When petty politicians get on my nerves

When petty politicians get on my nerves

Francis Paul Siah


COMMENT | Are we not fed up with petty politics and petty politicians in our midst? I don't know about you, but they get on my nerves and so bad at times that I wish I could give some of them the Will Smith slap.

Oh yes, there are many of them around, and their number seems to be growing. Why not, when the seniors among them, including former prime ministers, are also getting childishly petty themselves and indulging in petty politics.

Italian author Ingrid Rossellini wrote: "The violation that the Greeks feared most was hubris: a charged word that described the overblown size that the ego acquired when infected by an excessive amount of pride and ambition."

She also pointed to the reckless expression of egotism and impulsiveness that poses a real threat to the uprightness of reason and common sense.

I can certainly agree with Rossellini when she declared that "ego and impulse have always been a threat to democracy".

Let me start by looking at this month, April, alone, when ego and pride got the better of our politicians.

On April 1 (no, this is not an April Fool's joke), Pejuang chairperson Mahathir Mohamad claimed that Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin had met him to ask for support to become the prime minister again.

This started the tit-for-tat between the two former prime ministers, and it really looks pathetically childish. Quite shameful really, especially when it involves leaders who were once at the top of their game.

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad


Mahathir called Muhyiddin a "backstabber" and expressed puzzlement as to why the Pagoh MP wanted to meet him when the latter had "backstabbed" him.

Wow, at 97, our grand old man is still as proud as ever. I believe he still thinks that he has the power to decide who should be prime minister today. His ego and his self-importance are still intact.

Not surprisingly, Muhyiddin was not prepared to take the salvos from Mahathir lying down. Of course, he has his ego too.

"What? It was others, including Mahathir, who pursued me. I was not the pursuer; they were," Muhyiddin fired back.

Seriously, do we really care who asked to meet who first? Whether it was Mahathir or Muhyiddin? Is it something of concern to you? What is so important about this Mahathir/Muhyiddin meeting?

This is a classic case of petty politics. The two former premiers think that we care and pay attention to what they were quarrelling about.

Let me tell them this - we don't care, and we pay no attention to your silly back-and-forth attacks. It is paloi (stupid)!

Former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin


More concerned about RM500m project

On April 10, there was an uproar over the RM50,000 wooden jetty project at Kampung Mutap in Miri. I'm not sure how it all started, but I took note of Sarawak Pakatan Harapan's statement on the issue.

I can agree with some of the points raised, but I would still conclude that it was a "petty action" due to the paltry sum involved.

Politicians would argue that every government-funded project, irrespective of the costs, must be above board. Surely, that is the line they would take to bolster their argument. I find that hypocritical.

In a perfect world, that would be ideal, but this world is far from perfect.

A wooden jetty built at a cost of RM50,000 in Sarawak

I also shared my views on the jetty issue with my groups across social media: "On the controversy surrounding the RM50,000 jetty, this is how I view it. If the contractor is a local Class E dude or a rural sub-contractor, I will allow him to make, say, even half (ie RM25,000).

"RM25,000 will not make him a rich man. I will be happy that he managed to make that little sum to feed his family, probably after a long lockdown without jobs.

"I doubt I will raise a hue-and-cry, rightly or wrongly. I'm not bothered if a small-time contractor is able to earn a measly RM25,000. (That is only an assumption.)

"I am more concerned about a RM500 million project with RM250 million being siphoned off. That is what we should all worry about.

"So, on certain issues, let us not join the bandwagon blindly. We have to be more discerning. Do not take what the politicians on either side are saying at face value. We have to assess the situation and form our own opinion," I added.

I wish that those holding public office would look at themselves in the mirror. How many of them, including those in the opposition, are getting multiple pensions? This will drain our public coffers more than the little minor rural projects.

So, to the elected representatives, please stop wasting your time and mine trying to score brownie points by harping on petty issues. You are getting on my nerves, and I resent such paloi acts.

Trying to score political points

On April 24, PKR secretary-general and deputy president contender Saifuddin Nasution Ismail clarified that he never permanently left Malaysia to work in Jakarta when he was "jobless" after the 2013 general election.

In a Facebook post, he said his secretary-general position also has nothing to do with supposed "assistance" from Rafizi Ramli, his opponent for the PKR number two position.

PKR secretary-general (left) Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli


Here we go again. Two key leaders from the same party taking potshots at each other. Why? They are, again, trying to score political points and win the support of party members.

Well, let me say this. If I were a PKR member, I don't think I would vote for either candidate. I expect more from people who are keen to partake in politics at the highest level.

Okay, Rafizi had explained that he spoke on the matter when responding to a question at a forum. But he should know it would hurt his opponent. So, Rafizi started the silly mudslinging first. That action does not speak well of him.

Of course, Saifuddin would retaliate. Hey, his ego has been bruised, and he has to respond.

Actually, no one cares about this silly "assistance" issue. Only the two of them. So why the need to quarrel about such a petty issue in public. I have to call both Rafizi and Saifuddin paloi too.

Here we are, the three instances this month where petty politics and petty politicians got on my nerves.

I can only conclude with this - if this is the way our so-called key leaders behave, do not blame Malaysians if they have very little or no respect for the current crop of politicians. Most of them should be voted out when the next general election comes.

FRANCIS PAUL SIAH is a veteran Sarawak editor and heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS). He can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com

Don’t let hypocrisy and emotions run down law enforcement authorities

Don’t let hypocrisy and emotions run down law enforcement authorities




ON Oct 15, 2019, one of the headlines that could be seen was “SPRM siasat 20 aduan rasuah di jabatan kehakiman” (MACC investigates 20 complaints of corruption in the judiciary).


At that time, I don’t remember any backlash on that news. Did politicians, the Malaysian Bar, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM), G25 jumped and criticize the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) for investigating corruption among judges?


The fact is, the investigation, prosecution and conviction of judges is not unprecedented. There have been many cases of judges being investigated for corruption, with a number being prosecuted and sentenced.


Therefore, this whole backlash on the MACC for investigating Courts of Appeal Judge Datuk Nazlan Mohd Ghazali reeks of hypocrisy.


The G25 group says:

“In the first place, has MACC carried out a thorough investigation on the credibility of RPK’s allegation, before coming out with its media statement?” G25 asked, adding that it is pertinent to note that the judiciary has stated that it found no reason to suspect the integrity of the judge. (MalayMail, April 28).

One would not expect the judiciary to suspect the integrity of its own judges readily, or to expect it to investigate its own. Can the judiciary investigate its own judges?

For disciplinary or ethical conduct, yes, but for alleged criminal offences like corruption, murder or rape? No, it doesn’t have the powers to do so.

Sorry, but Article 125 of the Federal Constitution does not accord them the powers.

With all due respect to Chief Justice Tengku Maimun, in an impassioned speech, she said that judges are not beyond criticisms, but “the public, including politicians, must not level unfounded and scurrilous attacks against the judiciary to further their own end.”

As she made her defence of the judges, which I totally respect, never did she once say that the MACC has surpassed its powers investigating a judge, or that the investigation was “unconstitutional” or “unprecedented.”

These are the two words used by SUHAKAM and G25, parroted by some politicians on the investigations of the MACC on Appeals Court Judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali.

If they were indeed true, won’t the Chief Justice mention it in her speech? “Unconstitutional” and “unprecedented” are big words that can’t be ignored.

The Malaysian Bar also claimed that Article 125 of the Federal Constitution provides mechanism for the setting up of a tribunal to assess the misconduct of judges, meaning, judges should not be investigated like ordinary citizens.

However, it is clear from the Article that it pertains to mechanism for removal of judges due to disciplinary matters and not criminal offences.

As explained by UiTM legal adviser Prof Dr Haidar Dziyauddin (The Star, April 29): “Article 125 (3A) allows for a tribunal to be set up to look into the removal of a judge who is alleged to have breached the code of ethics. The tribunal does not have the power to investigate claims of criminal activities.”

The tribunal also cannot prescribe punishments like jail sentences or fines.

So, who is empowered to investigate? Obviously, law enforcement authorities like the MACC and the Police.

Yes, for better or worse, they are the entities created to investigate alleged corruption and criminal offences, be it on civil servants, members of Parliament, peon or judges.

Talking about Members of Parliament, the accusation levelled on the MACC is that it violated the principles of separation of powers – among the three institutions namely the Judiciary, the Legislative and the Executive.

They said it unconstitutional for MACC to investigate the Judiciary because it is tantamount to interference of the Executive wing into the Judiciary.

So, by the same argument, are they saying that the police and MACC cannot investigate Parliamentarians? Because doing so would be interference of the Executive in the Legislative?

Please, no double standards.

According to former Law Minister Zaid Ibrahim, the MACC probe into the judge is not a violation of the principle of separation of powers as it is clear the agency’s task is to investigate.

The MACC has also twice reiterated that its investigations is not based on blogger claims on social media platforms.

According to its press statement, it is based on formal complaints and reports lodged at MACC, not once, but three reports over the last month, and it is duty bound to investigate upon validating them.

So please, allow it to do its job.

After all, if you remember, it was also the MACC who did an excellent job investigating the SRC case that helped the court to convict Datuk Seri Najib Razak to 12 years jail sentence and a RM210 mil fine.

This sentence was upheld again at the Appeals Court. If the MACC performed shoddy investigations, the courts would have thrown the case out, simple as that.

Do you think it is only the judiciary that gave us this conviction? Because of the principle of ‘separation of powers’, the MACC has to do a thorough and impeccable investigation, the Attorney General has to give consent to prosecute, and the Deputy Public Prosecutors have to work with the MACC prosecutors to secure a conviction, working relentlessly through three changes of government. It is a team work of agencies maintaining separate jurisdictions.

The SRC and the 1MDB are very complex cases involving international cross border layering to hide the proceeds of illicit gains.

If you follow the news, it is also the MACC that managed to recover over RM20 bil of assets from the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), which are returned to the people of Malaysia. This is far above the global average of 30% recovery rate. Give credit where it is due.

Do you think that after all that work, years of ploughing through thousands of documents, gathering evidence from all over, spending thousands of men hours to help secure the conviction, the MACC wants to see a retrial if indeed Judge Datuk Nazlan was found to be complicit?

No matter how badly we want a certain “shameless boss” to serve his sentence, we cannot ignore the legal processes of the country.

If there is any evidence that implicated the judge, it has to be investigated by a competent authority that is set up precisely for this job.

At this moment, only the MACC can clear Judge Nazlan’s name conclusively. If I were him, I would welcome the MACC probe on me. And once I am cleared, no one would believe the idiot blogger or any half-witted politicians and the groups that echo them. – April 30, 2022



Andrew SH Tan,
Ipoh

Stubbornly Arrogant is correct description of a merciless Singapore

Nagaenthran Case – Was The Singapore Gov’t Being Stubbornly Arrogant?


Mentally disabled Nagaenthran was hanged to death at Changi Prison despite being assessed by a court-appointed psychologist in 2013 to have an IQ of 69


KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian International Humanitarian Welfare Foundation (MIHWF) slammed the Singapore government as “stubbornly arrogant” over the execution of Malaysian citizen Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam.

MIHWF President M.Devman in a statement on Friday (29 April) rebuked the government down south for being overzealous in exerting its notorious ‘rule by law’ stance without any remorse or compassion for a mentally unstable person.

He pointed out that Nagaenthran was a young man when he was caught with drugs in Singapore and spent some 13 years in jail before he was hanged to death.

“Nagaenthran had actually served the imprisonment as a punishment for his crime.

“He was reportedly a person with a mental disability.

“The international civil society sought clemency for Nagaenthran.

“He should have been forgiven and released.

“The young man should have been given a fresh lease of life.

“The Singapore government should have shown mercy.

“But it chose to remain defiant and stubbornly arrogant, overzealous in imposing its rule by law policy.

“What a disgrace,” chided Devman

He reminded the Singapore government that the status of a so-called developed nation was not just about the country’s capitalist economic strength.

“A developed nation must also have a strong humanely compassion.

“In this regard, Singapore has downgraded itself .”

MIHWF President M.Devman (pic) reminded the Singapore government that the status of a so-called developed nation was not just about the country’s capitalist economic strength but must also have a strong humanely compassion.

Nagaenthran Was Hanged Despite International Criticisms

Nagaenthran was arrested by Singapore authorities on 22 April 2009 at age 21 for trafficking 42.72 g of diamorphine (pure heroin) when he was travelling from Malaysia to Singapore through the Woodlands Checkpoint.

Nagaenthran was tried and found guilty on 22 November 2010 of drug trafficking and sentenced to death by hanging by the Singapore courts.

Multiple appeals over the sentence had been dismissed in the city-state’s courts.

On Wednesday, April 27, 2022, at around dawn, Nagaenthran was hanged to death at Changi Prison.

Nagaenthran’s death penalty attracted international criticisms due to concerns about his mental capacity.

Lawyers for the Malaysian, along with the United Nations Human Rights Office and businessman Richard Branson, had urged the Singapore government to halt the execution, arguing he was intellectually disabled after being assessed by a court-appointed psychologist in 2013 to have an IQ of 69.

Even the Malaysian king, prime minister and government ministers have appealed for clemency to the Singapore government for Nagaenthran.

But all pleas fell on deaf ears.

Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau defended the execution in a statement, saying that the courts had found that “Nagaenthran knew what he was doing, and that he did not suffer from intellectual disability”.

“There has been much misinformation that has been put out concerning Nagaenthran, in particular on his mental state,” the agency said.

In a statement on 25 April, the United Nations Human Rights Office expressed concern about “a rapid rise in the number of execution notices issued since the beginning of the year in Singapore”.

Singapore executed Malaysian disabled Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam, who was arrested in 2009 for bringing 42.7 grams of heroin into the city-state. – AFP file pic


Devman said Singapore must always bear in mind that Malaysians would be the first people to offer assistance to Singaporeans if any tragedy were to occur in the island republic.

“This is because civilised Malaysians believe in the human-first concept, not the law-first policy.

“Singapore must first learn to be a civilised nation before calling itself a developed nation,” Devman said. – New Malaysia Herald

'Small tent' approach seems more feasible

'Small tent' approach seems more feasible

P Ramasamy


ADUN SPEAKS | A big tent approach or some other kind of alliance between opposition Pakatan Harapan and those who are opposed to Umno/BN such as Bersatu, PAS, and others might be an attempt to think out of the box.

It might even be described as an ingenious way to integrate those opposed to Umno/BN. A big tent approach might avoid the pitfalls of a formal alliance to take on the juggernaut of Umno/BN.

It might reduce political and other differences, to prevail without them being mechanically reduced to certain common denominators.

For an informal grouping to form and take on Umno/BN, the necessity of cooperation must outweigh the reasons not to.

However, I don’t see that happening as the differences between Harapan and Bersatu or PAS seem unbridgeable.

It is not so much the alliance or partial alliance between the coalitions per se. It is more about the glaring differences between say PAS and DAP and Amanah, the bad blood between PKR and its former deputy president Azmin Ali’s faction now in Bersatu.

Never forget betrayals

It is not just ideological differences between the parties on the different sides of the political divide, it is about betrayals leading to the complete lack of trust between Harapan and Bersatu.

How can Harapan forget what happened with the infamous and insidious Sheraton Move? It was the mother of betrayals that saw the collapse of the Harapan government within the period of 22 months in power.

Azmin Ali at the Sheraton Hotel in February 2020


Yes, it is great and magnanimous to talk about politics as being the art of the possible, but surely there are limits to this lofty thought.

It was the stealth build-up based on racial and religious extremism that caused the collapse of the legitimate government.

The fact that DAP was in power was something that was not accepted by the extreme parties such as Bersatu and more so PAS.

The extreme application of race and religion was the main reason that laid the basis for the formation of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.

How can DAP or Harapan forgive and forget a major betrayal that happened not too long ago?

Is politics so cheap and degrading that the Sheraton Move incident could be just forgotten overnight to think of a big tent approach whether wholly or partially?

The extent of a common enemy

For an oppositional alliance to take shape, the political enemy must be so bad that necessitates friendship with those who are opposed to the political enemy.

This means sinking differences to the extent of taking on a common political foe.

Are there any real differences between Umno, Bersatu and PAS?Why should Harapan enter into a friendship with Bersatu or PAS to take on Umno/BN?

Aren’t these parties the real source of the problem for the emergence of an alternative coalition in the country envisaged by Harapan?

It is really not about moving in the direction of cooperation or not, but what is Harapan’s and its component parties’ stand in facing the next general election?

Why is Harapan bent on thinking of alternative ways of cooperation rather than ensuring ways to strengthen the coalition in the face of the impending general election?

The betrayal of Bersatu was something not easily forgotten by Harapan. It might even override thoughts of cooperation and understanding between the oppositional forces to take on Umno/BN.

Even if the big tent approach is not feasible, the exclusion of Bersatu and PAS does not necessarily render cooperation with other Harapan-friendly parties.

Maybe not a big tent but a small tent might do at least for the moment as events are fast unfolding.


P RAMASAMY is Perai assemblyperson and Penang deputy chief minister II.

Lim KS trouble-making to his very end

PAC deputy chair: Let MACC probe Scorpene deal


Public Accounts Committee (PAC) deputy chairperson Azizah Mohd Dun has dismissed a call for her committee to probe the controversial Scorpene submarine deal.

She also turned down a suggestion by DAP's Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang for PAC to interrogate the two former police personnel who were convicted for the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Azizah says that the MACC is the right body to probe the case.

"The case of Altantuya Shaariibuu is a police case while the Scorpene is under the jurisdiction of the MACC. The MACC should probe the case," she told Malaysiakini when contacted.

Lim suggested PAC investigate the submarine corruption case and the murder of Altantunya following the charging of the French company Thales by the French Government for complicity in bribery of the Scorpene submarine deal in Malaysia two decades ago.

He also said that PAC should consider interrogating the two former police personnel Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar, who were convicted for the murder of Altantuya.

Death row

Azilah is currently on death row while Sirul is seeking refuge in Australia.

The PAC can do so under clause 77(d) of the Dewan Rakyat Standing Order, he said.

Sirul Azhar Umar/ Altantuya Shaariibu


The PAC’s explicit mandate is to investigate matters concerning government finance. However, Altantuya was linked to at least one person involved in the procurement of the submarines.

Altantuya was murdered on Oct 18, 2006. When Sirul and Azilah were tried for her murder, it was revealed that Altantuya was having an affair with Abdul Razak Baginda, the owner of several companies involved in the Scorpene submarine deal.

Sirul and Azilah were both convicted in 2009 but freed by the Court of Appeal in 2013. Upon being freed, Sirul fled to Australia, where he is currently under detention.

The Federal Court later overturned the appeal and reinstated the conviction, that carries the death sentence.

Both Sirul and Azilah continue to maintain their innocence.

Azilah attempted to seek a review of the Federal Court decision in 2019. In his statutory declaration, Azilah claimed he was given a “shoot-to-kill order” by then deputy prime minister Najib Abdul Razak on the grounds that Altantuya was a foreign spy.

Azilah’s application for the review was unsuccessful.

Interest in the submarine deal was renewed after it was confirmed that the French authorities have commenced formal investigations into Thales Group over kickback allegations in the 20-year-old deal.

Good that “monitor lizard” is not joining “cats and rats”, netizens mock Hadi

Good that “monitor lizard” is not joining “cats and rats”, netizens mock Hadi




YESTERDAY, PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang reiterated that he would not join Pakatan Harapan’s “big tent” as he is focused on Muslim solidarity.

In addition, he also likened the “big tent” as being infested with “rats and cats”, which would only be embroiled in infighting.


“We have our own team and focused on the Muslim solidarity agenda. We will not go with ‘big tent’ as it is infected with ‘cats, rats’ and all types of things,” Utusan Online reported the Marang MP as saying.


Netizens were amused by Hadi who constantly depicts his political rivals using animal analogy and mocked the Islamist party leader for it.




(Good to know that a “monitor lizard” is not joining “rats and cats”)


Echoing his sentiments, user Amirul Naim Amirul Naim jested:



(You’re right, clergyman. “Cats and rats” do not like ponds…only frogs do)

Netizen Fikri Razak jested:



(But do the “cats and rats” want to befriend a “pig”?)

Several Pakatan leaders have embarked on talks with Barisan Nasional (BN) rivals such as Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) and Parti Warisan Sabah to take on the ruling coalition in the next general election.

Prefer looters and the corrupt?

However, the move is receiving brickbats from fellow Pakatan leaders and several supporters as they are still sore over Bersatu’s betrayal in February 2020, which collapsed the Pakatan Government.

On that note, user Azlisham Abdullah criticised Hadi for being open to cooperate with traitors and looters instead of working with those who want to clean up the country.



Netizen Firdaus Luqman jested:



(Once he gets a good post, he will kiss and hug the “cats and rats” and claim that he only wanted to unite them from the start) – April 30, 2022

Kudos on granting Rohana citizenship but what about others, DAP asks Hamzah

Kudos on granting Rohana citizenship but what about others, DAP asks Hamzah




WITH Rohana Abdullah getting Malaysian citizenship upon the prime minister’s intervention, a DAP leader urged the Government to resolve the plight of other stateless people in Malaysia.

“It’s delightful to hear that Rohana had received her citizenship upon approval from Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin. I think this is the best Hari Raya gift for her.


“However, we must not forget the plight of other stateless people who are going through much suffering as well.

“So, can Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Hamzah commit to assist them too? Are they prepared to address the policy gaps in our citizenship law so that other stateless children will not have to go through the suffering Rohana had endured?” asked Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching, in a statement.


Yesterday, 22-year-old Rohana, who raised by Chee Hoi Lan, 83, received her citizenship from Hamzah in an event with 34 others.


“On stage, she (Rohana) cried as she said she had been waiting for a long time for her citizenship.

“She expressed her thanks to the Government. I informed her that we grant citizenship only to eligible individuals,” Free Malaysia Today reported the Larut MP as saying.

Rohana was reportedly abandoned when she was only two months old by her biological mother, an Indonesian citizen, and was cared for by Chee since then, a kindergarten teacher.

On that note, Teo queried Hamzah’s statement who said the Government would only grant citizenship to those eligible, given that Rohana was deemed ineligible for the last 20 years.

“And three months after her plight was highlighted by the media, Rohana suddenly became eligible. What was the criteria used by the Home Ministry to decide on who is eligible and not?” she asked. 

Regardless, the former deputy minister urged the Home Ministry to reform its citizenship laws and grant citizenship to stateless children who managed to meet the criteria below:

• All stateless children, whose father is a Malaysian, shall be given citizenship by producing their DNA test report;
• All stateless children legally adopted by Malaysian parents shall also be given Malaysian citizenship; and
• Pursuant to the Federal Court decision on Nov 19, 2021, all newborn children who were left and discovered in a place without any trace of their biological parents are entitled to citizenship by operation of law until the contrary is shown.

Teo remarked: “I plead with the Government to find a permanent solution to end the misery of the stateless children.

“I hope they don’t need to wait for their time to get media exposure before receiving calls from the prime minister or home minister to get what is rightfully theirs.” – April 30, 2022

***

kt comments:

Much as I teased Nie Ching about the UEC, I applaud her efforts on this issue. Compare her to the useless Rina Harun, I can only salute her, wakakaka.

DAP should not become a prostitute like PAS for the lust of power

Values Dignity, Integrity & Principles – Why It’s A Wrong Strategy For DAP To Work With Bersatu Traitors Again

Those 'pendatangs' are having it too good and now won't go home

Mahathir Mohamad exposed in early April how his former most trusted lieutenant, Muhyiddin Yassin, had met him with the shameful intention of seeking his support to become prime minister again. However, Mahathir publicly said it was impossible for both of them to work together again, especially after Muhyiddin’s betrayal during the “Sheraton Move” coup, which led to the old man’s resignation.

However, Mahathir cunningly left the option open when he also said that his party, Pejuang (Homeland Fighters’ Party), has yet to decide on whether to work with Muhyiddin, who is the president of Bersatu (Malaysian United Indigenous Party). They formed Bersatu together in 2017, but Mahathir was sacked as the party chairman, along with three other MPs after Muhyiddin’s betrayal.



After Mahathir’s revelation, opposition de-facto leader Anwar Ibrahim said he too had met with Muhyiddin. But Anwar said there were no discussions about supporting Muhyiddin as a PM again. PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution, however, said the Opposition Pakatan Harapan was prepared to negotiate and discuss with any political party about cooperation in the upcoming general election.



Likewise, DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu (popularly known as Mat Sabu) said their respective parties would not work with Bersatu, let alone extremist Islamist party PAS, as the two parties’ leaders cannot be trusted. Mat Sabu even said there was no way that Pakatan Harapan would work with “traitors” who betrayed the people’s mandate.



However, not long after Mr Lim and Mat Sabu rejections to any sort of cooperation with former PM Muhyiddin and Taliban Hadi Awang, their deputies – either ignorantly or deliberately – issued contradictory statements. Amanah deputy president, Salahuddin Ayub, disagreed with his boss and said Bersatu and PAS should not be automatically excluded from Pakatan’s “big tent” concept.



Statements from DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook were more confusing. First, he said the issue of cooperation between Pakatan Harapan and Bersatu did not arise as Perikatan Nasional is still part of the ruling government. Then, the genius Loke said any cooperation between Pakatan Harapan and Bersatu can only happen if all the coalition’s component parties agree to it.



Does that mean the moment Prime Minister Ismail Sabri dissolves the parliament, DAP will rush to cooperate with Bersatu because there would be no government anymore? But if it’s true that the Democratic Action Party has already decided that it cannot work with the traitors come rain or shine, why did Mr Loke vaguely suggest that cooperation is still possible?



Exactly why can’t the newly crowned DAP secretary-general just say Bersatu traitors should stop dreaming about getting any support from the Democratic Action Party, consistent with Lim Guan Eng’s stance? Diplomatically and sarcastically, Anthony Loke should have said that both PKR and Amanah can do whatever they want, but DAP has principles, integrity and dignity and will not be part of the orgy party.



If Mahathir can still work together with the same man who backstabbed and betrayed him, then he has lost his moral ground to talk about fighting corruption and sending crooked Najib to jail. After all, it was the power-crazy Muhyiddin who interfered and dropped all 46 criminal charges against former Sabah chief minister Musa Aman, as well as Najib stepson Riza Aziz.



If Anwar can still work together with the same man who had not only betrayed his party, but stole the post of prime minister from under his nose, then he is stupider than he looks and deserves to be humiliated as the world’s longest PM-in-waiting. After all, if he can be easily tricked and fooled – repetitively, chances are he is not a good prime ministerial candidate.



Get real, another half-baked reunion will not work simply because of distrust and bad blood among Pejuang, Bersatu, PAS, PKR, Amanah and DAP. It’s already a non-starter when a simple question is raised – who will be the next prime minister if they somehow win the 15th General Election? Mahathir (or his son Mukhriz), Anwar and Muhyiddin all wanted the same trophy.



Next is the question of seat allocation. Let’s assume Pakatan Harapan, consisting of PKR, DAP and Amanah, agreed to let bygones be bygones and work again with Bersatu just like the good old time before the 2018 General Election. Will they be satisfied with the previous seat arrangement (the easiest formula based on time restriction) and welcome despicable traitors like Azmin Ali and Zuraida Kamaruddin?



In 2018, PKR (People’s Justice Party) won 47 seats, while DAP (Democratic Action Party) grabbed 42 and Amanah (National Trust Party) got 11. Bersatu, under the leadership of Mahathir, took 13 seats, allowing the four political parties to win a simple majority of 113 seats in the 222-seat Parliament. Again, let’s assume they could win back the same seats, which they absolutely can’t.



What can PKR, Amanah and DAP do if Muhyiddin pulls another betrayal stunt, plotting again with PAS and UMNO to form yet another backdoor regime under the pretext of a “Malay-Muslim” government? The old script will be played again to stir up racial and religion sentiments among the Malays that the Muslims and Malay Rulers have lost power to the “Chinese, Christians and Communists”.



Even if a Pakatan Harapan 2.0 government could be formed, does DAP really think it could get back the finance minister portfolio? After the disastrous results in the Sabah, Sarawak, Melaka and Johor state elections, where PKR won only 2 seats, 0 seats, 0 seats and 1 seat respectively, does Anwar really think he could win even half of his party’s current 47 seats in the parliament after the next election?



Likewise, Mahathir should be certified as “senile” if the 96-year-old man really thinks he’s still a force to be reckoned with. The God probably wanted him to be alive to see how his party Pejuang annihilated in the Johor state election, where all the 42 candidates lost their deposits. And does Muhyiddin really think Chinese voters will easily forgive and forget his treachery and treasonous?




Pejuang, PKR and Amanah may pretend that nothing had happened to convince their Malay supporters to forgive and forget what Muhyiddin had done for the sake of Malay unity, Islamic teaching and whatnot. Mahathir, Muhyiddin and Anwar may even try to hug and kiss each other in front of the world to project unity in their crusade to stop Najib Razak and Zahid Hamidi.



However, DAP should realize that not all the Chinese voters are equally stupid and gullible. When Muhyiddin betrayed his own government – the democratically elected Pakatan Harapan government – by plotting with UMNO and PAS, he effectively crossed the “red line” despised by the Chinese community. For DAP to accept Muhyiddin is asking the Chinese community to embrace the traitor.



There’s a reason why Chinese education teaches students about past traitors in the history of China. In the 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, they have seen not only how traitors caused the fall of dynasties like the Song, Tang and Ming, but also saw the lost of tens of millions of lives due to treachery. Every student knew Wu Sangui (吴三桂), the Ming and Qing general who betrayed two successive dynasties.



In the same breath, “God of War” General Guan Yu is being worshipped for his loyalty, bravery, righteousness and credibility, some qualities that are rarely taught in national schools. This also partly explains why Chinese businesses tend to succeed, while Mahathir kept whining and bitching how Malay workers stole money from his bakery shop, “The Loaf”, which eventually closed down after 12 years in business.



Hence, the factions between English-educated and Chinese-educated leaders in DAP. Even after the “Sheraton Move” coup, some of English-educated DAP leaders can accept the idea of working again with Bersatu traitors just to get back to power, whereas majority of the Chinese-educated leaders prefer to remain as opposition than being betrayed again.



When DAP central committee member Ronnie Liu said the party should not degrade itself just to gain Malay support and did not have to “dilute its Chineseness” just because of criticism from political enemies, he was not entirely wrong. Like it or not, the majority of the Malays have been brainwashed by UMNO Malay leaders for more than 60 years to be racist.



You just need to read the comments from the Malays after Sam Ke Ting’s acquittal was suspiciously reversed by the High Court for accidentally killed some Malay “bicycle gang” teenagers, who terrorized main road with “basikal lajak (modified bicycles)” at 3:20am in 2017. Most of the comments refused to argue with facts, but looked at Sam’s conviction from a racial lens.



DAP should also be reminded that the Chinese are still mad and furious over the MOU signed with the racist government, which saw opposition Pakatan Harapan voted to pass the Budget 2022. Despite a monstrous RM332.1 billion budget, the budget had discriminatory and unfairly allocated a pathetic RM200 million for the ethnic Chinese and RM145 million for the Indian community.



The loss of Yong Peng to rival MCA (Malaysia Chinese Association) in the Johor state election is proof of self-inflicted damage from the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding). In order not to offend the sensitive ethnic Malay, DAP has been zipping its mouth since Pakatan’s collapse in March 2020. Yet, the strategy to appease the Malays has failed to attract any new votes from them.



Worse, the recent Johor state election results showed that majority of Malays would rather support a crook (Najib Razak) or a traitor (Muhyiddin Yassin) than a liberal Malay leader (Anwar Ibrahim). The only time the Malays can accept DAP is when the Chinese-dominated party is 90% controlled or infiltrated by Malay leaders. Malaysian Malaysia is a wishful thinking, which is probably centuries away.



A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush – DAP should stop chasing the bird in the bush (Malay) while risking losing loyal Chinese voters. True, politics is the art of the impossible, but in the context of rivalry between Bersatu and UMNO, the enemy of DAP’s enemy is not its friend. All the Malay parties – UMNO, Pejuang, Bersatu, PAS – are fighting for Malay voters, and desperately needed the Chinese votes.



Therefore, DAP’s best and only strategy is to aim to become a strong opposition party with dignity and principles. It should go solo if PKR and Amanah veto its decision not to work with Bersatu. It should reject the madness of going to bed with the traitors again because unlike PKR’s obsession to make Anwar the next PM, DAP’s objective is different and its role in a government will be limited anyway.



The big canopy concept is silly at best and stupid at worst. Even the acceptance of Mahathir into the opposition Pakatan Harapan in 2017 happened some 14 years after the former PM’s 22 years of iron-fist rule (1981-2003). If people need 14 years to give a second chance to a dictator, certainly more time is needed to recover from a disgusting treachery exploded just 2 years ago.



Going back to the old principled DAP might not win enough seats to form a government, but stubbornly bulldozing the idea of holding hands of the traitors will surely lose a big chunk of the 42 seats it won in 2018. It should not touch the toxic Bersatu or PAS with a 10-foot pole. It’s not rocket science that you don’t work with a power-crazy man whose middle name is betrayal.



Let PKR and Amanah dig their own graves if they want to sleep with the traitors. The only reason Muhyiddin desperately wanted to work with Pakatan is to leverage on DAP’s Chinese vote bank. DAP should not become a prostitute like PAS for the lust of power. It should not become the next MCA, the lapdog of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO).



More importantly, DAP’s top priority is to maintain its 42 seats, which can only happen if it does not lose any of the 90% Chinese votes it had won. Only then it could hope to be part of a government. It will be a miracle if PKR-Bersatu cooperation works. It will be a bonus if PKR-Bersatu could attract support from rural Malay voters. Either way, cooperation with Bersatu will come at a price.

Tuan Ibrahim: Kelantan's water supply will be fixed in 30 to 40 years time

No water supply when fire broke out? Husam quizzes Air Kelantan


A former exco member has questioned Air Kelantan Sdn Bhd (AKSB) after residents alleged that a fire in Kota Bharu spiralled out of control due to a lack of water supply, destroying at least five houses.

Husam Musa (above) pointed out that there have been long-standing issues with water supply and water quality in Kelantan which have caused people to suffer including in cases of emergencies.

On April 28, at least five houses at Berek 12 in the state capital completely burned down due to firecrackers in the 9.35am incident. Another four houses were partially damaged.

Residents earlier claimed that they had not had water for 11 days when the blaze happened, which was why the Fire Department had difficulty dealing with it.

“The fire incident which could not be controlled due to low water pressure or lack of water, as well as the anger of the long-suffering rakyat – should be food for thought for all Kelantanese (to) examine the cause of AKSB’s failure specifically in their duty and the continuous failure of the PAS-led state government,” Husam said in a statement today.

He noted that the federal minister in charge of water issues is PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, and the National Water Services Commission (Span) chairperson is also a PAS lawmaker - Dungun MP Wan Hassan Mohd Ramli.

Despite that, water problems in Kelantan persist, he added.

No shortcuts, distractions

There have been suggestions to reshuffle the AKSB management including from PAS supporters, Husam said, but there is no guarantee this will resolve the issues as the source of it remains unknown.

“This suggestion is a shortcut to distract the rakyat’s anger for political purposes.

“Even with the reshuffling of the management, AKSB will still be under the jurisdiction of the state government leaders,” he added.

Husam claimed there could be elements of abuse of power as among the potential reasons for the water issues.

The former senator had previously accused AKSB of abuse of power and was subsequently sued for defamation. However, the Kota Bharu High Court has since dismissed the suit.

“If the reason for this failure is the abuse of power, then the right answer to get to the source of AKSB’s failure would be to form an independent investigative commission.

“If the Kelantan government is willing to form this commission and the members are seen by the rakyat to be truly independent and of high integrity – that is a sign they are honest and do not plan to hide anything.

“If they refuse to do so, it shows that there is something secretive about their work all this while,” he said.

“Without an independent thorough investigation, the water issues of the people of Kelantan will never be resolved,” he added.

Alternatively, Husam suggested the Kelantanese replace the state government as a solution to their woes.

“The other option if the Kelantan government refuses to do so (solve the issue), is for the Kelantanese to be brave enough to change the government when the time comes.

“The new government must agree to form the commission immediately,” he said.

Tycoon Branson raps ‘Singapore’s relentless machinery of death’ after Nagaenthran’s execution

Malaysia Now:

Tycoon Branson raps ‘Singapore’s relentless machinery of death’ after Nagaenthran’s execution

He says it left 'no room for decency, dignity, compassion, or mercy' in sending Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam to the gallows.

Protesters gather in front of the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur over the weekend to protest against the execution of Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam, who was hanged yesterday.


British aviation magnate Richard Branson says a “national conversation” about the use of the death penalty in Singapore is “long overdue”, voicing disappointment in the city-state’s “relentless machinery of death” following the execution of Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam yesterday despite his mental disabilities.

“Singapore’s relentless machinery of death did what it always does,” Branson said in a blog post dedicated to Nagaenthran.

“Stubbornly rejecting international human rights law and the views of experts, it left no room for decency, dignity, compassion, or mercy. Justice wasn’t served.”

Nagaenthran was hanged at Changi prison early yesterday morning despite the international outcry over the death sentence handed down to him 12 years ago for trafficking 43g – about three tablespoons – of heroin into Singapore.

He had an IQ of 69, a level recognised as a disability, and was reportedly coerced into committing the crime.

His mother’s last-ditch attempt to halt his execution was thrown out by the court which said the criminal motion filed by Panchalai Supermaniam appeared to be a “calculated attempt” to diminish the finality of the court process.

Panchalai had appeared in court herself as she was unable to find a lawyer in Singapore willing to represent her son.

“Imagine the anguish, the anxiety, the grief,” Branson said on Panchalai’s final efforts to save Nagaenthran.

“He was not a criminal. He was a victim – of his personal circumstances; of drug cartels that prey on the vulnerable; of a justice system that so consistently seems to fail minorities, the marginalised, and the poor. Humanity has failed him.”

Branson, who had multiple times called for Singapore to give Nagaenthran clemency, said in his last plea that while he had “enormous respect” for the city-state, its use of capital punishment was the “one horrible blotch on its reputation”.

“More than ever, I am convinced that it’s in our hands to end the death penalty in our lifetime. The global movement for abolition is growing. Also because of miscarriages of justice like this,” he said in his blog post.

Adding that Singapore would not be the same after this, he said people were beginning to doubt the need for the death penalty.

“If a system cannot protect the rights of those with disabilities, if it cannot offer empathy and reprieve, then something is fundamentally broken.

“Nagaenthran’s case has raised so many questions about good governance, transparency, due process, fairness, and about Singapore’s commitment to international agreements. This will not go away.

“I’d rather know Singapore as modern, world-class hub of trade than as a place that wastes its resources and its reputation on hanging people.”

Deputy minister urges public to not overbuy during Aidilfitri to avoid supply shortage

MM:

Deputy minister urges public to not overbuy during Aidilfitri to avoid supply shortage

A customer waits to buy chicken at a wet market in Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur. — File picture by Firdaus Latif


KOTA BARU, April 30 ― The public has been advised against over-buying of essential food items during the Aidilfitri festive season to avoid supply shortage.


Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry II Datuk Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh, however, gave the assurance that there is sufficient supply of essential items in the market to meet the demand for the Aidilfitri celebration.

“The ministry has discussed with chicken producers and meat importers, and they are prepared to cooperate in ensuring adequate food supply during the festive season.


“We do not want consumers to buy chicken for a month supply because their children are home for the Eid celebration. This should not happen, just buy what is needed for Hari Raya,” he told reporters at the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority's (FAMA) Semarak Syawal Programme at the Rural Transformation Centre (RTC) near Tunjong, here today.


Nik Muhammad Zawawi, who is Pasir Puteh Member of Parliament, also advised the public to get their daily necessities at the My Best Buy Carnival Raya Programme at the797 marketing outlets nationwide.

Consumers get to enjoy a 10 to 20 per cent discount on the price of goods at the carnival, he added.

Meanwhile, when asked to comment on a viralled video on a claim by chicken traders that there will be shortage of chicken supply for the Aidilfitri celebration, he did not rule out the possibility of some areas facing shortage of the chicken supply. ― Bernama

An inconvenient question: Are cash, rice for votes ‘protection’?

An inconvenient question: Are cash, rice for votes ‘protection’?


Malay political elites who perpetuate the parochial blueprint that has empowered and enriched them at the expense of their race and others should be ashamed of themselves.

This is think-tank founder and businessperson Chandran Nair's searing indictment of Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal's recent remark that the Malays, with their neo-feudal and tribal mindset, still require a protector.

For Chandran, it is extremely disappointing when the new generation of political leaders, who should be committed to emancipating the people from such cerebral manacles and racial stereotypes, reinforce antiquated beliefs which bind and hinder progress.

“It is common knowledge that in the run-up to elections, people are bought with cash and bags of rice. This tells how deplorable things are when elite Malay politicians can create a voting bloc with such a promise.

“It shows how destructive they have been to the disenfranchised within the community and why they choose to keep them poor rather than uplifting them. If this is what protection looks like, they should be ashamed of themselves,” he told Malaysiakini.

When pointed out that Wan Fayshal had, in response to critics, explained that he too disagreed with this conservative mindset, Chandran dismissed this as inadequate.

According to him, the national unity deputy minister is obliged to provide a clear explanation of why this mindset exists, what perpetuates it, and what can be done about it.

Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal


Without mincing words, Chandran said Wan Fayshal should possess the courage to swim against the current and not appear to obliquely support or pander to it.

“Don't get into politics if you are not willing to repel social structures and attitudes that prevent people from progressing and realising their potential. Do not be willing to just accept the old systems and add fuel to the fire.

“This underscores the immaturity of Malaysia's political system and many of its participants. You enter politics to make the country better. You can either be someone who is willing to pursue the old race-based politics or as a young leader say, 'that is the past and we need to move forward by dismantling it'.

“Political leaders in a multicultural society like Malaysia should not just make statements of a racial nature without offering insights that help further the search for solutions and which do not chart a course for the future.

“It is regressive to suggest that Malays have a mindset that cannot be changed. Political leaders should be helping people of all races to step out of such a race-based mindset,” he added.

A mindset that is exploited

To break free from these shackles, Chandran said the Malay community must be made to realise that such a mindset has held them back, is disadvantageous and leaves the door ajar for those who position themselves as their protectors to exploit it together with their cronies.

“Statements such as these by the political elites are sadly rooted in the untrue and misguided belief that the race is inferior to others and therefore requires protection. It reinforces racial stereotypes, including that non-Malays – especially the Chinese – are a threat. This is the type of divisive and racist politics that the country should not tolerate,” he added.

Chandran opined that many middle-class and elite Malays recognise the dangers of propagating such ideas but choose to remain silent.

“Why are they silent? Because within the elites, there are different classes that accrue different levels of benefits from the current racial construct.

“There is the rent-seeking class, who is essentially bringing this country to ruin by plundering it. Then there are others, including professionals, who are beneficiaries of the system but not the architects. We also know there are non-Malay beneficiaries who support it.

“The poorer Malays, who need the most help and whose situation is getting worse, do not seem to recognise how this system operates against them. Why? Because they have been infused with the belief that they are the 'sons of the soil' and this position is threatened by the non-Malays and therefore require protection from the elite Malays.

“The political system, economy and education system are designed to exert this sort of control on the disenfranchised Malays. So, the poor Malays, especially in rural areas, cannot know better. The irony is, they are in fact the ones being told by the elite Malays that they are inferior and are supposedly incapable of competing with non-Malays. This is the definition of racism,” he added.

Bags for rice to be given out at an election


The architects of this system, Chandran said, have no desire to dismantle this framework because doing so will threaten their livelihood since fortunes and entire business ecosystems have been constructed around it.

“The most unfortunate thing is when the elite Malays tell the poor Malays: ‘you are not equal to the other races but you are a special race like us and therefore, we have the right to grant ourselves all the special rights and you will also be a beneficiary’. But the truth is that poor and less educated Malays cannot leverage these perks and rights,” he added.

However, he noted that the affirmative actions designed to improve the socio-economic standing of the Malays are benefiting the rich and have failed to meet their intended targets even after several decades and iterations of the New Economic Policy (NEP).

“I have Malay friends, who opt for these benefits/discounts, saying 'you take what you can'. You are earning more than a million ringgit, and you shamelessly take this?

“There are others who are not Malay, not born in Malaysia, but have acquired the bumi status and are enjoying the largesse of this elaborate race-based Ponzi scheme.

“The state has an absolute responsibility to prevent this and needs to act urgently. That money should be going towards the poor. It should be invested in education and better teachers instead of lowering the passing rate and decimating the education system.

“If you are genuine about wanting to help the poor Malays, start with ensuring a sound education system. Provide the best education and allow them the opportunity to work hard and compete with their fellow citizens,” he added.

Chandran also admonished government-linked company (GLC) heads for being silent and therefore complicit on this matter instead of coming together to demand changes from the government.

“These GLC leaders should know better. They purport to be international business leaders at global forums etc., but in Malaysia, they behave as parochial village heads presiding over a racist system of employment,” he stressed.

The crux of the issue, he surmised, is that preserving the so-called tribal and neo-feudal mindset is crucial to ensuring the status quo and protecting the interests of the Malay elites in both politics and business.

Instutionalised racism breeds racism

Chandran also expressed regret that institutionalised racism has made Malaysians of all denominations racial in their thinking and the perception that Malays are inferior is widespread among other races.

“So non-Malays also end up seeing the Malays as not being good enough. For example, in non-Malay establishments, there are many instances when Malays are discriminated against based on the assumption that the quality of their qualifications is of a lower standard. This unacceptable form of discrimination is a function of the systemic racism of the state, which discriminates non-Malays. This is a vicious trap we are all caught in.

“The discrimination against non-Malays is also premised around the reality that the Malays don't have to compete with non-Malays for the most coveted jobs in the GLCs and the government. There is easier access to GLCs for Malays, and additionally, passing marks in education systems are lowered because of the belief that the Malays would not be able to compete otherwise.

“To ensure more Malays are ‘qualified’, the government has abetted the opening of many third-class universities which in turn offer thousands of doctorates to people who are not qualified. This breeds resentment among non-Malays, whose children are unable to secure a seat in a university despite scoring high grades. In return, Malays are unjustly discriminated against in the private sector.

“This is a serious issue, and we need more elite Malays, especially from the private sector, to speak out and give advice to the government to address this problem. If not, it will catch up with them too and destroy the nation and Malay society.

“The issue of institutional racism must be addressed because it has created economic cancer. There is hardly any meritocracy and a blind eye is turned to the pillaging. Even our banking and finance system, as far as I know, is the only one in the world which provides special funds and rates based on race,” he rued.

On an optimistic note, and responding to those who believe the rot is too entrenched, Chandran is confident that change will happen for the better.

“I get asked this question all the time, 'can it change'? It will change. It will change because society has progressed despite political elites continuing to live in the past. I meet a lot of urban working-class Malays who are ashamed of what the racist system has done to them and have come to realise that those who are truly holding them back are their political elites.

“If it doesn't change, it will be catastrophic for the country. All of us must be aware of this,” he warned.