Should NEP affirmative actions continue?

Malaysiakini - Dr M disagrees with Kuok, says affirmative action still needed:

We don't need the content of the above article in the post for us to be able to discuss the issue - you can read said article yourself.

Yes, the news headline should be sufficient for us to talk about the NEP and its affirmative actions. As we Malaysians know, the 'affirmative actions' of NEP mean special benefits and advantages for Malays.

Robert Kuok believes that affirmative action had/has slowed Malaysia’s progress as a nation.

Mahathir as the über Melayu naturally says affirmative actions are STILL needed.

What is your opinion?

For me, I am NOT against the NEP itself but nonetheless I am very troubled by Mahathir's word 'STILL' as in 'affirmative action STILL needed'.

It's nearly 50 years of NEP's affirmative actions, thus I believe we need to fine-tune it for its true purpose to be realised.

I strongly we have to qualify NEP affirmative action as necessary strictly on a 'NEEDS' basis and not on a skin-colour basis. That way, as an example, poor Indians shall be also entitled to the benefits and advantages of the NEP.

My proposal should still see the majority of beneficiaries being Malays, though scions of Midas-rich Malays should NOT be beneficiaries anymore as daddies and mummies can be their private 'NEP'.

Yes, years ago I wondered where the NEP was going when I saw the daughter of a very wealthy Malay surgeon received a terrifically substantial chunk of scholarship to attend a very prestigious overseas university. Scholarship is one of the affirmative actions of the NEP. 

I know the family very well and are good mates with her dad, uncles and cousins. Thus I know her dad could have easily financed her overseas educational needs.

And the thing that riled me most was that she was just an average student to receive such a fantastic scholarship but when I looked around (at that time) I could see and read in newspapers of the significant number of non-Malay students who were bloody brilliant yet could not get one of those scholarships.

I like to see more children of Malay fishermen, Malay labourers and Malay office workers, etc, receive scholarships, thus 'needs' based qualifications are important for the NEP not to be abused by wealthy Malays.

guess who mostly sell pirate DVDs? 

The other affirmative action of the NEP is the discount for purchases of houses for Malays. Again, why should rich Malays get a 7% discount for the purchase of a house whilst struggling Chinese and Indians have to pay not just the 100% price but also subsidise the 3% given to Malays - now surely you don't think those housing developers were going to bear the loss of those discounts given to Malays?

Thus I disagree with Mahathir that the NEP with its ethnic-based characteristics in all its indiscriminating dispensation (to all Malays regardless of their needs) should STILL continue.

MACC action on tunnel business - Penang Perceptions

MM Online - MACC freezes bank accounts, seizes luxury cars in Penang undersea tunnel case (extracts):

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 28 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) froze today four company bank accounts containing RM3.6 million and confiscated four luxury vehicles and an RM2.5 million house in its investigation into the Penang undersea tunnel project.

The MACC said the bank accounts belonged to a businessman with a “Datuk Seri” title, who was arrested yesterday on suspicion of receiving RM19 million from the main construction company behind the RM6.3 billion project to help stop investigations.

Politics is all about perceptions, as I heard of it before. Perceptions do not rely on facts, truths or authenticity. Perceptions once formed and hostile in shape, merely want to tembak kaukau, wakakaka.

Chinese and Indian Penangites do not give a sh*t about who the MACC has apprehended. They have by now formed perceptions regarding the MACC actions.

Let me tell you what possibly those Penang perceptions are, well, at least one of them.

But no, you tell me - that way it's more fun, wakakaka.

Not all CT were Chinese, not all heroes were Malays

MM Online - Last survivor of Bukit Kepong incident bemoans fading memory of sacrifice (extracts):

Sole living survivor of the Bukit Kepong tragedy, Jamilah Abu Bakar, shows two photographs of her late father marine policeman Abu Bakar Daud during a visit to her home in Johor Baru

JOHOR BARU, Feb 28 — For the past 61 years, septuagenarian Jamilah Abu Bakar had given up hope that Malaysians would remember her late parents’ sacrifices in battling communist insurgents in Bukit Kepong, Pagoh.

While the 1950 incident remains a key part of the nation’s history, remembrance of the policemen who lost their lives as well as the survivors of the communist siege is less prominent.

“Not many actually knew or remember about my late father, marine police constable Abu Bakar Daud and my family, for the sacrifices during the Bukit Kepong police station raid by communist insurgents back in 1950.

“Even later in life, my late father shied away from policemen who at times wanted to visit the family as he mostly kept to himself and was said to have been saddened for being forgotten as a survivor of the Bukit Kepong tragedy,” said Jamilah at her home in Bandar Baru Uda here.

The 73-year-old grandmother of 13 grandchildren said her father never recovered emotionally from the traumatic incident; his wife, Fatima Yaaba, and two-year-old son, Hussin, were both executed by the communists on that fateful February 23, 1950 day.

The Bukit Kepong incident was a pre-dawn raid by the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) on the police station manned then by Federation of Malaya Police, during the height of the Emergency.

The armed conflict took place within the perimeter of the wooden police station adjacent to the Muar River, about 60km from Muar town, in Johor.

The aftermath saw more than 20 people killed on each side.

I would like to contribute one name to the memories of the policemen killed by CT at Bukit Kepong station in 1950.

That policeman was Koh Ah Cheng.

As I mentioned in my post Chinese policemen (published 04 March 2013) it was ironical that while a Chinese policeman among his compatriots were killed by communist terrorists (CT), the communist assailants were led by a Malay, Muhammad Indera - not unlike today's Muslim-Filipino Malay assailants of our 8 policemen in Lahad Datu.

police in Lahad Datu 

It's important to point this out so as to correct the erroneous but archetypal Malay belief is that CT were Chinese and victims were Malays. In my post listed above, you will discover the many Chinese heroes of Malaya-Malaysia.

That post of mine rebutted the somewhat racist accusations of A Kadir Yassin, formerly a big timer in the NST group and one of Mahathir's staunchest supporter and at times mouthpiece. Despite his literary and journalistic knowledge and memories he painted Chinese Malaysians as reluctant to serve in the police or military.

The truth has been the military and police until very recently but since 1981, did not wanted Chinese in its midst, as has been highlighted by veteran organisations recently. 

As I've often written, Malaysia's war against the CT could and would NOT have been won without the sterling and daring role of the police special branch (SB).

From Star:

IGP: Yuen Yuet Leng to be buried with full police honours

It should also be noted that two Special Branch police officers who are still alive today were awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP), namely SP Paul Kiong and DSP Sia Boon Chee.

Superintendent of Police Paul Kiong, SP 

Deputy Superintendent of Police Sia Boon Chee, SP  

Without exaggeration, I would consider these two officers’ contributions (presumably still under secret classification) as pivotal to the defeat of the communist terrorist movement in Peninsula Malaysia.

Of the several Chinese policemen killed by enemies of the state that I mentioned in my post, five (5) of them were awarded the nation's highest gallantry award, the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP), with two posthumously.

SP - awarded for act of extreme bravery and valor

Nation's highest award for gallantry

Fong Thean Kit SP 

Then there were Chinese in the Armed Forces who showed their loyalty to their nation by making the ultimate sacrifices, TUDM officers like the late Lt Choo Yoke Boo and the late Lt Chang Tatt Min who were both awarded the Panglima (or Pingat) Gagah Berani (PGB) posthumously. It's said that the PGB is next in gallantry honours to the SP.

PGB - awarded for act of extreme bravery and valor

One Ranger officer, 2nd Lt David Fu Chee Ming who I believe is still alive today, was also awarded the PGB. I won't go into his citation again.

But he wasn't the only Chinese military offer awarded bravery medals, from valor during operations in Peninsular, Sarawak and Sabah, and overseas (Congo under the UN flag).

Kapt David Fu Chee Ming PGB 

Kolonel Maurice Lam Shye Choon PGB 

Mejar Lee Ah Pow PGB

Let's not forget Indian Malaysians. Captain Mohana Chandran al Velayuthan, like 2nd Lt David Fu also of 4th Battalion Royal Rangers, was posthumously awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP) on 3 June 1971.

Kapt Mohana Chandran SP

Alas, Pak Kadir has not been unlike Defence Minister Zahid Hamidi, who on 09 Nov 2010, as to be expected for the archetypal UMNO ‘patriots’, stated in response to a question in Parliament that the low number of Chinese and Indian recruits in the military could be due to the Chinese and Indians [being] 'not patriotic enough'.

In January this year Mina Ismail, chairperson of Gerakan Pembela Ummah (Ummah defenders movement) said only the Malays had sacrificed their lives for Malaya.

He should f**king bloody apologise to Chinese Malaysians. Where the f**k was that ignorant racist when Chinese were spilling their blood for Malaya-Malaysia?

BEST political statement 2018 (2)

I have always been delighted by clever play of words as my matey Dean Johns (former Malaysiakini columnist) has been - I missed his tongue-in-cheek articles with puns galore at Malaysiakini.

Dean Johns

Just a week ago DAP's Lim Lip Eng, who is the Segambut MP, described the Selangor BN's promise to bring back plastic bags for Selangor shoppers as the "height of idiocy".

I judge that description as the Best political statement for 2018. I mentioned I'll continue watching the new for more succinct statements, wakakaka.

And today I found one, though in a slightly different category to Lim Lip Eng's.

In Malaysiakini's I'm not smart but not so foolish to attack Kuok - Ka Chuan to Nazri the MCA and Gerakan have come out rather belatedly to defend Robert Kuok against Minister Nazri's tirade, wakakaka.

you're a pondan
how do you know?

wakakaka

I have to say I find Gerakan deputy youth chief Andy Yong's pun rather amusing. The relevant extract from the Malaysiakini article says:

Andy Yong, Gerakan deputy youth chief 

... Gerakan deputy youth chief Andy Yong also criticised Nazri for his tirade against Kuok.

"Previously the government has planned to look into the laws to deal with the phenomenon of fake news on social media under Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and Printing Presses and Publication Act 1984.

"Hence senior politician like minister Nazri and blogger Raja Petra should not 'talk Kuok' before verifying the truth of such fake news in relation to Kuok," he said in a statement today.

Talk-Kuok, wakakaka - I find it rather clever word-play (pun).

Related: BEST political statement 2018.

P/S I hope my matey HT Low won't chide me again for my post title, knowing that BEST political statement 2018 (2) renders either the current or previous post with same title incorrect. That's because BEST is a superlative and can only be one (unique).

Yes, my deliberate title error a la a previous tautological error, wakakaka, is for me to keep track of "best political statements" or clever puns, etc, in the blog. Excuse my grammatical blasphemies, wakakaka.

Wee Ka Siong's tunnel dirt might well be closer

It seems that now the furore a la much-ado-about-nothing over the alleged covert funding of the DAP by Robert Kuok could well be over, following news that PM's aide said Najib welcomes business magnate Robert Kuok’s statement of appreciation for opportunities given to him, MCA is back again with further episodes on the tunnel saga, wakakaka.

Wee Ka Siong has asked (published by FMT) Was there political interference in awarding tunnel contract?.

Wee has been as tenacious as a bulldog on the Penang tunnel project as he knows the MCA's very existence post GE14 depends largely on him finding even a teeny weeny sliver of corruption tainting the DAP and its terowong to kuai-kang (literally 'across the river' or Sebarang Perai), wakakaka.

As Wee is persistently looking for morsels of pungli (singkatan utk pungutan liar - Indon abbreviation for rasuah) I wonder whether I should advise him to look closer at 'home', wakakaka.

Malaysiakini has published MACC told to probe Umno MP who allegedly received RM3m for tunnel, wakakaka again.

Yes, Wee Ka Siong should ask his UMNO buddy Abdul Azeez Rahim, MP for Baling, wakakaka.

Abdul Azeez Rahim, MP for Baling 

Malaysiakini also publishes (extracts):

... graft watchdog Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) Penang coordinator Stanley Sudhagaran asked, "Is this daylight corruption blanketed under a RM22 million consultancy work?"

"This is madness. This sort of business practice should be stopped. It is we who bear the cost at the end of the project," he said.

"It is worse that an MP is involved in this. Is MACC investigating the Baling MP and businessman over the matter?

"Who else has been involved? Any public officers benefiting from this?" He asked.

Sudhagaran asked why money had to be paid to get a public project like the tunnel and three highways done.

He further questioned whether this is because Penang is an opposition state, thus necessitating strings to be pulled for federal approval.

Good luck Wee, wakakaka.

Pakatan common logo

MM Online - Pakatan to contest GE14 under one logo — but which one?:

unlikely to be approved

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) has agreed to use one logo to represent the Opposition pact in the upcoming general elections, its chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

Dr Mahathir said its candidates will be contesting under one ticket, regardless whether the Registrar of Societies (RoS) approves of it or not.

“We have not established yet what logo we will be using, but all four component parties have agreed to contest with the same logo.

“We can use the logo or symbol of any one of the four component parties, unless RoS becomes generous and approves of our party,” he said, referring to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, of which he is also chairman.

Dr Mahathir said PH will decide which one of its four component party’s logo will be used, and when a consensus is reached, the party whose logo is chosen will have to give its approval for it to be used.

"So let it be written. So let it be done."

- Pharaoh (in The Ten Commandments movie)

I wonder who is more handsome? 

We know that RoS is unlikely to approve the common Harapan logo, thus I strongly recommend that Pakatan Harapan (PH) uses the Pribumi logo as its common logo, for the following reasons:

(1) Mahathir has decided a la So let it be written. So let it be done, thus PH should obey its Tai-Koe with the logo of his party Pribumi.

Even though the Pribumi party is not accessible to non-Malays like Chinese and Indians, I beg of them to swallow their f**king pride and to accept the Pribumi logo as if Mahathir has accepted them as temporary pribumi's. Besides, HE has spoken and must be obeyed.

(2) The Pribumi logo will be recognised as a pribumi party, thus facilitating its "penetration" of the Malay Heartland which is the aim of Pakatan Harapan.

Malay voters there may even mistake it for the UMNO logo. After all, Mahathir said they were mudah lupa mah.

aiyoh, where got difference man
It's still UMNO and UMNO, both by looks and DNA 

This is particular useful for poor Amanah who thus far has been treated like an orphaned third cousin.

As for Pribumi itself and PKR, both needn't worry as they were offspring of UMNO so the Heartland voters may still be able to smell their intrinsic ketuanan DNA.

the bangsat .. ooops .. I mean .. langsat's don't fall far from the langsat (UMNO) tree 

The Pakatan Chinese and Indian candidates can pretend to be chow-kow's quasi pribumi's of Mahathir's Pribumi party.

velly hansom one 

(3) Pribumi logo looks like a hibiscus which BTW is the national flower of Malaysia and may appeal to patriotic voters like Tamudin Mat Zin, Ismail Sabri, Harussani, Hasan Ali, and Perkasa people.

only 1 colour - you know why? wakakaka 

(4) Now, some of you inquisitive trouble-makers may ask about the Chinese majority constituencies and their acceptance of the Pribumi logo.

Moe-maan-t'ai (ta'ada masalah). Most Chinese especially the millennials are already captives of the Dear Beloved Leader Maddy and consequently his Pribumi.

are you sedia to ikut Tun?

well, you bloody well be 

They too (like the Indian and Chinese Pakatan candidates) can and should pretend to be quasi pribumi's.

Kowtim, Beres.

Maria Chin Abdullah - from BERSIH to PKR?

I've written several posts on the songsang-ness of BERSIH after it has been chaired by Maria Chin Abdullah. Maria took over from the, to me, the very proper-&-BERSIH Ambiga Sreenevasan, who is an icon to me.

See my previous posts on Maria:

(1) The woman who would be king ... maker?,

(2) NGOs distancing themselves from Maria Chin Abdullah,

(3) Maria Chin Abdullah destroying Bersih's credibility?,

(4) Ms Konfucius.

(5) Pakatan 3.0 is Pakatan Pribumi.

.. wah, Maria Chin Abdullah, lu cheen chnea oo liao loh, wakakaka!

I have long wondered whether she even knows that BERSIH, the organisation she heads, has been supposed to be a non-politically aligned NGO as it was during Ambiga Sreenevasan's days.

BERSIH had then concerned itself with ONLY the Malaysian election business, playing watchdog to the dodgy Malaysian Election Commission.

There was a damn good reason for its non-aligned and impartial stance - to enable and ensure acceptance of its observations and recommendations by both sides of politics, with the aim of reforming and/or improving electoral process, policies, etc. Without bilateral acceptance, electoral reforms would be a failure from Day 1.

Let's revisit the concept of BERSIH when it was under Ambiga and review what it was intended to be.

Wikipedia tells us (just relevant extract):

The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Malay: Gabungan Pilihanraya Bersih dan Adil) or Bersih (meaning clean in Malay) is a coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which seeks to reform the current electoral system in Malaysia to ensure free, clean and fair elections. […]

In April 2010, the coalition was relaunched as an entirely civil society movement (BERSIH 2.0) unaffiliated to any political party.

Let's just read its charter again, namely, ... which seeks to reform the current electoral system in Malaysia to ensure free, clean and fair elections ... (BERSIH 2.0) unaffiliated to any political party.

In pre-Maria Chin days, I recall once Ambiga fended off Anwar Ibrahim's attempt to 'hijacked' a BERSIH rally for his own agenda.

Ambiga told Anwar off, reminding him that BERSIH was about electoral fairness, cleanliness and accountability and not for Pakatan to misuse as a political platform.

Since Maria Chin Abdullah took over BERSIH, she decided that BERSIH should also depose of an elected PM, and to also rally against the alleged crimes of 1MDB.

Hasn't Bersih under Maria Chin Abdullah gone songsang-ishly partisan from its original charter?

I hope you understand what I mean by 'gone partisan' from a political perspective.

Remember, BERSIH was relaunched in April 2010 as an entirely civil society movement (BERSIH 2.0) which was supposed to be unaffiliated to any political party.

Does Maria Chin have the right to change that BERSIH's charter?

Yes, but Maria Chin has an obligation to be transparent about her decision, and to inform Malaysians BERSIH is NO LONGER an unaffiliated NGO. And we know, under Maria Chin, BERSIH became affiliated to Pakatan. The downside would of course be it would make BERSIH, an electoral watchdog, encumbered with the baggage of political partisanship, and trusted by ONLY one side of politics.

Partisanship makes the NGO task of ensuring free, clean and fair elections far far far more difficult if not impossible, because the BN side of politics (I include PAS within this group) is unlikely to believe any alleged dodgy-ness perpetrated by the EC or recommendations for improvements of the electoral process. It has been sad that Ambiga's vision was not followed.

I had then wondered how would such a person like Maria Chin would be able to make effective non-partisan advice on electoral reforms. She is just anti establishment instead of being non-aligned as the role of BERSIH demands.

Okay, you may think all the above are just kaytee's prattle tattle, wakakaka, but let's take a look at a 2015 article posted in the renowned loyarburok website, Why I Will Not Attend Bersih 4 in which Abdul Haleem explained why he won’t be there.

This is not going to be well received by many. But let me emphasise the title of this opinion piece. Why I (meaning me, personally and singularly) will not join the Bersih 4 Rally. I am not advocating anyone against joining the rally. I am speaking for myself.

Before you crucify me, let me remind you that I was there for Bersih 2 and Bersih 3. I was briefly arrested during Bersih 2. Google it and you’ll find my opinion piece which I wrote after both rallies. If you need to know, I was based across the causeway and made a point to come down for it. Twice.

Now that I am based in KL, let me tell you why I will not take part in Bersih 4.

I am disappointed with BERSIH 2.0. If BERSIH 2.0 is fighting for fair and clean election, it should have gone all out whacking PKR and Pakatan Rakyat for the KajangGate circus.

What was the outcome of KajangGate? We have a new MB for Selangor and a new ADUN for Kajang. So what did the people of Kajang in specific and Selangor in general gain?

Bersih 2 and 3 was against all the manipulation, corruption and unfairness of our General Election. If Bersih can go all out despite all the odds taking it to the streets for the GE, why did they allow PKR and Pakatan to get away with just with a slap in the wrist for KajangGate?

On both previous rallies — though it was organised by Bersih — on the actual day, it was hijacked by the political parties.

On Bersih 3, all hell broke loose when clowns from PKR got hold of the mic and started the fiery speeches which were very provocative. The cops were no angels too.

During Bersih 3, the moment this particular political figure started his provocative speech, me and my friends got up and left the scene for some chilled drinks. By the time we finished the first drink the whole area turned into a war zone.

We don’t need to be reminded of police brutality during Bersih 3. I surely don’t want to see innocent young ones beaten up for taking part on a democratic process. I don’t think this time around is going to be different.

Yes, the above was written by Abdul Haleem, a BERSIH-rally veteran, telling us of BERSIH's double standards in not taking a strong stand against PKR's nonsensical misuse of the election process in the Kajang Gate by-election (I call it the rancid Kajang Satay event), yea, not even a slap on their wrists with a kangkung stalk, wakakaka.

aiyoh, I was looking for BERSIH lah 

Not too long ago, Jocelyn Tan of the Star Online wrote Anwar blocks Dr M’s bid for top job, which I picked up to blog & post as Anwar Ibrahim against Mahathir as Pakatan PM-designate.

Maria Chin Abdullah must have been furious at the article because Jocelyn had written in it:

Anwar is said to be unimpressed by Dr Mahathir’s promise of judicial reform, fighting corruption, rule of law and press freedom.

In a rather cryptic press statement issued on the day that the Pakatan presidential council met to discuss issues including the prime minister candidate, he urged the coalition to “heed the people’s voice”.

He did not touch on the disagreement over the prime minister post, but there were two giveaway points in his brief statement – he called on Pakatan to respect the spirit of consensus as well as to consult NGOs and activists on key issues.

He was telling the coalition that the decision on the prime minister candidate has to be by consensus, that is, all four parties must agree rather than put the matter to a vote.

He knew that if the issue was put to a vote, PKR would be outnumbered by DAP, Parti Pribumi and Amanah who want Dr Mahathir as the prime minister candidate.

Insiders said that his advice to Pa­katan to consult the NGOs and activist was aimed directly at Dr Ma­­hathir.

Two leading women NGO leaders had met the Pakatan chairman last week to share their views.

They had apparently told the 92-year-old leader that they will boycott Pakatan in the general election if the coalition cannot agree on a more suitable prime minister candidate.

The voices of dissent regarding Dr Mahathir’s candidature are grow­­ing louder with some Pakatan politicians and even analysts suggesting that he carries too much baggage and will not be well-accepted by the voters.

A poster depicting the Pakatan Cabinet featuring Datuk Seri Azmin Ali as the prime minister has also gone viral the last couple of days.

The Cabinet line-up with the tagline “Muda, Dinamik, Wibawa” (young, dynamic, integrity) began circulating on Thursday, just as the Pakatan’s presidential council was preparing to meet.

It was clearly a counter-campaign against Dr Mahathir’s bid to be named for the top job.

It also seemed like the handiwork of PKR supporters given that PKR leaders dominated 12 of the 27 posts, with Parti Pribumi deputy president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Ma­­ha­­­thir as the deputy prime minister.

For years, Anwar stood in the way of his protege Azmin but it is said that he has finally come around to the idea that the Selangor mentri besar is ready for bigger responsibilities.
Of course the above is now history as somehow someone has convinced Anwar to support Mahathir as the Pakatan PM-designate.

But at that time the Star Online article appeared, Maria Chin Abdullah wrote in her Face Book:

I certainly want to know who these two ngo women are. Certainly disagree with them to boycott elections. (see my earlier posting) Malaysia follows Westminister system and the party with the majority gets to appoint their PM. Jocelyn - dont hide behind unnamed persons. Name them and we can have a debate.

Why has Maria Chin become so personal towards Jocelyn Tan? The latter is just a Star journalist and she is no different from many other pro Pakatan journalists in 'carma'-ing - you can read their articles in The Malaysian Insight, MM Online, Malaysiakini, etc etc etc. Whether she is pro BN or so-and-so is pro Pakatan isn't a significant issue - just read their articles with the usual reservations.

So why pick on Jocelyn Tan? It's like Maria Chin picking on all sorts of BN scandals, even those alleged ones, but ignoring the rancid Kajang by-election nonsense.

Though we suspect this and that, today it has become clearer why Maria Chin took BERSIH to one side of the political fence instead of standing impartial. Today the Malaysian Insight (TMI) publishes: Maria Chin to swap Bersih chair for ‘safe seat’ in GE14 (extracts):

BERSIH 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah was expected to resign within the next two weeks to stand for election at the polls, sources said.

She planned to contest a “safe seat” on a PKR ticket, electoral watchdog sources told The Malaysian Insight.

Maria declined to confirm the claims. "No comment," she said.

Bersih sources, however, said Maria wished to resign the chair this week. Discussions had been ongoing for more than a month about her resignation. Maria took over the chair from human rights lawyer and activist, Ambiga Sreenevasan, in 2013.

Last week, New Straits Times reported that Maria could contest the parliamentary seat of Batu or Petaling Jaya Selatan, while Ambiga could contest Kapar or Segamat.

Ambiga told The Malaysian Insight she has "no interest" in politics.

welcome to PKR Maria

you have  my seat but I may want it back after my period of disqualification, so please look after it

Yes, now we know why Maria Chin has, as BERSIH chairperson, behaved songsang-ishly.

Anyway, Good luck to Maria Chin Abdullah. I have no doubt she will feel more at home and much happier being a PKR politician than being a supposedly-impartial BERSIH chairperson.