False Flags - Western Governments Operation.

Alex Jones' latest film covers in detail the proven history of Western governments sponsored terrorism, and focuses on the 7/7 London bombings and 9/11.

Hindus, Christians Defend Jamaat-ud-Dawa

Hundreds of Hindus and Christians demonstrated in Hyderabad in solidarity with Jamaat-ud-Dawa. (IOL photo)

By Aamir Latif, IOL Correspondent | Courtesy Islamonline

ISLAMABAD — Pakistani Hindu and Christian minorities are angered by the government's crackdown on the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JD), crediting the charity with helping the country's poor and needy irrespective of religion or cast.

"I would say, this is not a ban on Jamaat-ud-Dawa, but it is against the poor people of Pakistan, who were being assisted by the charity," Kamran Michael, a Christian sanitary worker from the northeastern city of Lahore, told IslamOnline.net.

Hundreds of members of Pakistan's Hindu and Christian minorities demonstrated in the southern city of Hyderabad on Tuesday, December 16, in solidarity with the JD.

The Muslim charity was banned by both Islamabad and the UN Security Council last week over alleged links with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LT), the outlawed group India blames for the bloody Mumbai attacks.

Along with the ban, Pakistan closed down hundreds of JD-run schools, hospitals and clinics across the country, where services are provided to the poor free of charge.

"The government has failed to provide us health and education facilities. Now, they have banned those who had been providing us these facilities," Michael said.

"Let’s see what will the government do? But I have little hopes."

For Naresh Kumar, a Hindu farmer in the historic town of Hala, the ban and the crackdown are unjustifiable.

"My family was being provided with monthly ration (food) and free medical treatment for my children and parents by the JD for months," said Kumar.

"I am a poor laborer. I could not afford that, if the JD would not be able to help me."

Headquartered some 30 kilometers north of Lahore, JD has established itself as one of biggest charity organizations in the South Asian Muslim country, where 34 percent of the total population is living below poverty line.

Heroes

Hindus and Christians said the Muslim charity helped them on the basis of humanity not religion. (IOL photo)

Minority groups hailed the Muslim charity as a champion for humanity rather than a terrorist organization.

"They helped us on the basis of humanity," says Michael, one of hundreds of Christians who had been benefiting from the JD charity works in Lahore, the capital of the populous Punjab province.

"A ban on such organizations means a ban on humanity."

The charity is popular in many parts of Pakistan, especially those hit by natural disasters, where it played a major role in providing help to victims.

The Christian worker affirmed that the charity offered his community help irrespective of their religious affiliation or social standing.

"They never asked me or any other Hindu or Christian about our religion or cast."

Christians are the largest minority in this South Asian Muslim country, making around 3 percent of a total population of 170 million.

Most Christians belong to the low-income bracket and work in low-key jobs.

Naresh, the Hindu farmer, can't see how a group doing so much help to religious minorities can be branded a terrorist organization.

"There are a number of big Hindu businessmen here, but they never cared about us because we belong to schedule cast. The JD people never asked us about such kind of things."

Hindus are the second largest religious minority in Muslim Pakistan, constituting 2 percent of the populace.

Most of them are based in southern Sindh, the second most populous province, where they work as farm workers.

"They helped us just because they treat us like human beings," maintains Naresh.

"I think those who respect humanity cannot be terrorists."

Exclusive interview with Tan Sri Dr Yahya Awang

NO TO PRIVATIZATION

Economics (Capitalism) - 101: The Myth of Scarcity

Perhaps the single most devastating myth on earth. . .
Is that of scarcity . . .

Not enough food.
Not enough land.
Not enough water.
Not enough oil.
Not enough love . . .
Not enough of ANYTHING that's needed for everyone on earth to thrive and survive.

And of course I would be remiss not to include the MOTHER OF ALL MYTHS - that there is NOT ENOUGH MONEY to go around.

NOTHING can be further from the truth.

But, most people lack the knowledge or imagination to see through the LIES.

The problem is that this mega myth of scarcity is a self-fulfilling prophecy that destroys our lives.

Those who embrace it invariably panic and, in a mad rush, chase after every resource they can lay their hands on, before it's all taken.

The strong, the crafty, and those who get there first, hoard large swathes of resources - PILE IT HIGH AND SIT ON IT - while the weak, the honest, and the young are left struggling just to survive.

And so we end up with EXTREME imbalances reflected both in society and in our environment and in the process we destroy what matters most - our human relations.

This is madness.

A madness that is driven by GREED - rapacious, relentless, insatiable GREED - coupled with unremitting selfishness and a thorough lack of imagination on the part of those who are neither selfish nor greedy.

The irony of this tragedy is that while people eagerly embrace the myth of scarcity with respect to everything which in reality is or could be abundant if we use our imagination, they ignore the one thing that is actually running out for humanity - TIME.

Wakeup people and wake your friends, your family and your neighbors, because time is running out.

Sooner than you realize, greed and selfishness will consume us all and leave nothing but a scorched planet as a testament to how badly we f**ked up.

courtesy : wakeupfromyourslumber

Anwar wants more power for the MACC

Anwar : AG has unfettered powers that has to be 
curbed.

By Debra Chong

UPDATED

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 - While Pakatan Rakyat today welcomed the Prime Minister's new Bill to fight corruption in Malaysia, it is resisting the federal government's effort to make it a law until certain changes are made to give more power to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

The Opposition Leader wants the MACC to be given full discretion to charge in court those who have been investigated and found to have strong proof of corruption against them directly, instead of giving that power to the Attorney General's Chambers, as is done now.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told Parliament that the issue at stake is the integrity, authority, and qualification of the Attorney General (AG) and the judiciary.

He claimed that the AG held too much power, to the point that he could decide if a case would be taken to court or simply closed.

Quoting a famous veteran lawyer Raja Aziz Addruse, Anwar noted that it was not a must for the AG to report to the Prime Minister, Cabinet or Parliament, not even "for the failure of a number of high-profile prosecutions, which commenced with much fanfare but ended up being a waste of funds."

"There is a need to limit the powers of the Attorney General because he acts as the chief legal advisor to the government and also as the chief prosecutor," Anwar stressed.
The 63-year-old, who spent six years in jail on corruption charges, has repeatedly accused the current AG Tan Sri Gani Patail of abusing his authority in sending him to prison.

"Reform cannot be carried out without first solving the problem of the large amount of power held by the AG," the Permatang Pauh MP said.

The solution, he suggests, is for MACC to have two separate arms: one to investigate and the other to charge in court those who have been investigated.

Among a laundry list of other changes, Anwar said the appointment of the MACC chief must be made more transparent.

He suggests that it be done based on the recommendation of a Special Parliamentary Committee on the MACC instead of by the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong on the advice of the Prime Minister.

Anwar also wants the terms for informants under Sections 27 and 28 to be reviewed, claiming that heavy punishments would stop people from blowing the whistle on corrupt persons in future

themalaysianinsider.

Further -- JAC & MACC

The Sabah Justice of Peace Council said that appointment procedure of judges in the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) Bill is contrary to the Federal Constitution.

Council honorary secretary Datuk Lawrence Thien Shin Hing said the new procedure would be a departure from the present model and in direct conflict with Article 122B of the Constitution. . . [read more ]

Thien said the government under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Bill had seen fit to make the Anti-Corruption Agency an independent body with its own commission and funding but made no similar provision in the JAC Bill. He hoped the government and members of parliament would give due respect to the issues raised when the bills were debated.

> > > >

DAP supports the Bills on the Malaysian Commission on Anti-Corruption (MCAC) and Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) in principle, but will withhold full endorsement until these are amended, said party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) – The debate

Retired Court of Appeal judge - Datuk Shaikh Daud Ismail.

Retired Chief Justice Tun Abdul Hamid Mohamad.

Bar Council President Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan.

The government officials familiar with the JAC Bill shed some more light on the provisions of the Bill (Bernama).

Problems Areas:
1. Power concentrated in the hands of the Prime Minister (PM).
2. JAC Report goes to the PM
3. JAC Report should go directly to the KING
4. JAC members - the KING should have the power to hire and fire(The PM can advice).
5. The Bill is not clear on the promotion of judges but focuses instead on their Initial appointment.

1 to 5 above will stop JAC being more transparent and there would be independence of the judiciary.

The officials familiar with the JAC said the eminent persons must be appointed by the PM or else it could be ultra vires to the Constitution which confers on the PM prerogative over judicial recommendations to the Council of Rulers.

However, in making these appointments, the PM must consult with many stakeholders including the Bar Council of Malaysia and other relevant bodies as stated in Section 5(1). The officials said that this provision explicitly shows good faith and fair intentions to appoint the eminent persons, who must be very accomplished and widely respected in order to give credibility to the JAC. Politicians, ex-politicians and ex-members of the Executive are not exempt from such qualities, for example, former Deputy Prime Minister Tun Musa Hitam.

6. The appointments of the Chief Justice and president of the Appeals Court is concerned - problems would arise as among members of the commission, all the Judges will have to abstain from participating in the proceedings for they have interest, it might be very difficult to meet the minimum quorum.
7. It also means when it comes to appointing the CJ, the meeting will only be attended by a federal court judge and four non-judges who are appointed by the Prime Minister.

Section 13(5) of the JAC Bill states that "if the quorum of seven is not present due to members being disqualified (e.g. for being a candidate under consideration), then the quorum shall not be less than five."

8. The primary purpose and indeed the whole raison d'etre of such a commission must be to ensure the separation of powers between the Judicial, Executive and Legislative branches of government.

JAC - independence characteristics.

Firstly, is the character and conduct of its members, four of whom are the nation's top judges and five of whom are eminent persons which are appointed by the PM after consultation with several stakeholders including the Bar Council of Malaysia as stated in Section 5(1).

Its independence also lies on the basis of its selections -- a clear and transparent criteria which includes integrity, competence, experience, good moral character, decisiveness, ability to make timely judgments, good legal writing skills, industriousness, ability to manage cases well, and physical and mental health, as stated in Section 23(2) of the Bill.

The officials said that above all, the short title as well as an entire provision, namely Section 2, of the JAC Bill, explicitly mentioned the need for the PM to uphold the independence of the judiciary and these provisions clearly showed the spirit of the Bill vis-a-vis judicial independence within the boundaries of the Federal Constitution.

Referring to suggestions that the JAC Bill does not make the judicial appointments more transparent, the officials said, the candidates can only be considered if they fulfilled a clear list of criteria, which included the aspects mentioned as stated in Section 23(2) of the Bill.

9. Once it is passed, the power of the Executive over the judicial appointment process will have the force of law.

The "power of the executive" has always had the force of law i.e. Article 122B of the Federal Constitution where the PM recommends judicial appointments to the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong and the Conference of Rulers.

10. The Bar Council's contention that the PM would have unfettered powers to amend the provisions of the Act in the first two years and that it was an unusual provision that would take the power of legislating away from Parliament, the officials said the PM may, to remove difficulties or anomalies, make modifications to the Act as stated in Section 37(1).

Section 37(1): This is a general and usual provision, put in several legislation establishing new public entities, to provide flexibility in rectifying problems of administrative implementation, for example, the number of meetings that must be held, period of notification and so on. It is not intended to give 'unfettered powers' to change the substantive provisions of the Act.

11. The decisions of JAC do not appear to be binding on its members

In fact, the JAC only facilitates making this power more structured and transparent. All countries, including developed countries, have executive involvement in the judicial appointments process,

Good Points:

1. The JAC the right to form consultative committees to help it carry out its duties.

2. The positive aspects of the Bill were that it sought to establish more consultations and it included all the four judicial office holders in the entire appointment process.
3. Ultimately, JAC must be a process that is completely independent. This move could constitute the country's first step in reforming the judicial process while the final goal of a full-fledged JAC

“The success or failure of the commission would depend entirely on the human factor. You can have the best of laws but if they were no right people interpreting them, then they would fall flat," former High Court Judge Datuk Syed Ahmad Idid.

Missing Points:

1. A committee to discuss complaints filed by the public on the conduct of judges, is needed.

On allegations that the JAC does not have the role of receiving and investigating complaints from public on the conduct of judges, the officials said that is not the function of the JAC as it only selects names for judicial appointments.

Receiving and investigating complaints on the conduct of judges lies with the Anti-Corruption Agency (on corruption-related complaints) and the judiciary (on disciplinary-related complaints),

Abdullah’s reform Bills criticised

MPs described the Bills as hype and half-measures that will not make a substantial difference.

. . . to set up a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. . . . the Bills are an attempt to seek a compromise that will please neither the reformists nor those in the BN. While the Attorney-General's consent is still required for prosecutions,

“all hype that looks more like the same thing”. . . .a truly independent commission would have staff separate from the general civil service, and independent funding.
. . . the oversight committee comprising MPs should be set up under parliamentary rules to reflect the strength of the respective political parties in the House.

“It seems to be just another statutory board arrangement. Will MPs debate its report? If not, what's the use?”

The Bill on the Judicial Appointments Commission . . . proposes setting up a nine-man panel to make recommendations for appointments of judges to the High Court and above.
The commission, which will include four “eminent persons”, will recommend names but the PM has the final say. This was a compromise, after Umno objected to a whittling down of the PM's powers. . . [more]

Are you eligible to put those crosses on the ballot paper?

Actually, not all the 11 million registered voters came out to vote. As what happened in the 11 general elections before the 8 March 2008 general election, only about 70% of the registered voters came out to vote. The balance 30% stayed home, as they had done since two years before Merdeka in 1955 when we had our first (municipal) elections (the first general election was in 1959). And 12 general elections have shown that only 70% of the registered voters bother to vote. The other 30% do not care who rules Malaysia.

Then we had the 5 million eligible voters who did not even bother to register as voters. So only half the 16 million or so eligible voters actually cast their vote. 8 million Malaysians voted on 8 March 2008 and 8 million more either did not vote or did not register to vote. Half the ‘eligible’ Malaysians sought change. The other half were not concerned what happens to this country. That is the reality of the situation.

And the opposition got only 50% of the votes (which means votes from 25% of the eligible voters). But the 50% that the ruling coalition garnered (which also means votes from 25% of the eligible voters) helped them form the government in all but five states plus they managed to form the federal government with slightly under the two-thirds majority that it hoped it would get. But it still managed to form the federal government, nevertheless, with just half the votes.    .     .   

walking on thin ice

Kuala Terengganu By Election Announcement.

The Election Commission (EC) today announced that the Kuala Terengganu by-election will be held on Saturday, Jan 17, with nomination day fixed on Tuesday, Jan 6.

Al-Jazeera Interview - Malaysia DPM

PKR CONGRESS SPEECHES

Obama looks to Eric Holder for justice

Bruce Fein: Holder lacks the necessary credibility, independence, and understanding of the constitution

Iraq war and SOFA

Iraq war 'violated rule of law'

Former attorney general Lord Goldsmith defended his legal advice

Legal advice given to Tony Blair by the attorney general prior to the Iraq war was fundamentally "flawed," a former law lord has claimed.

Lord Bingham said Lord Goldsmith had given Mr Blair "no hard evidence" that Iraq had defied UN resolutions "in a manner justifying resort to force".

Therefore, the action by the UK and US was "a serious violation of international law," Lord Bingham added. . . read more

Iraqis protest against troop deal

Today is the day of Iraqi unity among Arabs, Kurds, all communities of Iraq, to reject the security pact

Hazim al-Araji ;
Aide to Moqtada Sadr

The BBC's Andrew North, who was at the protest, says people waved Iraqi flags, Shia banners and chanted anti-American slogans, and an effigy of US President George W Bush was attacked by the crowd.

Joint prayers were held with many Sunni Muslims at the demonstration, our correspondent said. . . . read more.

In pictures: Baghdad protests

Source ; BBC News

G20 Summit started an ideological war?

Can socialist planning work?

With economic crisis sweeping the globe, many people are asking if there is a better way to organise society. Kate Connelly and Esme Choonara explain how a planned socialist economy might work.

Planning does exist under capitalism – but it takes place within individual firms rather than across society as a whole. Capitalism is also extremely undemocratic. Even in the parts of the world where we get to vote for parliamentary representatives, we have no control over most economic decisions that shape our lives.

Because production isn't tied to what people need, crises occur where companies find that their products can't be sold. Karl Marx explained that capitalism is the first economic system where you can have a crisis of overproduction, rather than a crisis of scarcity.

Socialist planning is about completely different priorities – producing for need, not for profit. It is impossible to determine what those needs are without extending democracy and involving the mass of the population in decision-making. . . . read more

G20 - a new world order (nwo)?

9-11 08 : Petaling Jaya Civic Hall

Arrested on assignment

BERSIH remembrance at Civic Center MBPJ

Visit Zorro's blog :

US President Elect - Victory Speech

When millions watched Barack Obama give his history-making victory speech in Grant Park on election night, one thing stood out starkly – the bulletproof screen surrounding him. But just how serious is the threat of assassination to the President-elect? . . . read more

John McCain Concession Speech

Zaki Azmi as the country's chief justice.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct.22 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian Supreme Head Mizan Zainal Abidin has consented to the appointment of Zaki Azmi as the country's chief justice, local newspapers reported on Wednesday.

    The decision was made following the advice of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and deliberation of the Rulers' Conference, the New Straits Times said.

    The king also gave nod for the appointment of former Chief Judge of Malaya, Mohd Sheriff, as the president of the Court of Appeal.

    Former Federal Court Judge, Arifin Zakaria, had been appointed as the Chief Judge of Malaya.

    The appointments were effective from Oct.18, the newspaper said.

 xinhuanet

 

Zaki Tun Azmi is a contraversial figure as far as the opposition is concerned with colourful background of with Baby, businesses and politics.

US elections- Is the fox guarding the henhouse?

Malaysia's press freedom ranking on a free fall

Malaysia crashed into the bottom quarter of 173 countries in the worldwide press freedom ranking index released today by Paris-based watchdog Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF, Reporters Without Borders). MCPX

In the latest 2008 ranking, Malaysia fell eight spots to 132. Last year, it was placed 124th while in 2006, it was at 92.

According to the index, Malaysia was placed fifth among 10 Southeast Asian countries after Timor-Leste (65), Indonesia (111), Thailand (124), Cambodia (126).

The new position placed Malaysia worst than several countries in Afrika like Nigeria (131) and Cameroon (129) only slightly better than Chad (133), Sudan (135) and Bangladesh (136).

ISLAMICA MAGAZINE : OPEN LETTER CONCERNING DATUK SERI DR. ANWAR IBRAHIM

Al-Salaamu ‘Alaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,

We, the undersigned, believe the honorable brother Datuk Seri Dr. Anwar Ibrahim to be of the highest ethical and moral integrity, a devout Muslim and a devoted father and husband. He is universally recognized as an advocate for justice and fairness, and he has a long history of promoting Islam and championing Islamic ethical and charitable causes.

We are deeply concerned about the physical safety and freedom of our respected brother Datuk Seri Dr. Anwar Ibrahim. . . . read all

Surat Salahuddin Ayub kepada YDPA

Seri Paduka Baginda Tuanku,

Dengan hormat dan takzimnya patik merafakkan sembah dan berdoa kehadrat Allah Subhanahu Wataala, mudah-mudahan Seri Paduka Baginda Tuanku dan Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong sentiasa berada dalam selamat dan kesejahteraannya.

Adalah dengan ini patik Salahuddin bin Ayub, selaku Ketua, Dewan Pemuda Parti Islam Se Malaysia (PAS) yang mewakili seluruh saf pimpinan dan ahli-ahli parti serta rakyat Malaysia yang menyokong dan bersimpati dengan kami, dengan ini mengangkat sembah mengadu dan membawa ke perhatian Seri Paduka Baginda Tuanku mengenai kemelut politik negara yang semakin tenat dan perlu kepada tindakan segera.

Patik percaya sekalian rakyat amat bimbang dan gusar terhadap suasana perebutan kuasa serta lontaran fitnah dan tuduhan yang melibatkan kredibiliti pihak-pihak paling tertinggi dalam negara.

Patik merujuk kepada pertuduhan-pertuduhan berikut:-

1. Surat akuan bersumpah YM Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin bertarikh 18 Jun 2008 melibatkan Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor isteri YAB. Dato' Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abd Razak, Timbalan Perdana Menteri dalam kes pembunuhan Altantuya Shaariibuu;

2. Laporan polis terhadap Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim bertarikh 28 Jun 2008 oleh Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan melibatkan tuduhan liwat;

3. Laporan polis Dato’ Seri Anwar bertarikh 1 Julai 2008 terhadap Tan Sri Musa Hassan, Ketua Polis Negara dan Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Patail Peguam Negara memberi keterangan palsu berhubung beliau dipukul oleh bekas Ketua Polis Negara, Abdul Rahim Noor pada 20 September 1998;

4. Surat akuan bersumpah P. Balasubramaniam bertarikh 1 Julai 2008 berkenaan tuduhan terhadap YAB. Dato' Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abd Razak dan surat akuan bersumpah keduanya bertarikh 4 Julai 2008 yang menarik balik tuduhannya.

Patik berpandangan pada masa ini, oleh kerana terdapat tuduhan langsung terhadap YAB. Dato' Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abd Razak dan isterinya, serta tuduhan terhadap Tan Sri Musa Hassan, Ketua Polis Negara dan Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Patail Peguam Negara maka badan eksekutif negara sudah hilang kelayakan untuk menangani penyiasatan dan pendakwaan dalam kesemua tuduhan dan laporan di atas yang amat berkaitan antara satu sama lain.

Ampun Tuanku beribu-ribu ampun.

Oleh yang demikian, patik merasa terpanggil untuk meminta supaya satu Suruhanjaya Siasatan Diraja dapat dibentuk untuk membuat penyiasatan terhadap YAB. Dato' Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abd Razak dan isterinya, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Tan Sri Musa Hassan dan Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Patail dalam aduan-aduan tersebut.

Patik sekalian juga memohon agar Seri Paduka Baginda Tuanku menitahkan YAB. Dato' Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abd Razak, Tan Sri Musa Hassan dan Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Patail untuk bercuti dari jawatan mereka sehingga selesai penyiasatan oleh Suruhanjaya Siasatan DiRaja.

Ampun Tuanku,

Patik akhiri warkah yang tidak sepertinya ini dengan doa kehadrat Allah Subhanahu Wataala mudah-mudahan Seri Paduka Baginda Tuanku dan Seri Paduka Raja Permaisuri Agong dan seluruh kerabat Tuanku sekalian dilanjutkan usia dan berada di dalam kesejahteraan dan kebahagiaan selama-lamanya.

Amin Ya-Rabbal-Alamin.

Ampun Tuanku.

Patik dengan segala hormat takzimnya,

Salahuddin bin Ayub
Ketua Dewan Pemuda PAS Pusat
4 Rejab 1429 / 7 Julai 2008

'Red tide' at Selangor stadium protest

Before the opposition won Selangor, there would have been no way they could even had a rally at a stadium. They would have held it by the roadside,' he said.

'Make no mistake, the opposition has come a long way,' he said. . . more

watch photos

more news & videos.

Politics running and ruining the country

Over the weekend, nearly every Cabinet minister was on the election trail.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, Datuk Seri Rais Yatim, Datuk Hishamuddin Hussein, Datuk Shafie Apdal, Datuk Ong Tee Keat, Datuk Ong Ka Chuan, Datuk Liow Tiong Lai...

. . . . leading some political pundits to quip about the nation being on auto pilot

The twin challenges of surging food and oil prices will be felt severely, said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“This is quite meaningless to lower and middle-income people who must pay 40% more for petrol and 100% more for rice. Other necessities too have increased in price by well over 5%-7%. Stopping price control in the belief that the market will determine prices is imprudent.

Really, this message should not be for public consumption — it should be directed at those still on election mode. And that includes the PM and his Cabinet ministers. . . . more

— PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BY AMERICK SINGH SIDHU —

4 July 2008, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

I have been made to understand that Mr. Balasubramaniam a/l Perumal has issued a statutory declaration at a press conference held at the Prince Hotel at 11.00 am this morning, retracting his earlier statutory declaration affirmed on the 1st July 2008.

The reason given for this retraction is that his original statutory declaration, recorded by myself, was “compelled to be affirmed under duress”.

No details of this alleged compulsion and duress have been put forth. Mr. Bala is reported as not answering when asked this morning in his press conference who was it who intimidated him.

For the record, I confirm that the statutory declaration affirmed by Mr.Bala on 1st July 2008 which he released yesterday was affirmed voluntarily before a commissioner for oaths Dr. T. Yokheswarem and in my presence.

I first met Mr. Bala in the presence of a few other persons in a restaurant about two months ago where he asked me to assist with preparing a formal document incorporating some evidence that had not been presented in the ongoing Altantuya trial. I started the process about two weeks after that. I would have met him a few times where I recorded in long hand, what Mr. Bala told me.

I have had no reason to doubt what Mr. Bala told me as being anything other than the truth and my role was confined to listening to what he had to say, recording the same, and transcribing it into a statutory declaration in a systematic and comprehensible format.

This statutory declaration was then attested before the above said commissioner of oaths, Dr. T. Yokheswarem in my presence, and of course in the presence of Mr. Bala. The contents of this statutory declaration were read in front of this commissioner of oaths who enquired from Mr. Bala whether he understood the contents and whether that was his declaration. After Mr. Bala confirmed the same, he was asked to sign 3 copies and the commissioner attested each copy. Mr. Bala was asked to produce his NRIC to the commissioner and then signed the commissioners recording book.

I am therefore extremely surprised that Mr. Bala, in the space of 24 hours, has engaged the services of another lawyer and affirmed another statutory declaration swearing the first one was untrue and that he was forced to sign it.

As I am familiar with the character of Mr. Bala having spent hours with him recording his statement, I am very skeptical that he has signed the second statutory declaration of his own free will and I am convinced he has been intimidated to do so by either threats or promises, as I can think of no other reason.

The commissioner of oaths who attested the first statutory declaration is prepared to confirm what I have stated above as far as the voluntariness of Mr. Bala’s statutory declaration is concerned.

In fact Mr. Bala recognized the commissioner as soon as he saw him as both apparently grew up in the same neighbourhood in Slim River, which is something I had no knowledge of.

AMERICK SINGH SIDHU

Why Balasubramaniam's First Declaration Is Still Significant

PM: Police, army exercise nothing to worry about

"Malaysia is safe and stable. Please don't get overexcited about what is happening. There are a lot of rumours. Please don't believe them. Don't panic, " said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi after chairing the Northern Corridor Economic Region board's first meeting today.

The Malaysian Inspector General of Police

On the matter of rallies, he said: "Then there is the matter of rallies... which are being done by Anwar. People join these rallies, but when the situation looks like it's getting unstable, they get scared and start selling (shares) and such. I don't understand this." . . more

Head of Military Intelligence Lt Gen Dato' Mohd Salleh Ismail

"It has been long-planned and not just because of the current situation. The police and military have not had a joint exercise for a long time. Because there are new procedures and laws regarding public order, we need to get together and see how we are to execute them. The old laws are from the 50s and now there are new procedures to handle demonstrators and public order. This is nothing to do with being worried about the current situation."

He laughed off suggestions that it was in anticipation of this Sunday's Pakatan Rakyat-backed anti-fuel hike demonstration which is aiming to see a million protestors turn up. But in explaining that it was police responsibility to handle demonstrations, Salleh seemed to be hitting home the message that the military want none of this and refuse to be implicated or involved in any of the intrigue surrounding current local politics. . . more

Beware of "False" Perception.

Our Prime Minister has earned a reputation as "the father of announcement" (Bapa pengumuman) for the reasons being he had a habit of announcing a certain project, policies or government actions but then soon after the announcements the thing becomes a NFA (no further action).

The classical case was his announcement of 18 big sharks to be netted after the 2004 general election. The announcement then was parroted by the then Law Minister Hon. Rais Yatim. After the announcement - a big shark, the late Chairman of Pewaja was acquitted . Hon. Rais Yatim was then transferred to some ministry to take care of "cultural dancing" and "old buildings". So we had learned. . . . beware of perception, let us see the latest announcement on ACA and Judicial review - will not be another NFA.

July 02, 2008 22:24 PM

Malaysians Perceive Corruption To Be Declining - Survey

PUTRAJAYA, July 2 (Bernama) -- A local survey has revealed that Malaysians now perceive corruption in the country to be declining in contrast to findings by Transparency International.

The survey, which was done by the Statistics Department and funded by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU), showed that from the total 10 points of the corruption perception index, Malaysia scored 6.79 points compared to 5.10 points in Transparency International's index. The lower the figure the worse the situation. . . . more

Ezam’s diminishing role as a corruption whistle blower.

Ezam used to say he had six boxes of documents relating to corruptions to be revealed to the public. They were or are big sharks, corruptions of National scale, involving National figures. The magnitude of corruptions we are talking about here will probably in sum total comes to easily in order of magnitude, billions of Malaysian Ringgit (RM).

That was before he joined UMNO.

According to Hishamuddin Rais (Syams), Ezam was keeping to his struggle norms when he joined Pak Lah’s UMNO. Ezam’s norm as always is, to be part of a loser fighting against winners. Pak Lah was heading a party or part of the party of UMNO, that was “losing”. Whether Syams claimed is right or wrong will be up to the individual’s perception!

However in practice, with Ezam’s conversion to UMNO, the Malaysian public has a lot to loose. Why? That’s because Ezam’s role as a whistle blower against corruption has been greatly reduced, at least with what, he himself had revealed to the relevant authorities or the public, lately. Ezam’s role in handling cases where there have been leakages of public money is diminishing – in terms of scale.

For example he is completely silence as to amount of public money leaked to shareholders or to whom POS Malaysia belongs to when the Fuel Subsidy is paid through Pos Malaysia.. That is a major and large amount of leakage of public money going into pockets of individuals. Now, Ezam’s whistle blowing is limited to: . .

1. State Affairs – namely Selangor.

2 The magnitude of corruption or leakage of public money is in the order of probably a couple of hundreds or ten of thousands.

3 Corruption that have yet to take place (in progress) or yet to be proven so.

4 Though he may not have to report to the police or ACA because the ACA is already on their toes witch-hunting vigorously in the state.

Whatever the case is, it is a sad thing to see a corruption whistle blower of National Concerned, going after Big Figures Corruption turned in a party Gurkha, one looking for small fishes within the ruling circles of his present party’s opposition with dirty hands limited to the limited state coffers only.

Press statement on Sodomy police report

Malaysia's Anwar faces , sex claim (malay report)

• Kategori: Nasional

— PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE —

June 29, 2008, SHAH ALAM, MALAYSIA

The police report lodged against me earlier today is a complete fabrication. I believe we are witnessing a repeat of the methods used against me in 1998 when false allegations were made under duress. This is clearly a desperate attempt by the Barisan Nasional regime to arrest the movement of the Malaysian people towards freedom, democracy and justice.

The report has been organized by interested parties to attack me in retaliation for evidence I have recently obtained implicating IGP Musa Hassan and the AG Gani Patail in misconduct including fabrication of evidence in the cases launched against me in 1998-1999. This vile attack will not prevent me from releasing this dossier to the public.

I urge the Malaysian people to stand against the repressive forces that will be unleashed by the government in the coming days and weeks. We expect the media, the judiciary and the police force to all come under the direct and unchecked control of the executive.

My fellow Malaysians - we took a bold step forward on March 8th towards a new dawn for freedom and justice for all of our citizens. This people’s movement for change must go on with all of our strength and conviction.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

Versi Bahasa Malaysia

— KENYATAAN MEDIA UNTUK EDARAN SEGERA —

29hb Jun 2008, SHAH ALAM, MALAYSIA

Laporan polis yang dibuat terhadap saya awal hari ini adalah satu rekaan semata-mata. Saya percaya kita sedang menyaksikan ulangan pendekatan sama yang digunakan terhadap saya seperti pada tahun 1998 apabila tuduhan palsu dibuat dengan paksaan. Nyatalah ini satu tindakan terdesak oleh regim Barisan Nasional untuk menghalang usaha rakyat Malaysia menuju kebebasan, demokrasi dan keadilan.

Laporan palsu ini dirancang oleh pihak-pihak berkepentingan untuk menyerang saya sebagai satu serangan balas terhadap bukti yang saya perolehi mengaitkan Ketua Polis Negara Musa Hasan dan Peguam Negara Gani Patail dengan perbuatan salah laku, termasuk usaha pemalsuan bukti-bukti kes yang melibatkan saya pada tahun 1998-99. Serangan jahat ini tidak akan menghalang saya dari mendedahkan bukti-bukti tersebut kepada awam.

Saya menyeru rakyat Malaysia untuk bangun menentang kuasa-kuasa menindas yang akan digunakan oleh kerajaan pada hari dan minggu-minggu berikutnya. Kita menjangkakan pihak media, badan kehakiman dan pihak polis akan tunduk di bawah telunjuk serta arahan pemerintah.

Rakan-rakanku rakyat Malaysia - kita telah mengambil langkah berani pada 8hb Mac 2008 untuk mara demi harapan baru untuk kebebasan dan keadilan untuk semua rakyat. Gerakan rakyat untuk perubahan mesti terus maju dengan segala kekuatan dan keberanian.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

Will it get any prettier?

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) -- Former Chief Justice Tun Mohd Eusoff Chin today applied for a judicial review to strike off whole or part of the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the V.K. Lingam video clip on grounds that the inquiry was conducted in an unfair, prejudiced and biased manner.

He also sought a court order, costs and other relief deemed fit. . . more

Lawyer Datuk V.K. Lingam and tycoon Tan Sri Vincent Tan had filed a similar application on Monday, followed by Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, Tuesday.

PUTRAJAYA, June 25 (Bernama) -- Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said he would not seek judicial review of the findings by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam video clip.

Instead the former prime minister was prepared to go to the court.

"I am already guilty. Because of the basis of the Royal Commission, if something is possible, then it must have happened if it is possible. . . more

Everybody is eagerly whether Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim will follow Tun Dr Mahathir or the rest.

Will it get any prettier?

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) -- Former Chief Justice Tun Mohd Eusoff Chin today applied for a judicial review to strike off whole or part of the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the V.K. Lingam video clip on grounds that the inquiry was conducted in an unfair, prejudiced and biased manner.

He also sought a court order, costs and other relief deemed fit. . . more

Lawyer Datuk V.K. Lingam and tycoon Tan Sri Vincent Tan had filed a similar application on Monday, followed by Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, Tuesday.

PUTRAJAYA, June 25 (Bernama) -- Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said he would not seek judicial review of the findings by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam video clip.

Instead the former prime minister was prepared to go to the court.

"I am already guilty. Because of the basis of the Royal Commission, if something is possible, then it must have happened if it is possible. . . more

Everybody is eagerly whether Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim will follow Tun Dr Mahathir or the rest.

Unjust RM 1.5 Million Ex-Gratia Payment To Ex-Justices

I was at a forum in Teluk Intan on Sunday where at long last, an MP revealed what he understood to be the amount awarded as Ex-Gratia payment to the Tun Salleh Abas and his chums. RM1.5 MILLION EACH!

Why RM 1.5 Million to these ex-justices? At a time when the government is cutting back on spending, affecting us the rakyat, why give these ex-judges such high ex-gratia payments when:

1. The case that led to their dismissal has not been properly over-turned in court.
2. Those that were dismissed actually still received their pensions, out of kindness of the ex-PM.
3. Now I hear that some of those who didn't even get dismissed are getting this ex-gratia payment! For what!

When you then see a couple of these unjustly ex-gratia-ed ex-judges attacking Tun Dr M as part of Pak Lah's defence, one wonders... is the ex-gratia payment really a RM 1.5 Million BRIBE? Wonder on whilst mulling over this observation by the son of arwah Tan Sri Wan Adnan, a judge with real integrity.

from another blog

US Congressman Moves to Impeach Bush

Former Democratic presidential contender, Dennis Kucinich, has called for the impeachment of George W Bush claiming that the president set out to deceive the nation, and violated his oath of office with the Iraq war.

The Ohio representative yesterday introduced 35 articles of impeachment against Bush on the floor of the US House of Representatives.

Bob Fertik, President of Democrats.com, said: "We've waited seven years to find one Member of Congress brave enough to stand up for our Constitution, for which generations of Americans have fought and died.

"We are thrilled and honored that Dennis Kucinich has chosen to be that one genuine patriot.

"We congratulate him on his historic leadership, and pledge to do everything in our power to persuade Congress to adopt all 35 Articles and put George W Bush on trial before the Senate of the United States, exactly as the Founding Fathers wanted."

Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated that there will be no consideration of impeachment proceedings against Bush and said the idea was "off the table." . . . . more

courtesy : informatioclearinghouse (news from ICH obtainable in the side bar of this blog)

Oil Money - who will have the last laugh to the banks?

Che det wrote :

Can the Government subsidise? I am the “adviser” to Petronas but I know very little about it beyond what is published in its accounts. What I do know may not be very accurate but should be sufficient for me to draw certain conclusions.

Roughly Malaysia produces 650,000 barrels of crude per day. We consume 400,000 barrels leaving 250,000 barrels to be exported.

Three years ago the selling price of crude was about USD30 per barrel. Today it is USD130 – an increase of USD100. There is hardly any increase in the production cost so that the extra USD100 can be considered as pure profit.

Our 250,000 barrels of export should earn us 250,000 x 100 x 365 x 3 = RM27,375,000,000 (twenty seven billion Ringgit).

But Petronas made a profit of well over RM70 billion, all of which belong to the Government.

By all accounts the Government is flushed with money.

But besides petrol the prices of palm oil, rubber and tin have also increased by about 400 per cent. Plantation companies and banks now earn as much as RM3 billion in profits each. Taxes paid by them must have also increased greatly.

courtesy Chedet.com

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Wow, that’s quite an education and a revealation.

RM70 billion with lower margin of profits, “the government is flush with money”, how true. Add the portion of the subsidy retained by the government as it should be lower than the previous RM56 billion, because now the subsidy is RM0.30 sen per liter. We all knew that., no matter how dumb, we the Rakyat are The irony is that, it is not through our own institutions or our ‘free’ media but through “clowns” in the eyes of the white house, our biggest trading partner. Through chavez, through Ahmadinejad flamboyant statements. Chavez sells fuel at 0.16 sen per liter would literally asked Venezuleans to be happy, jump and dance everytime the prices goes up.

On the contrary, Malaysians are asked to be sad and stomach the rises through our own pockets. What ever happens to the rezki bestowed by the Great One to our country or nation? Our national oil industry makes money for the government coffers and the rakyat too contributed more to the coffers, from the same resource by buying it back at high or near market prices. It seems that the rakyat is given a near double jeopardy.

What we need is more transparency and accountability on how that money is spent. Che Det had “flip and flop” in this aspect, we previously hope the Mr. Clean Pak Lah will be much better than his predecessor, but how sad we Malaysian were, it was not to be. After giving him a four year trust, to demonstrate his cleaness. We do not see any change. Mere lips services from ‘to fight big time against corruption’ to, to get hold of the little Napoleans by their horns.

We hope the last election will move something. Yes, it has, well at least announce in Kota Kinabalu for Sabahan. Will it materialized and materialized properly? Without all the, now seems the established norms of financial misuse, abuse and mismanagement. The accounts of what was given and received had huge discrepancy for the State of Terengganu and make the present MB (Chiel Minister) of Terengganu to voice out.

Then there were simple and very objective questions raise by the Pakatan Rakyat state governments for the accounts of the sizeable amount of money already spent in a very short period. As usual, the whole issue was politicized and these shows how the present federal government mocks the Rakyat, without any meaningful feedbacks or reply. Only generalized statements for emotional consumption. For the rest of the argument on the fairness of the price of oil, please refer, I earnestly hope you can see it, objectively.

I wonder – who has the last laugh to the banks! For the last Cabinet under Pak Lah it was one Patrict Lim, at least for Terengganu, that's according to Che Det. Please revealed more . . .