Islamic Banking Can Be Solution To Global Financial Woes, Says Dr Mahathir

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 (Bernama) -- Islamic banking should not be dismissed as a potential solution for the ongoing global financial crisis, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed said today.
He said those who had put in place the current financial system used were in denial and did not want to admit that the system they have been using all these while were wrong and open to abuse.
"They try to patch up here and there with bailouts. But that is not going to solve anything," Dr Mahathir told reporters at the Fourth International Convention on Takaful and Retakaful here.
"So in the process of trying to solve the problem, don't dismiss any idea including Islamic banking. Maybe not the whole Islamic banking, but elements of it can contribute towards stabilising the banking system of the world," he said.
Asked if he thought that if bodies like United Nations are seeing a need for change by setting up a high-level task force to examine possible reforms of the global financial system, Dr Mahathir said: "There is a political element there."
Earlier in his keynote address, he said two Malaysians were picked to join the high-level task force, with one of them being the Central Bank governor and another a critic of the government. "They pick a person whom is against the government. If they want to do something, they already have an agenda," Dr Mahathir.
"They must find a person who is against the government they don't like and he is the one who is going to advise them. And he is going to be wrong because he has never done anything positive... he's merely a critic and to be a critic is very easy," he said.
Bank Negara Malaysia governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz and Malaysian economist Jomo Kwame Sundaram have been appointed members of the UN's Commission of Experts on Reforms of the International Monetary and Financial System.
Asked if he thought the RM7 billion stimulus package announced by the government was enough to stimulate economic growth during these trying times, Dr Mahathir said "It may contribute to something, but it is like a patchwork kind of treatment." "You have a headache because you are sick, and you just treat the headache. That is not good enough. You have to treat the whole body," he said. "So this RM7 billion Panadol given may solve the headache, but there are other parts of the body that are going to be very sick." Asked about his thought of the current domestic economic situation and if it could withstand the global recession, Dr Mahathir said Malaysia as a trading nation would be affected. "To say that we can withstand the effects of this terrible recession is wrong. There must be an impact because we are a trading nation," he said. "We have to sit down and think what has gone wrong with the rest of the world and how does it affect us. We exist by selling things to 200 different countries. That's how we built our economy, in trade. If our trading partners are not doing well, we cannot very well do well," he added.

tunku : they should not have appointed someone like jomo who are an economist but at the same time best buddy of anwar ibrahim and a great supporter of the opposition.jomo was the one who supported anwar's economic policies in 1997 which led the country into economic turmoil.anyway this is the UN who appointed him , so basically they have their own people to appoint, one of the is like param cumarasamy.so jomo is one of their own people too.zeti is exceptional as she is bank negara gabenor.

Backbenchers Club Wants 10 Per Cent Discount Extended Throughout The Day

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 (Bernama) -- The Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club wants the 10 per cent discount given to private car owners using the North-South Expressway and the North-South Central Link to be extended throughout the day, and not just applicable from midnight until 7am, as proposed earlier.
Its chairman, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, said the discount should not just be limited to private cars but also be extended to other types of vehicles, including lorries.
"Why do we need to encourage people to use the highway from midnight until 7 in the morning? Are you saying that it is safer to use the road at midnight than in the daytime?," he asked.
Speaking to reporters at his office in Parliament building here today, Tiong said feedback from the people indicated their disappointment because they felt the government was insincere in giving the discount.
On Tuesday, PLUS Expressways Bhd, the operator of the two highways, announced that users of Class 1 vehicles would enjoy a 10 per cent discount on toll rates for two years, beginning Jan 1.
The company also annnounced a further 10 per cent discount for those travelling on selected days during the festive seasons.

tunku : not only the backbenchers want it extended through out the day but every and each motorist using the highway.if they(plus) really wants to help, give discount through out the day as not many people using it after midnight except for pontianaks.after all plus made profit before tax about RM1 billion.

Mukhriz Not Keen On Holding Government Post

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 (Bernama) -- Umno Youth chief candidate Datuk Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir is firm in his stand not to hold any post in the government if elected the movement's head in the party elections in March.
He said the reason being was that he wanted to focus on restoring the people's confidence in Umno and the Barisan Nasional (BN).
"I have announced before that if given the mandate to be the Umno Youth chief, I'm not keen on holding any government post because the political work to be done within four years of the 13th general election is crucial and I don't want my focus on party work, which I think is more important, to be diverted by official government duties," he told a press conference after a briefing on the Malaysian Franchise Award 2008 here Thursday.
He is chairman of the Malaysian Franchise Association.
On money politics, Mukhriz said the election process in Umno should strengthen the party.

tunku : if everyone thinks that way then umno would be very lucky.i guess at this point of time umno needs leaders who will sacrifice their total commitments to the party as it is in bad shape at the moment especially for ketua pemuda, he will definitely need to give his full commitments to the youth wing, to get the youth support for the party, to transform the party from the ground.

RAZAK BAGINDA'S PRESS STATEMENT

Abdul Razak: Najib not involved
Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is not involved in the Altantuya murder case, claimed former political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda today.
Speaking to the media for the first time since his acquittal from the case on Oct 31, Abdul Razak said that neither Najib nor his wife, Rosmah Mansor, had met Altantuya.
"I know that Najib and his wife had never met the deceased, Altantuya. So much 'fitnah' (lies) have been thrown towards the DPM and his wife.
"Those who have spread such lies can never produce any authentic evidence because there are none."
He also said that Altantuya was never involved in any arms deal as was mentioned by various quarters for the reason of her killing.
The former Najib aide said that the arms deal took place in 2002, and he met Altantuya two years after that.
He added that he could do nothing about the public perception on the matter, urging everyone to stop linking Najib and Rosmah to the murder.
Abdul Razak also said that Najib would make a good prime minister.
The political analyst was originally charged with abetting with two elite police officers to murder Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu in November 2006.
Surprise acquittal
He was however acquitted without having to enter defence on Oct 31. The other two will have their defence heard next year when the trial continues.
Abdul Razak's acquittal came as a shock to many observers as the prosecution had claimed to have a strong case against him.
Claims of alleged political interference in the case grew stronger when the prosecution did not appeal against the acquittal.
In his 50-minute long press conference held at Hotel Maya in Kuala Lumpur this morning, Abdul Razak blamed bloggers and opinion makers in creating a negative impression on the case.
He also said that he planned to finish his doctoral degree in international relations at Oxford University.
The press conference was also attended by his father and brother. Both his wife and daughter were not there.
Abdul Razak is a known confidante of Najib, having worked on government arms procurement projects while the latter was defence minister.
He was to have held a press conference on Nov 6 but it was cancelled at the last minute.

Gua Musang nomination goes to go Dr Khir, not Khairy

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno has given the disputed nomination from the Gua Musang division to Datuk Seri Dr Khir Toyo and not Khairy Jamaluddin.
The Umno Youth secretary Datuk Abd Rahman Dahalan said in a statement that the Umno management committee had made the decision two days ago to accept the Kelantan Umno liaison committee’s decision to recognise the Oct 23 Youth meeting and not the Oct 25 one.
On Oct 23, Gua Musang picked Dr Khir as its choice for the Umno Youth chief post.
However, the Gua Musang division chief Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah declared that meeting was invalid and ordered that it should be re-convened. The Oct 25 meeting picked Khairy for the Youth top post.
Another disputed nomination is from the Gelang Patah division. In its Oct 11 Youth division meeting, it had picked Khairy for the movement’s top post.
However the following week, nine of the division’s Youth exco membes said they were not happy with the manner the meeting was conducted and threatened to resign unless there was a new meeting re-convened.
Abd Rahman said the Umno headquarters held a tribunal at 2pm Wednesday on the Gelang Patah issue and called the state liaison, the Johor Youth and the Gelang Patah Youth to discuss the appeal.
As for the Labuan Youth, the Umno management committee decided that a new meeting should be re-convened on Nov 29 which would be handled by the Umno headquarters and Federal Territories state liaison committee.
Umno has also directed three Umno branches in Seremban to reconvene their meetings but added that this would not have any effect on the Youth division meeting and its nominations.
Abd Rahman said he hoped that those divisions and branches which would have to hold new meetings would do so in an orderly manner in a family atmosphere so that there would be no repeat of controversies.

tunku : the umno disciplinary committee should investigates thoroughly what went wrong in gua musang and few other divisions which had similar case like gua musang. sometimes its dr khir and sometime its kj, what's cooking?

Dr M to name Umno members involved in money politics

PUTRAJAYA: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has promised to name Umno members implicated in money politics on his influential blog www.chedet.com.
He said he was willing to be sued for defamation and even risk arrest by the authorities because he was not afraid to expose the truth and the identities of such errant members.
“I can’t do anything about the complaints except to hand these over to the Umno disciplinary committee. I will put these names up in my blog.
“I am not afraid of being sued for libel or being arrested by the police. If they can release (blogger and Malaysia Today editor) Raja Petra Kamarudin, won’t they also be able to release me as well?” he said Wednesday in his dialogue with a group of Umno members and leaders, ex-ministers and Malay student groups at the Perdana Leadership Foundation here.
Earlier, an Umno member from the Parit division had complained of money politics in his area and had asked for Dr Mahathir to look into the list of names of those implicated in the division.
“Thank you for lodging a report. I hope there will be more who will come forward to lodge such reports,” he said. Earlier, in his speech, Dr Mahathir said voters would continue to reject Umno or the Barisan Nasional coalition if its new leader continues with the present policies and does not come down hard on corruption and money politics.
“Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has mentioned that he will continue with the teachings of Islam Hadhari. This is not a good sign as it shows that the transition is only in the person, and not in terms of policies.
“The voters did not like the policies that were put into place by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, so they will still reject Umno. So, there is no point in having such a transition,” he said.
Najib had recently pledged to continue promoting Islam Hadhari (Civilisational Islam) when he takes over as Prime Minister, saying that he was a great believer in the concept which was introduced by Abdullah.
Dr Mahathir said at a time when Umno needed a courageous leader to get rid of problems plaguing the party, Najib was merely trying to protect Abdullah’s “face”.
“We have to think whether the person taking over from the Prime Minister will get rid of all those in Umno who are now involved in corruption.
“If he is biased and there won’t be any cleaning up, the rakyat will reject the party. If they end up choosing the Opposition party, that will present us with a dilemma because their leadership is not convincing,” he said.

tunku : umno really needs to be cleaned up.get rid from the corrupted leaders. the new leaders should be their own man and not merely bringing someone else policies espcially the current policies which has been rejected by many.hope to see those name mentioned by tun soon.

Ka Chuan Hands Letter Of Resignation As Minister To MCA President

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan has handed in his letter of resignation as housing and local government minister to MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, an aide to Ka Chuan said Wednesday.
The source said Ka Chuan had submitted an "undated resignation letter" after his defeat in the party elections on Oct 18. Ka Chuan lost to former health minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek in the contest for deputy president.
"Yes, he (Ka Chuan) did submit the resignation letter to Datuk Seri Ong (Tee Keat). That's all I got to say," the aide told Bernama before cutting off the conversation.
It is not immediately known whether Ka Chuan had submitted a resignation letter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi because, by procedure, a minister should address his resignation letter to the prime minister. Abdullah is currently on an official visit to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
Party sources told Bernama that Ka Chuan decided to submit his resignation letter to Tee Keat first for the party president to recommend a replacement for the cabinet position as well as other posts.
In the MCA elections, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung lost in the contest for a post of vice-president while Deputy Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Teng Boon Soon failed to make it to the central committee.
Ka Chuan left for Tehran last Monday on a weeklong official visit and is expected back in Malaysia this weekend. Calls to his mobile phone went unanswered.
It is learnt that Tee Keat has yet to act on Ka Chuan's resignation letter, including informing the prime minister of the matter.
When asked to comment on the matter today, Tee Keat neither confirmed nor denied that Ka Chuan has submitted the letter. He only said: "I have not submitted any list to the prime minister."
Ka Chuan was replaced as Perak MCA chairman by MCA vice-president and Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Kong Cho Ha who is tipped to be recommended for a ministerial position.
Ka Chuan had served as minister for about seven months prior to his defeat to Soi Lek last month.

tunku : for me it's better for mca to let ka chuan continue to be the minister as soi lek does not fit to be a bn minister especially after being a **** star.if soi lek really wants to help mca, then he should concentrate 100% on the party, not with the government.i hope soi lek won't be a minister, he will be liability to bn later.

Government not paying petrol subsidies

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government has stopped paying petrol subsidies since the beginning of this month due to lower global oil prices, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said.
The savings on petrol subsidies next year is expected to be more than RM10bil if oil prices remain stable,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby yesterday.
Shahrir said that at US$65 (RM235) per barrel the Government would not be paying subsidies and that the focus now would be on deciding whether to set a floor price or figuring out a way for the Government to get some income from the sale of petrol.
“Even with petrol retailing at RM2 per litre, we are not paying any subsidy. We have actually arrived at a time when the price can return to RM1.92,” he said.
“In that context, we hope to be able to set a policy to address this when the National Eco­nomic Council meets next. There must be a decision made on what the floor price should be.”
Shahrir said that for six months from September 2001 to February 2002 the Govern­ment had collected taxes from the retail sale of petrol but had stopped that practice since then.
“Earlier announcements of how much the subsidies cost us, even as recent as 2005 or 2006, always included how much we had foregone in terms of taxes.
“We have stopped doing this, however, and just focused on how much subsidy we are paying,” Shahrir said, adding that the Government was now enjoying some revenue due to the difference in the ex-refinery price and the price oil companies sold petrol to station operators.
He added that the revenue being taken now was a form of tax that could max out at 60 sen per litre.
Shahrir also released information on the amount of fuel subsidies paid so far, which have amounted to RM15.57bil as at the end of October.
Fuel subsidies last year cost the Government RM16.18bil.
The fuel subsidies in October amounted to RM610mil, compared with RM2.99bil in May when oil prices peaked at over US$120 (RM432) per barrel.

tunku : so now that government is not paying the subsidy for petrol, we hope the saved money will be spend on the economy. don't stop all the big so called mega projects which bring benefits to the people. with some big activities , at least we will survive from a bad recession next year.the government should really think how to minimize the impact for next year as it will be worst then.the 7 billion stimulus package was a good start and we hope the amount save from the subsidy be used for another stimulus package early next year.our domestic economy need to be strong at least for now.

It's Shahrizat vs Rafidah ??

Shahrizat decision on Thursday?

KUALA LUMPUR: Wanita Umno vice-chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil has decided to contest the movement’s top post in the party elections in March, according to sources.
She is expected to announce her decision this Thursday, thus foiling the transition plan made by Wanita Umno chief Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz to hand over the leadership to Shahrizat in June.
The sources told Bernama that Shahrizat felt that contesting the top post was the best decision for her in view of Rafidah’s insistence to hand over the post to her only in June and rejecting the call by many quarters within the party that the power transfer in Wanita Umno be streamlined with that of the party’s parent body in March.
That month, Umno president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will hand over the two posts to his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
The sources said Shahrizat was also prompted to make the decision by Wanita Umno executive committee (exco) member Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim’s firm stand to contest the vice-chief post, which is now held by Shahrizat.
Kamilia had repeatedly said that she disagreed with the transition plan as it was against the party’s constitution.
“Datuk Kamilia’s firm stand has indeed given Shahrizat no option but to go for the top post. This also makes it easier for her to make a decision,” said the sources.
Shahrizat, according to the sources, had informed the prime minister and deputy prime minister of her decision.
Rafidah had for the first time, announced the transition plan in August this year and the Wanita exco meeting last week decided to support the plan and rejected Shahrizat’s call made a day earlier for the movement’s transition plan to be streamlined with the Umno parent body.
Kamilia did not attend that meeting as she disagreed with the transition plan.
The plan is also seen as illogical by many quarters because if Shahrizat takes over from Rafidah in June accordingly, she will be acting Wanita Umno chief for three years until the next party elections.
Shahrizat, when contacted, said: “Please wait until I announce my decision.”
Meanwhile, Rafidah who is holidaying in Hong Kong, said she would comment on the matter upon her return.
For the Wanita Umno chief post, Rafidah has received 117 nominations and Shahrizat, 73.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who is on an official visit to Uzbekistan, said in Tashkent today that he would be meeting both Wanita leaders upon his return from his trip to two Central Asian countries to resolve the Wanita Umno leadership issue. - Bernama


tunku : shahrizat had to take on rafidah if she wants to survive, she might lose to kamilia for the deputy chief post.again we urge rafidah to go gracefully.people will respect you if you quit this coming march but they will curse you always if you won't.

Mahathir's Economic Recovery Plan Portrays Quality Of Malay Leadership

SHAH ALAM, Nov 17 (Bernama) -- The economic reform adopted by the Bush administration which is similar to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's way of tackling the Asian financial crisis 10 years ago portrays the quality of Malay leadership, says an agency chairman.
Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Felcra) chairman Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman said the economic recovery charted by the former prime minister also showed that the Malay leadership was acknowledged by the world.
Tajuddin said Dr Mahathir chose not to borrow from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or the World Bank and pegged the ringgit against the dollar when the country faced the economic downturn in 1997.
"Dr Mahathir's formula has succeeded and now the Americans are emulating him in finding their way out of the recession," he told reporters after launching a certificate programme in industrial management planning organised by Felcra Bhd, Universiti Teknologi Mara and the International Institute of Plantation Management, here, today.
Tajuddin was commenting on Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim's call for Malays to strengthen their political and economic position so that the other races would stop insulting and ridiculing them.
Rais's views had to be analysed in a broader perspective, said Tajuddin, adding that Malay leaders had to enhance their knowledge to propel the country to greater heights.
"In today's challenging world, we should not be cowed by the economic and political challenges. We can do it," he said.

tunku : any race in this world can excel if they try hard and put 100% effort in their work. actually malays had achieved much since independence, we can't deny that. tun mahathir were verbally attacked by imf,world bank and america during the 97-98 economic crisis but now they are using the same formula that tun had used 10 years ago.

Anwar: Pakatan deal to ensure no erosion of Malay rights

SHAH ALAM: Malays in the five Pakatan Rakyat held states have been told not to fear that their rights would be eroded as the three parties in the coalition have signed an agreement to uphold the rights enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had signed the agreement on Sept 8 as proof that all three parties would uphold Malay rights.
The agreement, he said, clearly stated that the coalition would uphold the principles in the Constitution and protect the rights of bumiputras and uphold the status of Islam as the official religion, Bahasa Malaysia as the national language as well as uphold the status and rights of the Sultans.
“We signed an agreement that cannot be changed by any party so there is no truth to claims that Pakatan Rakyat will take away the rights due to pressure from members within the coalition,” he said during a briefing for religious school teachers in the state that was organised by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) here on Monday.
The four-paragraph letter agreed by the three parties also said that the Opposition leaders rejected narrow-minded race-based politics as it would disrupt the unity and harmony of the community.
Anwar said the people, especially teachers in religious schools, should not fear that Pakatan Rakyat state governments would no longer look at developing Islamic studies in the five states.
He said the people should not be taken in by false accusations hurled at the Pakatan Rakyat states as the governments were working to improve religious education and needed the cooperation of the teachers to implement new programmes.
He also claimed that it was difficult for the state governments to explain such issues to the people as the media would not report accurately the explanations given by Pakatan Rakyat.
He said he had asked the Pakatan Rakyat state governments to be more careful when issues arose and to take the necessary steps to solve the problems so that the media did not have a chance to play up the issues.
Asked if his statement only applied to the mainstream media, Anwar said all media practitioners, including those owned by the Opposition, needed to follow proper journalistic ethics.

tunku : when they need the supports of the malays they will say all three parties would uphold malay rights and when they need the support of non malays than they'll say we will give equal rights, we will abolish nep etc.can we trust snakes like them which changes the skin every now and then? god save us from these type of snakes, very poisonous and dangerous to the multiracial society of ours.

The Son Rises : Mukhriz Mahathir

By Syed Akbar Ali

The UMNO party is in a most peculiar and perhaps even bizarre phase right now. The results of the March 8th General Elections are evidence enough that over the past five years the party has clearly lost touch with reality.
At a recent meeting in his office at the Twin Towers, Tun Dr Mahathir, former party President and Prime Minister for 22 years said that in the next General Elections in 2012 UMNO ‘are going to lose’.
Unless some serious re engineering is done to the way the party is managed and run and especially in the way the party thinks. UMNO is now in the late ‘soon to be prehistoric’ dinosaur phase. The next step is rigor mortis and perhaps a mention in the history books as a ‘50 year’ flash in the pan in the history of Malaysia. This is the reality facing UMNO now. Dr Mahathir is particularly incensed because for 22 years he led the party to uninterrupted victory at the polls.
The party’s derailment is still ongoing. The incumbent has not been nominated for the post of party president. This has opened the path for Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak to be the sole candidate for president. While nominations for posts are closed, the party elections have been postponed from December 2008 to March 2009 – another five months away. That is an extraordinarily long period of time for politicking, mud slinging, exposes and revelations. Get the popcorn, get a comfortable seat and lets watch what happens. I feel the next five months may be potentially more exciting than the past 21 years of UMNO rock and roll.
All eyes are also focused on the contest for the UMNO Youth Chief’s position. Nominations have closed and with 74 nominations the clear front runner is Dato Mukhriz Mahathir, the 44 year old son of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. In 2004, at 40 years of age and in his first outing, Mukhriz won the election for the Umno Youth Exco also by garnering the highest number of votes.
His late start in politics is because his father did not allow any of his children to run for office under his tenure as Prime Minister. After his father’s retirement, Mukhriz’s turbo charged catching up is therefore well deserved.
In 2008 Mukhriz was also elected the Member of Parliament for Jerlun in Kedah. As a rookie MP, Mukhriz is showing credible performances. Since 70% of his constituents in Jerlun are paddy farmers, Mukhriz consistently brings up issues relating to the farmers. The son is claiming his roots in the soil. If he serves his Constituents well Mukhriz will be on very solid ground.
I met up with Mukhriz at Parliament House a few days ago to interview him for my Blog.
To digress a little, among the reasons I left banking many years ago was because I couldn’t stand wearing a tie to work everyday. Its just not Malaysian. (If needed I prefer ready made bowties – much simpler). But the guards at Parliament House insisted that I put on a tie to enter the Dewan area. The British left 50 years ago but they certainly put us in mental bondage. The word tie means exactly that ‘to tie’ something with string. Not too long ago, when the orang putih were uncivilized they did not know how to make buttons. So they used strings to hold up their shirts and trousers. They literally tied their clothes to their bodies. Itu pasal its called a tie. After they learned to use buttons (possibly from the Chinese) the orang putih kept the ‘tie’ as a fashion item. It’s a remnant of their lack of civilization from the time before TV. So why do we need to wear ties in Parliament? We don’t know buttons too?
Back to Mukhriz he looked resplendent in his dark suit, perfectly groomed and speaking crisp English with only minimal accent. Time was short and we got to the interview straight away – not much small talk – which for me was a very good sign, considering he was still a politician.
The Culture of Respect
We first spoke about respect. Perhaps it has died in UMNO. And disrespect is costing UMNO dearly. Mukhriz points out optimistically that showing disrespect is not UMNO culture, which is essentially Malay culture. He points out that the anger or unhappiness felt by many UMNO members at the disrespect shown to Tun Dr Mahathir after he stepped down as party president proves that they do not like this culture.
Mukhriz feels that in Kedah the defining moment was the hijacking of the Kubang Pasu UMNO delegates to deny Dr Mahathir the chance to be a representative at the UMNO Assembly. It was entirely distasteful. Mukhriz calls it “the epitomy of Melayu mudah lupa”.
Mukhriz points out that the only four Parliamentary seats won by UMNO in Kedah namely Alor Setar, Kubang Pasu, Jerlun and Langkawi were all related to Dr Mahathir in one way or another. Alor Setar was Dr Mahathir’s base. Kubang Pasu was his political stronghold. Langakwi was of course Dr Mahathir’s baby and his son was running in Jerlun.
Indeed it was a vote of respect for Dr Mahathir in those four Constituencies. In the rest of Kedah the voters kicked UMNO out. Disrespect could be Jalan Riong culture or Jalan Kejora culture but it is definitely not Malay culture.
Mukhriz says that before this Kubang Pasu delegates were respected and regarded in the UMNO Assemblies. That has now turned to disgust. The Malays cherish respect.
Mukhriz feels that it would be a mistake for anyone in UMNO to show such disrespect to Abdullah Badawi when he eventually leaves the scene. In short quick sentences Mukhriz says, “There is no time for ungratefulness. The party needs to be turned around. There are enemies to fight. The negative culture must go. UMNO must remedy itself quickly”.
He seems to be aware where the sins lie. This is the type of maturity which we cannot see in many of the older party politicos.
To the suggestion that Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and Gerakan should sponsor the building of a monument to Abdullah Badawi as ‘Bapa Demokrasi’ Mukhriz smiled broadly, showing his pearly whites. “There are far better ways to show gratitude” he grinned.
Mending UMNO
Commenting on the impaired status of UMNO he speaks in quick short sentences again: “UMNO can change. UMNO needs a sea change. But our basic principles remain the same. We are a Malay party. We give precedence to Malay issues. But at no time should we infringe upon others. This is not a mutually exclusive proposition. We must combat poverty across the ethnic divide”.
Certainly many ideas are bouncing around in his mind. There appears to be a genuine sense of serving the public. He refers quickly to the Hindraf:
“The Indians need more attention. (Regarding the Hindraf issues) UMNO is not only at fault. MIC have to do their job too. And also MCA. We seriously have to sit down with MIC and talk.”
But not putting the cart before the horse, Mukhriz says it is UMNO that is weakest now. ‘For now we must focus on strengthening UMNO’.
Asked how UMNO and BN can win back the 2/3 majority and the five States lost in 2008 Mukhriz says that “UMNO must revert to the original struggle. That has never changed. UMNO is commited to the people and country (bangsa dan negara). The UMNO issues also represent the issues of the many.”
“There needs to be change. We are not believable unless we have integrity. The general perception is that we are lacking integrity. Looking at Barrack Obama, being black was no barrier, in the end it was his image that counts. He projects integrity, family values and intelligence. If Obama can do it, why not UMNO ?
Grassroots Must Come First
“We are not focused anymore on uplifting the livelihood of the people. We are elitist. We have become an exclusive club and worse – with unbecoming practices especially corruption and abuse of power being the order of the day. The grassroots are the most important. The interests of the people must come first.”
“When the grassroots say something, we ignore it. Then the General Elections captured the feelings of the grassroots. In Johor there were over 100,000 spoilt votes. They were not willing to vote for the Opposition but they wanted to send a message to UMNO. We did not listen to them.”
Asked about his famous quip that the party President Abdullah Badawi’s UMNO speech had ‘nothing new’ Mukhriz says “Everyone was making snide remarks about the President’s speech. But after the speech they all got up and “kissy-kissy” the President. So what is the impression of the people watching the speech? This culture must change. The Perwakilan and the Ministers are all full of praise. What is wrong with a contrarian view? Just to show that there are those in UMNO who can think.”
On the Opposition
The Opposition is still behaving like an Opposition even in the five States that they have won. Often they just say things without maturity and without thinking of the consequences. Yes they should keep the ruling party on its toes but not try to score points at every turn. To them everything becomes a super hot, blown out of proportion issue. And they are making it very difficult to work with them.
It is the job of the Opposition to awaken consciousness. But not ‘at all costs’ – meaning not continuously stirring up controversy and over dramatizing issues. The Sept 16 scare did cost the country a lot of flight capital. Many investors turned jittery and exited the Stock Market because of the uncertainties thrown up by September 16th.
Their Anwar Ibrahim is also a bad joke.
On Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak
Going by the way Dato Najib handled the special stimulus budget he shows promise. He can immerse himself into his job well. A lot rides on Najib. He articulates issues well. Dato Najib has his own way. Najib will be his own man.
On the New Economic Policy
The NEP cannot be past its time because its objectives are not met yet. As long as the objectives are not met, there will be a need for such a policy. The NEP itself is not to be faulted. We have to find a balance between effective Affirmative Action and avoid the subsidy mentality.
Non Malays harp on the negative aspects of the NEP. That the Malays have not graduated. But there are large successes of the NEP like the creation of a large Malay middle class. This has created the basics for political stability. This has come about because of the NEP.
If not for NEP there would not be any meaningful bumiputra entrepreneurship at all. There was no market big enough in Malaysia – the market is too small. The bumiputras would not have been involved in the market. The NEP has provided them access. So the NEP is not past its time. Its implementation can be improved. But there is a lack of political will to make these improvements.
Also we must note that the 30% equity policy was stated in the original NEP. But since 1990 the NEP has been replaced by the National Development Policy which does not explicitly mention the 30%. This is something we have to look into.
Our idea should not be to just create elites. The buying and selling of APs became an industry. The big guys got it big and they kept it to themselves. We need to revamp these aspects of the NEP. The bumi equity programs are a failure. We are targeted to be an industrial nation by 2020 yet we have no bumiputra industrialists. If we can tweak the NEP to compete on a global scale then we can go far.
On Reinventing UMNO Party Elections
Asked if he can support a motion that the tenure of the party president or Prime Minister be restricted to two terms only Mukhriz says “We must understand the need for renewal. Each renewal must be for the good. If a (leader) is good he should stay longer. If he is not the party should replace him. There is no need to restrict his or her tenure”.
But he says UMNO could consider the suggestion that all party members vote to elect the party president. “It is wrong to say that grassroots don’t know better. That only the Perwakilan know better about who should be the leader. We have to give the grassroots a louder voice in UMNO and not wait to hear from them at the General Elections. If all members vote, it will also be a major step to eradicate money politics. Cant bribe 3.2 milllion members.”
On Money Politics and The Nominations for UMNO Youth
Mukhriz is grateful and happy that he received 74 nominations – making him the frontrunner for the Youth Head position. He crossed the line (to qualify) in just three days. “This is reassuring. All is not lost. There is hope for UMNO”. Meaning that a candidate can still have a chance minus money politics. “We need to cut the legs off money politics”.
And Mukhriz is encouraged by the fact that he secured landslide majorities when the ballots were secret. In some Bahagian, even by show of hands he still managed landslide majorities. Obviosuly the grassroots want change.
Is There Such A Thing As Mahathirisim?
No. It is just a ploy. To create a negative label to diminish what has been achieved in this country. My father followed through from Dato Onn, Tuanku Abdul Rahman and Tun Abdul Razak. Throughout the past 52 years we have been building up the momentum. It’s a follow through. Each Prime Minister added his own ideas, they fine tuned the direction. We speeded up the momentum to industrialise and we introduced technology. Basically we opened up to the whole world. Our leaders have been following their predecessors. And we have had achievements like 10 years of 8% economic growth. Political stability, economic growth, prosperity for everyone was good for the country. Phrases like ‘Mahathirism’ are just negative labeling to distract people from all these achievements.
The Role of UMNO Youth
We have to uplift the intellectual thinking and capacity in UMNO Youth. In Permatang Pauh (by elections) we acted like we ruled the place - the ‘storm trooper’ tactics. We should have shown more humility to plead for the votes.
The Youth complain that we do not provide enough training which they can use to reply the Opposition. They feel bad that they are left to their own devices. They want good information, facts, figures and statistics. There is a desperate need to inject new spirit in Pemuda. We have to rehabilitate and upgrade the Pemuda. They are very capable and should be handled as such. Presently it is more superficial. When Hindraf demonstrated – we did not know how to confront the issue intellectually.
“The Hindraf said that UMNO is enemy, that there is ethnic cleansing and so on. Totally bizarre. But no one told us about this group. Even the MIC was taken by surprise”.
Conclusion
Well Mukhriz has received the highest number of nominations for the UMNO Youth post. But will he win the vote? There are five long months to go. Many things are happening on the ground. Mukhriz needs to keep his ears close to the ground over the next five months.
Some observers say that Mukhriz is playing ‘nicey, nicey’ but unfortunately nice guys always finish last. He is not soiling his hands in money politics. Another observer and macho Blogger says, ‘Perhaps he should play dirty too’.
Stay the course Dato Mukhriz. The fact that he received landslide majorities with or without secret balloting is telling. It seems most likely that his ‘nicey, nicey’ image will indeed carry the vote. Time has come for change. To change back to the ideals, the vision and the hard work which was the formula for 49 years of success (53 minus 4).
source : http://syedsoutsidethebox.blogspot.com/

I could win, says Rais

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, who was the last to qualify for the vice-presidential race, believes he can win if money politics did not come into play.
Rais said he qualified only at the 11th hour because he was not involved in buying nominations.
“As you know, I was the last coach at the station. This is because I truly didn’t succumb to the game that most people play,
“I do not have the resources and I do not want to be in that category. I won’t pinpoint anybody because it is not in our culture to do so.
“That is the job for the enforcement people,’’ he said after presenting a keynote address on “Malay Interests in History and Legislation” here yesterday.
The Foreign Minister, who received 26 nominations to make the cut for the VP race, believed there were many in Umno who were ready to shun money politics.
“Money politics (in Umno) is already public knowledge and the sooner it is dealt with, the better.
“I hope something is done quickly.
“I have faith that Umno will become strong again. But if the leaders continue to buy votes, I can say that Umno would lose power in three years,” he said, stressing that if the party did not realise that its credibility was on the rocks, it would collapse.

tunku : i hope rais has the proof otherwise nazri will be mad again and will tell him to shut up,but i don't think nazri will say anything to rais as he will only say it to tun mahathir.coming back to rais , i think he deserve to be one of the vice president.

Bar Council Told To Stay Away From Politics

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 (Bernama) -- The Bar Council should opt to dissolve itself if it wanted to dabble in politics, said Malaysian Muslim lawyers Association president Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang.
He said now the council was acting like an opposition party and was even questioning Bumiputera privileges.
"I advise the council to form a political party if it wants to be active in politics," he said at a law forum on bumiputera rights held at Tun Hussein Onn's Memorial here Sunday.
He also advised Muslim lawyers in the country to be united as Muslims were "under increased pressure" of late.

tunku : the bar council is acting more like a political party than a bar council itself. they should know the different between a bar council and a political party. the problem is when the members of the council are involved in political parties and they had mixed them together. i agree with abu zahar advise that they should form a political party and leave the bar council to those who will guide it to it's real objectives.

Guan Eng wants Penang Gerakan chief to explain Prai Council's financial woes

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng wants state Gerakan chief Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan to explain how the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) went from having RM225 million in its coffers, six years ago, to being insolvent now.
Describing the situation as distressing today, Lim said Dr Teng, a former state executive councillor, must explain the poor state of affairs at the MPSP.
“How could he have allowed the deficit?,” Lim demand ed.
“As the former exco member in charge of local government, Dr Teng must explain. He cannot run away,” Lim insisted.
“He must have the courage and the responsibility to explain this distressing state of affairs,” Lim told reporters after flagging of a charity cyclethon at the Mount Miriam Hospital, here.

tunku : if you want to talk about deficit, the current penang budget by dap is also on deficit.guan eng and dap should stop this accusing job that they have been doing since 8th March 2008. they should move on and bring the state to a greater height.till today nothing much dap had done in penang except giving away donations (bribe) to people which will worsen the state financial. there is no point for a municipal to hold money and do nothing.it is better for them to spend the money for development which will boost the economy.it is sad to see that dap is still acting like opposition in penang.

Wanita Umno challenge: Kamilia dares Shahrizat to a showdown

IPOH: Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim has thrown down the gauntlet to Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.
"She has until March to decide if she is contesting against me for the No 2 post or against Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz for the No 1 post," she said yesterday.
"I have made up my mind. If she (Shahrizat) wants to hold on to the number two post, then she will have to face me."
Kamilia, a Wanita Umno executive committee member, said she had never recognised the transition plan.
"To me, there is no point to bertikam lidah (verbal warfare) over this matter," she said when contacted yesterday.
Asked to comment on the apparent hesitation on Shahrizat's part to take on Rafidah, Kamilia said the former would have to decide for herself.
"If you want to lead, you have to decide for yourself. One must have a reason to lead and I respect the divisions which have nominated me (for the number two post).
"I have paved the way (for an earlier transition) and she (Shahrizat) has until March to make up her mind," said the Kuala Kangsar Wanita Umno division chief. Ironically, Rafidah is the MP for Kuala Kangsar.
She also said she had not been in contact with Rafidah or Shahrizat since the movement's exco meeting on Monday.
"Let both of them decide for themselves. I have not been in contact with them.
"I don't see the need to do so. One must remember, this (transition) is not about individuals, it's about party members," she said.
On Rafidah's insistence to lead the movement until June despite calls for an earlier change in leadership, Kamilia said this was probably due to her personality.
"It's very difficult to say and perhaps due to that particular person's personality," Kamilia said.
Several states, including Malacca and Terengganu, have expressed their support for Shahrizat to contest the movement's top post and take on Rafidah in March next year.

tunku : kamilia is sticking to her decision and now it's for shahrizat to sort it out with rafidah. again we are asking rafidah to let go and not to be so stubborn.go gracefully.

Rafidah’s plan highly unusual and unhealthy, says Napsiah

KUALA LUMPUR: Wanita Umno never had a history of an acting Wanita chief heading the movement for almost a full term, said its permanent chairman Tan Sri Napsiah Omar.
She described Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz’s transition plan to hand over the Wanita chief post to her deputy in June, three months after the March party election, and for the deputy to take over in an acting chief capacity as “highly unusual”.
“I don’t think this is a healthy development. Wouldn’t it be better for Rafidah to stand up, be magnanimous and make the great sacrifice? After all, she has groomed (Datuk Seri) Shahrizat (Abdul Jalil) to take over,” she said when contacted.
While Napsiah noted that Rafidah had desired a no-contest in Wanita UMNO because she wanted to hand over a united Wanita to her deputy, she also felt that this issue was now dividing the women and causing a split among Rafidah and Shahrizat’s supporters.
Under Rafidah’s proposed transition plan, the Wanita chief and deputy post were not to be contested.
It would result in Rafidah defending her seat while Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil will keep her deputy post until June when she takes over the movement’s top post.
Napsiah, a former deputy Wanita chief, pointed out that under the party’s constitution, there was no such thing as negotiation or agreement.
“In this case, the exco member (Datuk) Kamilia (Ibrahim) has purposely not attended the two exco meetings as she did not want to be part of the agreement – which means there is already dissension.
“She’ll act as she wishes, which means she’ll contest against Shahrizat for the deputy post,” she said.
Napsiah noted that the groundswell for Kamilia for the number two spot was growing.
“If Rafidah sticks to her Wanita chief post, where will that leave Shahrizat?” she asked,
In the recently concluded division meetings, both Rafidah and Shahrizat received more than enough nominations to contest the Wanita chief post.
Shahrizat is also eligible to contest for the deputy post, as is Kamilia.

tunku : if rafidah still wants to stick to her plan than let kamilia contest the number two post against shahrizat, i am sure shahrizat will take rafidah on and if shahrizat wins the chief post than where is rafidah going to hide her face.we hope rafidah think it over rationally, after all everyone is saying the same thing, it is just 3 months rafidah,why are you so stubborn?

Umno Veterans Want To Be Wing Of Party

IPOH, Nov 14 (Bernama) -- Umno Malaysia Veterans on Friday approved a resolution seeking its recognition as a wing of the party.
Its chairman, Tan Sri Tajuddin Ali, said the body was a political entity which championed the struggle of the Malays and helped to empower Muslims in the country.
"We urge the Umno Supreme Council not to isolate the veterans but to give us recognition similar to that accorded to the other wings such as Puteri, Youth and Wanita because we also struggle in the name of Umno," he told reporters at the conclusion of the annual general meeting of Umno Malaysia Veterans, here.
At the two-day meeting, Umno Malaysia Veterans proposed the setting up of Umno election committees at the grassroots to conduct the party's election process at that level.
Tajuddin said this was to help overcome various problems faced by the party divisions and branches during their respective meetings.
He also said that among the other resolutions was one asking the party to establish a fund in support of the Utusan Malaysia newspaper because of its boldness in raising the spirit of nationalism of the Malays.
The meeting also passed a resolution seeking the formulation of legislation to prevent youths from being influenced by certain quarters which wanted to see the downfall of Muslims.
"We also proposed that religious education for Muslim students be stepped up from the pre-school to the tertiary level," he said.

tunku : i don't think this is a good idea to include the veterans as a wing of the party.as the members can still be in the main body.the only thing is we hope the veterans will be given a role as advisors to the party.umno should set up an advisory council instead to advise the party.

Mahathir Just Stating A Fact, Says Muhyiddin

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 (Bernama) -- Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was just stating a a fact when he remarked yesterday that the non-Malays could also become Prime Minister, Umno vice president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin said, Thursday.
He said it could also serve as a reminder to the Malays that they would be able to continue to lead the country if they stay strong and united.
"What the Tun has mentioned should not create unnecessary polemic. It was just a caution statement.
"I'm not saying whether I agree or disagree. I'm just saying it is just a matter of fact," he said.
Dr Mahathir's statement was based on facts as the constitution did not spell out that the prime minister must come from a particular race, he told reporters after the opening of the Kuala Lumpur International Trade Forum here.
Asked whether he had no problems having a non-Malay prime minister, Muhyiddin said it would all depend on how the people feel about it and the country's political scenario in many years to come.
On Dr Mahathir's statement that people involved in money politics should be detained under the Internal Security Act, he said: "The Tun said it in jest".
"It could also mean he was disappointed with what is happening in Umno in terms of the campaigns conducted and the practice of using money," he said.
He added: "I don't want to talk much about it because it is embarrassing to reveal the weakness of my party to the extent the media having a heyday reporting bad things about my party."

tunku : at least there are still wise man in umno who could understand.what tun said is right, anyone can be the pm as long as he/she is backed by the majority. in malaysia the malays are the majority , so that answers everything.like what singapore's pm said that in singapore there will only be chinese pm because chinese is the majority group there. so is malaysia with malay the majority group.even muhyiddin admitting there is money politics in umno, why nazri is not after him? selective attack i guess.

Two Perak excos do not have to quit, says MB

IPOH: The two Perak executive councillors who were charged for corruption do not have to vacate their posts because they are not civil servants.
Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said the conduct of the two excos, Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu and Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi, was not subject to the civil servants’ regulations in the General Orders.
“The exco positions are political posts so they are not subject to the General Orders. They (the Orders) only apply to government servants, both state and federal.
“State assemblymen are not civil servants, so they cannot hold public positions if they become assemblymen,” he told reporters after the final day sitting of the Perak State Assembly on Thursday.
Earlier, Nizar was replying to Hamidah Osman (BN-Sungai Rapat) who had questioned whether the Pakatan Rakyat government was practising double standards by allowing the two excos to retain their posts.
Nizar replied that the state held to the principle that the two men were innocent if they had yet to be found guilty by the court.
However, he pointed out that the state did sack Perak Tengah district councillor Zul Hassan after he had admitted to the Perak Religious Department about a sex scandal.
“Based on that admission, the government acted firmly (tegas) to sack him as a Perak Tengah district councillor,” he said.

tunku : this is the standard and value of the pakatan assemblyman. they can be crook, gangster etc, they still angel in the eye of pakatan rakyat.what to say when their boss(nizar) is a gangster too.they are definitely practising double standard.

Nazri Asks Dr Mahathir For Proof

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 (Bernama) -- Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz has asked former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to provide proof that money politics was involved in the race for the Umno deputy presidency.
Nazri said it was not proper for Dr Mahathir to have made such a serious allegation without proof as it could have a negative impact on the candidates vying for the post as well as the party.
"If he (Dr Mahathir) has the proof, he should show it to the party's Disciplinary Board. That's the best thing to do, because he must remember that he's a statesman, so people tend to believe whatever he says," Nazri told reporters at the parliament lobby here today.
He was responding to Dr Mahathir's statement yesterday implying that a candidate had used money to secure enough nominations to enable him to contest the Umno deputy president post in the party elections in March.
Nazri said party delegates should report to the authorities if candidates offered them money to gain support as this could check corruption.
"We should teach those leaders a lesson if they play money politics. Otherwise, we will end up having corrupted leaders who bribe their way to the Cabinet," he added.
Rural and Regional Development Minister Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib who has qualified as one of the three candidates for the Umno deputy presidency, said all quarters should work together in stamping out money politics to ensure a smooth and fair party polls.
"We have about four months more to the party elections, so I hope everyone can play their role to eradicate money politics.
"Candidates, delegates and anyone else should not be creating unsavoury stories or do anything negative so that the delegates are free to make their own choice come March next year," he said.
Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said action would be taken if the party received reports of money politics taking place.


tunku : why only tun mahathir needs to provide proof? what about other leaders who are saying it? even the disciplinary board are saying it.why is nazri after tun mahathir all the time?this hatchet man had learn nothing.he had lied in parliament about the ex judges and now trying to act innocent that he didn't know about it,what a stupid escape explanation from a minister.don't tell us that he had no knowledge of this , even man in streets knows about it, he the minister knows nothing.best for him to resign for being a moron.

IGP to Non-Muslim NGOs: 'Stay out of Muslim matters’

GOMBAK: Non-Muslim Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have been warned against interfering in matters involving Islamic laws or risk facing severe action by police.
Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said this following a string of remarks made by various NGOs in connection with the National Fatwa Council’s edict on tomboys and proposed announcement ruling against yoga exercises.
“NGOs must respect the Fatwa council’s decision on Islamic matters and not interfere in the matter.
“Their actions and comments can cause a lot friction which could lead to fighting,” he said.
Earlier during a seminar in Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia here, Musa said there was no reason for non-Muslims to feel threatened by the council’s fatwa because it was only meant for Muslims.
“I will not hesitate to take stern action against these NGOs if they continue to fan sentiments,” he warned.
Last week, several protesters walked through the city centre denouncing the National Fatwa Council’s decision against tomboys.
The protesters claimed that Muslim women should have the right over how they wanted to express themselves or dress.
The protesters, comprising women from two groups and several men, marched from Jalan Ampang to KLCC, while chanting slogans, carrying banners and distributing pamphlets to passers-by.

tunku : i was waiting for this response since the protest by some of the non muslim ngo group against the fatwa council.i was hoping it will come from the government but it came from the IGP.we hope those groups out there will be sensitive enough as Their actions and comments can cause a lot friction which could lead to fighting.after all the fatwa is for muslim , not for non muslim.so please think before you act foolishly.

Blood Bank Appeals For Blood - Please Donate

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 (Bernama) -- The National Blood Bank is running low in supply and is appealing to the public to donate blood.
It says in a statement here that 400 to 500 bags of blood are needed daily by hospitals in the Klang Valley and a constant supply is vital for surgeries, transplants and treatment of thalasaemia, haemophilia and haemorrhagic dengue patients, among others.
Those intending to donate blood can do so at the blood bank in Jalan Tun Razak on Monday to Wednesday (7.30am to 5pm), Thursday and Friday (7.30am to 8pm) and Saturday (7.30am to 4pm).
They can contact the blood bank at 03-26933888 or fax 03-26980362 or surf its web site at http://www.pdn.gov.my for more information.

Perak MB Prevents Pixman From Photographing Delivery Of Letter Of Demand

IPOH, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin on Wednesday prevented a photographer from Utusan Malaysia from recording the delivery of a letter of demand from a representative of the legal firm, Shafee & Co, to him.
Besides seizing the camera, Mohammad Nizar also instructed the photographer, Mohd Najib Mohd Nor, to erase all pictures taken on the delivery of the letter of demand.
The incident, which was witnessed by reporters covering the Perak State Legislative Assembly sitting, occurred at about 3pm when Mohammad Nizar was having lunch at the dining hall together with several of his senior officers when the representative of the legal firm, Nimal Daud Charles, approached him to hand over the letter.
When Mohd Najib took snapshots of the delivery of the letter, Mohammad Nizar instructed the photographer to get out while asking: "Where are you from? Who are you? Why are you taking my photograph without seeking my permission?"
Mohd Najib agreed to erase the pictures in front of the Menteri Besar after refusing to hand over the memory card.
The Menteri Besar's refusal to accept the letter prompted the representative of the legal firm to hand over the letter of demand at the Menteri Besar's office located at the same building.
A copy of the letter was also delivered to the Chairman of the State Committee on Infrastructure and Public Utility, Energy and Water, and Non-Islamic Affairs, Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham at his office.
The letter of demand asked Mohammad Nizar to make a public apology and retract his statement made to the media earlier which alleged that former Perak menteri besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali was the mastermind that planned the political conspiracy that led to the arrest of two State Executive Councillors by the Anti-Corruption Agency in August.

tunku : i thought he is a mb but he turn out to be a gangster leader. why on earth the reporter can't take his photo? it is in the public place not in nizar's house. don't tell me that the reporters need to ask permission before taking his photo.so arrogant of a pas leader.this is what the freedom that the pakatan is talking about all these while.i wonder if they control the federal what will happen.....

By-election buzz in Kedah

ALOR STAR: Kedah is abuzz with speculation of a possible by-election after Barisan Nasional’s Kuala Nerang assemblyman Datuk Syed Sobri Syed Hashim was declared a bankrupt.
Deputy Registrar Najwa Che Mat declared Syed Sobri a bankrupt at a High Court hearing on Nov 3 as he had failed to settle more than RM100,000 owed to a bank.
Syed Sobri appealed against the decision on Nov 9 and the court fixed Dec 1 for the appeal to be heard.
Barisan sources said the case had been settled to avoid a by-election.
However, there was no confirmation from court officials whether the case had been settled.
State Assembly Speaker Dr Abdul Isa Ismail has submitted a letter to the Election Commission seeking its advice on the matter.
EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman confirmed receiving a letter from the Kedah State Assembly Speaker.
“I have requested my deputy (Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar) to look into it as I am not in the country at the moment,” he said when contacted in Indonesia.
Syed Sobri declined to comment.
Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak said it would be good if the matter was settled.
“We do not have to waste money on a by-election. We can focus our attention on state development,” he said.

tunku : this is what happened when they did not screen a candidate thoroughly before the nominations. only those who are favoured by the "boss" becomes candidates .as for kedah, the bn and umno there need a new leader, the current boss had failed miserably.

A dare to change

When one speaks of Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, chances are the talk will move on to his illustrious father. While Mukhriz, 44, readily admits that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s name had opened doors for him, he staunchly maintains that he is his own man. The stage is now set for him to chart his own role in local politics.
The Boston University graduate and Jerlun MP, who faces outgoing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin and former Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo in the battle for the top Umno Youth post, shares his concerns and plans for Umno, and money politics, with ZAINAL EPI from Malay Mail.


Why are you offering yourself?

It’s about change. It is critical at this moment to redefine Umno’s struggles to ensure that we connect with the Malay electorate; to make the party relevant. Failure to do this will risk us losing the next general election.

What makes you think so?

There is now a great demand for changes to be effected from within the party; to take it back to its original self and to fight for the Malay struggles. We must put Umno back on the path set long before us, from the days of the late Datuk Onn Jaafar and regain the momentum that we have lost.

You are going in to effect these changes?

My offer is not important. What is important is that Umno regains its glorious past, (and remains) the dominant political party in the country. If no one else champions this cause within Umno, to bring back credibility and trust, then I am keen to do so.

You are not alone in offering this change. The other two candidates are offering the same.
Your comments?

I think it is important (for party members) not to look at what one says but at what one does. Deeds speak louder than words. I think everyone makes promises and I think there is no lack of promises people are willing to throw, but some are believable and some are questionable. I believe we have to look at track records, to see whether what we say holds water or not.

And your track record?

When I said I want to play the role of an agent of change, I think people have seen that I have been consistent in voicing out and demanding change. So, the "dare to change" theme of my campaign does not come across as something uncharacteristic of me. That’s how I differentiate myself from the other two candidates.You wanted change and the change has come with party president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi stepping down ....
Much as Datuk Seri Abdullah stepping down represents the change that we want, and I must admit that is something I have been requesting, this does not mean Umno is suddenly becoming relevant again. There is no guarantee the support we have lost will return. That was why I asked for the transition to be expedited, to be brought earlier. We really have no time to lose because the change we seek is going to take time. It’s not going to happen overnight.

How exactly do you plan to do this?

I don’t know whether specific policies need to be reversed, but definitely the confidence of the people, especially that of the Malays, has to be restored. This needs a lot of effort.

You were not in the limelight when your father was prime minister. You were in business.
During that period, did you get any patronage from your father?

I am not the type of person who wants to live under the father’s armpit, meaning that my whole life depends on him. We were not allowed to work with the government when he was Prime Minister, forbidden, that is. So our only option was the private sector. From a very young age, each time we went for holidays, his (Dr Mahathir’s) definition of a good holiday includes paying visits to factories. From a young age, I have seen the workings of factories and after a while, this got programmed into the mind and my interest developed. Better still if someone pays you for the products (you churn out). That was how I got into optic cable manufacturing. It is to meet a need in the country because at that time, all our cables were imported. I was the first to produce it locally.

But to get a government contract for such a big project, surely your father would have had some influence?

I can say for sure that he was not at all involved in making the decision (to accept my proposal). Well, first, we have to understand there was a need for telecommunication infrastructure to be built to meet the demand. No one was doing it at that time, so I was meeting a need.
Secondly, the entity was Telekom Malaysia. It was corporatised, it makes its own decisions, being a public listed company. They made the decision. If I produced a shoddy product, I would have gone nowhere. In fact, it would have been scandalous. I have to admit that having him as my last name has opened doors and I kind of appreciate that, but in the end, if you don’t perform, you won’t achieve anything. I didn’t have it easy. With all due respect to him, my family has had it quite tough during his time.
Civil servants, especially, even if they were fair, may be accused of discrimination against others. To avoid all that, he made it even tougher for us, compared with others. So, we didn’t get a fair chance. Our records speak for themselves during my father’s time. You can ask the seven of us in the family (laughs).

Everyone is talking about money politics in the Umno elections.
Your comments?

I hear all sorts of things but it is not for me to go out there and investigate. Actually, this is a very critical issue, in fact more critical than what I have said earlier. If we don’t resolve the evil of money politics, there is really no point talking about vision, mission and what not. Everything goes down the drain.
The perception is that our leaders in Umno are chosen because of how much they pay out. We know our leaders assume high posts in the government. If they get there and people perceive them to be such (vote-buying) leaders, whether it’s true or not, then there is no integrity. We have to show example, and lead by example.
I feel anxious and tense about this issue because at this particular moment, it is tough enough to gain people’s confidence but before that, we must gain their respect, and yet, we can’t even get pass this one (money politics) yet. Why? We have to do lots of spring cleaning before we start working on other issues. It’s an in-house problem. At this particular moment, I wish we can turn the tide by showing the rakyat that we are dead serious about fighting money politics. Unfortunately, we do not see this happening. I think we need some shock treatment right now. We are in cardiac arrest, we need to be given a jolt, either the party disciplinary committee or Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) has to wake us up from our slumber.
Whatever it takes, even without reports, the ACA should come in. There is no point waiting till after the election to take action.

You are deemed to be the cleanest candidate. You do not even buy drinks or give petrol money.
How do you then cope with money politics?

People called me up and told me about money politics taking place. I told them to put up their reports and submit them. That, in itself, is action.
I feel that we cannot keep going after the small fry, it is important to catch the sharks. I have seen it with my own eyes in the past. The atmosphere was akin to a feeding frenzy the three days before the last divisional meeting. When you walked into a hotel room, it was like diving into shark infested waters, really scary. I hope the ACA can station its men in all hotels for the Umno elections.

Your advice to party members?

In order to champion this cause, we must rid ourselves of money politics and I am willing to lose this contest just to make that point. I am willing to sacrifice anything and everything for Umno. In fact, I believe my father leaving the party was his own way of doing the same. He didn’t help me much by leaving the party. In fact, he has hurt my chances, but I think the message is clear. I am willing to sacrifice for the party, to fight money politics, even if it means losing the battle for Youth chief.

Dr M: Money politics will ruin Umno in GE

Former Umno president Dr Mahathir Mohamad forewarned Umno leaders involved with money politics - that they are compromising the party’s chances in the next general election.
"Now, the whole country knows that the Umno leaders who would be elected were using money. Come the general election, they will reject them because they are corrupt.
"Not all (are corrupt) but the majority use money. Everyone knows that. So you can be a leader in Umno but it is impossible that the voters will choose you (at the general election)" he said.
He gave this ominous message at a press conference proceeding his keynote address on Bangsa Malaysia in Putrajaya today. The address was part of a series of talks organised by the Perdana Leadership Foundation.
When probed if the quota system he introduced which was making money politics endemic in the party, Mahathir denied it. He argued that it was instituted to curb corruption, however the octogenarian acknowledged that the measure has failed.
Despite the concession, he dismissed direct elections as a solution. For him, the only solution was to charge those who were involved.
He half-jokingly said that perhaps those buying their way to party posts should be detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
"That’s a good way to use ISA. Not to arrest somebody who wrote some nonsense," said Mahathir, a thinly-veiled reference to his one-time ally and popular blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin.
Thumbs up for Muhyiddin
On the first ever three-cornered fight for the Umno deputy presidency, Mahathir quipped that Muhyiddin Yassin was his choice, and took the opportunity to have a dig at Muhammad Muhd Taib.
"I think there is a lot of hanky panky going on. When you know that someone has a bad history is still getting support, I think that bad history has relevance to his support," he said.
Muhyiddin is the favourite, but faces stiff competition from party information chief and supreme council member Muhammad and vice-president Mohd Ali Rustam.
On the Wanita chief position, Mahathir would leave it to the delegates to decide.
"In a way it is good because it is democratic. As long as there is no money involved it is a good idea they should do that," he said.
It is an open secret that Mahathir and incumbent women’s wing chief Rafidah Aziz have fallen apart in recent years. She faces a potential leadership challenge from her long time deputy Sharizat Abdul Jalil.
‘Najib can’t handle economy’
On the economy, Mahathir said that the world was on the verge of a global recession and he was not confident that the prime minister-in-waiting Najib Abdul Razak was up to the challenge.
"I have no confidence in (incoming US president Barack) Obama, and what about Najib? Because this is too big for Najib. Too big for Obama," he said.
Elaborating, Mahathir said that the global economic crisis requires international action to mend the current global financial systems which was open to abuse.
"Unless we change the system, (abuses) are not going to stop. To change the system we need international cooperation. Not just an edict from Washington," he added.

Government's Response Timely In Reducing People's Burden, Says Analyst

PENANG, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- The government's response to the global financial crisis is timely in reducing the burden on the people, according to an economic analyst at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).
Professor Amir Baharuddin said the economy stimulus package of RM7 billion announced recently by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also the Finance Minister, would help many poor Malaysians and also reinforce the private sector's confidence.
He said the stimulus package showed that the government was concerned with the well-being of the country's economy and this boosted confidence among the private sector.
"I believe the Malaysian economy will not fall into recession because our economic fundamentals are still strong and the government has taken early measures to cushion the impact of the world economic meltdown," Amir said when contacted by Bernama.
He cited the example of the RM1.2 billion allocation to build 25,000 units of low and medium-cost houses which was the government's initiative to ensure that more Malaysians, especially those in the lower income group, could own a house.
"Normally, during an economic slowdown, not many in the private sector would dare to venture into building low-cost houses as it would not be profitable to them," Amir said.
"The government has taken the initiative to provide more opportunities for the low income group to have their own houses," he said.
Amir also praised the government's move to lower the petrol price according to the market price to ease the burden on the people, especially those with vehicles.
He said this was also supported by the RM500 million allocation to improve the country's public transport system.
"However, this might not happen overnight and it takes good planning to transform the public transport system into a better one," he added.

tunku : the announcement of the stimulus package alone is not enough to reduce the burden of the people. government must ensure that all the implementation is done fast and fairly. the distribution should be fair.right now we can see the distribution is not fair, only certain people getting the jobs.they must correct this first.we hope the government will pull out from the economic downturn this time.