Ex-Umno warlord Noh Omar says Malay votes will let Perikatan take Selangor easily

Ex-Umno warlord Noh Omar says Malay votes will let Perikatan take Selangor easily

Former Selangor Umno chief Tan Sri Noh Omar speaks during the Dialogue Perikatan Nasional in Sungai Besar on June 1, 2023. — Picture by Hari Anggara

Friday, 02 Jun 2023 12:38 AM MYT


SABAK BERNAM, June 2 — Former Selangor Umno chief Tan Sri Noh Omar expressed confidence last night that Perikatan Nasional (PN) could comfortably win the state election on the back of Malay support.

Citing “ummah unity”, the ex-Tanjong Karang MP recounted his previous efforts to develop Muafakat Nasional into a platform for Malay votes, and said PN could replicate this to win at least 33 seats from the 56 available and form the state government.


MN was the informal charter signed between Umno and PAS before the two eventually fell out due to the latter’s decision to join PN with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) over the former.

Addressing around 500 attendees at a PN Dialogue Session at Sungai Besar here, he said Umno’s previous strength in the state had come from its northern belt where Malay majority seats contributed to the party’s success.


“According to the strategy like the previous Muafakat Nasional that we had proposed, we can win at least 33 state seats. But if we go with a three-way fight, we will lose.


“But today, there will be only direct fights between PN and Pakatan Harapan with Barisan Nasional. With this, I’m confident that the PN will win in the upcoming state election,” he said.

He also said that Umno has suffered due to allegedly abandoning the “ummah unity” agenda after its abysmal performance in the 15th general election (GE15).

Apart from Noh, PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan also said PN would win at least 29 seats, the minimum needed to form the state government through a simple majority.

The Opposition chief whip also said that PAS did not regret choosing Bersatu over Umno, which he said was shown to be rejected by voters.

“I still remember Umno offered PAS with 40 winnable seats on the condition that we leave Bersatu.

“But today we have won 43 seats in the last general election, which is more than what Umno offered us,” he said referring to federal seats his party won last November.

Besides Noh and Takiyuddin, others present were federal Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin, Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Kamal, former Ampang MP Datuk Seri Rina Harun, Putrajaya MP Datuk Seri Radzi Jidin, and Pendang MP Datuk Awang Hashim.

The event was hosted by Sungai Besar MP Muslimin Yahaya at the PAS district headquarters.

Last month, Noh, whom Umno expelled after he told the party to do so, announced his candidacy for his former seat in Tanjong Karang as a PN candidate in the upcoming state polls.

Apart from Selangor, others expected to hold state election by August include Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu, and Kedah.

LCS scandal: Remedying corruption or ignoring it?

LCS scandal: Remedying corruption or ignoring it?

C4 Center


COMMENT | On May 26, it was reported that Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS), a subsidiary of Boustead Holding Berhad (BHB) signed a sixth supplemental contract for the procurement of the littoral combat ships (LCS), reducing the deliverables from six ships to five, but ballooning the total cost of the project from RM9.13 billion to RM 11.2 billion.

It was also announced that the Ministry of Finance (MOF) established a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to take over BNS as a subsidiary, essentially giving MOF greater control over the project and also enacting more accountability measures to ensure the project’s completion.

The Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Center) acknowledges that this is a step in the right direction in order to ensure that the project does not encounter further obstacles and delays.

However, C4 Center also questions why those responsible for the project’s catastrophic failures still have not been held accountable, and what the continuation of the project means for future anti-corruption efforts.

Defence Minister Mohamad Hasan stated that the LCS project will be monitored by a newly-formed Project Monitoring Committee (PMC), jointly chaired by the Treasury secretary-general and the Defence Ministry secretary-general.

Mohamad additionally stated that periodic progress reports to the cabinet would be prepared in accordance with the conditions set by the auditor-general, and periodic reporting to Parliament through the Public Account Committee (PAC) will be done at least once every three months as well.

Defence Minister Mohamad Hasan


While the increased oversight over the LCS project is a welcome development on paper, the administration of oversight itself must be practised and maintained to its fullest extent to ensure the project itself can meet its obligations, adhering to the timelines for delivery that have been set without failure or delays.

If those reports are to be made to the cabinet and to the PAC, they should also be made available for the public – with the RM6 billion that has already been sunk into this project, all of which came from people living in Malaysia but with not a single ship to show for it, the government has an obligation to uphold transparency, both in terms of fulfilling their mandate of public service and also for rebuilding trust in government institutions where it has been eroded after countless corruption and financial mismanagement controversies.

The capacity of our navy to defend our shores, for which these ships were purchased in the first place, has already been severely limited by this misstep.

Many questions about the project remain unanswered, and the government’s response towards those outstanding issues remains wanting – why haven’t the investigations behind those responsible for the poor decision-making that led to the demise of this project been made public yet?


Hold perpetrators to account

In March 2023, MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki stated that statements from involved parties were still being taken – this follows a string of statements from the MACC since August 2022 that the investigations were already near completion and would be released to the public.

BHB’s internal audit revealed inconsistencies and key figures serving in the Ministry of Defence at the time making questionable decisions; C4 Center’s own research from September 2022 uncovered strong connections between this scandal and the Scorpene submarine controversy, with the same individuals quite possibly orchestrating both these projects. Why has the government been slow to act on this?

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s comment that the government had “no choice” to continue with the project is unsettling in light of their inaction in holding the perpetrators of this scandal to account.

If mega-projects that cost taxpayers billions of ringgit were allowed to continue despite clear mismanagement and the strong possibility of corruption based on the logic of ‘sunk cost’, this sets a dangerous precedent where the mismanagement of projects is retroactively disregarded in favour of ensuring delivery.

The validity of the project becomes secondary to the need for completion, all while using up more public funds. The cost of the LCS project has inflated to RM11 billion by way of the supplementary contract – with RM6 billion already spent on this but no ships fully completed, the logic of sunk cost compels the government to spend another RM 5 billion.

That is not to say the project is a complete waste of money – defence spending is undeniably important for the nation. However, cost-benefit analysis and the return on investment for public procurement must be prioritised.

It is worth mentioning that while he was still the leader of the opposition in August 2022, Anwar stated that the next phase of the project must be halted, with the remainder of the budget funds redirected to people in need, especially veterans.

As the prime minister now, he stated in March 2023 that investigations into the LCS project must continue and that previous prosecutions were not enough as they did not even involve the main culprits behind the project’s failure. Anwar’s current statements seem to contradict these previously-held sentiments.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim


This is where strong enforcement of anti-corruption laws and policies would play a crucial role. If enforcement bodies such as the MACC are not able to conduct investigations and bring charges against individuals liable for corruption-related offences in a timely manner, Malaysia risks losing billions of ringgit more to flawed projects and politicians abusing their office for self-enrichment.

Without proper oversight and enforcement, the procurement system will just be used as a mechanism for further extraction of funds, and the corruption that led to it is simply treated and accepted as an aspect of ‘sunk cost’.

Hence, C4 Center strongly urges the following:

1. For the monitoring reports by the PMC and the PAC to be publicly released and kept in accordance with the set period as determined;

2. For the results of the MACC’s investigations so far to be released promptly, made available and accessible to the public, accompanied by periodic updates on the status of ongoing investigations;

3. For the Attorney-General’s Chambers to initiate prosecutions against individuals found to be engaging in corruption-related offences at the point of contracting, and for those involved in the financial mismanagement of the project to be held publicly accountable;

4. For Parliament to enact the requisite institutional reforms such as the Procurement Act that would act as a preventative measure against massive wastage and poor delivery of infrastructure, and also reforms to the MACC that would ensure that public sector corruption can be dealt with more effectively.

C4 CENTER is an independent, non-partisan, and non-profit entity with a vision of good and clean governance in Malaysia.

Biden trips over sandbag, tumbles on Air Force stage

Biden trips over sandbag, tumbles on Air Force stage

US President Joe Biden is helped up after falling during the graduation ceremony at the United States Air Force Academy, just north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, on June 1, 2023. — AFP pic

Friday, 02 Jun 2023 7:46 AM MYT


COLORADO SPRINGS, June 2 — President Joe Biden took a face-first tumble yesterday after tripping over an obstacle on stage at the Air Force Academy in Colorado, but he appeared unhurt.

Biden, 80, who had delivered the commencement address to graduates of the military academy, had just shaken hands with a cadet and begun walking back to his seat when he fell.


Air Force personnel helped him back up and he did not appear to require further help.

As he rose, Biden pointed to the object that had apparently caught his foot. It resembled a small black sandbag on the stage.


White House Communications Director Ben LaBolt tweeted shortly afterward that “he’s fine. There was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands.”


Biden is the oldest person ever in the presidency and is seeking a second term in the 2024 election. His official doctor’s report this year declared him physically fit and he exercises regularly.

In November 2020, shortly after winning his election against the incumbent Donald Trump, Biden broke his foot while playing with a pet dog. — AFP

Australia's most-decorated living soldier is a war criminal and murderer

 

The Decision Dear reader, Today the Federal Court handed down its decision in the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation case against The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. It is a historic decision that vindicated our journalism and found we have proven that Australia's most-decorated living soldier is a war criminal and murderer who breached the Geneva Convention. For 10 months our journalists Nick McKenzie and Chris Masters awaited a decision on their investigations which we first published back in 2018. Roberts-Smith, a former Special Air Service corporal, launched defamation proceedings against our mastheads in August of that year and we have vigorously defended our journalists and their reporting since. The case had been described as a critical test of public interest journalism for Australia and it was indeed a landmark day for journalism but, as Nick said outside court, it was a day of justice. Justice for the family of Ali Jan who was kicked off a cliff by Ben Roberts-Smith and shot. Justice for the Afghan villagers who testified about what Roberts-Smith did in their country, including pressuring a rookie soldier to execute an elderly, unarmed man and machine-gunning a man with a prosthetic leg that he took home as a trophy. And justice for the brave SAS soldiers who stood up and told the truth about Roberts-Smith – that he is a war criminal, a bully and a liar who disgraced his country. “Australia should be proud of those men in the SAS. They are the majority in the SAS and they stood up for what was right, and they’ve been vindicated,” Nick said. Although the court found that our successful contextual truth defence covered allegations of domestic abuse levelled at Roberts-Smith, those specific allegations themselves could not be proven in court to the requisite standard. We are disappointed by this and we acknowledge “Person 17” (who can’t be identified for legal reasons) for testifying amid difficult circumstances. Nick and Chris never wanted this story to be about them but our newsrooms are incredibly proud of their dogged determination to pursue the truth. They painstakingly and methodically pieced together these investigations for two years before publication, and the decision – after a trial lasting 110 days, involving 41 witnesses and estimated to be more than $25 million in legal costs – reinforces the importance of the exhaustive public interest journalism that The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald are committed to. More at https://www.smh.com.au/national/ben-roberts-smith-case-former-sas-soldier-committed-war-crimes-20230314-p5crv4.html

Not his first time: Rayer urges probe into Sanusi over Penang remarks

theVibes.com:

Not his first time: Rayer urges probe into Sanusi over Penang remarks

DAP MP lodges report over Kedah MB’s alleged ‘seditious’ statements on state’s sovereignty

Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor had reportedly said that the federal constitution needs to be amended to accommodate findings made by historians and experts in Kedah that Penang belongs to the Kedah sultanate and those who founded the island state, as well as the claim that those who later went on to colonise it for almost 200 years did it by way of deceit. – ABDUL RAZAK LATIF/The Vibes file pic, June 1, 2023


GEORGE TOWN – There are grounds for police to investigate Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor for alleged sedition after his reported public remarks that Penang belongs to Kedah, said DAP lawyer R.S.N. Rayer.

Speaking to journalists here after lodging a second police report on the matter, the Jelutong MP said that this is not the only instance Sanusi had insisted that Penang belongs to Kedah.

“Despite the federal constitution stating otherwise, Sanusi chose to defy it, causing conflict and disrupting the harmony between both neighbouring states.

“The content is libellous, seditious, and has the potential to cause unease.

“A leader cannot be allowed to continue compromising peace and harmony by resorting to something libellous and factually inaccurate.

“We are hoping that police will investigate and take the necessary action,” the DAP MP said.

Yesterday, he lodged a similar police report in Kedah.

He added that Sanusi is believed to be the first Malaysian to question the sovereignty of one state, and this had caused a sense of discomfort among those residing in Penang.

Sanusi reportedly said that the federal constitution needs to be amended to accommodate findings made by historians and experts in Kedah that Penang belongs to the Kedah sultanate and those who founded the island state, as well as the claim that those who later went on to colonise it for almost 200 years did it by way of deceit.

He reiterated that Penang belonged to Kedah and challenged journalists present to report what he has uttered despite knowing that his remarks will again become controversial.

Meanwhile, criticism towards Sanusi continued with the oldest Malay organisation in the country – the Penang Malay Association – questioning Sanusi if his remarks were just a cheap gimmick in view of the upcoming state elections in Kedah and Penang.

Its president Tan Sri Mohd Yussof Latiff said that the border demarcation between Kedah and Penang was done on May 6, 1869 between representatives of both states.

Yussof said that under the constitution, Penang is recognised as one of the 13 territories (states) under the federated states of Malaysia.

“Hence, Sanusi was misinformed over the matter,” Yussof said in an interview.

He also said that the association members are keen to hold a dialogue with Sanusi on the matter so it can be put to rest and that both states could continue fostering good relations. – The Vibes, June 1, 2023

Khairy Jamaluddin's Dilemma

Khairy Jamaluddin's Dilemma

31 May 2023 • 2:00 PM MYT

TheRealNehruism

Credit Image: Twitter


If you ask any Malaysian today who is likely going to be the next Prime Minister of Malaysia in 10 years’ time, the most likely answer you will receive is Khairy Jamaluddin.


Khairy Jamaluddin is the only name in our list of potential PMs who look like they can bring about a much-needed change. Every other name in the list belongs leaders who will likely keep us firmly stuck in the past. We have seen what Muhyiddin, Zahid Hamidi, Mahathir or Ismail Sabri have to offer. If they return to power, we are either going to be stuck exactly where we are right now or we might even find ourselves treading backwards.


The irony, however, is that although Khairy is the only potential leader that can promise us a future, currently, Khairy not only does not have a political post, he also doesn’t belong in any political party. The man, for lack of a better word, is in a state of exile. He is making the best of his state of political limbo by moonlighting as radio DJ, but he cannot afford to be having fun forever. As Peja advised him recently, time waits for no man. By my estimate, Khairy has less than a year make a move. If Khairy deliberates for longer than that, he might go down in history as something that could have been but never was.


Going by precedent, Khairy is likely going to face an uphill battle climbing to the number 1 spot. One of the biggest problems in the culture of Malaysian politics is that we have no place for the old number 1’s. Because of that, not only do our serving number 1’s cannot accept being replaced, they also regularly see the most promising next-in-line as a threat.


In Malaysian history, every next generation of leader of caliber from Musa Hitam to Razaleigh Hamzah to Anwar Ibrahim had their careers abruptly cut short, sometimes in the most humiliating fashion possible, by a jittery and suspicious number 1 .


Muhyiddin had recently offered Khairy opportunities and position if he joins Bersatu, but Muhyiddin likely only sees Khairy as an asset because Muhyiddin himself is in a position of disadvantage. Muhyiddin needs Khairy to join him to improve PN's prospect of winning. With Khairy by his side, Muhyiddin will have more than just racial and religious rhetoric to offer Malaysians.


The problem, however, is that if Khairy joins Bersatu and helps Bersatu wins, it is doubtful whether Bersatu and PN will still see him as an asset. Khairy is ill-matched in PN. If Khairy joins PN, Khairy will strengthen PN's prospects, but PN will dim Khairy's prospect.


The second option for Khairy to pave a path to the number 1 position is through Umno. Umno might be eviscerated now, but Umno is a powerful brand name, and a thing with a powerful name can always be rejuvenated again in the future, if the condition is right. If Khairy returns to Umno and take Umno’s helm, there is a likelihood that he can bring about the condition that can make Umno a tour-de-force once again.


With Umno behind him, Khairy will not have to worry about any external power viewing him as a potential threat. A rejuvenated Umno can and will provide him with all the protection he needs as he trains his gun on the top spot.


The problem with this option is that for Khairy to return to Umno, Umno has to lose badly in the upcoming 6 state elections. After it loses, an internal rebellion needs to be fostered within Umno to ouster Zahid Hamidi. After Ahmad Zahidi falls, Khairy will have to choose the correct warlord to support. Every Umno warlord from Tok Mat to Hishamuddin will gun for the top spot once Zahid Hamidi is toppled, and Khairy needs to choose the winning one if he is ever going to find a way to make it to the top someday. Even if he bets on the right warlord, there is still no telling as to whether the warlord he backs will back Khairy's rise to the top spot. With so many ifs' underlining the Umno option, Khairy might not be able to sleep in peace for years or decades if he opts for the Umno option.


The third option for Khairy is to seek the patronage of Anwar Ibrahim, the current prime minister. Anwar has shown that he is not shy of appointing dark horses to position of importance. If Anwar can appoint the tainted Zahid Hamidi as his DPM and his daughter Nurul Izzah as his senior economic and finance adviser, he certainly will have no problem electing Khairy to a position of importance.


Unlike the appointments of Zahid Hamidi and Nurul Izzah, Khairy's appointment will likely not be met with vehement protests. In all likelihood, it might even be received with a substantial amount of support.


Appointing Khairy will be a win-win situation for Khairy and Anwar. By having the most promising next-in-line leader of the country on his side, Anwar will secure his rule. If Khairy secures an important position in Anwar’s administration, he will also have a good shot of taking the number 1 position at some point in the future.



The age difference between Khairy and Anwar is also just right. Anwar is 75. It is unlikely that he will reign for more than 10 years. In 10 year's time, Khairy will only be 57. 57 is a good age to take charge as a leader of a nation.


The only problem with this option is that Ahmad Zahidi and Rafizi Ramli will likely object to Anwar raising the profile of Khairy.


Of the two, Ahmad Zahidi is the lesser problem. As long as Anwar elects Khairy to a position that is no higher than Ahmad Zahidi's position, Ahmad Zahidi will likely not register a very strong objection. Ahmad Zahidi also clearly has no prime ministerial ambition. He is unlikely to see Khairy as a threat when they do not share the same ambition.


The bigger problem for Khairy is likely Rafizi Ramli. Though both Rafizi and Khairy are friends, career-wise, they are competitors. If Rafizi has any ambition of being the prime minister, his prospects will dim as soon as Khairy is aligned with Anwar.


Between Khairy and Rafizi, Khairy is clearly seen as the better option by most Malaysians. Whatever Rafizi can do, Khairy also can do, but not everything Khairy can do, Rafizi can do. Rafizi and Khairy are also both around the same age. While Rafizi and Khairy can maintain a friendship when they are both on different sides, their friendship will likely suffer when both of them find themselves on the same side.


These are three options that Khairy has. Each of them present's its own set of dilemmas.


If he chooses Bersatu, his prospects will improve in the short run, but it will suffer in the long run. If he chooses Umno, he will probably need sleeping pills to help him sleep for years if not decades to come. If he chooses Anwar, he will likely lose a friend.


Let us see how Khairy decides. My gut instinct is that Khairy is close to making a decision, and we will find out his decision in the very near future.

TheRealNehruism is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav

Thayaparan’s rejoinder to Ahmad Faizal

Thayaparan’s rejoinder to Ahmad Faizal

S Thayaparan


“A lie doesn't become truth, wrong doesn't become right, and evil doesn't become good, just because it's accepted by a majority.”

- Booker T Washington

COMMENT | The only thing Bersatu deputy president, former youth and sports minister, and ex-Perak menteri besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu got right in his response to my piece about him, is this. Yes, my writing has a lot of anger.

But why is my writing fuelled by anger?

Well, I am angry because, by virtue of my ethnicity and status as a minority, I do not have the same privileges (rights) as the majority in this country. This extends to educational, housing and economic opportunities.

I am angry because I am banned from using certain words because the majority claim usage all for themselves. I am angry that minorities are told who can and cannot enter their sacred places of worship.

I am angry about unilateral conversion and how the state security apparatus, which is supposed to protect everyone regardless of ethnicity and religion, is doing nothing to stop religious kidnapping in this country but instead colludes with the perpetrators with the aid of the religious bureaucracy.

I am angry that the Islamisation process has seeped into every facet of this country and this has ruined our education system and everything else it touches.

I am angry that a theocratic party leads the opposition and its religious leader believes that non-Muslims must be pak turut (followers).

I am angry that PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and Muhyiddin Yassin, the president of Bersatu, have openly defied the royal institution but there has been no sanction from the state.

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang


I am angry that leaders of Bersatu and PAS have resorted to downright racist and bigoted language and policies but there has been no sanction from the state.

I am angry that state-sanctioned racial and religious programmes indoctrinate the majority into at best being fearful of the minority and at worst, hating us.

I am angry that every utilitarian policy in this country (and no matter what people say, a utilitarian calculation is the best of the worst kind of calculation to make) has to be tempered because we are told not to spook the Malays.

I am angry because political operatives have to sublimate their democratic impulses (especially non-Malay political operatives) in favour of racial and religious supremacy because political operatives like Faizal would just attack them and claim they are attacking the “Malays” and Islam in this country.

Faizal does not get to claim, that I am somehow against the plurality of society when everything the mainstream political establishment does (and Faizal belongs to the most virulent of anti-democratic forces in this country) is predicated on homogenising the majority community and sidelining the minority communities.

Faizal dares say that working with the DAP is difficult because they appear to champion a specific community and he says this while belonging to a race-based party which is determined to erode the rights of citizens of a plural society in the name of race and religion.


Racial and religious superiority

Faizal’s coalition is the definition of plurality hate in the Malaysian political and social landscape. The main goal of this fascist coalition is to destroy plurality, especially in the Malay community.

I most certainly revile the choice of voters who would choose to reject the plurality of society and believe that non-Muslims/Malays in this country should be pak turut. My survival depends on people who vote against this fascist coalition.

I do not believe that anyone who votes for Pakatan Harapan has intellectual superiority over those who vote for Perikatan Nasional for instance. Their vote is based on fear. Fear that the racial and religious superiority of the majority would be worse under PN, and I do not blame them.

Look at what Faizal’s comrade, the menteri besar of Kedah, has been doing. Not only has he been questioning the status of Penang but he has made it clear that his racial and religious obligations trump the democratic norms of this country. And he tells the non-Malays/Muslims to understand.

Faizal wrote: “I am sure the Harapan support base is aghast that a man with 47 corruption charges in court is now the deputy prime minister. Would it be fair to mirror your comments and say that this is the kind of leader Harapan supporters think the country needs? Of course not.”

Harapan supporters make their compromises for what they believe is the greater evil if PN comes into power, which is the same as PN supporters who have no problem with the corruption charges against Muhyiddin, who is the president of Bersatu.

Indeed when it comes to corruption, it was Hadi who also claimed (Dr Zakir Naik has said the same thing) that it would be better for Muslims to be led by corrupt tyrannical Muslim leaders rather than honest non-Muslims. So do not play this card with me.

Do not ask me to Google whatever defence you think is out there in support of your argument. You were the menteri besar and as you say, “experienced it”. Name names and detail how the DAP attempted to oust you from your position.

Of course, Harapan would abandon Dr Mahathir Mohamad after the Sheraton Move. By Mahathir's admission, he was making moves to consolidate his power and was betrayed by the very minions he tasked to secure him more power.

If Bersatu was really interested in Mahathir's political welfare, you would have come to his defence. Instead seeing how the political winds were blowing, every one of his minions abandoned him.

Faizal claimed that the “We vs Them” discussion is deleterious for Malaysia, but the whole narrative of PN is based on “We vs Them”. Malays vs the non-Malays. What PN hopes to achieve by playing the race and religion card, is that this unity government does its work for them.

If Faizal was really interested in pursuing any other narrative, he would offer it up. Instead, he continues demonising the DAP and trolling this unity government.

And no Faizal, there is no need for us to chat over a cup of coffee, on the fundamental issue affecting this country. If you really had the interests of the rakyat at heart, you would cease the racial and religious trolling, sit down with Anwar Ibrahim and use your grassroots activists to support policies this unity comes up with (with your input) to better the lives of all Malaysians.

But you won’t do that because ultimately PN believes that an unstable government makes political sense and the suffering of the citizens, especially the majority, could be used as racial and religious propaganda.

I stand by everything I wrote.

S THAYAPARAN is Commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Fīat jūstitia ruat cælum - “Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”

Subang MP says Cambodian opposition figure was on private visit

Subang MP says Cambodian opposition figure was on private visit


Subang MP Wong Chen has highlighted that Cambodian opposition figure Sam Rainsy and his wife Saumura came to Malaysia for a brief private visit.

In a social media post, he indicated that Rainsy arrived on Monday night (May 29) and left early on Wednesday morning (May 31) after a day filled with recreation.

“We have been close friends for almost six years. He was on his way back from Australia to France, so he planned a stopover in Malaysia for a day.

“Prior to being in Australia, he was in Indonesia without any fuss from the Cambodian government. Rainsy arrived (in Malaysia) at 8.30pm on May 29 on a commercial flight. I was at the airport to greet him,” said Wong.

The MP indicated that he originally had no intention of posting details and photos of the visit as it was a private one.

“However, since the matter has garnered some media attention, I hope the above clarifies what transpired on May 30,” said Wong.

The primary reason for the media attention was a Khmer Times report which indicated that Rainsy was deported from Malaysia and even featured Cambodia’s authoritarian leader Hun Sen thanking Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim about it.

However, Wisma Putra subsequently issued a statement saying that Anwar was unaware of Rainsy’s visit.

Wong Chen (right) with Sam Rainsy and his wife Saumura at the KLCC


Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim was puzzled by the various reports and sought a clearer explanation as to whether or not there was a deportation, particularly as Rainsy posted photos of himself at the Dewan Rakyat with Wong.

“I organised a greet and meet in Parliament with three non-executive MPs, interested in free and fair elections, human rights and Asean,” explained Wong in his post.

“The meet and greet was for an hour. As you are aware, Parliament is a legislative body and is a separate entity from the executive body or the government.

“The rest of the morning of the 30th was more relaxed and easy. We visited the KLCC and the Sultan Abdul Samad Building. After that, we had lunch of nasi briyani and durian.

“Then he rested at my home for a few hours. At 5pm, we went to the supermarket where we bought some fruits that Rainsy wanted to eat; star fruit, jambu air, ciku and mangoes. We had dinner at my home and he and Saumura returned to the hotel at 10pm.

“The next day my driver drove him and Saumura to the airport, where they boarded a commercial flight back to France at 10.15am,” said Wong.

Why Malaysians need to support UMNO … again

Why Malaysians need to support UMNO … again

By Prof Dr Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi





IN the upcoming state polls and in the next 16th General Election (GE16), Malaysians must decide on the fate of UMNO.

Very few would disagree that UMNO is at its weakest in the aftermath of GE15. But as fate would have it, a weak UMNO suddenly decided to support Malaysians in the formation of the unity government.

Many think that that was political expediency because UMNO would have drowned itself if Perikatan Nasional (PN) formed the government.

Now, more than half a year later, UMNO has managed to weed out most of its enemies from within but still harbours many who are quick to act selfishly for their own political careers by sacrificing the ideals of multi-cultural Malaysia to a single mono-cultural dominance of Malaysia.

In life, many of us have felt the hands of fate reminding us to reflect and change, and I truly feel that UMNO is poised on the precipice of change, whether it wants to or not.


Dominant Malay party

In this article, Malaysians need to reflect with wisdom and political strategy on how they would treat UMNO. At this moment in time, there are four Malay political parties: Amanah, PAS, UMNO and Bersatu.

Which of the four will Malaysians support? Firstly, Malaysians are comfortable with Amanah but it has proven to be too weak to be able to inspire the Malays. Amanah sadly has no dynamic personality to show up and show off its capabilities. Its survival depends entirely on DAP and PKR.



For me, Amanah should dissolve and either join DAP or UMNO or make up in both parties.

Malaysians will never think of supporting Bersatu because it has no history of contribution but may soon have a history of enriching itself if the allegations of corruption go through their course.

Bersatu has shown that it does not care for the dignity of the people by having declared a false and fake emergency and by refusing to dissolve parliament when it lost its numbers.

It is an untrustworthy party bent on doing anything to secure power. It lacks a moral base or historical credibility other than always being a fill-in-the-gap party.

However, the recent GE15 saw that it can now rival UMNO with a strong support base of Malays who are ignorant of their own religion and self-worth in Malaysia. Playing race and religious games suits Bersatu’s modus operandi as a ruthless party with no background in service to the country.

PAS was once the choice of Malaysians as a Malay party when the values and morals of its leaders were for a just and equitable Malaysia using Islam as a social, spiritual and political framework. But now, PAS is no more than an opportunistic power-hungry demon bent on using Islam as its tool of chaos and terror-mongering to pit Malays against other races.


Wind of change

UMNO is different from all other political parties that have a solid Malay base. Firstly, UMNO has a history of great leaders like Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak, Tun Dr Ismail and many others who helped build the foundation of a modern and multi-cultural Malaysia.

Secondly, UMNO has a track record of dealing with non-Malay parties and producing policies that have governed the nation peacefully and in prosperity generally. Thirdly, UMNO still has a strong membership base of loyal Malays unlike the opportunistic Bersatu or the PAS splinter group Amanah.

Now, the new leadership of UMNO is talking a different Malay ethos of embracing multi-cultural Malaysia and doing away with race and religious rhetoric.

On the contrary, PAS and Brsatu are now using the old UMNO Baru’s race and religious ghosts to fan hatred, mistrust and enmity between the Malays and the rest of Malaysia.

I feel that UMNO is at a critical juncture of change whether it likes it or not. UMNO can no longer opt for political expediency because its weapons are now wielded by others and it has to rebrand itself back to the pre-Islamic Reform period where progressive thinking and modern science equal wealth and social harmony.

PAS is turning this country into a conservative theocracy while Bersatu wants the country split into Malays and non-Malays and never to be in harmony. It is easier to gain power and rule in social disharmony than in social harmony.



What UMNO needs is some confidence in its direction of change. Malaysians are the only ones that can help the party move away from the mistakes of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s UMNO Baru.

Dr Mahathir’s UMNO ruled with money and the Sedition Act. UMNO now must make the badly needed transformation to be a globally conscious player to join the awakened civilisation of humanity within the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

UMNO must form a global Malay construct of ethos and visions of progressive thinking on a global scale for humanity. UMNO must also show itself to be a bit different from the Anwar Madani construct.

I fear that the Madani construct—although an excellent and most humanistic idea—still relies on Islam and religion as its core ethos. The problem with this approach is that those who are just learning as beginners in the Madani construct will always be trapped in a religious framework that is narrow and isolated.

The problem of the Islamic Reform movement was that it had no significant agenda for art, heritage, culture or critical thinking, except that it was always framed in a difficult-to-understand Islamic philosophy.

For the Malays, when Islam is mentioned, it is always easy to fall back to a conservative and safe ustaz-framed Islam rather than a wide and all-encompassing Madani Islam. Thus, for the sake of this country, Malaysians must show support for the only other political party that still holds the Za’ba, Tunku (Abdul Rahman) and Datuk Onn Jaafar’s ethos for Malays as opposed to the Anwar-ABIM-IKRAM Madani Malays.

Prof Dr Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi


Malaysia needs both political ideologies so that one does not engulf the other. Having been in the Islamic Reformist movement for 30 years, I can sense the dangers of the movement by those who are just learning about the Islamic faith in their young or old ages.

The new UMNO ethos of a progressive and global Malay is free of such dangers to the nation. With those thoughts in mind, Malaysians must understand that the Madani Islam of Anwar has the ability to moderate the Islamic extremism engulfing the country but its development will take time.

However, in supporting a new UMNO of progressive and global Malay thought construct, this would balance any conservative element that will always develop when religion is placed at the center of politics. The ball to the new UMNO lies at the feet of Malaysians once more. What will Malaysians choose to do? – May 31, 2023



Prof Dr Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi is a professor of architecture at a local university and his writing reflects his own personal opinion entirely. This opinion piece first appeared in Sin Chew Daily (English vetsion) under the same title.

PKR MP wants answers over alleged Sam Rainsy deportation

PKR MP wants answers over alleged Sam Rainsy deportation


Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim is demanding a detailed explanation over the alleged deportation of Cambodia’s leading opposition figure, Sam Rainsy from Malaysia.

He said that he was saddened to read a report which claims that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who champions rights and democracy, had turned away Rainsy.

"It seemed that the prime minister has made a promise with Hun Sen, who is in power in Cambodia now," the PKR lawmaker said in a statement today.

However, Hassan (above) acknowledged that the Foreign Ministry had since come up with a denial, saying that Anwar was not aware that Rainsy was in Malaysia.

"With regard to the presence of the former Chief Opposition Member of Cambodia Sam Rainy in Malaysia, the Foreign Ministry wishes to reiterate that the prime minister was not informed of his arrival to this country,” it said.

“Nonetheless, Rainsy left Malaysia (on Wednesday) morning and no public programme was held during his stay here,” the ministry said in a brief statement this morning.

Wisma Putra


Hassan said that if true, this leads to the question of why Anwar was not kept apprised of the visit.

“I think we can give Anwar the benefit of the doubt that he was not informed, but then, we must ask the question to the Foreign Ministry.

“It is the duty of the Foreign Ministry to inform Anwar of such developments. There could be negligence on its part if Anwar doesn’t know about Rainsy’s visit,” he claimed.

The initial report by Cambodian news outlet Khmer Times said that Rainsy was deported by Malaysian authorities and had prevented him and his entourage from holding a meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

The report quoted Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen as saying that Rainsy had entered Malaysia via a private jet while travelling on a French passport.

This purportedly allowed him to evade the scrutiny of the Malaysian authorities.

Hun Sen also reportedly thanked Anwar for Rainsy's expulsion.


Uncertainty persists

Uncertainty persists over the matter as photos posted on Rainsy's official Facebook page show him meeting with Subang MP Wong Chen in Parliament.

He was also pictured visiting other spots around Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysiakini is trying to reach out to Wong for clarification.

Hassan said that he too saw the photos of Rainsy in Parliament and is waiting for further explanation to clear up the matter.

"I would agree if war criminals like (former US president) George W Bush and (former British prime minister) Tony Blair who waged war against and destroyed Iraq, are chased away from Malaysia.

"But I don't agree with an opposition leader like Rainsy, who has been fighting for democratic changes in Cambodia, is turned away from Malaysia in such a manner," Hassan said.

Hassan said that Hun Sen has been a dictatorial leader since coming to power in the 1980s.

Asking for constitution amendment admission of blunder by MB, says Rayer

FMT:

Asking for constitution amendment admission of blunder by MB, says Rayer

Jelutong MP RSN Rayer says Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor is admitting that Penang is a sovereign state in the federation.

Jelutong MP RSN Rayer after lodging his second police report against Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor for questioning Penang’s sovereignty today. On the right is Lim Guan Eng.


PETALING JAYA: Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor’s call for the Federal Constitution to be amended to show that Penang belongs to Kedah is an admission that he has made a blunder, says Jelutong MP RSN Rayer.

By doing so, Rayer said, Sanusi has acknowledged that Penang is a sovereign state in the federation.

“Now he is asking for the constitution to be amended. So, his claim (that Penang belongs to Kedah) is clearly baseless, lacking intelligence, and can lead to disruption to public order and chaos,” he told reporters outside the Penang Timur Laut police headquarters today.

He said Sanusi’s statement has compelled him to file a second police report against the menteri besar.

“For a menteri besar to dispute the sovereignty of a state that was formed and (is) recognised under the Federal Constitution is something very extreme,” he said.

Rayer said Sanusi’s remarks could be interpreted as sedition, and hoped the police will act on the matter.

Yesterday, Sanusi told FMT the Federal Constitution must be amended to reflect that Penang belongs to Kedah.

His statement came in the wake of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim telling him to “understand the Federal Constitution”, which lists Penang as one of the federation’s 13 states.

Sanusi said historical and academic studies supported his claim. He said there was a need for the current generation to rectify the “distortion of history” and amend the constitution accordingly.

Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng, whio was also present, said Sanusi’s claim was “unconstitutional”.

“And if (his claim) is unconstitutional, then it is illegal,” he said.

In February, Rayer lodged a police report against Sanusi for questioning Penang’s sovereignty. He claimed that Sanusi was not only questioning the legitimacy of the Federal Constitution, but also the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s appointment of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri.

Perikatan sec-gen says Penang ‘used to belong’ after PAS leader insists Kedah owns island state

Perikatan sec-gen says Penang ‘used to belong’ after PAS leader insists Kedah owns island state

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin says Perikatan Nasional will not raise the issue of Penang’s sovereignty at this time to avoid causing uncertainty. ― Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

Thursday, 01 Jun 2023 11:04 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 — Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin from Bersatu has distanced his party and the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition from PAS leader Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor’s insistence that Penang belongs to Kedah.

Hamzah, who is also PN secretary-general, said the coalition should avoid creating divisions at all levels ahead of the elections in six states, including Penang and Kedah, this year, news portal Malaysia Gazette reported yesterday.


“So, the truth is that Penang used to belong to Kedah,” he was quoted saying during the 14th Universiti Malaya Open Silat Championship of the Century Swordsmen yesterday.

Hamzah said PN will not raise the issue of Penang’s sovereignty at this time to avoid causing uncertainty.


“However, for now it is important that we develop the country together to determine a better future.


“We want to avoid division at any level,” he was quoted as saying.

The Larut MP was responding to Muhammad Sanusi’s continued insistence that Penang is part of Kedah.

Muhammad Sanusi is also the Kedah menteri besar, PN state chief, and PAS election director.

On May 29, Muhammad Sanusi said that Kedah and Penang do not have a border because the latter belongs to Kedah.

He also claimed that Kedah’s border is only with Perak and Perlis.

Muhammad Sanusi has refuses to retract or apologise for his statements in the face of the historical and geographic facts.

The upcoming election will involve six states, namely Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, Penang, Kelantan and Terengganu after the respective state legislative assemblies are expected to dissolve by the end of this month.

Dr Mahathir says ready to rekindle ties with Muhyiddin for the sake of Malays, but not with Anwar

Dr Mahathir says ready to rekindle ties with Muhyiddin for the sake of Malays, but not with Anwar

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the Malays have divided themselves into various political power, which he claimed has weakened their collective strength and hindered efforts to address their concerns. ― Picture by Miera Zulyana

Thursday, 01 Jun 2023 11:09 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 — Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today he is willing to work with political ally-turned-enemy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin if they can reach a consensus on mutual goals, indicating a potential reconciliation between the two leaders after their previous alliance in his 2018 administration.

New portal Malaysia Now reported Dr Mahathir stressing the importance of championing Malay causes while rejecting those who are involved in corruption and criminal misconduct.


“We want to work together, but the end goals must be set out,” he was quoted saying.

In the report, Dr Mahathir said the Malays have divided themselves into various political power, which he claimed has weakened their collective strength and hindered efforts to address their concerns.


He also said that unity among Malays is crucial to rectify the prevailing circumstances that are detrimental to their community.


“We have split into many parties, and we have lost power. When we lose power, we cannot correct the circumstances which are detrimental to the Malays. This is why we need to unite,” he reportedly added.

Dr Mahathir formed Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia alongside Muhyiddin in 2016, with him as chairman and the latter as president. The party was then part of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition which successfully ended Barisan Nasional (BN)’s six-decade rule in the 14th general election in 2018.

However, Dr Mahathir was subsequently removed from Bersatu following the Sheraton Move, which caused the collapse of the PH administration and led to the formation of the Muhyiddin administration.

Dr Mahathir then formed Parti Pejuang Tanahair and the Gerakan Tanah Air coalition, but discarded them after their dismal performance in the 15th general election last year.

In the report, the former Langkawi MP expressed doubts over Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's commitment to Malay rights.

“Even when it comes to religion, it seems as if his views are not accepted by the Malays. This is why I cannot work with him. I am ready to work with people who understand the problems faced by the Malays,” he said, referring to Anwar whom he had imprisoned in 1998 — leading to the Reformasi movement.

He also added that Malays no longer support Umno — Dr Mahathir's first party, which is now part of the ruling coalition — since they have allegedly lost confidence in the party's ability to address their concerns, citing Umno's poor performance in the GE15.

“This is why we need to unite. But who is in favour of unity? Not those who are involved in corruption or who have been sentenced to prison and so on.

“The Malay voters are thinking about the problems they face. They want someone who cares about their plight and who can do something to fix their issues,” he reportedly said.

Nepali sherpa saves Malaysian climber in rare Everest 'death zone' rescue

Nepali sherpa saves Malaysian climber in rare Everest 'death zone' rescue

Ngima Tashi Sherpa walks as he carries a Malaysian climber while rescuing him from the death zone above camp four at Everest, Nepal, May 18, 2023 in this screengrab obtained from a handout video. ― Gelje Sherpa/Handout via Reuters

Thursday, 01 Jun 2023 9:02 AM MYT


KATHMANDU, June 1 ― A Malaysian climber narrowly survived after a Nepali sherpa guide hauled him down from below the summit of Mount Everest in a “very rare” high altitude rescue, a government official said yesterday.

Gelje Sherpa, 30, was guiding a Chinese client to the 8,849 metre (29,032 feet) Everest summit on May 18 when he saw the Malaysian climber clinging to a rope and shivering from extreme cold in the area called the “death zone”, where temperatures can dip to minus 30 degrees Celsius (86F) or lower.

Gelje hauled the climber 600 metres (1,900 feet) down from the Balcony area to the South Col, over a period of about six hours, where Nima Tahi Sherpa, another guide, joined the rescue.


“We wrapped the climber in a sleeping mat, dragged him on the snow or carried him in turns on our backs to camp III,” Gelje said.


A helicopter using a long line then lifted him from the 7,162-metre (23,500 feet) high Camp III down to base camp.

“It is almost impossible to rescue climbers at that altitude,” Department of Tourism official Bigyan Koirala told Reuters. “It is a very rare operation.”

Gelje said he convinced his Chinese client to give up his summit attempt and descend the mountain, saying it was important for him to rescue the climber.

“Saving one life is more important than praying at the monastery,” said Gelje, a devout Buddhist.

Tashi Lakhpa Sherpa of the Seven Summit Treks company, which provided logistics to the Malaysian climber, declined to name him, citing his client's privacy. The climber was put on a flight to Malaysia last week.

Nepal issued a record 478 permits for Everest during this year's March to May climbing season.

At least 12 climbers have died ― the highest number for eight years, and another five are still missing on Everest's slopes. ― Reuters

FT: Indonesia, Malaysia freeze trade talks with EU over palm oil

FT: Indonesia, Malaysia freeze trade talks with EU over palm oil

Indonesia and Malaysia will delay trade talks with the European Union (EU) while they seek fairer treatment for small palm oil producers. — Bernama pic

Thursday, 01 Jun 2023 8:16 AM MYT


BRUSSELS, June 1 — Indonesia and Malaysia will delay trade talks with the European Union (EU) while they seek fairer treatment for small palm oil producers, the Financial Times reported on yesterday.

Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof said the EU’s recently adopted law banning the import of products that come from land cleared of forests was “punitive and unfair treatment towards us and to smallholders in particular”, the report added.


Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the policy favoured “large corporations or multinationals” which could afford the level of bureaucracy that the regulation will demand, the FT reported.

Indonesia and Malaysia earlier this month sent top officials to the EU to voice concern over the deforestation law, which they believe could be detrimental to small farming businesses.


The two countries are the world’s biggest palm oil producers and account for about 85 per cent of global palm oil exports. The EU is their third-largest market.


The EU’s landmark deforestation law would also ban imports into the bloc of coffee, beef, soy and other commodities unless companies could provide “verifiable” information the products were not grown on land that was deforested after 2020.

Malaysia’s Yusof, and Indonesia’s Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment outside regular business hours. — Reuters

PAS president calls DAP a ‘nuisance’, warns non-Muslims not to ‘cross the line’

PAS president calls DAP a ‘nuisance’, warns non-Muslims not to ‘cross the line’

PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang said that non-Muslims’ wellbeing will be threatened if they ‘cross the line’ in their behaviour towards Muslims in Malaysia. — Picture by Hari Anggara

Wednesday, 31 May 2023 8:32 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, May 31 — PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang said that non-Muslims’ wellbeing will be threatened if they “cross the line” in their behaviour towards Muslims in Malaysia.

In a Facebook post today, he said that DAP has been nothing but a nuisance to a country ever since the party was founded and has “gone too far”.


Hadi once again painted DAP as the purveyor of secularism through the “Malaysian Malaysia” concept.

“They are trying to bring the agenda of secularism and ‘Malaysian Malaysia’ which revises the country’s principles and seeks to dilute the Malay-Muslim race with the non-Muslim community in a liberal way by marginalising the national language, defending apostates, taking measures against new brothers who converted to Islam and extreme measures through the statement of its leaders,” he said.


Hadi said that the events of May 13, 1969 should serve as a lesson, adding that DAP’s bad influence will ruin the country’s peace and stability.


He also criticised Malays who espouse DAP’s ideology and accused those who champion the Malay agenda as racist.

“Now, they are trying to push through a cunning political and economic agenda, but they are also open and extreme towards Malay Muslims and Islamist parties with accusations that together they bring Islamophobia which is spread among non-Muslims.

“Believe me, they will definitely lose and ruin their own peaceful and free position now,” he added.

Sanusi’s claims on Penang an act of incitement: Zahid

theVibes.com:

Sanusi’s claims on Penang an act of incitement: Zahid

DPM says statement shows Kedah MB lacks knowledge in history, constitution

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has said that Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Noor’s claims on Penang is an act of incitement. – SYEDA IMRAN/The Vibes file pic, May 31, 2023


KUALA LUMPUR – The claim made by Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Noor that Penang belongs to Kedah is an act of incitement, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said the statement also showed that the menteri besar has poor knowledge and understanding of history and the constitution, because he said those who understand history will not bring up the matter.

He told reporters this after closing the Fikrah Siddiq Fadzil seminar at Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP).

On Monday, Sanusi was reported to have said that Kedah and Penang do not have a border because Penang still belongs to Kedah, claiming further that Kedah only shares a border with Perak and Perlis.

Zahid said that as a state leader, Sanusi should understand the constitution and legislation behind the agreement between the two states – adding that a few agreements had been signed between the states during the era of colonialism.

“We reject colonialism (but) it was the agreement that was translated into the Cobbold Commission for the formation of (Federation) of Malaya,” he said.

In the meantime, he said the unity government should be given time to prove its performance in governing the country, saying it was unfair to assess the actual performance of the government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim within only seven months.

“Everyone should know that the effects of the announcements and funds provided through the tabling of Budget 2023, for example, will only be seen when the implementation is fully carried out,” he added.

Regarding the seminar, Zahid said he hoped that the knowledge-sharing session would continue and be further developed, describing the late Datuk Siddiq Fadzil as someone whose thinking was advanced, universal and inclusive that celebrated the reality of a multicultural and multireligious society in this country.

He also announced an allocation of RM500,000 for the organisation of seminars, forums or discourses featuring language and cultural experts in the future. – Bernama, May 31, 2023