brand of caffeinated sunflower seeds, contain 120 mg of caffeine per packet, 16% more than in a typical 6-oz. serving of coffee. Shower Shock soap is designed to deliver a crackling 200 mg of caffeine when lathered into the skin, twice the amount in that same cup of coffee.

Earlier this month, a Johns Hopkins neuroscience professor named Roland Griffiths, one of the world's leading caffeine experts, sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging it to require specific caffeine labeling in light of all the strange new caffeinated products. Nearly 100 fellow scientists and public-health advocates signed the letter. Griffiths reminded the FDA that it has yet to decide on a 1997 petition filed by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) requesting caffeine labeling.

The FDA has not yet responded to Griffiths. FDA spokesman Michael Herndon told me in an e-mail that the CSPI petition is still "active and pending." When I asked why it has taken 11 years - so far - to review it, he replied, "Some petitions may take longer depending on agency workload and complexity of the issue."

But caffeine labeling is not a complex issue. Consumers should be able to make informed choices; people should know that a Starbucks venti drip coffee can have as much as 400 mg of caffeine.

Griffiths says there's no good epidemiological data yet to show whether the new caffeinated food and hygiene products are affecting public health. But he does worry about one group that can readily access these products: kids.

Doctors recommend that prepubescent kids not have any caffeine, and yet caffeinated candies and gums and chips have strong appeal for kids. Earlier this year, four middle-school boys in Broward County, Fla., had to go to the hospital after drinking energy drinks. The boys were sweating so much that school officials thought they might be having heart attacks.

That's an extreme but not isolated case. Those boys probably wouldn't have paid much attention even if the drinks' labels did include caffeine content, but the rest of us should be able to calibrate our addictions with more information.

Source

*Sleepy? Just grab that potato chip laced with caffeine. In the end all of us would be caffeine addict.

Shark Alert

2008-10-17T10:46:00.002+08:00

Shark "Virgin Birth" Confirmed

Sara Goudarzi
for National Geographic News
October 10, 2008

A female blacktip shark in Virginia fertilized her own egg without mating with a male shark, new DNA evidence shows.

This is the second time scientists have used DNA testing to verify shark parthenogenesis—the process that allows females of some species to produce offspring without sperm. (Read about the first time.)

The female shark, dubbed Tidbit, died during a routine physical exam before the pregnancy was identified.

A necropsy—an animal autopsy—after her death revealed she was carrying a near-term pup fetus that was about 12 inches (30 centimeters) in length.

Tidbit was caught in the wild when she was very young and reached sexual maturity in a tank at the Virginia Aquarium in Virginia Beach, where she lived for eight years.

"The interesting thing about that was there were no male blacktip sharks in the tank for the entire time of her captivity," said Demian Chapman, a researcher with the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science at Stony Brook University in New York.

"So the question is, where does this baby come from?" he asked.

Chapman is the lead author of a study on the female blacktip in the latest issue of the Journal of Fish Biology.

DNA fingerprinting

Chapman and his colleagues generated a DNA fingerprint for the mother shark and her pup fetus with a procedure identical to a human paternity test.

Ordinarily, a shark's DNA contains some genetic material from its mother and some from its father. Tidbit's pup, however, was not ordinary.

"Every part of the fingerprint of the embryo comes from the mother," Chapman said. "In other words, there is no genetic material from a father."

"Virgin Births"

All non-mammal vertebrate species are theoretically capable of parthenogenesis, scientists say. Examples have been documented in komodo dragons (read story), pythons, rattlesnakes, chickens, and turkeys.

Parthenogenesis is not possible in humans because if all the genetic material comes from the mother, certain genes will be switched off, and the embryo won't develop.

"For sharks in captivity, [parthenogenesis] has probably occurred more times than has been documented," says Robert Hueter, director of the Center for Shark Research at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida.

The question then becomes, is parthenogenesis a type of developmental anomaly or a response to the female shark not having a mate in captivity?

"The fact that only one shark embryo was formed may suggest that this is more a case of an egg developmental aberration rather than a physiological response to the lack of a mate," said Hueter, who was not involved with the study.

No Variation

Normally, an embryo is formed when an egg containing half its chromosomes is fertilized by a sperm containing the other half.

When an egg cell is formed, a plant or female animal also produces three other cells called polar bodies. In the type of parthenogenesis observed in sharks, one of those cells behaves like a sperm and fertilizes the egg.

"But that cell is genetically identical to the egg," Chapman said. "So that's where you lose a lot of genetic variation."

Offspring produced by parthenogenesis are not exact clones of their mothers, however, because the genetic material is mixed differently.

Still, researchers believe the risk of congenital defects increases in animals whose DNA lack genetic variation.

"There's an increased risk of having a weakened immune system and there's a risk of reproductive abnormalities," Chapman said. "But in some cases, they'll be able to survive."

The scientists have not ruled out the possibility that increased stress from the abnormal pregnancy contributed to Tidbit's death.

Source

*Kuasa tuhan. Reminded me of a line in original Jurassic Park movie when a character said, 'Nature will find a way' or something along that line.

Imagine There's No Country

2008-10-15T19:55:00.003+08:00

Bruce Springsteen performs during a rally Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008, on the campus of Ohio State University, in Columbus, Ohio. Springsteen was in town to encourage Barack Obama supporters to register and take advantage of Ohio (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

Where Have all the Protest Singers Gone?

by Tony Hicks

One would think the time is ripe for an explosion of protest music.

We're witnessing what pundits are calling a historic presidential race at a time when even the party holding the Oval Office admits that a big dose of change is needed. We've been at war on two fronts for years with no end in sight, while there's less than a month to go in the election. The economy appears to be in free fall. The race is close, and the rhetoric is heating up fast as each side lobs verbal grenades at each other almost daily.

So where are all the protest songs, calling for one brand of change over the other?

Protest music is rare from conservative artists, but even the liberals songwriters seem to be sitting this one out.

"People are overwhelmed by the corruption of our government," says Paul Kantner, a founding member of Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship, who just released a new Starship record, "Jefferson's Tree of Liberty. "They don't think their vote counts "... people don't have enough faith."

In other words, even if we have two new candidates promising change from an outgoing and unpopular administration, it might just be that musicians aren't feeling they can make a difference, especially after the outpouring of activism in 2004.

That was the year John Kerry had the support of Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam and Dave Matthews, among other big-name artists, performing on the "Vote for Change" tour. Linda Ronstandt was grabbing headlines for speaking out in the face of open hostility at many of her shows. It was the year that gave us songs like Ani DiFranco's "Animal," the Beastie Boys' "It Takes Time to Build," and the Roots' "Why (What's Goin' On?)," among others.

Even two years later, just in time for midterm Congressional elections, there was still an echo of the outrage, most notably in Neil Young's "Living With War" record and his passionate summer tour with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

Some of the stalwarts are still around, such as Bruce Springsteen, doing benefits for Barack Obama. And bands that are almost always political, like Bad Religion, are still addressing the issues. Punk singer-songwriter Ted Leo just wrote and recorded a four-song EP after witnessing the treatment of protesters at the Republican convention, the timing of which made it only available on his Web site. And people like John Legend and Billy Joel have also appeared at events.

But all in all, the desperation that was apparent among artists willing to sing protest songs four years ago is largely absent at this year's political crunch time.

"There's baggage to becoming a protest singer," says Chris Walla, guitarist for Death Cab For Cutie and an admitted political junkie, whose band has played Obama rallies. "Because of the media portrayal of the protests, nobody wants to be associated with it. I don't think it would work with our audience all that well."

Plus, Walla says, there's a strong perception that, unlike Kerry in 2004, Obama doesn't need the help. And there's no George W. Bush in the race to focus on.

"When your candidate is a rock star on his own, why does he need Death Cab for Cutie?" Walla says. "What Obama needs is 'Rednecks for Obama.'"

Nathan Berg, a professor of economics and sociology at the University of Texas at Dallas, is the singer for the Halliburtons, one of the few bands out there continuously making political music.

"It's noticeably more quiet regarding the musical discourse this year," he says. "I think there are those of us who thought 2004 was important and thought things would change. It's hard to see strong rebuttal for pessimism."

Berg speculates that Kerry's loss deflated musicians. They're getting change one way or another this year, which de-focuses years of targeting President George W. Bush.

"My band played at Dealey Plaza on the anniversary of the Iraq war, but I'm feeling my time is better spent speaking as an economist and social scientist," says Berg, whose band has toured Ireland and Germany. "There's actually much more of an anti-Bush and anti-war scene in Europe." There's also some low-level recorded activism, coming at a lower profile from groups like metal band Testament and bluegrass group the Del McCoury Band, an indication of big names laying low this year. McCoury's new record is called "Moneyland."

Kanter says that with each passing year, technological distractions and a corporate media unwilling to take chances make it more difficult for musicians to make a difference.

"People are overwhelmed by modern times," he says. "There's an overflow of information and they become confused. In the '60s we thought we could change the world - and we did change some of it," he says. "People today don't have that hope."

Source

*American artiste always play a part in their democratic process. I wonder when will our so called artiste will do the same. I guess never, since our government don't really encourage art. And our so called Karyawan was busy protesting Shah Rukh Khan's Datukship (awarded by State of Malacca), protesting the so called Indonesian bands invasion than concentrating on their arts., which led to the 90:10 quota (what about western artistes? they got more airplay right).The solution is simple, make better music, produce better film and then our own citizens will appreciate you.

Animal Instinct

2008-10-12T14:24:00.004+08:00

Leopard savaging a crocodile caught on camera
The Telegraph

The astonishing spectacle of a leopard savaging a crocodile has been captured for the first time on camera.

A series of incredible pictures taken at a South African game reserve document the first known time that a leopard has taken on and defeated one of the fearsome reptiles.

The photographs were taken by Hal Brindley, an American wildlife photographer, who was supposed to be taking pictures of hippos from his car in the Kruger National Park.

The giant cat raced out of cover provided by scrub and bushes to surprise the crocodile, which was swimming nearby.

A terrible and bloody struggle ensued. Eventually, onlookers were amazed to see the leopard drag the crocodile from the water as the reptile fought back.

With the crocodile snapping its powerful jaws furiously, the two animals somersaulted and grappled. Despite the crocodile's huge weight and strength, the leopard had the upper hand catching its prey by the throat.

Eventually the big cat was able to sit on top of the reptile and suffocate it.
In the past, there have been reports of crocodiles killing leopards, but this is believed to the first time that the reverse scenario has been observed.

Mr Brindley said: 'I asked many rangers in South Africa if they had ever heard of anything like this and they all said no.

'It just doesn't make sense. The meat you get out of a crocodile is just not worth the risk it takes a predator to acquire. The whole scene happened in the course of about 5 minutes. Then the leopard was gone.

'I drove away, elated in disbelief. It may have been the most amazing thing I've ever seen.'

Ellie Rose, a reptile keeper at London Zoo, said: 'Normally, crocodiles are well able to defend themselves against attack. I can't think of any examples of this happening before.'

Source

*I had nightmare about croc the other day. Maybe because i read this article.

Stuff For Sale

2008-10-08T11:04:00.005+08:00

Fender Stratocaster MIM (Tortoise Shell Pickguard, Dimarzio Dual Sound Humbucker) - RM2200
BOSS OD-3 Overdrive - RM250
BOSS TM-7 Guitar Monitor - RM200
MXR Dyna Comp - RM280
Gator Deluxe Hardcase - RM200

Bitter Football Fans

2008-10-05T14:17:00.003+08:00

Aku tak faham betul these so called fanatics football fans (MU, Arsenal and Chelsea fans in particular) When my team draw or lose a game (LFC, C'mon You Reds!!), they love to sms me with msg putting down my team, and i'll reply every single sms that i got. But when their team lost or drew a game and I sms them, hmmmm takde pun nak reply balik (yes mirul thats you hahahaha) Apasal tak sporting langsung ni? Time LFC kalah ke seri ke bukan main lagi eh. C'mon la it's just a game apa.

Satu lagi pada pundits kat ESPNStar. Kalau team lain playing badly and won they will say that, the team showed Champions mentality etc etc but when LFC doing the same they will put us down some more (not good enough to be champion etc, etc) Apa yg dengki sangat dengan LFC ni? Aku tau la LFC is the most succesful team in English Football (18 League titles, 5 European Cups, 3 UEFA cups) at least give us some credit la.

Seperti aku cakap kat semua org Jatuh Bangun Bersama Liverpool FC hahahaha

C'mon You Reds!!! You'll Never Walk Alone...

Now It's Glory 'Round The Fields Of Anfield Roads...

18m For A Website??

2008-09-26T15:35:00.022+08:00

Cost of Internet TV too high, says Guan Eng

PETALING JAYA: DAP secretary general Lim Guan Eng has criticised the Tourism Ministry’s RM18mil move to start Internet TV to attract tourists as being too costly and a waste of public funds.

“All you need is a good video camera. Malaysiakini (news portal) can do their Web TV for RM20,000, why do you need RM18mil?” he said.

Lim said he was also made to understand that the cost took into account 100 documentaries that would be produced about the country.

“Why do you need to produce so many? Do you think the tourists want to see so many?” he said.

On Tuesday, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said an initial RM6mil would be spent mostly on content and the ministry had initially requested for RM36mil for the project.

Lim criticised Malaysia’s drop in ranking on the Transparency Inter-national Malaysia’s Corruption Perceptions Index from 43 (out of 179 countries) in 2007 to 47 (180 countries) in 2008.

“It has worsened and is a slap in the face for anti-corruption efforts by the Prime Minister. He must admit that corruption is a serious problem in this country and not be in denial,” he said after introducing two new members of the DAP think tank, Teh Chi-Chang and Leong Joo Ti.

Teh was appointed Lim’s economic adviser, replacing PJ Utara MP Tony Pua, while Leong was appointed to assist Lim in strategy and implementation of policies.

Teh, 37, had previously worked in a string of corporate finance companies and brings with him 15 years of experience in investment appraisal, management and corporate finan-ce.

Pua has been promoted as the party’s national publicity secretary.

Source

*What?? 18m for website?? Cmon la Azalina, aku dah involve dalam web design and development including video editing, streaming apa semua dah lebih 10 tahun, aku rasa total cost nak buat ni tak sampai 1m pun dengan development, day to day operation, web marketing campaign dengan campur contents acquisition sekali. 18m?? Perghhh ntah berapa juta la masuk poket.

Aku dulu buat Berita e-UMNO (the original UMNO news website back in year 2000, now known as UMNO TV) team 2 orang je, aku dgn Izal (now known as Joe Bleed, lead singer of Pure Vibracion) dengan Boss kitaorang Encik Shariff, hari-hari pun ada content baru ada video and audio interview dgn all the leaders (Nak gi interview Pak Lah kereta boss aku accident terbalik, benjol baek punya kepala aku kena steering, siap concussion lagi). Masa tu siap boleh cover 2 by-election di Sanggang dan di Teluk Kemang, cover Perhimpunan Agung UMNO (An article about our team and Berita e-UMNO was published by Berita Harian for their coverage of Perhimpunan Agung with our picture accompanying the article), hey I was there at Perak MB residence in Ipoh to cover the news for Berita e-UMNO for the one and only UMNO Supreme Council meeting outside PWTC when Tun Dr Mahathir first appointed Azalina to the Supreme Council. We did an interview with you right after that annnoucement remember???

Ni ntah company crony mana la yang propose dan dapat project ni. 18m??? DAMN!!! Gile tak puas hati aku macam ni.

Tangguh Lagi

2008-09-26T15:27:00.003+08:00

Pemilihan Umno ditangguh hingga Mac

Jimadie Shah Othman | Sep 26, 08 12:11pm

kemaskini 2:04pm Majlis Tertinggi Umno memutuskan hari ini untuk menangguhkan perhimpunan agung serta pemilihan parti dari Disember ke Mac tahun depan.

Penundaan ini bertujuan memastikan proses peralihan kuasa berjalan lebih awal - yang dilihat sebagai usaha untuk mendesak Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi menyerahkan kuasa kepada Timbalannya, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak lebih awal.

Sebelum, Abdullah - dalam pelan peralihan kuasanya - bersetuju untuk menyerah kuasa kepada Najib pada pertengahan 2010.

Bagaimanapun, pemimpin akar umbi Umno tidak sekata mengenai tarikh tersebut dan ramai yang mendesak supaya tarikh itu dipercepatkan lagi.

Abdullah yang juga presiden Umno bagaimanapun enggan mengulas lanjut tentang peralihan kuasa.

pak lah umno supreme council special meeting 260809 02"Apa juga yang diperlukan, peraturan-peraturan, apa yang hendak saya laksanakan nanti, apa juga, akan diputuskan (bersama) antara saya dan (timbalan presiden) Datuk Seri Najib (Razak),” katanya.

Pemilihan pucuk pimpinan Umno sebelum ini dijadualkan pada 16 hingga 21 Disember depan.

Abdullah turut menafikan mendapat tekanan suapaya peralihan kuasa itu disegerakan, sebaliknya perkara itu, menurutnya, “berkaitan dengan kerjanya” sebagai presiden Umno.

Hubungan baik

“Tidak ada kena mengena dengan semua itu (tekanan). Ia berhubung kait dengan kerja saya. Apabila kerja habis, habislah.”

Perkara itu juga, tambah Abdullah, tidak ditimbulkan dalam mesyuarat tergempar pagi ini.

“Tidak ada apa-apa. Pada hari ini tidak ada langsung (bincang) tentang perkara itu. Mungkin ada dua, tiga orang yang kata begitu. Tetapi tidak ada satu-satu sebab hendak tekan, sebab mereka tahu hubungan saya dengan Najib baik.

“Dalam apa-apa perkara pun, kami mempunyai persefahaman yang baik. Tidak ada masalah patut timbul dalam perkara ini,” katanya.

Bagaimanapun, mesyuarat perwakilan Umno bahagian akan diteruskan seperti yang dijadualkan mulai 9 Oktober hingga 9 November depan.

Perkara itu diputuskan kerana perubahan tarikh mesyuarat di peringkat itu “tidak membawa kepada apa-apa kebaikan tambahan” kepada parti, tegas Abdullah.

Putuskan sebelum 9 Okt

Keputusan itu disifatkan sebagai “bukan sesuatu yang menyusahkan” bahagian dan telah diterima ahli MT.

Abdullah juga berkata, belum memutuskan sama ada akan mempertahankan jawatan presiden.

Bagaimanapun, katanya, beliau akan membuat keputusan mengenainya sebelum mesyuarat bahagian bermula 9 Oktober depan.

“Apa-apa keputusan saya akan buat sebelum mesyuarat bahagian,” katanya.

“Bertanding atau tidak, (itu) keputusan saya. Kamu boleh terus meneka tetapi keputusannya milik saya.”

Abdullah memberitahu demikian dalam sidang akhbar selepas mesyuarat tergempar MT selama sejam di ibu pejabat Umno pagi tadi.

pak lah umno supreme council special meeting 260809 03Sebelum itu, Abdullah mengadakan pertemuan empat mata selama setengah jam dengan timbalannya sebelum mesyuarat MT bermula kira-kira jam 11 pagi tadi.

Mesyuarat MT ini merupakan pertemuan kedua pada bulan ini, selepas mesyuarat bulanannya pada 18 September.

Tidak akan bercuti

Kebiasaannya, mesyuarat MT hari ini juga diadakan pada sebelah petang tetapi kali ini ia diadakan pada sebelah pagi.

Ditanya sama ada beliau akan bercuti, Abdullah menjawab: "Ada banyak kerja nak buat."

Beliau juga tidak berniat meninggalkan Umno dan perkara itu dibuktikan dengan rekodnya bersama parti itu yang "bersih".

“Saya cintakan parti saya. Walaupun pada masa yang sukar saya tidak tinggalkan. Saya tidak pernah menyertai mana-mana parti lain.

"Saya tidak pernah berada atas landasan pembangkang. Tidak ada rekod saya yang menentang parti pun, pada bila-bila masa pun,” katanya ketika ditanya sama ada beliau akan meninggalkan parti itu.

Najib berada di sisi kanan Abdullah sepanjang sidang akhbar tersebut.

Source

*Masuk ni dah 2 kali ditangguh Pemilihan Agung UMNO, mula-mula kasi alasan nak pilihanraya, kali ni pulak pasal Presiden takut tak dapat cukup pencalonan sebab grass root memang dah tak nak Pak Lah jadi Presiden lagi. Tak tau lah apa reaction ahli-ahli grass root ni. Macam-macam hal dia ni buat pasal nak still pegang kuasa. Najib berhati-hati lah, dari sekarang sampai March tahun depan macam-macam boleh jadi. Ntah-ntah Pak Lah tengah nak cari jalan nak kenakan Najib dgn kes Altantuya so that dia still boleh pegang jawatan Presiden tanpa perlu bertanding sekali pun dengan alasan untuk mengukuhkan parti.

LRT Berlanggar?

2008-09-25T00:58:00.002+08:00

LRT berlanggar, 4 cedera ringan
Sep 24, 08 10:17pm

Kira-kira 300 penumpang terselamat dalam satu insiden pelanggaran yang membabitkan dua tren Sistem Transit Aliran Ringan(LRT Star) kira-kira 200m dari Stesen LRT Bukit Jalil hari ini.

Bagaimanapun, empat penumpang cedera ringan dalam kejadian pukul 6.30 petang itu dan mereka kini dirawat di Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM) sebagai pesakit luar.

Ketua Polis Daerah Cheras, ACP Ahmad Amir Mohd Hashim berkata kejadian berlaku apabila sebuah gerabak LRT Star Aliran Ampang dari arah Sungai Besi secara tiba-tiba berhenti 200 meter daripada Stesen LRT Bukit Jalil, sebelum dirempuh sebuah lagi gerabak LRT dari arah belakang dalam trek yang sama., demikian menurut Bernama.

"Kira-kira 300 penumpang berada dalam kedua-dua tren namun kesemua penumpang berjaya dikeluarkan serta tiada kecederaan parah termasuk ke atas kedua-dua pemandu tren, kecuali tiga wanita dan seorang lelaki mengalami kecederaan ringan.

"Punca kejadiannya kita sedang siasat dan kita akan ambil keterangan kedua-dua pemandu LRT berkenaan yang berusia dalam lingkungan 30-an untuk mengetahui punca sebenar kejadian," katanya di tempat kejadian.

Beliau berkata kira-kira 20 anggota polis bersama dua buah ambulans bergegas ke tempat kejadian sejurus menerima maklumat dan menolong mengeluarkan mangsa yang terperangkap di dalam kedua-dua LRT tersebut.

Pegawai Eksekitif RapidKL, Suffian Baharuddin berkata kejadian mungkin berpunca daripada masalah teknikal namun punca sebenar hanya akan diketahui setelah siasatan polis dan pihak RapidKL selesai.

Beliau berkata akibat pelanggaran itu, aliran sistem LRT di kedua-dua hala stesen Star Sungai Besi, Bukit Jalil dan Seri Petaling ditutup untuk malam ini.

"Tren yang berlanggar masih berada di atas landasan dan kami berharap keadaan akan kembali seperti sediakala esok," katanya.

Salah seorang penumpang yang terselamat, Ecoo Abu Samad, 32, seorang pekerja pembinaan berkata ketika kejadian, tren yang dinaikinya secara tiba-tiba berhenti berdekatan stesen LRT Bukit Jalil sebelum dirempuh kuat oleh tren lain dan menyebabkan kesemua penumpang terjatuh.

"Ketika tren tersebut berhenti, saya nampak lampu isyarat di hadapan berwarna merah dan dalam beberapa minit, tren dirempuh dari arah belakang.

"Kejadian berlaku ketika waktu sibuk dan ketika itu penumpang memang ramai. Kami terperangkap di dalam tren kira-kira 25 minit sebelum diselamatkan pekerja stesen LRT tersebut," katanya.

Seorang petugas TNB yang menaiki sebuah lagi tren, R.Perumal, 48, berkata dalam sistem lampu dan penghawa dingin terputus diikuti dengan keadaan riuh-rendah para penumpang dan mereka terpaksa bertindak sendiri dengan membuka pintu tren untuk keluar.

"Ketika keluar dari tren tersebut, saya nampak beberapa yang cedera dibawa masuk ke dalam ambulans. Saya sendiri luka sedikit di bahagian kepala akibat terhantuk di tiang," katanya.

Source

*Apa la driver LRT tu buat berhenti tak sampai station lagi? Hallucinate kot tak perasan belum sampai.

Lady Of Justice Painted Green... Money Talking

2008-09-25T00:49:00.002+08:00

Malaysia is at its most important turning point, says John Malott

September 21, 2008 (via e-mail), By John Malott*

Today Malaysia is at the most important turning point in its history. Ironically, the man who has the opportunity to decide which way Malaysia will go is the man who has been considered an ineffective if not a failed leader – Abdullah Badawi.

Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam said it best in an interview with Malaysiakini:http://www.malaysia kini.com/ news/90022) "If Abdullah lets the democratic process take place and does not stifle the country with arrests and emergency rule, it will be his finest hour, and he will go down in history as the man who liberalised the democratic system in Malaysia. But if he reneges on his word to not invoke the ISA, then he would only be digging his own grave", Ramon said.

Although the attention of the world has turned to the financial crisis in the United States, interest in Malaysia has never been higher. The world is watching. Malaysia can redeem itself in the eyes of the world – or it can become an international pariah – all within the space of the next few weeks.

The Malaysian people should not underestimate the influence and impact that Anwar Ibrahim has overseas. The 18 months that he spent abroad after his release from prison allowed him not only to reestablish his old connections but also to develop new ones. He spoke widely throughout the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia and developed a new cadre of admirers. He is without question the most well-known and respected Malaysian in the world.

So when he again faces more sham charges of sodomy and is carried away by a SWAT team, or when he then pulls off one of the most stunning political comebacks ever, the world pays attention. But it is not up to the world to decide who should govern Malaysia, it is up to the Malaysian people.

What the international community does expect is that the contest should be fair. For too long the Malaysian Government and UMNO have relied not on the forces of democracy and persuasion but on the powers of intimidation — the ISA, the sedition laws, the denial of business contracts, spying by the Special Branch, financial "largesse," and propaganda and even outright falsehoods disseminated by government and party controlled media. They too often have ruled by fear. Ten years ago few people dared to speak up. But this time the people are not afraid. They know what is going on in their country, and now they want the right to decide their own future.

After Anwar was sacked from the Government ten years ago, the question was who would replace him. Mahathir had announced that he would be stepping down in the near future, so the new DPM was likely to become Prime Minister. I was having lunch with a newly-arrived High Commissioner from a Commonwealth country. We were speculating who might replace Anwar when I said, "No matter who it is, he will have a hard time. It is always hard to follow a strong, tough leader. Look at Morarji Desai after Indira Gandhi in India, or John Major after Thatcher, or Goh after Lee Kuan Yew."

Since he was newly arrived, I gave him my impressions of Badawi and Najib as potential successors, as I had dealt with both of them. I said that they were not as authoritarian as Mahathir, and they were more "hands off" in their leadership style. Neither of them were men of vision. So we were likely to see a kinder, gentler, but weaker leadership. My colleague told me that he had spent a lot of time in Africa, so don't count on it. Weak leaders are even more likely to rely on the secret police and internal security laws to stay in power, simply because they are weak.

So here we are, 10 years later. Was I right, or was he?

When you look at Badawi's record over the past five years, the verdict of history already seems clear.Race relations are worse than at any point since 1969. The economy is suffering. Corruption and scandals are rampant and even touch the highest offices in the land. The opposition has achieved its greatest electoral victory in history. The BN coalition is breaking apart, and UMNO's unity is shattered. By any measure, history seems ready to record that Abdullah Badawi was a failed leader.

But the Prime Minister still has a chance to turn this around. Tan Sri Ramon has framed Badawi's choice well. Dig your own grave, or turn this into your finest hour. The choice is Badawi's, but the verdict will belong to the Malaysian people – and to history.

______
* John Malott, former Ambassador of the United States of America to Malaysia. Since returning to his country some years ago, John continued to take a deep personal interest in political and socio-economic developments of our country. He has many friends in Kuala Lumpur and around ASEAN. It is my privilege to know him, and we do engage in free and frank exchange of views on US-Malaysia relations and other matters of mutual academic interest. The views expressed here are entirely his own.

Source

Anok Kelate

2008-09-24T11:08:00.003+08:00

Statement by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah

23 September 2008

I write this as a Malaysian, as someone who, over forty seven years of political life, has had the privilege of playing some small part in the formation our country, the building of its institutions, and our achievement of a degree of economic sufficiency. I write out of deep concern about the present state of our country.

In the lives of nations as of individuals, there come moments of profound possibility, when the potential for self-transcendence and for self-destruction are simultaneously present.

As before some critical examination in our youth, we come to the daunting realization that we hold our future in our hands, when how we will fare many years hence, and whether we shall flourish or languish, will depend on how we conduct ourselves now, in this small window of
time.

We are in a political impasse that threatens to metastasize into a Constitutional crisis. Political crises come and go, but the present crisis might well be the beginning of a cascade of failures leading to long-term instability and destruction.

1. Our impasse occurs at a time of heightened economic, political and security challenges. The global economy faces the prospect of a meltdown on a scale last seen in the Great Depression of the last century. As a trading nation, we are strongly exposed to its effects. Meanwhile, while we seem to have slept, the global economy is undergoing an epic transformation that we must either adapt to or are marginalized by.

2. This year's ground-shfiting General Election result signaled a public sentiment that cannot be ignored. Malaysians want fundamental change, and they want it now, whether from within the ruling coalition or from outside it. The Malaysian demographic has changed dramatically over the last fifty years. We have seen the birth of a more sophisticated, demanding electorate that has rightly lost patience with incompetence and dishonesty.

3. The grievances of Sabah and Sarawak, which found only partial expression in the General Elections, remain unaddressed. This risks the very integrity of our Federation.

4. Misunderstandings over race and religion are ripe for political exploitation, with potentially disastrous consequences. Post election promises notwithstanding however, the government now
commands even less confidence than it did post March 8.

The public is in near despair over the prospects for change from within the ruling party. Rather than share the public's sense of urgency, our present office-holders have redoubled efforts to
frustrate renewal, cut off reform, and silence criticism. These efforts only underscore the weakness of the administration and its will to change.

We can no longer deny that in its present form, and under present leadership, the government, led by the party to which I have given my life, is now structurally and inherently incapable of providing the direction and confidence that the country needs, whether over the long or short term. The indications are there for all to see:

1. The government has been unable to respond to the economic crisis with even a basic plan of action. Business confidence has plummeted as capital flees the country. Our economic policy remains as uncoordinated and directionless as it has been in since the beginning of this administration.

2. The recommendations of two Royal Commissions of Inquiry have been ignored or watered down into insignificance.

3. In this context, Umno's constitutional provision for the renewal of its leadership by triennial elections might have been expected to provide some hope of renewal. Instead of embracing this opportunity, however, the leadership of the party has retreated into the fantasy world of a "transition plan" which rides roughshod over the party's constitution and the rights of its members. This risible attempt to treat public office and party trust as a private bequest between two individuals, one of whom wishes to hold office beyond his democratic mandate and the other to ascend without one, and the continuing effort to force feed the country with this notion, fools no one. Instead, and against background of rampant money politics, it kills the public's hope of national renewal via Umno. Behind the babble about a "transition plan" the Prime Minister continues to be subverted by members of his own cabinet and subjected to thinly cloaked power plays to force his resignation.

This resort to a "transition plan" betrays a disturbing failure to grasp the meaning and purpose of public office. In the more mature society into which we aspire to grow, persons who demonstrate and moreover propagate such disregard for constitutional and democratic process would long ago have been disqualified from public life, let alone from national leadership. The news appears not to have sunk in that the public rejects leaders who shun the open light of democratic contest in favour of staged plays and backroom plots.

Given Umno's core role in national politics, this is a dangerous state of affairs. Meanwhile the Opposition has made undeniable gains in the number of parliamentarians it commands. Beyond the hype and inflation, and regardless of whether Pakatan Rakyat now has "the numbers" to
command a majority, what we cannot doubt is that support for the governing majority continues to erode, and that this erosion continues so long as there is no hope of real change in the type of leadership Umno provides. There is now a credible threat that the present government may at some time fall by a vote of no confidence, or by some otherwise constitutionally legitimate demonstration of parliamentary majority. After fifty-one years of rule by a single party, this is not a possibility that is well understood. It is justifiably viewed with trepidation. Neither sheer denial on the one hand, or inflated claims on the other, help the situation.

To all appearances, we are beginning to lose grip of the rule of law. The use of the Internal Security Act and of Sedition Laws to target particular individuals further erodes the credibility of the government. Our actions exacerbate rather than calm the fear that stokes civil and racial strife. In the present context of a leadership struggle within Umno and against a strong Opposition it is impossible to dispel the notion that these extreme measures are calculated to
maintain certain individuals in power rather than to address verifiable threats to national security. Nothing does more to undermine the legitimacy of a government than plainly unjust acts. The ridiculous justifications given for some of these detentions has further undermined public confidence that the awesome powers of state are in safe hands.

We cannot afford to allow these disturbing trends to play out their destructive course while we suffer a de facto leadership vacuum, and while the rule of law is uncertain and the Constitution not upheld.

Against this background I appeal to all parties to come together in humility, beyond party politics, to hold an honest discussion, in the spirit of shared citizenship and with the gravest attitude of common responsibility towards a longsuffering rakyat, about what is happening to our country and how we might agree together on a peaceful way beyond our impasse. We need to come together to find unity and direction out of this dangerous situation. In doing so, we might turn our crisis into an opportunity and renew our unity and sense of direction as Malaysia.

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah
31 Jalan Langgak Golf
55000 Kuala Lumpur

*Maybe Kelantanese were born to be rebels. This is the only guys in UMNO who i believe can truly reform the party and take it forward. Good luck in the party election Ku Li

Salam Aidilfitri 2008

2008-09-23T17:51:00.000+08:00

Justice For RPK

2008-09-23T17:49:00.004+08:00

Petra ditahan 2 tahun di Kamunting

Sep 23, 08 10:36am

Raja Petra Kamaruddin dihantar ke Kem Tahanan Kamunting hari ini untuk menjalani tahanan selama dua tahun bawah Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA), kata peguamnya.

raja petra and internal security actMenteri Dalam Negeri telah menandatangani perintah tahanannya malam tadi mengikut seksyen 8 akta tersebut, yang membolehkan beliau ditahan tanpa bicara.

Mengikut akta tersebut, perintah tahanan ke atas Raja Petra itu boleh disambung setiap dua tahun.

"Tindakan menteri berkenaan menandatanganinya mengikut seksyen 8 semalam, tidak boleh diterima sama sekali," kata peguam Malik Imtiaz yang mewakili Raja Petra.

Menteri Dalam Negeri mengesahkan pengendali laman web Malaysia Today ditahan selama dua tahun di Taiping.

Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar berkata beliau sendiri menandatangani perintah penahanan Raja Petra untuk tempoh itu, lapor Bernama.

"Semalam, saya telah menandatangani penahanan Raja Petra untuk dua tahun ke Kamunting setelah berpuas hati dengan alasan yang cukup untuk menahannya," beliau dipetik sebagai berkata.

Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur hari ini mendengar permohonan habeas corpus yang difailkan oleh peguam Raja Petra untuk membatalkan penahanan blogger tersebut.

bm version internal security act section 73 bracket 1 and 8 bracket 1 230908Habeas corpus adalah permohonan supaya tahanan di bawah ke mahkamah untuk menentukan sama ada berlaku kecacatan dalam perintah tahanan tersebut, yang menjadikannya tidak sah.

Hakim Suraya Othman meminta peguambela mengemukakan hujah berhubung kes tersebut pada 28 Oktober.

Awal pagi ini, isteri Raja Petra, Marina Abdullah mengesahkan bahawa polis telah memaklumkan kepadanya bahawa perintah tahanan tersebut, telah dikeluarkan oleh menteri berkenaan semalam.

"Polis berkata, suami saya telah dihantar ke Kamunting pagi ini dan beliau akan ditahan di sana selama dua tahun tanpa bicara. Ini adalah berita paling buruk yang saya boleh terima, tetapi kami akan terus berusaha untuk membebaskannya," kata Marina dalam keadaan sebak.

Marina menyifatkannya sebagai satu taktik kotor kerajaan kerana "mereka tahu kami dalam proses untuk mendapatkan pembebasannya di mahkamah, tetapi saya sudah menjangkanya".

Menurut para wartawan yang menunggu di Kamunting, Raja Petra tiba di kem tahanan itu pada jam 11.50 pagi dengan menaiki sebuah van putih yang bercermin gelap.

Bekas menteri turut hadir

Turut hadir di mahkamah pagi ini ialah bekas menteri di jabatan perdana menteri, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim yang duduk di sebelah Marina dalam dewan mahkamah.

raja petra habeas corpus court 230908 03Raja Petra, 58, yang ditahan bersama dua orang lagi minggu lalu, kini ditahan di lokasi yang tidak diketahui.

Dua orang lagi - wartawan kanan Sin Chew Daily, Tan Hoon Cheng, 33, dan exco kerajaan Selangor, Teresa Kok, 43 - telah dibebaskan.

Tan dibebaskan 18 jam selepas dia ditahan, manakala Teresa dibebaskan tujuh hari kemudiannya.

Mengikut peguam J Chandra, Raja Petra ditahan kerana menyiarkan artikel dalam lamanwebnya yang mencemarkan kepimpinan negara dan menghina Islam.

Beliau sebelum ini telahpun dihadapkan ke mahkamah atas tuduhan menghasut dan fitnah selepas mengaitkan Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak dan isterinya, dengan kes pembunuhan wanita Mongolia, Altantuya Shaariibu.

Source

*THE EMPIRE STRIKES AGAIN. JUSTICE FOR RPK!

A Man Of Principles

2008-09-15T16:47:00.003+08:00

Zaid Ibrahim quits

By SHAILA KOSHY

KUALA LUMPUR: De facto Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has submitted his resignation letter to the Prime Minister.

However, it is known yet whether Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has accepted Zaid's resignation.

According to sources, the senator tendered his letter of resignation to the Prime Minister's office just before 2pm on Monday.

Zaid could not be reached for confirmation.

The former Kota Baru MP was not fielded to stand in the March 8 general election.

Following the general election, however, Abdullah appointed him a Senator and a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.

In announcing his new Cabinet on March 18, Abdullah said that Zaid would be responsible for legal matters and take on the role to reform the judiciary.

It was only last Tuesday that Zaid said he might soon become a full-blown Law Minister with the requisite authority and responsibility to help him effect legal reform.

“In fact, my own position will be reviewed to Minister of Law to give me more authority but that will take time. You can’t have responsibility without authority,” he had said then.

However on Sunday, Zaid broke from rank to say that the use of the Internal Security Act against civilians was wrong, adding that he was prepared to resign over the issue.

Source

*Akhirnya ada jugak orang UMNO yang berpegang kepada prinsip dan bukannya ikut perut. Wish more of them are like Zaid. Syabas Dato'

He's No Commie!!

2008-09-14T21:06:00.004+08:00

Wrong use of ISA: De facto law minister

By IAN McINTYRE

KOTA BARU: The Internal Security Act (ISA) should not be used against civilians, de facto law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said.

The Act should only be used against terrorists or those trying to topple the Government by force, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said at a press conference at his home here on Sunday.

He was commenting on the arrests of three people -- Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin and Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng -- under the ISA.

Tan has since been released.

“I will seek a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to have a frank discussion about this issue to seek his views as soon as possible,” he told reporters.

“I know I am breaking rank here ... I am prepared to face the consequences. If I am told to resign, I will do so.

"I am not a trouble maker and I don't want to cause any trouble for the Prime Minister, but I have my principles and will always be a vocal critic of the use of the ISA.

"I joined his administration to make changes and everybody knows, I am also for a more open form of media reporting," he added.

Zaid said it was time for the Federal Government to revert to the original spirit of the ISA, which was enacted to curb Communism and today should be used only on armed terrorists or those out to topple the Government by force.

“I am not calling for a repeal of the ISA, but it should only be use when there is a real threat to national security, such as armed terrorists, and not on civilians,” he said.

He said by using the ISA randomly, the Government was sending out a message that it does not trust the capabilities of its own enforcement agencies, such as the police, in maintaining peace.

There are ample punitive legislations such as the Penal Code, Sedition Act and criminal defamation to take against those who break the law or are involved in activities which may destabilise the Government, without having to invoke the ISA, Zaid said.

He said the use of the ISA also gives the impression of “selective prosecution” as the Government cannot incarcerate everybody.

“In this latest episode, we (the Government) have generated an impression of selective prosecution since no action was taken against the person who allegedly uttered seditious remarks.

“We are saying that we are only acting against those who are disloyal to us.”

“The Government needs to change and Cabinet members need to realise this -- we have to be progressive.”

Asked whether the ISA was likely used because of strained “race relations” which may undermine national stability, Zaid said that while he placed paramount importance on national stability, the role of the Government was to find solutions, not to make matters worse.

“I agree we have many issues and sensitivities to address but for me, racial disharmony is a seasonal thing in Malaysia. We must engage in open dialogues and discussions to resolve these issues,” he said.

On whether the ISA was used because the court process may be too long, Zaid noted that the Government never even attempted to use the court system first -- instead, it simply went ahead with using the ISA first.

“If our court system is too slow, we must ... make it more efficient by hiring more prosecutors, while the police must conduct proper investigation to acquire credible evidence,” he said.

Source

*Finally ada jugak Minister dari UMNO yang berani bersuara. Tahniah Datuk Zaih. Tapi tunggu lah lepas dia jumpa Pak Lah, tengok lah kalau dia still maintain dengan stand ni.

UMNO Bodoh Stupid Bagero Nate Bewok... NIAMAH!!!

2008-09-13T16:42:00.005+08:00

Sin Chew reporter released

By CHRISTINA CHIN

GEORGE TOWN: Sin Chew Daily News reporter Tan Hoon Cheng has been released. Penang state police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Wira Ayub Yaakub said Tan was sent to her house in Bukit Mertajam at 4.15pm.

She was released Saturday after a one-day detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

On Saturday morning, she was sent to the Bukit Aman Police Headquarters in a black Kia Sorenta vehicle which was escorted by a Proton Waja car.

The journalist, who was arrested under Section 73(1) of the Internal Security Act 1960 at her home in Bukit Mertajam on Friday night, was allowed to see her parents for about 15 minutes Saturday morning.

She told her parents that she was fine and that they need not worry.

Her parents, Tan Booi Siam and Khor Ah Heok, arrived with their son Weng Khian at the headquarters in Penang Road at about 7am.

Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, state PKR chief Datuk Zahrain Mohd Hashim and several state executive councillors arrived soon after.

Also present were the Chinese daily’s management staff.

Only Tan’s father and mother were allowed to see her. They had brought some dumplings for her breakfast.

Khor, who looked calm despite her red, puffy eyes, said she told her 32-year-old daughter that her family, colleagues in the media and society were strongly supporting her.

“I was happy to see her. She told us not to worry and that she had been treated well while under detention.”

Her brother Weng Khian, 35, said his sister was “brave” and that the family would stand by her.

Source

* Suddenly the stupid gov realized they made a mistake by detaining the jounalist. Shooting the messenger eh? What a stupid move. And they think people will be afraid and keep quiet just because they invoked ISA. Stupid, Stupid, Stupid! What's the point of detaining here under ISA and released her the next day? You stupid government can just call he or remand her or whatever and ask all your stupid questions.

Ops Lalang Part Deux

2008-09-13T02:38:00.003+08:00

Sin Chew reporter arrested under the ISA

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 - Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng, the person who first reported on Bukit Bendera MP Ahmad Ismail's racial remarks, was arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) tonight.

Tan was picked up from her home in Bukit Mertajam at 8.30 tonight.

Deputy IGP Ismail Omar has confirmed Tan is being detained under ISA. Reporters and activists in Penang are crowding the Penang police contingent headquarters to get details and provide moral support to her.

The arrest tonight comes on the same day as the detention of prominent blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, also under the ISA.
Both arrests followed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi's warning this week that the ISA would be used to calm rising racial tensions in the country.

Three newspapers ~ Suara Keadilan, Sin Chew Daily and The Sun ~ were also issued show cause letters by the Home Ministry today.Racial tensions have been on the rise since Ahmad's controversial comments that the Chinese in Malaysia were squatters, was made during the recent Permatang Pauh by election campaign.

Ahmad's comments and subsequent defiance of his party president Abdullah has also happened amid instability within Umno, with renewed calls for Abdullah to leave office ahead of 2010, the year in which he has promised to hand over power to deputy Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Today's arrests also happened ahead of September 16, the day in which Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says his Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance would topple the Barisan Nasional (BN) government.

Earlier today, Raja Petra was detained under Section 73 (1) of the ISA for being a threat to security, peace and public order.
Under the detention orders, he will be detained for 60 days. The Home Minister can extend the detention order at the end of that period.

Teresa Kok joins ISA list

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 - DAP leader Teresa Kok has been arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA)' tonight, joining Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng and blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin held earlier today.

The Selangor senior executive councillor was arrested some time after Tan was picked up from her home in Bukit Mertajam at 8.30 tonight.

No othee details are available at this point but intelligence sources said more arrests are likely.

Tan was the person who first reported on Bukit Bendera MP Ahmad Ismail's racial remarks, was arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) tonight.

Deputy IGP Ismail Omar has confirmed Tan is being detained under ISA. Reporters and activists in Penang are crowding the Penang police contingent headquarters to get details and provide moral support to her.

The arrest tonight comes on the same day as the detention of prominent blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, also under the ISA.

Both arrests followed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi's warning this week that the ISA would be used to calm rising racial tensions in the country.

Three newspapers ~ Suara Keadilan, Sin Chew Daily and The Sun ~ were also issued show cause letters by the Home Ministry today.Racial tensions have been on the rise since Ahmad's controversial comments that the Chinese in Malaysia were squatters, was made during the recent Permatang Pauh by election campaign.

Ahmad's comments and subsequent defiance of his party president Abdullah has also happened amid instability within Umno, with renewed calls for Abdullah to leave office ahead of 2010, the year in which he has promised to hand over power to deputy Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Today's arrests also happened ahead of September 16, the day in which Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says his Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance would topple the Barisan Nasional (BN) government.

Earlier today, Raja Petra was detained under Section 73 (1) of the ISA for being a threat to security and peace of the country

Source 1, Source 2
*Another Ops Lalang in the making. 3 so far, who's next? That racist Ahmad Ismail should' have been the first one to be detained but because his an UMNO fella he got away with just a 3 years suspension from the party. He's the one who started this shit! As usual the government practised double standard when it comes to their own racist kind.

ISA Again

2008-09-12T15:25:00.002+08:00

RPK arrested under ISA

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin was arrested Friday afternoon under the Internal Security Act.

Three Malaysian newspapers - Sin Chew Daily, The Sun and Suara Keadilan - were also issued show cause letters by the Home Ministry.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar told The Star Raja Petra was detained under Section 73 (1) of the ISA as he was deemed a threat to security, peace and public order.

He said that under Section 73 (1) Raja Petra would be detained for 60 days.

“The police will do an assessment during this period and if they feel he should be held more than 60 days, the police will then refer to me,” he said.

Syed Hamid also confirmed that Sin Chew Daily, The Sun and Suara Keadilan were issued show cause letters.

"They have been given a week to reply," he added.

Raja Petra's wife Marina Lee Abdullah said the blogger was arrested at 1.10pm at their home in Sg Buloh by a team of 10 police officers.

She told The Star that Raja Petra was taken away from their house by the police about 1.50pm.

"But I don't know where they are taking him," she added.

She said that the police officers also took some tapes and a computer from her room.

PKR Information Chief Tian Chua told The Star before leaving for Taiwan that he was informed of Raja Petra’s arrest by party colleagues.

“RPK’s daughter sent a SMS to say that her father was arrested about 1.10pm (Friday),” he said when contacted before he boarded China Airlines flight CI 0656, which was scheduled to depart KLIA at 2.20pm Friday.

Raja Petra’s arrest comes a day after the Cabinet ordered the Multimedia and Communications Commission (MCMC) to reinstate access to all blocked websites, including the controversial Malaysia Today.

Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor said on Thursday the order was made because there were other “harsher” laws in the country, under which authorities could take action against the owners of blogs and websites, instead of blocking it.

“The Cabinet has asked the ministry to direct MCMC to reinstate access to any blocked website with immediate effect.

“At the same time, it is asking MCMC to closely cooperate with the police, the Attorney-General’s Office and the Home Minister to monitor any website or blog to ensure that this does not contain seditious, racist or religiously insensitive remarks.

“Instead of blocking access to offensive websites, the Cabinet wants authorities to investigate and act quickly against the owners of these sites,” he said in Putrajaya.

Source

*ISA again for RPK. Dont worry it wont be long. 16 Sept is less than a week away. Justice for RPK

Mana Hilang Seringgit?

2008-09-12T11:42:00.004+08:00

Ada 3 orang member, Anwar, Abdullah dan Najib pegi holiday di Taiwan. Sampai kat tempat holiday diaorang cari la chalet nak duduk kat sana. Sebab Abdullah dgn Najib ni selalu flip-flop buat keputusan, Anwar pun pegi lah tanya tuan punya chalet.

Anwar : Dik berapa sewa chalet ni satu malam?

KJ : Call me KJ. RM30 je bang

Anwar : Boleh lah, kitaorang nak booking untuk satu malam

KJ : Ok jap saya uruskan

Anwar pun pegi la balik jumpa Abdullah dan Najib.

Anwar : Chalet RM30 la. Kita tong-tong la RM10 sorang

Abdullah & Najib : Ok dude

So diaorang pun bayar la sewa chalet tu dan pegi ke chalet yang telah disewa. Lepas diaorang dah blah tu baru KJ tu perasan..

KJ : Alamak hari ni hari Selasa 16 Sept, ada discount RM5 ni. Takpe aku panggil bell boy gi pulang balik duit.

KJ pun panggil bell boy dia.

KJ : Samy, ko tolong kasi ini balance RM5 kat 3 org yg sewa chalet tadi.

Samy : Wokey boss!

Sambil jalan tu Samy terfikir

Samy : Ish itu worang ada 3 worang, macam mana mau bahagi ini duit. Baik aku pau RM2 nanti sinang itu orang mau bahagi-bahagi ini duit

Samy pun pau la dua ringgit.

Sampai di chalet tersebut Samy pun kasi la balik duit kat Najib sebab Anwar dgn Abdullah tgh arm wrestling.

So soalannya. Now Anwar, Abdullah dan Najib end up bayar RM9 sorang untuk chalet tu. selepas discount RM2 Samy dah ambik. So 9 x 3 = 27 + 2 yang samy ambik baru RM29. Bukan tadi diaorang bayar RM30 ke?

MANA HILANG LAGI SERINGGIT??

9-11 : The Day That Change The World Forever

2008-09-11T16:06:00.001+08:00

Kim Jong il is ill?

2008-09-10T15:00:00.003+08:00

North Korea denies Kim is ill

Kim was absent from Tuesday's 60th anniversary celebrations [AFP]

Senior North Korean officials have rejected suggestions that the country's leader, Kim Jong-il, is seriously ill amid mounting international speculation over his health.

Kim has not been seen in public for several weeks and was absent from a key ceremony on Tuesday marking the 60th anniversary of the North Korean state.

His absence has fuelled speculation that the 66-year-old leader is unwell, with senior US officials saying on Tuesday that intelligence reports indicated Kim may have suffered a stroke.

But on Wednesday Japan's Kyodo news agency quoted Kim Yong-nam, North Korea's number two leader, as saying that there was "no problem" with Kim Jong-il.

Kyodo gave no further details although it also quoted Song Il-ho, a senior North Korean diplomat, as saying that any reports Kim was unwell were "not true" and "worthless".

'Conspiracy'

Song, who oversees North Korea's relations with Japan, said such speculation was seen as a "conspiracy plot".

"I believe the aim is to form a public opinion on something that is not true," Kyodo reported him as saying. "Western media have reported falsehood before."

Kim has long been rumoured to suffer from diabetes and heart problems [AFP]
An earlier report by South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted an unnamed South Korean official as saying that Kim appeared to have "collapsed" and was ill, but still alive.

On Wednesday, South Korea's president, Lee Myung-bak, convened an emergency meeting in Seoul with senior aides to discuss the situation.

Tuesday's anniversary celebrations in North Korea had been closely scrutinised for any appearance by the country's reclusive leader following weeks of speculation over his health.

The celebrations included a massive military parade through the centre of Pyongyang – an event usually overseen by Kim, known to North Koreans as the "Dear Leader".

Succession question

Leonid Petrov, a North Korea expert at the Australian National University in Canberra, told Al Jazeera he believed poor health was the most likely explanation

"His health has not been well in recent months," Petrov said, noting that Kim had seemed increasingly unwell during his most recent recorded public appearances.

The question now, he said, was who could take over, whether it might be one of Kim's three sons or a member of the country's powerful armed forces.

Recent rumours, attributed to South Korean diplomats in Beijing, had suggested that Kim may have fallen ill several weeks ago, with a group of Chinese doctors dispatched to Pyongyang to treat him.

The North Korean leader is thought to have suffered for years from diabetes and heart problems.

On Tuesday a US intelligence official said reports indicated that Kim had "suffered a health setback, potentially a stroke".

She said there have been no signs of a change in governing power and that assessing whether Kim was still capable of governing would "call for a lot of speculation".

Source

*The last of eccentric madman dictator of this world

I Am Immortal

2008-09-10T12:54:00.002+08:00

"Being in a rock band is just an excuse not to have a job. We're just trying to postpone mortality just a couple, five minutes, you know?"

-Billy Corgan 1993 -

Netphoria

Matinya Seorang Patriot

2008-09-09T23:43:00.002+08:00

Tan Sri A. Samad Ismail (1925-2008)
Al Fatihah

Once Upon A Time In Malaya

2008-09-08T14:36:00.004+08:00

Got the pic from this blog. Hishamudin Hussien and wife once upon a time. It seems like they really like Anchor Beer in those days. Pakaian tahun 80-an gile hahahaha

Open Your Eyes UMNO Youth

2008-09-08T14:27:00.003+08:00

Umno Youth questions ‘voices of the people’

KOTA KINABALU: Umno Youth has questioned the “deafening silence” from the Bar Council, NGOs and bloggers over plans by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to woo Barisan Nasional MPs.

Its secretary Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said these groups, which claimed to defend the rights of the people, have remained silent over Anwar’s move to engineer defections, which he described as undemocratic and an act of stealing the mandate of the people.

“Where are the voices of NGOs, Bar Council and bloggers who had voiced loudly the need to protect the rights of people?” he asked here yesterday.

“Why are they not coming out to criticise Anwar and tell him it is morally wrong to grab power? Does their silence mean that they are being used by Anwar?”

Abdul Rahman said he was also surprised at the silence of the United States, which usually trumpeted the importance of democracy in the world.

The Kota Belud MP said the people of Malaysia voted for a two-party system in the last general election.

“Anwar should accept his role as Opposition Leader and carry out his duty of checks and balances,” he said.

“If Sept 16 does occur, it will not be a surprise if Barisan supporters go to the streets to challenge the legitimacy of a government formed through undemocratic means. And all this is because Anwar wants to be Prime Minister.”

In PETALING JAYA, Pasir Salak Umno Youth condemned remarks by former Federal Territory Gerakan chief Datuk Dr Tan Kee Kwong, asking instead that he apologise to Umno.

Its vice-chief Khairul Azwan Harun said Dr Tan’s remarks were uncalled for, provocative and personal in nature.

Dr Tan had, when announcing on Saturday that he was joining Parti Keadilan Rakyat, said Umno was now far removed from its original struggle and had become very proud of showing off material gains.

Khairul Azwan said Dr Tan had no right to criticise the party as he was not from Umno, and added that Dr Tan ought to provide specific evidence to back up his claims.

“We also want him to apologise for accusing Umno of making a rubber stamp of leaders of other component parties. We want him to retract it,” he said.

Source

*This UMNO fellas really dont learn anyhting. They start threatening people again. Street demo challenging legitimacy of the government? I thought when the opposition have their street demo you guys said it was not our culture bla bla bla. Double standard! The NGO, Bar Council etc are protecting the people from guys like you!! Can't you see it??

Coup D'etat On Sept 16?

2008-09-08T11:32:00.006+08:00

It's awful quiet on Anwar's front regarding his Sept 16 plan. As the saying goes, the silence is deafening. Everybody is guessing weather it will happen and a lot of people (and i mean a lot!) wanting it to happen. Even BN is still guessing and have to sent their MP oversea for a suppose 'agriculture trip' to Taiwan and China to ward of the crossover.

I wonder what will happen on Sept 16. Will the BN government collapse and Anwar forming federal government the next day? Will Sept 16 only trigger flow of MP defections and Anwar forming government after Raya? Nobody knows, even some of PR MP is still guessing. What will happen to all the government agencies? Will the police, the AG office, all the DGs in government agencies stay loyal to BN government or the new government since most of them are political appointees?

One way or another it will be Coup de grâce for BN and Sept 16 will finished off BN for good.

Inhale Exhale

2008-09-05T00:15:00.002+08:00

Abolish Unethical Sin Taxes

My contention in writing this article is to bring to the attention of the government that it is wrong to use money from a sin industry for developmental purposes. Or is it really a sin industry? My firm belief is that it is not. It is a rightful, legal industry serving those who choose to use their products. This being the case, the industry should be subject to taxes as is normally charged on any other consumer product. You cannot on one hand say it is a sinful industry and then continue to enjoy the money derived from such so-called sinful activities to offset our national budget deficits or for other developmental activities.

For many I am sure, this article would be a shocker. However, it requires careful reading and understanding. The issue of cigarette smoking and its effects on human health is quite well understood. However, there are other aspects which seem to have been completely overlooked but which needs serious thought.

Cigarettes are derived from tobacco. Tobacco is a plant whose common name is Nicotiana tabacum.

1) It is one of the very few crops entering world trade entirely on a leaf basis;
2) It is the most widely grown commercial non-food plant in the world;
3) It holds high importance in financial and economic policies in many countries;
4) Consumption is by way of smoking, inhaling or chewing and is a habit forming narcotic, and although bans of its use have been attempted, its consumption marches steadily forward;
5) Originally having religious significance, subsequent claims of medicinal benefit have alternated with accusations of a positive danger to health.

When we talk of cigarette smoking, we think of the hazards of smoking and its harmful effects on human health. A packet of cigarettes in the market has the following warning:
"CIGARETTE SMOKING IS DANGEROUS TO HEALTH"

Let me now list some of the dangers of smoking to human health:
1) Tobacco is the leading avoidable cause of cancer and has been estimated to account for about 30% of cancer deaths in the United States. Smoking increases the risks of many types of cancer including cancer of the lung, throat, mouth, pancreas, kidney, bladder, and cervix;

2) Smoking is also causally associated with many other diseases besides cancer, including coronary heart disease, stroke, emphysema, and bronchitis, as well as adverse outcomes of pregnancy. Well over 400,000 premature deaths in the United States each year are attributable to cigarette smoking.

3) Smoking affects a person's health in many ways, having both immediate and long term ill-effects on your quality of life. It is a serious addiction, caused by the drug nicotine. Once inhaled, nicotine from smoking reaches the brain almost immediately (within seven seconds). Milligram for milligram, the nicotine contained in all cigarette smoke is more potent than heroin.

Nicotine causes an increase in your heart rate and blood pressure, and the air passages in your lungs constrict, making it more difficult for you to breathe. This is dangerous for even the healthiest person and can be disastrous to anyone with a medical illness. As small blood vessels constrict, your skin temperature may also decrease, causing your fingers, toes and skin to feel cold. Smoking dulls more than your social appeal, it decreases your senses; particularly your sense of smell and taste.

Finally, carcinogens, or cancer causing agents, and toxic gases, such as carbon monoxide, enter your blood. This can cause chest pain and disturbance of your heart rhythm during physical activity or exercise. The long-term effects of smoking are dangerous. Smoking contributes to various respiratory diseases, such as asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or a shortness of breath and eventual chronic cough leading to extreme breathing difficulties. Lung infections, including frequent colds, flu and pneumonia are much more common and severe in smokers.

In addition, smoking leads to cardiovascular illnesses such as high blood pressure and coronary artery disease (clogged arteries). As arteries constrict, there is also a greater risk of stroke, which results in a disruption of the flow of blood carrying oxygen to the brain. In fact, studies show that smokers are two to three times more likely to have a stroke or heart attack than non-smokers, and the risk of cardiovascular disease is highest for smokers with high blood pressure and relatively high for women who smoke and use oral contraceptives.

In addition to causing lung cancer, smoking has been linked to other forms of cancer including cancer of the throat (or voice box), cancer of the mouth, larynx and esophagus; and cancer of the kidneys, pancreas, stomach and bladder.
Pregnant women who smoke have a greater chance of giving birth to stillborn, low-birth weight or premature babies, or of having a miscarriage .

Benefits of Tobacco

The benefits of tobacco are evident for the farmers who use their land for tobacco growing. Often, the earnings from the sale of tobacco are their only source of income for the feeding and clothing of these families.

The benefits of tobacco can be seen in its natural production of a neurotoxin named alkaloid nicotine. This neurotoxin, when combined with other ingredients used in pesticides, is quite effective for the eradication and control of pests.

Another benefit of tobacco has been discovered by scientists. A by-product of cigarette smoke is carbon-dioxide which in high doses is lethal. However, scientists have discovered that in low dosages, carbon-dioxide in a person's bloodstream prevents blood from "clotting". Blood-clots in the bloodstream is the leading cause of heart attacks and strokes.

Most nations benefit from tobacco via the Billions of tax dollars generated every year through the production and sale of tobacco.

Can there be anything good in cigarettes?

There are some which many have never heard of. However, don't get me wrong. I am not advocating cigarette smoking but this could be interesting reading. Let me list the following:

The benefits of smoking tobacco have been known since ancient times. Reliable scientific research has turned up the shocking news that tobacco smoke can be good for your health. Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Tourette's Syndrome, even schizophrenia and cocaine addiction are disorders that are alleviated by tobacco. There is even evidence that tobacco helps prevent colon and prostate cancers. You will be surprised that the news media have simply not been reporting the research presenting the good side of a food or herb that is not politically correct. BUT EVEN CIGARETTES, if smoked in moderation have been proven harmless.

The web site: http://www.forces.org/evidence/evid/therap.htm lists the therapeutic effects of smoking.

The web site www.tobaccoharmreduction.org does give some explanations on how to reduce the harm caused by cigarette smoking. This could be interesting reading.

Having said the above, both on the hazards of smoking as well as the benefits to some people, we certainly CANNOT discount the fact that the tobacco industry is a legal industry permitted by law. There are thousands of Malaysians employed in this industry through which they maintain their entire families. Their tobacco imports are legal and so are the manufacturing processes that strictly adhere to good manufacturing practices. Their large network includes sales managers, sales executives, marketing personnel, research officers, salesmen, sales agents, distributors, retailers - all are direct beneficiaries of this industry.

How can this industry be classified a 'sinful industry' that calls for extremely huge 'sin' taxes year in and year out at every budget session delivered in parliament? Any legal business that is fully supported by the government cannot by any yardstick be classified as sinful business that calls for persistent levy of sin taxes. I call this outrageous and sheer exploitation.

The government levy of taxes on cigarettes manufactured by local companies are huge, exceeding 100% and this has been going on for the last few decades. The money derived from these sin taxes on cigarettes run into hundreds of millions of ringgit. This is the same sin money that is used to build mosques, schools, hospitals, colleges and other development programs in the country.

My contention in writing this article is to bring to the attention of the government that it is wrong to use money from a sin industry for developmental purposes. Or is it really a sin industry? My firm belief is that it is not. It is a rightful, legal industry serving those who choose to use their products. This being the case, the industry should be subject to taxes as is normally charged on any other consumer product. You cannot on one hand say it is a sinful industry and then continue to enjoy the money derived from such so-called sinful activities to offset our national budget deficits or for other developmental activities.

If, on the other hand, it is not a sinful industry as it is a legal and lawful activity, then these sin taxes should be abolished and be subject to normal tax levies as any other consumer product. I reckon there should be certain fairness on this. If cigarette taxes are used to offset budget deficits or to provide healthcare to the Malaysian public, then it would appear that every time my neighbor lights his heavily-taxed cigarette, I am a direct beneficiary of his personal expenditure. That should not be the case.

I would also reckon that the government of the day is actually encouraging all loyal citizens to go out and buy cigarettes so the government can maintain itself in managing its economy through its excessive taxes imposed on cigarettes. Come on, this is sinful thinking and must stop. Please find better ways of raising revenue through proper political, economic and social management.

Further more, I propose that the so called sin taxes which are mischievously misleading be abolished and be replaced with the normal consumer taxes as is levied on any other consumer product. Even so, the tax collected from cigarette products should be channeled exclusively for the healthcare of smokers and nothing else. You could use the funds for educational purposes so that more people are made aware of the hazards of smoking and a caring government could probably give out anti-smoking remedies cost-free. In this way will you be helping the so-called smoking community.

Tax free sales of cigarettes:

Cigarettes are available 100% tax free at Langkawi and all international airports in Malaysia. If the government is deeply concerned about sinful activity then why have tax-free sales of cigarettes in the country at all. Why have double standards for different segments of the population? It sounds rather dubious with dubious intentions.

I would consider sinful activities as abortion, consumption of anti-pregnancy drugs (contraceptive pills) where young, unmarried women can easily be involved in promiscuous activities without getting pregnant or which can promote prostitution activities in society. Can the government seriously consider imposing sin taxes on these activities? That would be appreciated.

Multiple taxes on the same product

I would also like the government of the day to look at the unfair practices as far as cigarettes are concerned. Firstly, the tobacco itself is subject to taxes in the form of customs duties. There is then the huge direct taxation which is something more than 100% of the cost of manufacturing cigarettes itself. The direct taxes are what we see at every national budget speech in parliament. It is this humongous cigarette tax that is used to partly offset budget deficits and for national development. This is what I call sinful actions of the government of the day that needs correction.

Dr Mathew
Petaling Jaya

Source

*Tiap tahun semasa pembentangan Belanjawan di Parlimen, semua perokok-perokok seluruh Malaysia akan menunggu berapa sen lagi nak naik harga rokok. Beberapa tahun kebelakangan ni mmg melampau naik, 40 sen 60 sen 80 sen. Kalau dulu zaman Mahathir naik pun 10/20 sen. Yang jadi masalahnya kata Belanjawan prihatin untuk rakyat. Tapi rakyat dibebankan dengan cukai yang melampau untuk rokok. Harap kerajaan boleh keluarkan kenyataan berapa juta setahun pendapatan dari cukai rokok dan bagaimana wang tersebut dibelanjakan.

Mimpi je lah kot kerajaan nak buat cam tu

Something Different From MSM

2008-09-04T13:25:00.002+08:00

Making of our own Malaysia

CERITALAH
By KARIM RASLAN

Change can't always be smooth and seamless. The more openly the people discuss the nation's progress, the stronger our national consensus will be, going forward. There is a need for more, not less debate, especially over “sensitive” issues.

MALAYSIA, my Malaysia... I know this is going to sound faintly ludicrous, but the Malaysia that has emerged after the March 8 elections is still better than the one that existed before.

It’s more open, more diverse and infinitely more lively; in short it’s less “Barisan” and more Malaysian – because (surprise, surprise) the two are not one and the same.

The coalition and its leading party Umno are no longer the dominant voices they once were. Instead, they have been reduced and sidelined by other infinitely more energetic, impassioned and exciting voices.

Of course the liveliness also has its costs. Businessmen and women are concerned at the disruption caused by the incessant political chatter and melodrama, most notably the storm surrounding Anwar Ibrahim.

The allegations against him have cast an extremely dark shadow over the nation as people try to figure out the difference between prosecution and persecution.

Perhaps we despair too quickly, however. We can’t, after all expect change to be smooth and seamless. This is not the time to roll back on the openness of the days after the last general election.

The more we as a people discuss – and openly – the “what”, “where” and “how” of the nation’s progress the stronger our national consensus will be, going forward. We need more, not less debate, especially over “sensitive” issues.

Malaysians are definitely ready for this – it’s just a shame that the politicians are not.

We now have the makings of a Malaysia that is of our own making – however imperfect, and not the one carved out for us by our masters.

However, all these changes are merely the beginnings of a process to really open up the system. And as the post-Merdeka social contract slowly unravels we will have to create a new, deeper and more dynamic understanding both across the racial chasm and also increasingly across the “class” divide.

We cannot afford to let our political masters control this process. We must not be passive on-lookers. We can’t fall back on our old cynicism.

A Malaysia that refuses to vote, think and speak out simply because politics is “dirty” or because “no one can really make a difference” is the sort of country that the reactionaries want. Apathy will roll back the changes that have been taking place in our country.

Malaysians must be committed, bold and determined. The age of strongman leaders has to give way to that of an engaged and virtuous citizenry holding up the nation. But this doesn’t mean a rejection of politics.

We need it more than ever, in fact. Why? Well, both sides of the political spectrum have their own agendas and we need the different contending voices to balance one another out.

On the one hand, the Barisan will try to curb the reform agenda whilst on the other hand; PAS from the Pakatan side will wish to impose their at times harsh and narrow view of the world on the rest of us.

Barisan will certainly resist reform in certain critical areas – most notably the ISA, the judiciary (look at how the Judicial Appointments Committee has been stalled), press freedoms and other civil liberties.

They’ll be wrong to do so and those who advocate the old-ways – I’ve termed them the “conservatives” – will be punished by the voters in the next election.

Some would have us believe that the people in the kampungs and your average Malaysian salaried man don’t care about such things. It is they who are mistaken. Time and our evolving demographics are on the side of change.

Another word of warning, this time to the members of our esteemed Cabinet. Remember, just as you’re watching us, the nervous “scribblers” in the newspapers and Internet – rest assured that we’re watching you and more importantly, judging you.

You have been weighed, measured and found wanting, as a matter of fact. You can silence individual bloggers or columnists, for example but the media is like a multi-headed hydra – chop off one head and 10 new ones will sprout.

The desire to write and comment on our own world is now firmly lodged within the public experience. Freedom of expression is something we demand. It cannot be extinguished and people no longer fear the long arm of the law as they once did.

But as we move forward one of the most important challenges will be for the Malays, in particular to learn to accept and live with the diversity within the community. There’s going to be enormous pressure from PAS for example to assert a particular spectrum of morality and behaviour.

In this respect, the ulama-led PAS possesses the same will to dominate that Umno currently exhibits.

Whilst many PAS leaders are genuinely incorruptible and deserve credit for this, their self-righteous moralising is unacceptable and we need to defend our public space from them. We will regret the day that one set of tyranny has been exchanged for another.

Part of the subtext of what’s been happening over the past few months has been the way Malaysians has asserting their individual identities – declaring their independence from the widely disseminated “truths” of nation building.

I’d like to end by recounting a personal anecdote. Back in 2002, I published my third book. It was a second collection of articles and essays called Ceritalah Two: Journeys Through Southeast Asia. Rereading the preface now, is a slightly disturbing experience.

Back then I was just coming to terms with what I called “the ugliness and injustice of Anwar Ibrahim’s case”. Despite being a confirmed Anwar sceptic, the events of 1998 – the selectiveness of it all has haunted me. I never quite got over the idea that Malaysia – my Malaysia – could be such an unjust and evil place.

We can’t avoid viewing political events through the prism of our own personal experiences and the last Anwar debacle was to shake me very soundly.

I resolved not to be dependent on Malaysia for my livelihood. As it happened, Indonesia was to become my second home and workplace. Indeed, Indonesia has been very good to me and I am forever indebted to this magnificent country for its welcome.

However, home is still Malaysia for me. I cannot deny my childhood years. I cannot reject my emotional, familial DNA. For all its infuriating flaws and foibles, it is home.

We often hear how Malaysians denigrate their country compared to other places like Australia and (God knows why) Singapore. Listen closely and you will hear frustrated love rather than disdain.

We only hurt the things we love. We complain because we care.

The “turmoil” that our country is undergoing is a sign of how deeply invested all sides are in its future, which makes the anxiety we feel perfectly natural. If it feels like we need to battle, then it is because this country is definitely worth fighting for.

Still as the dark cloud extends further and further across the nation and as the “conservatives” secure their power many of us may well chose to move away once again. We cannot let that happen, as it would mean letting them win.

I hear too many stories and I see too many things. Gross abuses of justice, leaders who are little better than street thugs, men and women who delight in devising ways of ripping off the exchequer.

We are surrounded by those who feel no shame in abusing the system to their own ends.

We have to take back Malaysia for the people. We have to set the agenda. We must speak for ourselves, as one nation. The Bar Council demonstrations. The teacher who racially abused her students. Those are not the faces of the real Malaysia. We are.

Malaysia will not become a “failed state” despite the prophets of doom. But only if we stand up and say, enough is enough; it is time we move forward.

The people of Malaysia will get the country they deserve. Many people groan at this, but I think of the long way we have come, the opportunities that lie ahead – and think otherwise. I believe in the rakyat. I believe in Malaysia.

Source

*A sobering thought for BN from one of the best writer in MSM. If MSM writers can come out with piece like this and the editorial approved it, then there must be something really wrong with our current government. To Barisan, take a good look in the mirror and evaluate yourself. To Pakatan Rakyat, yeah you guys can say whatever u want before you have the power. The real challenge starts when you hold the absolute power. As the saying goes, absolute power corrupts.

Bushido Code

2008-09-02T00:07:00.003+08:00

Beleaguered Japanese PM resigns

TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, whose popularity plummeted after his government introduced a much-criticized medical plan for the elderly, has announced his resignation, according to media reports.

No-confidence motion was a stinging rebuke for Yasuo Fakuda, analysts said.

Fukuda, who has been in office lass than a year, made his announcement at a press conference Monday night, the Kyodo National News Agency said.

The 72-year-old prime minister said he made his decision last week, and was stepping to down because of the difficulties he has had in carrying out policies, Kyodo said.

"It is necessary to try to implement measures under a new framework," Fukuda said, according to the news agency. "I thought now is the best time (to resign) to avoid a political vacuum."

It was not immediately clear when the resignation would take effect.

Fukuda said he had asked his party, the Liberal Democratic Party, to hold an election to pick his successor.

Fukuda took office less than a year ago after his predecessor, Shinzo Abe, resigned after just 12 months in the job.

The medical plan, introduced in April, raises premiums for people over age 75 and deducts health-care expenses from pension payments.

The government has said the plan is unavoidable in a country with one of the world's largest aging populations. Opposition parties have criticized it for its effect on one of the most vulnerable segments of society.

In June, Japan's opposition-controlled upper house of parliament approved a motion of no-confidence in Fukuda.

It was the first time a chamber of parliament has passed such a censure in the country's post-war history, but the motion was non-binding and largely symbolic.

No-confidence motions only count in Japan when approved by the lower house, which is currently controlled by Fukuda's political party.

Still, analysts said the no-confidence motion was a stinging rebuke for the prime minister.

A slowing economy added to Fukuda's sagging political clout.

In order to boost his approval rating, he reshuffled his Cabinet over the summer and unveiled a stimulus package last week.

Neither move helped boost his popularity.

Source

*PM Jepun resign sebab ada sikit controversy berbanding PM kita yang macam-macam controversy tapi tak nak bertanggungjawab dan masih beranggapan beliau mempunyai sokongan yang padu dari rakyat. Memang Pak Lah tido tak bangun-bangun ni. Maybe dia tgh bermimpi lagi yang dia ni masih PM yang berkuasa. Resign lah Pak Lah... Ambil pengajaran dari PM Jepun ni yang buat an honorable thing. Maybe kalau zaman zamurai dulu PM Jepun ni dah commit seppuku (Harakiri) dah.

Damn! 9 buck???

2008-09-01T17:34:00.003+08:00

Just bought a pack of Dunhill Lights 20's and it cost me 9 buck! Damn... I thought cigarette price only up by 60 cent like what Pak Lah said during Budget 2009, it's 80 cent damn it. Pak Lah menipu lagi. Still remember years ago when a pack of ciggy only cost me not more than RM2.50

Ramadhan Al-Mubarak

2008-08-31T20:06:00.006+08:00

Selamat menyambut Ramadhan dan menjalankan ibadah puasa kepada seluruh umat Islam. Semoga Ramadhan ini memberikan berkat kepada semua.

Waktu Berbuka dan Imsak Seluruh Malaysia

Merdeka

2008-08-30T20:52:00.001+08:00

Selamat Menyambut Hari Kemerdekaan Semenanjung Tanah Melayu yang ke 51 dan Malaysia ke 45.

Budget 2009

2008-08-29T21:49:00.005+08:00

Wonder where Nazri Aziz (MC old boy Class of '71) got the Koleq sampin that he wore today. Can see Koleq crest from 1km away. I want one hehehe

Intipati bajet 2009 'kerajaan prihatin'
Aug 29, 08 4:22pm

Berikut adalah intipati Bajet 2009 yang dibentangkan oleh Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, di Dewan Rakyat hari ini.

Jumlah bajet

Bajet 2009 sebanyak RM207.9 bilion - naik 5.1 peratus dari tahun lalu. Dari jumlah itu RM154.2 bilion bagi peruntukan mengurus manakala RM53.7 bilion bagi peruntukan pembangunan.
budget 2009 290808 04Peruntukan pengurusan - RM86.3 bilion atau 56.6 peratus (pemberian dan kenaan bayaran tetap); RM38 bilion (emolumen), RM26.5 bilion (perkhidmatan dan bekalan), RM2.4 bilion (pembelian aset) dan RM1 bilion (perbelanjaan lain).
Peruntukan pembangunan - RM27.8 bilion (sektor ekonomi - pertanian, perindustrian, perindustrian dan infrastruktur), RM17.8 bilion (sektor sosial - pendidikan, kesihatan dan perumahan), RM4.1 bilion (sektor keselamatan), RM2.1 bilion (pentadbiran) dan RM2 bilion (simpanan luar jangka).
Bajet 2009 menumpukan kepada langkah-langkah yang akan memastikan kesejahteraan yang telah dibina selama ini terus terjamin dan untuk itu adalah penting diperkukuhkan daya tahan ekonomi supaya negara berupaya menangani kesan persekitaraan luar yang semakin sukar.
Bertemakan Kerajaan Prihatin, Bajet 2009 tertumpu kepada tiga strategi khusus iaitu, menjamin kesejahteraan rakyat, membangun modal insan berkualiti dan memperkukuh daya tahan negara.
Kerajaan akan melaksanakan pelbagai langkah bertujuan meringankan beban kos sara hidup, terutamanya ke atas golongan berpendapatan rendah dan yang kurang bernasib baik.

Jaringan keselamatan sosial

Kerajaan telah menaikkan tahap kelayakan pendapatan isi rumah bagi pemberian bantuan kebajikan di bawah Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat. Kelayakan pendapatan isi rumah kini ditingkatkan daripada RM400 sebulan kepada RM720 sebulan untuk semenanjung, RM830 sebulan untuk Sarawak dan RM960 untuk Sabah.
Menghargai jasa pesara, dan bagi membantu pesara berpendapatan rendah yang menghadapi kesukaran untuk menampung sara hidup harian, pesara kerajaan yang telah berkhidmat sekurang-kurangnya 25 tahun akan menerima pencen tidak kurang daripada RM720 sebulan mulai 1 Januari 2009.
Kerajaan akan menubuhkan satu tabung khas berjumlah RM25 juta bagi menyalurkan pemberian kewangan kepada keluarga yang hilang punca punca pendapatan secara mengejut seperti akibat kemalangan.
Memandangkan tanggungjawab besar ibu pelihara di Rumah Tunas Harapan, kerajaan telah menaikkan jumlah Elaun Ibu Pelihara daripada RM600 kepada RM1,000 sebulan. Kenaikan ini berkuatkuasa mulai 1 September 2008.

Membasmi kemiskinan

Kadar kemiskinan dikurangkan dari 5.7 peratus pada 2004 kepada 3.6 peratus pada tahun 2007.
Kerajaan telah menyediakan RM50 juta dibawah Program Bantuan Rumah untuk membina 1,400 rumah baru dan membaikpulih 1,000 buat rumah.
Usaha akan terus diambil untuk meningkatkan pendapatan dan kualiti hidup rakyat di Sabah dan Sarawak, terutamanya untuk mempertingkatkan kemudahan asas, seperti bekalan elektrik, air dan jalan luar bandar. Untuk ini, RM580 juta disediakan bagi Sabah dan Rm420 juta untuk Sarawak.

Kecuali bil elektrik RM20

Isi rumah yang membayar bil elektrik RM20 dan ke bawah sebulan tidak perlu menbayar bil elektrik berkuatkuasa 1 Oktober 2008 sehingga akhir 2009.
Pertumbuhan Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK) Malaysia ialah 6.3 peratus bagi suku kedua 2008, menjadikan pertumbuhan setengah tahun pertama tahun ini pada tahap 6.7 peratus.

Cukai pendapatan

Rebat cukai pendapatan dinaikkan dari RM350 kepada RM400 bagi pendapatan bercukai RM35,000. Ekoran itu 100,000 pembayar cukai dari golongan berpendapatan rendah, tidak lagi dikenakan cukai.

Barangan pengguna

Duti import atas beberapa barangan pengguna - pengisar makanan, periuk nasi, ketuhar gelombang mikro dan cerek elektrik - dikurangkan dari antara 10 hingga 60 peratus kepada 5 hingga 30 peratus.

Cukai jalan

Cukai jalan bagi kenderaan penumpang bersendirian berenjin diesel milik individu dan syarikat, dikurangkan mengikut kadar cukai jalan kenderaan berenjin petrol, mulai 1 September 2008.

Orang Kurang Upaya (OKU)

Memberi elaun RM150 sebulan kepada Orang Kurang Upaya (OKU).
Murid OKU di sekolah pendidikan khas akan ditambah dari RM50 kepada RM150.
Bayaran insentif RM200 sebulan untuk pembantu guru di sekolah pendidikan khas.

Kakitangan kerajaan

Bayaran bonus sebulan gaji bagi 2008 atau minimum RM1,000 dalam dua bayaran pada September dan Disember ini.
Tempoh pinjaman perumahan dilanjutkan dari 25 tahun kepada 30 tahun bagi pinjaman baru
Kemudahan pinjaman perumahan bagi kerja ubahsuai rumah yang tidak dibeli melalui pinjaman perumahan kerajaan
Buka panel insurans pinjaman perumahan kerajaan kepada semua syarikat insurans yang layak. Pada masa ini ia terhad kepada lima syarikat sahaja.
Kelayakan pendapatan isirumah untuk mendapat subsidi yuran Taska bulanan RM180, dinaikkan dari RM2,000 kepada RM3,000 mulai 1 Januari 2009.
Kemudahan tambang pergi-balik percuma sekali dalam tempoh dua tahun untuk mengunjungi wilayah asal iaitu antara Semenanjung dan Sabah serta Sarawak ditambah daripada sekali bagi setiap dua tahun, kepada setiap tahun mulai 1 Januari 2009.

Pembangunan Koridor Pertumbuhan

Iskandar Malaysia - Peruntukan tambahan RM300 juta di bawah Dana Pelaburan Strategik disediakan bagi melaksanakan projek perkongsian sektor awam dan swasta, seperti pengangkutan, perkhidmatan kesihatan, pendidikan dan industri kreatif.

Pelancongan

Kerajaan sedia peruntukan RM50 juta untuk kerja pemuliharaan di Pulau Pinang dan Melaka, yang akan dikendalikan oleh badan bukan kerajaan dan sektor swasta.
Pelaburan baru oleh pengusaha hotel bertaraf empat dan lima bintang di Sabah dan Sarawak dikecualikan cukai pendapatan 100 peratus atau elaun cukai pelaburan 100 peratus bagi tempoh lima tahun.
Syarikat modal teroka yang melabur sekurang-kurangnya 30 peratus dalam bentuk permulaan dan pembiayaan peringkat awal.

Pasukan Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM)

Peruntukan RM5.4 bilion untuk tingkatkan keupayaan PDRM - RM4.8 bilion bagi belanja mengurus dan RM600 juta belanja pembangunan.
Peruntukan RM200 juta bagi pembinaan ibupejabat, balai dan pondok polis di seluruh negara.
Semua premis perniagaan yang memasang alat kawalan keselamatan di beri Elaun Modal Dipercepatkan yang boleh dituntut sepenuhnya dalam tempoh satu tahun.

Pengangkutan

K'jaan sedia kemudahan pinjaman mudah melalui dana pengangkutan awam RM3 bilion di bawah Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad untuk biayai perolehan aset bas dan rel
Pengurangan 50 peratus bayarn tol bagi semua bas, kecuali di pintu masuk sempadan iaitu Tambak Johor, Link Kedua dan Bukit Kayu Hitam untuk tempoh du atahun mulai 15 September 2008.
Kecekapan pengangkutan awam ditingkatkan melalui perbelanjaan RM35 bilion dari 2009 hingga 2014.

Kesihatan

Duti eksais spesifik ke atas rokok dinaikkan sebanyak 3 peratus sebarang - dari 15 sen kepada 18 sen.
Dengan ini, cukai untuk sekotak rokok 20 batang kini meningkat sebanyak 60 sen.
Kadar bayaran insentif pakar perubatan akan dinaikkan untuk 3,800 pegawai dengan perbelanjaan tambahan RM26 juta.
Kadar bayaran insentif pasukan perubatan udara di Sabah dan Sarawak dinaikkan.
Bagi pembantu perubatan, kadar bayaran dinaikkan dari RM20 kepada RM30 satu penerbangan pergi balik.
Bagi jururawat pula, dari RM15 kepada RM30 satu penerbangan pergi balik.
Pengecualian cukai bagi perubatan radisional seperti akupuntur dan ayuvedic.

Nelayan dan petani

Peruntukan RM300 juta, yang mana RM180 juta adalah untuk menampung sara hidup nelayan dan pemilik bot perikanan manakala RM120 juta sebagai insentif tangkapan ikan.
Elauan pelaburan semula sebanyak 60 peratus bagi tempoh 15 tahun bagi pelaburan tambahan bagi penternak ayam dan itik.
Peruntukan RM475 juta bagi bantuan input pertanian, baja dan racun perosak bagi membantu pesawah.
Pemansuhan duti import bagi baja dan racun perosak.

Source

*A populist budget from Pak Lah. Goodies all around especially for those in Sabah and Sarawak. Obviously an attempt by The government to appease the people of Sabah and Sawarak and hoping that by giving all those things no MP will crossover to Pakatan Rakyat.

They've Lost A Battle And Starting Another War

2008-08-29T02:25:00.004+08:00

Cyberspace crackdown begins

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — The crackdown against bloggers has started.

A day after The Malaysian Insider reported that the government was going to come down hard on owners of blogs and news portals, all 21 Internet service providers (ISPs) in the country blocked the Malaysia Today website.

The Star reported that the ISPs were acting under a directive of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

The notices were sent out on Tuesday in accordance with Section 263 of the Communications and Multimedia Act.

“This means that MCMC is allowed to block any particular website which has committed acts that contravene the local laws of the country, for example, sedition,” a source told the newspaper.

This move is going to put the government in the firing line. Critics are going to argue that the MCMC’s action contravenes Section 3 of the Act which prohibits any censorship of the Internet.

Also, when the government launched the Multimedia Super Corridor, it promised not to allow any censorship of the Internet.

The Malaysian Insider reported on Tuesday that the need to rein in bloggers was discussed at a high-level meeting involving ministers and senior government officials last week.

The consensus among the government officials was that if nothing was done to counter the gush of accusations and allegations against Barisan Nasional leaders, the ruling coalition will face the real prospect of losing the next general elections.

According to their reasoning, some 400,000 new voters are registered every year. With next general election scheduled for 2013, BN will face two million new voters the next time it seeks a mandate from the Malaysian public.

The bulk of the new voters are in their 20s and their No. 1 source of information is likely to be the Internet. Their opinions about the country and its leaders are going to be shaped by what they read on new websites and blogs.

It is understood that an MCMC official at the meeting pointed out that the authorities had adopted a light touch approach because they were mindful of the government’s guarantee of not censoring the Internet.

But ministers and senior civil servants challenged this view, noting that action can be taken for offences under the Sedition Act and defamation.

That the Malaysia Today website was targeted is not surprising given the running battle between its owner, Raja Petra Kamarudin, and several prominent personalities, including Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak and his wife.

Raja Petra has alleged repeatedly that Najib and Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor were involved in the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu, a charge which the DPM and his wife have vehemently denied.

Supporters of Najib have been pushing for tougher action to be taken against Raja Petra and his ilk, arguing that the same rules which bind the mainstream media should be applied on the alternative media.

This view is catching on in a government which is at a loss on how to counter the influence of blogs and websites.

*Source

How to access MT taken from Zorro Unmasked

We are aware that most of you could not get into Malaysia Today. The Government has asked all ISP to block MT.

Arctic Turban one of my regular visitors volunteers this:

For those connected to TM and/or Celcom 2 ways to overcome their blocks :

a. TM uses a simple IP block. To access http://www.malaysia-today.net
change the DNS lookup to OpenDNS.

Those using XP :

* click Start -> Connect To
* Right Click network connection you are using.
* Select Properties
* Click on Network Tab
* Highlight “Internet Protocol”
* Click on Properties at bottom right

* Click “Use the Following DNS server addresses

Preferred DNS Server : 208.67.222.222
Alternate DNS server : 208.67.220.220

Click OK all the way. close connection and start again. If you
type http://www.malaysia-today.net you will arrive at the site.

b. change URL to

mt.harapanmalaysia.com/2008

I hope TMNet don’t block OpenDNS. TMNet’s own DNS server sucks.

AINON@besut contributes: Site is accessible via IP address http://202.75.62.114/2008/ and web address http://mt.harapanmalaysia.com/2008/

*A blatant violation of our own Internet Bills of Rights which among others guarantee no internet censorship in Malaysia. They still don't get it, it's not because of bloggers that BN lost. It's because people are sick with UMNO's racial politics and politics of fear. Hope 16 Sept is not just a dream. We need to topple this government sooner rather than later before Malaysia become a full fledge Police State.

He's Back

2008-08-29T02:22:00.002+08:00

Anwar’s back in Parliament

By Shannon Teoh

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ended his 10-year absence from Parliament when he was sworn in at 10.05am by Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia in the Dewan Rakyat.

He can now drop the "de facto" prefix from his position as opposition leader as Pandikar Amin confirmed the endorsement by Pakatan Rakyat of his leadership immediately after the swearing-in.

"According to Standing Order 4A(3), I wish to inform that from the feedback I have received, I am satisfied that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, MP for Permatang Pauh, has received unanimous support from opposition members to be appointed opposition leader," the speaker told the House to the loud table-thumping by opposition MPs which had soundtracked the entire swearing-in ceremony.

In asking the first question during the Q&A session, the BN's Sepanggar MP Datuk Eric Enchin Majimbun first congratulated "the honourable Permatang Pauh" and this was echoed by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

"I would like to congratulate him on his return to Parliament and also his appointment as opposition leader," he said before answering the question.

Immediately after, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang stood up to ask a supplementary question but prefixed it by proclaiming that the Permatang Pauh by-election was a "second political tsunami" after the March 8 general election and added that "the government will be sunk like the Titanic".

Dressed all in black, including his songkok, as is required for the swearing in of an MP, Anwar later told the press that "everyone wanted me to take an oath, so it's done", a double entendre alluding to earlier calls for him to swear on the Quran to counter sodomy allegations reiterated in a similar oath taken by his accuser Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

Saying that he was glad to be back after a decade of "being denied of my rights, although it's been good that Azizah has been holding the fort as MP for Permatang Pauh and opposition leader," referring to his wife and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

"I feel I am vindicated after all these personal attacks just to deny me — at all cost, Anwar must not be allowed to return to Parliament. But the people of Permatang Pauh are wise enough to want to see me in Parliament. All their machination, the might of those in authority, the massive power and billions of dollars cannot alter the minds of Malaysians," he stated.

He also commented on fresh calls for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to resign, saying that it is up to Umno but "clearly the PM has lost the mandate and the Deputy Prime Minister who spearheaded the campaign has been rejected outright. It's not just them but the entire Umno and their cronies who have amassed billions from the people".

On the other hand, Anwar was evasive about his much-publicised plans to take over the federal government by Sept 16, merely saying it was on track and that details would be dealt with in due time.

"I can assure you, in our stated policy, when Umno is the opposition, they will be given more right than when we were," was his only reference to Sept 16.

Asked about the fact that the "live" broadcast of Parliament today had only begun after his swearing in, he replied: "That's normal for these nasty machinations of the BN government. Even after I have won, they are still in a state of denial. They use their henchmen in the media, RTM and TV3 for example, not just to broadcast malicious and scurrilous attacks but to deny even what is standard procedure.

"Doesn't this sound stupid?" he added.

Nazri, however, insisted that the government had only ever agreed to broadcast the Q&A session and not specifically proceedings from 10am.

Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek echoed this, saying that "We begin the telecast every day from the first question. Even when we swore in 216 MPs we didn't have a live telecast, what more for one person?"

Tomorrow, he wil take his place opposite the man he seeks to depose, Finance and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, for the tabling of the 2009 Budget.

"To me it's about policies," he said of meeting Abdullah in the Dewan Rakyat. "It is nothing personal. I can meet them and be very civil. It's the Umno leadership that has been dirty and personal. We did not bring up any issue about their candidate in the by-election. Shouldn't they feel shameful?"

Anwar left the press conference to be shown his new office as opposition leader by his predecessor, wife and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail but returned to the Dewan Rakyat at 11.55am.

Anwar's first statement in the House was to interject during the debate on the controversial DNA Identification Bill, said by the opposition to be targeted at him.

"The one whose credibility is in question is our corrupt leaders. This government's desire to push the Bill quickly shows they are greedy and disrespectful to the Speaker and the House. They have not given members time to scrutinise the Bill and exercise their responsibility. The government's approval of the Bill only proves they are corrupt as it has been opposed by all experts in the related fields. The government and Cabinet are afraid of people power."

*Source

P44 Permatang Pauh By-Election Result

2008-08-29T02:14:00.003+08:00

KEPUTUSAN PILIHANRAYA KECIL PARLIMEN PERMATANG PAUH (P44):

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (KeADILan): 31,195 undi
Hanafi Mamat (AKIM): 92 undi
Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah (BN): 15,524 undi

Jumlah mengundi: 47,258
Peratus keluar mengundi: 81 peratus
Undi rosak: 447 undi
Majoriti: 15,671 undi

*Tahniah Dato' Sri dan tahniah pengundi Permatang Pauh kerana tidak terpedaya dgn tektik kotor BN.

9:1 Ratio

2008-08-23T18:06:00.002+08:00

UTK, Komando 69 kawal Permatang Pauh
Aug 22, 08 6:24pm
Penambahan bilangan anggota Unit Tindakan Khas (UTK) dan Komando 69 ke kawasan pilihanraya kecil Parlimen Permatang Pauh bukan kerana keadaan di sana "panas" dan bahaya tetapi untuk memastikan keselamatan pemimpin dan pengundi menjelang pilihanraya itu Selasa ini.

"Ia hanya untuk langkah berjaga-jaga bagi mengawal keadaan supaya pengundi dapat menjalankan tanggungjawab mereka dengan baik.

"Apabila sesuatu perkara yang melibatkan pemimpin, pemantauan yang lebih rapi dari segi keselamatan adalah amat diperlukan," kata Pengarah Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Bukit Aman, Datuk Bakri Zinin kepada Bernama.

Polis dilaporkan akan meningkatkan kekuatan pasukannya kepada 6,000 anggota menjelang hujung minggu ini termasuk mengerahkan UTK dan Komando 69 ke Permatang Pauh.

Bakri berkata orang ramai tidak perlu bimbang dengan perkembangan tersebut.

"Ia bukan perkara luar biasa apabila anggota UTK dan Komando ditempatkan untuk sesuatu pilihanraya.

"Komando bukanlah kita gerakkan ke hulu dan ke hilir sesuka hati, jika kita ada waran baru kita gunakan.

"Jadi orang ramai tidak perlu rasa takut kerana ia bagi memastikan keselamatan adalah terjamin," katanya.

Source

*Wah 6000 anggota? Pengundi Permatang Pauh dalam 54 ribu maknanya seorang polis tu ditugaskan untuk mengawal 9 org pengundi. Hmmm terlebih sgt kot. Apa pengundi Permatang Pauh ganas sangat ke sampai nak kena jaga begitu sekali?

The Other Guy

2008-08-22T14:32:00.002+08:00

Hanafi has big plans should he win the by-election.
By Adib Zalkapli

SEBERANG JAYA, Aug 22 — Hanafi Mamat. That name will be on the ballot paper for the Permatang Pauh by-election this Aug 26.

He is among the trio of names in a historic by-election that is seen as a walk in a park for opposition icon Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to win and enter Parliament just days shy of a decade of being sacked on corruption and sodomy charges.

Just a week ago, Hanafi was a virtual unknown that even the police had barred him from entering the nomination centre, doubting the authenticity of his identification card issued by the Election Commission.

After much persuasion, he was let in.

When the returning officer announced the list of candidates for the Permatang Pauh by-election, the turbaned and robed Hanafi walked up the stage alone unlike the BN’s Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah and Anwar, who were escorted by dozens of supporters.

A week after nomination, there is still no sign of the three-cornered fight that Hanafi caused with his entry, as his Akim party workers have yet to put up their posters.

But the Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (Akim) president, who split from Pas to set up his party, exuded confidence at his tiny operations centre near Bukit Tengah here.

He was flanked by four national Akim leaders, all unknowns on the political stage from a party that has never won an election, as he spoke of his plans for Permatang Pauh and Malaysia.

Financial prudence seemed uppermost on his mind as Hanafi disclosed he would only spend RM20,000 for the campaign and he was printing posters and other campaign materials in his home state Kelantan as it was cheaper than in Penang.

“It is even cheaper in Thailand, but it was not possible for us to go there,” he added.

The Kelantan factor is strong in his campaign as some 200 of his reportedly 20,000 supporters nationwide, mostly from Kelantan, are campaigning in Permatang Pauh while saving money by staying mostly in relatives’ homes and mosques.

Hanafi, who left Permatang Pauh after the nomination and returned yesterday, expressed confidence in creating an impact in the by-election but hesitated to predict the outcome.

“So far, I think we have managed to attract 35 per cent of the BN voters and 35 per cent from the PKRside,” the soft-spoken Hanafi told The Malaysian Insider in his thick Kelantan dialect

Like Anwar, Permatang Pauh appears to be Hanafi’s stepping stone to bigger things as he spoke about his campaign and view of Malaysian issues.

“I am here to promote national unity. PKR and BN cannot solve the problems. Only Akim can work towards solving the problems as we are not divisive,” he said, continuing the theme when expressing concern with the drifting economy.

“We need leaders who are interested to bring prosperity to the country. I don’t want the country to be in a situation where one side is bringing development to the country while the other is trying to bring the country down.”

But most importantly for Hanafi is spiritual development.

“Other parties just talk about physical development. We are also here to promote spiritual development as well as human capital development.”

He expressed concern about Anwar’s plans to take over Putrajaya. “If the cross over happens the country will be in turmoil. But I personally believe that he will not make it,” he said.

Speaking about Putrajaya, Hanafi said he was not ambitious but was willing to take over if MPs support him.

“If I am forced to definitely I will accept it, although I am not too keen to be the Prime Minister,” he said.

“But should I get elected to represent Permatang Pauh, I will negotiate with other MPs not for positions, but to bring prosperity and unity to this country,” he added.

“Even if Akim is able to, we are not interested to govern the country all by ourselves. We need cooperation from other parties and most importantly the people.”

Most importantly, he promised to move to Permatang Pauh, if elected.

“I will be here to serve the people better. I will let my children to take care of my business in Kelantan,” said Hanafi, who claims to be a property agent.

Source

*Good luck kepada Encik Hanafi. Semoga tak hilang deposit pilihanraya.

Crack In BN?

2008-08-22T11:53:00.003+08:00

Soi Lek: Umno-MCA ties like master-servant
By Shannon Teoh

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 - In a bold declaration that is sure to raise more than eyebrows, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek described the current relationship between Umno and MCA as akin to that of a master and servant.

The former MCA vice-president wrote this as part of a three-point reform agenda he insisted is "crucial" on his blog two days ago.

"Chinese cannot accept Malay supremacy, only Malay leadership," he told The Malaysian Insider today.

In the blog post, he stated that in the Barisan Nasional alliance "every component partner should have equal rights, only then can MCA deliver the Chinese vote and stay competitive in the new political landscape."
The political veteran said Malays need not fear as the position of Malay rights and language and Islam are firmly entrenched as well as protected in the Federal Constitution.

"Why should Malays be so worried when they represent 60% of voters?" The former Health Minister added that it was not a matter of whether Umno could accept a new arrangement but that it was a political reality.

"I don't think Umno politicians are unreasonable. I have worked with them before and they are pragmatic enough to see the need for change to survive. If not support from non-Malays will keep going downhill," he explained.

Dr Chua, who had resigned from all political positions after admitting he was the man in a sex DVD, pointed out that "as a multiracial coalition, mixed constituencies should be a stronghold for BN but in the March 8 elections, we lost 30 of 43 such constituencies. If BN claims to be multiracial then this should be its strength, not its Achilles heel."

When asked which MCA leader could lead MCA to such reforms, Dr Chua only indicated that Datuk Ong Tee Keat, the only candidate to declare his intentions to run for the party presidency in the October elections would not be capable.

"He is always regarded as a vocal leader but if it is a controversial issue, he tries to avoid it. During the keris incident, where was he?"

Chua commented, referring to Umno youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein's repeated brandishing of the Malay dagger during Umno general assembly meetings.

Asked specifically if he himself could do it, he refused to answer directly, saying only that "at least I would dare to articulate these concerns."

Dr Chua has been campaigning openly to make a political comeback at the MCA polls but has stopped short of declaring his candidacy for a specific post. However, it is widely accepted that he will run for president and a constant war of words between Dr Chua and Ong has given more weight to this speculation.

Source

*Finally a senior member (although disgraced) of BN dare to speak the obvious. Everybody knows that every other BN component party was treated badly by UMNO. They juat kow towing to UMNO leaders eventhough they neglect their own community.

It's good than someone from MCA finally dare to voice this out.

Projek Hantu?

2008-08-21T20:42:00.003+08:00

Projek tidak wujud, dua Exco dianiaya - MB Perak

Alhusseyn dan Johari Jaafar
Thu | Aug 21, 08 | 11:18:10 am MYT

IPOH, 21 Ogos (Hrkh) - Menteri Besar Perak, Dato' Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin menafikan kewujudan projek perumahan bernilai RM180 juta di Seri Iskandar yang didakwa menjadi punca penahanan dua Exco Kerajaan Negeri dan enam yang lain oleh Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR).

Sehubungan itu, beliau menegaskan keyakinan bahawa mereka yang terbabit kemungkinan dianiayai.

"Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat menafikan ada meluluskan mana-mana projek perumahan bernilai RM180 juta di Seri Iskandar; projek tersebut tidak wujud, jadi mustahil kedua-dua Exco boleh membantu meluluskan projek itu," katanya dalam satu sidang media di sini, semalam.

"Kami yakin kedua-dua Exco dan rakan-rakannya telah dianiaya; Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat tidak tergugat dan akan terus tadbir dan urus negeri seperti biasa," katanya.

Nizar bagaimanapun menyerahkan kepada BPR untuk melakukan siasatan dan keputusan kes tersebut akan ditentukan melalui proses undang-undang.

Beliau juga berjanji akan mengeluarkan satu kenyataan rasmi berhubung isu itu.

Di masa yang sama, Nizar mengumumkan keputusan Pakatan Rakyat Perak untuk membentuk panel peguam untuk membantu pembelaan dua Exco terbabit.

Dua Exco Perak yang ditahan reman BPR bagi membantu siasatan semalam ialah Exco Pelancongan, Pembangunan Insan dan Badan Bukan Kerajaan (NGO) yang juga Adun Changkat Jering, Kepten (B) Osman Mohd Jailu dan Exco Pembangunan Usahawan, Koperasi, Pertanian dan Perdagangan, yang juga Adun Behrang, Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi.

Selain dua exco kerajaan negeri itu, yang lainnya ialah seorang ahli Majlis Daerah Perak Tengah, seorang juruteknik Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Perak (PKNP) dan dua orang peniaga.

Seorang lagi yang didakwa terlibat ialah bekas Adun Bota, Kepten (B) Usaili Alias.

Difahamkan, dua ahli exco yang ditahan itu, tidak terbabit dalam rasuah seks.

Dalam kenyataannya kepada Malaysiakini, Pengerusi DAP Perak yang juga ahli exco kanan kerajaan negeri, Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham menyifatkan penahanan dua pemimpin Pakatan itu sebagai satu tindakan BN untuk melemahkan kerajaan negeri.

"Ini hanyalah satu percubaan untuk melemahkam Pakatan di Perak, dan satu percubaan untuk menyumbat mereka ke penjara," kata Ngeh, ketika ditemui Malaysiakini di lobi Parlimen, semalam.

Ngeh berkata, perkhidmatan kedua-dua ahli exco itu tidak akan digantung sepanjang penyiasatan dijalankan oleh BPR, sambil menegaskan bahawa mereka telah dianiaya.

"Kami mengesyaki yang mereka telah dianiaya. Jadi, bagaimana perkhidmatan mereka hendak digantung?" tegasnya.

Beliau juga menyentuh tentang 'tindakan pantas" BPR bertindak dalam kes-kes yang membabitkan wakil rakyat Pakatan.

"Apa yang paling mengecewa dalam hal ini, ialah mengapa BPR bertindak pantas sekali dalam mengambil tindakan terhadap kita, sedangkan kita juga telah membuat banyak laporan terhadap BN tentang perbuatan rasuah mereka?" soalnya.

Ngeh, yang juga ahli Parlimen Beruas, mempertahankan pemimpin Pakatan, sambil berkata mereka telah diingatkan supaya jangan terbabit dalam rasuah sebelulm kerajaan negeri ditubuhkan dahulu.

"Kita mahu mengisytiharkan bahawa kita telah memberi penekanan terhadap ketelusan dan penubuhan sebuah kerajaan yang bebas rasuah, sebelum kita menubuhkan kerajaan negeri," tambahnya. - tajdid _

Source
*So Kerajaan Perak dah keluarkan statement takde pun projek tu. So kalau takde projek macam mana nak bribe untuk luluskan? found this interesting piece "What I’ve heard is that the two PKR exco’s was framed. Apparently, Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu (PKR-Changkat Jering) met a guy in a restaurant and the guy carried with him a suitcase. Suddenly, after two minutes of meeting, the BPR came and arrested them. He didn’t know that the bag carried by the man he was meeting contained money.

But BPR prefers to call this as something “caught in the act”.

Aparrently, both Osman and Jamaluddin had already refused offers up to RM30millions before. What is a RM100k to them? Later in this article I will explain why the offer is so ridiculous."

Read here

Kata Dulang Paku Serpih

2008-08-20T23:06:00.003+08:00

'Seks & duit': 2 exco Perak dicekup BPR
Aug 20, 08 12:19pm

Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR) menahan enam orang, termasuk dua exco kerajaan Perak, kerana disyaki terlibat dalam perbuatan rasuah berkaitan satu projek perumahan di Seri Iskandar, Perak.

perak exco aca arrest 200808 mohd osman mohd jailuKedua-duanya adalah Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu (PKR-Changkat Jering) (kanan) - exco pelancongan, modal insan dan NGO - dan Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (PKR-Behrang) - exco pembangunan usahawan, pertanian dan perdagangan.

Lima daripada mereka ditahan jam 6 petang semalam. Mereka berusia antara 45 hingga 57 tahun.

perak exco aca arrest 200808 jamaluddin mohd radziManakala Jamaluddin (fot, kanan sekali) ditahan pada jam 10.30 pagi ketika dia menyerah diri kepada BPR. Dia diteman peguamnya.

Tiga suspek termasuk anggota exco itu ditahan sejurus mereka menerima suapan berjumlah lebih RM100,000 sebagai balasan untuk mempercepatkan proses permohonan projek perumahan bernilai RM180 juta.

Menurut kenyataan BPR, mereka juga disyaki terlibat dengan rasuah seks.

Selain dua exco kerajaan negeri itu, yang lainnya ialah seorang ahli Majlis Daerah Perak Tengah, seorang juruteknik Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Perak (PKNP) dan dua orang peniaga.

Difahamkan, dua ahli exco yang ditahan itu, tidak terbabit dalam rasuah seks.

Sementara itu, mereka dibawa ke Mahkamah Sesyen Ipoh pagi ini untuk ditahan reman.

Seorang daripada mereka dipercayai bekas ahli dewan undangan negeri (Adun) PKR.

Kesemua mereka menutup muka ketika dibawa ke mahkamah.

Manakala Ketua Pengarah BPR, Ahmad Said Hamdan mengesahkan penahanan enam termasuk dua ahli Exco negeri Perak berhubung rasuah kewangan dan skandal seks.

Difahamkan lima daripada mereka ditahan reman selama tiga hari untuk membantu siasatan. Mereka belum lagi didakwa di mahkamah.

Manakala Jamaluddin, yang ditahan untuk disoalsiasat, dijangka dibawa ke mahkamah esok. Sebelum ini, BPR telah memintanya menyerah diri selepas penahanan lima orang lagi pada jam 6 petang semalam.

majoriti di PerakSementara itu, Menteri Besar Perak, Datuk Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin memberitahu pemberitahu bahawa mereka yang ditahan itu tidak bersalah sehinggalah dibuktikan di mahkamah.

Insiden tersebut dijangka menjejaskan kedudukan kerajaan negeri Pakatan Rakyat yang hanya mempunyai kelebihan majoriti tiga kerusi.

'Dakwa dianiaya'

Mengulas mengenainya, Pengerusi DAP Perak yang juga ahli exco kanan kerajaan negeri, Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham menyifatkan penahanan dua pemimpin Pakatan itu sebagai satu tindakan Barisan Nasional untuk melemahkan kerajaan negeri.

"Ini hanyalah satu percubaan untuk melemahkam Pakatan di Perak, dan satu percubaan untuk menyumbat mereka ke penjara," kata Ngeh, ketika ditemui di lobi Parlimen hari ini.

Ngeh berkata, perkhidmatan kedua-dua ahli exco itu tidak akan digantung sepanjang penyiasatan dijalankan oleh BPR, sambil menegaskan bahawa mereka telah dianiaya.

"Kami mengesyaki yang mereka telah dianiaya. Jadi, bagaimana perkhidmatan mereka hendak digantung?" tegasnya.

Beliau juga menyentuh tentang 'tindakan pantas" BPR bertindak dalam kes-kes yang membabitkan wakil rakyat Pakatan.

"Apa yang paling mengecewa dalam hal ini, ialah mengapa BPR bertindak pantas sekali dalam mengambil tindakan terhadap kita, sedangkan kita juga telah membuat banyak laporan terhadap BN tentang perbuatan rasuah mereka?" soalnya.

Ngeh, yang juga ahli Parlimen Beruas, mempertahankan pemimpin Pakatan, sambil berkata mereka telah diingatkan supaya jangan terbabit dalam rasuah sebelulm kerajaan negeri ditubuhkan dahulu.

"Kita mahu mengisytiharkan bahawa kita telah memberi penekanan terhadap ketelusan dan penubuhan sebuah kerajaan yang bebas rasuah, sebelum kita menubuhkan kerajaan negeri," tambahnya.

Bagaimanapun, Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Nazri Aziz pula berkata: "Apa yang baru? Mereka telah bercakap mengenainya sepanjang masa. Kita hanya perlu tunggu BPR menyiapkan siasatan mereka tanpa sebarang campurtangan."

Source

*Baru pegang kuasa tak sampai setahun dah berjinak-jinak ambik rasuah. Dah kantoi cakap ada niat jahat dari Federal Government. Yang korang bodoh gi ambik rasuah at the first place tu sapa suruh? Federal Government memang tunggu je korang ni buat silap. Pas tu dah silap kena highlight la. Sebelum ada power kata orang tu kata orang ni. Dah dapat power gelap mata. Tak leh tahan dengan temptation.

Pirates Of Somalia

2008-08-20T16:07:00.001+08:00

Pirates seize Malaysian tanker off Somalia's coast

KUALA LUMPUR: Armed pirates seized a Malaysian tanker with more than 20 crew in the Gulf of Eden off the coast of Somalia, a global maritime watchdog said Wednesday.

Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting centre here told AP that they picked up a distress signal late Tuesday and immediately notified Western naval ships patrolling the area.

An international terrorism task force dispatched a warship to intercept the tanker, which was heading toward Somalia territorial waters, he said.

"We have had no communication with the vessel so far. The distress call was relayed through another ship but the tanker has been confirmed seized by pirates,'' he said.

Choong said the Malaysian tanker was carrying palm oil from Indonesia to Europe when it was attacked but it was unclear when the raid took place.

He said once the ship entered Somali waters, pirates were likely to demand ransom for the release of the vessel and the crew. Choong declined to give further details, citing concern for the crew's security.

Somalia is the world's biggest piracy hotspot, with 24 reported attacks in the first half of this year.

The impoverished country has not had a functioning government since 1991 and foreign vessels are frequently seized for ransom by pirates armed with rocket-propelled grenade launchers and automatic weapons, making it difficult and expensive to deliver aid.

In June, the UN Security Council voted to allow international warships to enter Somali waters to combat the problem.

But its 3,025km coastline - the longest in Africa -remains virtually unpoliced.

Ships have been urged to stay more than 200 nautical miles from the Somali coast, Choong said. - AP

Source

Salah Tektik Ni Dato' Sri

2008-08-20T14:00:00.003+08:00

Original image taken from Flickr

Anwar: Name my ‘cronies’

BUTTERWORTH: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has challenged his detractors to name the people who allegedly benefited from his position when he was deputy prime minister and finance minister.

“There was no such thing. If you know of the people who benefited, you should identify them. Do not just make claims,” he said.

The PKR leader, who is contesting the Permatang Pauh by-election, was asked to comment on his involvement in bumiputra policies when he was in the Federal Government and the award of projects without tenders.

Speaking to reporters during a break from his morning campaign yesterday, Anwar said bumiputra youths did not have any problem embracing a multiracial philosophy.

He said the recent issue with Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim’s proposal to allocate a 10% quota for non-bumiputras in UiTM was a ploy by Umno leaders to make PKR look bad and anti-Malay.
Friendly reception: Seberang Jaya residents welcoming Anwar and his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail during their visit to the Seberang Jaya Food Court in Penang yesterday

“(Tun) Dr Mahathir Mohamad gave the same proposal in 2002. What Umno is doing is manipulating Khalid’s statement,” he said, adding that he did not think Umno could sustain the racial line.

“It is time for the Malays to take the step (towards a multiracial philosophy), but it will not be easy initially,” he said, adding that he himself was amazed how well Malay youths had responded to him championing for the interests of other races.

Declaring he is a leader of all races, Anwar said his main objective was to bring prosperity to all Malaysians.

“Yes, I am an agent for the Malays as well as the Indians and Chinese,” he said yesterday, while hitting out at Barisan leaders for allegedly portraying him as anti-Malay.

He stressed that he would never betray the Malays or sacrifice Islam to achieve his plan of leading Pakatan Rakyat to take over the Federal Government.

He claimed that Barisan Nasional leaders had been using the racial line in their campaign rounds to sway Malay voters away from him in the by-election.

“Playing on the racial line is a very dangerous game. The people are not that stupid now compared to years ago. Umno is a sinking ship and its leaders are holding on to it to stay in power,” he said.

On contesting against his former protege Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah, Anwar said he had nothing personal against the man and that he was a good friend.

*source

*Apasal la Anwar boleh keluar statement macam tu. I guess the pressure of this by-election is taking its toll on him. Maybe he uttered these words when he is really tired and can't think straight. Anyway untuk aku bila dia cakap macam ni silap lah. Confirm BN boleh guna isu ni untuk jadi bullet untuk by-election ni. Semua orang tau Anwar ada kroni-kroni. In fact all politicians have their own cronies. Anytime je BN boleh produce list company mana yang dpt contract dan project masa Anwar jadi DPM. And of course dalam list tu akan ramai budak-budak koleq yang memang benefit sepanjang Anwar in power. This is a political mistake to say that he doesn't even have a crony. A small blunder to the well oiled PKR election machinery. Pada aku isu ni still tak memberikan kesan pada by-election ni sebab sekarang ni pegundi kat Permatang Pauh dah set dah siapa yang diaorang nak undi minggu depan. Apa pun memang orang nak tolak BN. Anwar will surely win this by-election, it's just a matter by how big is the majority.

KJ A Crossdresser?

2008-08-20T12:21:00.003+08:00

Found this pic at Rocky's Bru blog. Hahahaha old pic come back to haunt you eh KJ. Give them some money or contract la so that they will shut up.

Merdeka!

2008-08-20T12:00:00.003+08:00

I'm Too Sexy For My Shirt

2008-08-19T22:22:00.002+08:00

No to 'too sexy' Avril Lavigne

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 — Malaysia today cancelled a concert by Canadian rock singer Avril Lavigne, saying it may taint the Muslim-majority country's Independence day celebrations after the Islamic opposition slammed her show as being "too sexy."

The Arts, Culture and Heritage Ministry said it had decided not to permit Lavigne's show because it was unsuitable to Malaysian culture and could not be held on Aug. 29, two days ahead of Merdeka.

"It is not timely. It's not in the good spirit of our National Day. If we go ahead with the concert, it is contrary to what we are preparing for," said Shukran Ibrahim, a senior official from the culture ministry's department that vets all foreign artistes.

The decision came after the youth wing of a fundamentalist opposition party, the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (Pas), called for the show's cancellation.

Kamarulzaman Mohamed, a party youth official, said yesterday that Lavigne's show was "considered too sexy for us" and would promote the wrong values just before Merdeka.

"We don't want our people, our teenagers, influenced by their performance. We want clean artistes, artistes that are good role models," he said.

Lavigne, who became famous with her 2002 debut album "Let's Go," had planned to launch her monthlong Asia tour in Kuala Lumpur.

The show's promoter, Galaxy Group, can request a new date for the concert, which will be considered by the ministry, Shukran said. Galaxy officials couldn't be immediately reached for comment.

Galaxy began advertising the Grammy-nominated rock singer's concert this month even though it had yet to obtain a government permit, which is mandatory for all foreign music shows. It said yesterday about half the concert tickets had been sold.

Last year, R&B singer Beyonce moved her show from Malaysia to Indonesia, and Christina Aguilera skipped the country on an Asian tour after a controversy erupted over a dress code for foreign artistes.

Malaysia requires all performers to wear clothes without obscene or drug-related images and be covered from the chest to the knees. They must also refrain from jumping, shouting, hugging and kissing on stage.

Still, members of Pas and other conservative Muslims often protest against Western and even Malaysian music shows that they deem to be inappropriate.

The local organiser of a Pussycat Dolls concert in 2006 was fined RM10,000) after the US girl group was accused of flouting decency regulations. — AP

Source

*Aku tak faham betul la diaorang in. Ntah part mana yang sexynya. Maybe diaorang yang tak leh handle nafsu kot tgk awek cun nyanyi kat stage. News ni AP yang published, meaning newspapers around the world will syndicate the news and publish it. Another step backwards for Malaysia image around the world. They must've think that we're living in oppressive Islamic regime.

Mari Mengeja

2008-08-18T18:25:00.007+08:00

Baru tgk YouTube pasal liputan Malaysiakini di sekitar Permatang Pauh pada hari pencalonan. Aku tertarik dgn banner dari Pemuda UMNO Kota Raja ni. Melayu Ditindas, Mana Keadillan!!!

Allo brader, kalau ye pun jgn la menindas bahasa melayu. Eja keadillan tu salah, keadilan la patutnya, ada pulak dua L. Cikgu mana ngajar ni?. Bodoh betul. Mungkin kalau dia tulis keadilan nanti orang parti Keadilan jawab, Ye kitaorang ada kat sini! kot.

Patut la UMNO teruk ahli pun tak reti mengeja. Nak membela Melayu konon, bahasa sendiri pun tak dibelanya. Kepada Ketua Pemuda UMNO Kota Raja sila lah hantar ahli-ahli anda ke kelas mengeja di tadika KEMAS

Elven Cloak

2008-08-18T15:01:00.004+08:00

A scanning electron microscope image shows a prism made of a new metamaterial—a fishnet array of silver and magnesium fluoride that can bend visible light the "wrong" way in three dimensions.

Such materials are early steps in developing an invisibility cloak that would cause light to "flow" around an object like water around a boulder.

Invisibility-Cloak Materials Bend Light "Backward"
Brian Handwerk
for National Geographic News
August 12, 2008

Invisibility cloaks may be a bit closer to reality, researchers say, thanks to the development of two new materials that are the first to bend visible light the "wrong" way in three dimensions.

The so-called metamaterials are artificial composites designed to manipulate light in ways that natural materials can't—in these cases by refracting it backward.

If their cloaking capabilities are fully realized, metamaterials could make an object invisible by bending light waves so that they curve around the object and then reconnect, seemingly unaltered, on the other side—similar to the way water flows around a boulder.

"Of course cloaking captures everybody's attention, but these papers aren't [just] about cloaking," said Xiang Zhang, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and head of the research teams publishing related papers in two different journals this week.

"[The studies] are about the ability to engineer these material properties that never exist in nature. With that ability one can do many things, and cloaking is only one of them."

Such materials could also boost the power of microchips and antennas and allow the creation of "superlenses" that could image objects smaller than the wavelength of light, the study authors report.

Negative Refraction One new metamaterial, described in Science, is a microscopic arrangement of silver wires—each about 20 times thinner than a human hair—embedded in aluminum oxide.

The other metamaterial, detailed online in Nature, is a layer cake of alternating nanoscale strips of silver and magnesium fluoride that were cut into a fishnet pattern.

Both materials exhibit negative refraction—bending visible light in a different direction than expected in nature.

A pencil sticking out a glass of water, for example, normally appears slightly bent at the point where it meets the water's surface but is still seen submerged. With negative refraction, the pencil would appear to stick back out of the water.

Previous metamaterials have been able to achieve a cloaking effect only in two dimensions in larger microwave wavelengths that are not visible to humans.

In addition to having 3-D negative refraction for a broader visible light spectrum, the new advances help overcome the sticky problem of energy loss.

Previous metamaterials actually absorbed most of the light, rather than bending it away, reducing the "invisible" properties. The new materials were designed to keep energy away from the most absorbent materials.

"It's like when you try to cross a river and keep your feet dry. You may jump across stones and cross without getting your feet wet," study leader Zhang said.

"That's exactly what we did. We tried to engineer these materials such that energy passing through is hopping through [other materials] and not the metal—because in the metal you have a big energy loss."

Scaling Up

David Schurig, a physicist and metamaterial expert at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, called the types of materials discussed by both papers "probably the most exciting metamaterials in existence today."

"Even in their current state, or maybe a few generations [later], they could have applications in optical communications or imaging," added Schurig, who was not involved with the research.

But, he noted, efforts to cloak anything above microscopic size are likely quite a ways off.

"You want to cloak things that are big, otherwise they are already essentially invisible, because they are [microscopic]," Schurig said.

"To cloak a person, you need metamaterial that's on that length scale, and that's much, much bigger than what [these papers] have demonstrated."

Source

*Hari tu macam 'Minority Reports' ni dah macam 'Lord Of The Rings' pulak. Memang movie banyak menyumbang ke arah kemajuan teknologi. Tengah tunggu teleportation technology bila boleh perfectkan. Lepas tu semua orang dah tak payah pakai kereta. So minyak dah obsolete. Dah takde dah gaduh-gaduh pasal harga minyak naik lah turun lah. Environment pun safe sikit takde polution.

Olympic Day 9 - Dream Ends

2008-08-17T21:44:00.006+08:00

Badminton - Olympic Gold dream ends...

Chong Wei obliterated by perfect Lin Dan in gold medal match.

Lin Dan (CHN) bt Lee Chong Wei - 21-12, 21-8

Cycling Men's Sprint

Mohd Azizulhasni Awang qualified for Qtr-Final tomorrow

Petisyen Kepada KeBawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang DiPertuan Agong Berkenaan Pemulihan Badan Kehakiman

2008-08-17T16:02:00.004+08:00

Go here to sign it (Petisyen Kepada KeBawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang DiPertuan Agong berkenaan pemulihan Badan Kehakiman). Do it now and spread the word to all and sundry.

Most Influential Person In History

2008-08-17T15:04:00.004+08:00

Who's the most influential person in history according to Spanish people?

Results here

The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History

Olympic Day 8 - He Could Go Faster (New 100 meter World Record 9.69s)

2008-08-17T13:41:00.007+08:00

Bolt Is World’s Fastest — by a Mile

BEIJING — Usain Bolt celebrated his coronation as the world’s fastest man 20 meters early, throwing out his arms and thumping his chest. But he still obliterated the world record in the 100 meters Saturday night, turning his Olympic gold medal performance into a show of astounding talent.

Bolt could have run far faster than his 9.69 seconds had he run through the finish line, but he sliced 0.03 off his world record anyway. In the end, it was all about Bolt putting on a show for a crowd that has roared for him every time he steps on the track.

When Bolt was introduced at the start of the final, he struck a pose for the camera and smiled mischievously. He did not disappoint once the gun went off. He started strong and sailed away from the field with astonishing ease.

“I came out to make myself proud, and I did just that,” Bolt said. Of his celebration, he added: “It wasn’t planned. I wasn’t celebrating; I was excited.”

In Bolt’s wake, Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago grabbed the silver, and Walter Dix of the United States took the bronze.

“It was good to be part of history,” Thompson said. “It is great for him and great for me to be right behind him. I don’t think anyone was going to compete with him when he runs like that.”

Asafa Powell, the former world-record holder who Jamaicans hoped would grace the medal podium along with Bolt, faded at the end and came in fifth, another finish far below his expectations. He did not win a medal in the 2004 Olympics, or at last year’s world championships when he held the world record.

“I was very shocked I didn’t get a medal,” Powell said. “I really wanted to medal. If I would have gotten second, I would have been happy.”

Powell said he was happy for Bolt, his fellow Jamaican.

“He’s the best,” Powell said. “There’s no stopping him. He could have been faster.”

Tyson Gay of the United States, the defending world champion in the 100 and 200, did not advance out of the semifinals, finishing fifth in his heat, 0.02 behind another American, Darvis Patton. Though Gay said his injured hamstring felt fine, he clearly seemed to struggle from having missed six weeks of training.

Gay was injured trying to qualify for the 200 in the United States Olympic trials and had not raced since.

“I don’t really have any excuses; I just didn’t make it,” Gay said.

“I’m pretty upset,” he said. “When I get back to the village it’s probably going to set in.”

Gay’s absence took one of the biggest stars out of the final, but that hardly dimmed the excitement.

Bolt had heightened the anticipation with his spectacular march through preliminary races. In the first round, he got off to a terrible start — his usual weakness — but easily caught up and slowed to a jog late in the race. He ran a 9.92 in the second round while looking around for the last half of the race.

He looked equally dominant in the semifinals and pulled ahead at 60 meters after a decent start. From there, he dialed back his effort again, looking around as he crossed the finish line in 9.85 seconds.

In the final, Bolt was clear of everyone by 50 meters, and with 20 meters to go, he threw his arms wide, looked around and even thumped his chest. As he sailed across the finish line, his nearest competitors were two strides behind him.

“I didn’t know I was going to run so fast,” Bolt said. “But I came out to be a champion, and I was.”

Thompson ran a strong race from start to finish, and Dix closed strong. It was the first final in a major international race for Thompson, who reached only the quarterfinals in the world championships in 2007.

Dix just finished his eligibility at Florida State, where he won the N.C.A.A. meet in the 200 meters and was fourth in the 100, when he ran a 10.22. His 9.91 in this race topped his personal best of 9.95 at the Olympic trials. He finished second to Gay in that race and won the 200 after Gay was injured.

Bolt will also attempt the double in the 200, the race he used to run exclusively until he began the 100 last year.

Patton, who finished eighth, said everyone was overwhelmed by Bolt.

Source

*What a privilege to watch the best 100 meter race ever (6 runners dipped below 10 secs). Just to watch the arrogance of Usain Bolt while finishing about 2-3 meters ahead of his nearest rival was worth it. He slowed it down about 5 meters from finished and obviously he could go faster. It is not impossible for him to run 100 meters in 9.5 secs. What a run, what a race, a worthy winner of Olympic blue ribbon event.

Wanna Read My Mind?

2008-08-16T14:01:00.003+08:00

Military wants to study mind-reading

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Here's a mind-bending idea: The U.S. military is paying scientists to study ways to read people's thoughts.

The hope is that the research could someday lead to a gadget capable of translating the thoughts of soldiers who suffered brain injuries in combat or even stroke patients in hospitals. But the research also raises concerns that such mind-reading technology could be used to interrogate the enemy.

Armed with a $4 million grant from the Army, scientists are studying brain signals to try to decipher what a person is thinking and to whom the person wants to direct the message.

The project is a collaboration among researchers at the University of California, Irvine; Carnegie Mellon University; and the University of Maryland.

The scientists use brain wave-reading technology known as electroencephalography, or EEG, which measures the brain's electrical activity through electrodes placed on the scalp.

It works like this: Volunteers wear an electrode cap and are asked to think of a word chosen by the researchers, who then analyze the brain activity.

In the future, scientists hope to develop thought-recognition software that would allow a computer to speak or type out a person's thought.

"To have a person think in a free manner and then figure out what that is, we're years away from that," said lead researcher Michael D'Zmura, who heads UC Irvine's cognitive sciences department.

D'Zmura said such a system would require extensive training by people trying to send a message and dismisses the notion that thoughts can be forced out.

"This will never be used in a way without somebody's real, active cooperation," he said.

John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org, a Virginia-based defense research firm, said the technology is still too nascent to be of practical use for the military.

"They're still in the proof of principle stage," Pike said.

A message left with the Army was not immediately returned Friday

Source

*We are steadily going towards the world envision by Spielberg in 'Minority Report'. In the future human won't be allowed think anymore. What a world to live in eh...

P44 Permatang Pauh - Nomination Day

2008-08-16T13:54:00.005+08:00

Permatang Pauh: It's a three-way fight

BUKIT MERTAJAM: The Permatang Pauh by-election campaign kicked off in earnest with four candidates submitting their papers at the nomination centre here on Saturday morning, although one later pulled out.

At 11.45am, returning officer Roslan Yahaya announced there were three candidates contesting the seat: PKR adviser and de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Seberang Jaya MP Datuk Shah Omar Shah and Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (Akim) president Hanafi Hamat.

An independent candidate Dr Mansor Othman, former Penang PKR leader, had also submitted his nomination but later withdrew, losing his RM15,000 deposit in the process.

Anwar Ibrahim submitted his form at about 9.15am, while Arif Shah submitted his about 15 minutes earlier.

Dr Mansor said his nomination was a strategic move by Pakatan in the event Anwar had been disqualified.

Arif Shah, who arrived at the nomination centre at 8.42am, was accompanied by Barisan Nasional leaders Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein, MCA vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat, Wanita MCA chief Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen, MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and others.

Also accompanying him were Gerakan acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, who is also Penang BN chairman, Wanita Umno vice-head Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil and Umno information head Tan Sri Muhammad Muhamad Taib.

Anwar was accompanied by his wife, PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail, and three of their children.

Also with him were Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, PAS vice-president Husam Musa, DAP chairman Karpal Singh and other party leaders.

PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, who is reportedly unwell, was also on hand to lend his moral support.

Akim is a PAS splinter party set up in 1995 that claims to have about 10,000 members nationwide. It contested and lost in the Pasir Puteh and Kota Baharu parliamentary constituencies in the 1999 general election.

Over 10,000 Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat supporters accompanied their candidates to the nomination centre at the Tuanku Bainun Teaching Institute in Mengkuang here.

Supporters carrying flags and banners started converging on the place as early as 6am and were allowed into the field near Dewan Aminuddin Baki, the venue for submission of nominations, at 8.15am.

Pakatan supporters were the first to be allowed in, according to Bernama. They assembled in an area reserved for them, shouting "Allahu Akbar" (God is great) and "hidup Anwar" (long live Anwar) and waving banners and symbols of their respective parties.

BN supporters were allowed in at 8.30am together with Arif Shah.

Over 40 policemen in riot gear kept watch over them.

While their candidates filed their nomination papers, Barisan supporters sang patriotic songs while Pakatan's side sang “Allah Selamatkan Anwar, Allah Selamatkan Rakyat Malaysia” (God save Anwar, God save the people of Malaysia) to the Happy Birthday tune. Things got even merrier with Pakatan's lion and Bangra dances.

Many supporters however began to disperse at about 12.30pm when a heavy rainstorm broke.

The Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat was made vacant on July 31 when Dr Wan Azizah resigned as Member of Parliament to make way for Anwar to contest.

Polling day is on Aug 26.

Source

Huge support for Anwar's poll bid

Up to 30,000 people gathered to support Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's de facto opposition leader, as he launched his bid to return to parliament, in defiance of sodomy allegations made against him by a young male aide.

"I am touched by the support. This is an overwhelming support," Anwar said as he arrived at the nomination centre in the Permatang Pauh constituency on Saturday.

Supporters shouted Anwar's battle cry of "Reformasi" or "Reform", and waved party flags, facing off against 5,000 government supporters, trading taunts and insults.

Anwar said at a rally on Friday night that the sodomy allegations were part of a government conspiracy to prevent him from ousting the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, after March elections handed the opposition alliance a third of parliamentary seats.

"They are afraid of me being an MP and going on to become the opposition leader in parliament," he said.

He was formally charged earlier this month, just after his wife vacated the Permatang Pauh constituency - which she has held since he went to jail - to allow him to return to parliament after a decade-long absence.

Anwar accuser

However, Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan, Anwar's accuser who is a 23-year-old former volunteer in the opposition leader's office, visited a mosque on Friday to swear he was telling the truth and challenged Anwar to do the same.

He also said that he was sodomised against his will, although when Anwar was formally accused in court the charge indicated the alleged sex act was consensual.

Anwar was sacked as deputy premier amid previous sodomy allegations [Reuters]

Anwar was deputy premier until he was sacked in 1998 and convicted on sodomy and corruption counts. The sodomy conviction was later overturned.

Sodomy is a serious offence in Malaysia, a conservative and predominantly Muslim nation, and carries a penalty of 20 years imprisonment.

Anwar, representing his Keadilan party, is running against Arif Shah Omar Shah, a veteran member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which leads the the ruling National Front coalition, in the August 26 poll.

"I have known the people here and they know what to expect from me if I am elected. I am after all a two-term assemblyman and I have been doing my work since way back," Arif said.

"I know Anwar well. We have been friends and I look forward to taking him on."

In a racial breakdown that broadly mirrors the national population, more than two-thirds of voters in Permatang Pauh are Muslim Malays, alongside Chinese who make up 26 per cent and Indians at six per cent.

Source

P44 Permatang Pauh

2008-08-16T00:13:00.002+08:00

Good Luck Dato' Sri

So Now What?

2008-08-15T20:13:00.004+08:00

Saiful: Saya tidak rela diliwat

Aug 15, 08 6:58pm
kemaskini 7:35pm Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan mendakwa beliau diliwat secara paksa oleh penasihat PKR Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim di kondominium mewah di Damansara.

Dakwaan itu diumumkan di sidang media di sebuah hotel di Kuala Lumpur selepas mengangkat sumpah mengikut syariat Islam untuk membuktikan kebenaran dakwaan dirinya diliwat di Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan, Jalan Duta pada jam 6.30 petang tadi.

Majlis itu disaksikan beberapa pegawai masjid berkenaan dan ahli keluarga Mohd Saiful serta pegawai dari Jabatan Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (Jawi).

Antara yang hadir ialah Pengarah Jawi, Datuk Che Mat Che Ali.

Mohd Saiful mengangkat sumpah di Dewan Solat Utama dengan menghadap kiblat dan mengucap dua kalimah syahadah.

"Saya Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan dengan nama Allah saya bersumpah saya telah diliwat oleh Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim pada 26 Jun 2008 dan pada hari tersebut Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim telah memasukkan zakarnya ke dalam dubur saya.

"Jika saya berdusta dengan perkara ini, saya berdusta dengan Allah SWT dan akan dilaknat oleh Allah SWT sehingga hari kiamat."

Source

*How convenient esok hari penamaan calon hari ni la mamat ni nak sumpah. So now dah sumpah dah kira tak salah? Cam mana nak tau sumpah dia betul ke tak? Asal sumpah terus boleh lepas ke? Ni mana punya undang-undang ni. Mamt ni dah hilang credibility lama dah. Lagi nak kecoh-kecoh. Aku memang doakan si Saiful di dilaknat Allah.

Olympic Day 7

2008-08-15T14:34:00.006+08:00

Chong Wei vs Lin Dan singles final

BEIJING: Lee Chong Wei has secured at least a silver medal for Malaysia in the Beijing Olympics.

The national one shuttler and second seed for the men's singles event here defeated South Korean Lee Hyun-il 21-18, 13-21, 21-13 in the semi-finals Friday at the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium.

Chong Wei will now take on top seeded Lin Dan from China in the final Sunday.

The Chinese player beat his compatriot Chen Jin 21-12, 21-18 in the other last four men's singles clash.

By booking his place in the final, which will be played on Sunday, the 26-year-old Penangite now stands to pocket at least RM300,000 as an incentive from the Govvernment.

If he manages to win Malaysia's first ever Olympic gold, Chong Wei will pocket a whopping RM1mil.

Malaysia has won a total of three Olympic medals thus far - one silver and two bronze medals - which were all delivered by shuttlers.

Before the last four clash here, the record between Chong Wei and Lee was even for this year.

Chong Wei beat Lee in the Malaysian Open final in three games.

When they next clashed in the Korean Open, Lee whipped Chong Wei in the second round and went on to beat world number one Lin Dan in a three-game thriller for the title.

Chong Wei is the only Malaysian shuttler still in the fray in Bejing. The other Malaysians all failed to shine.

Veterans Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah lost in the men's doubles first round to second ranked Koreans Lee Jae-jin-Hwang Ji-man.

Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong lost in the last eight to Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia.

Wong Mew Choo lost in the quater-finals of the women's singles event 7-21, 27-29 to China's Lu Lan.

Wong Choon Hann lost to Taiwan's Hsieh Yu-hsing 17-21,18-21 in the third round of the men's singles event.

Source
Archer Cheng outshoots Olympic record holder

In a nail-biting shoot-off at the Beijing Olympics, Malaysia's Cheng Chu Sian struck bull's eye to upset Olympic record holder Lee Chang Hwan to enter the men's individual quarter-final Friday.

Both were tied 105-105 after the regular 12 arrows.

In the shoot-off, both scored a nine with the first arrow and in the second, Lee, shot first and again struck a nine.

Cheng saw his chance. He stepped up and, displaying nerves of steel, hit the centre of the board for the second time in the third-round bout.

The arena erupted into applause while the large crowd of Korean fans, who had come to cheer on the experienced Lee, were left in despair.

"I told myself that I must do my best to make up for the team event. I went to sleep early last night," said the 22-year-old, who is from Penang.

"I have beaten him before but I cannot recall when. Lee has also lost to Wan Khalmizam (Abd Aziz) before and possibly because of this, he is under a lot of pressure when he faces opposition from Malaysia," Cheng added.

Cheng will meet Bair Badenov of Russia at 4.13pm Friday. The Russian advanced by ousting Jay Lyon of Canada 115-110.

This the best achievement yet by a Malaysian archer in Olympic history.

Lee, who was in the South Korean gold winning team in the Beijing Olympics, scored an Olympic record of 117 only two days ago in the first round.

Cheng was one point behind after the second arrow but his consistency prevailed to a 52-50 lead midway as the Korean dropped back with a dismal seven in the third arrow. After nine arrows, both were level at 78-78. Cheng was one behind again after the 10th arrow but he recovered with a perfect 10 in the 11th arrow to make it 96-96 going into the final arrow, where both shot a nine to tie 105-105 to force the shoot-off.

Cheng, who is the highest ranked Malaysian in the world standing at number 13, had fared the worst during the team quarter-finals in teaming up with Wan Khalmizam Abd Aziz and Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman.

Source

Badminton - 6.30 pm Semi Final : Lee Chong Wei vs Lee Hyunil
Cycling - 4.30 pm Men's Team Sprint Qualifying : Starting Field - Malaysia, USA, Poland, Czech, Greece, China, Japan, Australia, Russia, Great Britain, Germany, France, Netherlands

*Congrats to Chong Wei. Hope he will bring home the first gold medal ever for Malaysia. He's assured to win at least a silver medal in which he will pocket RM 300,000 as promised by the government.

Good Luck Chong Wei

Cities Of Light - The Rise And Fall Of Islamic Spain

2008-08-14T21:58:00.003+08:00

"Well lounge beneath the pomegranates,
palm trees, apple trees,
Under every lovely, leafy thing,
and walk among the vines,
Enjoy the splendid faces we will see,
In a lofty palace, built of noble stone"

- Ibn Gabirol, 11th century -

Contradict Himself Again

2008-08-14T18:28:00.006+08:00

Image taken from Mob's Crib

This is what he said today

'Anwar should be given copy of police report'
By V.P. SUJATA

PUTRAJAYA: Lawyers of PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who is charged with sodomy should be provided with a copy of the police report lodged by his accuser, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.

He said Anwar's lawyers would need to read the police report by Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan to prepare their defence in the trial.

"Under the law, he (Anwar) is entitled to the police report to prepare for his defence. By right it should be given to him," he said, adding that it was the right thing to do, as there was already a charge preferred against Anwar.

He added that it was not necessary to give copies of the investigation papers to his lawyers.

Syed Hamid, however, said he did not know if Saiful's police report had been given to Anwar's lawyers or why it has not been given to them.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs does not interfere in police investigation and the prosecution of cases," he said, adding that the question should be posed to the Kuala Lumpur Criminal Investigation Department chief.

Source

Well he used to say this

Investigations will not be dropped, says Syed Hamid
By : Marc Lourdes

KUALA LUMPUR: Investigations into Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan's sodomy allegations against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will not be dropped.
"He has not been charged yet. What are we supposed to drop? This is not a media court," said Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.

He was commenting on Anwar's call that the sodomy investigations be dropped after a medical report from Hospital Pusrawi surfaced on Monday, stating that Mohd Saiful needed to be re-examined at a government hospital "to rule out" sodomy.

It was revealed that on June 28, the day Mohd Saiful lodged the police report alleging that he had been sodomised by Anwar, he had visited two hospitals.

He went to Hospital Pusrawi where he was checked by Dr Mohamed Osman Abdul Hamid.
Mohd Saiful was referred to a government hospital after the doctor learnt that he planned to lodge a police report.

The full medical report from Hospital Pusrawi was published in two online news portals on Monday, following which, Anwar demanded that the case against him be dropped.

Syed Hamid, however, said investigations had to be completed and the investigation papers handed to the prosecutor before a decision was made whether or not to charge Anwar.

"Evidence is a chain. It is not one single piece upon which you make your decision.

"Why doesn't he (Anwar) go to the police and cooperate?" asked Syed Hamid, referring to Anwar's refusal to give his blood sample for DNA tests.

"If there is a charge, it will be in the court of law. This is due process," said Syed Hamid at a press conference held after delivering the keynote address at the International Conference on the Representation of Islam and Muslims in the Media.

Asked if police had deliberately concealed the report, Syed Hamid countered by asking if there was any country in the world where evidence in an investigation was given to the media before the case went to court.

"How can you ask about something that has not even gone to court yet?

"It should be in perspective. Let the police conduct the investigations and let the Attorney-General's Chambers decide if there is a case.

"If there is, the defence has the right to rebut whatever evidence is brought by the prosecutor."

Syed Hamid also brushed off suggestions that the leaked medical report had increased public support for Anwar and intensified speculation that the case was an attempt to frame the former deputy prime minister.

"I personally feel it would be irrational of the government to create a case of this nature, at this time, against such a person.

"It is an investigation and if there is a complainant, regardless of whether he is a famous person or an ordinary man, his complaint has to be investigated."

He also denied allegations that police were dragging their feet over investigations and said they could not be blamed for being cautious, considering the case involved a prominent person.

Syed Hamid added that Anwar was looking at the political dimensions of the case instead of its legal aspects.

"He is playing to the gallery. He wants to take the first step as it would make us look as if we are in the wrong," he said.

On the leaked medical report, Syed Hamid said the medical fraternity had to take action.

"Otherwise patients will not trust doctors. This is dangerous," the home minister added.

Source

*Ni lah dia dulu kata tak boleh la ambik report tu pasal tak habis investigate lagi. Sekarang kata patut kasi pulak. Kenapa masa mintak dulu tak kasi? Sebab sekarang dah habis amend dah report tu? Satu lagi projek bahalol kerajaan Barisan Nasional

Olympic Day 6

2008-08-14T16:32:00.002+08:00

Badminton - Chong Wei through to the Semi-Final

Lee Chong Wei bt Sonny Dwi Kancoro (INA) - 21-9, 21-11

Olympic Day 5

2008-08-13T23:36:00.004+08:00

Badminton

Lu Lan (CHN) bt Wong Mew Choo - 21-7, 29-27
Markis Kido/Hendra Satiawan bt Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong - 21-16, 21-18

Archery

Chen Szu Yuan (TPE) bt Muhammad Marbawi - 107-106
Cheng Chu Sian bt Matthew Gray (AUS) - 109-101
Alexandru Bodnar (ROU) bt Wan Khalmizam - 106-105

Here Comes The Challenger

2008-08-13T22:43:00.004+08:00

Arif Shah is BN candidate

Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah is the Barisan Nasional candidate for the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat by-election.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak made the announcement in Permatang Pauh Wednesday night.

Arif Shah is the assemblyman for Seberang Jaya, which is among the three state seats under the Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency.

The other two are Permatang Pasir, which was won by PAS in the March 8 general election; while PKR clinched the Penanti seat.

The Permatang Pauh seat fell vacant on July 31, when Anwar's wife and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail resigned to make way for her husband to contest.

Nomination for the by-election is Saturday while polling will be on Aug 26.

In the general election, Wan Azizah retained the seat by obtaining 30,338 votes against Datuk Pirdaus Ismail of Umno, who garnered 16,950 votes.

As at July 31, 58,459 voters, 490 of them postal, were registered as eligible to cast their ballots in the by-election.

Except for Seberang Jaya, which is a cosmopolitan centre, the rest of the constituency is made up of villages and farmland, mainly paddy fields.

Source

*Waiting to be slaughtered?

He's In The Mood To Fuck The Government

2008-08-13T21:06:00.003+08:00

Raja Petra ordered to reveal source and reader IDs
By CECIL FUNG

KUALA LUMPUR: A High Court here has ordered Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin to reveal his sources for the allegations he made against lawyer Datuk Muhammad Shafee Abdullah in three online articles.

In addition, the wide-ranging order compels him to, within three days of its service to him, reveal the identities of visitors to his web portal who had left comments and messages following the articles.

In the three articles dated Aug 6, Aug 7 and Aug 11, Raja Petra had accused Shafee of masterminding the recent sodomy charge against PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The order, granted by Justice Tee Ah Sing in chambers, also included several injunctions, the first of which directs Raja Petra to remove the defamatory articles from the web portal within two days as well as to remove any other follow up articles and comments posted by visitors.

Injunctions were also granted to restrain him or his agents from further publishing the said articles or any other articles, journals, letters, comments, posts and statements that are defamatory of Shafee on the web portal or any third party websites.

The order was the result of an ex parte summons in chambers filed by the lawyer, who had earlier Wednesday filed a defamation suit against the blogger over the same articles.

The court fixed Sept 2 to hear the inter partes application.

When contacted, Shafee said the order granted by the High Court was against "a blog owner who continuously, maliciously and contumeliously went on a rampage to defame me."

"I have not seen anything more defamatory than what this man has written. None of what he said is true," he said.

Shafee also challenged Raja Petra to enter appearance in this case and dared him to prove the truth of the contents of all three articles.

As at press time, the three articles were still available on the Malaysia Today portal.

Source

*Normal government response on any revelation regarding their administrative members. How can they ask RPK to submit the list of Malaysia-Today membership? It is private. What people leave in response of the article is their own personal opinion. This government obviously don't want its rakyat to think and have opinions on anything. They just want us to swallow all their lies without evaluating whether it's right or wrong. And one more thing why do RPK have to reveal the source? So they can take immediate action? Well fuck you government!

To RPK please continue with you expose since our MSM is not reliable at all. Well what can they say, he's in the mood to fuck the government and he is succeding.

Happy 4th anniversary Malaysia-Today (MT was founded on 13 August 2004)

Mabuk Keling

2008-08-13T21:01:00.004+08:00

So big ah? Arrest me-lah -- so they did
By FARIK ZOLKEPLI

JOHOR BARU: A 28-year-old man was fined RM1,000 after he pleaded guilty at a Magistrate’s court here to preventing policemen from fulfilling their duties and insulting them with vulgarities.

R. Senthiresan had allegedly been under the influence of alcohol when he insulted the policemen and challenged them to arrest him in front of a restaurant in Taman Tampoi Indah on Sunday.

Police had gone to the restaurant after receiving reports of a drunken disturbance.

Senthiresan was charged under Section 186 of the Penal Code, which carries a three-month prison sentence or fine or both.

Magistrate Rasidah Roslee ruled that the accused would face imprisonment if he should fail to pay the fine.

At press time, Senthiresan had yet to settle the fine.

Source

*typical keling mabuk. Dah mabuk perasan kuat pastu buat kecoh. Padan muka kena tangkap.

Olympic Day 4

2008-08-13T00:31:00.003+08:00

Badminton - mixed day for Malaysia

Lee Chong Wei bt Kestutis Navickas (LTU) - 21-5, 21-7
Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong bt Shintaro Ikeda Shuichi Sakamoto (JPN) - 21-12, 21-16

Yu-Hshing Hsieh (HKG) bt Wong Choong Hann - 14-21, 21-17, 21-18
Lee Jaejin/Hwang Jiman (Kor) bt Choong Tan Fook/Lee Wan Wah - 20-22, 21-13, 21-16

Kelantan 100 Years Ago (New York Times, April 5, 1908)

2008-08-12T22:59:00.007+08:00

Interesting comparison between Terengganu and Kelantan 100 year ago;

"Tringano (eja pun salah) is practically untrodden ground for the Europeans. There are no roads, and principal river the Tringano is rendered useless for navigation half way on its course to the sea by a series of large waterfalls. The country to the west of these waterfalls is practically inhibited. Tin, however, is known to be exist in the South. The political status of the State, to some extent is indifinite. It is held by some that Rajah of Tringano is an independent ruler, but the Siamese claims that Article 12 of Anglo-Siamese treaty of 1826 implies Siamese suzerainty over the State.

As for Kelantan there are valuable British interests. The Duff Development Company owns a concession of some 2,500 square miles of the country, obtained from the Rajah of Kelantan, supported by the British Government and ratified in 1902 by the Siamese Government, in which year the Rajah of Kelantan acknowledged Siamese suzerainty. Subsequent to this, however, differences arose between the Government and the company regarding the exercise by the latter of legislative and administrative rights, (which were the subject of negotiation through the British Foreign Office until quite recently.) The country tself is little known, but is believed to be as well endowed by the nature as prosperous Malay Federated States. It is believed to be rich in gold and tin and rubber growing has met with success. Rajah of Kelantan it is stated, would welcome Britih control"

Source

Anwar Tribute Video By DJ Zen T and Satori C

2008-08-12T13:05:00.001+08:00

Taken from their YouTube Info

A Pro-Peace dance-rock song by Asian DJ duo Zen T & Satori C.A tribute to Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim as well as other living and past leaders . It revolves around issues pertaining to injustice and oppression. A no holds barred video that is symbolic of the state of the world. The word "An" means "Peace" in Vietnamese..and is ironic when used in the name An-War, exemplifying the duality of life..a philosophy close to the heart of Zen T&DJ Satori C. The funny thing is "An-war" can also be pronounced as End-War.

Peace is in our hands...

The Duo's musical influence includes KLF, U2, Led Zeppelin, Ian Brown, Beck

Olympic Day 3

2008-08-11T20:50:00.005+08:00

Badminton

Men's Singles Round of 32
Lee Chong Wei bt Ronald Susilo (SIN) - 21-13, 21-14
Wong Choong Hann bt Taufik Hidayat (INA) - 21-19, 21-16

Women's Singles Round of 16
Wong Mew Choo bt Petya Nadelcheva (BUL) - 21-16, 21-8

Archery

Men's Team Quarter Final
Italy bt Malaysia (218 - 213)

Stupid PAS

2008-08-11T12:39:00.006+08:00

Konsert Avril Lavigne hina pejuang kemerdekaan

Salmiyah Harun
Wed | Aug 06, 08 | 1:25:02 pm MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, 6 Ogos (Hrkh) - Tindakan meluluskan Konsert Avril Lavigne yang akan diadakan pada hari Jumaat 29 Ogos sempena menyambut kemerdekaan negara yang ke-51 adalah suatu penghinaan kepada pejuang-pejuang kemerdekaan tanahair.

"Sempena bulan kemerdekaan ini, seharusnya diisi dengan penghayatan bagi menghargai pengorbanan nenek moyang ketika memperjuangkan kemerdekaan tanah air bukannya dengan memanggil waris penjajah untuk mengajar anak-anak muda menjadi 'beruk' moden yang terkinja-kinja tanpa hala tujuan,"tegas Ketua Penerangan Pemuda PAS Wilayah Persekutuan, Herman Samsudeen dalam satu kenyataannya kepada Harakahdaily hari ini.

Menurutnya,mereka tidak menolak hiburan tetapi jika bentuk hiburan yang menjemput artis Barat mereka sekali-kali tidak akan bersetuju dan terus menentang.

"Pemuda wilayah juga akan menghantarkan memorandum dan kempen bagi menentang konsert ini serta konsert lain yang tidak sesuai dengan roh dan semangat kemerdekaan.

"Pemuda Wilayah juga akan menghantar satu delegasi untuk berbincang dengan Jawatankuasa Permohonan Artis Luar Negeri (Puspal) dan pihak berkepentingan dalam tempoh terdekat bagi menyampaikan bantahan dan cadangan terhadap isu ini,"jelasnya.

Beliau juga kecewa dengan sikap talam dua muka yang ditunjukan oleh Puspal yang dalam diam membenarkan konsert artis barat selepas gagal dalam meneruskan konsert Inul di Stadium Bukit Jalil kerana desakan orang ramai.

"Kami memandang serius di atas tindakan berkenaan dan membantah kehadiran artis ini sempena meraikan Hari Kemerdekaan Negara yang ke-51. Ini bukanlah budaya kita," katanya dalam satu kenyataan.

Tambahnya, Puspal yang bernaung di bawah Kementerian Perpaduan, Kebudayaan, Kesenian dan Warisan Malaysia (KPKKW) tidak seharusnya mengambil kesempatan untuk merosakkan sambutan kemerdekaan negara.

"Ini adalah suatu perkara yang tidak dapat dimaafkan kerana pihak Puspal yang menjadi agensi kerajaan yang dibiayai dari hasil titik peluh rakyat seharusnya memainkan peranan untuk menapis permohonan persembahan artis dari luar negara," katanya.

Tegasnya, tapisan ketat perlulah dibuat bagi artis-artis yang mengadakan pertunjukan yang tidak sesuai dengan budaya masyarakat Malaysia.

Apa yang berlaku hari ini termasuklah gejala sosial yang semakin meningkat, katanya berpunca dari kegagalan KPKKW sendiri.

"Walaupun mereka melancarkan kempen Budi Bahasa dan pelbagai lagi kempen kebudayaan, semuanya gagal dan tidak bermanfaat. Apa yang mereka lakukan hanyalah menaburkan madu diatas racun yang telah disemai terlebih dahulu,"katanya.

Justeru, Pemuda Wilayah mendesak agar Puspal menolak permohonan Konsert dari artis ini walaupun mendapat tajaan dari Syarikat Maxis rakyat Malaysia sudah terlalu banyak dijamu dengan budaya berhibur. - mks. _

Source

Inul dances into new controversy

KUALA LUMPUR: Indonesian songstress Inul Daratista will face more controversy when she performs at Stadium Bukit Jalil here on Sunday, just 10 days after the contentious cancellation of her concert in Johor Baru.
This is because members of Pas Youth are planning to disseminate 10,000 flyers which state that the concert is not in line with Islamic values and those watching it are committing a sin.

Federal Territory Pas Youth chief Kamaruzaman Mohamad said this yesterday at the City Hall headquarters in Jalan Raja Laut.

Earlier, he had presented a memorandum to Kuala Lumpur Mayor Abdul Hakim Borhan to cancel the concert this weekend.

Kamaruzaman and four other Pas Youth members presented the memorandum to the mayor's special officer, Shaari Ahmad Junid, who accepted it on behalf of the mayor.

On Pas Youth's reason for going all-out to protest Inul's concert, Kamaruzaman said: "Have you seen her in action? Just go to the YouTube website and type her name and you will see that her shows are quite obscene. Even I can't bear watching her." He said her concerts were known to make the crowd go "wild sexually" and that this could lead to social problems. "Once they go wild, some will resort to sex by the roadside. So it's best that her concert does not go on," he said.

He added that City Hall must stop her concert as it did not adhere to rulings by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim).

"In Indonesia, although Inul is now known as 'Hajjah' (having performed the Haj), she has also been labelled an obscene dancer by the Indonesian Ulama Council. So what more can I say?"

When asked to comment on the perception of Pas Youth as being "Taliban-like and orthodox" in opposing concerts such as Inul's, Gwen Stefani's and Beyonce's, he said the party had a valid reason for doing so.

"In Islam, you cannot just watch others committing sin.

"As long as you are able, you should let those committing sin know that what they are doing is wrong and if possible, stop them from doing so," said Kamaruzaman.

He said this is the concept Pas adheres to when opposing concerts of artistes who were "morally low", as they brought about social problems among youths.

"But this does not mean that Pas is against all artistes."

Source

*Ahli-ahli PAS boleh terangkan sikit macam mana Avril Lavigne ni menghina kemerdekaan? Dulu keluar statement sapa tgk konsert Inul balik tu terus have sex bersepah kat tepi jalan. Bodoh! takde otak gile punya statement. Mana negara pun aku rasa aku tak pernah dgr org tgk concert boleh jadi horny sgt pastu terus nak maint tepi jalan. Maybe dia kot yg perangai camtu. Yang tak boleh control nafsu, itu yg kawin sampai 3-4 tuh. Now kata concert Avril meghina kemerdekaan. What??? lagi satu statement bodoh.

Pelik betul lah orang-orang macam ni. Asal boleh nak protest. Semua bendanya nak protest. Ok now aku pulak nak mula protest against stupid people like this PAS fella.

PROTEST!!!!

ILUSI DALANG 2.0

2008-08-11T12:38:00.001+08:00

New look and feel

Kg Salor From Air

2008-08-09T21:05:00.002+08:00

Blackout

2008-08-09T20:54:00.003+08:00

Blackout in Sarawak By STEPHEN THEN

MIRI: A state-wide power cut in Sarawak on Saturday evening saw the blackout affect more than two million people over a distance of 1,000km from Kuching to Miri.

Cities and towns in the state were plunged into total darkness causing massive chaos as everybody was caught by surprise.

The power failure started in Kuching at about 6.30pm Saturday and rapidly spread northward to Sibu then to Miri by 7.30pm.

Deputy chief minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam when contacted by The Star confirmed that it was a blackout that seemed to have affected the main power grid.

"We (the state government) want to find out the source of the blackout. We need to know exactly what has triggered this massive state-wide blackout.

At 8.30pm Saturday the cause of the incident is still unknown.

Dr Chan, who is the state Industrial Development Minister, said that the Sarawak Electricity Supply Corporation (Sesco) is in the midst of trying to re-connect the power supply as soon as possible.

The state authority hopes that the people remain calm.

Meanwhile, thousands of people who were caught up in the massive traffic jam and in commercial complexes were reportedly evacuated without any incidents so far.

Source

*Lagi TNB nak naik kan tariff letrik. Satu state boleh blackout. Teringat a few times dulu blackout satu Semenanjung.

Olympic Day 1 - Archery

2008-08-09T18:38:00.003+08:00

Good start by the Malaysian archery team in the individual ranking round. Wan Khalmizam finished in the 5th place, followed by Chu Sian Cheng and Muhammad Marbawi at 26th and 27th place out of 64 archers. The 1/8 elimination round will be held on Monday.

From the scores shot in the ranking round, archers will be ranked 1-64 and teams will be ranked 1-16. Then the 64 ranked archers will enter the elimination round, where No 1 is matched against No 64, No 2 against No 63, and so on.

More info in Olympic Archery

Oppositionführer in Malaysia

2008-08-09T14:03:00.003+08:00

Anwar's case coverage in German paper Sueddeutsche. Love the title Oppositionführer (fuhrer=leader). Sounds a bit like Third Reich hahahah.

Oppositionsführer in Malaysia : Wegen Homosexualität vor den Kadi

Gegen den malaysischen Oppositionsführer Anwar Ibrahim ist Anklage erhoben worden. Der Vorwurf: gleichgeschlechtlicher Sex. Der Vater von sechs Kindern spricht von "Rufmord".

Gegen den malaysischen Oppositionsführer Anwar Ibrahim ist unter dem Verdacht der Homosexualität Anklage erhoben worden. Demnach soll er mit einem 23-jährigen Mitarbeiter seines Büros gleichgeschlechtlichen Sex gehabt haben. Der junge Angestellte soll selbst den 60-jährigen Politiker beschuldigt haben, ihn in einem "luxuriösen Apartment" verführt zu haben, berichtet der amerikanische Nachrichtensender CNN.

Der frühere Vize-Regierungschef, der von mehreren Rechtsanwälten und Familienmitgliedern begleitet wurde, plädierte auf nicht schuldig. "Das ist Rufmord, eine bösartige Anschuldigung und ich bin nicht schuldig", sagte Anwar vor einem Gericht in der Hauptstadt Kuala Lumpur, nachdem dort die Anklageschrift verlesen worden war. Die Abgabe eines Bluttests für eine DNA-Probe habe Anwar aus Angst vor einer Manipulation bislang verweigert.

Anwar zufolge sind die jüngsten Anschuldigungen politisch motiviert. Der sechsfache Vater weist den Vorwurf als "erfunden" zurück. "Das ist ein Trick, um von der Korruption und dem Missmanagement in der Wirtschaft abzulenken", mutmaßt er über die Hintergründe der Ermittlungen. Damit solle auch sein politisches Comeback verhindert werden.

Anwar wurde bis zur nächsten Anhörung im September gegen eine Kaution von 20.000 Ringgit (rund 4000 Euro) freigelassen. Er war bereits vor zehn Jahren wegen Vorwürfen der Homosexualität und Korruption als stellvertretender Regierungschef entlassen und zu einer mehrjährigen Haftstrafe verurteilt worden. Im Jahr 2004 wurde das Urteil aufgehoben und Anwar kam frei. Menschenrechtsorganisationen hielten die Prozess damals schon für politisch motiviert. Homosexualität ist im muslimischen Malaysia verboten und wird mit bis zu 20 Jahren Haft bestraft.

"Anwar steht nicht über dem Gesetz"

Im März dieses Jahres feierte er eine fulminante Rückkehr auf die politische Bühne Malaysias, als seine Partei bei der Parlamentswahl stärkste Oppositionskraft wurde. Die Opposition hatte bei der Parlamentswahl Anfang März der seit 51 Jahren mit Zwei-Drittel-Mehrheit regierenden Koalitionsregierung eine empfindliche Schlappe zugefügt. Seither haben die innenpolitischen Spannungen zugenommen.

Der malaysische Innenminister Syed Hamid Albar teilte CNN mit, dass die Politik bei der Festnahme keinerlei Rolle spiele. "Anwar steht nicht über dem Gesetz", so Albar. "Wir werden diesen Fall nüchtern als einen kriminellen Akt betrachten, der von der Regierung untersucht werden muss." Die Regierung in Malaysia ist sich der großen Popularität Anwars im Ausland bewusst. "Wir sind bei den Ermittlungen sehr behutsam vorgegangen, weil wir wissen, dass die internationale Gemeinschaft uns in diesem Fall ganz genau beobachtet", so Albar weiter.

Um das Gerichtsgebäude hatten sich trotz einer außerordentlich starken Polizeipräsenz mehrere hundert Anhänger versammelt. Sie jubelten dem Politiker bei seiner Ankunft zu. Das Gericht will am 10. September über den Prozesstermin entscheiden.

Source

Russian Roulette

2008-08-09T01:17:00.007+08:00

Russia's Channel 1 shows heavy tanks purported to be on their way to South Ossetia.

Georgia 'under attack' as Russian tanks roll in

TBLISI, Georgia (CNN) -- Georgia's president said Friday that his country is under attack by Russian tanks and warplanes, and he accused Russia of targeting civilians as tensions over the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia appeared to boil over into full-blown conflict.

"All day today, they've been bombing Georgia from numerous warplanes and specifically targeting (the) civilian population, and we have scores of wounded and dead among (the) civilian population all around the country," President Mikhail Saakashvili told CNN in an exclusive interview.

"This is the worst nightmare one can encounter," he said.

Hundres of people, possibly thousands, are fleeing South Ossetia to the Russian region of North Ossetia-Alania, the United Nations reported Friday, citing Russian officials. About 400 more are believed to have fled for other parts of Georgia, the United Nations said.

Asked whether Georgia and Russia were now at war, he said, "My country is in self-defense against Russian aggression. Russian troops invaded Georgia." Video Watch the interview with Saakashvili »

About 150 Russian armored vehicles have entered South Ossetia, Saakashvili said, and Georgian forces had shot down two Russian aircraft.Video Watch the Russian tanks moving into the area »

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov meanwhile said Moscow had received reports that villages in South Ossetia were being ethnically cleansed, according to Reuters.com.

"We are receiving reports that a police of ethnic cleansing was being conducted in villages in South Ossetia, the number of refugees is climbing, the panic is growing, people are trying to save their lives," he was reported saying.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, quoted by the Russian news agency Interfax, said Russians had died because of Georgia's operations.

Russia "will not allow the deaths of our compatriots to go unpunished" and "those guilty will receive due punishment," he said. "My duty as Russian president is to safeguard the lives and dignity of Russian citizens, wherever they are. This is what is behind the logic of the steps we are undertaking now."

South Ossetia declared independence from Georgia in the early 1990s, but it was not internationally recognized. Many ethnic Ossetians feel close to Russia and have Russian passports and use its currency. iReport.com: Are you there, share your photos, videos

Russia's Defense Ministry said it sent "reinforcements" to South Ossetia to help the Russian peacekeepers already stationed there.

Earlier Friday, Russian military aircraft dropped two bombs on Georgian territory, a Georgian official said, causing no casualties. Georgian officials also report four Russian aircraft shot down.

The U.S., NATO and European Union have all called for an end to the fighting. U.S. President George Bush and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Friday discussed the conflict in Georgia, the White House confirmed.

In a letter addressed to his "fellow citizens" Friday, Saakashvili said he had mobilized tens of thousands of reserve officers and that the mobilization continued.
Don't Miss

"We must unite," Saakashvili wrote. "All of us, hundreds of thousands of Georgians here and abroad, should come together, unite, and fight to save Georgia. We are a freedom-loving people, and if our nation is united, no aggressor will be able to harm it."

Georgia declared a unilateral three-hour cease fire at 3 p.m. to enable civilians to escape from the conflict zone, which so far was focused inside South Ossetia but included aerial targets inside Georgia, Saakashvili said.

"Clearly they don't really have boundaries in their activities," said Georgian Foreign Minister Eka Tkeshelashvili, in an interview with CNN. She said Russian aircraft had bombed "several villages" in Georgia outside of the South Ossetian territory.

By early evening Friday, Georgian Cabinet minister said the country's forces have taken control of the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali. He spoke to Interfax news agency, which also quoted separtists denying the city was udner Georgian control.

Tkeshelashvili said Georgian authorities are still collecting information on casualties.

Georgia was appealing to the world for diplomatic intervention, she said, stressing that Georgia was not asking for military assistance.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said it was sending an envoy to the region immediately.

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer issued a statement Friday saying he was seriously concerned about the recent events in the region, and he called on all sides to end armed clashes and begin direct talks. Video Watch more about NATO's attempts to help Georgia »

Carmen Romero, a NATO spokeswoman speaking to CNN from Brussels, reiterated Scheffer's statement. She said NATO was in regular contact with Georgia's president and was talking to the Russian side.

Britain and the United States also urged all sides to bring an immediate end to the violence. Acting U.S. State Department spokesman Gonzo Gallegos said: "We support Georgia's territorial integrity and call for an immediate cease-fire. We urge all parties ... to de-escalate and avoid conflict

An emergency session of the U.N. Security Council on Friday discussed the dramatic escalation of violence. The session ended Friday morning without a statement about the fighting.

Violence has been mounting in the region in recent days, with sporadic clashes between Georgian forces and South Ossetian separatists. Georgian troops launched new attacks in South Ossetia late Thursday after a top government official said a unilateral cease-fire offer was met with separatist artillery fire.

Alexander Lomaia, the secretary of Georgia's National Security Council, said Georgian troops were responding proportionately to separatist mortar and artillery attacks on two villages -- attacks he said followed the cease-fire and call for negotiations by Saakashvili.

Russia said a Georgian attack on a military barracks left a number of Russian peacekeepers dead.

"It's all very sad and alarming," Putin said earlier in the day. "And, of course, there will be a response."

"There are lots of volunteers being gathered in the region, and it's very hard to withhold them from taking part. A real war is going on," Putin said, according to his spokesman, Dmitry Peskov.

Russian peacekeepers are in South Ossetia under a 1992 agreement by Russian, Georgian, and South Ossetian authorities to maintain what has been a fragile peace. The mixed peacekeeping force also includes Georgian and South Ossetian troops.

Saakashvili said the Russian invasion of South Ossetia was pre-planned.

"These troops that are in Georgia now -- they didn't come unexpectedly," the president told CNN. "They had been amassing at the border for the last few months. They claimed they were staging exercises there and as soon as a suitable pretext was found, they moved in."

Georgia, located on the Black Sea coast between Russia and Turkey, has been split by Russian-backed separatist movements in South Ossetia and another region, Abkhazia.

Source

* Confirm dah pre-planned dah attack ni. Masa satu dunia tumpukan kat opening ceremony olimpik start attack dgn minimal tv coverage. Tapi persoalannya, siapa yang attack siapa? Georgia attack South Ossettia, Russia tolong South Ossettia tapi Georgia claim Russia yang attack. The Independent reported this :

The timing suggests Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili may have been counting on surprise to fulfill his longtime pledge to wrest back control of South Ossetia — a key to his hold on power.

Saakashvili agreed the timing was not coincidental, but accused Russia of being the aggressor. "Most decision makers have gone for the holidays," he said in an interview with CNN. "Brilliant moment to attack a small country."

Apa akan jadi kalau Russia attack all out? Will US just keep quiet? Georgia ni ally penting US kat area tu.

Let The Games Begin

2008-08-09T01:05:00.002+08:00

All Hail To The Chief

2008-08-08T19:13:00.002+08:00

Disclaimer : Picture above intended for satire only

Beijing 2008 Olympic (08.08.08)

2008-08-08T16:00:00.004+08:00

The Beijing 2008 Olympic officially starts today with the opening ceremony later tonight. A total of 302 gold medal for 28 sports are there to be won. Hope our contingent will come back at least with one medal preferably gold medal thru badminton. We've been waiting for a long time for gold in Olympic and this year present our best chance to win one thru badminton. Good luck to all Malaysian athletes participating in the biggest sporting event in the world.

Beijing 2008 Olympic Official Site

Wikipedia

Calvin & Hobbes

2008-08-07T17:43:00.000+08:00

Brit Dato'

2008-08-07T14:04:00.004+08:00

Top award from a former king

A DORCHESTER man is celebrating after being awarded a Malaysian knighthood by the former King of Malaysia.

Ron Kirby was given the honour for handling the Sultan of Kedah's affairs in Great Britain for the past 30 years.

He received his award during an investiture at the palace of the state ruler, who was celebrating his golden jubilee.

Media and public relations consultant Mr Kirby said: "I have been greatly honoured by this award.

"The Sultan, who is the former King of Malaysia, told me I am the first Briton to receive the Datoship from the State of the Kedah since the Sultanate was founded in 1136."

Mr Kirby travelled to Malaysia with wife Carole, a teacher at the Thomas Hardye School in Dorchester, for the special ceremony.

He was among some 72 others being recognised for giving invaluable services to the Sultan, the State of Kedah and Malaysia.

The list included well-known Malaysian personalities from government, the industrial world and the royal household as well as sporting figures and social activists.

Mr Kirby has been connected with the State of Kedah for three decades, carrying out various projects for the Sultan in this country.

He acted as a guardian for the former King of Malaysia's two daughters, Princess Intan and Princess Soraya, during their secondary and university education in England.

Mr Kirby, of Mellstock Avenue, will now be known as Dato (Sir) Ron Kirby in Malaysia and can add the letters DSDK after his name.

In 1995 he was handed an OBE for promoting professional engineering in Great Britain and across Europe, while he was The Engineering Council's director of public affairs.

The Sultan of Kedah's private secretary Dato Syed Unan Mashri congratulated Mr Kirby on his accolade.

He said: "Ron Kirby has been a loyal friend to His Royal Highness for more than 30 years.

"In addition to handling HRH's personal affairs in Great Britain, including being guardian to the two princesses, he fostered and promoted greater understanding between Malaysia and Great Britain when he was director of public affairs at the British Engineering Council."

Source

*Mat Salleh ni kerja, berjasa selama lebih 30 tahun dgn Sultan Kedah baru lah diberi award Dato'. Kalau orang Malaysia sendiri umur baru 30-an dah sibuk cari jalan macam mana nak beli Datukship sebab nak ada title kat nama so senang business. Mat Salleh ni memang lawak untuk dapat award ni compare dgn beribu-ribu lagi datuk/dato' yang ada kat Malaysia ni. To Dato' Ron Kirby and Datin Carole, congratulation. To Sultan Kedah, Daulat Tuanku!

Achtung!

2008-08-07T13:20:00.003+08:00

Beware of mudslinging, character assassination and god know what they will do in court just to prove that the innocent is guilty. Those of you with kids, don't let them watch the news or read the papers unless u want them to be well verse in sodomizing somebody. Thank you Pak Lah. This surely deserve a listing in Malaysia Book Of Records. How can they prove it beyond reasonable doubt? More than 50% of Malaysian totally in doubt and rejected this thing as pure political ploy by ruling government. I would like to quote Raja Petra on this "I'm in the mood to fuck the government" yeap C'mon people let's bring this dumbass UMNO politicians to their knees.

Here We Go Again

2008-08-07T12:56:00.003+08:00

Anwar charged, out on RM20,000 bail

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 — Eight years and one day shy of his first sodomy conviction, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim again denied another similar accusation today when he was charged for having carnal intercourse against the order of nature at the Sessions Criminal Court 1.

Sessions Court judge S.M. Komathy Suppiah allowed Anwar to be released on a personal bond set at RM20,000 without surety after his defence lawyers pleaded for him to be released on personal bond under Section 388 (ii) of the Criminal Procedure Code while the prosecution argued for bail to be set at RM20,000. The judge set mention of the case for Sept 10.

Anwar's legal team comprises lead counsel Sulaiman Abdullah, R. Sivarasa, Sankara Nair, Saiful Izham Ramli, Leela Jeyaman Jesuthasan, Edmund Bon, Amer Hamzah Arshad, Lateefah Koya, Mohd Razlan Jelaludin. The prosecution is led by Mohd Yusuf Zainal Abiden, the Attorney-General’s Chambers prosecution chief, and Solicitor-General Datuk Idrus Harun.

Holding watching brief for the Bar Council are George Varghese and Rajpal Singh. For the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Forum Asia and the Human Rights Watch are lawyers Roger Chen Weng Keng and Sahadeva.

Anwar was charged following a complaint by 23-year-old Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, his former aide. The charge carries a punishment of 20 years’ imprisonment and possibly whipping if found guilty.

Anwar's passport was not impounded.

Source

*After RPK produced SD by the doctor who examined the accuser the government still proceed with this bogus accusation. Don't they ever feel embarrassed at all? This stupid government and stupid government lawyers still chasing something over nothing. This is nothing more than a personal vendetta

Another Bombshell From RPK

2008-08-07T04:57:00.005+08:00

*Another piece of evidence produced by RPK. Now we hear it from the good doctor himself. Now we'll see what's the government next move to counter this. Smart thing RPK released this documents late in the morning. I'm sure now those people are scrambling to come out with something. They will come out with something stupid, that's for sure. We are now truly a laughing stock of the world.

Go Back To Sleep You Sleepyhead!

2008-08-06T21:09:00.006+08:00

PM denies involvement in Sodomy II BN yet to decide on Sabah Progressive Party’s fate

by Choo Choy May
By Shannon Teoh and Adib Zalkapli

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has denied involvement in the move to charge Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim over the Sodomy II allegations.

"How can I insist that he be charged if there's no evidence? The police are not stupid," he said, in reply to the Parti Keadilan Rakyat de facto leader's allegation that Abdullah was personally responsible for the charge against the former deputy prime minister.

The Umno president also rejected a suggestion that the sodomy allegations against Anwar were an attempt to deflect the public's attention.

"Why should I try to deflect from government problems? They are huge problems. This is not going to deflect from the kind of problems we have," said Abdullah to the press after chairing the Barisan Nasional supreme council meeting here today.

"Let us not forget about another person who craves justice is this man Saiful, You seem to forget Saiful, you think Anwar is more important. This is an issue of law," the prime minister said.

On whether Saiful Bukhari Azlan, the male aide who claimed he was sodomised by Anwar, would be charged if he was a willing partner, Abdullah said: "You better read your law. If it actually was raped then whoever did it must face action. This is a matter for the law; I am not a lawyer so I am not going to get involved. Let's see what happens when it reaches the courts."

He also warned Anwar's supporters not to resort to street protest to obstruct due process of the law. "Why should there be any demonstration. There is nothing to demonstrate."

Abdullah also confirmed that BN would contest in the Permatang Pauh by-election. "The choice of candidate would be decided after consulting the Permatang Pauh Umno division," he added, saying that the candidate would be from Umno.

He also said the BN machinery would be fully activated to face the opposition.

With this he also rejected talk of boycotting the by-election. "This is an election, we have to contest, we have to spend a little bit, and it's the party's fund not public fund. It's the same this time, we want to offer ourselves to represent the people of Permatang Pauh, as the seat is vacant," he said.

Abdullah was also confident of winning the seat despite being the underdog. "Sometimes it is nice to be the underdog."

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak who had earlier chaired BN management committee meeting, confirmed that the committee had received a reply to the show-cause letter sent to its component member Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP).

"The committee had recommended to the BN supreme council for the letter to be studied and if necessary replied in details. We will only inform our decision after we have studied the letter in depth.

"This does not mean we are delaying on purpose or that we have no stand, but we need to give an answer that is comprehensive and solid," he said.

Today's BN supreme council meeting also agreed to the formation of an economic council that would discuss and recommend strategic steps in facing economic challenges.

*All I can say is FUCK U Pak Lah. People are not stupid. This is obviously politically motivated. Do you think this country is still in the 70's when all information and news are strictly controlled by the government? Pak Lah just resigned and ask your lovely wife, Jeanne Claude Van Damme to make the bed for you to sleep, she's a housekeeper anyway. Drooling over you sister-in-law all this while eh, your wife died and straight away u marry her. How can this incest inclined so called Tok Imam Hadhari became a PM? This sleepyhead must have slept all through his career and woke up as PM of Malaysia. That's why he look so fuckin clueless.

Leap Of Faith

2008-08-06T17:59:00.003+08:00

Just heard that a girl jumped off block D and committed suicide this morning at 4am. If im not mistaken this is the second case there. There must be something terribly wrong with that building which led people to jump from it.

Memorandum

2008-08-06T15:05:00.002+08:00

Sign the memorandum here if you sick of reading lies spread to you by our mainstream media. We are not a true democracy as long as there's no media freedom.

Trial Over Nothing

2008-08-06T14:22:00.003+08:00

Anwar to be charged tomorrow for sodomy

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 - Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be charged for sodomy when he turns up at the Jalan Duta sessions courts tomorrow after police took a civil approach today and issued him a summons to appear in court. In a similar sequence of events 10 years ago, balaclava-clad elite policemen arrested him and detained him under the Internal Security Act before setting charges.

His court appearance will come a day after the Election Commission decided that the Permatang Pauh by-election will be held on Aug 26 which Anwar said he will contest.

A police team led by DSP Jude Pereira issued the summons notice just a little after noon today when they turned up at his Bukit Segambut house, which is incidentally near the Jalan Duta courts.

Anwar is scheduled to hold a press conference later at 3pm and his Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) officials said it could be related to the summons charge. He is currently speaking to his lawyers, according to lawyer Sankara Nair.

Anwar was arrested last month for questioning into the sodomy accusations made in a report lodged by former male aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan on June 28. Saiful had claimed Anwar sodomised him in a posh Damansara condominium on June 26 and other occasions abroad.

The former deputy prime minister has denied the charges which mirror charges a decade ago that cost him a chance to succeed former mentor Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister. Anwar has claimed Permatang Pauh is the final step before he forms the federal government by his self-proclaimed deadline of September 16.

Anwar was convicted for both corruption and sodomy and was given a total sentence of 15 years. He was released in 2004 after the Federal Court overturned the sodomy conviction but lost his Permatang Pauh seat which he had held since 1982. His wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail took over and defended the seat for three terms before quitting last week to make way for him.

She remains PKR president and also created history by being the first woman Parliamentary Opposition Leader.

*So they still want to charge him over this bogus accusation. What a load of bollocks! They are just doing this so that when rakyat demonstrate they have the reason to declare emergency and suspend the Parliament. So Anwar can never contest in Permatang Pauh by-election.

All Road Leads To Putrajaya

2008-08-06T14:13:00.004+08:00

Permatang Pauh polling day is Aug 26

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 6 - The Election Commission today announced August 16 as nomination day and August 26 as polling day for the Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency by-election.

Three-term MP Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail quit the seat last week to give her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim an opportunity to enter Parliament as sodomy charges loom.

Anwar, who is the de facto leader of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition comprising his Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (Pas), is expected to win easily in the seat which is also his hometown.

The former deputy prime minister had held the seat since 1982 until his conviction in 1999 for corruption.

He was unable to run in the March 8 elections due to a mandatory five-year restriction from political office after his release in 2004.

The Pakatan Rakyat won and unprecedented and historic five states and 82 seats in parliament, denying the Barisan Nasional its customary two-thirds majority in the parliament. The opposition victory also made Wan Azizah create history by being the first woman Parliamentary Opposition Leader. She said she will remain as PKR president despite resigning from parliament.

The commission added it would use the latest electoral roll -- last updated July 31, 2008 -- for the by-election. Permatang Pauh has a total of 58,459 voters out of which 490 are postal voters with a racial breakdown of 69.4% Malays, 24.5% Chinese, 6% Indians and 0.1% Others. During the 12th General Election, Wan Azizah won by a majority of 13,388.

Source

*The stage is set for the most expensive and important by-election in Malaysia history. It's gonna be dirty dirty dirty election. Watch how BN will pour untold riches to the folks in Permatang Pauh. To those people, i say take the money but dont vote BN. Here's for the Battle Royale

Mexican Lollitas

2008-08-06T03:40:00.003+08:00

Ever wonder how those good people at Fender Ensenada factory crafted your MIM Fender? Well wonder no more, here's the factory guided tour.

Fender Ensenada Factory

Strat body everywhere!

Click here for Fender Ensenada guided tour

Kayo Pak Cik Kayo!

2008-08-05T02:30:00.004+08:00

Source

RM1000 untuk satu pengundi, kurangkan majoriti

Pilihanraya kecil di Permatang Pauh nanti bakal menjadi pilihanraya yang paling kotor dalam sejarah Malaysia. Menurut sumber yang berada di”dalam” parti pemerintah, misi utama BN hanyalah untuk mengurangkan majoriti kemenangan di Permatang Pauh.

Pada PRU 12 yang lalu, Dr. Wan Azizah menewaskan calon BN dengan majoriti 13,388.

Kerja-kerja jahat akan dilakukan bagi memastikan Anwar Ibrahim menang dengan majoriti yang rendah. Jika majoriti berkurangan satu undi sekalipun, BN akan mengatakan bahawa Anwar sudah tidak lagi popular dikawasannya.

Sumber dalaman tersebut memberitahu, agen-agen BN sudah berada dikawasan Permatang Pauh untuk melaksanakan kerja-kerja jahat ini. Bagi setiap satu undi, agen-agen ini akan membayar RM 1000.

Kepada pengundi di Permatang Pauh, jika ada agen-agen BN datang dan memberi duit, ambil duitnya. Tetapi undilah calon yang anda mahukan. Pemberi wang tersebut tidak tahu siapa yang anda undi kerana “UNDI ADALAH RAHSIA”.

Dan bagi penduduk Permatang Pauh yang terlihat akan kejadian pembelian undi, sila rakamkan dengan kamera, video atau gunakan telefon bimbit yang mempunyai kemudahan kamera dan video. Jika ada bukti pembelian undi dilakukan, boleh hubungi saya melalui email di amin.iskandar@gmail.com.

Kita akan dedahkan segala penipuan pilihanraya ke peringkat nasional dan antarabangsa!!!

Source

*Kalau ikut jumlah pemilih berdaftar di Permatang Pauh (58449) kali dgn RM 1000, BN perlukan RM58,499,000 untuk beli semua undi. Satu jumlah yang kecil untuk BN. Baru tak sampai RM60 juta, komisyen kapal selam pun lagi banyak.

Radiohead - Electioneering

2008-08-05T01:59:00.005+08:00

Sempena 'Battle Royale' di Permatang Pauh tak lama lagi

Electioneering

I will stop, I will stop at nothing.
Say the right things when electioneering
I trust I can rely on your vote.

When I go forwards you go backwards
and somewhere we will meet.
When I go forwards you go backwards
and somewhere we will meet.
Ha ha ha

Riot shields, voodoo economics,
it's just business, cattle prods and the I.M.F.
I trust I can rely on your vote.

When I go forwards you go backwards
and somewhere we will meet.
When I go forwards you go backwards
and somewhere we will meet.

Taken from Radiohead - OK Computer

Nevermind Lah!

2008-08-04T22:09:00.003+08:00

Mimpi apa tu Datuk Seri?

PM on his approval rating: Never mind-lah

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was accepting of the drop in his approval rating as suggested by an opinion poll conducted by the Merdeka Centre recently.

"Nevermind-lah. That's the fate of politicians. Up and down. What's important is what you do before you leave," he said after a meeting with Wanita Umno leaders at the Putra World Trade Centre here on Monday.

The independent research centre polled 1,030 Malaysians from July 4-16 to gauge voters' perception of current issues, the state of the economy and the leadership.

The survey found that Abdullah's popularity had plunged to below 50% for the first time in his premiership, from a record high of 91% in late 2004 after he won his first term as Prime Minister.

Source

*Nevermind lah??? hahahaha buang tabiat ke apa dia ni? tak sedar lagi ke orang tak suka dia? Tak leh kasi statement lagi pro ke? Sapa la advisor dia ni

Slayer - South Of Heaven (Live)

2008-08-03T02:00:00.002+08:00

"Chaos rampant, An age of distrust. Confrontations. Impulsive habitat."
-Tom Araya-

Kelate Early 1900's

2008-08-02T21:54:00.006+08:00

Kelantan map in 1908. My kampung (Salor/Salah in the map) was already there 100 years ago!

* Text excerpted from :

William Armstrong Graham's " Kelantan : A State of The Malay Peninsular " ; Chapter V : The People, page 18,19,20 - ( First Published in 1908 by James Maclehose & Sons, Glasgow )

Source