Umno perceived as racist, says Ku Li

KOTA BARU: Umno is now perceived by many to be racist because its leaders cannot articulate effectively to the masses about the pre-Independance social contract, nor can they defeat abuses of the New Economic Policy (NEP).
Umno has lost its intellectual capacity to address misgivings among Malaysians and this has led to a perception that it is a racist party.
To further compound this, Umno leaders have lost credibility in the eyes of the public following the stunning losses in the March 8 general election, party veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said.
Speaking on Saturday at the opening of Kelantan’s People Action Council (MTRK) forum on Independance at the Grand Riverview Hotel, the Kelantan prince said it has now become common to see people define Umno as a racist party.
Why it has reached such a stage can be traced to three reasons, Tengku Razaleigh said.
The first is because parties with self-interests capitalise on the definitions of freedom and human rights to portray Umno as racist besides condoning a mischievous interpretation of the Federal Constitution.
The second is the complacency of Umno leaders who have allowed certain quarters to question the social contract and while rebuffing critics, Umno has not been able to shake off the stigma of been perceived as racist, he said.
Thirdly, there is no sincere effort to address the misgivings and misinterpretation over the definition of racism in the country.
Racism is where one race advocates hatred against the other and its actions underpin it, such as when the Nazis executed the Jews, explained Tengku Razaleigh.
''Umno advocates none of the above. It has never sought to close down any vernacular schools in the country. It knows how to co-exist with other races but yet, it is perceived to be racist,'' he said. Umno needs to reinvent itself by upholding the social contract when studied through, is designed to be fair to all races, he said. Tengku Razaleigh said many non-Malays believed that Umno or the Malays are the drivers of Malaysia. ''Of late, the Malays have become reckless and bad drivers until the Government is branded as inefficient,” he said. Tengku Razaleigh said another step towards reinventing the party is to restore the moral credibility in the party. ''Is it too late? I hope not but Umno must come to terms about regaining the trust of the people. It must be seen as trustworthy.''
Corruption is an open secret in the country either through the public sector or within Umno until it has become a crisis to the party where only rich candidates would be voted while competency is ignored, he added.
Later, he said there is a need for stronger leadership in the country as it would prevent certain quarters from raising questionable issues which can further divide rather than mend relations among Malaysians.
Asked whether he thought Pakatan Rakyat could form the next federal government by Sept 16, Tengku Razaleigh said it is doubtful as there are disagreements within the alliance so it may derail the process.
On the Social Contract
The people should study the history of the formation of Malaysia before questioning the social contract on Malay rights, said Umno veteran and Member of Parliament for Gua Musang Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.
According to him, the unique situation in Malaysia should not be compared to other countries and questioning the social contract entered into by the founding fathers of the nation could have negative repercussions and lead to disharmony.
"Attempts to question the social contract will certainly lead to social and economic upheaval. It has served us well in the 51 years Malaysia has been an independent nation, so there is no reason to keep questioning it," he said when delivering the keynote address at a special Merdeka forum organised by the Kelantan People's Action Council here Saturday.
He added that the racial harmony and national stability clearly evident in Malaysia all this while was because of the understanding and respect the people had for each other.
The council's president, Datuk Ibrahim Ali, who is also the Member of Parliament for Pasir Mas, said resolutions adopted at the forum, which was attended by some 500 people, would be forwarded to all state governments, sultans and the various ministries so that the matter (social contract) could be handled wisely.

tunku : we never had big issue on this matter except in 1969 but now it's appearing again and it is very dangerous for our multiracial society. umno is not a racist party.if umno is a racist party, we won't be having other races schools,business etc. yes umno is a party of the malays which protect their interest but at the same time never had neglected other races. umno has done nothing wrong.for 51 years we have been living peacefully except for sometime in 1969 and that too not the whole nation was effected.the only weakness umno has is the current leadership which is very weak and could not cope with pressures and challenges. umno needs transformation with new leadership. pak lah fails to control umno and bn. he is just not a capable leader as for party like umno and bn, it needs a very strong and smart leader.so to blame umno is very wrong of us,its the leader.today is our 51st merdeka day, so let us all join hands and strengthen our peace and unity which has been there for more than 50 years.don't spoils it just because of personal agenda and hatred.it will not bring any good to any malaysian if there is racial tense. the people will suffer and the country too. MERDEKA,MERDEKA,MERDEKA,MERDEKA,MERDEKA,MERDEKA,MERDEKA.

Umno Needs Support Of Other Component Parties To Ensure BN Remain In Power - Muhyiddin

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 (Bernama) -- Umno Vice-President Tan Sri Muhyiddin said Umno alone would not be able to defend Barisan Nasional (BN) and ensure the coalition remained in power without the support of other component parties.
"We have accepted the alliance concept in the BN but there must be a renewal process without sacrificing the struggle of component parties," he told a news conference today.
Earlier Muhyiddin flagged off a convoy of 20 cars under the Hijrah Merdeka expedition organised by the Federal Territory's Ex-Assemblymen Association (Mubarak).
The expedition, which will be stopping over at several higher learning institutions along the way to Melaka, is the first organised by the association as part of activities in conjunction with the 51st National Day celebrations tomorrow.
Muhyiddin said although the wishes of some BN component party leaders to leave the BN might just be a harmless banter, it indicated an unhealthy development in the BN which should be tackle urgently.
He also reiterated his views on the need for a "new" BN to retain the current support for the coalition and restore the lost ones.
"BN should be brave enough to create a new BN in the terms of having a new way of thinking and instilling new expectation so that it can continue to be relevant and in line with the aspirations of the young," he said.
On the effort by Sabah deputy Umno chief Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal to collect loyalty pledge from 58 BN members of parliament from Sabah and Sarawak, Muhyiddin said he would leave it to the wisdom of those concerned.
"They have said before that they were not a commodity which can be traded and that they have principles... I think that alone is enough for us to accept as fact.
"It's alright if they don't (sign the loyalty pledge). We have already heard their pledge," he said.

tunku : bn can transform provided, the current expired leaders should resign. people like pak lah, samy vellu, kayveas and those corrupt leaders should resign immediately as they have failed.when people hates them, it is difficult to get support.the new bn should be leads by new leaders.there is still hope provided the bn members are brave enough to take action.

PM to instruct Bkt Bendera chief not to repeat remark

KEPALA BATAS: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi will personally see to it that Bukit Bendera Umno chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail does not repeat his remarks about the Chinese community.
“I’ll tell him not to do it again. You know during campaigning all sorts of things can come up. I don’t think he meant it. I’ll make sure to tell him not to say it again,” he said Saturday after chairing the Bertam Umno division meeting here.
Ahmad had allegedly called the Chinese "squatters" and said that "as the Chinese were only immigrants it was impossible to achieve equal rights amongst races" during a ceramah in Permatang Pauh on Aug 25.
He had allegedly made the remark in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Ahmad’s remarks have caused a furore among the Barisan Nasional component parties after it was printed in several Chinese newspapers.
Penang Gerakan Youth committee member Dr Thor Teong Gee lambasted Ahmad and alleged that Umno was still using racial ideology to achieve its personal political agenda.
Bukit Mertajam MCA division chairman Lau Chiek Tuan said disciplinary action should be taken against Ahmad.
“An apology is not enough to the Chinese community. We want Umno to take disciplinary action against him. We want him to leave Barisan and Umno because he has broken the racial harmony (of the parties),” said Lau, adding that the division had also lodged a police report against Ahmad.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s political secretary Ng Wei Aik has also called on Ahmad to immediately retract his statement and apologise to the community.
Ahmad could not be reached for comment.
In George Town, Tanjung Gerakan Youth division chief H’ng Khoon Leng lodged a police report at the district police headquarters in Patani Road over Ahmad’s alleged remarks.
Speaking to reporters after that, H’ng reminded people of all races to learn and be aware about the contribution of other races to the nation so that they won’t look down on others.

tunku : it is high time for pak lah to take stern action rather than 'lembut' action against this datuk. datuk ahmad ismail should make public apology and be suspended for some time. just to tell him not to repeat is not enough. people like him who gives umno a bad reputation when umno is not like what datuk ahmad ismail potrays.

‘SKMM not ordered to block access to website’

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government did not instruct the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (SKMM) to block access to the Malaysia Today website.
Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor said the Government had only given a “general instruction” to the commission to allow all blogs and websites to function provided they adhered to provisions under the Communications and Multimedia Act.
“SKMM runs on its own. I am not briefed on the things it does although it did tell me it was blocking the Malaysia Today website under Section 263 of the Act, which I believe has something to do with threatening national interest.”
Shaziman also denied that SKMM was targeting Malaysia Today, which is run by Raja Petra Kamaruddin, due to its anti-government views.
“There are other blogs and websites like those of Opposition parties PAS and PKR, which criticise the Government. The commission has not blocked access to those sites,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby here yesterday.
Shaziman said that so far, access to 127 websites and blogs including Malaysia Today have been blocked for contravening various sections of the Act.
Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad warned that the Government would lose power if it continued to block opposing views from being aired.
tunku : i don't think that MCMC can run on its own without government supervision. they should consult the ministry before taking action.anyway, for me MCMC can block access to the website which is considered as threatening national interest without knowing who is the owner but if you know the owner you don't have to block the website, just sue or charge the owner under the related acts.

ACA Records Nallakaruppan's Statement

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Indian United Party (MIUP) president Datuk S. Nalakaruppan gave his statement to the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) Friday to assist investigation into his allegation that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had received RM60 million from Magnum Corp when he was the finance minister.
ACA Director of Investigations Datuk Shukri Abdul, when contacted, confirmed that the former right-hand man of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor was called up to give statements on his allegation, but declined to comment further.
"The ACA began recording Nallakaruppan's statement since 3pm Friday. However, our officers did not record his statement at the ACA Headquarters in Putrajaya.
"The location cannot be disclosed to the media but I can confirm that the ACA is now recording his statement," Shukri said, here.
Nallakaruppan, 61, in his ceramah in Permatang Pauh on Aug 23 had claimed that he had handed RM60 million from a gaming company to Anwar in 1998 for an undisclosed purpose.
He claimed that he had handed over the money personally to Anwar and that the PKR advisor had approved many gambling licences and four-digit lottery shops when he was the finance minister and deputy prime minister.

tunku : when is ezam's turn to give his statement on the allegation that anwar gave away 15 projects worth RM15 billion to his cronies?

Budget 2009 (Upadated)

Gov't to spend record RM208 bil for 2009
The total expenditure was set at RM207.9 billion for 2009 compared to RM176.9 billion in 2008.
Of this amount, RM154.2 billion is for operating expenditure, while RM53.7 billion is for development expenditure.
In 2008, the operating expenditure was RM128.8 billion and RM48.1 billion for development expenditure.
Budget deficit up
The budget deficit is estimated to be 3.6 percent of GDP in 2009 and 4.8 percent of GDP in 2008.
Abdullah had in the previous year’s budget speech forecast a deficit of 3.1 percent for 2008.
Economic growth slowing
GDP growth for 2009 is estimated at 5.4 percent and 5.7 percent for 2008. The most recent official forecast is for GDP growth in 2008 is 5 to 6 percent.
Additional income tax rebate
Those earning below RM35,000 per annum will get rebate of RM400 compared to RM352 previously.
Those earning between RM35,000 to RM50,000 per annum will get a one percentage point reduction in their marginal tax rate to 12 percent from 13 percent previously.
Those in the highest bracket of RM250,000 per annum will get a similar reduction to 27 percent from 28 percent previously.
Free electricity
Those whose use less than RM20 of electricity per month will not be charged.
Bonus for civil servants
Government servants will get one-month bonus.
Those from Sabah and Sarawak will get free airfares to go home every two years, beginning January 2009.
Special allocations for Sabah, Sarawak
Sabah to get an additional allocation of RM580 million for upgrading infrastructures, while Sarawak will get RM420 million.
Hike in cigarette taxes
Excise duty will rise by 3 sen per stick from 15 sen to 18 sen. There was no increase last year.
Staff training incentives
Firms can claim working capital allowance for upgrading their staff skills.
Toll charges for buses slashed
Toll charges for buses to cut by 50 percent for the next two years. The government will spend RM45 million to compensate toll operators for this.
To improve public transportation, the government has allocated RM35 billion in the next five years.
Benefits for transport operators
Government to provide RM3 billion in soft loans under public transportation fund to be administered by Bank Pembangunan to finance acquisiton of buses and rail assets.
Government will also reduce toll charges for all buses for 2 years beginning 15 Sept 2008.
Eligibility criteria for welfare help raised
The eligibility criteria will be raised to RM720 per month of household income from RM400 previously for Peninsular Malaysia.
The eligibility criteria will be raised to RM830 per month of household income for Sarawak and RM960 for Sabah.
Low-income pensioners to get more
Those who have serve for at least 25 years will get pension of at least RM720 permonth.
Interest income exempted
Interest income of 5 percent on fixed deposits with banks exceeding RM100,000 to be exempted.
Import duties cut or removed
Government to reduce import duties on various consumer durables from between 10 to 60 percent to between 5 and 30 percent. This includes blenders, rice cookers, electric kettles.
Government to fully exempt import duty on several food item, i.e. vermicelli, biscuits, fruit juices, canned sweet corn.
Diesel-engine vehicles to benefit
Government to reduce road tax on private passenger vehicles with diesel engine to the same level as petrol engines.
Incentives for food security
From the RM5.6 billion provided under the National Food Security Policy for the 2008 to 2010 period, the government will in 2009 allocate RM300 million to increase fish landings and RM1 billion for padi farmers to increase production.
Poultry farmers will also get incentive in the form of a reinvestment allowance of 60 percent for a period of 15 years for expansion of chicken and duck farms to increase poultry output.
Funds for fertilisers and pesticides
Allocation of RM475 million in the form of agricultural inputs, fertilisers and pesticides to assist padi farmers.
Help for low-cost housing
Allocation of RM330 million for 4,400 units of Program Perumahan Rakyat, 1,500 units of PPR Bersepadu and 600 units of PPR Dimiliki. In addition, Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd to build 33,000 low-cost houses.
Stamp duties for home owners slashed
Purchase of medium-cost houses up to RM250,000 to get 50 percent reduction in stamp duty on transfer document and loan agreement.
More for public education
Education Ministry to get RM31 billion allocation to benefit 5.8 million students, RM1.6 billion to finance additional posts created following the opening of 26 primary and 41 secondary schools and the additional expenditure for maintenance, food assistance, scholarship, per capita grant and new equipment.
Government to build 110 new primary and 181 new secondary schools.
Higher Education Ministry to get RM14.1 billion, of which RM8 billion is for operating expenditure of public institutions of higher learning, RM4.4 billion for development expenditure and RM627 million for polytechnics and community colleges.
Additional sums for growth corridors
To utilise RM6 billion out of the RM10 billion additional allocation from the mid-term review of the Ninth Malaysia Plan.
Cheaper hybrid cars
100 percent importy duty and 50 percent excise duty on new hybrid CBU cars, with engine capacity below 2,000cc will be given to franchise importers.
The exemption is for two years to prepare for the local assembly of such cars.
Tax exemptions for Islamic capital markets
Tax exemption to be given for three years on fees and profits earned by institutions undertaking activities relating to the arranging, underwriting, distributing, trading on non-ringgit sukuk.
Police to get more funds
Allocation of RM5.4 billion to enhance the Royal Malaysian Police.

What’s not in 2009 Budget

No lowering the Employee Provident Fund contribution.

No hike in gambling taxes or alcohol duty.

No increase in the number of food items under price control.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 (Bernama) -- The government today tabled Budget 2009 which focuses on measures to maintain the well-being of Malaysians that has been enhanced over the last 51 years since independence, by seeking to strengthen the nation's economic resilience to mitigate the adverse impact of an increasingly challenging external environment.
"Today, as we face a global environment of higher prices and slower economic growth, I am confident, if we remain united, we shall overcome this challenge as well," said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when tabling in the Dewan Rakyat next year's budget carrying the theme of "A Caring Government".
The strategies formulated demonstrate that the government was responsive to the concerns of the people and had taken measures to lighten the burden of all Malaysians, particularly the lower income group, he said.
The approach taken was focused towards support and assistance, which not only improved the quality of life but also enabled all Malaysians to enhance their productivity, he added.
The budget was also in line with the medium-term plan as articulated in the National Mission and the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) to further develop the nation towards Vision 2020.
Abdullah, who is also the Finance Minister, proposed for next year's budget an allocation of RM207.9 billion, of which RM154.2 billion was for operating expenditure and RM53.7 billion for development expenditure, and said the budget focused on the three specific strategies of ensuring the well-being of Malaysians, developing quality human capital, and strengthening the nation's resilience.
He said that in ensuring the well-being of the people, the government would ensure that all Malaysians would continue to benefit from the country's economic growth.
"The government will implement a broad range of measures to reduce the impact of the higher cost of living, particularly among the lower income group and the vulnerables," he said.
As in previous budgets, the government empathised with the difficulties faced by the lower income group, he said and announced that the government had raised the eligibility criteria for welfare assistance under the Welfare Department from a monthly household income of RM400 to RM720 for Peninsular Malaysia, RM830 for Sarawak and RM960 for Sabah.
Abdullah said the government recognised the contributions of pensioners towards the development of the country, and in assisting the lower income pensioners cope with the recent price increases, government pensioners who had served at least 25 years upon retirement would be given a pension of not less than RM720 per month from Jan 1 next year.
The prime minister said the government had always assisted victims of calamities, such as floods and fire, and would now set up a special fund of RM25 million to channel timely financial assistance to families deprived of their sources of income, particularly arising from accidents to breadwinners.
Efforts to eradicate poverty remains an important government agenda in Budget 2009. Abdullah said the government was confident that hardcore poverty would be eradicated by 2010.
He also said that the government would continue to implement programmes to enhance income, as well as provide skills and career development training under the "Skim Pembangunan Kesejahteraan Rakyat" programme.
Abdullah said the government proposed an allocation of RM220 million for the "Program Lonjakan Mega Luar Bandar" rural development programme being implemented in Pulau Banggi, Sabah, and Tanjung Gahai in Kuala Lipis, Pahang, which would benefit 13,300 households.
The provision of housing for the poor was being stepped up with the government proposing a RM50 million allocation to build 1,400 houses and repair 1,000.
Abdullah said priority would be given to senior citizens, the disabled and single parents with many dependents as well as victims of natural disasters.
He also said that hardcore poverty in Sabah and Sarawak was also being given attention in the budget. He said measures would continue to be taken to increase income and enhance the quality of life of Malaysians in the two states by improving basic amenities, such as electricity, water and rural roads.
For this, RM580 million and RM420 million were being allocated for Sabah and Sarawak, respectively, he said.
Abdullah also said that as part of the government's effort to further reduce the financial burden of the lower income group, households which incurred monthly electricity bills of RM20 or less would not have to pay for electricity for the period of Oct 1 2008 to the end of 2009.
A total of 1.1 million households would benefit from this measure which would cost the government RM170 million for the period, he added.
Abdullah said that realising that higher inflation rate had also affected the purchasing power of the lower middle-income group, the government proposed that the current tax rebate of RM350 per person be increased to RM400 for those with taxable income of RM35,000 and below. With this increase, some 100,000 tax payers would be out of the tax net, he added.
Additionally, to reduce the tax burden of individuals, especially those dependent on interest income from savings, the government proposed that all interest income for individuals be tax exempt.
To mitigate the impact of rising prices on consumers, the government proposed to reduce import duties on various consumer durables from between 10 per cent and 60 per cent to between five per cent and 30 per cent. These included blender, rice cooker, microwave oven and electric kettle.
Abdullah also said that the government would reduce the road tax on private passenger vehicles with diesel engines to be the same as those with petrol engines effective Sept 1 this year as, currently, private passenger vehicles with diesel engines owned by individuals and companies were subject to a higher road tax compared with those with petrol engines.
The prime minister said the primary strategy of Budget 2009 was to focus on measures to make employee welfare a priority. He said that to encourage the private sector to give employee welfare priority, the government proposed that the travel allowance for commuting to work provided by employers be given full tax deduction while the employees receiving such an allowance be given tax exemption of up to RM2,400 per year.
Abdullah said the government proposed to extend the tax exemption on medical benefits by employers to include maternity expenses. In addition, he said, given the growing acceptance of traditional medicine, namely acupuncture and ayurvedic, the government also proposed an extension of tax exemption to cover such medical benefits.
The prime minister said that to assist civil servants with young children, the government proposed to raise from RM2,000 to RM3,000 from Jan 1 next year the eligibility criteria of monthly household income for those households provided with the RM180 monthly subsidy towards nursery fees.
He also said that the free return air fares to home states, between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak, enjoyed by government servants once every two years to foster closer family ties would be provided every year from Jan 1 next year.
Abdullah said the government would continue to encourage greater utilisation of public transportation, in the context of improving the productivity and quality of life.
"I believe a more efficient, reliable and integrated public transportation, which provides seamless travel and greate frequency of services, is required," he said.
The prime minister said RM35 billion would be expended between 2009 and 2014 to further improve the efficiency of public transportation, which included projects to enhance the capacity of existing rail services, build new rail tracks, increase the number of buses, as well as provide better infrastructure facilities.
Besides increasing the number of RapidPenang buses to 350 next year, he said, the Light Rail Transit (LRT) system in the Klang Valley would be extended by 30 km, that is 15 km respectively for the Kelana Jaya and Ampang lines.
"Upon completion in 2011, the extensions are expected to benefit 2.6 million residents in the Subang Jaya-USJ and Kinrara-Puchong areas, compared with 1.9 million currently," he said.
Abdullah said a new LRT line would be built along a 42-km route from Kota Damansara to Cheras, with a capacity exceeding 300,000 passengers daily when completed in 2014.
He also said that Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) Berhad commuter rail services would be upgraded through the rehabilitation of the existing 20 Electric Multiple Units (EMUs), which was expected to be completed next year, and the addition of 13 new units of EMUs by 2011.
The 7.5-km Sentul-Batu Caves rail track was under construction and was expected to be completed by 2010, he added.
To provide facilities for inter-urban taxis and buses from the northern region, a new integrated terminal would be built, he said, adding that the terminal would contribute towards further reducing traffic congestion in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.
Abdullah said the government would continue to help reduce the operating costs of public transport operators.
Besides the recent increase in the quota for diesel subsidy, the government would provide a soft loan facility of RM3 billion under the Public Transportation Fund, administered by Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Bhd, to finance the acquisition of buses and rail assets, he said.
He said the government also proposed to reduce toll charges by 50 per cent for all buses, except at border entry points, namely the Johor Causeway, Second Link and Bukit Kayu Hitam, for a period of two years from Sept 15 this year.
The government would provide compensation to toll operators for their loss of revenue, estimated at RM45 million per year, he added.
Abdullah said bus operators would also be given sales tax exemption on the purchase of locally assembled new buses and Accelerated Capital Allowance on the expenditure incurred while road tax would be reduced to RM20 a year for all bus and taxi operators, including rent-a-car and limousine operators.
To ensure that specific attention is given to efforts for overall development of the public transportation system, Abdullah said, the Public Land Transportation Commission would be established under the Prime Minister's Department to plan, integrate, regulate and improve the overall public transportation services. The commission was expected to commence operations by mid-2009.
Abdullah also said that the government would implement several agriculture programmes to ensure adequate food supply.
or this, he said, the government had provided RM5.6 billion under the National Food Security Policy for the period 2008 to 2010, among others to provide incentives to agriculture entrepreneurs to reduce pollution costs and encourage higher agriculture output.
An amount of RM300 million had been allocated in an effort to increase fish landings. Of the sum, RM180 million was in the form of cost-of-living allowance to fishermen and fishing boat owners as well as RM120 million as incentive for fish landings.
Abdullah said the government proposed that the expansion of chicken and duck farms be given Reinvestment Allowance of 60 per cent for a period of 15 years to help increase poultry output.
An allocation of RM475 million was to be provided in the form of agricultural inputs, fertilizers and pesticides to assist padi farmers, besides proposing that import duty on fertilizers and pesticides be abolished.

Sabah MPs reject loyalty pledge

KOTA KINABALU: Many of the 24 Sabah Barisan Nasional MPs are rejecting a move to get them to sign a loyalty pledge to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
State Barisan Backbenchers Club chairman Datuk Anifah Aman said the move proposed by Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal was an insult to the Sabah MPs. He added that the pledge should instead be signed by all Barisan MPs nationwide.
He said various Sabah MPs including himself had repeatedly voiced their loyalty to the Barisan leadership and pledged that they had no intention of crossing over to join the opposition.
“We did this during the Permatang Pauh campaign, on television and again in Kota Kinabalu. Is the frequency of denial equivalent to our loyalty?” said Anifah, the Kimanis MP and Kimanis Umno chief.
He said many Sabah Barisan backbenchers had called him asking about the pledge and some had said they felt that they were being treated like “cattle.”
Anifah questioned Shafie's real intentions for proposing the loyalty pledge and wondered whether it was aimed at scoring “political points” in his bid for the Umno vice-president's post in the party polls.
On Thursday, Shafie had said that Sabah and Sarawak MPs would be submitting a pledge declaring their loyalty to the Prime Minister by Friday or Saturday. He had said the MPs from both states would never quit the coalition despite the various rumours about them.
Kalabakan MP Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh said the loyalty pledge seemed to infer that Sabah MPs could not be trusted.
Saying he would not be signing any such pledge, Ghapur, the Kalabakan Umno chief, said the Sabah MPs had been vocal about issues affecting the state as they felt that these problems had to be resolved.
“But this should never be misconstrued as us being disloyal to the leadership,” he added.
Karambunai MP Datuk Eric Majimbun, the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) deputy president, said neither he nor fellow SAPP MP Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui of Tawau would be signing such a pledge.
“What is the point of such a pledge? This so-called pledge doesn't make sense,” he said.

tunku : what the sabah mps said is true, why should only sabah and sarawak mps sign the pledge of loyalty? it should be all the bn mps (140 mps) sign it, not only sabah and sarawak.the other thing is sign the pledge for their loyalty to bn not pak lah.

Barisan leaders’ talk of pullout from coalition worries Muhyiddin

SINGAPORE: Some Barisan Nasional component party leaders' comments about the possibility of their parties leaving Barisan has Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin concerned.
“The is a new trend we have not seen in the past and this time around it is being done openly. I am concerned about that,” Muhyiddin told reporters, referring to remarks made by MCA and Gerakan leaders recently.
“Are these remarks brought up because of sheer disappointment? They have to explain,” he said, adding that any random survey would show that there was a mindset shift among the rakyat and not merely in Permatang Pauh.
Muhyiddin said Barisan should not underestimate the changes that are taking place.
“We can have a dialogue with the component parties but what else can we do? That is what we should be asking ourselves.
“The format in Umno and BN is not right and change should not just be in the form but also in the content,” Muhyiddin said.
“Umno also cannot stand alone. There are weaknesses within Umno but weaknesses also exist within the component parties,” he added.
Meanwhile, in Kuala Lumpur, Jerlun MP Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said the outcome of the Permatang Pauh by-election was a wake-up call for Barisan, especially Umno, that much had to be done to regain the public's support.
Mukhriz said one of the major factors that impacted the by-election was the announcement by the country’s top two leaders that there would be a power transfer only in 2010.
“This means business as usual for another two years. For the rakyat, they feel it is too much to swallow,” he said.
“On the Umno side and Barisan, we also feel very exasperated because it is as if we have not started moving towards re-engineering and re-inventing Umno and Barisan.”

tunku : enough of worries and talks. now is the time for action. we hope leaders up there like muhyiddin and najib stands up when it matters the most.the time is now. don't just ding dong here and there.once people are fed up and gives up, then you left with nothing.anyway about the pullout i guess sabah and sarawak has voiced their stand on this matter.sarawak politician said that they are from hornbills land not frogs , sabah too pledge their full commitments with bn .now left bn components parties in peninsular to give assurances.

Anwar's Presence In Parliament Won't Affect BN, Says Mukhriz

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 (Bernama) -- Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's presence in the Dewan Rakyat will not affect the Barisan Nasional (BN), said Jerlun Member of Parliament (MP) Datuk Mukhriz Tun Mahathir.
He said all BN MPs were prepared to debate with Anwar although the PKR advisor was a good orator.
"Generally, only 20 per cent of what he (Anwar) says are fact while the rest are just rhetoric and BN can counter his debates rationally and with facts," he told reporters after launching the national pre-Ramadan blood donation campaign organised by the Maktab Rendah Sains Mara Old Students Association (Ansara), here Thursday.
Mukhriz said BN was not surprised at Anwar's victory and accepted the defeat as part of the democratic process in the country.
On the power transition between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his deputy, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Mukhriz said the transition was part of a plan. "It is not a guarantee. There's no guarantee (that the transition of power will happen) because many things can happen between now and 2010. "The Anwar case for example, there was a by-election, too many things that will happen that are beyond our control," he said. He said all the things that happened now were beyond control and could lead to changes that should be taken into account. "Don't be too complacent with the power transition process in 2010. To me, it's not a wise move on our part if everything that we do is based on the power transition that will happen 100 per cent," he said.
Meanwhile on the blood donation campaign, Mukhriz, who is also Ansara President, said the campaign was the biggest carried out for three days simultaneously in 25 locations nationwide beginning tomorrow.
Mukhriz said the campaign, which was targeting to collect 5,000 pints of blood, aimed to meet the need for blood during the Ramadan month as the Muslims could not donate blood during the fasting month.

photo courtesy of bro jinggo

tunku : anwar not only good orator but also good actor.nalla his ex best buddy said anwar is a better actor than P.Ramlee. what mukhriz said is true, anwar only talk little facts and the rest are all rhetoric,lies,assumptions,accusations,allegations etc, you name it. i believe there are many bn mps can take on anwar in the parliament but forget about pak lah, he can't. he's hopeless pm in malaysia history.

Sabah, Sarawak MPs Will Not Jump Ship - Shafie Apdal

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 (Bernama) -- Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal has vehemently denied that Sabah MPs Datuk Eric Majimbun (Sepanggar) and Datuk Chua Soon Bui (Tawau) would jump ship to join Pakatan Rakyat.
"I have spoken to Eric Majimbun and Chua Soon Bui...I have met them and they have assured me that they are still with BN (Barisan Nasional)," said the MP for Semporna.
He said a letter containing the signatures of all MPs from both Sabah and Sarawak would be handed over to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi tomorrow as a show of their support (to the leadership).
"We will make our pledge and we will sign the pledge and hand it over to the prime minister just to ensure there will not be any speculation.
"Our stand is very clear so I hope there is no speculation. Don't listen to speculation made by (Parti Keadilan Rakyat advisor Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim or anybody outside (the party)," added Shafie after meeting 20 MPs from Sabah and Sarawak at parliament lobby today.
Among the MPs were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Douglas Unggah Embas,Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abd Rahman Taib and MP for Kinabatangan Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin.
tunku : can't wait for 16th september. if anwar can't get 30mps and form a new government he then should bury his head in the sand because of shame.well he still has 18 days or so to get those mps (wonder from where), till today he got one EX umno mp.

Don't View Anwar's Victory Lightly, Says Muhyiddin

SINGAPORE, Aug 27 (Bernama) -- Barisan Nasional (BN) should not take lightly the victory of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election, said Umno Vice-President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Muhyiddin said he was concerned that the voters' decision to give victory to the opposition would become a trend. "Although it was just a by-election, it could be an indication of a trend that the voters had already decided that they wanted change even if they didn't know what the changes were, and refused to accept BN's leadership," he told Malaysian journalists here.
Muhyiddin, who is International Trade and Industry Minister, was here to attend the Asean Economic Ministers Meeting.
He said BN and Umno should conduct a post-mortem and take steps to speed up Umno's reinventing process as well as measures to rebrand the BN with new approach more acceptable to the people.
According to him, this would require the BN and Umno to re-evaluate whether their approach to campaign was already "stale and no longer acceptable to the people."
"It is clear that we need to make swift changes to the organisation and to the way we do things," he said.
Muhyiddin added that the results also showed that the voters' mindset had shifted and that they now wanted something which "are fairer, not racial-based (politics) but one that is based on the profile of the multiracial and multi-religious Malaysians." "Umno should be prepared to make the change," he said.
Muhyiddin said, however, that Anwar's victory was something to be expected and accepted as it was the wishes of the people, who made their choice under a democratic process.
"It may be that whatever is said about Anwar, the people and voters just refuse to believe it.
"The explanation given by our leaders was not accepted as though it was already decided from the outset that the BN would lose and PKR would win," he said.
Meanwhile, MCA Secretary-General Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan said all parties should accept Anwar's victory as it was the wishes of the people.
"We must respect the voters' decision and the country's democratic practices.
"Irrespective of the BN's view, we must accept the people's decision," he told reporters in Genting Highlands after opening the 30th anniversary of the National Association of Malaysian Life Insurance and Financial Advisor.
Anwar won the by-election with a 15,671-vote majority after securing 31,195 votes, defeating BN candidate Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah, who obtained 15,524 votes.
Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia candidate, Hanafi Mamat, lost his deposit after obtaining only 92 votes. There were 447 spoilt votes.

tunku : at least there is still hope in umno when they still have leaders like muhyiddin.his boss said don't worry it will not be a trend and not an indication but muhyiddin knows that his boss knows nothing except to make quick bucks and get out by 2010.umno and bn needs reinventing and rebranding urgently and foremost new leadership asap.gone are those good days for umno and bn.if they want to survive they need to go back to the basic and fundamentals of its struggles earlier with some new formulas.

Don't Misinterpret Permatang Pauh By-election's Result, Says Abdullah

JOHOR BAHARU, Aug 27 (Bernama) -- The result of the Permatang Pauh by-election, which was won by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, cannot be interpreted as a trend that can happen in other constituencies, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Wednesday.
The prime minister said the Barisan Nasional (BN) which won 140 parliamentary seats in the March 8 general election still commanded strong support from the people.
"What happened in Permatang Pauh was not something so big as to change the situation that exists after the last general election.
"The Permatang Pauh by-election is one by-election that cannot be interpreted as something that can happen in other constituencies. I believe we can still continue the government," Abdullah, who is also BN chairman, told reporters after sending off Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah at the Senai Airport here Wednesday.
Anwar Ibrahim won the Permatang Pauh by-election Tuesday with a 15,671-vote majority, garnering 31,195 votes against the BN's Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah, 51, who obtained 15,524 votes.
The other candidate, Hanafi Mamat, 61, of Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (Akim) lost his deposit as he only received 92 votes.

tunku : keep on sleeping pak lah, sweet dream and sleep tight. you just enjoy yourself and don't bother of what's happening around you as it does not concern you. only us the people who suffer, not you.so please continue sleeping.we will wake you up when you are no longer the pm.

Maths and science in English: No consensus yet

PUTRAJAYA: There have been differing views on whether the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English should be retained.
Education director-general Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom said these views were based on a series of roundtable discussions the ministry had held to discuss the policy since last month.
"The three main views are that some groups want the policy to be retained while others want to revert to the original. Another view is that the policy be retained but that it is introduced either in the second half of primary school or only implemented in secondary school," he told reporters at the end of the second roundtable discussion on Wednesday.
The policy of teaching Science and Mathematics in English was implemented in phases, starting with Year One, Form One and Lower Six students in 2003.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein had earlier announced that a decision on whether Science and Mathematics would continue to be taught in English would be made after the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) results were released at the end of the year.
He said the decision would not be based on the UPSR results but that the ministry was only announcing the decision after the results as it needed time to go through more roundtable discussions to seek the views of different parties.
Alimuddin said the second roundtable discussion was attended by community leaders, parent-teacher associations, non-governmental organisations, representatives from teacher unions, corporate and professional bodies, interested individuals as well as ministry officials.
Two more roundtable discussions would be held in October, he said, adding that these were with teachers and students, and another with politicians.
"The ministry will refine the recommendations from the discussions. This will then be handed over to the minister with other reports and evaluations so that a decision can be made on the policy," he said.

tunku : if the government is sensible they will continue maths and science in english. please do not listen to the so called 'pencinta bahasa' as we won't be less malay if we learn the 2 subjects in english.the ministers and the rich don't bother as most of them sends their children to private schools or international schools which the less fortunate can afford to send their children. if the government really want to help the malays,then continue it at all cost. do not make silly decision like the policy be retained but that it is introduced either in the second half of primary school or only implemented in secondary school. do it the way it is.

Penang loses multi-billion ringgit investment

GEORGE TOWN: Penang has lost a multi-billion ringgit investment by a South Korean company which had planned to open a plant in Batu Kawan but has now opted to go to a neighbouring country.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng believed the company changed its mind after several elected Barisan Nasional representatives urged the Federal Government to scrap the second Penang Bridge.
He said the investor reviewed the project as the Batu Kawan location was no longer strategic if the bridge linking Batu Maung on the island to Batu Kawan on the mainland was shelved.
"This is unfortunate. We are talking about attracting investments, but there are people who are driving away potential investors with remarks that create fear and uncertainty in the state.
"Only sore losers would make such remarks," he told newsmen Wednesday after launching the Recent Innovations in Engineering Conference (RIE) 2008 here.
Lim also referred to a report in a Malay daily which quoted a former state executive councillor as saying that the bridge should be scrapped if its project cost reached RM6bil.
The state executive councillor said the huge amount should instead be channelled to other projects which were beneficial to the people. Lim said after the report was published, the company indicated that it was no longer interested in opening the factory.
"Attempts to reach the company in South Korea proved futile. And I know that Koreans seldom reverse their decision after it has been agreed upon," he said.
It is learnt that the RM3.2bil plant, which would produce integrated circuits, would be opened in Clark, north of Manila in the Philippines. Lim said several potential investors had shown interest in the state and the details will be announced next month.
In his speech, Lim urged engineers to come up with an iconic building which can symbolise Penang as the Pearl of the Orient.

tunku : so this means that dap can only manage to get the investor by bn's help, not at their own effort.so this also means that guan eng is sore loser.to run a government is not easy , talking is easy than doing work.i hope guan eng will stop his revenge and start governing penang effectively.

Umno Leaders Call Abdullah To Quit After Shameful Defeat

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - - Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi faced calls to quit from within his ruling party Wednesday after opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim scored a landslide by-election victory.
Anwar won the vote to return to parliament despite an intense campaign mounted by the Barisan Nasional coalition, which he has promised to unseat within a month with the help of defecting lawmakers.
The failure to check Anwar has heaped more pressure on Abdullah, who has fought to hold on to his job since March general elections in which the opposition gained unprecedented ground.
Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, a senior member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) which leads the ruling coalition, called for a new leadership "to unite our people... and forge a clear national direction."
"(Abdullah) does not have the minimal credibility needed to run the country day by day, let alone to take it in the new directions we need to go in a complex world," he said. "This dangerous situation cannot continue."
Razaleigh said the coalition's by-election campaign, which was criticised for its racial overtones and focus on sodomy allegations against Anwar, has "embarrassed and divided the nation with its ugliness."
"It is time to face the music: it is we who have been buried," he said.
Razaleigh plans to challenge Abdullah for the party leadership in December polls, but is likely to fail after the premier silenced calls for his immediate ouster by agreeing to hand over power to his deputy Najib Razak in 2010.
Abdullah's main critic, former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, has also called for the resignation of his successor after relations between the two soured in 2006.
Mahathir's son Mukhriz, another senior UMNO figure who is vying for the top spot in the party's influential youth wing, also called for Abdullah's immediate resignation.
"I think Abdullah should strongly consider for all our sakes, to step down now," he told AFP.
"This is a second time that the Malaysian people have given a clear message, with the first at the general elections. It is a rejection of the present leader and he must leave now."

wake up umno members

tunku : every time there is a call for pak lah to resign, they will be "yes sir" type of ministers backing him up and the people who call it will be bashed upside down. till when they need time to get signal from the public. 8th march first signal, 26th august second signal and please don't wait for third signal as umno and bn might end up six foot under.

Dr M: Malaysia lacks good decision-making

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 26,2008) : Malaysia is lacking in good decision-making because it fails to anticipate the problems of the future.
Former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said to achieve Vision 2020, "we must anticipate the problems we may face in the future and be ready to make decisions to counter them".
Dr Mahathir, who introduced Vision 2020 to Malaysia, said the world is going through price hikes in fuel, food, aluminium and steel and Malaysia now needs to be able to handle the high-cost situation.
"Our people are used to very low cost of living, services and food and they are not prepared to face a high cost of living. I think we need to learn from countries with a high cost of living -- how do they survive, how do they prosper and how to be competitive," he said, at the Futurist forum 2008 entitled "Mindset: A framework to anticipate the future" today. "If we do not do that, then I think we cannot achieve Vision 2020."
Addressing questions from participants on Malaysia's incompetency, Dr Mahathir said: "Malaysia is the most planned country in the world. But people do not follow the plans prepared for them. If people had followed the plans, we would have been a developed country by now." He said every plan has to have an implementation strategy, without which the plan is useless. "Fortunate for Malaysia, we do have an implementation unit and the Economic Planning Unit," he said.
Dr Mahathir said planning for people is much more difficult because people resent others telling them what to do or how to think.
"I have spent 22 years trying to change the mindset of the Malays, for example, and I must admit that I have failed in that, but people won't give any more time."
Among other issues, Dr Mahathir also said the education system had become very politicised. He said the people's mentality has not changed, they want different kinds of education system because they want to preserve their own languages, they want more emphasis in religious education and so on. He said the people like to blame politicians but the politicians are complying with the people's wishes.
Dr Mahathir also said national intergration is difficult to achieve because politicians are bringing out sensitive issues which create more division amongst the people. "People think for a multiracial country, we are doing rather well but even then we need to be extremely careful," he added.

ACA to talk to Nalla about RM60mil claim

KUALA LUMPUR: The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) will definitely talk to Datuk S. Nallakaruppan about his allegation during a ceramah in Permatang Pauh that he had given his former ally Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim RM60mil from Magnum Corporation.
ACA deputy director-general (I) Datuk Abu Kassim Mohamad said a formal report was not necessary for the agency to initiate investigations.
“There have been lots of cases where we found elements of corruption and we talked to those who made the allegations, to get more information before we decide on further action,” he told reporters after closing a course at the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Academy yesterday.
On the Opposition’s claim that the corruption charges against two Perak state executive councillors and a former PKR state assemblyman on Monday was a case of victimisation as the ACA was slow to respond to corruption reports they made against Barisan Nasional members, Abu Kassim said the agency was able to act fast in the former case because it had all the facts and evidence “red-handed”.
“(Caught) red-handed cases are much easier (to prosecute) than those that are complicated, involve many documents and past payments, and require many witnesses, taking more time,” he said.
The two Perak exco members – Changkat Jering assemblyman Kapt (Rtd) Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu and Behrang assemblyman Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi, former Bota assemblymen Usaili Alias and two others were slapped with 16 charges in connection with the development of a piece of land in Seri Iskandar.
tunku : we want ACA to give full priority to this allegations by nalla. what about ezam's claims that anwar had given 15 projects worth 15billions to his cronies? ACA should investigate that too.

The Final Nail In UMNO's Coffin - Najib Can Kiss Good-Bye To Premiership - If UMNO Members Fail to Dethrone The Trinity of Power "The Father, The Son,

by Matthias Chang
Tuesday, 26 August 2008

As expected, Anwar won the Permatang Pauh By-Election. The larger margin of victory is significant as in any By-Elections the ruling party has a decisive advantage as it can marshal the entire government machinery and the mass media to bully the opposition. Yet, the Barisan Nasional failed to roll back the support of the rakyat for the opposition.
Every dirty trick was employed to prevent Anwar Ibrahim from winning but to no avail. On the contrary, each exposé of the clumsy and stupid theatrics angered the electorate further.
Anger against the inept and lame-duck Badawi was the principal cause for the defeat of the Barisan Nasional.
That this by-election is the final warning to Badawi and his family to pack their bags and get out is evident from the sentiments of the non-Malay voters who have made known their views soon after Wan Azizah vacated the seat for her husband.
I had in my article dated 3rd August 2008 which was posted to my website, warned UMNO and the Barisan Nasional to give a walk-over to Anwar Ibrahim to avoid the embarrassment of defeat and to focus on the UMNO party elections so as to regroup and rejuvenate the party.
However, the idiots and bigots in UMNO chose to ignore my warnings and now they have paid the price for their arrogance and misplaced confidence. They refused to accept the outcome of the March General Elections and the blunt message from the electorate that Badawi and his political dynasty must no longer be allowed to plunder and mismanage the country. Enough is enough!
The Deputy Prime Minister by his cowardice and false humility has allowed the sordid state of affairs to continue thereby giving a false sense of security to Badawi that his “leadership” is still needed albeit until 2010.
Since March 2008, there has been growing anger and frustration against the Badawi dynasty and it is therefore a no-brainer for any UMNO leader to conclude that unless this political cancer is removed and removed quickly, there is no hope for recovery from the General Elections debacle. The people demanded immediate action, but none was taken. UMNO was content to maintain the status quo. There was just too much loot to be taken and shared by the power elites for them to consider the wider welfare of the country and the people.
The leader most responsible for the dereliction of duty in safeguarding UMNO and the Barisan Nasional must be Najib, the Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy President of UMNO.
The people were still willing to give him a chance to make amends and the benefit of doubt as to his credibility and integrity by virtue of him being the son of the second prime minister of Malaysia. But he chose to squander the goodwill and political capital given to him by the rakyat. He opted to be the subservient lackey of the Badawi dynasty and for this he was rewarded by Badawi to be his successor.
The people were aghast that Najib chose to be associated with the tainted and failed Badawi regime rather than breaking free from its clutches and to start anew with a rejuvenated UMNO. The straw that broke the camel’s back was Najib’s aping Saiful’s theatrics that he can prove his integrity by swearing in the name of Allah in a mosque! Whatever may be the truth of Saiful’s allegations against Anwar Ibrahim, the entire episode thus far has been a comedy of errors to put it mildly.
The tape recording of Saiful swearing in a mosque disgusted all but UMNO diehards whose infantile minds are such that even the use of religion is fair game in the quest for power!
And for a seasoned politician like Najib to follow a path laden with mines and booby traps, it can only be a case of desperation and stupidity. It is also an insult to the intelligence of the electorate that they would be so gullible as to accept without more that a person can be deemed innocent by the mere swearing in the name of God in a mosque. Why at this juncture? Why not when the Altantuya case first surfaced? Regardless of his innocence or guilt, this one act of stupidity has done Najib more harm than all his previous inept handling of the situation. I have said so many times before, Najib is his own worst enemy! The same applies to the Badawi family. Najib’s inept handling of the allegations against him has in fact strengthened the perception that his credibility and integrity is no longer warranted and therefore not fit to lead the country.
In the last general elections, the people swung to the opposition because of their hatred and anger for Badawi and his corrupt family and not because they supported the Opposition’s political agenda.
But the victory by the Opposition in Permatang Pauh has indicated that the anger and hatred for Badawi has now morphed into sympathy for the Opposition and the willingness to afford them a chance to prove that they can govern better than the Barisan Nasional.
It will be only a matter of time for this change of perception from being a minority view to that of the mainstream. It can be said without fear of contradiction that Permatang Pauh is a microcosm of the national sentiment.
Let this victory of the Opposition be the final warning to UMNO and the Barisan Nasional.
If you, the leaders of UMNO and the Barisan Nasional fail in your duty to remove Badawi and his family from power and as a result the country plunges into the hell-hole of political chaos, financial ruin and social upheaval, the people will hunt you down and put you on trial to answer for all your crimes. Have no illusions that it will be ugly, for you deserve no better than to be tried as common criminals.
Let me say it here and now, loud and clear:
Tengku Razaleigh, Tan Sri Muhyiddin and Dato Rais Yatim and members of the UMNO Supreme Council, heed the call of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad to save UMNO.
Unite and save UMNO and the Barisan Nasional. Take on Badawi and Najib and rescue the country from the jaws of failure or be dumped into the Badawi cesspool of corruption, abuse of power and decadence by the rakyat of Malaysia.
This is the choice each one of you has to make.
There will be no second chance. It is now or never!

tunku : it's now or never or else umno and bn will be gone and for them to make a comeback need at least another 10-15years.i hope pak lah die hard supporters will realize the reality and facts than just defending their boss and ignoring the reality and facts.

Anwar gets BIGGER majority

9.50pm: Official EC tally - Anwar got 31,195 votes, Arif Shah, 15,524, Hanafi, 92. Anwar won with a majority of 15,671.
Anwar's wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, won the seat with a 13,388 majority at the March 8 general elections.
The official voter turnout was 81.1 percent, or 47,410 out of 58,459 registered voters - which was much higher than what the EC had stated earlier. There were 599 spoilt votes.
The turnout is slightly higher than March 8 - 12 votes more, to be exact.
Meanwhile, outside the main counting centre Tuanku Bainun Teaching Institute, thousands of jubilant PKR supporters had gathered to embrace their leader's return to Parliament.
PKR vice-president Azmin Ali was there to address the crowd numbering some 10,000. Other party leaders like R Sivarasa and Tian Chua were also there.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang and PAS' Husam Musa were also there.
Anwar also addressed the ecstatic group of supporters, thanking voters for their support. Tian said that the overwhelming victory showed that "the prime minister's racial politics is bankrupt".
The EC made the official announcement at 10.05pm. Only Anwar and Hanafi were present at the announcement. Also present was Wan Azizah.
After the announcement was made, Anwar said that he was touched by the victory.
The victor immediately went to meet his supporters after that.


tunku : now who is buried in permatang pauh ? remember what kj had said earlier. to me anwar's winning by a majority of more than 10000 is a slap on umno's leadership. they had failed miserably. pak lah has to go asap if umno and bn is to survive for the coming GE. as for anwar, he is a very lucky man, even a moron and guilty person like him can win big. people are just fed up with the current leadership and no matter what pak lah tries now, he fails to impress them.did ezam bring any good to umno? i thing ezam did more harm to umno.

Unofficial: Anwar gets BIGGER majority

8pm: Unofficial results: Anwar Ibrahim win with a majority of 16,210 votes. He garnered 26,646 votes while Arif Shah Omar Shah got 10,436.
Anwar's wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, won the seat with a 13,400 majority at the March 8 general elections.
However, PKR unofficial results - Anwar wins with a majority of 17,652, obtaining 31,949 votes. BN's Arif Shah garnered 14,297 while Akim's Hanafi Hamat got 74. Hanafi to lose his RM15,000 deposit. But this figure would mean 46,320 voters cast their ballots instead of the EC's 38,144.
9.12pm: Official EC result: With 11 more boxes to go, Anwar has won the by-election with a 14,551 majority. He garnered 27,977 votes while BN's Arif Shah obtained 13,426 while Akim's Hanafi Hamat got 85.

PKR claims victory before vote counting starts.(updated)

Anwar won 61% of vote: PKR exit polls

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's PKR said today its exit polls indicate he has won 61 percent of the votes in a by-election expected to return him to parliament.
"From our exit poll figures and what we are tracking, Anwar is safely leading in the polls and... I think that it is right to say about 61 percent," said Sivarasa Rasiah, PKR vice-president.
Sivarasa said that Anwar's opponent from the Barisan Nasional coalition, Arif Shah Omar Shah, had garnered about 39 percent of the vote.
EC secretary said , 53% voters turnout as at 3pm.
According to BN officials, they believe Arif Shah will win by slim majority judging from their exit polls figures. The poll stations will close at 5pm and soon after that the counting starts.We can expect the official result at 9pm.
At 4.35pm Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is understood to have left Penang to Kuala Lumpur, an early indication that the premier has accepted defeat and has no reason to stay back
7.20pm: Unofficial results so far: Anwar 5,855; Arif Shah 1,910
7.25pm: There are signs of significant swing to PKR despite the lower turnout. In the state constituency of Penanti, which PKR won at the March 8 general elections, the party has bagged the sole polling station, Telok Wang, it failed to win five months ago.
March 8 result: BN - 261 votes, PKR - 227
Aug 26 result: BN - 232 votes, PKR - 260
7.43pm The EC starts to announce official results as per the ballot boxes it has counted. As it stands, Anwar is leading by 3,507 votes (or 48.11 percent).
The breakdown is as follows: Akim's Hanafi Hamat (nine votes), Anwar (5,398 votes) and Arif Shah (1,891).
So far 20 ballot boxes of a total of 111 have been opened and counted. Anwar had won in ALL these 20 boxes. In one particular box, he had obtained 441 votes compared to Arif's 14.
8pm Anwar leading by 14000 votes

Economist: Hard for Anwar to form government by Sept 16

KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Rakyat’s aim to form a government by Sept 16 will not happen even if PKR de-facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wins the Permatang Pauh by-election, says a political economist.
Universiti Malaya’s Dr Terence Gomez said it would be difficult for Pakatan Rakyat to convince 30 Barisan Nasional MPs to cross over, which is the number the coalition needed to form a government.
“The number is just too big and it will take a lot to convince Sabah and Sarawak MPs to cross over especially when they have vouched their support for Barisan Nasional,” he told reporters after speaking at the “Political Change in Malaysia? A Review of the 2008 General Elections” forum organised by Universiti Malaya’s International Institute of Public Policy and Management.
Both Dr Gomez and fellow panellist and John Hopkins University’s assistant professor Dr. Bridget Welsh said Anwar would win the by-election but with a reduced majority.
Dr Welsh, who went to Permatang Pauh last week, said kasar (rough) politics on both sides had left a bad legacy where by-elections were concerned.
Dr Gomez said the country’s changing nature of politics should not be ignored as society was sending a clear message that race-based politics should be done away with.

tunku : i don't see winning permatang pauh in this by election will make him a prime minister on the 16th september as claimed by the great melodrama queen.even if he can get 30 mps, bn just need to get 2-3 mps from the other side to jump which they will get very easily. so we hope anwar stop dreaming for now, and if he really wants to be the pm concentrate in the next GE, not in this by election and concentrate too in his coming court case which might end him up in sungai buloh again.may be he can be the prime minister of the prisoners there.

Sodomy Accusation Exacts A Heavy Toll On Anwar

BUKIT MERTAJAM, Aug 25 (Bernama) -- Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who has been accused of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, appears to be under immense pressure and has tried all kinds of tactics to defend himself on the issue.
Sunday, he used Federal Territory Mosque imam Ramlang Porigi in his campaign for the Permatang Pauh by-election in trying to cast aspersions on the oath taken by Saiful at the same mosque on Aug 15 declaring he was telling the truth (about Anwar sodomising him).
Federal Territory Mufti Datuk Wan Zahidi Wan Teh Monday said the imam, who was a witness at the swearing, had no locus standi to comment about it as he was merely a low-ranked mosque official.
Prior to this, copies of a medical report from the Pusrawi Hospital in Kuala Lumpur pertaining to a sodomy examination done on Saiful, 23, which alleged no sodomy had taken place, was widely circulated during the campaigning.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican Monday said the people should not make their own conclusions based on the findings of the report as it was inconclusive and not done by a medical expert.
On Saturday, the hospital's general manager Wan Mahmood Wan Yaakob said it was not responsible for the report circulating in Permatang Pauh.
In fact, Anwar, immediately after Saiful lodged a police report on the sodomy incident on June 28, fled to the Turkish ambassador's residence in Kuala Lumpur claiming his life was under threat.
June 29: Anwar's wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail says Anwar sought refuge there because of threats to his life.
June 30: After 26 hours at the ambassador's residence, Anwar returns home accompanied by his family at 6.45pm.
July 9: Anwar complaints to the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Affairs Department (Jawi) that he had been slandered by his former aide.
July 14: Anwar fails to appear at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters as he had promised to give a statement on the sodomy allegation against him.
July 16: Anwar is arrested under Section 377A of the Penal Code for investigations into the sodomy allegation and remanded for a day. He is also brought to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital for medical examination.
July 17: Anwar is freed on police bail after police record his statement.
July 31: Wan Azizah resigns as MP of Permatang Pauh to pave the way for Anwar to contest the seat.
Aug 7 : Anwar pleads not guilty in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to sodomising Saiful and is freed on personal bail of RM20,000 without surety.
Anwar is alleged to have sodomised his former aide between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26 at Unit 11-5-1, Desa Damansara Condominium, Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.
If convicted, he can be jailed up to 20 years.
Aug 16: Anwar offers himself to contest the Permatang Pauh by-election on Aug 26. He is challenged by Barisan Nasional's Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah and Hanafi Mamat of Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia.

tunku : even a blind person knows it but those who are fooled by anwar can't see it.he will still wins the permatang pauh's seat come tomorrow because the people there blindly supports him and do not want to seek for truth.anyway, let anwar be in the parliament as more of his scandals can be brought up in parliament. but 16th of september anwar to be the prime minister....no way.

Victory In Permatang Pauh Will Not Get Opposition Anywhere

BUKIT MERTAJAM, Aug 25 (Bernama) -- Voters in Permatang Pauh should not place too much hope in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim becoming the country's next prime minister if he wins the by-election Tuesday.
This is because it will not change the position in Parliament, with Pakatan Rakyat still having 81 seats, Barisan Nasional (BN) 140 and an independent having the other seat.
It would not get the opposition pact anywhere and would also not be a threat to the ruling government, according to some political observers.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had even regarded Anwar's "sweet offerings" that with victory tomorrow, he would not only be able to return to mainstream politics but also pave the way for the opposition to take control of Putrajaya, as desperate and unrealistic.
"By winning Permatang Pauh, will he be able to form the next government as he needs 31 more MPs to cross over to the opposition?" he asked.
Najib said that as the BN Whip in Parliament, he knew the BN members well and was confident that they would not trade their honour just to fulfil Anwar's political dream.
In fact, several Sarawak and Sabah elected representatives, including BN Backbencher Club chairman Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, had been campaigning in Permatang Pauh, while Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman had assured that no political leaders from both states would cross over to Anwar's side.
Meanwhile, Prof Amir Hussin Baharuddin from Universiti Sains Malaysia regarded claims that Anwar's victory tomorrow would be a good chance for Pakatan Rakyat to head for Putrajaya as an attempt to fish for sympathy votes.
"It is not as easy as envisaged by the Pakatan Rakyat leaders, that if Anwar wins, he can enter Parliament and after that some BN MPs would join the opposition to form the next government," said the political observer.
According to him, an elected representative who really believed in democracy would contest the seat again to obtain a new mandate if he crossed over to another party.
"The people had chosen the candidate concerned based on the party he represented then and they would have to wait another five years to choose a new candidate.
"Elected representatives who simply hop to another party have reneged on the people's trust in them," he said.
Former PKR vice-president Datin Saidatul Badru Tun Said Keruak regarded Anwar's attempts to get BN MPs to cross over to the opposition to realise his ambition of becoming prime minister after Sept 16 as a form of bribery.
To the voters of Permatang Pauh, she had this to say: "There's no need to pity Anwar. There's nothing to pity him about for he is already free (from prison). Don't be fooled because of pity to the extent of selling out your race and religion."

tunku : i am sure anwar is going to win tomorrow unless the permatang pauh voters really open their eyes and can't be fooled easily by this moron. for him to be pm is quite impossible. he is just dreaming. first of all he won't be able to get 31 mps from bn. they won't be moron like anwar to jump into the ship that has no future as the captain might end up in jail next year. anwar as pm will be a disaster to our country. the country will never rest in peace.if anwar gets majority below 10k, it is actually an achievement to BN as anwar had never get less than 10k majority in permatang pauh. waiting 16th september........will this moron change the date again ?