Malaysia Stands Tall Among The Greats

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 (Bernama) -- Hopes, expectations and aspirations are at an all-time high as Malaysians step into a fresh era from a golden age of peace, progress and prosperity.
With their nation almost at the doorstep of developed nation status after 50 years of growth that other emerging states have found hard-pressed to match, the golden anniversary celebrations that kick off Thursday night abound with optimism.
The reason is obvious -- the labour of love that Malaysians exerted over the last five decades despite a number of major difficulties and hurdles is ample demonstration that working together to advance together comes naturally to them.
And these 50 years have seen achievements galore. Its best success is in empowering its rural people. Fifty years ago, half the population lived below the poverty line. Now it is just down to five per cent of a population that is almost four times larger. And it is set to be zero in three years.

An equally towering achievement is becoming, despite its relatively small geographical size, one of the top 20 trading nations in the world, with external trade having grown to RM1 trillion last year, and being one of the major manufacturing powerhouses in the Asia-Pacific region.
Malaysia's per capita income is estimated at more than RM21,000, with an enviable inflation rate of under four per cent and unemployment at a mere 3.5 per cent.
In education, Malaysia's achievements have been lauded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) as a great example for other countries.

Malaysia has also scored big in foreign relations despite being the target of a violent attempt by the communist world to take over the fledgling nation and of an aggressive "confrontation" by Indonesia which, sometimes using its armed forces, tried to derail the formation of Malaysia.
Malaysia turned the tables on the communist insurgency by establishing diplomatic relations with China and the then Soviet Union, declaring a neutral, "friends with all" foreign policy and working with Indonesia to create a regional association of Southeast Asian nations (Asean) that has since become one of the most successful political and economic regional blocs in the world.

It is no wonder that, at one time, it held the chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and currently heads the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC).
In socio-economic development, one of its cornerstones is the New Economic Policy (NEP), aimed at eradicating poverty and giving economic power to all races.
Malaysia has also made significant success in fostering the development of its communications and multimedia industry, with the crowning glory being the creation of the Multimedia Super Corridor that has enabled the nation to ride the crest of the global ICT wave.
It is also a significant regional player in satellite technology, with two satellites for communications and entertainment direct-to-user channels that cover a large part of the Asia Pacific, as well as smaller satellites to detect weather conditions and for ground surveys.

Then, of course, Malaysia developed its first national car, Proton, which has become a major corporate and industrial player. Then a second national car company was formed, and now the automotive sector has gained a reputation not only for its home-grown vehicles but also its technological and engineering capabilities as well as its exports of parts and components.
Malaysia has become a model for the successful development of an Islamic financial system alongside the well-established conventional banking system. It has gained such prominence that it has innovated new Islamic finance products for the global market, and has set global standards, rules and training formats.
The Petronas Twin Towers, at one time the world's tallest building, are more than just the most prominent landmark in the country. The building showcases the capabilities and prowess of Malaysia's construction and engineering sector.
This has led to Malaysian contractors landing large jobs overseas, especially in Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
The nationwide network of excellent highways and the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, have in no small way added lustre to Malaysia's capabilities and achievements.
A world first is the recently completed 9.7-km tunnel which incorporates a storm water channel and a motorway in a single infrastructure.
Malaysians as individuals have over the decades also carved their names throughout the globe, be they scientists, fashion designers, seafarers, academicians or politicians.
One is Datuk Jimmy Choo, the London-based designer of exquisite hand-made shoes. His regular patrons included Princess Diana.
Malaysia also has Zhang Toi, a New York-based fashion designer and Datuk Michelle Yeoh, a Hollywood actress who is also known for being one of the "Bond" girls after starring in a James Bond movie.
Malaysia also has its own legendary mariner, Datuk Azhar Mansor, who carved a name for himself in the annals of Malaysian history as he became the first Malaysian to circumnavigate the globe solo on a new east-west-east route covering more than 25,000 nautical miles, a feat never achieved by seafarers, not even in the days of Spain's Ferdinand Magellan and Britain's Sir Francis Drake.
Azhar's 190-day feat motivated other Malaysians to notch several world achievements, be it in scaling Mount Everest, crossing both the North and South Poles and cycling around the world.
Malaysia's next Golden Age is already set for one early achievement that is out this world -- a Malaysian in space.
The first Malaysian astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS) will be blasted off aboard a Russian spacecraft on Oct 10.
At the moment it is a toss-up between Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor and Capt Dr Faiz Khaleed on who will be the first to see his Malaysia from space.
The Malaysian astronaut will also conduct five space medicine research projects which will give new insights and possible opportunities for local scientists to better understand human diseases and conditions.
There is no question, therefore, that Malaysians have reason to celebrate a golden age and to look forward to another.
photo courtesy of : http://minaq-jinggo.fotopages.com

tunku : thanks to all malaysian who have made MALAYSIA stands tall especially to our previous leaders which had lead us to achieve what we have achieved today.hope that the present leaders sincerely and with loyalty to this nation put us in greater success.Thanks to our former prime ministers who dedicatedly brings peace and progress to this nation.

MERDEKA MERDEKA MERDEKA

MTUC Warned Not To Become A Tool Of The Opposition

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 (Bernama) -- The Human Resources Ministry warned that it would deregister the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) and other unions if they became tools of the opposition to overthrow the government.
Deputy Human Resource Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Bakar said the government could do so under the Workers Unions Act 1959.
When winding up debate on the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2007 in the Dewan Rakyat Wednesday, he said the present office bearers of MTUC should understand their real role as lately they appeared to be using the congress for personal benefit and to further their own interests.
He referred to the action by the MTUC in launching pickets at 15 locations in the country on June 25 and Aug 8, which he claimed were masterminded by leaders from the opposition.
Speaking to Bernama later, Abdul Rahman said the ministry did not want, with people with vested interests interfering, opportunities created that will benefit workers be used for political mileage by the opposition.
He said the MTUC now appeared to be focusing only on wages without paying much attention to the welfare of its members.
"MTUC is out on a publicity seeking spree and wants to weaken or destroy the government of the day. Also many of its leaders are from the DAP and PKR (opposition parties)," said Abdul Rahman.
He also slammed the congress for resorting to pickets instead of working hand-in-hand with the government in developing the nation's economy.
He added that ministry adopted an open-door policy with the MTUC and other unions to resolve any problems that arose.
The Bill was later passed.
The Dewan sits again on Monday.

tunku : anyone who critics the government will be known as traitors,with the opposition etc. rahman bakar is taking a stupid approach by making these remarks.he should meet them and try to solve the problems not accusing them or blackmailing to deregister them. there are many umno supporters in MTUC too.

Speaker Warns MPs Against Using Unparliamentary Langauge

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 Bernama) -- Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Taib Wednesday warned all Members of Parliament (MPs) to stop using foul words that smacked of prejudice in Parliament.
He issued the warning when trying to defuse a war of words that broke out between backbenchers and opposition MPs, who each questioned the other on their patriotism.
It began when Datuk Mohd Said Yusoff (BN-Jasin) stood up to question why opposition members, who he claimed lacked discipline, did not stand up when "Merdeka" (Freedom) was being hailed just before proceedings began in the morning.
"This shows they are not loyal to the country," he said to thunderous support from his fellow backbenchers.
Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang in defending the opposition MPs, said they had no knowledge that "Merdeka" would be hailed this morning and were caught by surprise. His answer only got a chorus of disapproval from the backbenchers.
Things became chaotic after that and for about 10 minutes the two parties exchanged verbal abuse before Ramli stepped in to calm the situation.
"We cannot quickly jump to conclusion that those who did not stand up are not loyal," Ramli said to loud support from the DAP MPs.
Just when things seemed to have returned to normal, another flare up broke when the topic of students' indiscipline was being debated, this time with words like "bodoh" (stupid), "binatang" (animal) and "go to hell" being spewed from the mouths of the MPs.
It caused Ramli to step in again and issue a terse warning to all present to stop their unparliamentary behaviour.
The Dewan takes a break for the Merdeka (Independence) celebrations (tomorrow and Friday) and will sit again on Monday.

tunku : we have first class parliament with third class members of parliament(most of them).

VIRUS ALERT

Sophos Warns Of Malicious Software Disguised As YouTube Movie Download

SINGAPORE, Aug 29 (Bernama) -- Sophos, a world leader in information technology security, has warned Internet users about the latest disguise being used by malicious software (malware) authors in their attempt to infect people's personal computers (PCs) -- an e-mail claiming to point to a YouTube video.
"Clicking on a link inside the e-mail will send surfers to a web page containing a malicious script and a Trojan horse designed to compromise the user's PC and turn it into a zombie," the company said in a statement.
The malware that hackers were using to try and infect innocent computer users was from the same families of malware used in the waves of Storm Trojan that wreaked havoc on the Internet earlier this year, it said.
"The gang behind these attacks are among the most professional we've ever seen -- spewing out new variants of their code with multiple disguises in their attempt to infect as many PCs as possible," said Sophos senior technology consultant, Graham Cluley.
"Clicking on the links in the e-mail won't take you to YouTube's real website but the IP address of a compromised PC. If infected, victims' computers can be used by hackers to steal personal information, spam out malware and junk e-mail, or launch distributed denial of service attacks against innocent parties".
Sophos said that its products pro-actively detect the malware as "Troj/JSXor-Gen" and "Mal/Dorf-E", without requiring an update. Users of other vendors' products are recommended to update their protection and ensure that they are defended against the threats.
Last month, Sophos published the findings of a research which revealed a rise in web-based malware in the first half of 2007.
"With computer users becoming increasingly aware of how to protect against e-mail-aware viruses and malware, hackers have turned to the web as their preferred vector of attack," the company said.

Abdullah Dismisses Claims Of Racial Clashes In Pasir Gudang

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Tuesday dismissed claims of racial riots in Pasir Gudang, Johor, last Friday.
He said it was an attempt by irresponsible parties to cause tension and animosity among the races in Malaysia.
"Ridiculous. This is another attempt by people who want to raise matters that can cause anger, tension and animosity among the people.
"If they don't succeed, there will be stories about racial clashes in Johor next," he told reporters after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting here.
Abdullah said the claims were the work of people who had nothing better to do.
"They slander a little bit or more. For the Malays, this is the biggest sin. God condemns such people. But they don't care, they do it anyway," he said.
Asked whether action would be taken against these people, Abdullah said: "If what they said has gone beyond the boundaries and can cause racial tension, of course action must be taken against them.
"Let them give their views if they still want to, as long as they don't cause chaos among the people and in the country."
Asked why there were still people who raise sensitive issues that can undermine unity despite the country's 50 years of independence, he said these people did not care much about the good of the country, unity and sensitivities.

tunku : what will happen to this nation which is celebrating 50 years of independence.the situation is getting quite rough from day to day. the leaders should really look into this matter seriously before it get worse. it's time for malaysia to have political parties which are not on racial base anymore. we should change the model or the system. our education structure need reform.to all my fellow malaysian, we are one, we are malaysian and malaysia is our beloved country. let us stand together to put our nation ahead as the enemy is not within the country but from outside. if we are united come what may we'll pull through any difficulties but if we are split up then it's easy for the enemy to manipulate us.we need a leader which can control any situation not a week leader like the current we are having.we have become a country that talks of race and religion on a daily basis and we should stop it and leave together peacefully.

Gang activities cut by half in Sarawak

MIRI: Gang-related activities in Sarawak have been slashed by half with the removal of a large number of gangsters from the streets.
The police have now warned crime lords who had managed to escape that they could run but they hade no permanent place to hide.
The operation to rid gangsterism in Sarawak, codenamed Ops Cantas Kenyalang, had proven to be highly successful since the crackdown started in May this year, said CID Director Commissioner Datuk Christopher Wan.
The focus now is to nail those crime bosses who have escaped from the state and to clean up the remaining gangsters who are still around, he said Tuesday.
Bukit Aman and the Sarawak police contingent have reviewed the operation and are satisfied with the progress achieved in reducing the crime rates, he stressed.
“There has been a sharp drop in gangsterism in Sarawak. Almost 50% of their activities have been reduced since the start of the operation."
"Some of these gang leaders have escaped to peninsular Malaysia"
“We are pursuing them. They are hiding somewhere, but we will not let them escape."
"Our targets are to go for the crime chiefs. The number of gang members fluctuate all the time, but our main target is to get the heads," he told a press conference here.
Comm Wan said so far, a total of 20 gang bosses and their top henchmen had been arrested from the 17 major gangs in this state.
Of this, seven of them had been sent to Simpang Renggam detention centre under the Emergency Ordinance, two banished under restricted residence status in Bau, southern Sarawak, and one to Sabah and the rest still being held under remand, he said.
Comm Wan said 514 cases of gangster-related crimes had been probed so far and 381 gangsters arrested, with 237 of them charged in court for crimes ranging from extortion to criminal intimidation.
As for prostitution-related offences, 608 people had been arrested, with 329 charged in court, while 1,146 badhats have been arrested for gambling.

tunku : my only question is what were the sarawak police doing before?????????

Abdullah, Jeanne Enjoy Gardening At Seri Perdana

KUALA TERENGGANU, Aug 27 (Bernama) -- Malaysians should take a leaf from Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah who enjoy tending to their garden which is planted with vegetables and herbs at their official residence, Seri Perdana, in Putrajaya.
The prime minister said that, in fact, he had two Jamnapari goats in his hometown of Kepala Batas which were later stolen.
Abdullah mentioned this when opening the national-level Farmers, Livestock Breeders and Fishermen's Day 2007 at the Batu Buruk Public Park here today.
He said his late wife Datin Seri Endon Mahmood had a keen interest in batik, songket and handicrafts but Jeanne, whom he married recently, is into agriculture, vegetables and fruits.
"We have a garden at Seri Perdana where we grow our own herbs, to keep me healthy," said Abdullah who also grows plants like rock melons.
The prime minister said the stolen goats had since been replaced and the animals now had 10 kids.
Abdullah said as prime minister, he had to personify the "leadership by example" slogan in efforts to develop the country's agricultural sector.
Various agriculture-related events are being organised in conjunction with the Farmers, Livestock Breeders and Fishermen's Day which runs till Sept 2.

tunku : last few years we were famous for batik and kebaya, now we will be famous for vegetable farming and breeding. thanks to our "first ladies" and for the husband who always been leaded by them.i wonder if they have weird hobbies what will happen to us.

Singapore Police Reject Permit For Opposition Party's Cycling Event

SINGAPORE, Aug 27 (Bernama) -- Plans by Singapore's main opposition party, the Workers' Party, to hold a cycling event in conjunction with its 50th anniversary, hit a dead end after its application for a police permit was rejected.
The mass cycling event was to be held on Sept 9 at the East Coast Park, a popular beachside park located along the east coast highway here.
Party chairman Sylvia Lim raised a question over the issue in Parliament today and was told that such activities "have the potential for public disorder and mischief, and may disrupt community life."
"Police requirement is that such party activities be held indoors or within stadiums, so that any law and order problems will be contained. This policy applies to all political parties," Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs Ho Peng Kee said in reply to Lim's question.
Ho said the East Coast Park was a recreational park for Singaporeans and their families and not meant to be used by a political party to promote its cause.
The Workers' Party was set up in 1957 by David Marshall, the first chief minister of Singapore.
It has two representatives in the Singapore parliament, namely its secretary-general, Low Thia Khiang who is MP for Hougang and Lim as the non-constituency member of parliament (NCMP).
NCMPs are appointed from among the best performing opposition losers in a general election.

tunku : and they called themselves more democratic than us.

Change Poor Govt Admin Systems, Says Kedah Mb

ALOR STAR, Aug 26 (Bernama) -- Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid Sunday called for an overhaul of government working procedures so as to discard obsolete methods in the delivery system.
He said many aspects of the current administrative system should be replaced, and asked each aspect to be carefully weighed to determine whether they could really benefit the delivery system.
"If the systems hamper the delivery system, the government should have the courage to change them to speed up the implementation of tasks," he told reporters after opening a seminar organised by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) here.
He cited the upgrading of the RM285-million Alor Setar-Kuala Nerang Road as an example and said it could not be implemented until today because the Land Office had not completed the acquisition of land.
"Why didn't the Public Works Department ask to carry out the land acquisition earlier instead of starting the acquisition process after the contractor had been appointed?" he asked.
He said finger-pointing among government departments happened often when projects were delayed and government officers were also blamed for the delay.
He said several obsolete procedures in Kedah had been abolished. For instance, at the Kulim High-Tech Park, investment procedures had been shortened from three months to one.
He said similar action would be taken in other departments in the state.

tunku : the leaders only talk,talk and talk.we had heard about the government wants delivery system made easier millions time since
couple of years ago....but till today there is not much done.our leaders should just stop reading the text that is written by someone else to them.they should also monitor the progress themselves not just making statement and that's it.we had heard so many big foreign companies withdrew their intention investment here just because of the red tapes.if our government is bold enough and really wants to solve this delivery system thing than we would not face these problems.the invest kedah promotion booklet should carry some interesting photo of kedah development not the mb face.the mb is not kedah and kedah is not about the mb.

Zainuddin: Action Against Makkal Osai Apt

SUNGAI PETANI, Aug 25 (Bernama) -- The Internal Security Ministry's action of suspending Tamil newspaper, Makkal Osai, for publishing an offensive picture of Jesus Christ is deemed apt by Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin in the interest of national unity.
He said the action should be a reminder to all publications not to publish materials which offended the sensitivities of any race or religion.

tunku : i agree with the government action against the newspaper which offended the sensitivities of any races or religions but hope the action taken against them are equal.we have seen last time when prophet Muhammad caricature was published by Sarawak Tribune and NST. Sarawak Tribune was suspended but NST was only given a warning.Action should be fair to all regardless they belong to whom.

New Agusta deal leaves egg on Proton's face

By S JAYASANKARAN IN KUALA LUMPUR

THE management of national carmaker Proton may have erred disastrously by selling loss-making and indebted Italian motorcycle maker MV Agusta Spa for one euro back in 2005. Last month, the new owner of Agusta sold just one of its three brands to German carmaker BMW, allegedly for 93 million euros (S$192 million).
While it is clear that BMW did buy the Husqvarna brand from Gavi Spa, the mysterious Italian-registered company that bought Agusta in 2005, the pricing was never revealed. Still, a car industry executive told BT that the 93 million euro price tag was 'entirely possible'.
If true, the Agusta purchase would have been an enormously lucrative one for Gavi and will cast Proton's management in a dreadful light. The Agusta sell-off would also vindicate former prime minister and current Proton adviser Mahathir Mohamad who was bitterly critical of Proton's decision to sell the motorcycle maker.
In fact, the former premier was so angry about the sale that he even wrote a letter of complaint about the deal to the Securities Commission, the regulator of the markets. Nothing, however, came of it.
Proton, then under the stewardship of a Dr Mahathir favourite, Tengku Mahaleel Ariff, bought Agusta for 70 million euros (then roughly RM368 million or S$152 million) in December 2004. Even so, the deal also came with a substantial, although unspecified, amount of debt.
Agusta's financial position was quickly revealed in the carmaker's books subsequently. For the year to March 31, 2005, Proton wrote off the entire RM368 million it spent on Agusta. It subsequently made provisions of RM136 million relating to Agusta over the next three quarters.
In July 2005, Tengku Mahaleel stepped down after months of wrangling with shareholders and the government. Meanwhile, Dr Mahathir publicly criticised Proton's treatment of Tengku Mahaleel and refused to attend Proton meetings in his capacity as adviser.
Deprived of its two biggest supporters, Agusta didn't last long. Five months later, it was sold for less than RM5 to the mysterious Gavi which agreed to take on its debt estimated then at 60 million euros.
Proton has yet to comment on the matter but the revelations of Agusta's seemingly rich valuations of its brands are likely not only to hurt Proton's management but its primary shareholder, state-owned Khazanah Nasional, which supported Agusta's sale.
It will also embarrass Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who implicitly criticised his former boss, Dr Mahathir, by publicly going to Proton's defence. Nor is it likely to impress German carmaker Volkswagen AG which is on the verge of taking over the Malaysian
outfit.

tunku : azlan hashim and khairy jamaludin are the smartest,that's why they sold MV Agusta for 1 euro only. I wonder who really owns Gevi Spa?? If i had bought MV Agusta from proton, i will be multi millionaire by selling it to BMW. What's happening with our government, can't they see or they pretend to be blind.

Zainuddin Likens Some Bloggers To Karaoke Singers

SUNGAI PETANI, Aug 24 (Bernama) -- Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin today likened bloggers to karaoke singers who take pleasure in their own singing but have no influence although they claimed to have received millions of hits.
He said some people might enjoy their "singing", especially those who shared their views, but many rejected them because they sang "out of tune" and their views were unacceptable to the majority of the people.
He said some of the bloggers were those who had once received the attention of the mainstream media, but were now rejected, and so had to find a new avenue to vent their frustration. However, not many people read their pieces.
"Anyway, I see this development as something positive because with the opportunity to "sing in the karaoke", they can relieve their tension and 'addiction'.
"It also provides alternative reading to the public besides making the country more politically matured," he told reporters after presenting aid to 113 Chinese pupils who excelled in the UPSR, SPM and STPM examinations last year.
Zainuddin said mercenary and frustrated bloggers who used the blog for their own interest as well as that of certain groups only served to worsen the situation.
"The unwise actions of some bloggers tarnish the name of professional bloggers who use technology to spread knowledge, academic discussion, interest in specific fields and other matters of interest to the society," he said.
Zainuddin, who is also the member of Parliament for Merbok, said that although there were numerous bloggers, the mainstream newspapers would ultimately hold sway over the majority of the people.
"In fact most of the bloggers hope to be quoted by the mainstream media because they believe that the media can attract readers," he said.

tunku : i wonder why these jokers keep attacking bloggers? they called bloggers monkeys,karaoke singers etc but they still follows what the bloggers are saying. zam said that not many people read their pieces(bloggers), so why keep attacking if there are not many people reading it, why the government are so scared of the bloggers? is it because 'some' of the bloggers reveal the truth? if they are slanders just answer it.i hope this joker(zam) knows the actual fact before opening his stinking mouth.

p.s i had a very long break.

CUTI-CUTI MALAYSIA

I'll be on vacation for this 2 weeks. Cuti-cuti Malaysia.It's a real "cuti" as no daily/routine activities. It's just relax with freinds and family.Will be enjoying peaceful vacation at the places below.Hope to blog again soon.Thanks to the visitors of this blog.

Langkawi

Tioman

Redang

Abdullah's Wedding Anniversary Congratulations Surprises Dr M & Wife

LANGKAWI, Aug 5 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi caused Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to break into a broad smile of surprise at the opening dinner of the Langkawi International Dialogue 2007 when he congratulated his predecessor and Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali on their wedding anniversary Sunday.
Making the surprise announcement at the opening ceremony at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre here, Abdullah wished both of them well and a long life.
Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah, who celebrate their 51st wedding anniversary, were pleasantly surprised and they smiled.
They were seated near the main table.
Some 500 guests including 10 heads of state or government, mostly from African countries, immediately gave them a huge round of applause.
The couple were married on Aug 5, 1956.
Later, when asked to respond to the Prime Minister's good wishes, Dr Mahathir said he was grateful.
"Terima kasih lah, saya tak sangka dia tahu. (I didn't know he knew about it it all)," he said, then laughed.
Did he have any plans to celebrate? "I have no plans, but I am very glad."
In paying tribute to the couple, Abdullah said Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah had contributed not only to the nation, but also to the LID community.
Dr Mahathir was the founding father of the LID in 1995 which has spawned similar editions in southern and east Africa.

tunku: hehe, election coming soon.

HAPPY 51st ANNIVERSARY TO TUN MAHATHIR AND TUN SITI HASMAH

Tun Mahathir weds Tun Siti Hasmah 51years ago(5th August 1956)....wowwwwwwwww
Hope that both of them in good health and happy always. They are really loving couple and i guess "sporting" too.May Allah bless both of them.Wishing them happy moments for all the days to come.
They are blessed with seven children Marina, Mirzan, Melinda, Mokhzani, Mukhriz, Maizura and Mazhar.

Najib Wants Sabah To Remain BN's "Fixed Deposit"

KOTA KINABALU, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak wants Sabah to remain as the "Fixed Deposit" or stronghold for Barisan Nasional (BN) in the coming general election.
Najib, who is also BN deputy chairman, is confident that the Sabah BN can repeat the impressive performance it chalked in the last election.
"I consider Sabah as a "fixed deposit" because it is our stronghold... every time there is a general election, Sabah comes up as our stronghold.
"Thus, it is the hope of the party leadership that the support will remain in the coming general election. Probably the other states can be considered as `current account' (with varying support), but let Sabah remain as the fixed deposit for BN," he told reporters after opening the simultaneous delegates meeting for the Putatan, Sepanggar and Penampang Umno divisions at the Youth and Sports Ministry Complex in Putatan, near here today.
Najib said although the opposition had taken several measures lately to gain wider support, including in Sabah, such efforts, however, failed to gain the people's support.
They did this in Ijok. They (the opposition) had adopted a very aggressive attitude without considering the question of principles and truth... they continued to attack the leaders and so on. I treat these merely as a scare tactic.
"They create a scare but the people will eventually make a rational evaluation that their interest is more secure under the Barisan Nasional and I'm confident that in Sabah too, the same thing will happen," he said.
He said the increased activities of the opposition in Sabah will not necessarily attract the people's support.
On the general election, Najib said that his call to strengthen Umno and the BN at all levels is not only restricted to a particular time-frame or the general election.

tunku : if sabah is umno and bn fixed deposit why not considering a VP post for sabah umno leader?

Let the people have a say in what to do with airport

IPOH: Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Ghazali has asked for feedback from the people on what should be done to the under-utilised Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here.
Speaking at the Perak FMM 39th anniversary celebration dinner on Friday, Tajol Rosli gave Perakians two choices - lengthen the runway or relocate the airport to Seri Iskandar.
"If we extend the runway, it may involve demolishing a few houses," he said.
Asking Perak FMM to conduct a survey on the matter, Tajol Rosli said, "The people may not agree with my decision."
Noting that if the runway of the current airport was extended, the Airbus 320 might not be able to land.
"But if a bigger airport is built, it can accommodate the Boeing 747," he added, pointing out that investors would take into consideration the distance of the new airport from the city.

tunku : the are big sharks aiming at the current airport location as it is situated right in the city and if development are made in that area there certainly be a successful development.i feel that ipoh don't need of a bigger airport. firefly can takeover the operation there. afterall ipoh is only 2-2.30 hours away from kl.a person will be in kl faster if they travel to kl city by road. the best thing to do is a faster train service from kl to ipoh, it will be more viable thing to do.

South-South Nations Must Strengthen Ties To Tackle Poverty, Says Tun Dr M

LANGKAWI, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- South nations must reinforce ties among themselves to combat the ever increasing challenges faced by developing countries, said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, founder of the long-running Langkawi International Dialogue (LID) which enters its eighth edition on Sunday.
Speaking to Bernama in an interview recently, the former Malaysian Prime Minister said linkages between these developing nations should be upgraded, describing LID as an ideal platform to "renew their vows."
"I think LID will help. The government is backing it and it is spending a lot of money to hold this," he said.
Tun Dr Mahathir, who is also the Perdana Leadership Foundation president, has confirmed his attendance at the three-day event beginning on Sunday at the Berjaya Langkawi Beach and Spa Resort here.
However, the outspoken leader, who was Prime Minister for 22 years before giving up the post in 2003, will not be presenting any paper at LID 2007.
After retiring,Tun Dr Mahathir attended LID in 2004 when he was appointed Commonwealth Partnership for Technology Management Fellow Emeritus.
LID 2007, themed "Poverty Eradication through Human Capital Development and Capacity Building," will take the conference a notch higher, concentrating on issues that matter a lot to South nations.
Poverty has been one of the major issues that have hampered South countries, making it difficult for them to attain developed nation status.
These mostly African nations will need to seek guidance from Malaysia in formulating action plans as the country has successfully almost eradicated poverty.
They also acknowledged that one of the ways to overcome the problem is through education.
Last year, Malaysia's total investment in South countries amounted to US$4.8 billion (RM16.51 billion) through brisk efforts by the government to encourage local firms to invest in developing nations.
LID 2007 will not only involve the South countries but is also open for the first time to leaders from outside the Commonwealth countries, such as Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand.
A total of 16 heads of government, mostly from Africa, and 500 participants have confirmed their participation.

Wish List does not represent the peoples’ aspiration, says Zainuddin

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 3, 2007): Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin said today the citizens’ wish list issued by 42 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) does not represent the aspirations and wishes of the people nor does it reflect the reality.
"Rather, it is a clever attempt to disunite the people in the country," he said.
Zainuddin said although some of the eight agendas could be accepted, the first one pertaining to efforts to strengthen national unity was unacceptable because it was not based on the reality and the unity achieved since independence.
The first agenda states that new sustained efforts are urgently needed to rebuild national unity as ethnic, linguistic and religious divides have deepened, causing genuine pain and hurt to many in the nation.
"This is a statementy that ignores the reality acknowledged by theworld and the people as well as Malaysia’s achievments since independence. One thing that is recognised by the world and has been a model (for the world) is the unity of the people and their
ability to live in harmony.
"This is not a citizens’ wish but the wish of a handful of people. This is uncalled for," he told reporters when asked to comment on the citizens’ wish list initiated by the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli) in commemoration of Malaysia’s 50th anniversary of independence.
The 42 NGOs which provided feedback for the list want the government to adopt these agendas, called the New Malaysian Agenda.
Zainuddin said the first agenda in the list bordered on racism and did not take into consideration the values that have been accepted by Malaysians all this while, reports Malaysia’s national news agency Bernama.
"They (42 NGOs) are an elite group which cannot be considered as representing the people and are not a group representing the feelings of the people below and they are removed from the heart and pulse of the people," he said.
Describing their approach as extremely chauvinistic, Zainuddin said the principles of the country’s independence were based on a social contract that had been accepted all this while by the majority of the people and strengthened by the New Economic Policy which is aimed at balancing the economic status of the various races in the county.
He said the first agenda underscored by the group would not help boost the people’s confidence as the country celebrates its 50th anniversary of independence because what was needed was views that could further nurture the values that had strengthened the country all this while.
"It is surprising that the group of 42, which is regarded as a group of highly educated people, cannot see the reality. This is regrettable and the majority of the people in the country are offended ... a clever attempt to split the people," he said.
Zainuddin said he felt the government would not accept the list as something that could be considered.
"We (government) believe in our ways. To strengthen and improve national unity, the government will accede to the people’s wishes and not the wishes of this group of 42," he added.
He said most of the other agendas listed, including those on developing a world-class education system, enhancing international competitiveness and remaining engaged with the global economy, were not new to the government.
All these had been in practice for a long time and Malaysia was more advanced than several other big nations in recognising the importance of a global economy and a free and open market, he said.

What the people want

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 2, 2007): Forty-two non-governmental organisations have put their heads together to come up with a "wish list" that they want the government to adopt as the New Malaysian Agenda.
Initiated by the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI)'s Centre for Public Policy Studies to mark the country's 50th Merdeka, the Merdeka Statement outlines eight thrusts.
These are what the people want the government to do:
Strengthen national unity.
New sustained efforts are urgently needed to rebuild the national unity as ethnic, linguistic and religious divides have deepened, causing pain and hurt to many in the nation;
Enhance international competitiveness.
The country must remain engaged with global economy, rapidly and continually adapting to maintain competitiveness by adopting international best practices;
Create an innovation economy.
An innovation policy should be developed as part of existing plans and policies within trade and services industries;
Redress imbalances.
Imbalances -- poverty, intra-ethnic and inter-gender income inequalities -- need to be redressed with newer strategies and more vigorous effort;
Reinforce the institutions of the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary.
The government needs to further strengthen the key institutions and ensure their independence in reflecting values of good governance;
Reform education
Radical change of mindset is needed to bring about a paradigm shift in rethinking education, in developing a world-class Malaysian education system;
Ensure quality of life
The government needs to ensure the people's quality of life can be improved through sustainable development initiatives; and
Improve governance, fight corruption.
The principles of transparency, integrity, accountability and responsibility must be strictly upheld and enforced in all sectors of society.

tunku : i think zam is wrong and make stupid comments on the people's aspiration wish list. whatever in the list i believe is the wish list of all malaysian. coming back to zam's comment on the first one pertaining to efforts to strengthen national unity, it is a veri serious issue. we can't rely on our history that we are united but things had gone bad lately.all malaysian should really look into this issue and tackle it right so that we will maintain the peace we are having right now.so zam rather than making stupid comments, do your work, your ministry programmes for national unity is vital.

NCER Very Good Idea, Says Tun Mahathir

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 (Bernama) -- The Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) for which conglomerate Sime Darby Bhd will be the master planner, has been given the "nod" by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
"Very good idea," he told reporters after delivering his special keynote address entitled "Driving Malaysia As A Franchising Hub" at the Franchise International Malaysia 2007 here Friday.
Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi launched the NCER master plan state by state beginning last Monday in Kedah and Perlis followed by the launch in Penang and northern Perak the next day.
Tun Dr Mahathir, who is also the patron of the Malaysian Franchise Association, also expressed his best wishes for the project.
Focus has been given to three main areas for the development of the northern region, namely agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism with support of infrastructure development and human capital.
One-third of the total investment in the NCER of RM177 billion until 2025 will be from the government, with the rest from the private sector.
Besides the southern and northern regions, plans are also underway for the development of the east coast, with substantial investment for the development to come from the private sector in the form of private finance initiatives (PFIs).
Asked on when Petronas, which has been tasked with the development of the East Coast, will come out with the masterplan for the Eastern Corridor development, Tun Dr Mahathir said: "I don't know. Petronas have yet to tell me anything. I am waiting for them."
Tun Dr Mahathir is the advisor to the national oil firm.
The government has given Petronas the responsibility of spearheading the development of the Eastern Corridor encompassing Kelantan, northern Terengganu and western Pahang.
As part of the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), the eastern region states will be given an allocation of RM22.3 billion.

Threat to attack Makkah, Madina

WASHINGTON, Aug 2: Republican presidential hopeful Tom Tancredo says the best way he can think of to deter a nuclear terrorist attack on the US is to threaten to retaliate by bombing Islamic holy sites.
The Colorado congressman on Tuesday told about 30 people at a town hall meeting in the state of Iowa that he believes such a terrorist attack could be imminent and that the US needs to hurry up and think of a way to stop it.
“If it is up to me, we are going to explain that an attack on this homeland of that nature would be followed by an attack on the holy sites in Makkah and Madina,” Mr Tancredo said at the Family Table restaurant. “Because that’s the only thing I can think of that might deter somebody from doing what they otherwise might do.”
Tancredo's comments were recorded and posted on the Web site iowapolitics.com.
A Washington-based Islamic civil rights and advocacy group responded in anger, calling Tancredo’s statement `unworthy of anyone seeking public office in the United States’.
''Perhaps it’s evidence of a long-shot candidate grasping at straws and trying to create some kind of a controversy that might appeal to a niche audience of anti-Muslim bigots,'' said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Campaign spokesman, Alan Moore, said Tancredo stands by his statement.
This is not the first time Tancredo has suggested taking extreme action against Makkah and Madina.
In 2005, he drew international criticism after he told a radio talk show host that `you could take out’ Islamic holy sites if terrorists ever launched a nuclear attack against the United States.—AP


tunku : this guy tom tancredo is the most dirtiest bustard a world could have(sorry to use such language). let me remind this idiot, if ever mecca and madinah are attack by US, that's the end of this world, and i'm 100% sure of this.he thinks that the muslim will just see the attack on the holy sites.they think they are the super power so that they can do anything they like, idiots.by right they should think how to end all these terrorism activities in diplomatics/negotiation ways.look at the cause of all these terrorism activities, tackle the issue not by giving remarks that make people feel more anger and hates you.by attacking mecca and madinah won't stop the terrorist but for sure america will be a history to the world.

PAS to retain K'tan, reclaim T'gganu: Hadi

PAS is ready to take on the Barisan Nasional coalition in the general election and believe it could triumph in both Kelantan and Terengganu, its president Abdul Hadi Awang said.
According to him, the party’s election machinery at the state level is in place and he believed the chances of winning look bright in its traditional stronghold of Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah.
“In Kedah, the Malay votes we had (in the last elections) were more than those in Kelantan but the non-Malay voters were prevented from voting for us,” Abdul Hadi told Malaysiakini on his first visit to the online daily’s office in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
He also believed that the party will fare better this time around in states such as Perak, Pahang and Selangor.
However, when asked to predict how many seats PAS would win, he quipped: “If you are talking about the elections in England, I can predict. Malaysiakini can also predict....”
PAS suffered a humiliating defeat in the 2004 general election when its parliamentary representation slashed from 27 seats to seven.
It also lost control of Terengganu and only managed to cling on to Kelantan with a one-seat majority.
Heavyweight to stand against PM
The PAS president argued that his party would be able to win more seats should there be no underhanded tactics used by its bitter rival such as restricting media coverage and abuse of government machinery.
He referred to the extraordinary increased in the number of new voters as well as the abnormally high turnout in Terengganu and Kelantan in the 2004 polls, which he claimed to be the "dirtiest ever".
Asked on PAS’ previous statement that it might consider boycotting the general elections to press for electoral reforms, Abdul Hadi said the party has dropped the idea.
“Boycotting an election is only an effective way (to press for reforms) in a developed country. In Malaysia, it will only make it easy for them (the ruling party to have a walkover),” he replied.
On seat negotiations with its opposition ally PKR, Abdul Hadi said it was smooth and talks had completed for Pahang while it was 80-90 percent done in most of the other states.
He also pledged to field more women candidates in the forthcoming general election but when asked on fielding non-Muslim candidates, he replied, “We will work with PKR in terms of fielding non-Muslim candidates.”
On another note, Abdul Hadi said the party was considering fielding a more prominent individual in Kepala Batas against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in the next elections.
However, he refused to reveal any possible candidate but merely quipped that “the price should be higher” in contesting against the prime minister.
Malaysiakini understands that there were discussions within PAS to field a senior leader to stand against Abdullah in the next elections in order to test the real popularity of the prime minister.
The candidate is likely to be an incumbent state representative.
Asked on his own plan in the next general election, Abdul Hadi was tightlipped as to whether he will seek to retain his current Rhu Rendang state seat in Terengganu.
“I will leave it to PAS Terengganu to decide,” the former Terengganu menteri besar said, adding that the party state chief Mustafa Ali will lead the campaign there.
Thumbs-up for young turks
Asked to comment on the current leadership in PAS, he said it has a healthy combination of ulama (religious scholars) and professionals.
The professionals, or young turks, led by deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa were returned to power for the second time in the recent party election despite a strong challenge from the ulama faction.
On the leadership of the young turks, Abdul Hadi said: “I see the party is more advanced and more stable now.”
Abdul Hadi, who will turns 60 in October, brushed aside the question of retirement when asked.
“In politics, there is never the question of retirement. As long as people support you, you stay on,” he said, admitting that he has not thought about the question so far.
On a lighter note, Abdul Hadi - who went for his regular check up at the National Heart Institute after visiting Malaysiakini yesterday - said he swims for two hours regularly.
Other party officials present yesterday were Abdul Hadi’s press secretary Roslan Shahir, Chinese media liaison officer Hu Pang Chaw, Kelantan-based senator Mumtaz Md Nawi , who is a practicing lawyer, and PAS central working committee member Dr Lo’ Lo’ Ghazali.

tunku : another big joke from a joker ulama. pas will reclaim terengganu?u must be insane hadi, make survey in trengganu, you will know how the hate you and pas especially after you ruled it for 1 term(thank god).the next GE will see pas struggling to win kelantan so don't talk big that you will capture other state. it will be another humiliating defeat for pas this time around.if you are brave enough why don't you stand against the pm in kepala batas(kalau jantanlah).

Seats Allocation Should Be Done The BN Way, Says Khairy

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 2 (Bernama) -- The allocation of seats for the upcoming general election among Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties should be done the BN way, BN Youth deputy chairman Khairy Jamaluddin said today.
"The BN's way is that we discuss and compromise," he told reporters after chairing a special meeting on the "Merdeka Youth Gathering" to be organised by the BN Youth, here.
He was asked to comment on the statement by People's Progressive Party (PPP) president Datuk M. Kayveas that the party would not hesitate to leave the BN if it was not given the seats it asked for.
On the Merdeka Youth Gathering to be held on Aug 26, he said it was aimed at launching the election machinery of the BN Youth.
A total of 4,000 BN Youth members are expected to attend the event.
"At the gathering, BN Youth chairman Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein will read out a pledge of the BN Youth and it will also touch on activities targeted for the next 50 years," he said, adding that following the event, all BN Youth members would wear a special wrist band until the election is over.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will be the guest-of- honour at the gathering, which would be held at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre here.

tunku : the de facto pm has said it so all have to abide by it.

Terminate Services Of Contractors Who Don't Deliver, Says Abdullah

KOTA BAHARU, August 2 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Thursday that contractors who do not complete their projects on time should have their services terminated.
The prime minister said that this was to ensure that there were no delays in projects planned by the government, especially those under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).
"I agree with the Works Minister's (Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu) warning that if contractors cannot complete their work on time, their services should be terminated.
"We want to ensure that all projects are completed according to schedule," he said when performing the ground-breaking ceremony for the second Sultan Yahya Petra bridge here.
Present were Samy Vellu, Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed and Kelantan Umno liaison chief Datuk Seri Annuar Musa.
The second bridge will have four lanes with two each on either side of the original bridge which was built in 1960. It is expected to be completed in December 2009.
The 811m bridge is the main route for the residents of Tumpat, Pasir Mas and Rantau Panjang to get to the town centre.
Abdullah, who is on a two-day visit to Kelantan, said that to ensure that a project was completed on schedule, the work must be done carefully so that problems would not arise later.
"It must be done fast, I agree, but the work must be tidy and nice so that one or two years down the road we need not repair things that have broken down," he said, to applause from the 5,000-strong crowd.
He said the government was committed to developing the infrastructure facilities nationwide to make the people's lives more comfortable.

tunku : this is another case where talks more than action. the pm said that he agree
with the samy vellu's warning that if contractors cannot complete their work on time, their services should be terminated but with the request of kedah menteri besar that the durian burung highway contract should not be terminated,the work minister considering it.if a contractor fails to deliver on time and given some levy but still fails then just terminate them.this will be a lesson to other contractors so that in future before taking any project they should analyze whether they are capable of delivering it or not.

MB Lauds Decision To Bar Ministers, Deputy Ministers From Sports Bodies

KLANG, August 2 (Bernama) -- Selangor Football Association president (FAS) Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo described as apt the cabinet directive barring ministers, deputy ministers and parliamentary secretaries from holding posts in sports associations.
He said it reflected the government's firm stand in dealing with matters pertaining to sports development and to avoid politicking in sports bodies.
"If the prime minister orders it, we will abide by it...I see that we have to be firm in this matter...the ministers are already burdened with a lot of work and it is better that they concentrate on their jobs so that the sports associations can function well," he told reporters after opening the Klang District Community Policing Programme here Wednesday.
He was reacting to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's directive yesterday to ministers, deputy ministers and parliamentary secretaries to give up their posts in sports bodies. The order, however, does not include the menteris besar and chief ministers.
Dr Mohamad Khir, who is Selangor Menteri Besar, said he welcomed the directive as it would enable all planning and programmes for the development of sports be carried out smoothly.
"I personally don't want to be the FAS President. I may be able to contribute more if I'm not the president but the regulations require the menteri besar to be the president," he said.

tunku : i have said earlier,the ministers,menteri besar/chief ministers should not hold any position in sports or any other associations.they have much important things to do. if the regulations reguire a menteri besar to be the president for state football association than change it.

Altantuya Murder Case 01/08/07

Prosecution Fails Again To Get Another Statement By Sirul Azhar

SHAH ALAM, August 1 (Bernama) -- The High Court here Wednesday ruled as inadmissible Cpl Sirul Azhar Umar's statement disclosing and act of pointing to the spot where Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu was blasted.
Justice Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin in his oral judgment said he was not prepared to accept Sirul Azhar's statement as part of conduct under Section 8 of the Evidence Act 1950.
He said that in this case, the prosecution had submitted that the statement made by Sirul Azhar, the second accused in Altantuya's murder, was not a statement under Section 27 of the Evidence Act (a statement leading to discovery) as the police had already discovered the crime scene.
Mohd Zaki said that according to prosecution witness ASP Zulkarnain Samsudin, the statement was given by Sirul Azhar and was accompanied by his act of pointing to the crime scene.
"I find none in the illustration of Section 8 (2) of the Evidence Act to be an example of the category of conduct that fits with the circumstances in this case," the judge said.
Sirul Azhar, 36, and Chief Insp Azilah Hadri, 31, both members of the Special Action Squad, are charged with murdering Altantuya, 28, at Mukim Bukit Raja, Selangor, between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20 last year.
Political analyst Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda, 47, is charged with abetting them.
The prosecution had sought to admit as evidence the statement in which Sirul Azhar was alleged to have told Zulkarnain: "I can tell you where the woman was blasted".
Zulkarnain had told the court that Sirul Azhar had gone with a police party to the crime scene in Puncak Alam and uttered those words.
Deputy public prosecutor Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah had submitted that Sirul Azhar's statement followed by his act of pointing to the crime scene was a conduct and admissible as evidence under Section 8 of the Evidence Act.
Sirul Azhar's counsel Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin argued that the statement and act of pointing was inadmissible under that section.
This is the second time the court has thrown out Sirul Azhar's statement. On July 26, Mohd Zaki expunged the evidence given by prosecution witness Chief Insp Kamaroszaman Othman who testified that during interrogation, Sirul Azhar had disclosed the crime scene to him.

The seat gets hot for top cop

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan’s revelation that he was being fixed by his own men has brought to the surface talk of disunity within the police force. However, the clean image of the force’s top man may have found him as many supporters as detractors.
IT WAS a loaded statement by Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan – that he was framed by his own men resulting in him being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Agency.
Certain parties within the police force, the country’s top cop said, had fixed him and he warned his colleagues not to abuse their powers.
On the same day Musa made his remarks to a newspaper, two packages containing 12-gauge shotgun cartridges were found, addressed to him.
The parcels, which also contained a threatening note, were discovered by workers at the Bintulu post office.
Coincidentally, it was in this Sarawak town that he recently ordered operations against gangs in the area.
That was not all. Musa also found corruption allegations against him on the Internet through the postings of bloggers, particularly Malaysia Today’s Raja Petra Kamaruddin.
There is a strong suspicion that powerful figures are involved and those familiar with the functions of the force have followed closely its developments, if not, with some concerns that there is disunity within the top brass of the force.
The IGP’s feud with Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Johari Baharum is well publicised and, until today, conflicting statements continue to come out from both sides.
Within the force, there is discontent over the transfer of certain senior officials, the result of Musa's fight against corruption.
The sentiment is that Musa has been overzealous in his task while others said it would be impossible for him to make radical changes overnight, especially when certain problems are entrenched.
Since he took over as IGP, he has made it compulsory for all policemen to declare their assets every six months. The lifestyles of his officers have also come under his scrutiny. If they were to buy or sell property, Musa has ordered them to update their records and declare them.
He has also made his mobile phone numbers known to most members of the force, even constables, to keep him updated on the feelings of the rank and file.
Musa has also been credited with giving non-Malays and women a bigger role in the police leadership.
His appointments include Commissioner Datuk Christopher Wan (CID director), Deputy Commissioner Datuk Koh Hong Sun (Penang CPO), SAC I Datuk Wee Beng Ghee (deputy narcotics director), SAC I Datuk Robiah Abdul Gani (Pahang deputy CPO), SAC I Zubaidah Md Ismail (deputy director of logistics) and SAC II A. Thaivegan (head of management, Sarawak).
But some of his quick-fix solutions, said to be not well received, has hurt him as well as affected the morale of the force.
Strongly-worded letters, it is said, have been sent to him by his senior colleagues.
At the same time, there is a public outcry at the number of high-profile crimes nationwide, especially in Johor Baru.
The police have produced figures to rebut claims of increasing crime rates but these statistics mean nothing to ordinary Malaysians who feel the force have not done their job effectively.
In short, Musa’s hands are full as he takes his battle on all fronts. From fighting criminals to saboteurs within the force, Musa’s job has become harder.
The IGP’s seat has always been a hot one, but while Musa has plenty of detractors the lanky policeman also has many backers who support what he is doing.
To many top political leaders and the media, he is regarded as a clean policeman. A clean policeman, if that is the perception, would surely have a difficult job to handle because mud, whether real or imaginary, would be hurled at him. It would also be difficult to find a man like Musa, especially when powerful forces would want to see him out.
From gaining the respect of his men to the company that he keeps, Musa must understand that he needs to be above board. He must be sensitive to what people say, in fact.
It is important to note that his tenure has been extended by the Prime Minister, which is a clear endorsement by Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Talk that the Prime Minister’s recommendation was rejected by the Council of Rulers was pure humbug as the matter was never discussed at all. After all, the Rulers know that is the prerogative of the Executive.
Last week, Abdullah said he wanted to put a stop to comments about graft claims on Musa and former Anti-Corruption Agency chief Datuk Seri Zulkipli Mat Noor as they have been cleared of allegations of corruption and criminal misconduct or abuse of power.
Musa stays in a single-storey house in Petaling Jaya and is not known for any extravagance but even with his squeaky-clean image, as the top policeman, he has come under scrutiny by his men and politicians, and the public at large.
He has to accept the fact that in any organisation, whether private or public, there would always be resentment, jealousy and envy.
That comes along with the perks, Tan Sri.

tunku : that's the problem everywhere, if you are clean than your peers would not be happy as they can't get dirty.they will try their best to kick you out so that they can do whatever they want.i believe musa hassan is a clean and dedicated police officer and hope he will remains.just don't be like our so called "mr clean" but not that clean after all.to tan sri musa hassan keep up the good work, you may face difficulties but the truth always wins though it take longer time.

Raja Nazrin: Those With Shady Past Shouldn't Be Leaders

KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 (Bernama) -- Those with a chequered past or clear evidence of questionable morality should be prevented from taking office, Perak Raja Muda Raja Nazrin Shah said Tuesday.
He said this was integral to good governance, one of the three major themes of the works of the late Prof Syed Hussein Alatas, a renowned sociologist and intellectual.
"Figures in authority must be chosen for their integrity first and qualifications second," he said during his inaugural lecture to commemorate the legacy of Prof Syed Hussein Alatas entitled "Towards a Decent Social Order for All Malaysians", at the Islamic Arts Museum here, Tuesday.
He said the battle against corruption had always been top priority for Prof Syed Hussein, who published four books on the topic from as early as 1968.
Also present was his wife, Raja Puan Besar Perak, Tuanku Zara Salim, Albukhary Foundation executive vice-chairman Datuk Ismail Yusof and Syed Hussain's son, associate prof Syed Farid Alatas.
Raja Nazrin said corruption was mankind's most deadly social disease, as it could undermine good governance, weaken institutional foundations, distort public policy, compromise the rule of law and constrain the economy.
He said corruption curbed competitiveness to the detriment of economic and social development, led to tremendous misallocation of resources, and made the cost of doing business become unacceptably high.
"Corruption exists because of man's enduring desire for personal gain.
"Once corruption becomes widespread, it will no longer seem immoral and unlawful - just business as usual," he said.
He said there must be concrete anti-corruption measures and management practices based on efficiency, transparency and accountability.
Unnecessary or complex regulations and licensing requirements should be discarded or simplified to discourage `under-the-table' deals, he said.
He said the mobilisation of public opinion was also an integral part of good governance as Syed Hussein placed great store in the power of public outrage.
Raja Nazrin said Prof Syed Hussein believed that if society's consciousness was awakened to the ills of corruption and gave its cases widespread publicity, it would generate such adverse reaction that the government would be forced to take action.
"Complaints and protests may be irksome, but they should be treated as welcome and constructive feedback," he said.
The lecture, attended by some 300 participants, was the first of the Albukhary Foundation Lecture Series.
Its objective was to perpetuate the need for open discussion and communication of social issues that Malaysians commonly face.
Prof Syed Hussein, who died on Jan 27 this year at the age of 79, was well-known for his considerable legacy of books, notably "The Myth of the Lazy Native."

tunku : very well said by a "true prince".leaders should be judge on their integrity first then education.if we apply these,insyaallah we will be in safe hands that runs our country.i welcome the suggestion of mobilizing public opinion. it's a very important thing to do nowadays as we can let few people to decide for the whole nation.by doing so we will know whether it's accepted or not by the nation.take example the bridge(jambatan bengkok) saga, the government said that the public opposed it but i have not seen any.