Saifuddin Abdullah ACHTUNG ACHTUNG ACHTUNG German navy ships dock in Malaysia

The Star:

German navy ships dock in Malaysia for first time in 22 years

PORT KLANG: Malaysia welcomes the arrival of the German Navy frigate FGS Baden-Württemberg and the combat support ship, FGS Frankfurt am Main, which docked at Port Klang Cruise Terminal (PKCT) here from Oct 15 to 18.

The two German Navy ships are part of the Indo-Pacific Deployment 2024 (IPD24), a military initiative involving naval forces from countries like Japan and Germany, aimed at enhancing security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.

The ships have been navigating the Pacific and Indian Oceans since June 2024, showcasing Germany’s naval capabilities and commitment to maritime security.

During a press tour onboard the Baden-Württemberg, the German ambassador to Malaysia, Dr Peter Blomeyer, highlighted the strong economic engagement between Malaysia and Germany, with over 700 German companies operating in Malaysia.

"Like Malaysia, Germany is a trading nation. These companies not only produce and employ local people, but they also pay taxes and ship their goods back to Germany," he said, reflecting on the robust economic ties between the two countries.

Blomeyer reaffirmed Germany's commitment to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

He underscored Germany's dedication to maintaining the rule of law in international waters, stressing the importance of freedom of navigation (FON) and secure shipping routes from the Indo-Pacific to Europe.

Meanwhile, Baden-Württemberg’s Rear Admiral Helge Risch expressed his pleasure at being in Malaysia and thanked representatives from the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) for their warm welcome.

"It was in 2002 when the last German ship visited Malaysia, which was 22 years ago. But I am pretty sure that this will happen more frequently in the future because it means a lot to us to be welcomed here,” he said.

Risch explained that their visit is part of naval diplomacy, aimed at establishing contact with their Malaysian counterparts.

Do something anything 

North Korea blows up inter-Korean road, rail lines near border

Reuters:

North Korea blows up inter-Korean road, rail lines near border

By Hyunsu Yim and Hyonhee Shin

October 15, 2024

9:00 PM GMT+11, Updated 5 hours ago

Video shows North Korea blowing up inter-Korean roads and rail lines

Summary

• Seoul says North's actions violate past agreements
• North Korea has laid landmines, barriers on border
• North accuses South of sending drones over Pyongyang

SEOUL, Oct 15 (Reuters) - North Korea blew up sections of inter-Korean roads and rail lines on its side of the heavily fortified border between the two Koreas on Tuesday, prompting South Korea's military to fire warning shots.

Pyongyang said last week it would cut off the inter-Korean roads and railways entirely and further fortify the areas on its side of the border as part of its push for a "two-state" system scrapping its longstanding goal of unification.

At around midday on Tuesday, some northern parts of road and rail lines connected to the South were destroyed, the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

Seoul's unification ministry, which handles cross-border affairs, condemned the incident as a clear violation of past inter-Korean agreements, calling it "highly abnormal."

"It is deplorable that North Korea is repeatedly conducting such regressive behaviour," ministry spokesperson Koo Byoung-sam told a briefing.

Tensions mounted after the North last week accused Seoul of sending drones over Pyongyang. North Korea said the drones scattered a "huge number" of anti-North leaflets, and Kim Yo Jong, leader Kim Jong Un's powerful sister, warned on Tuesday that Seoul would "pay a dear price".

South Korea's government has declined to say whether the South Korean military or civilians had flown the alleged drones.

The two Koreas have also clashed over balloons of trash floated since May from North Korea. Pyongyang has said the launches are a response to balloons sent by anti-regime activists in the South.

After Tuesday's demolitions, video released by the South's military showed an explosion and a plume of smoke rising above an area of road where the North had put up a black barrier.

It also showed several dump trucks and earth-movers approaching with a group of North Korean military officials observing and guiding the vehicles.

In response to the blasts, the South's military fired warning shots south of the military demarcation line, although there was no damage on Seoul's side of the border, it said.

Smoke rises after North Korea blows up sections of inter-Korean roads on its side of the border between the two Koreas, according to South Korea's military, as seen from the South Korean side, October 15, 2024, in this screen grab from a handout video. South Korean Defence Ministry/Handout via... 

OLD SIGNS OF RECONCILIATION

Pyongyang has been taking steps to sever inter-Korean ties, redefining the South as a separate, hostile enemy state, since Kim Jong Un declared it a "primary foe" early this year and said unification was no longer possible.

The two Koreas are still technically at war after their 1950-53 war ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.

The cross-border roads and railways are remnants of rapprochement that included a 2018 summit. Seoul has funnelled more than $132 million into rebuilding the links in the form of cheap loans to Pyongyang, unification ministry data showed.

"It was a major inter-Korean cooperation project that was carried out upon the request from the North," said ministry spokesperson Koo, adding Pyongyang was still obliged to repay the loans.

In 2020, the North blew up a joint liaison office set up in a border town after nuclear talks with the United States collapsed.

South Korea filed a lawsuit in 2023 against the North, seeking damages of around 45 billion won ($33 million) from the joint office's demolition.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a press briefing that Beijing was concerned about developments and wanted "to avoid further escalation of the conflict."

The government of South Korea's Gyeonggi Province bordering the North said on Tuesday a special police force would be brought in to crack down on the practice of flying anti-North Korea leaflets from some border areas.

South Korea's constitutional court overturned a ban on such launches last year.

Proponents say leaflet campaigns should be respected as freedom of speech but critics and some lawmakers say police should block them if they threaten lives and safety.

Why are non-Malay political parties tight-lipped on controversial Mufti Bill (FT) 2024?

Focus Malaysia:

Why are non-Malay political parties tight-lipped on controversial Mufti Bill (FT) 2024?

By Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy

IT WOULD be interesting to know the stance of multi-racial political parties such as DAP and PKR on the Mufti Bill (Federal Territories) 2024 which may soon proceed to its second and third readings in Parliament.

Although the legislation is intended for Muslims in the Federal Territories, its long-term effects on non-Muslims in the country cannot be dismissed.

Such legislation raises important questions about whether Malaysia remains a truly multi-religious and multi-ethnic society.

Some Muslim human rights activists and political observers have warned that while the legislation targets Muslims, there is no guarantee it won’t eventually affect non-Muslims.

Unfortunately, both DAP and PKR which adopt the view that the law only impacts Muslims have failed to alert non-Muslims to the potential long-term consequences.

Certain Malay leaders within DAP – perhaps acting as apologists for the bill – argue that the Bill mainly concerns Muslims.

Often viewed as symbolic figures within the party, they have not adequately addressed the broader implications of such legislation.

Some commentators have even suggested that Malaysia’s trajectory toward becoming an Islamic state is becoming clearer with the passage of such laws.

Comparisons with similar legislation in Sabah are overly simplistic and fail to address the complexities of the issue.


Hadi, Dr MAZA oppose Bill

Even PAS president Tan Sri Hadi Awang has called for the Bill to be re-considered, stating that it does not reflect the pluralism of Islam in Malaysia. In echoing his view, vocal Perlis Mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin a.k.a. Dr MAZA argued that the Bill is heavily skewed towards the dominant school of Islamic thought in the country.

While little is expected from PKR on this matter, the silence from the DAP’s core leadership on the Bill’s implications for non-Muslims is troubling.

This has led to accusations that DAP – by prioritising power, positions and perks – has effectively abandoned its non-Muslim constituents.

Some have argued that DAP leadership has fallen into a trap set by UMNO Youth Chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh who warned of the repercussions for questioning Muslim rights in Malaysia.

Lastly, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim – in his bid to appease the Muslim bureaucratic and right-wing forces – may choose to sidestep the issue rather than challenge the appropriateness of the Mufti Bill (FT) 2024.

As I have argued earlier in my writings, Anwar will perform the proverbial role of an eel when it comes to certain controversial matters. – Oct 14, 2024



Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.

Netanyahu tells U.S. that Israel will strike Iranian military, not nuclear or oil, targets, officials say

 

Netanyahu tells U.S. that Israel will strike Iranian military, not nuclear or oil, targets, officials say

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the Biden administration he is willing to strike military rather than oil or nuclear facilities in Iran, according to two officials familiar with the matter, suggesting a more limited counterstrike aimed at preventing a full-scale war.

In the two weeks since Iran’s latest missile barrage on Israel, its second direct attack in six months, the Middle East has braced for Israel’s promised response, fearing the two countries’ decades-long shadow war could explode into a head-on military confrontation. It comes at a politically fraught time for Washington, less than a month before the election, and President Joe Biden has said publicly he would not support an Israeli strike on nuclear-related sites.

When Biden and Netanyahu spoke Wednesday — their first call in more than seven weeks after months of rising tensions between the two men — the prime minister said he was planning to target military infrastructure in Iran, according to a U.S. official and an official familiar with the matter. Like others in this story, they spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive deliberations.

The Israeli prime minister’s office did not reply to a request for comment. The White House had no immediate comment. — WAPO

Our Take: The retaliatory action would be calibrated to avoid the perception of “political interference in the U.S. elections,” the official familiar with the matter said, signaling Netanyahu’s understanding that the scope of the Israeli strike has the potential to reshape the presidential race.

Uh huh. Because Netanyahu knows that once daddy gets home, his afternoon of terrorizing the neighborhood comes to an end.

Let's get real, though: This has very little to do with the White House and their ability to impose themselves on Tel Aviv. This has everything to do with the threats that both Russia and China have issued regarding the targeting of nuclear or oil-related sites in Iran.

In the past year, China has become Iran's #1 oil customer, and Iran has become China's primary supplier. Last week, China also inked a deal with the Crown Prince, becoming the #1 purchaser of Saudi oil, as well.

The Israeli strike on Iran would be carried out before the U.S. elections on Nov. 5, the official familiar with the matter said, because a lack of action could be interpreted by Iran as a sign of weakness. “It will be one in a series of responses,” she said. Zohar Palti, a former intelligence director for Mossad, said Netanyahu would need to balance Washington’s appeals for moderation with the public demand in Israel for an overwhelming response.

A sign of weakness? Hey, newsflash: Israel cannot be defended against Iran's missile technology. If Iran wants to destroy Israel, it has the means to do it, without the use of a nuclear weapon. This has already been demonstrated, with incredible precision. Are we certain the public actually wants more escalation?

Netanyahu knows this, too, which is likely why he was shaking like a frightened milk maid when delivering his public address after Iran's very measured attack.

So what's the play here, guys? Another round of slap-tickle fights?

I think Iran is more than okay with that plan. They have time on their hands, as with each passing day, the world sours more on Israel's aggression toward its neighbors. Just yesterday, video and images circulated showing a refugee tent-city in Gaza that was firebombed by the IDF. Civilians were filmed burning alive in their beds, as Israel's supporters mocked them online. (Truly disgusting behavior that I've witnessed throughout the course of this conflict. Godless hubris.)

First France, and now Spain, has called for a weapons embargo on Israel, until a ceasefire is reached. Over the weekend, Jordan— the Arab neighbor that has protected Israel from missiles and kept it fed with a land-bridge through Saudi Arabia, despite having a population that is two-thirds Palestinian— joined the calls for a weapons embargo.

I expect this trend to continue. Soon, Netanyahu will have succeeded in completely isolating Israel, politically. And that, I suspect, is when Netanyahu will reach his most dangerous form. — GhostofBasedPatrickHenry

MUFTI BILL - LETTER FROM SARAWAK AND SABAH

 

OutSyed The Box

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

MUFTI BILL - LETTER FROM SARAWAK AND SABAH

The controversy around that really useless Mufti Bill still rages on. That Mufti Bill is a historical record of the Third World, cebuk dalam sungai type stupidity that still exists in this country. This is the 21st century and they still wish to control religious beliefs. 

Yesterday I received  the following from a reader (Teo, thank you). It is a JOINT PRESS STATEMENT BY SABAH AND SARAWAK NGOs & OTHERS OPPOSING THE MUFTI BILL.  

Here is the statement. My comments are in blue. I have some concluding remarks as well.

JOINT PRESS STATEMENT BY SABAH AND SARAWAK NGOs & OTHERS OPPOSING THE MUFTI BILL
11 October 2024

The undersigned NGOs and other signatories jointly express their utmost alarm and concern over the continuing federal breaches of MA63 (if valid) and the destruction of MA63 secularism concept.

“We in Sabah and Sarawak strongly oppose the proposed Mufti Bill that seeks to expand the powers of the Mufti in the Federal Territories.

(OSTB : I sympathise with this statement and can appreciate what they are saying here. However the 'We' has to be defined. There is only one signatory who is a Muslim. The rest are almost all Christians).

We firmly reject any move to be ruled by Muftis, as this would effectively sideline the constitutional monarchy, the Madani government, and the secular parliamentary democracy that Malaysia is built upon. Such a change would transform Malaysia into an Islamic state overnight.”

The ongoing violations of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) have reached a critical point, with recent developments such as the recent halal certification issue, the divisive #RUU355 Bill, appointment of halal inspectors and the impending passage of the Mufti Bill 2024.

These measures represent yet more serious breaches of MA63 and have sparked widespread concern among citizens, especially in Sabah and Sarawak.

It is also opposed by Muslim people who are concern that “the Mufti Bill marks a more explicit sectarian turn in the bureaucratisation of Islam since the 2000s, aiming to institutionalise Sunni Ash’arism as the state-sanctioned version of Islam”. The politicisation of ideologies “will foster intolerance and radicalism by promoting dehumanising values and undermining democracy”. (quotes from Competing Sectarianism in Malaysia By Aizat Shamsuddin October 08, 2024) The Diplomat https://thediplomat.com/2024/10/competing-sectarianisms-in-malaysia/ )

These actions constitute direct attacks on the secular system, which was a fundamental guarantee to Sabah and Sarawak when Malaysia and also the Malayan Federation were set up. The cumulative effect of these breaches highlights a pattern of erosion of the constitutional safeguards that were intended to protect the pluralistic and secular nature of the federation.

Historical Context and Guarantees for a Secular System in Malaysia’s Formation

When Malaysia was set up in 1963 under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), Sabah and Sarawak were promised autonomy and guarantees including protection of their secular and pluralist systems as inducement to give up their demands for real independence. Unlike Malaya, where Islam was the official religion, Sabah and Sarawak were guaranteed the right to maintain their secular identities. It was an agreed term that there would have “no state religion” for the 2 states. This was a key factor in their decision to join Malaya and Singapore to set up the federation. However, over the past 61 years, these promises have been systematically violated.

This term was broken when the Sabah Constitution was amended to make Islam the state religion and the Sarawak Constitution amended to make the Agong the Head of Islam in Sarawak, a change that was never intended when Malaysia was created. These amendments which could only have proceeded with the blessings of the federal government, effectively introduced Islam as an official religion in the states, contrary to the original terms of MA63.

In the 1970s the federal government in breach of UN human rights and international laws and the federal constitution, had initiated population re-engineering of Sabah by flooding it with southern Philippines refugees transforming it into a Muslim majority in Sabah. These changes were not only unconstitutional but also deeply troubling for the pluralistic and secular foundations upon which Malaysia was meant to stand.
The Mufti Bill and Its Far-Reaching Implications

The Mufti Bill, which is set to be passed on 16 or 17 October 2024, is yet another alarming development that further erodes the damaged secular structure of Malaysia. This bill would grant sweeping powers to the Mufti, enabling the issuance of religious decrees that could have significant impacts on both Muslims and non-Muslims alike. These decrees could bypass the authority of Parliament and the courts, effectively placing religious law above civil law. The Mufti could even appoint advisors from outside the federation, allowing external religious influence to shape domestic laws. Muftis have no jurisdiction in Parliament as they are not elected representatives of the people. Elevating their influence would ultimately lead to a situation where "the entire Federation could be ruled by Muftis."

The broad powers of the Mufti under this bill pose a direct threat to the secular system. NonMuslims could be forced to comply with Islamic decrees, further deepening the Islamization and destabilising foundations of the federation. The bill exemplifies how the federal government, particularly under the current Madani administration, has accelerated the process of dismantling the secular foundations of the nation. This trend, which began decades ago, has now reached a critical point where secularism is at risk of being completely replaced by a race-religion apartheid system.

The Violation of the Basic Structure Doctrine and International Law

The secular pluralist system promised under MA63 has been replaced by a race-religion apartheid system embodied by the New Economic Policy (NEP) and the ideology of Ketuanan Melayu. This was never a negotiated item of the Malaysia Agreement.

These developments violate the Basic Structure Doctrine of the Malaysian Constitution, which protects the fundamental pillars of the federation, including secularism and federalism. The imposition of race and religion-based policies not only undermines the Constitution but also breaches international law.

MA63 is an international treaty, and the ongoing violations of its terms—particularly the dismantling of the secular system—render it null and void. The treaty’s core promises, including the preservation of secularism in Sabah and Sarawak, have been systematically violated, giving these states the right to reconsider their position within the federation.

Conclusion: The Right to Self-Determination
We affirm our support for the right of all citizens to freedom of religion and belief, as guaranteed under the terms of MA63. The recent halal certification issue, the divisive #RUU355 Bill, appointment of halal inspectors in government departments and the imminent passage of the Mufti Bill represent only the latest in a long series of breaches of MA63. These actions have fundamentally undermined the secular, pluralist system upon which Malaysia was built.

The violations of the treaty, alongside the imposition of a race-religion apartheid system, have effectively terminated the validity of MA63. The federal government has failed to uphold its obligations, and the systematic erosion of the secular foundation of the nation has breached both the spirit and the letter of the agreement.

Sabah and Sarawak now have unchallengeable legal and moral grounds to assert their right to self-determination. The destruction of the secular system, which was meant to protect the unique status of these regions, has violated their rights under the federation. The allocation of 34.6% of seats in the Dewan Rakyat, a principle rooted in constitutional and historical obligations, was meant to safeguard the interests of Sabah and Sarawak. Yet even this has been undermined, leaving the regions vulnerable to domination by the more populous Malaya.

Given these multiple breaches, it is time for the people and governments of Sabah and Sarawak to reassess the future of Sabah and Sarawak within Malaysia. The erosion of the secular system and the imposition of race-religion policies have fundamentally altered the nature of the federation, and it is now clear that MA63 has been rendered null and void by Malaya’s actions.

We, the undersigned NGOs and other signatories, hereby declare that the Malaysian government’s blatant breaches of the founding principles of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63, if valid) constitutes its unilateral termination. Consequently, we are no longer bound by the terms of MA63. We demand that the Sabah and Sarawak governments immediately defend our rights and pursue our rightful exit from this failed federation without delay.
End of statement

Endorsed by:

1. Daniel John Jambun – President Borneo's Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo)
2. Robert Pei - President, Sabah Sarawak Rights Australia New Zealand, (SSRANZ)
3. Peter John Jaban - Founder SAS Saya Anak Sarawak (SAS)
4. Mosses Paul Anap Ampang - President Republic Sabah North Borneo (RSNB)
5. Voon Lee Shan - President, Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK)
6. Themothy Jagak Dayak Cultural Ambassador for Gabungan Orang Asal Sabah/ Sarawak (GOASS)
7. Ahmad bin Awang Ali- Pusat Latihan Orang Asal Sarawak
8. Alim GA Mideh - Bulang Birieh Dayak Civil Movement
9. Kanul Gindol Chairman Gindol Initiative for Civil Society Borneo
10. Jovilis Majami President Persatuan pembangunan sosial komunity Sabah (BANGUN)
11. Cleftus Stephen Mojingol President Pertubuhan kebajikan Rumpun Dayak Sabah (PKRDS)
12. Peter John Jaban Publicity and information Chief Sarawak Association for People's Aspirations (SAPA)
13. Michael Jok Secretary General Society for Rights of Indigenous People of Sarawak (SCRIPS)
14. Paul Rajah Legal Adviser Society for Rights of Indigenous People of Sarawak (SCRIPS)

 

My Comments :  Sarawak is a majority non-Muslim state where 75% or slightly more of the population is non-Muslim. The majority is christian. Hence they can issue this statement without the lebai fellows, without the Umno fellows and maybe some confused PN fellows  in the Semenanjung making noises. To their great good fortune there is no Umno in Sarawak.

If this statement were issued by some non-Muslim NGOs on the Semenanjung believe me a hundred Police reports would have been made and people could get arrested and investigated. 

But my question is where are the Sarawak MPs? There are 31 MPs from Sarawak and 24 more from Sabah. 

• I dont think any of the 14 signatories are Sarawak MPs. 
• Have the Sarawak MPs sold out Sarawak to the 'Semenanjung' politicians? 
• This Bill is slated for tomorrow's Parliament session (16th October 2024). 
• If the Sarawak MPs and the Sabah MPs vote for this Bill then the people of Sarawak and Sabah should know that you have been played out. 
• Tuan-Tuan sudah kena main belakang. 

My question is where is the Sarawak voter? Hello my Dayak brothers - what happened to 'agi hidup agi ngelaban'? Apa sudah jadi? You keep voting for the politicians who do not represent your interests.

• For 61 years since 1963 the people of Sarawak have been voting.
• Yet your complaints are only increasing.  
• THIS IS YOUR FAULT.  
• WHO ASKED YOU TO VOTE FOR THESE SAME POLITICIANS? 
• You get what you voted for. 
• Please be honest with yourselves.

I see the people of Sarawak and Sabah making a very big mistake. Including these 14 NGOs who signed this Press Statement.  You are focusing your unhappiness at the Semenanjung. That is a very big mistake. 

You should focus your attention on the 31 Members of Parliament from Sarawak and 24 MPs from Sabah. A total of 55 MPs from Sabah and Sarawak. That is enough to bring down the gomen.  Together Sarawak and Sabah are very powerful.

Go to the office of the Member of Parliament in your area in Sarawak and Sabah and tell him. 'Hello YB we dont want you to support this Mufti Bill in Parliament on 16th October. If you support this Mufti Bill we will not vote for you'.

I think the people of Sarawak and Sabah are being manipulated by some clever politicians.  

They are making sure that your complaints are directed at the Semenanjung. When you should be focussing your complaints at the politicians and political parties from Sarawak and Sabah. 

• The problem is inside Sarawak and Sabah. 
• This is NOT a Semenanjung problem. 
• If you allow your politicians to sell you out, they will sell you out. 
• Yes I agree the buyer is from the Semenanjung but the seller is from Sarawak and Sabah. 

"Former P---tan member of parliament Datuk M----s M---- added that "Malaya" . .

What is the proof? The proof is for 10 years, 20 years, 30 years, 60 years the same politicians are running Sarawak and Sabah. They have been following the same "Malaya" policies for 30 years, 50 years and 60 years. Yet you still keep voting for them.  

What does this mean? It means you are not to be taken seriously. 

Not only your politicians can be bought but it looks like the voters in Sarawak and Sabah can also be bought. Even the majority christian Dayaks and the Chinese voters in Sarawak vote for the same 'MALAYA' policies. 

The Semenanjung parties may change - from UMNO/BN to PH to PN to Umno now back to PH plus DAP plus UMNO.   But their MALAYA policies have not changed. 

Yet the voters in Sarawak and Sabah still vote for them. The christian Dayaks, the Chinese, everyone lah. Semua sokong 'MALAYA' juga. Habis apa mau komplen lagi?

And the more you complain about MA63 etc your politicians in Sarawak and Sabah will manipulate the situation even more. They will take advantage. They will call their "bosses" in "MALAYA" and say 'Our people are getting unhappy. They are complaining a lot. You must help me. Please give us more projects and more money. We will use the money to make them calm down."

Then when the projects and the money comes, itu duit masuk pocket siapa bah?   But you still vote for them. You still vote for 'MALAYA'.  This has been going on for over 50 years.

• Go and ask your 31 MPs from Sarawak and your 24 MPs from Sabah.
  
• 'YB are you going to support the Mufti Bill'.
• If their answer is yes, then why come crying to MALAYA? 
• Your own people have sold you out.
  

Anwar doesn't understand GST, or his hands are tied

Anwar doesn't understand GST, or his hands are tied

P Gunasegaram
Published: Oct 15, 2024 11:00 AM


COMMENT | When Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the goods and services tax or GST would be introduced only if the minimum income rises to between RM3,000 and RM4,000 per month, he demonstrated a dismal lack of understanding or his hands were tied.

Like value-added taxes everywhere, it’s a system designed to tax consumption, reduce tax evasion through proper record-keeping, and widen the tax net to bring a greater number of people in.

The poor are less affected because they consume less. In Malaysia, they are even more so because of numerous exemptions given to essential goods and services.

This together with a reluctance to cut blanket subsidies in favour of targeted ones, foreshadows grim times for Malaysia’s future economic health, with a twin pincer of revenue shortfalls and too much expenses. If that is not sorted out, it spells disaster.

While Anwar said he understood the importance of GST, he also implied that its implementation would be very far away. Our current minimum wage is RM1,500 a month. If we wait for it to get to even RM3,000 a month, it will take years.

If minimum wages increase by seven percent a year, it would take 10 years to reach RM3,000, and 14 years at five percent. Even if the rate increased by the highly unlikely level of 10 percent a year, it would still take seven years. For a salary of RM4,000, the figures are 13 years at seven percent and nine years at 10 percent.


No GST cut in Anwar’s tenure

GST will not be introduced during Anwar’s time as prime minister and finance minister unless he makes a U-turn. There are other reasons under the current power balance as we shall see shortly.

It, along with targeted subsidies, are the two core areas for increasing government revenue (GST) and cutting costs (subsidies).

Without these two, with no new sources of revenue coming, and as the government ramps up spending and gives out handouts even if it is to the poor, the situation is neither tenable nor sustainable. The government’s financial position will worsen.


Why the reluctance

Which leads us to the question - why is the government so reluctant to introduce the GST?

The GST, first introduced on April 1, 2015, with a rate of six percent, the same as the sales and service tax it replaced, had over 200 items which had zero taxes to minimise the impact on the poor, including food items, cheaper clothing, medical expenses, insurance etc.

Also, establishments with less than RM500,000 in sales per year were exempted, leaving out small traders and businesses.

When the DAP made the GST its main campaign platform for the May 2018 elections, the tax was already in place for three years. Thus, it was no longer responsible for inflation in the country as the DAP had claimed.

DAP chief Lim Guan Eng took the undignified step of dancing in front of school kids who sang an anti-GST song to press home his point. It went “A, B, C, D, E, F, G harga naik semakin tinggi…etc.” It earned him police reports and questioning.

It was a blatant lie though, GST was not responsible for higher prices in 2018 because it was implemented in April 2015 and for the full year in 2016.

The other main issue at the time - 1MDB, the thievery it propagated, and the crackdown that followed on people and news reports - likely resonated much more with voters.

Lim, who Dr Mahathir Mohamad elevated to finance minister as a plan to stall Anwar’s PKR and his elevation to the position of prime minister, wasted no time in getting rid of the GST.

Lim Guan Eng


The first step was to make GST zero, in June 2018, just weeks after gaining power. Not satisfied with that he ignored an impassioned plea by the most senior Customs official who had implemented it to merely make the GST zero so it could be restored later if needed.

But Lim’s intention was to kill it to satisfy a huge part of his support base - business owners and corporates who were middle class or above. The threshold limit for GST registration was a turnover of RM500,000 or more a year.

‘The GST is finally dead’

In August 2018, Parliament passed the bill to repeal the GST and replace it with the old Sales and Service Tax or SST again, an extremely retrograde step which wasted years of work, time and money spent on systems and infrastructure.

Lim was reported to have said: “The GST is finally dead”. He added that the SST would be easier and would help reduce the cost of living compared to the GST which was charged at various levels. But it had already been charged for three years.

The GST collection of 470,000 traders amounted to RM44 billion in comparison to the RM21 billion revenue earned through SST from 70,000 traders, he said.


RM23 billion windfall for traders

In one swoop, he more than halved the tax collection here and gave 400,000 traders and corporates back RM23 billion a year - a huge tax windfall never before seen in Malaysia to people and businesses who were rather well off.

Surely Anwar must know all this, but politics means he has to do what is politically correct to stay in power. DAP has 40 seats in Parliament, enough to derail Anwar’s power train.

Politics held sway. As long as DAP holds the balance of power in the Madani government, Anwar has to defer to its wishes from time to time. GST will not be introduced again. Period.

Lim has ensured that during his time as finance minister.



P GUNASEGARAM says the source of problems sometimes are the most unexpected ones.

Dungun UiTM crash: Police confirm woman driver does not have driving license

Dungun UiTM crash: Police confirm woman driver does not have driving license

Mohd Khairi said the charges against the mother of the three children today were made under Section 302 of the Penal Code and Section 307 (1) of the same act on the instructions of the Attorney General’s Chamber. — Bernama pic

Tuesday, 15 Oct 2024 7:02 PM MYT


KUALA TERENGGANU, Oct 15 — The female suspect who mowed down four Dungun Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) students last Wednesday (Oct 9) causing three deaths, was found not to have a driver’s license.

Terengganu police chief Datuk Mohd Khairi Khairudin said so far a total of 11 individuals have been questioned to assist the investigation into the incident.


“The witnesses called consist of those who were at the location and witnessed the incident as well as members of the suspect’s family,” he said in a press conference at the Terengganu police contingent headquarters, here today.

Mohd Khairi said the charges against the mother of the three children today were made under Section 302 of the Penal Code and Section 307 (1) of the same act on the instructions of the Attorney General’s Chamber.


“Usually when an incident like this happens we will bring charges under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act (APJ) 1987 but this time it is not like that and the instructions of the Attorney General’s Chamber are that suspect should be charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

“The reason is to take into account at the scene that there may have been a collision in which the suspect may have been conscious and not stopped the vehicle and had dragged the victim up to more than 100 metres where the element to kill was present,” he said.

In the meantime, he said that although there were allegations that the mother of three had previously disturbed students and residents around UiTM Dungun, the police had never received a report or complaint about the matter.

In addition, Mohd Khairi also reminded the public including netizens not to make any speculations or negative comments about the suspect since the woman has already been charged today and all parties have to submit to the court to make a decision.

Earlier today, suspect Norizan Ismail, 49, was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code at the Dungun Magistrate’s Court and Section 307 (1) of the same act at the Kuala Terengganu Sessions Court.

However, no plea was recorded from the accused and she was ordered to undergo a mental examination and observation for a month at Permai Johor Bahru Hospital.

In the incident that happened at 7.35 pm last Wednesday on Jalan Pantai in front of Dungun UiTM, the housewife who was driving a sports utility vehicle (SUV) was suspected to have crashed into two motorbikes ridden by four students who were on their way back to campus.

The three who died were two Bachelor of Accountancy students Ku Adib Aizad Ku Azmi and Khairil Anwar Jamaludin, each aged 20, and Muhammad Akmal Md Tukirin, 25, a Bachelor of Food Service Management student.

Another injured victim who is also a Bachelor of Accountancy student is Muhammad Ammar Danish Mohd Ridhuan, 20. — Bernama

Strike-hit Boeing braces for job cuts with 17,000 layoffs planned, Emirates warns of financial risks and 777X delays

Strike-hit Boeing braces for job cuts with 17,000 layoffs planned, Emirates warns of financial risks and 777X delays

Family members of a Boeing worker hold signs at a picket line near the entrance to a Boeing production facility in Renton, Washington October 11, 2024. — Reuters pic

Tuesday, 15 Oct 2024 5:11 PM MYT

• Labour secretary Su in Seattle to meet both parties
• Boeing plans series of meetings on job cuts, sources say
• Emirates Airline president slams delay, voices funding concerns
• Shares fall 1.3 per cent

WASHINGTON, Oct 15 — Thousands of Boeing staff will get layoff notices within weeks, a union and industry sources said, as a senior US official flew to Seattle to try to ease a crippling strike and a major airline issued a warning over the planemaker’s deepening turmoil.

Acting US Labour Secretary Julie Su’s first in-person intervention comes days after Boeing unveiled plans to cut 17,000 jobs and take US$5 billion (RM21.5 billion) in charges, continuing a year of tumult for the company.


“Acting Secretary Su is meeting with both parties today to assess the situation and encourage both parties to move forward in the bargaining process,” a Department of Labour spokesperson said yesterday.

While Su has previously spoken with Boeing and the striking West Coast factory workers’ union, it is her first time in Seattle meeting both sides in person.


The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) said its lead negotiator, Jon Holden, had updated Su on the current talks, “stressing the Union’s commitment to a negotiated contract that values our members’ skills and dedication.”


Boeing and a White House spokesperson declined to comment on Su’s visit.

A person holds a strike sign while riding a scooter as Boeing factory workers and supporters gather on a picket line near the entrance to a Boeing production facility in Renton, Washington October 11, 2024. — Reuters pic


Roughly 33,000 workers have been on strike since September 13, seeking a 40 per cent wage increase over four years.

Boeing will next month send out 60-day notices to thousands of workers including many in its commercial aviation division, meaning those staff will leave the company in mid-January, one source familiar with the matter said.

A second phase of notices, if needed, could be rolled out in December, the source said.

A spokesperson for the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, which represents Boeing engineers, said the company informed the union yesterday that 60-day notices to its members would be issued on November 15.

A Boeing spokesperson said the company had shared information with managers including plans for 10 per cent reductions at its commercial unit involving both union and non-union workers. The spokesperson added that the striking IAM employees were not currently affected.

Brian Bryant, the IAM’s international president, called the job cut plan “corporate greed at its worst”.

“Boeing just turned its back on 17,000 of its own workers — the same people who carried Boeing through crisis after crisis, year after year,” he said in a statement.

Shares of the aerospace giant fell 1.3 per cent to close at US$148.99 yesterday, following the company’s surprise after-hours job cut announcement on Friday, which also included a new delay to the 777X jetliner and the ending of civil 767 freighter production.

Boeing will refrain from asking for voluntary departures to limit severance cash and avoid an exodus of skills, sources said, adding the company will rely solely on involuntary layoffs. Rivals are scooping up scarce labour to relieve pressure on aerospace supply chains.

“The trick will be not losing the 10 per cent of people you want to keep, which is even more important than usual in the post pandemic skill shortage environment,” said Agency Partners analyst Nick Cunningham.

Boeing has been hiring workers to prepare for higher production rates that have not materialised as output was capped by regulators following the blow-out of a door plug on an Alaska Airlines jet in January.

Boeing factory workers gather on a picket line near the entrance to a Boeing production facility in Renton, Washington October 11, 2024. — Reuters pic


Industry alarm

The one-year delay in 777X deliveries to 2026 was widely expected in the industry and brings the lag in delivery of the 777 mini-jumbo successor to six years amid certification and testing delays.

Emirates Airline President Tim Clark, whose initial order for 150 jets helped launch the world’s largest twin-engine jet more than a decade ago, hinted at commercial repercussions.

“We will be having a serious conversation with them over the next couple of months,” he said in a statement. “I fail to see how Boeing can make any meaningful forecasts of delivery dates.”

He also became the first senior industry figure to articulate fears, whispered privately by some industry leaders in recent weeks, over Boeing’s ability to tackle its worst-ever crisis intact.

“Unless the company is able to raise funds through a rights issue, I see an imminent investment downgrade with Chapter 11 looming on the horizon,” Clark told the Air Current, an aviation industry publication.

Emirates is the largest user of the 777 jet family, a long-distance workhorse whose original success has been clouded by delays to its successor and the crisis engulfing Boeing’s smaller 737 cash cow over safety and quality issues.

Friday’s package of announcements showed Boeing has just over US$10 billion of gross cash, a much-touted level that analysts said would ease some near-term pressure, while warning the company still needed to raise money by year-end.

Most analysts expect Boeing to raise up to US$15 billion through a share issue. But the perception of major airlines to Boeing’s financial risk remains a sensitive topic as many have billions of dollars of deposits sitting with the planemaker — an exposure some already want to limit because of delays, industry sources say.

Boeing declined to comment on Clark’s remarks.

Ratings agency S&P has warned Boeing risks losing its prized investment-grade credit rating. — Reuters

Oil prices plunge as Netanyahu rules out strikes on Iran's oil and nuclear sites

Oil prices plunge as Netanyahu rules out strikes on Iran's oil and nuclear sites

Oil prices tumbled today after a report said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had told US President Joe Biden he would not strike Iran’s crude or nuclear facilities. —- Reuters pic

Tuesday, 15 Oct 2024 5:56 PM MYT


HONG KONG, Oct 15 — Oil prices tumbled today after a report said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had told US President Joe Biden he would not strike Iran’s crude or nuclear facilities in retaliation for a missile attack earlier this month.

The sell-off came as the commodity is also hit by worries about China’s economic outlook after Beijing failed to announce any new stimulus at a weekend briefing.

Hong Kong and Shanghai stocks tumbled again after traders were left disappointed by a lack of detail in a raft of measures announced last week to boost China’s economy.


However, most other Asian markets ended higher after another record close for the Dow and S&P 500 on Wall Street, with the third-quarter reporting season about to get underway.


Both main oil contracts dropped more than four percent—having lost at least two percent Monday—after the Washington Post reported that Netanyahu had pledged to target Iran’s military rather than its crude and nuclear sector.

Investors have been on edge since Tehran launched a barrage of missiles at Israel at the start of the month, fuelling concerns of a response that could spark a region-wide conflict.

The commodity has swung wildly in recent weeks after Tel Aviv opened a new front against Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, while also continuing its battle against Hamas in Gaza.

Netanyahu on Monday vowed to hit Hezbollah without mercy, a day after the Iran-backed group’s deadliest strike on Israel since the start of their war in late September.

If the response is “non-escalatory -- (for example) tit-for-tat rockets aimed into the desert—then it looks bearish for oil,” said Neil Wilson, chief market analyst at Finalto trading group.

“If it’s a full-on strike aimed at national energy infrastructure then it would seem way more escalatory.”

Adding to the downward pressure on oil is concern that China would struggle to reignite the world’s second-biggest economy after a much-anticipated news conference on Saturday left investors wanting.

There had been hope Finance Minister Lan Fo’an would unveil a multi-billion-dollar package of support including fiscal help to go alongside measures announced in September that largely focused on the troubled property sector.

The disappointment, which came after another briefing that fell short last Tuesday, has dampened a rally on Chinese markets, with Hong Kong and Shanghai paring the blockbuster surge that greeted the initial batch of stimulus.

Weaker-than-expected trade and inflation data for September highlighted the need for economic help, though analysts warned they did not see any details being released until an upcoming Communist Party meeting that has yet to be set.

Key figures later in the week, including on retail sales, trade and economic growth, could provide a fresh update on the state of the country’s finances.

“Everywhere you look, China is in desperate need for fiscal support, with very weak domestic demand alongside an economy facing deflationary pressures and softer global demand,” said Rodrigo Catril at National Australia Bank.

Hong Kong fell more than three percent Tuesday and Shanghai lost more than two percent, though there were gains in Tokyo as traders there returned from a three-day weekend.

Sydney, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Bangkok, Manila and Jakarta also rose, though Mumbai edged down.

London and Paris were also down though Frankfurt gained. — AFP