Wee KS makes riposte to Loke’s claim on cost of Klang Valley rail project

FMT:

Wee makes riposte to Loke’s parry over Klang Valley rail project

Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong rubbishes his predecessor’s claim that cancelling KVDT 2 project would have incurred legal & compensation costs 

PETALING JAYA: Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong has hit back at his predecessor, Loke Siew Fook, continuing the tit for tat between the two over the cost of the Klang Valley Double Tracking (Phase 2) or KVDT 2 project.

Noting that Loke had informed the Cabinet that the project’s estimated cost could be lowered to around RM3 billion to RM3.5 billion if it was re-tendered, Wee asked why the project was then continued at a higher price of RM4.475 billion.

He dismissed Loke’s earlier explanation that there would have been legal and compensation consequences if the contract was cancelled.

Referring to the PH Cabinet meeting minutes of Sept 19, 2018, Wee claimed the then government had made several U-turns on the project’s letter of consent, describing it as a “roller coaster”.

He also said Loke’s argument that PH had successfully lowered the cost of the project by 15% was misleading, arguing that lower costs and narrower job scopes were “two different things”.

“What was found in the KVDT 2 project proposal’s 15% cost reduction was that it was more due to lesser job scopes,” he said in a statement today.

wee maintained that the current PN government’s decision to reopen the tender was made after the input of experts, professionals and companies who had long been involved in railway construction.

He urged Loke to be patient and wait for the project’s open tender decision, guaranteeing that the bidding price will be lower than RM4.475 billion.

“The reality is that PH, which declared they would practise open tenders for project contracts, had failed to do so during their 22-month rule.

“Conversely, Perikatan Nasional managed to conduct open tenders and even directed the KDVT 2 project to be re-tendered on the principle of optimising the use of public funds for this project.”

The project spans 110km, involving two KTM railway tracks – one from Salak South to Seremban and the other from a point between Kuala Lumpur Sentral and Angkasapuri to Port Klang.

Recalcitrant Ayatollah-wannabe won't apologise over his remarks the Bible has been distorted

Malaysiakini:

PAS MP won't apologise over Bible remarks, willing to have dialogue

Pasir Puteh MP Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh has declined to apologise for saying the Christian Bible was distorted (dipesong), stating that they had no right to be offended.

Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh said that Christians have no right to be offended by his claim on the Bible being distorted

However, Zawawi said he was willing to have a harmonious dialogue on the matter.

This came after the Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS) demanded an apology over the "direct insult" to the Christian holy text.

When contacted, Zawawi said there was no need for him to apologise as he was right.

Ayatollah-wannabe is right?

"There is no need to apologise. Why should I?" he told Malaysiakini.

"I don't want to comment, what I said is right. Why should I apologise?" he said.

When told that Christians took offence to his remarks, Zawawi said they have no right to feel that way.

"They have no right to be offended. What I said was not an accusation, but a fact," he added.

Zawawi had made the offending remarks in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday while debating the Road Transport Act amendments bill - which seeks to increase punishment for drink driving.

In his speech, he claimed that all religions forbade the consumption of alcohol.

When Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham, a Christian, corrected him and said it was intoxication that was wrong, Zawawi doubled down and said in Christianity, before the Bible was "distorted", alcohol was not allowed.

"I ask Beruas to really study religious facts including in Christianity, that this (prohibition of alcohol) was a fact in the Bible before it was distorted or changed," he had said.

The PAS MP, who studies comparative religion, claimed to have based his remarks on the scholarly works of Christian priests.

Later on Thursday, Bandar Kuching MP Kelvin Yii cited standing orders in demanding a retraction from Zawawi, but Deputy Speaker Rashid Hasnon asked him to write in his complaint.

ACS chairperson Archbishop Simon Poh in a statement yesterday said the PAS lawmaker's remarks were insulting, and against the spirit of religious freedom enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

"ACS considers such statements from the Pasir Puteh MP as inflammatory and disrespectful to all people of goodwill who seek to live in harmony in Sarawak and in Malaysia.

"ACS respects the right of every person to his or her opinion. When this becomes an insult against religion, ACS strongly rejects such form of religious imposition from the Pasir Puteh MP on Christianity and other religions," Poh said.

He added that Zawawi should retract his remarks and apologise.

Zawawi, in stating that he was ready to have a harmonious dialogue, said that it should be done with Christian MPs in Parliament as this incident occurred in the Dewan Rakyat.

He said the dialogue can be aired live through mass media or TV.





The consumption of wine in Christianity is well documented in the New Testament, and Jesus was said to have turned water into wine. Wine is also widely used in communion rituals.

However, overindulgence that led to drunkenness was viewed as either a sin or a vice.

It was only later during the 19th century that some Protestant denominations took the view that consumption of alcohol should either be avoided or prohibited entirely.

Christians consider Nik Zawawi has DIRECTLY insulted Christians regarding the Bible

MM Online:

Sarawak churches tell PAS MP to apologise, withdraw claims Bible twisted

Association of Churches in Sarawak chairman Archbishop Simon Poh said the association wanted Pasir Puteh MP Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh to tender a public apology to all Christians. ― Picture by Yusof Mat Isa 

KUCHING, Aug 29 — The Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS) has demanded Pasir Puteh MP Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh retract his remarks in Parliament claiming the Bible has been distorted from its original meaning.

ACS chairman Archbishop Simon Poh said the association also wanted the PAS lawmaker to tender a public apology to all Christians.

“His remarks that ‘Kitab Injil ini dipesongkan ataupun diubah’ (The Bible is distorted or changed) have crossed into the boundary of religious sensitivity and are deemed to be an insult to all Christians who hold the Bible as sacred and holy,” Poh said in a statement.

Nik Zawawi uttered the remarks during the debate on the Road Transport (Amendment) Bill 2020 to propose heavier fines for drink driving offenders on August 26.

Poh said the insensitive remarks with a strong allegation against another’s religion should not be allowed to stand without being rectified, calling it a violation of the Federal Constitution and Malaysia Agreement 1963 that guarantee the right of all citizens to religious freedom.

“ACS is committed to inter-racial and religious harmony and to contribute towards nation building through mutual respect and acceptance among people of all races, religions, and status in Sarawak and in our nation Malaysia,” he said.

He stressed that ACS considered Nik Zawawi’s remarks a direct insult against Christians regarding the Bible, which they consider the most sacred text of their faith.

The Christian leader said it was unacceptable that the Islamist party’s leaders were now permanently recorded in Parliament’s Hansard from its proceedings on August 26.

Nik Zawawi’s misrepresentation of the Bible was inflammatory and disrespectful of those seeking to live in peace and harmony both in Sarawak and the rest of Malaysia, he said.

“When this becomes an insult against religion, ACS strongly rejects such a form of religious imposition from the PAS MP on Christianity and other religions,” he said, adding that political leaders are to set the example of civility, and work for harmony for the common good of all people.

He said the association holds the Dewan Rakyat in the highest regard and believes that all issues are to be addressed in a rational and civil manner, but crossing the boundaries into religious insensitivity with insults against sacred texts and teaching of religions was wholly inappropriate.

The PAS elected representative made the remarks to support his claim that all faiths forbade the consumption of liquor.

All's not well in Perikatan Nasional (PN)

MM Online:

Sources: After hitch in talks with Umno, Perikatan to hold off official launch

A public war of words between top Umno and Bersatu leaders have now also threatened the advantage Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had in the Parliament, especially with only four-seat majority — Picture via Facebook/Muhyiddin Yassin 

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 — The long-awaited official launch of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition has been postponed because of stumbling blocks in negotiations between Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and ally Umno, sources have told Malay Mail.

According to the sources that are familiar with the negotiations, Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has scrapped a plan to announce the pact during his visit to Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan this weekend in anticipation of the Sabah state election next month.

“The planned announcement was cancelled. The talks failed,” one source told Malay Mail without elaborating.

This comes just a day after Barisan Nasional (BN) component MIC confirmed on Thursday that it had backtracked from its initial decision to join the PN coalition.

MIC president Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran told Malay Mail that the party’s central working committee decided it will not join PN as BN parties did not join the coalition as it previously thought.

BN secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa later explained on Twitter that MIC would not be able to join another political pact on its own, as it is a component of BN.

A public war of words between top Umno and Bersatu leaders have now also threatened the advantage Muhyiddin had in the Parliament, especially with only four-seat majority.

Malay Mail understands that the deadlock is caused by tense seat negotiations between the parties as Bersatu is trying to accommodate the faction led by Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali that has just joined Bersatu in a ceremony last week after defecting from PKR.

The man from Santubong
Gave me such a BIG dong
I yelped and yelled out
Thus really such a shout
 At his very hot ding a long
😁😁😁

A source who is privy to details in the meetings told Malay Mail that in the latest meeting held on Tuesday at the Parliament administration building, Azmin’s faction, known internally as G-10 for its group of 10 MPs, still cannot find a middle ground on cooperating

Yesterday, Bersatu’s former supreme council member Datuk Rais Hussin took issue with Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin over the latter’s attack on the former’s party, while Umno veteran Tengku Tan Sri Razaleigh Hamzah has also challenged Umno MPs to quit the Cabinet following Bersatu’s proposal to allow non-Bumiputera members.

Rais Hussin - worthwhile for any party to recruit him

Earlier on Friday, both Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who is also BN chairman, and Annuar had once again openly pushed for snap general election in order to realign the political power in the country.

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kt notes:

With Zahid and Pak Hadi proposing a snap election  to "strengthen the government's majority" in parliament, and Ku Li egging UMNO to 'pull out' from the cabinet (because PN will no longer be a Malay Unity government if Bersatu-PPBM accepts non-Malay members, mainly from Ass-binte's faction) I reckon there may be a snap election just around the corner, PROVIDED UMNO does well today in the Slim by-election.

OTOH, if PEJUANG upsets the by-election polling outcome, UMNO will think twice.

But things don't look too bright for the non-Malay Dökkálfar Dwarfs because of Ku Li's reminder to Muhyiddin that if Bersatu were to accept non-Malay members, that will jeopardise the All-Malay PN government.

While I believe Ku Li is not an ultra racist, his seemingly racist words-warning may be a tactic to marginalise and ostracise the treacherous Ass-binte & cohorts from becoming part of a future UMNO-led government.

Well, apart from the backstabbing here and there within PN, wakakaka, UMNO does truly hate Bersatu, seeing Atuk's 2nd created UMNO [III] as the cause of its fall from rule.

Meanwhile, Anwar looks down from Mount Zu, smiling at Ass-binte's quandary and Mahathir's marginalisation from mainstream politics (especially when Atuk's candidate for Slim loses his deposit), wakakaka.

Menteri Quarantine Breaker Totally Unrepentant

MM Online:

Caught breaking Covid-19 quarantine rules, minister says ‘did nothing wrong’ after ‘semi-official trip’ to Turkey

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali is seen at the Parliament August 26, 2020. — Bernama pic 

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Khairuddin Aman Razali has defended his action of breaking the mandatory Covid-19 quarantine after returning from Turkey.

Malaysiakini reported the PAS minister denying any wrongdoing and rejecting the need for him to resign from the Cabinet, saying the issue only involved “an error” over the issue of the standard operating procedures.

“I did not do anything wrong in regard to my job, it only involved an error over the issue of the SOPs,” he was quoted saying.

“I have my own view, but I let the police [to investigate]. The Health Ministry had also issued a statement. For me, it’s solved, although I have my own view.”

The Kuala Nerus MP also confirmed the police recorded his statement as a witness in Bukit Aman yesterday at 8.45pm for two hours, insisting that the event was the first time his statement was recorded and not the second as reported by the media quoting the police.

Statements were also collected from his three family members, he said.

The minister said he told the police he was in Turkey on a “semi-official trip”.

“One reason was for a project negotiation involving Terengganu which had yet to be solved when I took over as minister and the rest was regarding palm oil.

“I have been satisfied from the get-go since I had apologised for the error and said I would return my salaries from the month of March to August to the people,” Khairuddin replied, when asked if he was satisfied with the course of the investigation.

He added it is now more important that he continue working on as usual, and that the issue did not affect work since he is human, and it is normal to make mistakes.

It is understood that Khairuddin met with several key figures in Turkey to negotiate the export of Malaysian palm oil to Greece and the Balkan countries.

Another PAS wannabe ayatollah toks-kok

MM Online:

Church leaders tell PAS MP drinking no sin in Christianity as Bible only condemns drunkenness

Rev Clarence Devadass, director of the Catholic Research Centre in the archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, said the church is not against alcohol per se but abuses that result in harm — Picture by Choo Choy May 

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — Christianity does not forbid liquor but only condemns intoxication and debauchery, church leaders said today in response to a PAS lawmaker who claimed all religions prohibited the consumption of alcohol.

Rev Clarence Devadass, director of the Catholic Research Centre in the archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, said the church is not against alcohol per se but abuses that result in harm.

“In fact, a small amount of wine is integrally used for the celebration of the Catholic Mass.

“The Bible does not forbid the consumption of alcoholic beverages, but drunkenness is clearly condemned and considered sin,” he told Malay Mail when asked to respond to Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh’s claim in Parliament last Wednesday.

The Pasir Puteh MP who professed to have studied comparative religions made the sweeping statement during a debate on drink driving and even told Beruas MP Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham, a Christian, that Jesus Christ forbade the consumption of alcohol but that the Bible was later “manipulated”.

“On the whole, the church teaches that the virtue of temperance or moderation disposes us to avoid every kind of excess, which includes the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco and even medicine.

“Irresponsible actions arising from the abuse of substance incurs grave guilt,” Clarence said.

Likewise, Council of Churches Malaysia general secretary Rev Hermen Shastri said alcohol consumption has been used in civilisations worldwide for religious celebrations and medicinally since long ago.

“It has been used for its medicinal value. In countries with colder climates, it helped people survive winters without heated rooms.

“Additionally, it was also used for religious celebrations and socialising. In the case where most religions frown upon alcohol is due to the susceptibility of abuse and potential addiction,” he said.

Hermen said Christianity only warns against drunkenness and its adherents are reminded to set good examples to others.

“The PAS MP should not impose his views on others. In a diverse society we need governance based on rational thinking and not taking the religious high ground,” he added.

Christian Federation of Malaysia executive secretary Tan Kong Beng who taught theology in a seminary for seven years suggested Islamist party lawmaker Nik Zawawi take another look at what he had studied about Christianity.

“I do not recall whether he quoted any texts to support his claim,” he said of Nik Zawawi, adding that those familiar with Christian scripture would know there were a number of passages about alcohol, but in praise rather than in prohibition.

Tan cited several examples to support his assertion, including Psalms 104, verses 14 to 15 which he said spoke of God’s greatness in creating all things.

“Among the things these verses mention, wine is specifically highlighted, referred to as wine that gladdens hearts. All this we receive from God with thanksgiving,” he said.

Like the other two Christian clerics contacted by Malay Mail, Tan said consuming alcohol was not the problem but overindulgence and cited other passages from the Bible that he said addressed this.

“Of course if we overindulge in wine, it will mock us because we become inebriated, losing our faculties and our rationality. Indeed, Proverbs 20:1 states that overindulgence in wine leads us astray.

“Similarly, Ephesians 5:18 tells us not to get drunk on wine but instead be filled with the Spirit of God,” he said.

Tan also cited 1 Timothy 5:23 which relates how Paul the apostle told his younger colleague Timothy of Lystra who was later made a saint, to stop drinking only water and instead use a little wine when the later complained of stomach ailments and other illnesses.

“So as you can see, wine comes from what God has given to us, and this also applies to alcoholic beverages in general. There is no outright prohibition, just a warning.

“I think it would be better that everyone, Muslim and non-Muslim, come together and learn from each other for the sake of religious harmony. We should learn from one another’s scriptures, as opposed to speaking out of turn and mentioning the religions of others without much knowledge,” Tan said.

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kt notes:

Nik Muhammad Zawawi toks kok - he knows nuts about other religions.

Judaism, Christianity, Taoism, Shintoism, Confucianism, Shenism, etc all allow alcohol - in fact, in most cases, votive offerings of alcoholic brewerages would be part of the religious rituals and ceremonies.

While Buddhism does not prohibit alcohol, like Christianity it cautions against 'heedlessness' ('carelessness' when in a state of drunkenness). In its Pancasila (the 5 Precepts or general rules but not Commandments), its 5th Precept is:

5. Suramerayamajja pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami

[I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness]