Opposition wins Japan polls - 31 Aug 09

JOHOR, SASARAN PAKATAN RAKYAT SETERUSNYA

JOHOR, SASARAN PAKATAN RAKYAT SETERUSNY.

Kezaliman ISA

Dr Hatta saman Polis Rompin

Najib's 100 Days, What Went Wrong? : Elizabeth Wong

Ku Li : on Petronas governance,

Petronas governance, oil and talent .

JUNE 29,2009 — There are reports of a supposed tussle of wills between the prime minister and the board of Petronas over his choice of a non-executive, independent director for the board. I find the way this discussion is being framed in the press and on the blogs a little puzzling.

To begin with, the question of a tussle of wills, so to speak, between the board of Petronas and the prime minister does not arise. The Articles of Association governing Petronas give the prime minister the absolute power to appoint and remove every single member of the board and management. The prime minister has the right to appoint or remove anyone, from the president and chief executive officer down to the company drivers. In particular, every member of the board is an appointee of the prime minister, and represents him on the board.

Therefore it is puzzling that appeals are being made for the prime minister not to interfere in the composition of the board of Petronas, when it is in fact his duty and sole prerogative to appoint members of the board who will help him in his function of overseeing the running of this wholly state-owned enterprise and seeing to the disposal of the wealth that it generates. Let us not suddenly forget the extent to which previous prime ministers directed the decisions of Petronas in service of their conceptions of the national interest.

Many discussions which raise the issue of corporate governance refer to Petronas as a GLC, and refer to governance practices proper to GLCs. But these GLCs have multiple shareholders and indeed publicly traded stock. Petronas is unlike any other GLC. It has only one shareholder: the state. Almost unique among national oil companies the world over, the entire oil and gas wealth of Malaysia is vested in Petronas. It has supervisory power over the major oil companies operating in our territory. It was not formed to privatise our oil and gas reserves but to safeguard our national sovereignty over them and to manage them more effectively as the common inheritance of all Malaysians. It is charged with ensuring our energy security.

Petronas’ sole owner is ultimately the Malaysian people. The person charged with stewardship of the people’s ownership is the prime minister, and he is accountable to the people through a democratic political process. Every member of the board is appointed by him to help him discharge this stewardship. In that situation if, as reported, any member of the board disagrees on principle with the prime minister’s decision to appoint someone, he should resign. This is the proper way for board members all appointed by a sole shareholder to express strong objection to an appointment.

Those calls being made in the name of good governance for the prime minister “not to interfere” unwittingly advocate bad governance because they are framed on a misunderstanding about the nature of Petronas and therefore about who it is accountable to, and how it should be governed.

Because Petronas is charged with the stewardship of public assets we need to understand the governance of Petronas in terms of a public process; that is to say, the political process. The Petroleum Development Act that I had the privilege to help design did not envisage Petronas becoming a mega-corporation accountable only to privileged insiders. The real framework for understanding governance in Petronas is its accountability to the people of Malaysia through the prime minister of their elected government. This could hardly be otherwise for an organisation vested with such awesome resources and responsibilities.

On scholarships and talent

When we started Petronas we could not find enough local talent. The late Tun Abdul Razak said to me: “Let’s use foreign talent only as consultants. Let’s staff Petronas with Malaysians.” I started the Petronas scholarship programme in my first year as chairman. We set aside 3,000 scholarships a year. In that first year we only managed to give out 1,000. Our intention was to flood Malaysia with returning talent, for whatever industry or sector. The scholars were not bonded, except where they had skills essential to Petronas such as geophysics or petroleum engineering. Understanding our role as custodians of the greatest single source of the people’s wealth, we deliberately pursued a broad rather than narrow scholarship programme to serve the national interest by building its human capital. So we gave out scholarships in fields of study as far from Petronas’ direct interests as architecture and medicine. We did not bond these scholars. I wonder if people understand the spirit of the Petronas scholarships when they are so quick to stigmatise a young person of ability with the title “scholarship defaulter.”

We should try to raise our level of public debate above the gutter of name-calling, racial slurs and the assumption of guilt by association. We should stop looking under our beds for ghosts and shadowy conspiracies. I’m disappointed to find such mean-spirited resentment of talent and of youth precisely when we desperately need those two ingredients in and around government. In our focus on the excesses of certain young people, we may have forgotten the excesses of the old and the decrepit.

I started by talking about the reported tussle between the PM and the board of Petronas. But this is a more real and consequential tussle involving a resource more valuable even than our oil and gas reserves: our people. There is now a generational struggle, in every political party, throughout the civil service, and wherever politics rather than merit governs promotions and appointments, between the young of this demographically very young country and self-interested incumbents blocking their rise with the Catch-22 argument that they are too inexperienced. How else will they gain that experience than by taking up those responsibilities?

We face a generational loss that will destroy our future if we continue to discourage talented and highly educated Malaysians in their thirties and forties from taking up key roles in our society.

Watch video on razaleigh.com

U.S. set to pay off UN debt

We have terrific news to share! The President signed legislation this week that will enact Congress’ FY 2009 emergency supplemental appropriations bill, which includes enough funds to pay off all debt the U.S. owes the UN going back to 1999.

As you may know, when Ted Turner announced his intention to give a billion dollars to support the UN almost 12 years ago, he did so because the United States was about a billion dollars behind in its payments to the UN.

The UN Foundation and our sister organization, the Better World Campaign, worked to build support for the original Congressional agreement, which in exchange for certain UN reforms, led to the U.S. paying over $800 million in debt to the UN. It was a great accomplishment.

Now, a decade after the first Congressional agreement, it is time to celebrate once again. Our government has recognized that we must keep the U.S. in good financial standing and honor our obligations at the UN. And with passage of the FY09 supplemental spending bill, debt to the UN accumulated since 1999 has been paid.

Indeed, great nations pay their bills, and by fully funding the UN and other international organizations whose work supports U.S. national security, we create greater legitimacy for our foreign policy and economic goals and empower U.S. diplomacy. In this way, we can continue America’s resumption of leadership through multilateral diplomacy.

Thank you for your continued support and interest in a strong U.S.-UN relationship.

Sincerely,

Timothy Wirth signature

Timothy E. Wirth
President, United Nations Foundation

Health care a human right?

22 June 2009 - A single payer rep finally testifies to Congress; insurance industry steps up attack on any public plan

Listening Post - The media role in Iran's election.

19 June 2009 - On Listening Post this week, how the media has been used in Iranian election and the ongoing debate as to whether or not we should pay for online content.

The role the media, both new and old, played in the Iranian Election.

EU Participatory Democratic Deposit : Turnout

08 June 2009

		1979	1981	1984	1987	1989	1994	1995	1996	1999	2004	2007	2009
	BE	91.36		92.09		90.73	90.66			91.05	90.81		90.39
	DK	47.82		52.38		46.17	52.92			50.46	47.89		59.52
	DE	65.73		56.76		62.28	60.02			45.19	43		43.3
	IE	63.61		47.56		68.28	43.98			50.21	58.58		57.6
	FR	60.71		56.72		48.8	52.71			46.76	42.76		40.48
	IT	85.65		82.47		81.07	73.6			69.76	71.72		66.46
	LU	88.91		88.79		87.39	88.55			87.27	91.35		91
	NL	58.12		50.88		47.48	35.69			30.02	39.26		36.5
	UK	32.35		32.57		36.37	36.43			24	38.52		34.27
	EL		81.48	80.59		80.03	73.18			70.25	63.22		52.63
	ES				68.52	54.71	59.14			63.05	45.14		44.3
	PT				72.42	51.1	35.54			39.93	38.6		37.03
	SE							41.63		38.84	37.85		43.8
	AT								67.73	49.4	42.43		42.4
	FI								57.6	30.14	39.43		40.3
	CZ										28.3		28.22
	EE										26.83		43.2
	CY										72.5		59.4
	LT										48.38		20.91
	LV										41.34		52.56
	HU										38.5		36.29
	MT										82.39		78.81
	PL										20.87		24.53
	SI										28.35		28.25
	SK										16.97		19.64
	BG											29.22	37.49
	RO											29.47	27.4
	EU total	61.99		58.98		58.41	56.67			49.51	45.47		42.94

Source: TNS opinion in collaboration with the EP.

EU Election results: towards the new Parliament

Provisional 08 June 2009 at 17:19 CEST

Legend:

• EPP-ED : Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats
• PES : Socialist Group in the European Parliament
• ALDE : Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
• UEN : Union for Europe of the Nations Group
• GREENS/ EFA : Group of the Greens / European Free Alliance
• GUE/ NGL : Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left
• IND/ DEM : Independence/Democracy Group
• Others : Others

Without prejudice to the composition of the EP at the inaugural session on 14 July 2009

Source: TNS opinion in collaboration with the EP.

European elections, democratic deficit analysis, right-wing parties:

Video presentation of Audiovisual Unit services and facilities.

Men 'out-performed at university'

Kuala Lumpur Swine Flu : 17 still in isolation wards

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26,2009 – Bernama

Seventeen notified cases are still in the isolation wards at six referral hospitals for Influenza A(H1N1) for observation as at 8am today.

Director-general of Health, Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican, said out of this number, six were warded at Sungai Buloh Hospital, four at Kuala Lumpur Hospital, three at Tuanku Jaafar Hospital in Seremban, two at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Sabah, and one each at Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh and Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru.

“Out of the 17 notified cases, 10 were confirmed free from the H1N1 virus from tests conducted by the Institute of Medical Research, while six are still waiting for the laboratory test results,” he said in a statement today.

Dr Mohd Ismail said there were 26 newly notified cases of suspected Influenza A(H1N1) yesterday, bringing the number of cases reported to the Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre to 269 as at 8am today, but all the 26 cases were confirmed negative.

He said Malaysia still had two infection cases as reported on May 15 and 16, but so far there had been no transmission taking place in the country.

Up to 8am today, the World Health Organisation (WHO) informed that two more countries – Kuwait and Iceland – reported one Influenza A(H1N1) case each yesterday, bringing the number of affected countries to 46 involving 12,566 confirmed cases worldwide.

WHO also reported that nine countries recorded an increase in the number of cases in 24 hours with Peru having eight cases, Japan (six), the United Kingdom

(four), Spain (three), China (three), Hong Kong (two), and Australia, the Philippines, Colombia and Russia, one case each.

WHO said there were no new deaths among the 91 already reported.

Dr Ismail said in the 24 hours up to 8am today, 9,972 people arriving in the country by air, sea or land had been screened at the checkpoints, with three of them referred to the hospitals for further examination.

More information on Influenza A(H1N1) is available from www.moh.gov.my

Danes named world's happiest nation

A new report finds Danes to be the happiest nation in the world due to their level of subjective well-being and life satisfaction.

Northern European countries top the list of happy nations, with Sweden, Ireland, Canada, Switzerland, New Zealand, Norway and Belgium ranking 4th to 10th.

Released by the Paris-based Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) the survey was based on whether people believed their lives to be dominated by positive experiences and feelings or negative ones.

The OECD used the data gathered from a 2008 Gallup World Poll conducted in 140 countries, which surveyed a representative sample of no more than 1,000 people, above the age 15, in each country.

The OECD data shows that overall economic health, work-life balance and low unemployment are among the most important factors which can bring happiness into people's lives.

The OECD is an international organization that provides economic and social statistics and data, helping governments tackle economic, social and governance challenges.

Courtesy PressTV : Sun, 10 May 2009

Aid agencies struggle with Darfur crisis

May 10, 2009 - As Sudan's Darfur crisis drags on, its refugee camps are having to be extended to cope with the increasing number of displaced people.

Al Jazeera's Mohamed Vall reports from Zam Zam camp in Northern Darfur, where humanitarian officials are struggling to cope with the growing number of people seeking their help.

Hindraf trio & 13 Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees released

TAIPING, May 9 2009 — malaysianinsider

All three Hindraf leaders, M. Manoharan, K. Vasanthakumar and P. Uthayakumar, were among 13 Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees who were released from the Kamunting Detention Centre in phases today.

Manoharan, 48, the Kota Alam Shah state assemblyman, and Vasanthakumar, 36, who came out at 2.30pm, left in separate cars while Uthayakumar, 47, emerged at 2.55pm. They are now making their way to Kuala Lumpur.

Uthayakumar, a lawyer, who left in a family member's car, later stopped by the roadside to speak to the press and some 30 Hindraf supporters.

The Hindraf legal adviser, who thanked his friends and supporters but not the government (because the ISA is still in force), said he would not adhere to conditions set for his release but did not say what the conditions were.

Earlier, about 12.40pm, a group of detainees, who were released, left in an Immigration Department van while another group, which came out at 1.20pm in an unidentified van, was escorted by a number of police cars.

Yesterday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein announced the release of 13 ISA detainees, including Uthayakumar, Manoharan and Vasanthakumar.

The others released were Zulkepli Marzuki, Jeknal Adil and Admi Pindatun; two Indonesian nationals Zainun Rasyid and Aboud Ghafar Shahril, and five Filipinos Sufian Salih, Hasim Talib, Abdul Jamal Azahari, Yusof Mohd Salam and Husin Alih.

Vasanthakumar's mother R. Manomani, 62, and his sister K. Parameswari were among those waiting outside the gates of the camp since early morning.

Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hasan confirmed that all three Hindraf leaders were released with conditions and said that they would be back in detention should they breach the conditions.

Two Hindraf leaders, V. Ganabatirau and R. Kengadharan, were among another 13 detainees released in the first batch announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, when delivering his maiden speech as Prime Minister on the night of April 3.

Germany moves to outlaw paintball

Berlin says games like paintball encourage violence Saturday, 9 May 2009 BBC UK The German government says it plans to ban combat games such as paintball, in response to a recent school shooting. The new measures being proposed to parliament also include tighter gun control rules and give officials the right to conduct checks on gun owners. Anyone defying the proposed new rule could face a 5,000-euro (£4,474) fine. Sixteen people, including the gunman, were killed in the school shooting in March. Relatives of the victims say the new measures do not go far enough. 'Biometric controls' Under the proposed rules, the authorities would be given more right to ensure weapons are safely locked up. The massacre at Albertville School shocked Germany It is also thought that "biometric controls" for gun storage might be introduced, the BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Berlin reports. That would mean that anyone owning and storing guns at home would need to use their own fingerprint to open the safe or cupboard, our correspondent says. Berlin also plans to ban games like paintball and laser-tag that simulate killing on the grounds that they trivialise and encourage violence. But relatives of those killed in the March attack in the town of Winnenden, near Stuttgart, are calling for an outright ban on pistols and high-calibre weapons. "There cannot be a second Winnenden," Hardy Schober, whose daughter was killed in the attack, told a news conference in Berlin.

Pemuda PAS alukan kemasukan Renggo

May 05, 2009 - PAS terbuka menerima golongan artis yang ingin bersama menunaikan tugas dakwah melalui medium mereka